This Week in Asia /

Politics

Related Topics:
Asean
South China Sea
the Asian angle
Malaysia’s push comes after a slew of shocking crimes and violent incidents that authorities have linked to social media and online games. Photo: Shutterstock
Malaysia

Impulse control: Malaysia’s social media ban targets teen minds

The government is threatening to pull the plug on social media for under-16s after a spate of youth violence linked to life online.

videocam
Asean

Visa suspension tests US priorities in Southeast Asia

videocam
Brics

Testing the waters: is Brics evolving into a security alliance?

4
The Philippines

Philippines enters its ‘hour of danger’ in Marcos vs Duterte clash

Analysts warn of a ‘very messy year’ ahead as coup fears swirl, the economy falters and political warfare rages out in the open.

videocam
Effigies of Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr (left) and Vice-President Sara Duterte are seen at a protest march in Manila. Photo: AFP
Effigies of Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr (left) and Vice-President Sara Duterte are seen at a protest march in Manila. Photo: AFP
The Philippines

French ‘intimacy’: Philippines, France near deal for Indo-Pacific strength

The visiting forces deal comes on top of similar pacts with other nations and could help the Philippines attain a ‘muscular defence arsenal’.

videocam
India

Why India is losing ground over Bangladesh and Myanmar to regional rivals

Pakistan and China have been drawing closer to Bangladesh and Myanmar in areas such as defence and trade at India’s expense, analysts say.

videocam
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Malaysia

Malaysia’s Umno chief denies he ‘sidelined’ Najib to save himself

Ahmad Zahid, who has been cleared of corruption charges, says the party has ‘never wavered’ from its position of supporting its ex-leader.

videocam
Umno President Ahmad Zahid Hamidi reacts after being acquitted of corruption on September 4, 2023. Photo: EPA-EFE
Umno President Ahmad Zahid Hamidi reacts after being acquitted of corruption on September 4, 2023. Photo: EPA-EFE
Pakistan

Pakistan, Turkey, Saudi Arabia plan defence deal to counter chaos in Middle East

Iran’s neighbours are worried that the US’ increasingly erratic behaviour may pose a risk to regional power balance and trade, analysts say.

videocam
6
South Korea

South Korea’s Yoon sentenced to 5 years in prison over martial law charges

The ruling comes days after prosecutors in a separate case demanded Yoon Suk-yeol be sentenced to death for masterminding insurrection.

videocam
Japan

Japan’s next-generation fighter jet project gets boost as European rival stalls

Germany, France and Spain have put their project on hold, prompting speculation that some may turn to the Japan-UK-Italy programme.

5
Delegates look at the GCAP sixth-generation fighter jet concept design at the Farnborough International Airshow 2024. Photo: AFP
Asean

Asean urged to rethink stance as Myanmar election risks normalising junta rule

The bloc should encourage Indonesia’s approach of engaging key stakeholders in efforts to resolve the Myanmar crisis, observers say.

An official of the Union Election Commission displays a ballot for counting during the second phase of the general election at a polling station in Yangon, Myanmar, on Sunday. Photo: Xinhua
An official of the Union Election Commission displays a ballot for counting during the second phase of the general election at a polling station in Yangon, Myanmar, on Sunday. Photo: Xinhua
Singapore

Singapore’s PM Lawrence Wong removes Pritam Singh as Leader of the Opposition

Wong invites the Workers’ Party to nominate another elected MP to serve as the next Leader of the Opposition.

16
2025 Cambodia-Thailand conflict

Token gesture? Why US is spending US$45 million on Thai-Cambodian border war

Washington is looking to reposition itself as the main peacemaker in Southeast Asia following Beijing’s mediation successes, analysts say.

videocam
Japan

Japan’s Takaichi faces uphill task in election as opposition unites

Takaichi’s LDP is expected to lose millions of votes as Komeito allies with the CDP after ending its coalition with the ruling party.

videocam
Souvenirs featuring a photo of Japan’s Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi are seen at a gift shop in Nara. Photo: AFP
Singapore

Singapore MPs back motion deeming Pritam Singh unfit to be opposition leader

The 11 WP MPs present opposed the motion, while the rest of the House, mainly PAP MPs, voted to deem Singh unsuitable for his role.

