Trump’s rent-seeking foreign policy pertaining to energy and critical minerals will force Southeast Asian countries to do what they least desire: making a choice between China and the US.
Category Archives: Commentaries
Prabowo Should Take Heed of Discontent Among Indonesian Youth
Indonesian youth are unhappy about the state of their country, even more so when compared to their counterparts in other ASEAN countries. The government should take heed of such discontent
Southeast Asia Can Navigate Growing Fractures in Global Automotive Sector
Southeast Asia has become another front in the ensuing technology wars between China and the US.
Joko Widodo, Prabowo, and Nahdlatul Ulama
Indonesia’s largest Muslim organisation missed out on the most significant ministerial portfolio – religious affairs – despite supporting presidential candidate Prabowo. What now?
Prabowo Subianto’s First Cabinet Adjustment: Pressured to Deliver But Allegiance Still Prized
Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto’s decision to replace just one minister for now, instead of taking a bolder step to weed out inefficiency and incompetence, is disappointing and potentially costly in the face of rising public anger against his administration and expectations of election promises.
Interfaith Dialogues in Malaysia Declining at a Time When They Are Needed Most
Interfaith dialogue in Malaysia is flagging due to past controversies associated with such activities.
Artificial Intelligence is Intensifying South China Sea Disputes in the Philippines
AI-generated propaganda is being used to distort reality and disinform the public, even gathering support for military escalation in already troubled waters.
Doing More for Victims of Forced Criminality in Southeast Asia
To combat a rising transnational scourge, the region’s governments can augment non-governmental efforts to detect, rescue and repatriate victims of increasingly sophisticated overseas ‘job’ scam operations run by cyber syndicates.
New ASEAN Power Grid Agreement Must Reflect New Needs
It’s time to incorporate new key priorities into the pact to better address current realities of energy interconnection and serve future needs.
Leveraging Justice: Marcos Jr. Uses the ICC Probe to Challenge the Duterte Dynasty
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has shifted his stance from opposing to obliging a potential International Criminal Court arrest warrant for former President Rodrigo Duterte. The ICC probe has become a trump card in the Marcos-Duterte feud ahead of the midterm elections.