https://www.scmp.com/rss/323046/feed Keep up to date with the latest developments in Asian politics, with news and analysis of the meaning behind the policies en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Biman Mukherji Biman Mukherji Nepal has ordered private schools to stop double-charging fees, repay illegally collected ones and clearly publish their pricing structures, reopening a debate about education costs that runs across South Asia. From Dhaka to Delhi, parents have long complained that private schools charge too much and operate with too little oversight, inviting questions about whether governments should try to rein them in, improve state schools, or do both. Nepal’s Ministry of Education issued directives this... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3349666/nepals-school-fee-crackdown-upends-south-asian-private-education-norms?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3349666/nepals-school-fee-crackdown-upends-south-asian-private-education-norms?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 11 Apr 2026 09:00:08 +0000 Tom Hussain Tom Hussain Days before Pakistan had helped to secure a ceasefire in the Iran war this week, the United Arab Emirates was seeking repayment of a US$3.5 billion deposit from Islamabad’s central bank. The withdrawal, brushed off as a “routine financial transaction” by Pakistan’s foreign ministry, equated to roughly 21 per cent of the country’s foreign exchange reserves. It was accompanied by a wave of criticism on Emirati social media directed at Islamabad. “When our security is directly threatened, we hear... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3349673/uae-pulls-us35-billion-pakistan-after-iran-war-mediation?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3349673/uae-pulls-us35-billion-pakistan-after-iran-war-mediation?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 11 Apr 2026 04:00:11 +0000 Iman Muttaqin Yusof Iman Muttaqin Yusof Penang, the Malaysian state long marketed as the Pearl of the Orient, is better known today for its hawker food, colonial-era streetscapes and the multicultural life of George Town, whose historic core won Unesco World Heritage status in 2008. When Francis Light, a British merchant, landed on Penang on August 11, 1786, he took possession of the 293 sq km (113 square-mile) island on behalf of the British East India Company and renamed it Prince of Wales Island. One enduring local legend holds... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3349680/was-penang-robbed-kedah-malaysian-states-face-sovereignty-row?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3349680/was-penang-robbed-kedah-malaysian-states-face-sovereignty-row?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 11 Apr 2026 02:00:18 +0000 Maria Siow Maria Siow Japan’s energy security has long hinged on Middle Eastern oil. The Iran war simply exposed how breakable that lifeline had become. While a two-week ceasefire agreed on Tuesday promises some relief by reopening the Strait of Hormuz to tanker traffic, analysts say the shock has laid bare vulnerabilities Tokyo cannot easily paper over. As an archipelago nation with no cross-border pipelines, Japan draws more than 95 per cent of its crude from the Middle East and routes the bulk of it through the... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3349679/japans-middle-east-oil-habit-gets-iran-war-reality-check?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3349679/japans-middle-east-oil-habit-gets-iran-war-reality-check?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 11 Apr 2026 00:00:18 +0000 Tom Hussain Tom Hussain The Gulf’s six Arab monarchies, battered by Iranian drones and missiles because of a war they never wanted, are watching with trepidation to see what Pakistan-hosted US-Iran negotiations will yield for their collective future. After China and Russia vetoed the Gulf Cooperation Council’s bid to attain UN Security Council approval for “defensive” measures to force open the Strait of Hormuz earlier this week, analysts say the GCC states have little sway over what is about to transpire in... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3349655/us-iran-talks-leave-gulf-states-edge-about-price-peace?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3349655/us-iran-talks-leave-gulf-states-edge-about-price-peace?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 10 Apr 2026 10:00:18 +0000 Sam Beltran Sam Beltran Her father is in custody at The Hague, her alliance with President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr has collapsed into bitter rivalry and she is fighting to halt impeachment proceedings before the Supreme Court. Despite all of that, Philippine Vice-President Sara Duterte-Carpio is still, by a distance, the early favourite to be the country’s next president. A new survey by Manila-based pollster WR Numero found 36 per cent of Filipinos would vote for Duterte-Carpio if the 2028 election were held today – a... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3349553/sara-duterte-leads-early-2028-philippine-presidential-poll-rivals-struggle-unite?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3349553/sara-duterte-leads-early-2028-philippine-presidential-poll-rivals-struggle-unite?