In mainland Southeast Asia, the Chinese government’s effective measures to curb the pandemic outbreak at home and the provision of Covid-19 assistance to regional countries have enhanced China’s soft power. Most of the mainland Southeast Asian countries, except Vietnam, have been receptive to China’s Covid-19 diplomacy.
Category Archives: Long Reads
Borderland Without Business: The Economic Impact of Covid-19 on Peninsular Malaysia’s Southernmost State of Johor
The state of Johor has suffered disproportionately among Malaysian states due to the impact of Covid-induced border closures. Increasing poverty and unemployment are compounded by decreasing mental health and well-being. Several initiatives have been launched to alleviate difficulties. But the state will not fully recover until borders reopen, given Johor’s high dependence on international investments and its deep connections with Singapore for business, investment and livelihoods.
Indonesia’s First Sovereign Wealth Fund (INA): Opportunities and Challenges
The Indonesian government is stepping up its efforts to kickstart its economic recovery by attracting more direct investment into the country. The 2019 Omnibus Law and the recent launch of the Indonesia Investment Authority (INA), the country’s first sovereign wealth fund, are deliberate steps in that direction.
Is the East Asia Summit Suffering Erosion?
Over the last decade, the EAS, by default and by ASEAN’s design, has been the peak mechanism in the ASEAN-led regional architecture. Keeping it so will not be easy, amidst shifting big-power dynamics and the growing attractiveness of smaller and more effective regional mechanisms.
The UMNO General Assembly and the Rocky Road Back to Putrajaya
In the May 2018 general election, UMNO lost power for the first time in history but clawed back into government in March 2020 through defections from the Pakatan Harapan (PH) government. However, the party is now deeply split. A close examination of the positions of various UMNO leaders demonstrates that not all is well within the party, and its path to recapture Putrajaya is rocky.
Placate the Young and Control Online Discourse: The Vietnamese State’s Tightrope
A key challenge for Vietnam is to control cyberspace without alienating growing numbers of Internet-savvy youths. Unlike China, Vietnam has not been able to muster enough political and technological resources to craft sophisticated campaigns to boost youth nationalism. The gap is even more pronounced online.
Indonesian Islam beyond Habib Rizieq Shihab: Deconstructing Islamism and Populism
The radical Salafi ideology of Muhammad Rizieq Shihab and the Islamic Defender’s Front (FPI) have been at the centre of attention and study for quite a while. Islam in Indonesia, however, is not monolithic – there are some strands which are moderate. The recent retreat of radical and conservative Muslims following pressure from the Joko Widodo government provides a timely opportunity for proponents of moderate Islam to boost their presence on social media – a crucial battleground in the war of religious ideas.
Thailand’s Elected Junta: The Pluralistic Poverty of Phalang Pracharat
Thailand’s Phalang Pracharat Party is a “junta party” established as a proxy for the 2014-2019 junta and the military, It is specifically designed to sustain the power of the generals Prawit Wongsuwan, Prayut Chan-ocha and Anupong Paochinda. In Thailand itself, the party has become so well-entrenched that it will be a difficult task removing it from office. The party has also become a model for other militaries in Southeast Asia intent on institutionalising their power.
Back to the Future? Possible Scenarios for Myanmar
In Myanmar, neither the military nor the protest movement can be certain of the ultimate outcome following the former’s overthrow of the country’s elected government on 1 February. Myanmar appears stuck in a scenario where the military and the protest movement are each attempting to steer the situation towards their optimal outcomes. A tipping point may occur in favour of either side, depending on the resources or support that it obtains, either from domestic or international actors.
Covid-19 Economic Recovery: ASEAN’s Mixed Pattern
Half of the ASEAN members have contained the Covid-19 pandemic, but not Indonesia and The Philippines. Myanmar, Malaysia and Thailand are dealing with new waves of infection. For countries that have controlled local transmission of the virus, a V-shaped recovery looks likely. For the others, the possibility of a delayed or W-shaped recovery increases the longer reintroduced containment measures stay in place.