Daily News on Southeast Asia – 8 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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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


Brunei

1. Unemployment, recession top Bruneian worries: Report
Borneo Bulletin, 8 April 2024

Indonesia

2. Political parties switch gears for regional polls
Yerica Lai
Jakarta Post, 8 April 2024
 
3. Indonesia’s growing population falls out of love with marriage
Wahyudi Soeriaatmadja
Straits Times, 8 April 2024
 
4. Indonesian ministers deny misusing social aid funds to influence presidential polls
Arie Firdaus
Benar News, 5 April 2024
 
5. WIKA to raise fund for work on Jakarta’s sea wall, new capital city
Divya Karyza
Jakarta Post, 5 April 2024
 
6. Prabowo hedging against Western powers, favouring regional cooperation: Analyst
[7-min interview]
CNA, 4 April 2024

Malaysia

7. Bersatu Youth chief says Perikatan still struggling with non-Malays, ‘subpar’ as Opposition
Yiswaree Palansamy
Malay Mail Online, 8 April 2024
 
8. #MZB365 and ideas to deescalate ethnic tensions
Projek Sama
Malaysiakini, 8 April 2024
 
9. Malaysia is awash with profitable start-ups, so why aren’t investors interested?
Su-Lin Tan
South China Morning Post, 7 April 2024

10. WONG ANNOUNCES DISSOLUTION OF PSB, APPOINTED PDP SENIOR VP
Bernama, 6 April 2024
 
11. 1,454 CONTENTS RELATED TO 3R ON SOCIAL MEDIA REMOVED FROM JAN-MARCH – TEO
Bernama, 6 April 2024
 
12. From chocolate malt to burgers, consumers ditch global brands for local players as anti-Israel boycott continues
Malaysia Now, 6 April 2024
 
13. Policy transformation: Truly M’sian leadership needed
[Link to Part 1 of this series]
Lim Teck Ghee, Murray Hunter & Carolyn Khor
Malaysiakini, 6 April 2024
 
14. As Malaysia’s door closes on low-paid migrant workers, companies scramble for staff
Hadi Azmi
South China Morning Post, 6 April 2024
 
15. Malaysia’s lower living costs, MM2H visa, anti-Israel stance are luring expats – but can they stay long term?
Hadi Azmi
South China Morning Post, 6 April 2024
 
16. Betrayal, punishment and by-elections
Joceline Tan
Star, 6 April 2024
 
17. INTERACTIVE: From bustling town to ‘sleepy hollow’
DIYANA PFORDTEN
Star, 6 April 2024
 
18. INTERACTIVE: Rapid ageing and Malaysia’s ‘ghost towns’
DIYANA PFORDTEN
Star, 6 April 2024
 
19. One nation, 2 standards
Ravin Palanisamy
The Malaysian Insight, 6 April 2024
 
20. Race and Religion in Malaysia
Ariel Tan
S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies, 5 April 2024

Myanmar

21. Myanmar’s army massacred Rohingyas. Now it wants their help
Jonathan Head & BBC Burmese
BBC, 8 April 2024
 
22. Myanmar military faces humiliating rout on Thai border
GWEN ROBINSON
Nikkei Asia, 8 April 2024
 
23. Challenged by Uprising, Myanmar Junta Cracks Down Harder
Caleb Quinley
New York Times, 6 April 2024
 
24. U.N. taps ex-Australian foreign minister as special envoy for Myanmar
Gwen Robinson
Nikkei Asia, 6 April 2024
 
25. Arakan Army’s gains enough to enable self-rule in Myanmar’s Rakhine state
Zachary Abuza
Radio Free Asia, 6 April 2024
 
26. Most Myanmar People Have Unfavorable View of China, Survey Finds
Irrawaddy, 5 April 2024
 
27. NUG committed to working with the KIA
Mizzima, 5 April 2024
 
28. Chinese delegation in Myanmar in bid to end conflict in western Rakhine state
Radio Free Asia, 5 April 2024

Philippines

29. Overcoming political despair
Randy David
Philippine Daily Inquirer, 7 April 2024
 
30. PH ‘cannot ignore’ China aggression
Catherine S. Valente
Manila Times, 6 April 2024
 
31. Annual Balikatan Exercise with US will test new Philippine defense strategy
Benar News, 4 April 2024

Thailand

32. Former Thai PM Thaksin At Center Of Intrigues And Political Rumors: As Mastermind Or Just Victim Of Fate?
[This article was first published by ISEAS – Yusof Ishak Institute as ISEAS Perspective 2024/25]
Eurasia Review, 8 April 2024
 
