Malaysia’s online and offline support for Palestine in light of the 7 October 2023 attacks seems to indicate a dualism in solidarity— voluble support for the Palestinian cause juxtaposed with opposition to taking in Palestinian refugees and asylum seekers.
Category Archives: Long Reads
China’s Digital Silk Road (DSR) in Southeast Asia: Progress and Challenges
China’s Digital Silk Road (DSR) initiative has made significant strides in Southeast Asia. All countries in the region have received DSR investments, with Indonesia, Singapore and Malaysia taking the lion’s share. However, China faces multiple challenges in pushing the DSR forward, including the growing tensions between the state and private tech companies domestically as well as intensifying US-China technological rivalry and risks of tech bifurcation.
The Twin Axis in Indonesian Politics: Elite Personal Ambition and the Alienation of Civil Society
This Long Read argues that a 20-year process of consolidation of a homogeneous political outlook among the parties controlling the Indonesian electoral scene has facilitated a political life that is dominated by personal rivalry and ambitions, and which has opened the way for dynasty building.
Collaboration Between Pheu Thai and Move Forward Parties on Their Core Issues Will Determine Thailand’s Future
Thailand’s Pheu Thai-led coalition government is struggling to amend the Constitution of 2017, or to draft a new replacement for it. Not much progress can be made on that front, however, unless and until the Move Forward Party provides support.
The Prabowo-Gibran Pairing: Wise or Foolish?
Polls suggest that Prabowo Subianto’s decision to pick President Jokowi’s son Gibran Rakabuming Raka as his vice-presidential running-mate has been a net positive, despite the controversies and criticisms surrounding the circumstances under which Gibran’s eligibility to contest the polls were approved.
Myanmar-Russia Relations Since the Coup: An Ever Tighter Embrace
Myanmar-Russia relations have strengthened considerably since Moscow acknowledged the Tatmadaw’s seizure of power on 1 February 2021, and the junta endorsed the Kremlin’s invasion of Ukraine on 24 February 2022. This Long Read focuses on the four main areas of Myanmar-Russia cooperation since the coup: diplomatic validation; defence; energy; and commerce and tourism.
The Dilemma of Political Involvement among Muslim Theologians in Indonesia
This Long Read focuses on the political views of a spectrum of Indonesian Islamic theologians, whose support is often sought by political aspirants seeking to raise their religious credentials as election campaigning heats up.
Abdul Hadi Awang Enhances His Power as PAS President and Drives the Party to the Far-Right
This Long Read examines how PAS President Abdul Hadi Awang consolidated his influence since 2015 to lead the party to its current political high.
The Digital Transformation of Indonesia’s Banking Sector: Current Trends and Future Prospects
This Long Read examines the trends and developments in the digital transformation of Indonesia’s banking landscape. These look set to benefit a large swathe of Indonesia’s 270 million population which remains unbanked and underbanked.
New Thai PM Faces a Crisis of Confidence
As a political novice, Thailand’s new Prime Minister, Srettha Thavisin is facing an uphill struggle to prove that he is the right man for the job. His political survival depends on support from his coalition partners – without which he risks being unseated in a no-confidence motion in the House of Representatives.