Daily News on Southeast Asia – 4 Apr 2024

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.

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Photo by Paul Szewczyk on Unsplash.

Today’s issue includes the following commentaries and citations attributed to ISEAS – Yusof Ishak Institute and its researchers. You can click on the links to go to the articles directly.


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


Cambodia

1. Cambodia plans to start Funan Techo Canal work this year
Manoj Mathew
Khmer Times, 4 April 2024

2. Cambodia ex-PM Hun Sen set to return to diplomatic stage
Yuji Nitta
Nikkei Asia, 4 April 2024

3. Ex-PM Hun Sen Sweeps Board in Senate President Vote
Teng Yalirozy
Cambodianess, 3 April 2024

Indonesia

4. Indonesia’s Prabowo scores ‘major diplomatic coup’ with China, Japan visits in signal of future policy direction
Resty Woro Yuniar
South China Morning Post, 4 April 2024

5. Indonesia’s Prabowo likely to pick finance minister who can actively intervene in economy
Wahyudi Soeriaatmadja
Straits Times, 4 April 2024

6. Bawaslu Claims No Election Violation Found for Jokowi’s Visits to Central Java During Campaign Period
Tempo, 4 April 2024

7. Indonesia’s Jakarta-Bandung high-speed rail extension to Surabaya not a priority: official
Elisa Valenta
Business Times, 3 April 2024

8. Indonesia’s Prabowo visits Japan for balance after his China trip
Tamayo Muto, Yuichi Shiga and Nana Shibata
Nikkei Asia, 3 April 2024

9. Indonesia nickel concerns stoked by corruption and land disputes
Erwida Maulia
Nikkei Asia, 3 April 2024

10. Jelang Pilkada 2024, Golkar Libatkan Lembaga Survei yang Berseberangan dengan Jokowi [Ahead of the 2024 Regional Election, Golkar Involves Survey Institutions That Oppose Jokowi]
Republika, 3 April 2024

11. Rencana Pengambilalihan Golkar dan PDIP yang Diungkap Hasto dan Dibantah Jokowi [Plans to take over Golkar and PDIP revealed by Hasto and denied by Jokowi]
Republika, 3 April 2024

12. 普拉博沃会晤岸田文雄 日印同意加强安全合作 [Prabowo meets Fumio Kishida, Japan and Indonesia agree to strengthen security cooperation]
蓝云舟
联合早报, 3 April 2024

Malaysia

13. Kuala Kubu Bahrau State by-election on May 11 – EC
Bernama, 4 April 2024

14. Malaysia’s highway privatisation a colossal failure
Rosli Khan
Free Malaysia Today, 4 April 2024

15. 25 years of PKR: Reformasi, multiculturalism, social justice
Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad
Malaysiakini, 4 April 2024

16. Grey area for Bersatu six
Rahimy Rahim & Martin Carvalho
Star, 4 April 2024

17. Muda to stand alone as it mulls Kuala Kubu Baharu by-election
Ravin Palanisamy
The Malaysian Insight, 4 April 2024

18. Umno using Akmal to play two-pronged game in socks issue, says academic
Predeep Nambiar
Free Malaysia Today, 3 April 2024

19. KK Mart boycott pointless, won’t revive Umno, says analyst
Ravin Palanisamy
The Malaysian Insight, 3 April 2024

Myanmar

20. Theatres of war: Military vs. resistance cinema
Do: Na
Frontier Myanmar, 3 April 2024

21. Myanmar Rebels Puncture India’s Development of Sittwe Port; Experts Blame China-Backed Arakan Army
Ashish Dangwal
Eurasian Times, 3 April 2024

Philippines

22. Deadly war on drugs, again
Philippine Daily Inquirer, 4 April 2024

23. Gaps in Philippine medical system force patients into debt, healthcare workers to leave for work overseas
Buena Bernal & Calvin Yang
CNA, 3 April 2024

24. A Paradigm Shift in the Philippines’ Defense Strategy
Rej Cortez Torrecampo
Diplomat, 3 April 2024

25. Philippines: Political Jockeying and Violence before the 2025 Elections in BARMM
Institute for Policy Analysis of Conflict, 3 April 2024

26. South China Sea: Philippines taking ‘dangerous path’ with President Marcos Jnr’s anti-China moves, sister Imee says
Jeoffrey Maitem
South China Morning Post, 3 April 2024

