7 Nov 2025
Anwar’s international success sours at home
Malaysia won the world over as host of the ASEAN summit, but domestic politics tells a different story.
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24 Oct 2025
Malaysia and Indonesia can turn a border dispute into an opportunity
After decades of tension, pragmatic cooperation on energy resources offers a path forward in contested waters. -
22 Oct 2025
A handshake can only reach so far – even in mending ties between North Korea and Malaysia
Restoring severed diplomatic ties will require patience and creative channels without domestic pressure to act. -
21 Oct 2025
The sun is setting on Southeast Asia’s solar exporters
US tariffs are testing whether ASEAN is all talk on regional integration for renewable energy generation. -
17 Oct 2025
Signal failure for China’s railway diplomacy in Southeast Asia
As Indonesia renegotiates railway debt with China, other Southeast Asian nations face a cautionary tale about mega-projects. -
15 Oct 2025
Rare earth showdown: Why the West must learn to pick winners – and partners
Albanese must convince Trump that only allied cooperation can break China's rare earth chokehold. -
3 Oct 2025
America’s EV plan needs Southeast Asia more than it admits
Unless the US wants to pay more and wait longer, it should secure trusted capacity from non-Chinese supply chains. -
29 Sep 2025
The good oil? Helping palm plantations contribute to global biodiversity targets
Indonesia and Malaysia control 80% of global palm oil supply – their conservation choices will determine if the industry can rehabilitate itself. -
25 Sep 2025
Is the US really losing to China in Southeast Asia?
A major new research project published by the Lowy Institute says yes – but there’s more to the story. -
24 Sep 2025
The evolution of Malaysian foreign policy
Kuala Lumpur once prized non-alignment above all else – now it sees Beijing as more reliable than lectures from the West. -
10 Sep 2025
The South China Sea’s next legal frontier: Ships without sailors
Unmanned warships blur legal boundaries as technology outpaces international law in contested maritime zones. -
18 Aug 2025
The Ambalat dispute is a chance for Indonesia and Malaysia to lead by example in Asia-Pacific diplomacy
Against a backdrop of wider regional tensions, finding a solution to this longstanding dispute would be model behaviour. -
31 Jul 2025
Air force modernisation in Southeast Asia: Deterrence or danger?
Fighter aircraft purchases reflect a broader push for military autonomy at a time of rising great power rivalry and supply chain concerns. -
4 Jul 2025
From Gallipoli to the Strait of Malacca: Why maritime choke points still decide the fate of nations
How a crucial regional waterway may be affected in the event of conflict. -
24 Jun 2025
Halfway through Malaysia’s watch, ASEAN expands its ambition
Growing the regional bloc with Timor-Leste’s membership has been more than a decade in the making. -
20 Jun 2025
Myanmar and ASEAN’s parallel diplomacy trap
In Southeast Asia, national imperatives are increasingly outweighing regional cohesion. -
23 May 2025
Tackling forced labour in Malaysia begins with re-examining its migration model
A zero-cost migration model can break the cycle of debt and exploitation. -
15 Apr 2025
Asia without America? History shows Australia can be confident shaping regional security
The Five Power Defence Arrangements makes for a case in point. -
4 Apr 2025
Can Malaysia’s semiconductor industry stream upwards?
Ambition alone will not be enough to climb the global semiconductor value chain. -
15 Jan 2025
Can Malaysia drive ASEAN like the pony express?
Or does the regional grouping remain stuck in the stable? -
16 Dec 2024
Southeast Asia’s death penalty laws: The ultimate political game
The region’s diverse policies on executions are about more than the war on crime. -
29 Nov 2024
As traditional “Anglo” international education destinations falter, Asia-Pacific countries look closer to home
Chinese students are largely driving the surge in international students choosing universities across the region. -
11 Nov 2024
Malaysia’s democratic transition: Why it matters for Southeast Asia and the Muslim world
But progress could still be reversed. -
4 Nov 2024
ASEAN countries confront Chinese export glut
Left unchecked, a saturation of Chinese goods may complicate what has otherwise been a very compelling ASEAN growth story. -
31 Oct 2024
Asia’s year of electoral upsets
The poor result for the region’s most successful electoral machine in Japan on Sunday has only underlined a surprisingly bad year for incumbents across Asia. -
21 Oct 2024
The ghosts of Japan’s occupation of Malaysia
Haunting stories of wartime brutality live on in Malaysia’s folklore, allowing the country to navigate the trauma. -
16 Oct 2024
Malaysia’s ASEAN chairmanship is a catalyst, not a panacea
Moving beyond regional deadlocks will take more than a single year. -
15 Oct 2024
The ripple effects of EU deforestation laws in Southeast Asia
The region's palm oil industry needs to move with the times. But meeting the challenges will take a group effort. -
9 Sep 2024
China’s rise in Southeast Asia is bringing in a golden age for Australia
Disquiet about Beijing’s growing presence is motivating countries across the region to seek deeper cooperation with Canberra. -
2 Aug 2024
Will Malaysia build ASEAN with BRICS?
