Mahathir’s Bersatu is Best Understood as an NGO
Ooi Kee Beng
Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia, a new Malay-based political party, has been formed by Mahathir Mohamad to provide an alternative to UMNO and wins votes from the Malays.
Articles
Bombings in South Thailand
Puangthong R. Pawakapan
While the Thai military government blamed the bomb blasts to the red-shirt conflict, incoming evidence suggests that Muslim separatist movements are involved. The bombings underscore the fact that the military government has failed to address the ethnic-religious conflict and the presence of Asian-based Islamic State (IS) networks in the south.
Issues and Points to Look out for at the 49th ASEAN Foreign Ministers Meeting and Related Meetings
Tang Siew Mun
The 49th ASEAN Foreign Ministers Meeting will take place against the backdrop of The South China Sea dispute, with the leaders of ASEAN unable to give a unified position on the matter. With six foreign ministers taking part in the AMM for the first time, the collegiality and cohesion of ASEAN will be tested.
Duterte’s Aquino Legacies
Malcolm Cook
The ruling by the Arbitration Tribunal on the South China Sea and the U.S.-Philippine Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement are two foreign policy legacies left by the Aquino administration. They will be stumbling blocks to the Duterte administration if it seeks to revise its foreign policy with China and the US.
Arbitral Tribunal Award Represents Legal Victory for Philippines, Massive Defeat for China
Ian Storey
The Arbitral Tribunal on the South China Sea has ruled in favour of the Philippines. But China may adopt a hardline response. It could increase its naval presence in the South China Sea or commence reclamation work at Scarborough Shoal.
Myanmar Forum 2016: Key Takeaways
Moe Thuzar
The Myanmar Forum 2016 highlighted the imperatives for the NLD government to restore trust and create conditions that are conducive to doing business in Myanmar. The newly-elected parliament need to repeal and revise outdated laws and develop policies relevant to the country's current needs.
Duterte, Jokowi and ASEAN
Malcolm Cook
The political ascensions of Jokowi and Duterte is a significant challenge to ASEAN unity and centrality. As political outsiders with minimal international experience, their foreign policies are nationalistic and unilateral - focusing more on supporting the administration's domestic infrastructure and nation-building agenda.
Transboundary Haze Pollution in ASEAN is a Shared Responsibility at all Levels
Moe Thuzar
Indonesia's non-ratification on ASEAN Agreement on Transboundary Haze Pollution in 2014 has hindered the effectiveness of tackling the recurring haze problem. The decentralised governance structure and weak central coordination among its agencies make implementation at the ground level difficult.
Cooperation Necessary to Eradicate the Haze
Lee Poh Onn
The forest fires in Indonesia is a multilateral and transboundary issue that requires the cooperation of ASEAN in developing and implementing measures to prevent environmental and economic costs to affected countries. Indonesia needs to mitigate and assuage fears of a repeat of the 2015 haze incident.