Sofie Syarief
A free press in a democracy embodies the concept of freedom of speech and checks those in power while ensuring that citizens are well-informed. Both freedoms were at threat under Indonesia’s former president. Things do not look brighter now.
Lee Sue-Ann|William Choong
Southeast Asia can expect regional tensions to rise amid growing Sino-US competition. To preserve regional stability, Southeast Asian countries should work more closely with middle powers.
Shad Saleem Faruqi
The Sheraton Move of 2020 saw the collapse of a coalition government. A 2022 anti-hopping law has some utility, but it is ridden with some loopholes.
Tita Sanglee
The appointment of the new commander-in-chief for the Royal Thai Navy appears to be unorthodox.
Kornphanat Tungkeunkunt
Chinese companies are producing C-Pop content outside China in a bid to circumvent controls at home.
Haula Noor|A'an Suryana
Religious intolerance against minority faiths is a thorn in the body politic of Indonesia that each president has not been able to fully extract. It does not help when local officials confuse or overstep the bounds of their authority.
Huynh Tam Sang
The Cambodia-Laos-Vietnam tripartite split signals an assertive Cambodia and the onset of a precipitous deterioration in its ties with Vietnam.
Cassey Lee
The ringgit’s recent appreciation has been attributed to sound government policies. Based on economic fundamentals, however, such an appreciation might not be sustainable in the long run.
Olli Pekka Suorsa
On the surface, Malaysia’s planned purchase of Hornet fighter jets from Kuwait looks prudent. But there are deeper considerations to mull over.
Adib Zalkapli|Lee Hwok-Aun
It makes sense for the Anwar administration to lift subsidies on petrol and reconsider putting back the goods and services tax. The problem is that of politics.