Thailand

27. Finding new levers for energy subsidies
Wichit Chantanusornsiri
Bangkok Post, 4 April 2024

28. Thai Constitutional Court Accepts Petition Seeking Dissolution of MFP
Sebastian Strangio
Diplomat, 4 April 2024

29. Thailand’s Bid for a Seat on the UN Human Rights Council is Poorly Timed
Mark S. Cogan
Diplomat, 3 April 2024

30. Talks alone will not bring lasting peace to Thailand’s deep south
Daungyewa Utarasint
Nikkei Asia, 3 April 2024

31. Opinion: Defense minister’s comments on coups are defeatist and embarrassing
Wanchai Vatanakool
Thai Enquirer, 3 April 2024

32. Srettha defends performance, says 7 months too short to achieve everything
The Nation, 3 April 2024

33. Improved political climate behind my return to Thailand: ex-red shirt leader
Chanapat Komlongharn
The Nation, 3 April 2024

Vietnam

34. My Say: Vietnam at risk of losing its shine
Manu Bhaskaran
Edge Markets, 3 April 2024

35. Banks in a bind as Vietnam PM bemoans fall in lending
Lien Hoang
Nikkei Asia, 3 April 2024

36. Labor minister faces discipline for management negligence
VnExpress International, 3 April 2024

ASEAN/Southeast Asia

37. ASEAN post-2025: Political and security perspective
R.M.Michael Tene
Jakarta Post, 4 April 2024

38. Central banks of Brunei, Laos join regional payment connectivity initiative: Bank Indonesia
Business Times, 3 April 2024

39. Is Southeast Asia Really Turning Toward China?
[Link to The State of Southeast Asia: 2024 Survey Report]
Sebastian Strangio
Diplomat, 3 April 2024

40. The Translator: “ASEAN Centrality”
Rahman Yaacob
Interpreter, 3 April 2024

41. U.S. loses its spot to China as Southeast Asia’s most favored ally, survey shows
[Link to The State of Southeast Asia: 2024 Survey Report]
Sheila Chiang
CNBC, 3 April 2024

42. ASEAN is now more pro-China than US: survey
[Link to The State of Southeast Asia: 2024 Survey Report]
[Also republished on Benar News]
Radio Free Asia, 3 April 2024

43. CO24044 – The ASEAN Digital Economy Framework Agreement: Uniting or Dividing?
Ibrahim Kholilul Rohman, Kleovan Nathanael Gunawan & Angelique Johanes
S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies, 3 April 2024

44. Army’s top Pacific leader counters ASEAN poll showing popular support for China
[Link to The State of Southeast Asia: 2024 Survey Report]
Seth Robson
Stars and Stripes, 3 April 2024

45. Southeast Asia’s Top 9 Military Powerful Nations
Tempo, 3 April 2024

46. State of Southeast Asia Survey 2024: Choosing China over the US is neither a tidal shift nor a sea change
[Link to The State of Southeast Asia: 2024 Survey Report]
Sharon Seah
ThinkChina, 3 April 2024

47. First ASEAN Startup Policy Roundtable
[Llink to 24-page report “First ASEAN Startup Policy Roundtable“]
ERIA, 2 April 2024

Asia Pacific

48. Xi-Biden phone call ‘anchor for stabilizing ties,’ signals willingness to manage tensions despite growing divergence
Yuhan Zhang
Global Times, 3 April 2024

49. Japan, U.S., Philippines to form joint cyberdefense network
Reiko Miki
Nikkei Asia, 3 April 2024

50. Navigating the Indo-Pacific: Development Cooperation as a Diplomatic Tool
Swati Prabhu & Pratnashree Basu
Observer Research Foundation, 3 April 2024

51. New Trump term would mean more risk, opportunity in China ties
Ian Bremmer
Nikkei Asia, 2 April 2024

East/South China Sea

52. Steadying the Waters: Navigating the Tensions at Second Thomas Shoal
Sophie Wushuang Yi
Diplomat, 4 April 2024

53. Tokyo in talks with Manila over sending troops to the Philippines
Demetri Sevastopulo
Financial Times, 4 April 2024

54. Japan seeks to defend national interests in South China Sea
Chermaine Lee
VOA, 3 April 2024

Climate Change/Environment

55. ADB Readies ASEAN Climate Finance Policy Platform
Asian Development Bank, 3 April 2024

56. Mobilizing Capital Markets for a Climate-Responsive and Inclusive Southeast Asia
Asian Development Bank, 3 April 2024

Media, Technology & Society

57. Regulating digital platforms in Southeast Asia
Faizal Bin Yahya
East Asia Forum, 4 April 2024

58. Speaking as one: Minister advocates ‘permanent mechanism’ for govt agencies to counter fake news
Ben Sokhean
Khmer Times, 4 April 2024

59. US local news swamped by ‘pink slime’ as political influence ramps up
Hannah Murphy
Financial Times, 3 April 2024


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