COMMENTARIES

12 Oct 2022

Myanmar’s Pivot to Russia: Friend in Need or Faulty Strategy?

Wai Moe

The relationship between Myanmar and Russia has become increasingly close. This is fueled by practical considerations as well as geopolitics.

11 Oct 2022

Indonesia’s Kanjuruhan Stadium Tragedy: A Serious Wake-up Call

A'an Suryana

The deadly soccer match in Indonesia’s Malang City behooves the authorities to revise their crowd control procedures. The issue of toxic sub-cultures among fans should also be addressed.

Indonesia polri

11 Oct 2022

Islamisation in Malaysia Beyond UMNO and PAS

Norshahril Saat|Afra Alatas

This article explains why the study of Islamisation in Malaysia should move beyond UMNO and PAS. The focus should instead be on how revivalist ideology has both penetrated the state apparatus and been reinforced by developments in society.

Islam Malaysia

10 Oct 2022

Vietnamese Private Enterprises’ Covid-19 Donations: Not All about Altruism

Le Hong Hiep|Phan Xuan Dung

Private firms in Vietnam have played a pivotal role in helping the country recover from the Covid-19 pandemic. There are, however, other reasons to explain their corporate social responsibility.

Vietnam Vietnamese Economy

6 Oct 2022

Rift between Two Indonesian Generals Spotlights Civil-Military Relations

Made Supriatma

A personal spat between two four-star generals spilling into the open has raised questions about military professionalism and elite politics in Indonesia.

Indonesia Indonesian Military Indonesian Politics

5 Oct 2022

Electric Vehicles in Malaysia: Moving Uphill from Niche to Mass Market

Tham Siew Yean

Malaysia has a long way to go before demand for electric vehicles will rise high enough to reduce carbon emissions, mainly because there is no concerted effort to build the charging infrastructure to support this switch.

Malaysia Renewable Energy Sustainable Development Technology

5 Oct 2022

Business Throws its Support Behind Indonesia’s Opposition-Free Liberal Democracy

Max Lane

This Long Read explores the characteristics of Indonesia’s political culture that have resulted in a tendency to form broad coalitions that effectively suppress real political opposition.

Indonesia Indonesian Politics

4 Oct 2022

Can Mekong Stingrays Tell the Chinese Dam Story Well?

Hoang Thi Ha

China is crafting “wonderful stories” about its upstream dams in the Mekong. But the overall thrust of the narrative glosses over the more controversial aspects of dam building.

China Environment Mekong River

4 Oct 2022

Addressing food security and climate change at the G20 Summit

Maria Monica Wihardja|Aninda Dewayanti

Worsening climate change adds pressure to food production, and agriculture is a major cause of greenhouse gas emissions. G20 leaders have an opportunity at this November’s Bali summit to address the long-term challenges of revamping the global food system into a more sustainable, resilient and equitable one.

Agriculture Climate Change Environment Food Security G20 Indonesia

4 Oct 2022

UNCLOS’s Relevance to Taiwan Amid a Raging Storm

Huynh Tam Sang

After the 2016 South China Sea (SCS) arbitration award and recent developments, Taiwan — though not a formal party to the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) — has all the more reason to support the Convention.

China Taiwan UNCLOS Why UNCLOS Matters