Power

Political reporting and analysis on the big questions facing the region.

Power • STORY OF THE DAY • Oct 30, 2020 • 3 min read

Terrorism Malaysia’s Mahathir says Muslims can kill French, Twitter deletes post

By Agence France-Presse • Oct 30, 2020
Ex-Malaysian prime minister Mahathir Mohamad caused uproar on October 29 after he published a Twitter thread in which he claimed Muslims have the right to "kill millions of French people" in response to a recent spate of terrorist attacks on French soil

Power • STORY OF THE DAY • Oct 26, 2020 • 3 min read

Thai democracy Thai parliament opens to discuss pro-democracy protests

By Agence France-Presse • Oct 26, 2020
Members of parliament in Thailand opened an extraordinary session on October 26 to discuss the ongoing anti-government protests in Bangkok as demonstrators demand the resignation of the prime minister and reform of the monarchy

Power • STORY OF THE DAY • Oct 23, 2020 • 8 min read

Thai democracy Live streams and citizen journalism defy Thailand’s media crackdown

By Wanpen Pajai and Tara Abhasakun • Oct 23, 2020
In recent days, Thailand’s government has attempted to crackdown on several outlets offering coverage of the ongoing pro-democracy movement. But while efforts are made to muzzle traditional media, live-streaming and citizen journalism is ready to fill the void

Power • STORY OF THE DAY • Oct 16, 2020 • 4 min read

Thai democracy ‘Keep on fighting’: Detained Thai lawyer keeps up rallying cries

By Dene-Hern Chen and Pitcha Dangprasith/AFP • Oct 16, 2020
Detained Thai human rights lawyer Anon Numpa called on pro-democracy activists to keep fighting in the face of a crackdown by the Thai government, that has seen an emergency decree put into place in recent days to quell unrest

Power • Oct 15, 2020 • 2 min read
Thai democracy

More than 20 Thai protesters arrested as emergency decree put into place

The Thai government has declared a state of emergency, banning all large gatherings of protestors, following a pro-democracy rally the previous day in which a royal motorcade was met by activists offering the three-finger salute
By Agence France-Presse • Oct 15, 2020

Power • Oct 14, 2020 • 3 min read
Thai democracy

Protesters gather ahead of pro-democracy rally in tense Bangkok

More than 1,000 pro-reform protestors gathered on October 14, as Bangkok braced for another democracy rally with tensions high following the arrest of 21 activists a day earlier
By Agence France-Presse • Oct 14, 2020

Power • Oct 14, 2020 • 6 min read
Analysis

The age of government (dis)information in Thailand

When social media giant Twitter blocked nearly 1,000 accounts last week linked to the Royal Thai Army for spreading disinformation, few familiar with how the government of Prayut Chan-o-Cha operates would have been surprised
By Mark S. Cogan • Oct 14, 2020

Power • Oct 13, 2020 • 2 min read
Malaysian democracy

Malaysia’s Anwar meets king in bid to topple government

Opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim had a long-awaited meeting with the king on October 13, seeking to prove he has support to take power and fulfil a decades-old ambition of becoming the Malaysian premier
By Agence France-Presse • Oct 13, 2020

Power • Oct 08, 2020 • 7 min read
Press freedom

New Naratif’s PJ Thum speaks out against police harassment in Singapore

News site New Naratif has been subject to a police investigation in recent weeks for reportedly violating Singapore's election laws. In an interview with the Globe, co-founder and Managing Director PJ Thum spoke out against the harassment he and New Naratif are facing
By Alexi Demetriadi and Alastair McCready • Oct 08, 2020

Power • Oct 06, 2020 • 2 min read
Censorship

Singapore PM’s defamation suit against blogger begins

Singapore leader Lee Hsien Loong criticised "malicious and baseless" claims linking him to a corruption scandal, as he testified on at the start of his defamation suit against a blogger
By Agence France-Presse • Oct 06, 2020

Power • Oct 06, 2020 • 6 min read
Analysis

Remember the Thammasat Massacre as an act of organised hate

With October 6 marking the 44th anniversary of the Thammasat University Massacre, in which scores of students were killed in cold blood, Professor Mark S. Cogan reflects on how Thailand arrived at one of its darkest ever moments
By Mark S. Cogan • Oct 06, 2020