Asia Centre – Page 11

Rhetoric of Foreign Interference in Cambodia’s 2023 General Election

Post author:Asia Centre
Post published:7 March 2023
Post category:Podcasts

The Royal Government of Cambodia has regularly used rhetoric of foreign interference to accuse members of civil society organisations and opposition political parties of collaborating with international actors to corrupt Cambodian society. For example, in 2017, Kem Sokha, former leader of the opposition party CNRP - which was dissolved by the Supreme Court in the same year - was arrested for treason, and accused of colluding with the United States to topple the Cambodian government. The ruling party has implemented several measures such as amending the constitution to ban Cambodians holding dual nationalities from holding high-ranking political positions, citing the…

Moving Beyond COVID-19 Restrictions in South Asia: Pushing Back Against Authoritarian Pandemic Governance

Post author:Asia Centre
Post published:8 February 2023
Post category:Briefing Notes Reports

Download In South Asia, governments tended to adopt two approaches to contain the spread of the pandemic. The Maldives and Sri Lanka declared state of emergencies, while Bangladesh, India and Nepal relied on temporary health emergency laws. Regardless of the differences between these two approaches, all these measures restricted people’s civic freedoms, thus curbing democracy in the region. The policy brief “Moving Beyond COVID-19 Restrictions in South Asia: Pushing Back Against Authoritarian Pandemic Governance” makes an assessment of the impact of anti-COVID-19 legal measures on people’s fundamental rights in South Asia.

Asia Centre Leads UNESCO Media Assessment in Cambodia

Post author:Asia Centre
Post published:7 February 2023
Post category:News

On 3 February 2023, Asia Centre’s Dr. James Gomez presented the research plan for the project “Assessment of Media Development in Cambodia” to officials from the Royal Government of Cambodia, representatives and journalists from media organisations and representatives of civil society organisations who are part of a National Steering Committee (NSC) set up to support the assessment effort. The Assessment, led by Asia Centre, is being undertaken in partnership with the UNESCO Office in Phnom Penh and the Department of Media and Communication (DMC) of the Royal University of Phnom Penh (RUPP). It is an evaluation of Cambodia’s media development…

Moving Beyond COVID-19 Restrictions in East Asia: Pushing Back Against Authoritarian Pandemic Governance

Post author:Asia Centre
Post published:3 February 2023
Post category:Briefing Notes Reports

Download In East Asia, regional countries have sought two main approaches to managing COVID-19. On the one hand, Japan, South Korea and Taiwan adopted anti-COVID-19 measures that aligned with international human rights standards. On the other hand, China, North Korea, Hong Kong’s “Zero-COVID” mechanisms to contain the pandemic were more restrictive, threatening people’s fundamental rights. The policy brief “Moving Beyond COVID-19 Restrictions in East Asia: Pushing Back Against Authoritarian Pandemic Governance” provides an overview of these two approaches and the impact on human rights in East Asia.

Moving Beyond COVID-19 Restrictions in Southeast Asia: Pushing Back Against Authoritarian Pandemic Governance

Post author:Asia Centre
Post published:2 February 2023
Post category:Briefing Notes

Download The policy paper “Moving Beyond COVID-19 Restrictions in Southeast Asia: Pushing Back Against Authoritarian Pandemic Governance” explores how the use of powers by Southeast Asian governments during the COVID-19 pandemic derogated rights. Emergency and temporary laws, as well as special provisions in infectious disease laws, impacted fundamental rights beyond what was necessary to keep the virus at bay. Consequently, control over the population was tightened and democracy backtracked. The paper demonstrates that governments used COVID-laws to amass disproportionate power and over-restrict civic freedoms on four ends. First, strict lockdowns were used to stifle freedom of assembly and protest. Second,…

Internet Freedoms in Malaysia: Regulating Online Discourse on Race, Religion, and Royalty

Post author:Asia Centre
Post published:16 January 2023
Post category:Baseline Studies Reports

Download Internet Freedoms in Malaysia: Regulating Online Discourse on Race, Religion, and Royalty analyses how Malaysia’s legal provisions impact online discussions of the 3Rs (race, religion and royalty) that question the special position of the Malays, Islam and the Monarchy. The report explains that Malaysia’s restrictive legal provisions inherited from the colonial era and expanded during the six decades of successive UMNO-led BN governments are used to regulate the online discourse of the 3Rs. Following the 2022 general election, Malaysia finds itself at a political crossroads where three different narratives on the 3Rs that this report labels as traditional, progressive,…

EU-ASEAN Relations in Light of the War in Ukraine

Post author:Asia Centre
Post published:4 January 2023
Post category:Briefing Notes

Download The EU and ASEAN have set to resume negotiations aiming at an inter-regional FTA. However, this process will be undertaken in the context of the geopolitical and geoeconomic situation in the Indo-Pacific. Deep existing issues such as conflicting values also have an impact on the negotiation process. Moreover, the war in Ukraine have increased the need for the EU to have a presence in the region. The policy paper “EU-ASEAN Relations in Light of the War in Ukraine” assesses these issues against both regions’ aim of striking a deal on trade as a foundation for deeper cooperation and develops…

Foreign Interference Laws in Southeast Asia: Deepening the Shrinkage of Civic Space

Post author:Asia Centre
Post published:3 January 2023
Post category:Baseline Studies Reports

Download Foreign Interference Laws in Southeast Asia: Deepening the Shrinkage of Civic Space reviews developments in laws that seek to curb the role of international actors and their support for CSOs that work on democracy and human rights issues. To set the context, the report examines the rhetoric of ‘foreign interference’, the characteristics of ‘foreign interference laws’ being introduced in both democratic and non-democratic countries and how authoritarian regimes’ use of such laws impacts the operation of both INGOs and national CSOs. Focusing on the emerging trends in Southeast Asia, the report reviews the laws’ in the region and how…

What has changed in the Malaysian media landscape since the 2018 General Election

Post author:Asia Centre
Post published:13 December 2022
Post category:Podcasts

Andrew Ong is the editor at Malaysiakini, the most read news website in Malaysia. He works on legislation, policy and environment. In his spare time, he explores data and makes automation tools for his colleagues.This podcast episode was recorded on 18 October 2022 as part of the “Media Freedom in Southeast Asia” series hosted by Asia Centre in collaboration with the Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Southeast and East Asia.

Quality Journalism: What are the key challenges that the media are facing in Cambodia?

Post author:Asia Centre
Post published:30 November 2022
Post category:Podcasts

Sao Phal Niseiy is an Editor-in-Chief of Cambodianess and a Deputy Chief Editor at Thmey Thmey, Phnom Penh-based media. He primarily covers foreign affairs and climate-related issues.This podcast episode was recorded on 7 October 2022 as part of the “Media Freedom in Southeast Asia” series hosted by Asia Centre in collaboration with the Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Southeast and East Asia.