Eroding Press Freedom: Media Crackdown in Cambodia
The move of Cambodia’s former prime minister, Hun Sen, to shut an independent media, Voice of Democracy (VOD), ahead of the 2023 general elections reflects the 2017 media crackdown playbook. Along with the intimidation and harassment against independent journalists, it erodes Cambodia’s press freedom and democracy.
Principles of Democracy: Majority Rule, Minority Rights
Democracy is the rule of the people, for the people, and by the people. But what happens when the people disagree? The majority can easily tyrannise the minority, hence it must be balanced by minority rights. Just as democracy must guarantee the expression of the popular will through majority rule, it must guarantee that the…
New Naratif Townhall: The Citizens’ Agenda Malaysia Event Recap
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The Constitutional Amendment Creep: Perpetuating Statelessness in Malaysia
The Malaysian cabinet plans to table a bundle of constitutional amendments in the year-end parliamentary session. One amendment would allow children born abroad to Malaysian mothers to access citizenship, but five changes run the risk of perpetuating statelessness. What is going on? What do the amendments entail? What is at stake?
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Deeply reported stories about people and power in Southeast Asia
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INVESTIGATIONS >
Dr. Sasa Visits a Bomb-Making Class
Months before Myanmar’s shadow government declared war on the military, an American gun enthusiast taught activists to build crude bombs that could kill soldiers and civilians alike. Amid a global charm campaign, opposition leader Dr. Sasa praised their efforts.
What Happened to Wanchalearm?
A year after Wanchalearm Satsaksit vanished, authorities say there is no proof he was abducted in Phnom Penh. A joint investigation reveals details of the Thai dissident’s escape from Thailand, life in exile in Cambodia and the last days before he disappeared.
In Myanmar, Offshore Gas Workers Weigh Strikes to Cut Junta Funds
Offshore gas workers in Myanmar say they want to join the anti-coup Civil Disobedience Movement and cut off one of the military’s main sources of revenue. But they fear going on strike will draw reprisals from management, or even the military.
OPINION >
The PAP’s Long and Bloody History of Foreign Interference
Singapore’s PAP government has long meddled in the domestic affairs of its neighbours. If the Foreign Interference (Countermeasures) Act (FICA) applied to PAP activities abroad, most of its efforts would be illegal. This is hypocrisy of the highest order.
Malaysia’s Drug Law Condemns Vulnerable Women to Death
Most women on death row in Malaysia have been sentenced under a strict drug trafficking law that fails to take their vulnerable socioeconomic realities into account. For justice to be possible, this law needs to change, writes Ngeow Chow Ying.
The Anti-Vietnamese Legacy of Kem Ley
There were two sides to Kem Ley, the beloved Cambodian activist who was murdered five years ago: the calm, insightful public intellectual, and the hyperbolic nationalist who wanted to rid Cambodia of “illegal Vietnamese immigrants”, writes Tim Frewer.
EXPLAINERS >
Singapore’s Anti-Foreign Interference Law: The FAQ
What is Singapore’s proposed Foreign Interference (Countermeasures) Act? How does it actually work? What are the problems with it? And how does one avoid running afoul of it? We explain why this law is problematic and why Singaporeans should be very worried about it.
Explainer: Undocumented Migrants in Malaysia
What is the difference between a migrant worker, a refugee and a stateless person? Why do migrants come to Malaysia? How do they become undocumented?
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“Let It End in Our Generation”: How the Thailand Protests Came to Be
Thailand has seen massive pro-democracy demonstrations this year calling for constitutional reform. Thai news site, Prachatai, unpacks what is behind the protests, what is happening now and what the future may hold for Thailand.