ARTICLES

9 Jul 2021

K-pop Activism: A Potent Political Force

Dorcas Gan

K-pop activism is a growing phenomenon in Southeast Asia, serving as an alternative means of political mobilisation and expression among tech-savvy youth.

8 Jul 2021

Habib Rizieq and Hardline Islamist Groups: Losing Steam

A'an Suryana|Nur Syafiqah Mohd Taufek

Facing a sentence that will see him behind bars till 2025, radical cleric Habib Rizieq Shihab will face problems bouncing back from the political wilderness. His enforced absence from the political scene will be a boon to secular and nationalist presidential candidates.

Indonesia Indonesian Politics Islam Islamist Groups

7 Jul 2021

Why the New Indonesia-US Maritime Training Centre is Strategically Important

Aristyo Rizka Darmawan

A new maritime training centre established by Indonesia and the United States is emblematic of sustained bilateral cooperation in the maritime domain, and the ASEAN member state’s independent and active foreign policy.

Indo-Pacfic Indonesia South China Sea U.S. Foreign Policy

2 Jul 2021

All Abuzz About an Anti-parasite Drug

Lee Sue-Ann

A divisive debate has broken out in regional social media over the use of ivermectin to treat Covid-19. The focus of the debate should remain squarely on its effectiveness as a therapeutic treatment for the coronavirus.

COVID-19 Health Indonesia Malaysia Philippine Southeast Asia

30 Jun 2021

To Lockdown or Not? Indonesia’s Dilemma in Handling the Covid-19 Second Wave

Yanuar Nugroho

The Jokowi government appears to be on the verge of imposing a hard lockdown to curb a second wave of Covid-19 infections. But this belies longstanding hesitancy to adopt drastic measures that could hurt the economy.

COVID-19 Health Indonesia Indonesian Economy Indonesian Politics

25 Jun 2021

Indonesia’s Covid-19 Surge: Contradictions and Criticism

Max Lane

Indonesia’s latest Covid-19 surge has piled pressure on the Widodo government, which is under pressure to reconsider some form of lockdown to rein in the spread of the coronavirus.

COVID-19 Health Indonesia Islam Religion

23 Jun 2021

A Storm in a Teacup: The Politicisation of Hajj Cancellation in Indonesia

Syafiq Hasyim

The run-up to hajj 2021 saw the opponents of the Jokowi government opportunistically exploiting the issue to undermine the government. This reflects poorly on the quality of political debate in Indonesia today.

COVID-19 Indonesia Indonesian Politics Islam Islamist Groups

18 Jun 2021

Commanding Right and Forbidding Wrong: The Rising Influence of Muslim Mainstream Groups

Syafiq Hasyim

The banning of FPI (Front Pembela Islam) in December 2020 may have reduced the incidence of vigilante actions in Indonesia. But this belies the fact that mainstream Muslim organisations have increasingly stepped in to uphold more conservative Islamic strictures, albeit through less confrontational ways.

Indonesia Indonesian Politics Islam Islamist Groups

16 Jun 2021

China’s Submarine Salvage Operation for Indonesia: A Double-edged Sword?

Ian Storey

China recently offered assistance to Indonesia in salvaging a stricken submarine. On the surface, the offer could be purely altruistic. But there could be more than meets the eye.

China China-Indonesia Relations Indonesia