Economics, Politics and Public Policy in East Asia and the Pacific
Author: Kevin Placek, Melbourne
Having ruled Japan for the better half of a century, it is no surprise that the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) has found it difficult to adapt to its role as Japan’s major opposition party.
But with the prospect of further political gridlock, it may be time for the LDP to reconsider its strategy. Read more…
Author: Bridget Welsh, SMU
Malaysia recently soared into the headlines after Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim was acquitted of sodomy charges — although the prosecution has already filed for appeal.
The case is entirely political and reflects the government’s willingness to use the judiciary for political ends. Malaysia is set to enter the most competitive elections it has ever faced — likely to be held before June or else pushed off until 2013 — and each side has a fighting chance to win. Read more…
Author: Patrick Jory, University of Queensland
The 2006 coup put Thailand’s monarchy in the political spotlight as never before.
It was planned and executed by figures close to the monarchy, and many commentators argue that its real aim was to secure the primacy of the monarchy in the face of Thaksin Shinawatra’s electoral popularity. Read more…
Author: Malcolm Cook, Flinders University
Taiwan’s President Ma Ying-jeou and the Kuomintang (KMT) won a double victory at the 14 January elections. Ma was re-elected — albeit with a much smaller margin — and the KMT maintained a reduced majority in the Legislative Yuan.
Author: Nitin Pai, Takshashila Institution
Taiwan’s presidential elections, since they first started in 1996, have in large part been referenda on the ‘One China’ policy.
Voters are generally offered two deviations from the status quo — either a path toward eventual reunification with mainland China or a path toward independence. Read more…
Author: Anders Engvall, Stockholm School of Economics
On the evening of 25 October 2011 the southern Thai town of Yala was shaken by a string of 30 explosions that caused great terror and loss of life. The following day the neighbouring province of Narathiwat saw a similar wave of attacks.
This latest bombing campaign was a stark reminder from southern Thailand’s insurgency movement of the seventh anniversary of the Tak Bai massacre. Read more…
Author: Prajak Kongkirati, ANU
On the surface the general election of 3 July 2011 may look like any other Thai election, but both its timing and context set it apart as historically significant.
Incumbent Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva called for elections on 11 March 2011, even though his government had until the year’s end to finish its term. Read more…
Author: Mohamed Ariff, INCEIF
After registering an impressive 7.2 per cent growth in 2010, the Malaysian economy visibly slowed down in 2011. GDP growth moderated to 5 per cent in the first half of the year, due mainly to sluggish export growth, but increased to 5.8 per cent growth in the third quarter, thanks to commodity exports and domestic demand.
Manufactured exports, the main driver of growth, did not fare well over the year, owing to depressed demand conditions in the US and EU. Read more…
Author: Roger Lee Huang, City University of Hong Kong
A new sense of optimism seems to be emerging in Myanmar (Burma). The nominally civilian government, formed as a result of last year’s election, has unveiled a series of reforms and offered an olive branch to opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi.
When the former prime minister turned president, Thein Sein, gave his inaugural speech in March, he addressed serious issues such as national reconciliation, good governance and economic reforms — hinting at a divergence from the practices of his State Peace and Development Council (SPDC) predecessor. Thein Sein’s words have also been matched by concrete actions in the last few months, signalling the possibility for real change. Read more…
Author: Anna Verney, ANU
There is a real danger that Afghanistan’s President Karzai might venture to bypass constitutional limitations on seeking a third term in office when his current tenure expires in 2014.
The 2004 Afghan constitution is ostensibly modelled on the US governmental system of a separation of powers, with the presidentially-led executive responsible to an independent and popularly-elected bicameral parliament. Read more…
Author: Ryo Sahashi, Kanagawa University and GMF
There is a strong tendency in Washington and other foreign capitals to believe that the Japanese politicians you know and that are practised in telling you what you want to hear are good, and that unfamiliar names are a bad sign for smooth international relations.
The foreign media in particular seems to dislike Japan’s new Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda’s ‘humble attitude’ (describing himself as a ‘loach fish’ during his campaign for the leadership) and portray him as someone without vision and leadership. Read more…
Author: Aurelia George Mulgan, UNSW Canberra
Yoshihiko Noda’s victory in the race for the DPJ leadership this week greatly surprised the pundits and even many in the DPJ itself.
There was an audible gasp from the assembled DPJ Diet members when Noda’s high vote tally was read out after the first round of balloting. Read more…
Author: K Kesavapany, ISEAS
The results of Singapore’s 27 August Presidential Election were a cliff-hanger.
In the four-way contest, the government’s preferred candidate, former Deputy Prime Minister Tony Tan, won 35.2 per cent of the valid votes after a recount. Read more…
Author: Aurelia George Mulgan, UNSW Canberra
The top two contenders for the presidency of the governing DPJ in Japan (and therefore Japan’s prime ministership) on 29 August are Banri Kaieda and Seiji Maehara. Kaieda represents the combined Ozawa-Hatoyama camps.
Not only is he a member of the Hatoyama group, but he has managed to secure the backing of Ichiro Ozawa. Read more…
Author: K Kesavapany, ISEAS
As Singaporeans go to the polls today to elect a new president, it is worth remembering there used to be a comfortable myth perpetuated about Singaporeans — this myth held them to be an apolitical people, conditioned by greed and fear to vote the People’s Action Party (PAP) into power, election after boring election.