Economy, Politics

Twin Crisis Tests Conservative Rule in Thailand

• Foo Siew Jack
• 2026

A twin crisis of regional border friction and the Iran war tests Prime Minister Anutin’s conservative coalition as record trade deficits and soaring energy costs squeeze traditional patronage networks.

Economy, Foreign Policy, Politics

Bombs Dropped in Iran Affect Anwar’s Political Survival

• Syaza Shukri
• 2026

A global energy crisis forces Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim to slash “BUDI95” fuel quotas, risking middle-class backlash ahead of vital state polls.

Economy, Foreign Policy, Politics

Manila’s Energy Emergency and Calls for Regional Response

• Don McLain Gill
• 2026

The energy emergency, political tension and aggressive targeted assistance expose the Philippines’ vulnerability to the Iran war.

Economy, Foreign Policy, Politics

Clear-Cut Sympathy

• Johannes Nugroho
• 2026

A dramatic disconnect lands Prabowo in a political hot seat as his decision to join Trump's Board of Peace and implement a sharp 30% fuel hike collides with overwhelming domestic sympathy for Iran.

Foreign Policy, Politics, Security

Iran War: Political Implications for Indonesia

• Lina A Alexandra
• Pieter Pandie
• 2026

The Iran war sparks public backlash over Prabowo's perceived alignment with Washington and exposes Indonesia’s domestic vulnerabilities.

Security, Technology

Security by Algorithm?

• Samantha Khoo
• Izzah Ibrahim
• 2026

In Malaysia, the governance of defence-related AI remains comparatively underdeveloped.

Environment

Ambition Over Reality

• Muhamad Ferdy Firmansyah
• 2026

Indonesia’s aggressive 8% economic growth strategy traps the state in an extractive cycle, impeding its ambitious 2050 net-zero climate commitments.

Foreign Policy, Politics, Security

Did Thailand Just Hand Cambodia a Legal Windfall?

• Don Pathan
• 2026

Anutin's termination of MoU 44 backfires as Cambodia triggers UNCLOS compulsory conciliation, turning a toxic border conflict into a legal battle for US$300b in offshore gas.

Economy, Society

Extremely Precarious, Incredibly Vulnerable

• Ailsa Laras Syarifa
• Revo Linggar Vandito
• 2026

A new regulation caps ride-hailing commissions at 8%, but the structural absence of formal employment rights leaves millions of Indonesian “mitra” inherently vulnerable.

Economy

Brunei’s Ticking Fiscal Clocks

• Arman Sidhu
• 2026

As its oil depletion horizon tightens to 27 years, Brunei remains ASEAN's sole holdout against dual-mandate sovereign wealth consolidation—trapping capital in passive foreign equities while domestic diversification starves.

Economy, Foreign Policy, Security

Three-Envoy Tour Reveals White House Strategic Retrenchment

• Brad Nelson
• 2026

The Trump administration views the Indo-Pacific not as a theatre for security counterbalancing but as an economic resource to be extracted.

Security

Singapore-Tokyo Partnership Secures Middle Ground Amid Global Tensions

• Virdika Rizky Utama
• 2026

As regional uncertainty grows, Singapore and Japan have strong reasons to deepen practical security cooperation while preserving an open and inclusive regional order.