COMMENTARIES

29 Sep 2020

Populations and Politics: The Demography of Thai Student Protests

Kevin S.Y. Tan

Demographic factors are driving Thailand’s current political protests. They will be hard to quell without major political reforms.

28 Sep 2020

Will China Establish Military Bases in Southeast Asia?

Ian Storey

The US Department of Defense has asserted that Beijing has “likely considered” logistics and basing infrastructure in five Southeast Asian countries. It is worth noting that such arrangements are predicated on a host nation’s inclination to support such a presence. At the moment, such willingness appears to be in short supply, except in the case of Cambodia.

China Southeast Asia

25 Sep 2020

Covid-19 in Malaysia: New Economic Aid or Further Fallout

Serina Rahman

Under renewed political pressure, Malaysia’s prime minister tells the country a positive story of successful response and recovery from the public health and economic crisis. Unions and NGOs do not paint the same picture.

Malaysia Malaysian Economy

24 Sep 2020

Anwar Declaration as Malaysia’s Ninth PM: Another (Failed) September Surprise?

Norshahril Saat|Mohd Faizal Musa

Anwar Ibrahim claims that he has enough political support to be the country’s next prime minister. The key here is whether he can assure the Malay-Muslim majority that their rights will not be undermined.

Malaysia Malaysian Politics

23 Sep 2020

Anwar’s Parliamentary Majority – Show and Tell, or Tell Only?

Francis E. Hutchinson

Anwar Ibrahim told reporters today that his Pakatan Harapan coalition has the numbers to command a majority in Parliament. If history is any guide, the political manoeuvre could well be a stab in the dark.

Malaysia Malaysian Politics

23 Sep 2020

Measuring up MUDA: Getting the Love, Actually?

Mohd Faizal Musa|Siti Syazwani Zainal Abidin

Led by the youthful Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman, the newly-established Malaysian United Democratic Alliance (MUDA) might well be able to break the political deadlock that has long dominated Malaysian politics.

Malaysia Malaysian Politics

22 Sep 2020

Managing the Voices of Islam in Indonesia

Syafiq Hasyim

Indonesia’s Ministry of Religious Affairs’ planned certification programme for Muslim preachers creates another state-mosque flashpoint.

Indonesia Religion

22 Sep 2020

Israel-UAE-Bahrain Deals: Questions over Indonesia and Malaysia’s Reactions

Giora Eliraz

The recently-concluded peace agreements between Israel and both the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain have elicited a delayed and carefully-phrased response from Indonesia and a relatively mild response from Malaysia. Indonesia’s growing relations with the UAE could be a factor in the delayed response. Malaysia’s reaction, however, is more difficult to fathom.

Indonesia Malaysia

22 Sep 2020

General Secretary Trong’s Political Future: Stayin’ Alive

Le Hong Hiep

Mr Nguyen Phu Trong has been general secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam for two terms, and party rules stipulate that the incumbent cannot hold the position for longer than that. But there is more than meets the eye.

Communist Party of Vietnam Vietnam Vietnamese Politics

21 Sep 2020

ASEAN and the South China Sea Code of Conduct: Raising the Aegis of International Law

Hoang Thi Ha

With Vietnam at the helm of ASEAN this year, the grouping has wielded the aegis of international law to ensure that international and regional concerns about the South China Sea are respected in Code of Conduct negotiations.

ASEAN South China Sea