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 10 Apr 2026 04:00:13 +0000 Julian Ryall Julian Ryall Russia’s protest over a proposed investment by a Japanese company in a Ukrainian drone maker signals its concern that Tokyo may be supporting closer cooperation with Kyiv’s defence sector and planning to lift a long-standing ban on weapon exports, according to an international relations expert. On Wednesday, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Andrey Rudenko registered Moscow’s protest in a meeting with Akira Muto, the Japanese ambassador to Russia. Muto “rebutted” the protest, according to a Jiji... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3349578/why-japanese-firms-tie-ukrainian-drone-maker-sparks-concerns-russia?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3349578/why-japanese-firms-tie-ukrainian-drone-maker-sparks-concerns-russia?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 10 Apr 2026 03:00:08 +0000 Maria Siow Maria Siow US President Donald Trump’s public rebuke of South Korea for refusing to send warships to the Strait of Hormuz is an uncomfortable moment for a 70-year alliance, piling fresh pressure on a Seoul government already uneasy about Washington’s appetite for confrontation in the Middle East. But analysts believe the relationship can withstand the strain, pointing to deep institutional ties between the two militaries, broad elite and public support in both capitals, and the reluctance of other US... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3349554/why-trumps-hormuz-rebuke-wont-derail-south-koreas-very-strong-alliance-us?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3349554/why-trumps-hormuz-rebuke-wont-derail-south-koreas-very-strong-alliance-us?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 10 Apr 2026 01:30:15 +0000 Julian Ryall Julian Ryall Japan is forging ahead with an investment plan that could see as much as 1 trillion yen (US$6.3 billion) pumped into its shipbuilding sector as it tries to wrest back greater control of a key strategic industry. However, analysts said money alone would not be enough to restore Japan’s former standing in a sector now dominated by China, with higher costs, labour shortages and years of lost capacity all standing in the way. The effort has taken on greater urgency as turmoil in the Middle East has... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3349549/can-japan-regain-shipbuilding-might-us63-billion-funding-plan?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3349549/can-japan-regain-shipbuilding-might-us63-billion-funding-plan?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 10 Apr 2026 00:00:15 +0000 Resty Woro Yuniar Resty Woro Yuniar A genocide complaint filed with Indonesian prosecutors against Myanmar’s newly elected President Min Aung Hlaing marks a further step by rights activists to hold the country’s military rulers accountable for their alleged international crimes, regardless of where they were committed. The complaint, lodged on Monday with Indonesia’s Attorney General’s Office (AGO), accuses the former military chief of genocide against the Rohingya, including mass rape, forced eviction, killings and arson attacks... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3349532/indonesian-activists-target-myanmars-president-genocide-case-against-him?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3349532/indonesian-activists-target-myanmars-president-genocide-case-against-him?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 09 Apr 2026 11:00:12 +0000 Raissa Robles Raissa Robles The International Criminal Court (ICC) is expected to issue a written decision by April 28 on whether former Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte will stand trial on charges of crimes against humanity over his war on drugs. However, even if the judges decide to proceed with the trial, observers predict that the proceedings will progress at a “glacial pace”, potentially taking years to reach a ruling. Duterte, who governed the Philippines from 2016 to 2022, was surrendered to the ICC in March... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3349504/will-philippine-ex-president-duterte-stand-trial-icc-and-how-long?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3349504/will-philippine-ex-president-duterte-stand-trial-icc-and-how-long?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 09 Apr 2026 09:30:08 +0000 Park Chan-kyong Park Chan-kyong North Korea’s recent string of weapons tests, including cluster munitions, marks a renewed show of military strength ahead of next month’s US-China summit, even as Beijing may become a go-between to ease tensions on the Korean peninsula. Analysts say the summit could be an opportunity for China to arrange subsequent talks between North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and US President Donald Trump. On Thursday, Pyongyang said tests conducted over the previous two days involved a radar-evading missile... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3349499/why-north-koreas-kim-may-shake-hands-trump-again-despite-missile-tests?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3349499/why-north-koreas-kim-may-shake-hands-trump-again-despite-missile-tests?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 09 Apr 2026 07:02:56 +0000 Joseph Sipalan Joseph Sipalan Singapore’s pushback against negotiating with Iran over access to the Strait of Hormuz has triggered a backlash from Malaysian politicians, who saw its statements as “lecturing” them on how best to secure safe passage through the vital waterway. For the past month, Tehran had all but shut access to the strait – which handles about a fifth of global oil and gas shipments, bound mostly for Asia – in retaliation for deadly strikes by the US and Israel since they launched a war on Iran on February... