Power

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

Power • STORY OF THE DAY • May 06, 2020 • 6 min read

Opinion Singapore, ASEAN and non-alignment in the South China Sea: Time to choose

By Andy Wong • May 06, 2020
The South China Sea territorial dispute has pitted Southeast Asian nations against China in a heated standoff for decades. Singaporean defence analyst Andy Wong argues that the city-state should lead ASEAN in aligning with the US on the issue, warding off Beijing's growing influence

Power • STORY OF THE DAY • May 04, 2020 • 6 min read

Press Freedom Day Emojis, Minecraft and Spotify: How citizens are beating the censors

By Miriam Deprez • May 04, 2020
As we mark World Press Freedom Day 2020, the world's media outlets are struggling under the pressure of Covid-19 crackdowns. But while the tools available to censors have never been so great, the same is true of the innovative tools available to circumvent them

Power • STORY OF THE DAY • Apr 30, 2020 • 8 min read

The US-Vietnam War Remembering the Fall of Saigon, 45 years on

By James Springer • Apr 30, 2020
April 30 marks 45 years since communist troops entered the city of Saigon, reuniting North and South Vietnam. Eye witness accounts from that day paint a picture of the scenes in what became Ho Chi Minh City, as Vietnam finally found peace after three decades

Power • Apr 22, 2020 • 8 min read
Covid-19

‘Pandemic a chance for governments to prove themselves or stumble’

With Covid-19, errors have been made in the public health responses of many countries. Darshan Joshi of Malaysian think-tank REFSA argues that if past failures on climate change and inequality are any indication of what is to come, we might be in a lot of trouble
By Darshan Joshi • Apr 22, 2020

Power • Apr 21, 2020 • 9 min read
Thai monarchy

Online criticism of Thai king goes viral during pandemic

In Thailand, the ruling monarchy has long been protected by some of the harshest lèse-majesté laws in the world. But the behaviour of the controversial King Maha Vajiralongkorn during the pandemic has opened him up to a flurry of online backlash
By Sarah Kim • Apr 21, 2020

Power • Apr 18, 2020 • 6 min read
Human rights

Cambodia’s emergency powers: Combating Covid-19 or human rights?

In Cambodia, a recently passed bill has handed the government the ability to enact sweeping emergency powers during times of crisis. Is this simply a necessary move to combat the pandemic, or are fundamental human rights under threat?
By Alexi Demetriadi • Apr 18, 2020

Power • Apr 15, 2020 • 10 min read
Southeast Asian history

The Race to Yunnan

In the late 19th century, colonial powers Britain and France held grand ambitions to exert control over the Southeast Asia region. The construction of highly ambitious railway lines to access Chinese markets was deemed the answer, and the "Race to Yunnan" was on
By Christian Gilberti • Apr 15, 2020

Power • Apr 10, 2020 • 6 min read
Freedom of the press

Cambodian journalist’s arrest part of regional crackdown on virus coverage

This week Cambodian journalist Sovann Rithy was arrested after he posted a quote taken directly from a Prime Minister Hun Sen speech. Rights groups have warned it's part of a worrying trend across Southeast Asia, as governments tighten their grip on the press in the wake of reporting on the virus
By Miriam Deprez • Apr 10, 2020

Power • Apr 10, 2020 • 7 min read
Covid-19

‘Indonesia’s politicisation of the virus is stopping effective response’

Covid-19 is perhaps the most politicised virus in human history, and in Indonesia it's no different. Political analyst Yohanes Sulaiman explains how President Jokowi's economic aspirations, combined with opposition scheming, have resulted in a weak response to the crisis
By Yohanes Sulaiman • Apr 10, 2020

Power • Mar 27, 2020 • 5 min read
COVID-19

Cambodia’s COVID-19 “fake news” crackdown

The Cambodian government has undertaken a recent spate of arrests, charging people with spreading "fake news" regarding COVID-19. Rights groups have expressed concern that this is merely a pretext for a clampdown on political dissent
By Miriam Deprez • Mar 27, 2020

Power • Mar 27, 2020 • 4 min read
Timor-Leste Covid-19

In Timor-Leste, ex-president apologises for anti-foreigner criticism

In Timor-Leste, anti-foreigner sentiment has grown since the COVID-19 outbreak. The country's Nobel Prize-winning former president has issued an apology for these "malicious criticisms"
By Robert Baird • Mar 27, 2020