COMMENTARIES

9 Nov 2020

Myanmar Elections: Change the Only Constant

Moe Thuzar

As vote counts stream in from Sunday’s general elections, the expectation is that the majority of voters have chosen the incumbent party. This is a reflection of their desire for slow and gradual change in the country’s development.

3 Nov 2020

China-US Competition: Southeast Asia Can Decide What’s Best

Lye Liang Fook

Southeast Asian countries prefer a healthy balance of power between major powers in the region. This is often overlooked by China and the United States, which want them to take a stand on issues of concern.

China-U.S. Relations Southeast Asia

2 Nov 2020

Myanmar May See More Violence After the Polls

Nyi Nyi Kyaw

There is a heightened risk of violence after the national polls this Sunday. This stems from two structural factors: inter-party clashes and the problems in Rakhine state.

Myanmar Myanmar Elections

2 Nov 2020

Will China Exploit America’s Domestic Distractions for Strategic Gains in Asia?

Daljit Singh

The India-China land border, more than the South China Sea, is the regional flashpoint that could flare.

China-U.S. Relations

30 Oct 2020

South Korea‘s Southeast Asian Potential

Victor Teo

South Korea is well-positioned to become a more important power for Southeast Asia and ASEAN.

South Korea Southeast Asia

30 Oct 2020

The 2020 Regional Elections in Indonesia: The Use and Abuse of Religion

Ahmad Najib Burhani

Indonesia has laws that seek to deter the politicisation of religion. This will prove to be challenging, especially with the regional elections round the corner.

Indonesia Indonesian Politics

29 Oct 2020

Prime Minister Suga Goes to Jakarta

Leo Suryadinata

Prime Minister Suga’s first trip shows that an “independent and active” Indonesia is not an easy partner for Japan’s Free and Open Indo-Pacific strategy.

Indonesia Japan

29 Oct 2020

Hope Over Fear: The 2020 Student-led Protests in Thailand

Punchada Sirivunnabood

Similar goals link the current protests in Thailand with earlier ones. Their different tactics make them harder for authorities to quell.

Thai Monarchy Thailand

28 Oct 2020

Vietnam’s Ambitious Politicians: In Facebook We Trust

Dien Nguyen An Luong

Facebook poses a challenge to American lawmakers seeking to rein it in. In authoritarian countries such as Vietnam, however, the social media giant has become a handy accomplice and even a springboard for ambitious politicians.

Vietnam Vietnamese Politics

27 Oct 2020

Desperation Debases Democracy in Malaysia

Lee Hwok-Aun

Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin has not got the emergency powers he had asked for. His government has lived to fight another day. Still, the constant horse-trading and bickering among the country’s political class has only subverted the country’s democracy.

Malaysia Malaysian Politics