Cambodia: Does China announce support for crackdown on opposition?

After Cambodia has cracked down on the opposition ahead of next year’s elections on various fronts including the recent arrest of the leader of the parliamentary opposition, the international reaction is interestingly split with the US, EU, Australia, and UN condemning it while a Chinese representative, the vice chairman of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, akin to an upper house in the Westminster system, reportedly announced support.

Indonesia: Indonesian Islam Today

Indonesia, the world´s nation with the largest Muslim population, displays an ongoing turn towards the global Islamic revival with Islam becoming steadily more relevant for social as well as political life and order (Deutsche Welle). Accordingly visible is the response to the recent violence involving the Rohingya Muslim community in Myanmar going on to spark enormous outrage in Indonesian Muslim communities and prompting the government to send 34 tons of aid to the suffering Rohingya (Sun Star).  

Indonesia: The mothers who infiltrated an online pedophile group

A group of mothers infiltrated a pedophile Facebook group saving and screening evidence of horrible crimes against children eventually leading to the arrest of five suspects among the 7,000 member pedophile group that has produced and distributed at least 400 videos of child abuse with the network being linked to 11 countries also over WhatsApp groups. Indonesia has last year passed strict laws in relation to convicted pedophiles including chemical castration and execution.

Myanmar´s Rohingya crisis: How much power and what interests does Aung San really have?

Amid the brutal crackdown on Myanmar´s Rohingya observers ponder the influence of the country´s icon of democracy on these events. The BBC piece by Jonathan Head circumscribes the more or less compelling forces and remaining space of maneuver government leader Aung San Suu Kyi is subjected to while leaving it open what her own position towards the Rohingya really is. Focusing exclusively on her is a mistake, however (SCMP).

Philippines: Commission on Human Rights budget cut from $17 million to a nothing of $25  

President Duterte has succeeded to virtually slash the Human Right Commission giving it an annual budget for 2017 of $25 with the House Speaker calling it "useless" amid four-fifths of the lower house members supporting the de facto abrogation of the human right body prompting the question how other right defenders and critical media will end up in the near future.

Thailand: The anual military reshuffle as a rebalancing of power

The recent annual military reshuffle further enhances the influence of the King's Guard after it had been put onto second place in the military hierarchy over the past 10 years by the Queen's Guard. While Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha and key military peers of the 2014 coup group are members of the latter Thailand´s new King has been part of the King´s guard.

Malaysia: Government plans to publish the names of companies with no women on their boards next year

According to Malaysia’s prime minister, public-listed companies (PLC) which do not have any women on their boards of directors will be named and shamed from next year. Affected companies also have to fear that they would not be awarded government contracts any longer. This is expected to help the country reach its target of having 30 per cent women directors in the private sector.

Singapore: New president, no election needed 

Halimah Yacob, a former speaker of Parliament, is the country’s first female president and the first in five decades to come from the Malay ethnicity when she is sworn in on Wednesday. She was certified by the Presidential Elections Commission as the only eligible candidate, and since she had no opponent, there was no election necessary. For the first time, candidates to become Singapore´s president could only come from one racial group: Malays. The election has triggered debate on who is Malay and raised questions over how an individual's race can be determined. Critics also objected that this limitation was a move backwards because it wasn´t an open election by the best from all races. 

India: Ruling Bharatiya Janata Party hits back after Rahul Gandhi says dynasties are common in India

Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday revived the debate on dynastic politics, telling a US audience that dynasties are common in India – a remark that led the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to call him a “failed dynast” and a failed politician. BJP president Amit Shah countered that his party has removed dynastic politics from India and introduced the politics of performance.

India: Supreme Court to hear on September 18 plea of Rohingyas against deportation

India´s Rohingya Muslim refugees face new deportation threat. The Supreme Court fixed September 18 for hearing a plea challenging the government's decision to deport illegal Rohingya Muslim immigrants back to Myanmar (The Economic Times). This petition of two refugees was filed after Union Minister of State for Home Affairs, Kiren Rijiju, had said that over 40,000 Rohingyas staying illegally in India stood to be deported (The Print). Also Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh indicated that some action will be taken with regard to deportation of Rohingyas, who are considered to be a security threat to Jammu and Kashmir (Asia Times).

