COMMENTARIES

27 Feb 2024

Thai University Students’ Civic Engagement on Campuses

Panarat Anamwathana

Amid the hurly-burly of national politics and against some mighty odds, Thai university students have managed to carve out a progressive niche through their campus activities. Whether they can sustain their momentum after they graduate is another question.

26 Feb 2024

Indonesian Muslims’ Responses to the Palestine-Israel Conflict: Fragmented No More?

Pradana Boy Zulian

The aftermath of the 7 October Hamas attack on Israel and ensuing violence has had repercussions in Indonesia, Southeast Asia’s most populous Muslim-majority nation-state. Has the Palestinian issue galvanised Indonesians as one?

Indonesia Middle East Religion

23 Feb 2024

Thailand’s Marijuana Politics: Down from a High?

Paul Chambers

The Thai government is racing to ban the recreational use of marijuna. It has its work cut out for it.

Thai Elections Thai Politics Thailand

22 Feb 2024

The ASEAN Power Grid: How the LTMS-PIP Can Inform the BIMP-PIP’s Development

Mirza Sadaqat Huda

A quartet of ASEAN member countries have taken a first important step towards the vision of a regional power grid. The next step is to look back for lessons learned to move forward and improve collaboration, leveraging the experience of not just officials but stakeholders in the private sector.

ASEAN Brunei Climate Change Indonesia Laos Malaysia Philippine Singapore Thailand

22 Feb 2024

Sharia versus Shariatisation in Malaysia: Which One Will Triumph?

Syaza Shukri|Norshahril Saat

Parti Islam SeMalaysia has protested against a Federal Court ruling decision which ruled that sharia-related laws in Kelantan were unconstitutional. Its actions underscore a long-running struggle between sharia and shariatisation.

Malaysia Malaysian Politics Religion

21 Feb 2024

The Potential and Prerequisites for ASEAN-Japan Cross-Border Digital Payments

Bryan Tan Jia Yang|Katrina Navallo

Bryan Tan Jia Yang and Katrina Navallo explore possibilities for a cross-border digital payment arrangement between ASEAN and Japan.

ASEAN ASEANFocus Digitalisation Japan

21 Feb 2024

China’s “Two Mountains” Framework: Varied Responses from Southeast Asia

Kuah Khun Eng

China has long been propagating its Two Mountains theory to address climate change. But many Southeast Asian countries have tailored the concept according to their own needs.

China China-Southeast Asia relations Climate Change

20 Feb 2024

Why Ganjar-Mahfud Were Beaten on Their Own Turf But PDI-P Survived

Made Supriatma

A post-election analysis of Ganjar Pranowo’s poor showing in last week’s presidential election requires examining what went on behind the scenes and at the grassroots level, including on his home turf, Central Java.

Indonesia Indonesian Elections Indonesian Politics

19 Feb 2024

New Battlefront Emerging in Western Myanmar

Kyaw Hsan Hlaing

The Arakan Army (AA) has gained significant ground against State Administration Council (SAC) troops in western Myanmar. The AA’s gains compound SAC losses in other parts of the country since Operation 1027 in October.

Armed Conflict Myanmar

19 Feb 2024

Indonesia Pragmatically Picks a Prabowo Presidency But the Dust Has Not Settled

Julia Lau|Made Supriatma|Yanuar Nugroho

Quick counts, which are not official, indicate that Prabowo Subianto is Indonesia's presumptive eighth president. The question now turns to how big his government and coalition in Parliament will be and whether any olive branches he extends to his opponents will be accepted.

Indonesia Indonesian Elections