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3349464/malaysia-wont-be-lectured-singapores-refusal-negotiate-over-hormuz-creates-waves?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3349464/malaysia-wont-be-lectured-singapores-refusal-negotiate-over-hormuz-creates-waves?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 09 Apr 2026 04:23:33 +0000 Joseph Sipalan Joseph Sipalan A Malaysian court has granted an application by anti-corruption officials to issue an arrest warrant for two sons of former finance minister Daim Zainuddin, after they failed to comply with repeated requests to turn up for questioning over their family’s wealth. Daim and his clan have been at the centre of a years-long probe into alleged abuse of power and corruption by the country’s elites, who critics have accused of colluding with two-time prime minister Mahathir Mohamad to enrich themselves... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3349326/malaysian-corruption-watchdog-secures-arrest-warrant-tycoon-daims-sons?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3349326/malaysian-corruption-watchdog-secures-arrest-warrant-tycoon-daims-sons?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 08 Apr 2026 04:16:14 +0000 Maria Siow Maria Siow Cambodia’s first law targeting scam centres, passed after mounting international pressure over the country’s massive fraud and trafficking economy, may do little to curb it unless authorities go after the officials and networks that have long enabled it, analysts have warned. Approved by parliament on Friday, the law takes aim at an industry estimated to generate up to US$19 billion annually and to have trafficked as many as 200,000 workers into compounds across the country. Justice Minister... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3349298/cambodia-has-new-law-targeting-scams-it-just-another-paper-reform?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3349298/cambodia-has-new-law-targeting-scams-it-just-another-paper-reform?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 08 Apr 2026 00:00:17 +0000 Ushar Daniele Ushar Daniele Tehran’s decision to let Malaysia-linked vessels through the Strait of Hormuz highlighted Iran’s growing use of access to the strategic waterway as leverage, analysts said, with only a limited number of ships now able to pass and access increasingly determined by political ties rather than treated as a neutral commercial right. For Malaysia, the move drew attention not only to Tehran’s close ties with Putrajaya but also to scrutiny surrounding sanction-sensitive oil trade and ship-to-ship... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3349284/iran-does-not-forget-its-friends-malaysia-ships-pass-hormuz-amid-selective-access?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3349284/iran-does-not-forget-its-friends-malaysia-ships-pass-hormuz-amid-selective-access?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 07 Apr 2026 11:52:57 +0000 Biman Mukherji Biman Mukherji The US and Israel’s war against Iran is casting an unusually long shadow over India’s next round of state elections, stoking fears of an energy shock and fresh uncertainty for millions of migrant workers in the Middle East. As voters prepare to cast ballots in Assam and Kerala on Thursday, and in West Bengal and Tamil Nadu later this month, concerns about higher energy costs, tighter cooking gas supplies and the fate of workers in the Gulf have given the campaign an unusual international... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3349282/india-kicks-crucial-state-elections-modis-bjp-amid-iran-war-turmoil?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3349282/india-kicks-crucial-state-elections-modis-bjp-amid-iran-war-turmoil?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 07 Apr 2026 11:20:42 +0000 Kolette Lim Kolette Lim Most Southeast Asians would choose China as a strategic partner over the US if forced to pick, as analysts attribute the findings of an annual survey to recent geopolitical and trade uncertainties driven by Washington’s policies. But analysts warn against interpreting the respondents’ sentiment in the ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute survey as a zero-sum game between the superpowers, saying that Asean is looking to diversify partners in a multipolar world. When asked which superpower the region... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3349247/most-asean-prefer-china-over-us-partner-poll-trump-cited-biggest-concern?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3349247/most-asean-prefer-china-over-us-partner-poll-trump-cited-biggest-concern?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 07 Apr 2026 08:05:32 +0000 Iman Muttaqin Yusof Iman Muttaqin Yusof A daughter of Malaysia’s late former finance minister Daim Zainuddin was charged in a Kuala Lumpur court on Tuesday over allegations that she failed to declare shareholdings to anti-corruption investigators, in the latest escalation of a long-running probe into the wealth of one of the country’s most prominent political families. The case against Asnida Abdul Daim is part of the investigation by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) into assets linked to her father, a two-time finance... