Power

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

Power • STORY OF THE DAY • Jul 01, 2020 • 7 min read
In Partnership with 1

The balancing act: How Vietnam should manage the superpowers

By Alex Shykov • Jul 01, 2020
For decades, Vietnam has been a geopolitically significant theatre of competition for the superpowers. Today, leaders in Hanoi must navigate and leverage the competing interests of China, the US and Russia to protect its citizens, national integrity and economy

Power • STORY OF THE DAY • Jun 26, 2020 • 5 min read

Editorial We need to talk about Japan: Tokyo’s damaging role in Southeast Asia

By Alastair McCready • Jun 26, 2020
While China is often criticised for the negative influence it wields over Southeast Asian affairs, Japan's role in backing authoritarian regimes and promoting rights abuses in the region remains far less publicised, but arguably no less pernicious

Power • STORY OF THE DAY • Jun 24, 2020 • 9 min read
In Partnership with 1

Get your act together: Cyber security and nuclear energy in Southeast Asia

By Jonathan Lim • Jun 24, 2020
Southeast Asia continues to explore the potential for nuclear energy to meet its power needs, but with cyber attacks a growing threat globally, some fear Asean isn't prepared to deal with the hostile actors who may seek to bring these systems down

Power • Jun 22, 2020 • 7 min read
Cambodia

A year since Sihanoukville collapse, has Cambodia reformed its building sector?

Cambodia has enacted a sweeping new legal approach to construction since the deadly Sihanoukville building collapse that killed 28 workers and their family members. But with legislation in hand, has anything changed for the labourers building the Kingdom a year on?
By Andrew Haffner • Jun 22, 2020

Power • Jun 19, 2020 • 3 min read
Press freedom

HRW: Duterte attempting to silence reporting on deadly drug war

Following the conviction of Rappler CEO Maria Ressa this week on cyber libel charges, Human Rights Watch has claimed the case is part of a growing trend of Rodrigo Duterte attempting to silence those reporting on his infamous drug war
By Alex Cooper • Jun 19, 2020

Power • Jun 18, 2020 • 4 min read
Singapore politics

Holding Singapore polls during pandemic harms fairness, rights group says

With Singapore looking set to hold its general election in July, rights group ASEAN Parliamentarians for Human Rights have said that going to the polls during a pandemic will only worsen an electoral process already skewed in favour of the ruling People's Action Party
By Lee Ying Shan • Jun 18, 2020

Power • Jun 17, 2020 • 9 min read

As the great powers vie for influence, how can ASEAN stay united?

The importance of economic, political and security cooperation among ASEAN member states has become increasingly apparent in recent decades. But as the great powers vie for influence in the region, the cracks in this fragile unity are at risk of growing
By Thi Mong Tuyen Tran and Jun Jie Lee • Jun 17, 2020

Power • Jun 17, 2020 • 6 min read
Opinion

Ressa’s conviction by the Duterte regime isn’t the story we should focus on

This week Rappler CEO Maria Ressa was convicted in the latest attack on press freedom under President Rodrigo Duterte. But academic Tom Smith says by shining all the spotlight on this high-profile case, we're forgetting the Filipino journalists under fire at the grassroots
By Tom Smith • Jun 17, 2020

Power • Jun 15, 2020 • 3 min read
Press freedom

Duterte-critic journalist Ressa convicted in Philippine libel case

Rappler CEO Maria Ressa was convicted on June 15 of cyber libel and sentenced to prison in a case that watchdogs say marks a dangerous erosion of press freedom under Philippines president Rodrigo Duterte
By Joshua Melvin and Ron Lopez/AFP • Jun 15, 2020

Power • Jun 11, 2020 • 6 min read
Editorial

Card swapping: The Mekong countries’ problem with activist kidnapping

When Thai activist Wanchalearm Satsaksit was bundled into a car in Phnom Penh on June 4, he became merely the latest in a string of forced disappearances in the region. With several authoritarian governments coexisting in close proximity, the peculiarly Mekong country issue of activist kidnapping shows no sign of abating
By Alastair McCready • Jun 11, 2020

Power • Jun 10, 2020 • 6 min read
Analysis

As Thailand recovers from Covid-19, its volatile domestic politics returns

While the Covid-19 crisis has placed life on hold in Thailand in recent months, the country's chronically tumultuous domestic political scene is rearing its head again. Researcher Sek Sophal discusses what the kingdom's post-virus political landscape could look like
By Sek Sophal • Jun 10, 2020