Daily News on Southeast Asia – 26 Dec 2023

Every weekday, ISEAS Library collates articles relevant to Southeast Asia and special topics in line with the research interests of the ISEAS – Yusof Ishak Institute. To view articles behind paywalls, please visit the Library during its operating hours.

Today’s issue includes an article with a citation attributed to Napon Jatusripitak, Visiting Fellow, ISEAS – Yusof Ishak Institute. Please click on the link to go to the article directly.


Brunei | Cambodia | Indonesia | Laos | Malaysia | Myanmar | Philippines | Singapore | Thailand | Timor-Leste | Vietnam | ASEAN / Southeast Asia | Asia Pacific | East/South China Sea | Climate Change/Environment | Media, Technology & Society | Others


Indonesia

1. Analysis: Conservative ulamas’ endorsement cuts both ways for candidate Anies
Tenggara Strategics
Jakarta Post, 26 December 2023
 
2. Gibran steals spotlight as rivals hold back in VP debate
Yerica Lai
Jakarta Post, 26 December 2023
 
3. China-Indonesia Relations in 2023: A Year-in-Review
Dr. Muhammad Zulfikar Rakhmat is a researcher at the Center of Economic and Law Studies. Yeta Purnama is a researcher at the Center of Economic and Law Studies.
Stratsea, 25 December 2023
 
4. Pressing forward for president
PHILIP GOLINGAI
Star, 24 December 2023
 
5. Nusantara development progress: Coordinating Ministry analyzes Smart City concept
Sheena Suparman
Jakarta Post, 23 December 2023
 
6. Indonesia election: Big donors shy away from camps not favoured by Jokowi, say rivals
Wahyudi Soeriaatmadja
Straits Times, 23 December 2023
 
7. Indonesia’s Baswedan to Tax the Rich, Prabowo Touts Revenue Reform in Debate
Grace Sihombing and Claire Jiao
Bloomberg, 22 December 2023
 
8. Tourism Exports, Digitalisation, and Employment during the COVID-19 Pandemic: The Case of Indonesia
Mini P. THOMAS, Department of Economics & Finance, Birla Institute of Technology and Science PilaniHyderabad Campus, Telangana, India
Archana SRIVASTAVA, Department of Economics & Finance, Birla Institute of Technology and Science Pilani Hyderabad Campus, Telangana, India
Keerti MALLELA, Grassroots Research and Advocacy Movement, Karnataka, India
ERIA, 22 December 2023
 
9. Prabowo leads initial campaign finance data with $2 million
Jakarta Post, 22 December 2023
 
10. Vote-buying only influences 11% of voters: SMRC survey
Jakarta Post, 22 December 2023
 
11. Indonesia to fine palm oil companies $310 mln for operating in forests
Reporting by Dewi Kurniawati; Editing by Jacqueline Wong
Reuters, 22 December 2023

Malaysia

12. Amanah to serve diverse Malaysians
Mustafa K. Anuar
The Malaysian Insight, 26 December 2023
 
13. DAP dan pilihan raya PBT: Gunting dalam lipatan? [DAP and local council elections: a wolf in sheep’s clothing?]
Ruhan Shahrir
The Malaysian Insight, 26 December 2023
 
14. Pisau emas, sebatang pensil dan 100 tahun tambak Johor [A gold knife, a pencil and 100 years of the Johor causeway]
Faisal Tehrani
The Malaysian Insight, 26 December 2023
 
15. Uphill task for MCA to regain Chinese support, Lian Ker says
Angie Tan
The Malaysian Insight, 26 December 2023
 
16. PSB dijangka dibubar sebelum Tahun Baharu Cina 2024 – Timbalan Presiden [PSB expected to be dissolved before Chinese new year 2024 – vice president]
Bernama, 25 December 2023
 
17. As deputy president, Mujahid can start reforms in Amanah, says analyst
Ameer Fakhri
Free Malaysia Today, 25 December 2023
 
18. PSB to merge with PDP? Abang Jo says unaware of ‘green light’ from GPS
Sulok Tawie
Malay Mail Online, 25 December 2023
 
19. Three things we learnt from: Amanah’s National Convention 2023
Muhammad Yusry
Malay Mail Online, 25 December 2023
 
20. Malaysian police raid against illegal migrant workers fuels ‘xenophobic’ views amid calls for greater tolerance
Hadi Azmi
South China Morning Post, 25 December 2023
 
21. Mat Sabu survives pressure to go
Joceline Tan
Star, 25 December 2023
 
22. Challenges of Malaysian democracy in 2024 – Part I
Rayner Sylvester Yeo
The Malaysian Insight, 25 December 2023
 
23. Local governments and elections
Koh Jun Lin
Malaysiakini, 24 December 2023
 
24. How Malaysia is finding its way out of the middle-income trap
Toru Takahashi
Nikkei Asia, 24 December 2023
 
25. Political will needed to bring back local elections
Kenneth Cheng Chee Kin
The Malaysian Insight, 24 December 2023
 
26. Malaysia eases rules for retirement residency visa but piecemeal announcement has wealthy foreigners holding off
Amir Yusof
Channel News Asia, 23 December 2023
 
