Nguyen Thanh Giang|Le Hong Hiep
There is a Russian-Vietnamese plan to bring the learning of Russian back to Vietnamese schools. But the reality is that English and Chinese are the most popular languages in the country.
Astrid Meilasari-Sugiana|Gunardi Endro|Siwage Dharma Negara
Public expectations for corruption eradication will never be met unless fundamental reforms are implemented within Indonesia’s Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) and other law enforcement agencies, including the National Police and the Attorney General’s Office. Also needed are curbs on the cosy relationships between politicians and big business.
Jared Bissinger
Myanmar’s military regime is increasingly utilising foreign exchange policy to extract funding, which threatens to hasten economic decline. It is important to find avenues for economic activity outside the system for the benefit of Myanmar’s people.
Jayant Menon
Vietnam has progressed in embracing market-based reforms, but its reform agenda remains unfinished. Recent free trade agreements have maintained reform momentum, but Vietnam’s earlier accession to ASEAN and the WTO continues to influence the economy.
Serina Rahman
Malaysia has commenced fuel subsidy rationalisation by shifting from general to targeted diesel subsidies, but there is still some economic fallout. The government needs to do more to help those bearing the cost.
Napon Jatusripitak
Depending on one’s perspective, the grand political compromise in Thailand is either collapsing or still remains intact.
Sharon Seah
The fact that five Southeast Asian countries are seeking to join BRICS should not be seen as an affront to the West and its so-called rules-based order.
Melinda Martinus
JETP implementation in Vietnam and Indonesia faces challenges such as significant financing gaps, criticisms regarding the attractiveness of financing packages, difficulties in aligning donor and recipient countries’ expectations, the complex political-economic landscape of the coal industry, and concerns over the social impacts of energy transitions.
Paul Chambers|Kridsana Chotisut
The road to Myanmar for ASEAN goes through Bangkok. This in itself might be a problem.
Iim Halimatusa’diyah|Endi Aulia Garadian
Nahdlatul Ulama’s venture into the mining business might send the wrong signal for Indonesia’s emerging green Islam movement.