Southeast Asia
The chosen one: Djarot’s surprise bid to govern North Sumatra
In January, Indonesia’s Partai Demokrasi Indonesia Perjuangan (PDIP), or the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle, made an announcement. Djarot Saiful Hidayat, the former…
Indonesia–US relations: sweating the small stuff
The US and Indonesia have declared an overarching “strategic partnership” to meet broader challenges, from regional architecture building to global governance. At least, this was…
Revisiting the 1972 seabed boundary negotiations with Indonesia
Making a judgement in the present about events in the past is fraught with difficulties. It is natural and often right to view past events with the moral and legal perspectives of…
Indonesia elections: Three factors that will shape the political trajectory of 2018
For Joko (Jokowi) Widodo, the first Indonesian President elected from outside Jakarta's elite, the combination of disruptive global forces and the intrinsic features of…
Australia wants to reform Hun Sen – ‘It’s not going to work,’ says opposition leader
This morning I spoke with Mu Sochua, the deputy leader of the opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP). On 2 September, the leader of her party Kem Sokha was arrested at…
The ill-advised rush for Australia to strike a trade deal with Indonesia
Negotiations for the Indonesia-Australia Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (IA-CEPA) entered extra time this week, as negotiators agreed to add an 11th round (the 7th…
What a realistic solution to Myanmar’s Rakhine State crisis might look like
Myanmar and Bangladesh recently announced an agreement for the repatriation of Rohingya refugees living in Bangladesh to return to Myanmar. After Pope Francis visited both…
Commentary
Trump in Vietnam must not trump Asia's pivotal emerging economy
Originally published in the Straits Times.
Matthew Busch
Mattis front and centre at ASEAN defence talks
Defence ministers from across the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) as well as counterparts from the US, Russia, China, South Korea, Japan, India, Australia and New…
Commentary
Indonesia's electricity play imperils national economic goals
'The generation plan could unnerve investors and leave private operators on hook for state equity.' Originally published in the Nikkei Asian Review.Matthew Busch