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3349239/malaysias-op-godfather-probe-reaches-daims-daughter-asnida-pleads-not-guilty?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3349239/malaysias-op-godfather-probe-reaches-daims-daughter-asnida-pleads-not-guilty?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 07 Apr 2026 07:10:16 +0000 Park Chan-kyong Park Chan-kyong The latest indirect exchange of comments between North and South Korea has raised hopes of easing tensions on the Korean peninsula even as conflict roils other parts of the globe. Hours after South Korean President Lee Jae Myung expressed regret over drone incursions into the North on Monday, Kim Yo-jong, sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, issued a warm statement. The powerful politician welcomed Lee’s remarks as “extremely fortunate and a wise move”, citing her brother as praising Lee’s... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3349224/whats-behind-sudden-thaw-north-south-korea-exchange-warm-words?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3349224/whats-behind-sudden-thaw-north-south-korea-exchange-warm-words?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 07 Apr 2026 05:24:16 +0000 Jean Iau Jean Iau A defamation lawsuit filed by Singapore cabinet ministers K Shanmugam and Tan See Leng against financial news outlet Bloomberg on Tuesday opened with heated exchanges over an article that mentioned their personal property transactions. According to statements of claim filed in the High Court, Shanmugam, who is coordinating minister for national security, and Tan, who is manpower minister, said parts of the article, titled “Singapore mansion deals are increasingly shrouded in secrecy”, were... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3349204/singapore-ministers-defamation-suit-against-bloomberg-property-article-starts?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3349204/singapore-ministers-defamation-suit-against-bloomberg-property-article-starts?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 07 Apr 2026 02:07:27 +0000 Park Chan-kyong Park Chan-kyong South Korea’s jailed former president Yoon Suk-yeol has drawn sharp criticism for an Easter message from prison that opponents say amounted to comparing his downfall to the suffering of Jesus and showing his lack of remorse for his criminal acts. Yoon, who was removed from office a year ago after his short-lived imposition of martial law in December 2024, released the message on Sunday through his lawyer, Bae Ui-cheol, urging the public to “hold onto the hope of salvation even if times are... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3349150/south-koreas-yoon-slammed-invoking-jesus-his-message-sent-prison?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3349150/south-koreas-yoon-slammed-invoking-jesus-his-message-sent-prison?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 06 Apr 2026 08:09:31 +0000 Junaid Kathju Junaid Kathju As Russia comes to India’s aid amid the global energy crisis, a familiar mantra has resurfaced among officials and political analysts – that Moscow is New Delhi’s “all weather-friend”. Such a stance is anchored by deep strategic interests, with both countries viewing each other as vital to their balancing between China and an increasingly erratic United States, according to observers. On Friday, Russian First Deputy Prime Minister Denis Manturov said Moscow was well-positioned to ramp up oil and... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3349063/india-turns-trusted-friend-russia-oil-lng-supply-iran-war-energises-ties?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3349063/india-turns-trusted-friend-russia-oil-lng-supply-iran-war-energises-ties?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 05 Apr 2026 04:29:34 +0000 Park Chan-kyong Park Chan-kyong South Korea has spent a decade and billions of dollars trying to build a world-class fighter jet. Now that the finish line is drawing near, it’s nearly time to find out who will buy one. The first mass-produced KF-21 Boramae, developed jointly with Indonesia since 2015, was unveiled by Korea Aerospace Industries in Sacheon on March 25. Analysts say the aircraft could pave the way for South Korea, already one of the world’s top 10 arms exporters, to grab an even bigger slice of the global... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3348971/south-korea-and-indonesias-kf-21-fighter-jet-ready-will-it-sell?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3348971/south-korea-and-indonesias-kf-21-fighter-jet-ready-will-it-sell?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 04 Apr 2026 02:00:09 +0000 Park Chan-kyong Park Chan-kyong Efforts by South Korea and France to secure safe passage for vessels through the Strait of Hormuz are likely to be centred on a post-war defensive armada with other countries. Analysts also say both nations are wary of joining the Middle East conflict at this point in time and antagonising Iran. South Korean President Lee Jae Myung on Friday revealed he had agreed with French counterpart Emmanuel Macron to cooperate on safety in the strategic oil supply strait. Lee made the remarks after a... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3348983/why-south-korea-france-prefer-diplomacy-over-force-hormuz?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3348983/why-south-korea-france-prefer-diplomacy-over-force-hormuz?