As the next chair of the Southeast Asian grouping, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim will likely share the concerns of his new BRICS partners. -
21 Jun 2024
Malaysia: Pushing the chips in on neutrality
Growing US-China rivalry is not turning the Southeast Asian nation from a tradition of non-alignment. -
18 Jun 2024
The carbon sinks of Southeast Asia are in trouble
Global demand for palm oil and paper is threatening a fragile peatland ecosystem. International cooperation is needed now. -
30 May 2024
Does India’s Act East Policy matter to Southeast Asia?
Ties with Malaysia make a powerful case study to assess regional ties with the South Asian giant. But others are doing better. -
23 May 2024
Malaysia: The Sarawak secession?
The Borneo state has won greater autonomy and holds all the cards for more concessions. -
28 Mar 2024
India: What a Modi win means for relations with Malaysia
Shared strategic future can no longer rely on “silence” as response to contentious issues. -
21 Mar 2024
New Zealand and ASEAN: Focusing on what’s right under its nose
As a country at the end of the global supply chain, New Zealand depends on the stability of Southeast Asia. -
7 Feb 2024
The role of Singapore, Malaysia and Australia in ASEAN centrality
Cooperation, especially on security and the economy, is key to countering pressure from outside the bloc. -
20 Dec 2023
The great offshore decommissioning
More than 70 per cent of the world’s oil and gas production comes via ageing infrastructure rapidly approaching an economic limit. -
2 Oct 2023
The surprising link between piracy and Covid-19
Poverty, institutional incapacity and budget cuts fuelled a surge in pandemic piracy. The lessons are many. -
19 Sep 2023
No neutrality in espionage: Why is Malaysia tangled up in a spying case in Norway?
Asking the Kremlin would be a good start. -
11 Sep 2023
Malaysia at 60: One country, three visions
Islamist rule, the secular status quo or a state within a state – the future of Malaysia looks shaky. -
15 Aug 2023
Pipe dreams: Turning an interconnected ASEAN gas market into a reality
An old idea for a regional network might hold the answer for energy demand into the future. -
28 Feb 2023
Malaysia’s Anwar steps out abroad to bolster his standing at home
The new PM has thrown himself into travel to raise Malaysia’s profile on regional challenges after years of turmoil. -
1 Feb 2023
Indonesia gets the ball rolling on domestic worker rights
Jakarta’s call to legislate its informal workforce should be a model for all countries that receive migrant workers. -
22 Dec 2022
The Interpreter 2022: Your most-read articles
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine dominated the year. But readers also wanted to know all about Southeast Asia’s elections. -
1 Dec 2022
Anwar’s victory not the only Malaysian shockwave
A dramatic rise in the Islamist vote in the Muslim-majority country is the biggest outcome of the election. -
15 Nov 2022
Malaysian Chinese community to shape national poll
Electoral mathematics means politicians are faced with a choice between communal politics and multiculturalism. -
15 Nov 2022
Refugees may become victims of Malaysia’s electoral politics
The plight of Myanmar Rohingyas exposes Southeast Asia’s disjointed policies and fragile human rights protections. -
4 Aug 2022
Does ASEAN really need an official “second language”?
Privileging one voice over another in Southeast Asia would be a mistake. -
27 Jul 2022
Semut: Australia’s secret war against the Japanese in Borneo
A reconstruction of incomplete archives reveals one of Australia’s most audacious independent special forces operations.