India: Enhancing presence in Afghanistan

Coinciding US President Trump’s suggestion to the Modi government to expand socio-economic footprints in Afghanistan the governments of India and Afghanistan plan to expand their partnership. This includes the launch of a New Development Partnership involving 116 new high impact development projects, the implementation of 500 scholarships “for next of kin of the martyrs of Afghan Forces” and further Indian assistance for the Afghan National Defence and Security Forces in fighting terrorism.

Bangladesh: PM warns Myanmar over Rohingya refugees

According to the United Nations, nearly 300,000 Rohingya Muslims have fled Myanmar's Rakhine state into Bangladesh since August 25 when fresh wave of violence erupted. Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has promised to help ­Rohingya refugees but but warned her government would “take steps” to ensure Myanmar “take their nationals back”.

China: Tightening the screws on religious freedom for fear of foreign infiltration and extremism

Chinese officials double down on religious freedoms and as they fear foreign influences aiming at dividing the country via religion. New, stricter rules have been past to regulate religious practices throughout the country (Reuters) whilst a member of the Muslim Hui minority has been sentenced to two years in prison for teaching Islam online (CBS).

China: Taiwanese rights activist pleads guilty to subversion in China’s mainland

A Taiwanese non-profit worker in China has been prosecuted under the new NGO law that declares it illegal for NGOs to endanger national security, ethnic unity and allows for tight control of NGOs operating in China. He pleaded guilty to the charges brought against him.

China: China-born New Zealand MP probed by spy agency

An MP for New Zeeland’s ruling National Party has been investigated by New Zeeland’s intelligence agency for alleged ties to Chinese military intelligence based on his education in China at facilities known to produce military intelligence officers.  

Thailand: The Thai canal that could link the Indian and the Pacific Ocean

European business leaders have joined the Chinese and a Thai lobby in urging the construction of a ship canal through the Isthmus of Kra known as the Thai Canal that could be of a geopolitical impact not unlike those of the Suez and Panama canal bypassing the narrow, piracy-prone and strategically sensitive Strait of Malacca, the world's busiest trade route, which links East Asia with the oil fields of the Middle East and major markets in Europe, Africa and India. While there is no sign of the Thai government in favor of the project it could change the balances of power in the region with direct consequences for the new emerging security order in Asia.

South China Sea: Indonesia´s growing assertiveness

The first article comments on Indonesia´s increasingly assertive posture in the South China Sea and its implications. After three maritime skirmishes in 2016 and Indonesia having renamed a part of the disputed waters as Natuna Sea the country is building up its military presence around the Natuna Islands despite the fact that China is one of Indonesia´s biggest investors and trading partners (Today). The development expresses the declared policy of Indonesia´s President “Jokowi” to transform his country into a maritime power but also fits in a general trend of mutual assertiveness in the disputed waters (US Department of Defense). At the same time, Indonesia is enhancing its military training capabilities in the context of its participation in the annual US organized bilateral CARAT military exercise aiming at improving maritime interoperability of US partners and allies (Jakarta Globe).

Indonesia & China: The Sea between

The article provides some historic background on the bilateral relation between China and Indonesia amidst growing tension in the South China Sea. It juxtaposes historic ideas of a common cultural space in Asia and the “firm” national borders today.

South China Sea: US FONOP schedule set

Since May 2017, the Trump administration has conducted three freedom of navigation operations (FONOPs) in the South China Sea starting to recalibrate its naval presence in these important waters. Now it has scheduled regular FONOPs under the authority of U.S. Pacific Command increasing its military presence and streamlining the command structure at place.

Indonesia – Turkey: Tightening security cooperation

On occasion of their annual defense talks Indonesia and Turkey have used the opportunity to tighten their ties after closer collaborations have emerged since 2010 (The Diplomat). Now the decision for a joint production of the Turkish KAPLAN medium-weight battle tank and military drones adds to the already established cooperation between the country’s aircraft manufacturers, submarine production, and joint efforts in counter-terrorism and intelligence-sharing (Hurriyet).