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 04 Apr 2026 01:00:14 +0000 SCMP’s Asia desk SCMP’s Asia desk Indonesia and Malaysia have ordered civil servants to work from home to save fuel amid the Iran war but with digital surveillance measures far stricter than those used during the pandemic. Civil servants in Indonesia must activate location tracking and respond to work communications within five minutes. Their Malaysian counterparts must log into a geolocation monitoring system every hour. Those who fail to comply face escalating sanctions. The work-from-home policies, announced within days of... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3348946/work-home-were-watching-indonesia-malaysia-geo-track-remote-civil-servants?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3348946/work-home-were-watching-indonesia-malaysia-geo-track-remote-civil-servants?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 03 Apr 2026 08:44:40 +0000 Aidan Jones Aidan Jones His makeover from junta chief to president now complete, Myanmar’s Min Aung Hlaing may seek to tiptoe back into the international fold as a civilian leader. But critics say the change is just a “veneer” that poses a challenge for Asean, the regional bloc that has frozen out Myanmar from its top summits, while its military wages war on its own people. On Friday, a parliament stuffed with military loyalists made Min Aung Hlaing president. They were put there by an election held five years after... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3348909/myanmars-junta-chief-min-aung-hlaing-wins-parliamentary-vote-become-president?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3348909/myanmars-junta-chief-min-aung-hlaing-wins-parliamentary-vote-become-president?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 03 Apr 2026 06:00:59 +0000 Alan Robles Alan Robles The Philippines is weighing a new anti-disinformation law, but digital rights advocates and researchers warn that the leading proposals could give the government sweeping powers while doing little to stop the networks that actually drive online influence campaigns. In February, President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr asked Congress to prioritise 21 measures before adjourning in June, including an anti-disinformation law that he said should be “balanced” – fighting fake news while maintaining freedom of... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3348853/will-philippines-anti-disinformation-bills-empower-state-decide-truth?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3348853/will-philippines-anti-disinformation-bills-empower-state-decide-truth?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 03 Apr 2026 02:00:25 +0000 Julian Ryall Julian Ryall Japan could get a boost in its push for a next-generation fighter jet if Canada joins a multinational consortium backing the aircraft’s development, as Tokyo aims to narrow the gap with China’s fast-modernising air force. The Canadian government said it intended to take part in the Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP), currently involving Japan, the United Kingdom and Italy, the Asahi newspaper reported on Tuesday. Japan is planning to replace its ageing F-2 fleet with a sixth-generation stealth... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3348709/why-japans-advanced-fighter-project-may-get-canadian-tailwinds?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3348709/why-japans-advanced-fighter-project-may-get-canadian-tailwinds?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 02 Apr 2026 00:00:20 +0000 Resty Woro Yuniar Resty Woro Yuniar The killing of three Indonesian peacekeepers in southern Lebanon is a stern test of Jakarta’s Middle East policy, with analysts saying the incident has raised questions over the risks of overseas deployment in Gaza and the region, as well as limits to global accountability. Several Indonesian lawmakers and observers said the deaths had exposed how little protection diplomatic positions could offer during a spiralling conflict, arguing that Jakarta should reassess its role in Lebanon and... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3348679/indonesian-peacekeepers-deaths-spur-calls-middle-east-exit-plan?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3348679/indonesian-peacekeepers-deaths-spur-calls-middle-east-exit-plan?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 01 Apr 2026 10:13:29 +0000 Maria Siow Maria Siow The Myanmar junta’s attempts to place its top man in the country’s highest civilian position have been described by analysts as a “constitutional repackaging of continued military rule”. On Monday, Min Aung Hlaing, who led the military in the 2021 coup and has headed the junta since then, resigned from the armed forces, moving one step closer to becoming president. He stepped down after Myanmar’s parliament had cleared the way for his nomination. He handed over the role of commander-in-chief of... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3348662/why-myanmar-top-generals-exit-window-dressing-cement-military-rule?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3348662/why-myanmar-top-generals-exit-window-dressing-cement-military-rule?