2 days ago
No neutrality in espionage: Why is Malaysia tangled up in a spying case in Norway?
Asking the Kremlin would be a good start.
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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. -
26 Jul 2022
Answering China’s South China Sea flying safety challenge
A regional response can best manage risks, and the Five Power Defence Arrangement offers just the mechanism. -
6 Jun 2022
Proceed with caution: high-speed rail for Bangkok and Kuala Lumpur
The potential connectivity benefits for two of Asia’s big cities are huge. The obstacles are many. -
12 Apr 2022
China’s nine-dash line proves stranger than fiction
How Beijing’s claims to the South China Sea have crept imperceptibly into global popular culture. -
25 Mar 2022
Stiffening the ASEAN spine in the South China Sea
Any “minilateral” grouping among Southeast Asian nations must be mindful of its internal contradictions. -
9 Jun 2021
Malaysia – and no Southeast Asian nation – should be bullied by China
An incursion by Chinese aircraft into Malaysian airspace is yet another reminder of Beijing’s belligerence. -
23 Apr 2021
Malaysia’s political turmoil has an economic cost
With parliament suspended and a pandemic-induced shock, necessary and serious reform seems a long way off. -
22 Mar 2021
North Korea and Malaysia’s predictable diplomatic divorce
Pyongyang is sending a message in typically overbearing style. But the target is as much the US as it is Malaysia. -
18 Jan 2021
Resisting uncertainty, Malaysia is finding itself
Covid-19 has turbocharged Malaysia’s already fractious politics – and that’s flowing into the country’s economy. -
9 Dec 2020
Favourites of 2020: Minister of Finance Incorporated
To grasp Malaysia’s infamous 1MDB scandal means understanding the elaborate ecosystem of government-linked companies. -
20 Aug 2020
In Malaysia’s Covid “infodemic”, crime is all too easy
A crackdown on the spreading of false information is unfair if people don’t have the means to spot it. -
19 Aug 2020
As Pakistan and Saudi Arabia drift apart, China moves in
A growing schism between Saudi Arabia and Pakistan points to new alliances in the Muslim world. -
4 Aug 2020
The Najib verdict and the test of Malaysia’s institutions
Tough punishment will be a deterrent only if paired with a credible threat of prosecution and impartial judgement. -
27 May 2020
Rohingya in Malaysia, doubly trapped
Panics have a way of seeking out victims, and the Rohingya in Malaysia have been easy targets during the pandemic. -
8 May 2020
Malaysia needs a shadow cabinet to check an amateurish government
Covid-19 has exposed Malaysian politics as a scramble for self-interest. There is a better way. -
5 Mar 2020
Malaysia is now in uncharted waters
With an Islamist party now in government agitating for social curbs, the way of life in a secular nation is at stake. -
28 Jan 2020
Forging consensus in the South China Sea
By backing each other’s claims, a united Southeast Asian front would be difficult for Beijing to divide and conquer. -
4 Dec 2019
In conversation: Malaysia’s Foreign Minister on great power rivalry
From the South China Sea to the Rohingya crisis, Saifuddin Abdullah speaks to Lowy’s Ben Bland on Asia’s big challenges. -
22 Nov 2019
Ultimate Game of Thrones in Malaysia
However the latest political scramble unfolds, Anwar Ibrahim will not get a chance to be PM and real change is in doubt. -
30 Oct 2019
Towards a peaceful and inclusive Asia
Resurrecting the idea of “Asia” can help give smaller states agency to guide China as a responsible and benign giant. -
29 Oct 2019
Messy is the new order: Succession time in Malaysia
Rather than a personality rivalry between Mahathir and Anwar, a wider decentralisation of political power is underway. -
25 Sep 2019
Malaysia’s dangerous racial and religious trajectory
<p>Identity politics has turned inflammatory as Malaysia’s former ruling party tries to claw back support.</p> -
6 Sep 2019
A fugitive preacher ignites controversy in Malaysia
The government’s shielding of Zakir Naik tests PM Mahathir Mohamad’s commitment to equal rights and democratic values. -
22 Aug 2019
In Malaysia, flipping over the script
Proposed changes to a school textbook have sparked a public debate that goes to the heart of national identity. -
29 Jul 2019
Malaysia’s Mahathir has no interest in building a dynasty
<p>Speculation Mukhriz Mahathir could take over from his father is just that – Anwar Ibrahim is anointed.</p> -
19 Jul 2019
Mahathir holds all the cards, again
A bitter rift over sex claims between would-be successors has again shown the ugly side of Malaysia’s politics. -
18 Jul 2019
After the voting, personality beats policy in Southeast Asia
Malaysia is not the only country consumed by speculation about who takes over from a conspicuous and captivating leader. -
28 Jun 2019
Why Mahathir is unlikely to make Anwar his successor
Few thought the then 92-year-old return PM would be anything but a charismatic seat-warmer – except the man himself. -
7 Jun 2019
Mahathir’s tilt to China smooths the way for Beijing in Southeast Asia
Always known as a fiercely non-aligned leader, Malaysia’s Prime Minister has changed his tune on the Belt and Road. -
10 Apr 2019
Making a murderer: the assassination of Kim Jong-nam
Has justice been subsumed after a very public attack dragged Southeast Asian nations into North Korea’s power feuds? -
9 Apr 2019
Domestic politics drive Malaysia’s abrupt global court U-turn
Politicking to protect rights of Malaysia’s hereditary rulers has dashed plans to join the International Criminal Court. -
5 Mar 2019
Malaysia joins the International Criminal Court
Why now, after resisting membership for more than 20 years, has Malaysia decided to ratify the Rome Statute? -
20 Feb 2019
Courting change in Malaysia
A combination of progress and hesitation is evident under Malaysia’s new rule, amid fear political turmoil will drag on. -
14 Feb 2019
Spats in the straits between Malaysia and Singapore
The diplomatic tit-for-tat between the two neighbours for the territorial claim of the waterway has a long history. -
1 Feb 2019
Malaysia and China: breaking up is hard to do
Mahathir’s promise to scrap or renegotiate “unequal” infrastructure deals with Beijing – a plan easier said than done. -
23 Nov 2018
From the high horse: Malaysia’s problematic track record
Mahathir’s portrait of racial harmony in Malaysia is inspiring – except, of course, for being demonstrably false. -
18 Oct 2018
Mahathir: Uighurs “have done nothing wrong”
Countries are struggling to navigate the issues – trying to please Beijing, the Uighurs, and respect human rights. -
24 Sep 2018
Malaysia: allowing students to find voice
After years of official limits, a healthy democracy in Malaysia needs to give students the space to discuss politics. -
6 Sep 2018
Mahathir redux: the past guides the future
The legacy of his first stint as prime minister is shaping his second – history suggests Mahathir will remain a player. -
30 Aug 2018
Economic diplomacy: Indonesia, trade deals and TPP
After a breakthrough with Jakarta, will Aussie-trained Indonesian workers be welcomed into Australia to improve skills?