27. ‘Economy, economy, economy’: Anwar’s priority in 2024
Free Malaysia Today, 23 December 2023
 
28. Keeping doors between China and Malaysia open
HE Ouyang Yujing, Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China to Malaysia
Star, 23 December 2023
 
29. Mitra – political football or affirmative action?
Dr A.T. Kumararajah
The Malaysian Insight, 23 December 2023
 
30. Setahun di Putrajaya, DAP semakin gelojoh? [After a year in Putrajaya, is DAP getting hungrier?]
Harizal Hassan ialah Eksekutif Kanan di Pusat Kajian Media, Institut Kajian Strategik Islam Malaysia (IKSIM).
Utusan Malaysia, 23 December 2023
 
31. The clock is ticking for Malaysia to refocus on policy reform in 2024
Tan Ai Leng
Business Times, 22 December 2023
 
32. Malaysia’s semiconductor industry demands a more strategic outlook
Liew Chin Tong, Deputy Minister of Investment, Trade and Industry, Malaysia
East Asia Forum, 22 December 2023
 
33. Stop looking at local elections with racist lens
MySinchew, 22 December 2023
 
34. The issue of low pay and lack of professionals among bumi graduates
MySinchew, 21 December 2023

Myanmar

35. Myanmar details removed from 2022 Terrorist Index Report by US Department of State
[Link to Country Reports on Terrorism 2022]
Eleven Myanmar, 24 December 2023
 
36. New US sanctions on MOGE: Hitting the generals where it hurts?
Mike Haack
Frontier Myanmar, 21 December 2023

Philippines

37. Marcos sets into motion devolution plan for LGUs
Kristina Maralit
Manila Times, 26 December 2023
 
38. Philippines extends tariff cuts on imported rice, other food items to fight inflation
Reuters, 26 December 2023
 
39. ‘We can’t change our neighbours’: Sy-Coson’s call for diplomacy with China reveals rift among Philippines business leaders
Raissa Robles
South China Morning Post, 24 December 2023

Thailand

40. Thailand in 2023: Conservatism in Disarray
Ken Mathis Lohatepanont
Thai Enquirer, 26 December 2023
 
41. Land bridge: a great opportunity for Thailand or another dream project?
Nongluck Ajanapanya
The Nation, 25 December 2023
 
42. Thai PM Srettha seeks longevity as political factions bide time
Francesca Regalado
Nikkei Asia, 24 December 2023
 
43. Coalition very stable, does not need Democrat Party, says Srettha
The Nation, 24 December 2023
 
44. Pita and Move Forward still the most popular in year-end Nida Poll survey
The Nation, 24 December 2023
 
45. A match not made in heaven
Bangkok Post, 23 December 2023
 
46. ‘We may not win immediately, but we will win eventually’: Thailand’s almost-PM Pita
Tan Hui Yee
Straits Times, 23 December 2023
 
47. Thailand’s Quiet Pivot to the Maritime Sphere
Tita Sanglee
Diplomat, 22 December 2023

Vietnam

48. Vietnam’s major diplomatic achievements at multilateral forums
Voice of Vietnam, 25 December 2023
 
49. Breaking the laws of the land: Vietnam’s real estate scandals
Zachary Abuza
Radio Free Asia, 23 December 2023
 
50. Amid US-China rivalry, Vietnam’s sweet spot diplomacy is a master class
Lucio Blanco Pitlo III is a research fellow at the Asia-Pacific Pathways to Progress Foundation
South China Morning Post, 22 December 2023

ASEAN/Southeast Asia

51. Lao PDR is ready for Asean challenges
Kavi Chongkittavorn
Bangkok Post, 26 December 2023
 
52. West Philippine Sea: Is Asean really ‘useless’?
Richard Heydarian
Philippine Daily Inquirer, 26 December 2023
 
53. ASEAN’s credibility and centrality on the line amid crisis in Myanmar
William J Jones and Douglas Rhein, Mahidol University International Colleg
East Asia Forum, 25 December 2023
 
54. Southeast Asia’s ‘narco-state’ and ‘scam-states’ undercut authoritarian rule boasts
David Hutt
Radio Free Asia, 25 December 2023
 
55. Southeast Asia appears stuck in a history trap
David Hutt
Benar News, 24 December 2023

East/South China Sea

56. Philippines should stop pursuing the wrong course at once on South China Sea issue: Chinese FM
Zhang Yuying
Global Times, 25 December 2023
 
57. Philippine actions in South China Sea ‘extremely dangerous’ – Chinese state media
Reuters, 25 December 2023
 
58. Beijing, Manila to hold consultation on South China Sea ‘soon’
Radio Free Asia, 22 December 2023

Climate Change/Environment

59. ‘Doom for forests’: Fears rise in Cambodia over new land grants
AFP
Straits Times, 22 December 2023
 
60. The ‘Historic’ COP28 Climate Change Agreement Isn’t All That
Paul Poast
World Politics Review, 22 December 2023

Others

Geopolitics
 
61. What to expect in 2024: Geopolitics
Gautam Chikermane
Observer Research Foundation, 20 December 2023


Image credit: Photo by Mega Caesaria on Unsplash

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