Over the past ten years, Türkiye has increased its share of the global arms market and has become an attractive defence partner for countries in the Global South. In Southeast Asia, Turkish arms manufacturers have taken advantage of rising defence budgets to win contracts for military vehicles, drones, missiles and naval ships.
Category Archives: Long Reads
Floating Prices, Fearing Backlash: Economics and Politics of Malaysia’s Petrol Subsidy Reform
Malaysia’s persistently narrow tax base and declining oil and gas revenue underscore the case for fuel subsidy reform. The Long Read assesses the political context and constraints that shape the policy options available to Anwar Ibrahim’s Madani administration.
From Defensive to Dynamic: Vietnam’s Thirty-Year Journey in ASEAN
This Long Read reviews the historical significance of Vietnam’s ASEAN accession and examines how Vietnam’s approach to ASEAN has evolved in tandem with its national development, shifting security outlook, and institutional maturation over the past three decades.
Outlook for Agriculture and ASEAN’s Role in Southeast Asia’s Food Security
Southeast Asia’s agriculture sector’s growth rates are not keeping pace with population and national economic growth due to chronic underinvestment. Southeast Asian nations need to prioritise actions that help ensure its food security, especially amid increasing challenges from climate change.
Elite Competition and Narrative Inconsistency in Vietnam’s Propaganda Apparatus
This Long Read argues that Vietnam’s propaganda apparatus is increasingly shaped by internal tensions between two informal but influential elite coalitions. On one side are conservative actors embedded in the military and ideology apparatus, who prioritise ideological orthodoxy and regime security. On the other are reformist pragmatists, often drawn from diplomatic and economic institutions, who place greater emphasis on performance legitimacy, international engagement, and administrative modernisation.
From Principles to Protocols: Embedding Partnerships into Content Moderation Technologies Against Mis/Disinformation
Despite growing calls for collaboration, the technological core of content moderation remains largely a black box. While multi-stakeholder partnerships are increasingly invoked in regional policy discourse, external oversight or shared governance of the underlying moderation technologies remain limited.
How TikTok’s Visual Politics Shaped Indonesia’s 2024 Election
Through TikTok, Prabowo Subianto successfully rebranded himself from being a controversial figure to being a relatable leader. TikTok’s emphasis on short-form entertaining content simplifies complex political issues into meme-worthy visuals. While this encourages engagement from younger audiences, it risks trivialising critical political discussions and reducing voters’ decision-making into emotional reactions.
Grooming New Champions: To Lam Prepares for Private Sector-Led Growth in Vietnam
Resolution 68, issued in May 2025 by the Politburo of the Communist Party of Vietnam, marks one of Vietnam’s most dramatic economic policy shifts since Doi Moi. It elevates the private sector from junior partner to the “most important force” of the economy. However, success hinges on overcoming entrenched interests, managing ideological resistance within the CPV, and ensuring disciplined execution of reforms.
The Xin Yimin’s Impact on Malaysia’s Social Anxieties
The presence of new Chinese migrants, known as xin yimin, in Malaysia reflects China’s resurgence as a global economic powerhouse, bringing with it opportunities for Malaysia in terms of trade, investment, and cultural exchange. But there are significant challenges to their ability to integrate with the broader Malaysian society.
The Critical Impact of Extreme Heat on Rice Production in Southeast Asia
Extreme temperature and heat stress poses an increasingly critical threat to rice production and food security in Southeast Asia, with far-reaching consequences for the region’s economy, society, and environment.