Commentaries | FULCRUM

Charting Its Discourse: Cambodia’s Naval Vessel Acquisitions from China

Rather than look a gift horse in the mouth, observers should consider Cambodian agency instead of assuming Cambodia is a pliant recipient of Chinese military aid.

Time for Better Collective Climate Action in ASEAN Agrifood Production

Agriculture suffers from the impacts of climate change and is also a major contributor to greenhouse gas emissions. ASEAN, working as a region, must do more to address food security and climate change mitigation.

Thailand’s Deep South Policy: The Need for Justice

The failure to convict individuals for a massacre in Thailand’s Deep South 20 years ago will undermine reforms.

The Declining Freedoms of Speech and Press in Indonesia: New President, Same Problem?

A free press in a democracy embodies the concept of freedom of speech and checks those in power while ensuring that citizens are well-informed. Both freedoms were at threat under Indonesia’s former president. Things do not look brighter now.

Amid Intensifying Sino-US Rivalry, Southeast Asia Can Help Bolster Regional Security

Southeast Asia can expect regional tensions to rise amid growing Sino-US competition. To preserve regional stability, Southeast Asian countries should work more closely with middle powers.

Loopholes in Malaysia’s Anti-Defection Law

The Sheraton Move of 2020 saw the collapse of a coalition government. A 2022 anti-hopping law has some utility, but it is ridden with some loopholes.

Making Sense of Unorthodox Change in the Thai Navy Command

The appointment of the new commander-in-chief for the Royal Thai Navy appears to be unorthodox.

C-Pop Going Global to Circumvent Domestic Controls

Chinese companies are producing C-Pop content outside China in a bid to circumvent controls at home.

State Complicity in Religious Intolerance under the Widodo Administration

Religious intolerance against minority faiths is a thorn in the body politic of Indonesia that each president has not been able to fully extract. It does not help when local officials confuse or overstep the bounds of their authority.