One can assess ASEAN’s recent emergency meeting in Jakarta in two ways. One scenario is cautiously optimistic; the other would be tantamount to pure fatalism.
Author Archives: blackbox
Indonesian Islam beyond Habib Rizieq Shihab: Deconstructing Islamism and Populism
The radical Salafi ideology of Muhammad Rizieq Shihab and the Islamic Defender’s Front (FPI) have been at the centre of attention and study for quite a while. Islam in Indonesia, however, is not monolithic – there are some strands which are moderate. The recent retreat of radical and conservative Muslims following pressure from the Joko Widodo government provides a timely opportunity for proponents of moderate Islam to boost their presence on social media – a crucial battleground in the war of religious ideas.
Freeing Trade in the Greater Mekong Subregion
Implementing WTO trade facilitation commitments will be key.
In Dominating the Provinces, Bangkok Leaves Nothing to Chance
Whether as a source of royal blessings or through the power of its rent-seekers, Bangkok’s hold over provincial Thailand endures.
Of Partisan Reshuffles and Stalled Reforms: Thailand’s Police in 2021
The relationship between the palace and the police is deepening. Meanwhile, long awaited police reforms are in the balance.
When “Tony” Goes Clubbing: The Power of Clubhouse in Thailand
Clubhouse, a new audio-based social media app, has gained much popularity in Thailand, despite official warnings to users who denigrate the reputation of the government and the monarchy. A pertinent question is whether the Thai government will use the app to reach out to its opponents.
The New, and Not, of Terrorist Attacks in Indonesia
New perpetrators and tactics, and persistent ideological battles, make fighting terrorism harder.
Vietnam’s Car Market and AFTA: Kicking it Up a Gear
Vietnam is one of ASEAN’s most promising car markets. To tap the growing potential in-country and across ASEAN, however, Hanoi will need to leverage on — and slalom around — a raft of regional free trade agreements.
Learning from “Social Punishment:” Neutrality in Myanmar is No Longer Tenable
Business leaders, foreign and local, have a big choice to make as Myanmar’s crisis deepens.
Anwar Ibrahim and Zahid Hamidi – Forbidden Phone Friends?
An audio clip of a conversation between Anwar Ibrahim and Zahid Hamidi has given Malaysians a ringside seat into the shady backroom dealing between two of the nation’s prominent politicians. Genuine or not, the political interests of the two men have increasingly converged.