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.
Articles
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.
Muhyiddin’s Special Envoy to the Middle East: Largely Ceremonial
Fauzan A. Roslee
Hadi Awang, the Malaysian prime minister’s special envoy to the Middle East, has done little to advance Kuala Lumpur’s interests in that region. His role is more political than functional.
The ASEAN Way: Zen and the Art of Great Power Maintenance
William Choong
Recent official rejections of China’s “nine dash line” claims in the South China Sea by Southeast Asian disputant states are not about closer alignment with the US.
Biden Versus Trump in Southeast Asia: Where the Rubber Meets the Road
Malcolm Cook
Expectations of the Biden Administration’s engagement with Southeast Asia are running high, but, like his predecessor, President Biden did not register any meetings or phone calls with Southeast Asian leaders in his first three months in office.
DAP Johor Party Elections: A “Fourpeat” for State Chief Liew Chin Tong
Kevin Zhang|Francis E. Hutchinson
Liew Chin Tong’s win in the Johor state party elections is a win for Lim Kit Siang in the coming DAP national party elections.
Vietnam’s 2021 National Assembly Election: One Step Forward, Two Steps Back
Nhu Truong
The process of self-nomination to Vietnam’s legislature is fraught with political peril, which reflects the calibrated rules of the election under the communist regime.
Next Thai Election, Next Thai Electoral System?
Punchada Sirivunnabood
The main ruling party and opposition parties want to change the electoral system to their advantage before the next election.
The Riau Islands’ New Leadership: Glimmers of Light Amid the Gloom
Siwage Dharma Negara
A new leadership team in Indonesia’s Riau Islands has bold plans to steer the region back into growth, after a gruelling year fighting the Covid-19 pandemic. If they play their cards right, they are in it with a fighting chance.
Placate the Young and Control Online Discourse: The Vietnamese State’s Tightrope
Dien Nguyen An Luong
A key challenge for Vietnam is to control cyberspace without alienating growing numbers of Internet-savvy youths. Unlike China, Vietnam has not been able to muster enough political and technological resources to craft sophisticated campaigns to boost youth nationalism. The gap is even more pronounced online.