Thong Mengdavid
A military or unilateral approach to the Thai-Cambodian dispute would only trigger cycles of provocation. The two sides need to use a multifaceted approach to rebuild the bridge of cooperation.
Arnold Puyok
Dogged by scandals and potential infighting within the coalition, Sabah’s ruling coalition faces some tough dilemmas going into the next state elections.
Amalina Anuar
Malaysia is facing a dilemma when it comes to pushing through the reform of its petrol subsidies. It has to stay the course.
Koh Sin Yee
Chinese students are increasingly opting for Asian universities. With the right policies, Southeast Asia can continue to reap the benefits.
Nuurrianti Jalli|Ika Ningtyas|Yearry Panji Setianto
Through TikTok, Prabowo Subianto successfully rebranded himself from being a controversial figure to being a relatable leader. TikTok’s emphasis on short-form entertaining content simplifies complex political issues into meme-worthy visuals. While this encourages engagement from younger audiences, it risks trivialising critical political discussions and reducing voters’ decision-making into emotional reactions.
Surachanee Sriyai
The Thai-Cambodian cyber crossfire highlights ASEAN’s challenge in addressing gaps in international law to prevent both state and non-state actors from misusing cyberspace.
Cha Hae Won
South Korea’s ties with Southeast Asia are overly focused on Vietnam. To assert its middle power status, the country needs to diversify its relations and rectify this imbalance.
Tricia Yeoh
A new Act to improve government efficiency in Malaysia would help streamline the bureaucracy and reduce regulatory burdens. It could be improved, however, by adding some parliamentary oversight.
Stephen Olson
Fulcrum editor Lee Hwok Aun speaks with Stephen Olson, Visiting Senior Fellow at ISEAS – Yusof Ishak Institute, on making sense of the Trump tariffs and thinking through the unpredictabilities.
Ian Storey|Aries A. Arugay
A recent incident between the Philippine Coast Guard and China’s maritime forces could presage a change in tactics by the latter. If this is so, tensions in the disputed area might head north.