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.
Read more…
Author: Aurelia George Mulgan, UNSW Canberra
Diet politicians in Japan’s ruling party are reverting to form: they are consumed with the politics of power and position rather than with policy.
The last thing Japan needs at this time is more jockeying for political advantage among a group of would-be prime ministers. But that is what is occurring as the process of replacing Prime Minister Kan reaches its expected climax on the 29th of this month. Read more…
Author: Ong Kian Ming, UCSI University
The heart of Kuala Lumpur is usually chock full of traffic on a weekend. But on Saturday 9 July downtown KL was eerily empty of cars.
Police presence, however, was very noticeable, in the form of roadblocks positioned at major roads leading into the city, fire trucks equipped with water cannons, and helicopters hovering overhead. Read more…
Author: John Funston, ANU
On 9 July around 50,000 Malaysians marched peacefully in support of free elections, defying a government prohibition and massive police effort.
Police eventually dispersed demonstrators with water cannons and tear gas and arrested nearly 1,700. Several were injured (including the opposition leader, Anwar Ibrahim) and one died from injury. Read more…
Author: Michael Cucek, MIT
On 27 July, the race to replace Naoto Kan as president of the Democratic Party of Japan, and consequently as prime minister, officially began.
First out of the blocks was former Minister of the Environment Sakihito Ozawa, who recently released a policy statement and a declaration of his candidacy for the presidency of the DPJ. Second among the potential candidates to semi-declare was Sumio Mabuchi, the former minister of transport. Read more…
Author: Ernie Bower, CSIS
Elections around Southeast Asia have assumed a new and empowering role in defining the region’s political outlook.
Emanating from Indonesia’s historic transition from autocracy to nascent if chaotic democracy, the people of ASEAN are using the ballot box to send strong messages. Read more…
Author: Pongphisoot Busbarat, ANU
Thailand is celebrating a newly elected female prime minister for the first time in its history.
Yingluck Shinawatra and her Pheu Thai Party are forming a coalition government of 300 seats in parliament, although it may take up to a month to see the faces of new ministries and the coalition’s policies. Read more…
Authors: Andrew Walker and Nicholas Farrelly, ANU
Thaksin Shinawatra — and the multi-pronged political, commercial and social movement that bears his long-term imprimatur — has shown that, when it comes to winning elections, he is Thailand’s best.
His sister, Yingluck, will become Thailand’s first female Prime Minister. Read more…
