Gauri Sasitharan
Gauri Sasitharan argues that, in the absence of strong legal protections for mangrove and peatland conservation in ASEAN, grassroots communities are emerging as the region’s most important stewards of these ecosystems.
Elyssa Kaur Ludher
Extreme temperature and heat stress poses an increasingly critical threat to rice production and food security in Southeast Asia, with far-reaching consequences for the region’s economy, society, and environment.
Maria Monica Wihardja|Siwage Dharma Negara
A fast deal is not necessarily a good deal if Indonesia strikes an unequal trade bargain to avoid higher tariffs.
Lee Hwok-Aun
Malaysia’s retirement fund system is ailing and will not serve the retirement needs of the populace adequately. It is time to consider a basic pension scheme.
Vilashini Somiah
The return of Musa Aman to Sabah’s politics underscores the fact that, as time moves on, little has changed in the state’s political culture of patronage and corruption.
Koh Sin Yee
Mainland Chinese student numbers in Malaysian universities have surged recently, driven by affordability, proximity, and cultural familiarity, as well as restrictions in traditional study destinations such as the US.
Nguyen Khac Giang
Vietnam’s rapid credit growth in the first half of 2025, and Prime Minister Chinh’s call to further open the floodgates, are concerning. The government must not gamble hard-earned stability for ephemeral monetary expansion.
Huy Ha
There is growing momentum in Vietnam to adopt marriage equality. However, traditional societal norms and tighter controls on foreign funding loom.
Sovinda Po
Anti-Vietnamese sentiments in Cambodia are longstanding and run deep. Effectively addressing such sentiments in Cambodia demands a nuanced, multifaceted approach that goes beyond short-term political actions. It requires fostering a narrative of genuine inclusion and shared future aspirations, one that promotes mutual respect, empathy, and understanding.
Joanne Lin|Melinda Martinus
Inaction on the Thailand-Cambodia conflict undermines ASEAN’s raison d'être by the day. There is still time to salvage the situation.