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 01 Apr 2026 09:05:08 +0000 Joseph Sipalan Joseph Sipalan Malaysia’s government has said it “strongly denies” a claim made in a news report that Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim sought to delay the release of findings from an investigation into the country’s anti-corruption chief, and will take legal action over the allegation. The latest claim has sharpened scrutiny of Anwar, whose reformist image and anti-corruption credentials have come under strain amid a series of allegations involving the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) and its chief... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3348661/malaysia-denies-anwar-delayed-disclosure-probe-macc-chief-threatens-legal-action?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3348661/malaysia-denies-anwar-delayed-disclosure-probe-macc-chief-threatens-legal-action?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 01 Apr 2026 08:45:54 +0000 Joseph Sipalan Joseph Sipalan Malaysia’s anti-corruption agency on Wednesday offered to pay for the flight of a London-based key witness to help with its investigation into possible corruption linked to a US$250 million deal signed last year between the government and British chip design firm Arm Holdings. The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) has for the past month been on the hunt for former government aide James Chai, whom it said was a key witness in its probe on possible abuse of power, fraud and governance... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3348631/malaysian-anti-corruption-body-offers-pay-key-witness-flight-chips-probe?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3348631/malaysian-anti-corruption-body-offers-pay-key-witness-flight-chips-probe?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 01 Apr 2026 06:45:39 +0000 Tom Hussain Tom Hussain Pakistan is hoping that its role in building a diplomatic off-ramp from the US-Israel war on Iran will enable it to become a key actor in the Middle East after the conflict ends, analysts say. If Islamabad can deliver without being sucked into the maelstrom, it can capitalise on its position as peacemaker by signing defence deals with Gulf monarchies and attracting investment from them to strengthen its weak economy. This will help finance Pakistan’s military expansion for its envisioned new... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3348621/pakistan-eyes-gulf-investment-defence-deals-return-playing-peacemaker-iran-war?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3348621/pakistan-eyes-gulf-investment-defence-deals-return-playing-peacemaker-iran-war?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 01 Apr 2026 05:21:16 +0000 Julian Ryall Julian Ryall Japan has moved swiftly to contain the diplomatic fallout after a member of its Self-Defence Forces broke into the Chinese embassy in Tokyo last week. But observers and local media say the incident has given Beijing an opening to reinforce claims of rising militarism and anti-China sentiment in Japan. Yoshinobu Kusunoki, commissioner general of the National Police Agency, on Monday called the break-in on March 24 “extremely unusual and serious”, adding that it “should not have happened”. His... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3348549/japan-races-limit-fallout-chinese-embassy-break?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3348549/japan-races-limit-fallout-chinese-embassy-break?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 01 Apr 2026 02:00:12 +0000 Maria Siow Maria Siow Emmanuel Macron touched down in Tokyo on Tuesday with a packed agenda and a receptive audience in a Japanese government anxious about a choked oil route and looking for support amid its diplomatic falling-out with Beijing. The French president’s three-day visit, before he heads to South Korea later in the week, comes as Japan looks to Europe for solidarity amid a crisis in the Strait of Hormuz that has sent oil prices soaring. The backdrop to Macron’s meetings with Japanese Prime Minister Sanae... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3348495/japan-seeks-french-backing-macron-begins-asia-trip-iran-wars-shadow?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3348495/japan-seeks-french-backing-macron-begins-asia-trip-iran-wars-shadow?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 31 Mar 2026 06:36:20 +0000 Raissa Robles Raissa Robles As Japanese combat troops prepare to join war games in the Philippines next month – their first return to Philippine soil since 1945 – some Filipinos say the real issue is not only what Japan is doing now, but what it still has not fully reckoned with from the past. For survivors, activists and historians, Tokyo’s expanding security role in the Philippines has revived what one campaigner called “the elephant in the room” – the absence, in their view, of a formal state apology and official... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3348443/japans-wartime-past-weighs-growing-military-role-philippines?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3348443/japans-wartime-past-weighs-growing-military-role-philippines?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 31 Mar 2026 00:00:13 +0000 Park Chan-kyong Park Chan-kyong North Korean leader Kim Jong-un oversaw a test of a high-thrust solid-fuel engine for intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) capable of reaching targets around the globe, touting the development as elevating the country’s “strategic military power to the highest level”, state media said on Sunday. The test of the engine made of composite carbon fibre material produced a maximum thrust of 2,500 kilonewtons, up from 1,971 kilonewtons recorded during a similar experiment last September, the... