Act East or Acting? India and ASEAN
Hoang Thi Ha
China is taking action to deepen economic engagement with Southeast Asia. India, despite Prime Minister Modi’s Act East rhetoric, is not.
Articles
Revenge of the Asia-Pacific?
Malcolm Cook
The much-ballyhooed “Indo-Pacific” term has gained much traction in the region in recent years. The new Democratic Party platform, however, pointedly excludes the use of the term, and touts the older “Asia-Pacific” instead. Is this Biden’s attempt at getting at Trump?
The Anti-Royalist Possibility: Thailand’s 2020 Student Movement
Khorapin Phuaphansawat
The current protest movement in Thailand is breaking new political ground while acknowledging their predecessors.
Biden “Re-pivot” to Asia Cannot Be Obama 2.0
Charles Dunst
If elected the president of the United States, Joe Biden will not necessarily gain traction in Southeast Asia by simply not being Trump. He will have to bring tangible economic and political options to the table, and harness the intrinsic power of America’s network of allies and partners.
Populations and Politics: The Demography of Thai Student Protests
Kevin S.Y. Tan
Demographic factors are driving Thailand’s current political protests. They will be hard to quell without major political reforms.
Will China Establish Military Bases in Southeast Asia?
Ian Storey
The US Department of Defense has asserted that Beijing has “likely considered” logistics and basing infrastructure in five Southeast Asian countries. It is worth noting that such arrangements are predicated on a host nation’s inclination to support such a presence. At the moment, such willingness appears to be in short supply, except in the case of Cambodia.
Covid-19 in Malaysia: New Economic Aid or Further Fallout
Serina Rahman
Under renewed political pressure, Malaysia’s prime minister tells the country a positive story of successful response and recovery from the public health and economic crisis. Unions and NGOs do not paint the same picture.
Anwar Declaration as Malaysia’s Ninth PM: Another (Failed) September Surprise?
Norshahril Saat|Mohd Faizal Musa
Anwar Ibrahim claims that he has enough political support to be the country’s next prime minister. The key here is whether he can assure the Malay-Muslim majority that their rights will not be undermined.
Anwar’s Parliamentary Majority – Show and Tell, or Tell Only?
Francis E. Hutchinson
Anwar Ibrahim told reporters today that his Pakatan Harapan coalition has the numbers to command a majority in Parliament. If history is any guide, the political manoeuvre could well be a stab in the dark.
Measuring up MUDA: Getting the Love, Actually?
Mohd Faizal Musa|Siti Syazwani Zainal Abidin
Led by the youthful Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman, the newly-established Malaysian United Democratic Alliance (MUDA) might well be able to break the political deadlock that has long dominated Malaysian politics.