Ahalla Tsauro|Firmanda Taufiq
The neo-FPI, the latest reincarnation of the Islamic Defenders Front, has sought to make a clean break from its controversial predecessor. Indonesians should take it with a dollop of salt.
Tham Siew Yean
China has become the most significant foreign partner in Sarawak’s hydropower development, as its extensive knowledge and experience in this domain dovetails with Sarawak’s ambitious programme to develop hydropower for its own needs and for export to the region.
Maria Ela L. Atienza
With most eyes on the national posts in the May 2022 Philippine elections, it is easy to overlook important governance issues at the local level. A new Supreme Court ruling will allocate more fiscal resources to but also demand more responsibilities from local governments. Yet lingering structural and political challenges prevent them from efficiently delivering basic services, initiating local development, and empowering the people.
Maria Monica Wihardja|Siwage Dharma Negara
Indonesia's food policy management has received a potential boost as it has set up a new National Food Agency (NFA), but vast challenges lie ahead as NFA's leader figures out how to feed the world's fourth most populous country in the face of growing external shocks to its food supplies.
Benjamin Y.H. Loh|Munira Mustaffa
Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Malaysia’s social media has been abuzz with discussions on the conflict, with different groups expressing both condemnation and support for Russia. This paper examines pro-Russian sentiments and unpacks them for possible explanations for why such views prevail amongst Malaysians.
Irendra Radjawali|Maria Monica Wihardja
The survival of the Sungai Utik people and their customary forest needs deliberate imagining in this digital era. The community must think carefully about the future they want for themselves and their forest and seize opportunities to use digital technologies to their advantage.
Lee Hwok-Aun
Half of all Malaysians and 81 per cent of Malays deem ‘Malay special rights and privileges’ a ‘core feature’ of Malaysian society. Many Malays are anxious about ‘fair competition’, but perhaps encouragingly from the perspective of reform, there are indications of openness to change.
Melinda Martinus
ASEAN’s growing consumer market for tertiary education is an encouraging trend that has potential upsides for future regional development. ASEAN’s demand for university qualifications will create opportunities for foreign and local institutions to set up more regional branches.
Albert Jehoshua Rapha|Azeem Marhendra Amedi
Indonesia’s political parties are the least trusted political institutions in the country. The combination of elite politics and the entrenched presence of business and other vested interests at the highest levels of government make it challenging for political parties to act as guardians of Indonesian democracy.
Wasisto Raharjo Jati
Since 2014, it has appeared as though the traditionalists in Nahdlatul Ulama have won the upper hand in influencing the Islamic discourse in Indonesia, having pushed back against hardline and conservative elements. However, the conservatives remain a critical opposition, and sharp ideological differences will keep tensions simmering.