Myanmar’s second Union Peace Conference has ended with no agreement on the issues of non-secession and the unified federal army. This is not surprising. There is a lack of a proper framework for political dialogue and the civilian government is perceived to be weak.
Category Archives: Commentaries
UMNO’s U-Turn on RUU 355: What Makes Coalitions Stick in Malaysia?
The Barisan Nasional government’s U-turn on changes to RUU 355, which will give the syariah courts more extensive powers, suggests that the coalition dynamics of politics are behind the move. Put simply, the coalition’s survival is equally, if not more important than UMNO’s electoral appeal.
President Duterte: The Centralizer
President Duterte’s war on illegal drugs has claimed mounting death tolls and widespread human rights abuses. The drug war is used as the blanket reason to delay elections and centralize political power in the person of the president and reduces the checks and balances on this power.
Chinese Capital Controls and Forest City
Recent Chinese curbs on financial outflows from China has led to speculation that this will affect the iconic Forest City mixed development in Johor. The southern state says that sales will not be affected. After all, Chinese investors have a habit of circumventing around new laws.
ASEAN Foreign Ministers Set for a Tough Year Ahead
The 50th annual ASEAN Foreign Ministers Retreat in Boracay was held amid uncertainty and anxiety over the US’ commitment to Asia. The grouping has a long list of issues to work on, the more important being negotiations on the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership.
Checking and Balancing President Duterte
Please note that it is the anti-drug crusade which has been extended to the end of Duterte’s term in June 2022, not Duterte’s term, which will end as scheduled in that month.
President Trump’s Refugee Ban has Adverse Impact on Southeast Asia’s Refugees
US President Donald Trump’s executive order to impose a four-month travel ban on refugees entering the United States has increased their vulnerability in Southeast Asia. Many find themselves living in dire straits.
Vietnam, President Trump and the TPP
President Donald Trump’s withdrawal of the U.S. from the TPP is a huge loss for Vietnam. To reduce its dependence on the Chinese economy. Vietnam will have to look elsewhere for free trade deals to secure its economy.
Whither the True Cost of Mega-Port Development?
The development of the Klang Valley’s third port and industrial city in Carey Island comes against a slump in the international shipping trade, and the formation of mega-alliances of container carriers for economies of scale due to over-capacity. Assessment of economic, socio-cultural, environmental, and political impact needs to be carried out – as well as its implications on other Malaysian ports.
Beyond Jakarta: Indonesian Regions Resisting Muslim Hardliners
The rising trend of religious intolerance and hard-line ideologies, is being challenged across Indonesia. The central government must take the lead in dealing with such attitudes so that local authorities can follow suit.