Malaysia

| THAILAND – CAMBODIA

The Malaysian prime minister talks about a ceasefire, but the two sides continue to accuse each other as the death toll and the number of displaced mount. The border drawn by the French in 1907 and the subsequent fate of the temples of Preah Vihear and Ta Muen Thom provide an easy pretext for nationalism, which serves to cover up other tensions on both sides. But the disputed area has also been a crossroads of criminal activity for 50 years.

by Joseph Masilamany

The G25 and legal expert Jerald Joseph call for reforms to protect the judiciary from political influence. The positions of the next president of the Court of Appeal and the president of the Supreme Court are hanging in the balance. Urgent reform of the 2009 Judicial Appointments Commission Act is also called for.

| 14/07/2025
| MALAYSIA

The controversy was triggered by the appointment of Johnny Lim Eng Seng as a three-star officer, the first in the history of the country's armed forces. On social media, a member of the Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party has launched an attack, fearfully hypothesising a ‘Palestinian scenario’. In the background is the low level of participation of minorities in the army, which is largely made up of ethnic Malays.

| 28/06/2025
| MALAYSIA - ISLAM
by Joseph Masilamany

Timor-Leste’s president spoke at the Global Leadership & Dialogue Initiative in Kuala Lumpur. In his address, he cited the huge human toll his country paid towards full international recognition. Next October, the country will become the 11th ASEAN member state.

| 20/06/2025
| MALAYSIA – TIMOR-LESTE
by Joseph Masilamany

Appellate panel upholds High Court’s earlier ruling rejecting application. The identity law allows for a name change, but not a return to the original name due to public order concerns. The change had caused the man problems with immigration (upon his return to India) and property rights.

| 16/06/2025
| MALAYSIA
by Joseph Masilamany

The declaration adopted at the ASEAN summit, proposed by current chair Anwar Ibrahim, outlines a series of goals for 2045 aimed at strengthening the role of the regional organisation. A renewed appeal was made to Myanmar to extend the ceasefire and open up space for genuine dialogue. A meeting has been requested with Donald Trump over tariffs. At the same time, trilateral cooperation with China and the Gulf countries is gaining momentum.

| 27/05/2025
| MALAYSIA - ASEAN
by Joseph Masilamany

The Court of Appeal upheld an earlier decision by the High Court. For the judges, the case is procedural, not about personal faith. The woman was never Muslim since the change in religion results from a unilateral act by her mother when she was a child without the consent of her Hindu father.

| 26/05/2025
| MALAYSIA
Editor's choices
 
by Gianni Criveller
The diplomat, who has just taken up his post as his country’s representative to the Holy See, recounts his meeting with Leo XIV. Taiwan helped the pontiff “when he served in Peru”.  Leo “said that he will pray for Taiwan.” ...
| 24/07/2025
| RED LANTERNS
 
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| 22/07/2025
| GATEWAY TO THE EAST
 
by Nirmala Carvalho
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| 19/07/2025
| INDIA
 
by Dario Salvi
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| 17/07/2025
| ISRAEL - PALESTINE
 
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| 17/07/2025
| RED LANTERNS
 
by Steve Suwannarat
As border posts along the 800-kilometre border remain effectively closed, Cambodia announced the introduction of compulsory military service in 2026. The domestic situation in the two countries is fuelling the dispute, as both face strong nationalist ...
| 16/07/2025
| CAMBODIA – THAILAND
 
by Vladimir Rozanskij
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| 16/07/2025
| TAJIKISTAN
 
by Dario Salvi
The founder of the Religious Freedom Data Center views settler attacks as a “disturbing development”. Israeli ministers and police legitimising it is worrying. A Judeo-centric ideology has “taken root”, but minority rights are ...
| 10/07/2025
| ISRAEL – PALESTINE
“L’Asia: ecco il nostro comune compito per il terzo millennio!” - Giovanni Paolo II, da “Alzatevi, andiamo”