Resource Sector Indonesia forest fires surge and Singapore's air quality may enter 'unhealthy' range (12 Sept) The number of blazes in Indonesia's rainforests has jumped sharply, satellite data showed on Thursday (Sept 12), spreading haze across South-east Asia. Indonesia's forest fires are an annual problem but have...
Indonesia Proposed Changes to Criminal Code and KPK Spur Concerns (28 Aug – 11 Sep) National legislators in Indonesia are expected to vote on a new penal code on 24 September, replacing the current code inherited from its Dutch colonial rulers. If the law is approved, it...
September 2019 | On a recent trip to Hanoi, I met with one of the major state-owned banks, private sector economists and some Vietnamese businesses, as well as officials from their government. Many are optimistic and have been investing in Vietnam, and for good reason. However,...
By Simon Tay and Lau Xin Yi For The Business Times The recent Singapore National Day Rally (NDR) will be remembered for its sobering call to act on climate change - a "life and death" matter according to Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. This means that beyond...
SIIA Chairman, Associate Professor Simon Tay, on the invitation of Thailand’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, will be speaking at the lecture held in conjunction with the launch of the International Studies Center on Friday, 5 September 2019. He will be delivering a lecture on, "ASEAN Centrality...
Media Release FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE [Download PDF here] Singapore, Thursday, 29 August 2019 – ASEAN centrality is key to weathering the Sino-American conflict, according to a report launched today at the 12th ASEAN and Asia Forum (AAF) by the Singapore Institute of International Affairs (SIIA), Singapore’s oldest independent...
ASEAN is facing political and economic uncertainty as Sino-American tensions intensify. The conflict has affected supply chains and business sentiments, and there is increasing concern that the standoff is about more than trade and technology. Unless China and the United States can resolve their differences,...
Indonesia NasDem Demurs as Jokowi Finalises Selection of His New Cabinet (14-17 Aug) President Joko Widodo “Jokowi” announced on Wednesday, 14 August that he had finalised the selection of his new cabinet. While the full list of ministers would only be announced after the start of his...
In the Chinese portion of his National Day Rally speech, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong noted that the Singapore economy is slowing due to weaker global demand and the US-China trade war. The SIIA held an evening talk on Monday 19 August, the day after...
By Simon Tay and Jessica Wau For The Straits Times Many anticipate a Sino-American "war" and, while the proximate issues are in trade, there is a broader range of contention on issues relating to technology, unfair competition, democracy and the regional and global order. Read the full...