The discovery of substantial natural gas deposits in the Philippines does not obviate the need for the country to make a longer-term transition to renewables.
Category Archives: Commentaries
The Limits of Malaysia’s Anti-Corruption Efforts
To plug its fiscal gap, Malaysia needs to go beyond asset recovery and clawing back proceeds from graft.
Malaysia’s Opposition: The Need to Close Ranks
To mount a creditable challenge to the ruling coalition, Malaysia’s opposition coalition needs to overcome a list of obstacles, foremost among them infighting within the grouping.
Infrastructure as Strategy: How Vietnam Rewires Indochina through Ports and Roads
Vietnam is often portrayed as losing influence in Laos and Cambodia to China. But the construction of key infrastructure gives Hanoi some measure of agency.
Korean Language Learning in Malaysia: Beyond the Korean Wave
By institutionalising an already popular global Korean wave, Malaysian and Korean state efforts are helping to intensify Malaysian interest in the Korean language.
Beyond Non‑Recognition: Myanmar’s Elections Leave ASEAN In a Bind
What are ASEAN’s options for responding to the election outcome in Myanmar?
Is Thai Manufacturing Sick?
The Thai manufacturing sector is suffering from low capacity utilisation. The government needs to think about longer-term assistance.
Thailand’s Trade Imbalance and Stunted Industrialisation: Will the Upgraded ASEAN-China Trade Agreement Help?
Thailand could leverage on the ASEAN–China Free Trade Area (ACFTA) to redress its burgeoning trade deficit with China and get its industrial development plans back on track.
What ASEAN Governments Can Learn from the Russian State-Backed Attacks on Amazon Web Services
Russian state-backed cyberattacks on cloud-linked critical infrastructure in the West highlight the need for ASEAN governments to develop stronger laws and larger cybersecurity talent pools for critical infrastructure protection.
Trump and Southeast Asia: When Transactionalism Undermines Trust
The Trump Administration has broken with the tradition of pursuing its national interests in tandem with an emphasis on alliances and values. Southeast Asian countries will respond accordingly.