COMMENTARIES

16 Sep 2020

PAS and the “Younger Brother” Conundrum

Norshahril Saat

Six months after Perikatan Nasional grabbed the reins of power, Parti Islam Se-Malaysia has settled into its position as a party in the ruling coalition. The question is whether the rank and file can stomach the party’s second fiddle status.

Malaysia Malaysian Politics

11 Sep 2020

Uncle Sam Will Have to Change His Tune After November for Buy-in From Southeast Asia

Hunter Marston

High stakes in the upcoming US presidential election for Southeast Asia and for American influence and goodwill in the region.

Southeast Asia U.S.

11 Sep 2020

Muhyiddin Yassin: Sitting Pretty (For Now)

Francis E. Hutchinson

Roiled by political instability in the past few months, Malaysian Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin can afford to take a breather, for now at least. A survey by arguably the country’s foremost pollster shows him in a strong position.

Malaysia Malaysian Politics

8 Sep 2020

General Prayut’s Failing Premiership: Self-inflicted Wound

Termsak Chalermpalanupap

The sudden departure of Thailand’s newly-appointed finance minister is a sign that premiership of Prayut Chan-ocha is failing.

Thai Politics Thailand

8 Sep 2020

India’s Obsession With Thailand’s Kra Canal: Much Ado About Nothing

Ian Storey

News that Thailand has “cancelled” its Kra canal project and replaced it with a land bridge has exercised Indian observers. But you cannot scrap a plan that has not been approved and Indian media reports say more about tensions with China along their land border than a centuries’ old Thai canal plan.

India Kra Canal Thailand

1 Sep 2020

Digital Payments Can Accelerate Master Plan for ASEAN Connectivity

Melinda Martinus

Digital payment systems have proliferated across Southeast Asia, thanks to various platforms provided by banks, ride-hailing apps and fintech firms. For such payments to truly take off, the region needs to work on facilitating cross-border transactions.

ASEAN ASEAN Connectivity ASEAN Master Plan

1 Sep 2020

Non-tariff Barriers to Agri-trade in ASEAN: Taking Down Walls

Sithanonxay Suvannaphakdy

A bid to boost market access for agri-food trade in ASEAN is in jeopardy. Non-tariff measures (NTMs) – policy measures other than tariffs that can potentially hinder trade – have emerged as one of the key obstacles to agri-food trade, namely fisheries and agro-based products. NTMs increase trade costs for producers, importers and exporters through information, compliance and procedural...

Agri-Trade ASEAN Non-Tariff Barriers

28 Aug 2020

Philippine Remittances and Covid-19: Stayin’ Alive

Malcolm Cook

In a pandemic-afflicted year when the country braced itself for smaller remittances from its overseas workers, the Philippines has seen a lower-than-expected fall in such inflows. The OFWs, as they are called, have lived up to their reputations.

Overseas Foreign Workers Philippine Remittances