Asia Centre – Page 11

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.

What are the current challenges that the media are facing in Thailand?

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

Noppatjak Attanon is an Editor-in-Chief for workpointTODAY, a Thailand-based online news publisher with over 10 million followers. He is currently leading a team of more than 20 journalists, covering issues on politics, economics, business, world affairs and human rights. He has also worked with BBC Thai in London.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.

How has the shift in the media ecosystem affected media freedom in the Philippines?

Post author:Asia Centre
Post published:15 November 2022
Post category:Podcasts

Marites Vitug is an Author and Editor-at-large at Rappler with over 40 years of experience in journalism. She has published a number of books on justice and political affairs in the Philippines. Marites is currently working on her book project on former President Rodrigo Duterte’s 6 year administration and the Philippines-China relations.This podcast episode was recorded on 29 September 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.

Legal and non-legal measures: Are these approaches effective to tackle disinformation in Indonesia

Post author:Asia Centre
Post published:20 October 2022
Post category:Podcasts

Indonesia's media landscape is growing and is becoming chaotic with a wide range of actors involved. What are the key issues surrounding disinformation in Indonesia? What are legal and non-legal approaches taken by the Indonesian government to counter this uncontrollable information flow? Hear from an Indonesian journalist with nearly 40 years of experience, Endy Bayuni, a former Chief Editor of The Jakarta Post and a co-founder and Executive Director of the International Association of Religion Journalists with nearly 4 decades of experience in reporting. In 2020, he became a member of Facebook's Oversight Board.This podcast episode was recorded on 26…