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Malaysian Tourism Minister Tiong King Sing sprays water as girl group Dolla performs at the Rain Rave Water Music Festival in Kuala Lumpur. Photo: Instagram/dolla.official
Malaysia

‘Moral harm’: Malaysia’s culture war brigade tries to hose down water festival

Kuala Lumpur’s Rain Rave Water Music Festival faces backlash from critics who argue that such vulgar imports hurt conservative values.

Brics

Iran war tests India’s Brics leadership as ‘political relevance’ questions mount

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Japan

What’s behind Japan’s novel move to share Mogami warship design with India?

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The Philippines

Can Philippines’ new anti-Pogo playbook rein in fast-moving scam hubs?

The new inter-agency rules aim to give investigators a framework tailored to Pogo-linked crime and support a coordinated response.

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A closed Philippine online gaming operator (Pogo) hub inside the former Island Cove resort in Kawit, Cavite province in December 2024. Photo: AFP
A closed Philippine online gaming operator (Pogo) hub inside the former Island Cove resort in Kawit, Cavite province in December 2024. Photo: AFP
South Korea

South Korea’s Yoon has jail term raised to 7 years in obstruction case

A court increased the ex-president’s sentence from five to seven years on charges related to his botched martial law bid.

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Singapore

Solidarity or showmanship? Singapore politicians’ train rides split opinion

Public transport posts by ministers and MPs have drawn praise from some Singaporeans and accusations of ‘wayang’ from others.

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South Korea

Why South Korea’s Lee is urging ‘mutual respect’ diplomacy amid US tensions

The president’s remarks and emphasis on a self-reliant defence posture may signal Seoul’s efforts to diversify its global partners, analysts say.

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President Lee Jae Myung speaks during a Cabinet meeting at the presidential office Cheong Wa Dae in Seoul, South Korea, on Tuesday. Photo: EPA/Yonhap
President Lee Jae Myung speaks during a Cabinet meeting at the presidential office Cheong Wa Dae in Seoul, South Korea, on Tuesday. Photo: EPA/Yonhap
Asean

Why Malacca Strait tolls are unlikely despite Indonesia’s maritime push

Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore are united in upholding the principle of free passage but this must be ‘actively maintained’, analysts say.

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The Philippines

Damage control? Philippines’ Sara Duterte hits back against wealth allegations

The vice-president’s husband has also filed a complaint against senior officials and lawmakers for ‘leaking’ the couple’s bank information.

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Malaysia

State-level rebellion in Malaysia’s Negeri Sembilan tests Anwar’s coalition

Umno-led Barisan Nasional claims to have a simple majority after teaming up with opposition lawmakers amid an attempt to overthrow the ruler.

Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim speaks at a press conference at Perdana Putra Complex. Photo: AAP/dpa
Asean

Will Asean’s oil scramble mean Russia builds lasting stronghold in region?

Southeast Asia’s pivot may be for economic reasons, but some analysts warn Moscow could seek to build lasting influence in the region.

A man refuels the tank of a motorcycle at a petrol station in Manila, the Philippines, on April 7. The Strait of Hormuz blockade has resulted in energy shortages in Asia. Photo: AFP
A man refuels the tank of a motorcycle at a petrol station in Manila, the Philippines, on April 7. The Strait of Hormuz blockade has resulted in energy shortages in Asia. Photo: AFP
The Philippines

Philippine court order over Marcos’ health raises constitutional question

The order for Marcos to comment on a petition comes as Duterte’s supporters continue to cast doubts about the president’s fitness.

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Malaysia

Malaysia’s Najib ends house-arrest appeal over 1MDB-linked prison sentence

The withdrawal ends the former prime minister’s attempt to serve out his SRC sentence at home after his jail term was halved in 2024.

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North Korea

North Korea, Russia boost anti-West ‘powerful bulwark’ as Ukraine war drags on

At a memorial for fallen North Korean soldiers who fought in Ukraine, Moscow offers to renew a military pact with Pyongyang.

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North Korean leader Kim Jong-un delivers a speech in Pyongyang on Sunday as Russian Defence Minister Andrei Belousov (left) and State Duma Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin (second left) listen during a ceremony to launch a museum dedicated to North Korean soldiers who fought in the Ukraine war. Photo: KCNA/EPA
Malaysia

Malaysian state in political crisis after Umno pulls support for chief minister

The Negeri Sembilan spat has shone the spotlight on increasingly fragile ties within Prime Minister Anwar’s coalition government.

Negeri Sembilan ruler Tuanku Muhriz Tuanku Munawir. Photo: YouTube
Negeri Sembilan ruler Tuanku Muhriz Tuanku Munawir. Photo: YouTube
Malaysia

At Malaysia’s arms bazaar, drone dealers chase Southeast Asian market share

‘Drone warfare is the future,’ say arms dealers in Kuala Lumpur – and the region’s militaries are buying in.

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South Korea

Will South Korea or Japan develop a nuclear deterrent of their own?

Seven in 10 South Koreans tell pollsters they want the bomb. Japan’s PM refuses to rule it out. Is ‘friendly proliferation’ next?

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India

India-Germany defence road map ‘good template’ for wider EU cooperation

Deeper defence ties are expected to boost India’s maritime modernisation efforts and Europe’s security role in the Indo-Pacific, experts say.

Submarine U-34 is docked in a shipyard of warship maker TKMS in Kiel, Germany, on Wednesday. Photo: Reuters
Submarine U-34 is docked in a shipyard of warship maker TKMS in Kiel, Germany, on Wednesday. Photo: Reuters
Malaysia

Malaysia gets new anti-corruption chief as protests mount against outgoing head

Former High Court judge Abdul Halim Aman takes the reins of MACC from Azam Baki amid scandals.

US, Israel war on Iran

Pakistan, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Egypt: the Middle East’s new power brokers?

‘Fear of US abandonment’ is helping forge a new Middle East – but don’t expect an Islamic Nato just yet.

Japan

3 killed in Japanese Type 10 tank blast that has military baffled

A round detonating inside a tank turret is virtually unheard of. The last time it happened in Japan was in 1979.

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A Japanese Ground Self-Defence Force Type 10 tank (centre) is seen missing its turret after a shell exploded inside on Tuesday. Photo: Kyodo/Reuters
India

Chinese drone discovery sharpens focus on Asia’s undersea security race

Experts say India is playing ‘steady catch-up’ in boosting undersea surveillance, while Southeast Asian nations’ capabilities differ widely.

South and Southeast Asian nations are stepping up capabilities to boost undersea surveillance and defend deep-sea cables, analysts say. Photo: Shutterstock
South and Southeast Asian nations are stepping up capabilities to boost undersea surveillance and defend deep-sea cables, analysts say. Photo: Shutterstock
The Philippines

Robredo’s 2028 snub leaves Philippine opposition scrabbling for ‘saviour’

A March survey showed that the popularity gap between Leni Robredo and presidential front runner Sara Duterte-Carpio had narrowed.

Indonesia

Is Indonesia’s blasphemy law for religious protection or political purpose?

The law has come under the spotlight after complaints filed against a former vice-president over his comments on sectarian violence.

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Cambodia

US slaps sanctions on Cambodian senator suspected of controlling scam centres

The sanction freezes all US assets linked to Senator Kok An and his named associates, and bars any American national from dealing with them.

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Equipment used at a scam centre in Phnom Penh in March. This year Cambodia has conducted the largest crackdown on scam bases since the crisis emerged during the pandemic. Photo: AP
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