By Amy Searight & Brian Harding — Malaysia’s stunning election results on May 9 upended more than 60 years of continuous rule by the United Malays National Organization (UMNO) party and ushered in Malaysia’s first peaceful and democratic transition of…
In this episode, we assess the decline of democratic governance, human rights, and rule of law in several Southeast Asian countries ahead of key elections in 2018 and 2019. CSIS Southeast Asia Program Deputy Director Brian Harding joins the pod…
By Amy Searight & Brian Harding — Q1: Who is running? A1: On May 9, Malaysia will hold its 14th general election since independence, commonly referred to as GE14. 222 seats in parliament will be contested, as well as 505…
By Murray Hiebert — Malaysian prime minister Najib Razak’s visit to the White House on September 12 has injected new energy into a bilateral relationship that had slipped into a funk during the last two years of the previous U.S.…
UDAY brings enrollment up to 27 states, as Andhra Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh raise power tariffs; Gujarat will set private school tuition costs; Telangana has underestimated its deficit; Japan will build irrigation systems in Rajasthan; West Bengal sends its first…
Who is he? Zulhasnan Rafique was recently appointed Malaysia’s fifteenth ambassador to the United States. Zulhasnan steps into this post from a diverse background, having served as an air force pilot, a parliamentarian, a businessman, and an academic. Earlier in…
By Murray Hiebert & Lance Jackson — The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) on July 20, 2016, filed its single largest civil forfeiture case to date in a case that seeks the recovery of more than $1 billion in assets…
By Lance Jackson — Identity is often an explicit factor in the politics of many Southeast Asian nations, whether it is the rural-urban divide in Thailand, language in Malaysia or ethnicity in Indonesia. Appeals to identity for political purposes have…
By Lance Jackson — Malaysian prime minister Najib Razak traveled to China October 31 on a six-day visit, his fifth as head of government. Before leaving for China, Najib emphasized that he was “committed to achieving new highs and entering…
By Conor Cronin — Former deputy prime minister Muhyiddin Yassin on August 9 officially registered Malaysia’s newest political party: Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia, or Bersatu for short. The party is the latest salvo in a slow mutiny against Prime Minister…
