Myanmar’s crisis may escalate as rebel groups join anti-junta protestors
With major ethnic armed groups vowing to resist the military’s deadly crackdown on dissent, Myanmar is on the cusp of civil war and further violence.
With major ethnic armed groups vowing to resist the military’s deadly crackdown on dissent, Myanmar is on the cusp of civil war and further violence.
While Indonesia and Malaysia remain publicly supportive of Palestine and refuse to establish ties with Israel, both countries have successfully pursued a secret trade and diplomatic relationship with Tel Aviv for decades.
In the wake of the military coup in Myanmar, Russia may have found an opening to further its military cooperation with the junta.
The recent Palm Sunday suicide bombing by a terrorist with a previous arrest record and ties to militant groups has raised concerns about gaps in Indonesia’s counterterrorism and de-radicalization approach.
Malaysia’s UMNO party, part of the ruling coalition, has said that it will not cooperate with Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin in the next general election and will contest the election alone. However, analysts believe that the approach is not practical as it could cost the party and won’t be enough to bring it back to power.
Thailand is involving private health care companies in its COVID-19 vaccination drive after facing criticism for delays. But the decision risks creating major inequalities in vaccine pricing and accessibility.
The Malaysian High Court’s decision to allow Christians to use the word Allah in their publications is commendable. However, the court’s past rulings on the subject and its political relevance for Muslim Malay political leaders indicate that the issue is far from over.
Malaysia’s government declared a state of emergency in January to contain the spread of COVID-19. The decree suspends parliament and postpones any possibility of an election, giving Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin’s embattled government time to push back against the opposition. However, the move risks further political instability as Muhyiddin may opt not lift the state of emergency as promised.
Myanmar’s military has been reaching out to ethnic minorities to win support for its coup, with limited success. But the efforts are unlikely to cause lasting shifts in the country’s political dynamics as the military is unwilling to offer ethnic groups autonomy or a federalist union.
Recent actions by Prime Minister Prayuth and the largest party in Thailand’s ruling coalition, the Palang Pracharath Party (PPRP), indicate that they may be unwilling to cede any power to coalition partners like the Democrats. This will only cause further divisions within the ruling coalition and could lead to its collapse.