This Long Read explores the characteristics of Indonesia’s political culture that have resulted in a tendency to form broad coalitions that effectively suppress real political opposition.
Author Archives: blackbox
Can Mekong Stingrays Tell the Chinese Dam Story Well?
China is crafting “wonderful stories” about its upstream dams in the Mekong. But the overall thrust of the narrative glosses over the more controversial aspects of dam building.
Addressing food security and climate change at the G20 Summit
Worsening climate change adds pressure to food production, and agriculture is a major cause of greenhouse gas emissions. G20 leaders have an opportunity at this November’s Bali summit to address the long-term challenges of revamping the global food system into a more sustainable, resilient and equitable one.
UNCLOS’s Relevance to Taiwan Amid a Raging Storm
After the 2016 South China Sea (SCS) arbitration award and recent developments, Taiwan — though not a formal party to the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) — has all the more reason to support the Convention.
Zahid Hamidi’s Acquittal: Darker of Darkest Days?
UMNO president Zahid Hamidi is leveraging his recent acquittal in a corruption case. But the jury is out as to whether the day has dawned for the party going into the next general elections.
The #Bjorka Case and Ratification of Indonesia’s PDP Law: Confronting Digitalisation
Jakarta faces unprecedented pressure to get Indonesia’s new personal data protection (PDP) law right from the get-go, lest a notorious hacker exposes more weaknesses in governance.
Girt by Sea, and by the Law of the Sea: Why UNCLOS Matters to Australia
As a nation which possesses the world’s third largest maritime domain, Australia has benefited tremendously from UNCLOS. Given that multilateralism has come under attack in recent years, the Convention will continue to be significant to middle powers like Australia.
Islamic Studies and Intellectualism in Indonesia: Remembering Professor Azyumardi Azra
Islamic scholars and Indonesia’s public alike mourn the untimely passing of Azyumardi Azra, a leading light in Islamic intellectual discourse at home and abroad.
The State of Southeast Asia’s Green Recovery Post Covid-19
Despite the high levels of interest in green investments in the region, some ASEAN countries are wavering in their commitments to clean energy transition.
Ending Our Toxic Relationship with Coal
The recently published 2022 Southeast Asia Climate Outlook indicates a growing consensus on ending coal consumption. But perceptions vary across countries, socio-economic classes and education levels of respondents.