33. Thailand taking the offensive over the origin of Muay Thai
Kosuke Inoue
Nikkei Asia, 7 April 2024
 
34. Govt bruised but not undone by debate
Chairith Yonpiam
Bangkok Post, 6 April 2024
 
35. Srettha needs just one job
Bangkok Post, 6 April 2024
 
36. Thailand’s influential ex-premier Thaksin says PM Srettha a suitable transition leader
Reuters, 5 April 2024

Timor-Leste

37. In Dili, Indonesia’s future means trying to forget about Timor-Leste’s past
Ahmad Syamsudin
Benar News, 5 April 2024

Vietnam

38. Top Vietnamese lawmaker in China after president’s surprise ouster
LIEN HOANG
Nikkei Asia, 8 April 2024
 
39. As gold smuggling runs rampant, Vietnam casts around for ways to tame market
South China Morning Post, 7 April 2024
 
40. Overseas graduates face job-finding struggles in Vietnam
Xanh Le & Quang Huong
VnExpress International, 7 April 2024

ASEAN/Southeast Asia

41. Southeast Asians Don’t Really Care About the Myanmar Crisis
David Hutt
Diplomat, 8 April 2024
 
42. China funds 18 projects via MLCSF
Bangkok Post, 7 April 2024
 
43. Thailand Leads Push for Six-Nation Visa to Lure Moneyed Tourists
Pathom Sangwongwanich
Bloomberg, 7 April 2024
 
44. Japan ‘most trusted’ by ASEAN despite low influence, study shows
Tsubasa Suruga
Nikkei Asia, 7 April 2024
 
45. South-east Asia’s turn towards China may not last, say US analysts
Bhagyashree Garekar
Straits Times, 7 April 2024
 
46. How the Quad can help build a better Indo-Pacific via health diplomacy
Mutiara Indriani
East Asia Forum, 6 April 2024
 
47. Vietnamese concerned that canal project in Cambodia could be potential gateway for Chinese forces
Tan Hui Yee
Straits Times, 6 April 2024
 
48. Joint Statement of the 11th ASEAN Finance Ministers’ and Central Bank Governors’ Meeting (AFMGM)
ASEAN Secretariat News, 5 April 2024


49. Navigating China’s influence: Insights from the State of Southeast Asia 2024 Survey
[Originally published here on Fulcrum.]
Joanne Lin
ThinkChina, 5 April 2024

Asia Pacific

50. U.S.-Japan-Philippine summit will advance shared Indo-Pacific vision
Ami Bera is the ranking Democratic Party member on the U.S. House Subcommittee on the Indo-Pacific.
Nikkei Asia, 5 April 2024

East/South China Sea

51. China’s Huge Sea Buildup Dwarfs Philippine Push on Tiny Island
Andreo Calonzo
Bloomberg, 8 April 2024
 
52. China conducts ‘combat patrols’ as US holds drills with allies in disputed waters
CNA, 8 April 2024
 
53. Bringing Vietnamese Counterinsurgency To The Philippines And South China Sea (Part I)
Dan Steinbock
Eurasia Review, 8 April 2024
 
54. Biden to warn Beijing against meddling in South China Sea
Demetri Sevastopulo
Financial Times, 8 April 2024
 
55. South China Sea: as India backs Philippines against Beijing, a different border issue looms large
Maria Siow
South China Morning Post, 7 April 2024
 
56. Philippines, Japan, Australia, U.S. to hold drills in South China Sea
RAMON ROYANDOYAN and YUICHI SHIGA
Nikkei Asia, 6 April 2024
 
57. Duterte-Xi pact: how Philippines’ domestic politics can affect management of South China Sea tensions
Lucio Blanco Pitlo III
South China Morning Post, 6 April 2024

Climate Change/Environment

58. Biden’s LNG export pause will hobble Asia’s energy plans
Paul Everingham
Nikkei Asia, 8 April 2024
 
59. Transborder pollution blankets 5 Chiang Mai districts, declared disaster zones
The Nation, 8 April 2024
 
60. Vietnam targets all transport means run on green energy by 2050
VietNamNet, 8 April 2024
 
61. Jurong Island: In search of a new miracle
Business Times, 5 April 2024

Media, Technology & Society

62. Don’t play it by ear: Audio deepfakes in a year of global elections
Dymples Leong
Interpreter, 5 April 2024
 
63. China Is Using AI to Sow Disinformation and Stoke Discord Across Asia and the U.S., Microsoft Reports
[Link to report “Same targets, new playbooks: East Asia threat actors employ unique methods” ]
Koh Ewe
Time, 5 April 2024
 
64. AI Threatens to Dislodge Manila in the Economic Revolution
Daniel Moss
Bloomberg, 4 April 2024

Others

Geopolitics
 
65. China Is Gaslighting the Developing World
Robert A. Manning
Foreign Policy, 5 April 2024


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