Khilafatul Muslimin, an Islamist organisation in Indonesia, has tried but failed to influence public opinion. But the government should keep it on a tight leash.
Author Archives: blackbox
Southeast Asia Caught Between a Commodity Crisis and a Climate Crunch
Southeast Asian governments are facing inflationary and climate pressures simultaneously, against the backdrop of the Russia-Ukraine war. To back down from earlier climate promises, tempted by urgent domestic needs, would be counter-productive and short-sighted.
Southeast Asia Should Confront Threat of Economic Espionage
China is known for using cyber weapons to pursue geostrategic goals. In recent years, entities linked to the Chinese state have carried out alleged economic espionage of commercial firms in Southeast Asia.
Shangri-La Dialogue 2022: The Paradox of Peace and Power
The duel between the ‘rule of law’ and the ‘right of might’ took centre-stage as the Shangri-La Dialogue resumed under the shadow of Russia’s war in Ukraine. Southeast Asian countries found it a hard sell to promote cooperative security and ASEAN’s broad-based mechanisms against tough talk by representatives of the major powers.
Thai Monks who Drink and Their Lay Supporters
Recent media reporting about a Thai monk caught drunk and indecently exposed follows a long line of attention-grabbing headlines about monastic misbehaviour. Even so, Thai attitudes about such rule-breaking are more nuanced than these reports would suggest.
The Need for Power Balance Amidst Rising Great Power Contestations
ASEAN and its constituent states must not neglect the crucial importance of maintaining a balance of influence and power between the great powers to secure space for their own independence.
Assessing the Belt and Road Initiative in Southeast Asia amid the COVID-19 Pandemic (2021-2022)
Data analysis from an original dataset tracking major China-financed projects under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) in Southeast Asia since January 2021 shows that China remains committed to boosting BRI projects’ progress.
Bigger Constituencies, Lesser Political Clout
An opposition MP’s decision not to contest in his mega-sized constituency come the next general election has thrown up a longstanding irony in Malaysian politics: bigger seats are increasingly disenfranchised.
#LeaveNoOneBehind: Ensuring Universal Energy Access in SEA’s Transition
ASEAN is unlikely to meet the UN’s Sustainable Development Goal 7 as it transitions to cleaner energy. While some encouraging steps have been taken to assure the region’s citizens of energy access, much more needs to be done to bring the entire region on an equal footing.
It Takes Two to Tango: Vietnam-US Relations in the New Context
Vietnam’s delicate balancing act between major powers suggests that it is unlikely to advance a relationship with one power at the expense of another. Instead, it will try to maintain an independent position and promote ties with all powers, where possible.