Reforming SOE’s      

Indonesia is at a fascinating crossroads. On the one hand, the country can choose a path toward long-term sustainable development, and on the other, high but potentially short-term growth rates. In the real world, to be in two places at the same time is impossible, but Indonesia aspires to do just that. (The Jakarta Globe)

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US-China power play puts heat on ASEAN   
  
The one-page guidelines agreed to last month are unlikely to arrest the deepening security dilemma among key claimants. They reportedly referred only to the possible implementation of uncontroversial ‘joint cooperation activities’, they are characteristically non-binding, and they required Southeast Asian state to drop their long held assertion of ASEAN’s right to develop a common position on the issue vis-à-vis China. (East Asia Forum)

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Poverty and growth in the Philippines   
   

Despite the Philippine economy having enjoyed one of its best growth periods in recent years, the poverty continues to rise, putting a strain on achieving the Millennium Development Goal targets the country has vowed to achieve come 2015. (East Asia Forum)

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Test awaits Mr. Noda’s Cabinet  
  

New Prime Minister Yoshikiko Noda inaugurated his Cabinet Friday. Its lineup and the composition of the Democratic Party of Japan leadership point to his utmost efforts to ensure unity in the ruling party, which has suffered from conflict between forces supporting former DPJ leader Ichiro Ozawa and forces opposing the spread of his influence. The Cabinet lineup does not seem strong enough to give out a clear message as to what kind of nation the new administration would like to build. (The Japan Times)

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Putting Yingluck’s populist foreign policy in perspective      

The Yingluck’s Shinawatra administration has initiated the country’s first large-scale populist foreign policy, with a purported emphasis on common Thais. Included in the government’s policy statement as one of its 10 top priorities is the betterment of people’s knowledge of common border problems and of the impact of globalization, all with the aim of forging a consensus on foreign policy. (The Nation)

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Burma’s new leader could emulate B.J. Habibie  
  

Comparisons are often made between Indonesia and Burma; two Southeast Asian nations where the militarization of politics, democracy struggles, their achievements and transitional phases, have defined their people’s recent histories. (The Jakarta Post)

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Can China defend a “core interest” in the South China Sea?  

De´ja` vu surrounds reports that Beijing has claimed a ‘‘core interest’’ in the South China Sea. High-ranking Chinese officials reportedly asserted such an interest during a private March 2010 meeting with two visiting U.S. dignitaries, Deputy Secretary of State James Steinberg and the senior director for Asian affairs at the National Security Council, Jeffrey Bader.              (The Washington Quarterly)

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Idul Fitri: Festivity of charity and forgiveness      

Here comes Idul Fitri again, when more than 15 million people go on mudik (homecoming) to celebrate the day of forgiveness. After a full month of fasting, Muslims will celebrate the post-Ramadhan (Idul Fitri) festivities. Borrowed from Arabic, id means to be back and al-fitri means pure, nature, or disposition, suggesting a kind of “back-to-nature” status. According to Islam, a newborn is clean without any original sins. Islam teaches that naturally and biologically a newborn has the disposition to be good. (The Jakarta Post)

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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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