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3348280/north-tests-powerful-missile-engine-will-icbm-launch-follow?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3348280/north-tests-powerful-missile-engine-will-icbm-launch-follow?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 29 Mar 2026 05:49:05 +0000 Aidan Jones Aidan Jones Young, naive and now sleeping rough on a plastic sheet outside their embassy in Phnom Penh, Indonesians Abdul* and Hafiz* are among the expendable human resources of Southeast Asia’s scam trade. After a year-long tumble through Cambodia’s vortex of scams, they were cast out onto a pavement – penniless and without passports – waiting for the embassy to issue new travel documents and a plane ticket home. “Our Chinese boss stole all of our passports,” said Abdul, 20, gesturing to a dozen or so of... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3348190/cambodias-scam-crackdown-deadline-looms-criminal-gangs-flee?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3348190/cambodias-scam-crackdown-deadline-looms-criminal-gangs-flee?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 29 Mar 2026 02:00:10 +0000 Tom Hussain Tom Hussain A month after the US and Israel launched the war with Iran, nothing seems to be going according to President Donald Trump’s plan for a conflict lasting four to six weeks. Despite the assassinations of most of the Islamic Republic’s political and military leaders, the regime shows no signs of collapse. Similarly, wave after wave of US and Israeli air strikes may have degraded Iran’s ballistic missile and drone capabilities, but they still look set to remain a potent threat to the region for the... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3348239/trumps-iran-gamble-falters-war-drags-amid-concerns-long-term-chaos?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3348239/trumps-iran-gamble-falters-war-drags-amid-concerns-long-term-chaos?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 28 Mar 2026 07:05:28 +0000 Kolette Lim Kolette Lim Southeast Asian countries are racing to assert control over their data flows, driven by a potent mix of nationalist sentiment and security anxieties. But analysts warn that while certain measures may deliver domestic economic benefits, the broader push risks undermining innovation, deterring foreign investment and even cutting the region off from the global digital economy. On March 1, Vietnam became the first Southeast Asian nation to have in force a comprehensive law on artificial... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3348187/vietnam-leads-ai-rules-southeast-asia-risks-economic-own-goal?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3348187/vietnam-leads-ai-rules-southeast-asia-risks-economic-own-goal?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 28 Mar 2026 04:30:08 +0000 Joseph Sipalan,Ushar Daniele Joseph Sipalan,Ushar Daniele For a few weeks after the bombs started falling on Iran, Southeast Asian governments told their people not to worry. Emergency funds would cushion the blow. Subsidies would hold. Prices would stabilise. A month on, with oil well above US$100 a barrel, long queues for fuel forming at petrol stations across the region and Thailand restarting coal plants it had mothballed years ago, the reassurances have worn thin. Against this backdrop, an old question has resurfaced with fresh urgency: why does a... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3348186/iran-war-energy-shock-revives-aseans-power-grid-plans-its-way-go?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3348186/iran-war-energy-shock-revives-aseans-power-grid-plans-its-way-go?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 28 Mar 2026 00:00:13 +0000 Sam Beltran Sam Beltran The Philippines is seeking broader defence cooperation with Nato’s European members, even as US President Donald Trump remains critical of the transatlantic security alliance’s lack of involvement over the Middle East war. While some observers say the move dovetails with the long-standing security partnership between the Philippines and the United States, Nato’s dominant member, others argue that Manila could face a “strategic dilemma” if its ties with the 32-member alliance are contrary to... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3348203/why-philippines-may-face-strategic-dilemma-over-nato-partnership-us-demands?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3348203/why-philippines-may-face-strategic-dilemma-over-nato-partnership-us-demands?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 27 Mar 2026 13:29:06 +0000 Sam Beltran Sam Beltran Philippine lawmakers have implored President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr to postpone this year’s Asean summit, as the country grapples with soaring fuel prices amid a global energy crisis. Analysts warn, however, that such a move would undermine Manila’s chairmanship of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. Leaders in the Philippine Senate have backed calls to study the postponement option, originally proposed by ex-finance secretary Gary Teves to cut government spending and redirect funds... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3348048/philippines-battles-fuel-crisis-will-marcos-postpone-asean-summit?