7
Pritam Singh, secretary general of the Singaporean opposition Workers’ Party, leaves the Supreme Court in November during an appeals hearing against his conviction and sentence for lying to a committee. Photo: AFP
Pritam Singh, secretary general of the Singaporean opposition Workers’ Party, leaves the Supreme Court in November during an appeals hearing against his conviction and sentence for lying to a committee. Photo: AFP
South Korea

South Korea-Japan summit exposes ‘strategic’ divide amid great-power tensions

While Seoul urged broader regional cooperation that would include China, Tokyo emphasised closer alignment with Washington.

videocam
The Philippines

Philippines ‘comfort women’ demand apology during Japan foreign minister visit

Analysts say Manila is unlikely to back the surviving victims of sex slavery, fearing it could jeopardise billions in infrastructure funding.

4
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Myanmar

Philippine minister’s ‘premature’ Myanmar visit casts doubts over Asean’s role

Critics say the visit may be viewed as the bloc’s new chair endorsing a controversial junta-led election in Myanmar.

A woman casts a ballot during the second phase of Myanmar’s election in Yangon on Sunday. Photo: EPA
A woman casts a ballot during the second phase of Myanmar’s election in Yangon on Sunday. Photo: EPA
Iran

Trump vs Iran: Gulf allies fear US ‘help’ may unleash chaos

Qatar and Saudi Arabia are urging against military action, even as the US president teases that ‘help is on its way’.

videocam
6
South Korea

South Korea’s Yoon could become ‘martyr’ if given death penalty: analysts

While prosecutors have demanded death for the disgraced ex-president over his martial law debacle, a life imprisonment sentence is seen as more likely.

videocam
Japan

Japan’s ‘love hotel’ mayor stages comeback, shattering political taboos

Akira Ogawa’s return suggests voters are finally judging women in Japanese politics by the same imperfect standards as men.

videocam
Akira Ogawa speaks to her supporters in Maebashi, Japan’s Gunma prefecture, on Monday after her re-election as mayor. Photo: Kyodo
Malaysia

‘No oil here’: Malaysians turn US embassy space post into foreign-policy satire

The embassy’s International Space Station image prompted self-deprecating jokes about oil, US power and being strategically uninteresting.

videocam
A worker carries a bunch of oil palm fruit at a plantation in Slim River, Malaysia. Malaysians repeatedly referenced palm oil in online jokes responding to a recent US embassy space photo, stressing the country has palm oil rather than crude petroleum. Photo: Reuters
A worker carries a bunch of oil palm fruit at a plantation in Slim River, Malaysia. Malaysians repeatedly referenced palm oil in online jokes responding to a recent US embassy space photo, stressing the country has palm oil rather than crude petroleum. Photo: Reuters
Thailand

Money for babies, combat pay: Thailand’s poll turns into a cash splash contest

From US$2,000 for newborns to debt write-offs, Thai political parties are dangling a raft of handouts in a bid to woo voters on February 8.

Japan

Japan PM seeks unity with South Korea’s Lee as China tensions persist

Takaichi aims to bolster ties with Seoul by avoiding ‘divisive’ issues as Tokyo grapples with Beijing’s economic retaliation.

videocam
19
Japan

Japan’s top diplomat heads to Philippines with South China Sea top of mind

The talks are likely to focus on Manila’s push for a South China Sea code with ‘teeth’ as this year’s Asean chair, analysts say.

5
Japan’s Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi looks on during a meeting in Israel on Sunday. He is due in Manila on Thursday. Photo: AP
Help preserve 120 years of quality journalism.
SUPPORT NOW