ISEAS Perspective provides analysis of specific current events and their significance for the Southeast Asian region. This will be published occasionally, and is aimed at keeping decision-makers in both the public and private sectors informed; as well as scholars, laymen and the interested public. This series undergoes a peer-review process.
2022/110 “China, the United States and Taiwan: When Talking Matters” by William Choong
2022 No. 110
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The Taiwan Strait crisis of August 2022 underscores the heightened risk of the US-China competition veering into conflict. During the current crisis, historical lessons regarding crisis communications and management from the 1995-1996 Taiwan Strait crisis, the 1999 bombing of the Chinese Embassy in Belgrade and the 2001 EP-3 incident have not been put […]
2022/109 “The State of Indonesia’s Digital Economy in 2022” by Siwage Dharma Negara and Astrid Meilasari-Sugiana
2022 No. 109
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Indonesia’s digital economy has boomed amidst the Covid-19 pandemic. The e-commerce sector has dominated as consumers and merchants increasingly take to online platforms to buy and sell products and services. Some changes in consumer behaviour, including how they shop, work, learn and play, will endure after the pandemic. Hybrid online and offline activities, […]
2022/108 “Climate Resilience of Energy Infrastructures in Southeast Asia” by Mirza Sadaqat Huda
2022 No. 108
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Energy infrastructures in Southeast Asia are becoming increasingly vulnerable to extreme weather events. The impact of global warming on energy systems will vary across sectors. Thermal systems will be affected by heat waves and droughts, while grids and renewable energy technologies will be vulnerable to flooding, heavy winds and storms. More regional cooperation […]
2022/107 “GE15: Parti Amanah Negara’s Strong and Volatile Seats” by Mohd Faizal Musa
2022 No. 107
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Parti Amanah Negara (Amanah) entered Malaysia’s political scene in 2016 as an underdog. As a splinter party formed by dissidents from Parti Islam Se-Malaysia (PAS) and championing a more progressive approach to Islam, Amanah won 11 parliamentary seats in GE14 in 2018, mostly located on the peninsula’s west coast. It was part of […]
2022/106 “Polarised but Hopeful: How Malaysia’s Gen Zs May Vote, and Why” by James Chai
2020 No. 106
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY A recent survey shows that most Gen Zs (62%) in Malaysia read political news a few times a week, and answer questions on political facts well (above 68% correct). However, they score themselves lowly in political awareness, either from low confidence or from the perception that there is much in politics that they […]
2022/105 “Managing Indonesia’s Commodity Windfall for Long-Term Benefits” by Maria Monica Wihardja and Suryaputra Wijaksana
2022 NO. 105
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Despite the adverse economic shocks in the global economy, inflation in Indonesia is still relatively under control and growth is returning to the pre-pandemic trajectory although a looming global economic recession next year and geopolitical uncertainties continue to pose a threat to the economy. Indonesia has benefited from a commodity windfall. By the […]
2022/104 “A Granular Analysis of the 2022 Johor State Polls: Implications for Malaysia’s Impending General Election” by Francis E. Hutchinson and Kevin Zhang
2022 No. 104
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY This Perspective looks at data from the 2018 and 2022 state elections in Johor to understand evolving trends in voter behaviour and what they portend for the upcoming Malaysian General Election. Rather than looking at state assembly seats, it analyses data from polling districts (PDs) within these seats for greater granularity. Johor is […]
2022/103 “A Ground-Up Approach to Climate-Resilient Agriculture in Southeast Asia” by Prapimphan Chiengkul
2022 No. 103
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY For decades, sustainable farmers and their networks have been experimenting and practicing farming techniques that increase climate resilience in agricultural production. Their experiences suggest that, in addition to changes in production methods, climate-resilient agriculture should also seek to address socio-economic concerns facing small- and medium-scale farmers. This will help to expand sustainable agricultural […]
2022/102 “Malaysia’s Artisanal Fishermen: Political Ecology and Survival” by Serina Rahman
2022 No. 102
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Artisanal fishermen have sustained countless communities that mushroomed along the Malay Peninsula’s coast throughout history, and even today, they make up 60% of those involved in the fisheries industry. Should they be allowed to die out, generations-old fishing heritage, local knowledge, maritime expertise and climate change observations will be lost. Artisanal fishermen are […]
2022/101 “The Authoritarian Electoral Blueprint of Thailand’s Palang Pracharath Party May No Longer be Effective” by Napon Jatusripitak
2022 No. 101
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Although Thailand’s authoritarian structures remain intact, regime-backed parties are unlikely to succeed in the next general election by following Palang Pracharath’s authoritarian electoral blueprint from 2019. Palang Pracharath’s success in the 2019 general election was built on its unique status as a party for and by the military regime, which enabled it to […]