Terrorism: IS wants Muslim militants to avoid Syria and go to the Philippines/Returnees share horrible experiences about life under the IS and in Singapore there are increased worries about radicalization.

The Islamic State, after losing ground in Syria and Iraq, is switching its attention to the Philippines encouraging potential fighters to join the battle for Marawi, reinforcing serious worries that Asia is ISIS's new focus (The Week). In Indonesia, returnees who spent some years living in Syria under the IS publicly shared some of their experiences and what caused them to return (Benar). In Singapore, officials lament that radicalization now happens faster than ever (Channel News).

DPRK Crisis: Japan’s history shows oil embargoes are a dance with disaster 

Amidst the new and most severe UN sanctions yet and the immediate, hostile rhetoric coming out of North Korea in relation to them, some observes urge to consult history and point out that even more severe sanctions could have a destabilising effect. Imperial Japan’s attack on Hawaii’s Pearl Harbour in 1941 was triggered at least in part by a preceeding oil embargo.

Korea: Pushing Seoul’s North Korea agenda in a worsening crisis  

Despite South Korea’s central position in the ongoing conflict, it struggles to make its voice heard amidst the media storm consistently created by the US President. South Korea has an interest however, to push its agenda and not to be forgotten as a crucial player – the US, for instance, needs South Korean approval for any military action on the peninsula according to the Korean President.

Current ASEAN dynamics

Is ASEAN conspicuously absent at almost all currently decisive discursive fronts or is it still a factor and point of reference in Asian debates on regional order? One issue in this respect is a new outreach and interest of South Korea towards ASEAN amidst the tense situation on the Korean peninsula (The Diplomat). Pertaining to ASEAN integration, Singapore’s Minister for Trade and Industry argues in favor of a genuine interest to forge new paths to economic integration after Trump has killed the TPP while the Chairman of Malaysia’s ASEAN Business Advisory Council sees the growing Chinese influence in various ASEAN countries potentially changing the script for ASEAN’s further integration (Straits Times). Highlighting the case of Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Vietnam and Thailand he sees their links to economically active sub regions in China and its One Belt, One Road initiative as having the potential to divide the ASEAN integration agenda (The Edge Financial Daily).

Japan: PM Abe seeks to upgrade security talks with India amid China muscle-flexing

Japanese PM Abe is looking to upgrade the so-called two-plus-two framework between his country and India during his trip there this week to ministerial-level talk. Thus far, India has been reluctant to upgrade the talks but with China growing increasingly assertive, Japan feels it could have some momentum.

Does the West rebalance towards once distrusted leaders?  

Western, especially US, interests in increasing security cooperation with Southeast Asian governments seem to pave the way for a rapprochement with ASEAN leaders who were accused of corruption or human rights violations not long ago. Examples are the recent visit of Malaysian PM’s Najib visit in Washington amid investigations of the US Justice Department into his finances now highlighting US-Malaysian efforts to fight terrorism (Strait Times) and Philippines’ Duterte as an even more unsavoury, yet not less important ally due to his country’s geopolitical role within Asia’s emerging new security order (East Asia Forum).

China and the fear of organised religion

This article explores where Chinese Islamophobia comes from and whether it is organically grown or merely an “import” from the West. Turns out many factors, such as Han chauvinism, the CCP and the “guided” public discourse all play a role.

On the legal profession in Asia: Entrance barriers in India, professional strain in Singapore

Increasing demands on time and performance of young lawyers as well as stiffer competition lead many to leave the profession after a few years an issue raised by Singapore´s Chief Justice for the second consecutive year (Straits Times). Differently, in India, it is access to the legal profession which is one of the major problems for young lawyers. Here, the law field continues to be a bastion of a few privileged and powerful families in particular those whose members are in the legal profession since generations. Also, low payment for junior lawyers makes it more challenging for people with a less financially fortunate background (The Times of India).