A common false dichotomy argues that there is a trade-off between self-determination for individuals and self-determination for the country as a whole. But these are not mutually exclusive—on the contrary, they are one and the same: Self-determination for the collective is achieved through seeking self-determination for each and every individual within the collective.
/ba.ca/ with New Naratif: Feminism as a Tool for Democracy in Southeast Asia Event Recap
In today’s Community Corner, let’s revisit /ba·ca/ with New Naratif’s Feminism as a Tool for Democracy in Southeast Asia. Led by Thet Wai, Gender Rights Researcher at New Naratif, this /ba.ca/ session highlighted the importance of feminism in forwarding democratic rights in Southeast Asia.
Engendering Media: Findings from Malaysia, Singapore, and Brunei
Given the increasingly hostile climate for media workers in Southeast Asia, New Naratif’s Media Freedom Insights publications set out to better understand their lived experiences. This report focuses on the lived experiences of eleven female newsmakers from Malaysia, Singapore, and Brunei to shed light on the practices, prohibitions, and pressures characterising their everyday work.
Explainer II: “The Political Decision is to Release Them”: The 12-Year Struggle to End Child Immigration Detention in Malaysia
New Naratif’s two-part explainer looks into the issue of child immigration detention in Malaysia. Building on the first article, this explainer examines the Home Affairs Minister’s announcement that he will release children from detention centres, the historical struggle to end child detention, the forces hindering change, and the steps government, civil society, and readers can take towards protecting all children regardless of migration status.
/ba.ca/ with New Naratif: Queer Ecology – A Reading Event Recap
In today’s Community Corner, let’s look back to /ba·ca/ with New Naratif’s Queer Ecology – A Reading where eight talented Southeast Asian writers read their fictional works, exploring the fascinating intersection between queer identities and environmental struggles.
Explainer I: “Don’t Come Back, Soldiers Are Here”: Children in Malaysia’s Immigration Detention Centres
Seen as violators of Malaysia’s immigration laws, undocumented children in Malaysia are constantly at risk of arrest, indefinite detention, and life-threatening deportation. Who are the children in detention? Why are they detained? How long? What harm does it cause? How much does detention cost taxpayers?
A Tale of Queer Migration in Indonesia
This episode is based on their short comic trilogy called “The Rites of Passage: A Tale of Queer Migration” by Asmara S. Wigati. In this episode, Asmara and Bonni discusses the trilogy, Asmara’s journey, and how we can build better connections and collective care for queer people in Indonesia.
The Red Zone: Threats and Murders of Journalists in North Sumatra
North Sumatra sees the highest number of cases of violence, including murders of journalists in Indonesia. Most media companies are reluctant to provide appropriate aid, while the police remain the largest group of perpetrators of violence against journalists.
Explainer: Calculating the Cost of Living in Singapore
Singapore’s PAP government is gambling that unrestrained economic growth can outpace the rising cost of living. Its policy is thus to subsidise incomes in the short term while waiting for prices to stabilise. But this strategy rests on flawed assumptions, exacerbated by its questionable calculation of the Consumer Price Index, creating a self-reinforcing blind spot.
/ba.ca/ with New Naratif: Growing Together, A Discussion on Collective Care Event Recap
New Naratif’s team and our community gathered to discuss why it’s important to foster communal support, build and take care of communities, and nurture our individual selves inside a collective in order to create a sustainable movement.