The Economist writes disapprovingly that the King of Thailand, Maha Vajiralongkorn, wants to restore an absolute monarchy. The article states that way back in 1932, revolutionaries proclaimed the end of Thailand’s absolute monarchy, and a monument was installed to mark the event. But in December 2018, it was removed. Last […]
South East Asia
Indonesia Spells Out Terms Of Engagement With US
On the eve of the US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo’s arrival in Jakarta on October 28, the senior editor of the leading Indonesian daily Jakarta Post Kornelius Purba wrote a taunting op-ed dwelling on what the heavyweight from Washington hoped to achieve in his mission at this late hour […]
China Draws The Analogy Of Korean War To Warn US
The ceremony at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on October 22 to commemorate the seventieth anniversary of China’s entry into the Korean War turned out to be a major event in regional politics. In a speech on the occasion, President Xi Jinping made his strongest ever remarks […]
Opponents Of The Nuclear Weapons Ban Treaty
It would seem a logical step, at least from an existential perspective: to ban something so utterly horrendous to life; to forbid its use in any circumstances, whatever rationale employed to justify its use. But the nuclear weapon has its admirers. There are those who continue to worship its sovereign […]
Australia, the US and the AUSMIN Talks
The Satrap Chronicles of the US imperium will have, near the top of their various ingratiating themes, such Australian politicians as Senators Linda Reynolds and Marise Payne. They resemble Siamese consuls, hard to tell apart (robust build, similar of voice and manner). For another, their views form the putty of […]
Mephistopheles Of Wall Street: Goldman Sachs, 1MDB And The Malaysian Settlement
Malaysia’s politicians were crowing. “We are confident that we are securing more money from Goldman Sachs compared to previous attempts, which were far below expectations,” stated Finance Minister Tengku Zafrul Aziz. “We are also glad to be able to resolve this outside the court system, which would have cost a […]
Press Freedom In The Philippines
It has long been said that countries in Southeast Asia take a dim view of the fourth estate. Various legal measures have been deployed against those irritable scribblers over the years: old, colonial-era security legislation; defamation suits; traditional forms of lengthy detention without charge. Such states have mastered the supreme […]
All Llives Matter
The horrendous recent killing of George Floyd, brazenly committed by heavy-handed policemen, has enraged peoples around the world and understandably sparked violent protests in the US, with gut-wrenching chants of ”Black Lives Matter” and “I can’t breathe”. It is appropriate to recall that the black people in the US were […]
The Rohingya In Malaysia: Coronavirus And Alibis For Paranoia
Rounding up undocumented workers, migrant and refugees is part of a brutal order of things in Malaysia. When matters economic are going well, authorities turn the blindest of eyes. The money pours in; development goals are being met. During times of crisis, the eye sharpens in the search for scapegoats. […]
Gossiping Over Kim Jong-Un
Illness can often fall into the category of the obsessive, becoming a sport for mugs, sufferers and observers alike. The following often feature: the hypochondriac, the speculator of disease, the gossip about how far gone a person is who has contracted something or rather. When it comes to tyrants, such […]
Warmth Witnessed In Pakistan-Malaysia Relations
Malaysia and Pakistan enjoy very cordial relations. Both are Muslim states and developing countries. Both are facing similar issues like corruption. There exist many areas where Malaysia has got good experience and Pakistan may learn from Malaysia. There also exist some areas, where Pakistan can contribute to Malaysian developments. The […]
2020: Top Geopolitical Trends To Watch By Region
The New Year is a perfect occasion for drawing attention to three of the most important geopolitical trends to watch by region which could greatly shape the course of events there across the next 12 months. North America The Democrats Tempting (Entrapping?) Trump Into Another War Presidential election seasons are […]
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