May the best Tan win: Singapore’s presidential election     

Singapore will hold its first direct presidential election in 18 years on August 27, setting the stage for the most competitive presidential race in the city-state’s history. This race comes at a crucial juncture in Singapore politics. It is taking place after parliamentary elections in May in which the ruling People’s Action Party (PAP) lost an unprecedented six seats to the opposition Workers Party, its poorest election performance since independence in 1965. (CogitAsia)

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DPJ leadership hopefuls must tackle foreign diplomacy, long neglected after disaster     

Since the triple disasters of March 11, Japan has paid little attention to foreign diplomacy. As the administration of Prime Minister Naoto Kan struggled to begin rebuilding the devastated Tohoku region, a political battle was waged by ruling and opposition blocs over whether or not Kan should resign. Bringing an end to the stagnation that such political warfare has created and normalizing the course of Japan’s foreign policy is one of the most important challenges that awaits the next prime minister. (The Mainichi)

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Malaysia’s 2015 test  

In 2015, Malaysian leadership and foreign policy will be judged by a benchmark defined not by Kuala Lumpur, but ASEAN’s leaders. In less than five years, Malaysia will assume the chair of ASEAN, and will be accountable for ASEAN’s delivery on goals set by the region’s heads of state outlined n the ASEAN Charter. (CogitAsia)

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Asian leadership and the global economic crisis      

In East Asia, as elsewhere in the world, the risks that we continue to face in recovery from the global financial crisis, economically and politically, are a consequence not only of failure in national governance but also in the architecture of international governance, including regional architecture. (East Asia Forum)

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Myanmar: Suu Kyi  and the government      

Is Suu Kyi becoming bold to test the patience of the government? Why did Aung Kyi, the minister fro labour ad social welfare acting as liaison officer for the government, have two meetings with Suu Kyi within two weeks? Is there a thaw in the offing? Will the National League for Democracy (NLD) register itself as a political party? These and many more questions have cropped up as the events unfolded in Myanmar since the beginning of July 2011. (The South Asia Analysis Group)

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Yudhoyono needs to be bold to take Indonesia forward       

Indonesia’s economic resilience and recently announced 2012 state budget are the stuff that strapped Western government can only dream about, given today’s global uncertainty. The government is projecting economic expansion of 6.7 per cent and wants to spend Rp 168.1 trillion ($19.67 billion) – or 19 per cent more that this year – on building roads, railways and airports.        (The Jakarta Globe)

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