Lesson Learnt: Indonesia’s Second Eid al-Fitri under Covid-19
Syafiq Hasyim
In 2020, Eid-al-Fitri was a national superspreader event. This year the government and Muslim organisations were better prepared.
Articles
Indonesia’s First Sovereign Wealth Fund (INA): Opportunities and Challenges
Manggi Habir
The Indonesian government is stepping up its efforts to kickstart its economic recovery by attracting more direct investment into the country. The 2019 Omnibus Law and the recent launch of the Indonesia Investment Authority (INA), the country’s first sovereign wealth fund, are deliberate steps in that direction.
Vietnam’s Consumer Finance Goes Global
Nicolas Lainez
Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group’s new 49 per cent stake in FE Credit highlights the need for greater regulatory oversight and consumer protection measures.
Quad 2.0: Beyond “Not Making Choices”, Giving ASEAN a Slew of Options
Shruti Pandalai
India’s grappling with the second wave of the Covid-19 pandemic at home has only highlighted the need for greater “issue-based” coalitions in the Indo-Pacific. This is relevant to ASEAN as the grouping looks to assert its centrality in regional affairs.
ASEAN’s Mission to Myanmar: An Approach to Ends with Possibilities of Success
Hoang Thi Ha
All eyes will be on the incoming mission of the ASEAN Chair’s special envoy in Myanmar to facilitate talks between the military junta and civilian government it toppled earlier this year. But the writing is already on the wall – the envoy has a mountain to climb.
Is the East Asia Summit Suffering Erosion?
Hoang Thi Ha|Malcolm Cook
Over the last decade, the EAS, by default and by ASEAN’s design, has been the peak mechanism in the ASEAN-led regional architecture. Keeping it so will not be easy, amidst shifting big-power dynamics and the growing attractiveness of smaller and more effective regional mechanisms.
Book Review: A Cheery Optimism About Asia’s Rise and Its Future
Daljit Singh
The Future is Asian: Commerce, Conflict and Culture in the 21st Century by Parag Khanna is about the rise of Asia, its future prospects and its complex relationship with the West. Notwithstanding occasional analytical lapses, it is an engaging read with many rich vignettes of information and interesting observations.
In Conversation with Parag Khanna
William Choong
In this inaugural episode of Dialogues at Fulcrum, William Choong, Managing Editor of Fulcrum, sits down with Parag Khanna to discuss his book, “The Future is Asian: Commerce, Conflict and Culture in the 21st Century”.
Speaking Out on Politics in Indonesia: More Opportunity, More Fear
Max Lane
Despite a legacy of citizen passivity from the New Order era, elite fear of the freedom social media promises remains strong.
The UMNO General Assembly and the Rocky Road Back to Putrajaya
Norshahril Saat
In the May 2018 general election, UMNO lost power for the first time in history but clawed back into government in March 2020 through defections from the Pakatan Harapan (PH) government. However, the party is now deeply split. A close examination of the positions of various UMNO leaders demonstrates that not all is well within the party, and its path to recapture Putrajaya is rocky.