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3348048/philippines-battles-fuel-crisis-will-marcos-postpone-asean-summit?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 27 Mar 2026 04:30:08 +0000 Raissa Robles Raissa Robles At least 1,000 Japanese armed combat troops will set foot on Philippine soil next month for the first time in 81 years since World War II. Their return, as part of the joint Philippine-US Balikatan military training drills, also signals a dramatic shift in the development of the Indo-Pacific security architecture from a “hub-and-spoke” strategy to one of multiple, overlapping minilaterals, with the region seen as one undivided theatre, experts say. Armed Forces of the Philippines Chief-of-Staff... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3348064/japanese-combat-troops-return-philippines-significant-indo-pacific-defence-shift?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3348064/japanese-combat-troops-return-philippines-significant-indo-pacific-defence-shift?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 27 Mar 2026 02:01:47 +0000 Sam Beltran Sam Beltran Even as the Philippines thrashes through the throes of an energy crisis born of the Iran war, Filipinos themselves largely appear uninterested in blaming the man who started it. Instead of Donald Trump, public ire has instead coalesced around Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr and his administration for failing to quell soaring prices. Fuel costs have rocketed across the archipelago since the United States and Israel first struck Iran on February 28, following the near-total closure of... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3348025/trump-stays-popular-philippines-despite-iran-war-fuel-crisis?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3348025/trump-stays-popular-philippines-despite-iran-war-fuel-crisis?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 26 Mar 2026 12:32:13 +0000 Bibek Bhandari Bibek Bhandari A high-level inquiry in Nepal has held former prime minister K.P. Sharma Oli and other senior government officials responsible for criminal negligence over the shootings in last year’s deadly youth uprising that killed 76 people, as the leak of the crucial report to a local publication triggered criticisms due to its sensitive nature. The committee, led by former judge Gauri Bahadur Karki, has recommended investigation and prosecution of Oli, his home minister Ramesh Lekhak, and former Inspector... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3348012/nepals-probe-deadly-uprising-finds-ex-prime-minister-officials-reckless?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3348012/nepals-probe-deadly-uprising-finds-ex-prime-minister-officials-reckless?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 26 Mar 2026 11:00:10 +0000 Junaid Kathju Junaid Kathju As the Iran war reshapes West Asian geopolitics, Pakistan has unexpectedly emerged as a backchannel mediator between Tehran and Washington, potentially sidelining India’s efforts to assert itself as a credible global diplomatic actor. India, despite its growing partnerships with the US, Israel and the Gulf states, has been absent from any meaningful conflict-resolution initiative on Iran. Umer Karim, a political science researcher at the University of Birmingham, said India’s strengthening... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3347999/pakistan-steps-iran-mediator-while-india-watches-wings?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3347999/pakistan-steps-iran-mediator-while-india-watches-wings?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 26 Mar 2026 09:21:12 +0000 Maria Siow Maria Siow A visit by a top American official to India this week has raised expectations that bilateral defence ties are getting “back on track” amid the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. But analysts warn that both sides are unlikely to reach full agreement on New Delhi’s energy and security concerns, while the US-Israeli war against Iran could unsettle the relationship. Speaking in New Delhi on Wednesday, US Under Secretary of War for Policy Elbridge Colby said India would play a central role in... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3347980/india-and-us-seek-reset-defence-ties-iran-war-threatens-be-wild-card?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3347980/india-and-us-seek-reset-defence-ties-iran-war-threatens-be-wild-card?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 26 Mar 2026 08:07:43 +0000 Julian Ryall Julian Ryall Japan is reportedly planning to deploy advanced anti-ship missiles on Minamitorishima, the country’s easternmost island, as it moves to enhance its defence posture against what it perceives as rising Chinese military activity in the region. The defence ministry is also seeking to deploy a launcher, spotting drones and radar systems on the island as early as June, according to a report by national broadcaster NHK on Tuesday. These would be used to identify and target vessels, complementing the... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3347873/what-japans-missile-plan-remote-pacific-island-reveals-about-its-defence-goals?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3347873/what-japans-missile-plan-remote-pacific-island-reveals-about-its-defence-goals?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 26 Mar 2026 00:00:27 +0000