Think tank and school of graduate education offering Masters in Strategic Studies, International Relations, International Political Economy and Asian Studies.
RSIS Distinguished Public Lecture by Dr Marty Natalegawa on "Foreign Policy in the Age of Geopolitical Competition: Is Being Neutral Enough?" on 26 Jun 2023 on Pan Pacific Singapore.
What is Indonesia’s Prosperous and Justice Party (PKS) electoral strategy to boost its national electability for the 2024 presidential elections? Adhi Priamarizki examines in this IDSS paper.
#IndonesiaElection
The S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS) and the Asian Vision Institute (AVI) warmly welcome you to the RSIS-AVI Workshop on “Great Power Competition: The Changing International Order and Multilateralism”.
Register here:
Join us in this seminar by Nurul Izzah Anwar, Member of Parliament for Permatang Pauh, on "Economic Challenges in Post-Pandemic Malaysia: Policy and Governance Perspectives"
Full details and registration link here:
Why do some Southeast Asian countries pursue a cooperative stance with great powers and why do others become antagonistic? Join us in this seminar by Assistant Professor Alvin Camba. Register here:
Malaysian youth of today are more likely acculturated to new ways of approaching and engaging in politics.
Read more in RSIS Working Paper "Can Youth Save Malaysia’s Democracy?" by Meredith L. Weiss
Photo: Maria Chin Abdullah's Facebook
Given the changing geopolitical landscape, what are the three Indonesian presidential candidates' unique strategic approaches and priorities for military transformation? Read more in this IDSS paper.
Russia over the past century and a half, being an Indo-Pacific power, has never been a leading regional actor. However, this situation is now changing. Read more in this RSIS Commentary by Alexey Kupriyanov.
Indonesia’s recent enterprise in the international sphere signifies President Jokowi’s legacy-building as his final term approaches its conclusion. Adhi Priamarizki and Keoni Marzuki explain the president’s objectives and approaches to achieving them.
Malaysia published its first Defence White Paper in 2019. Two years on, there is new urgency to implement it.
Read more in IDSS Paper: "Malaysia’s Defence White Paper at Two: Progress and Challenges" by Ivy Kwek.
The Ngee Ann Kongsi-RSIS Distinguished Public Lecture by Professor Wang Jisi on “Will the Worsening of China-US Relations Continue?” on 6 Apr at ParkRoyal Collection Marina Bay.
RSIS congratulates the graduating class of 2023!
Your hard work and dedication have culminated in this remarkable achievement and milestone. May what you’ve learned in RSIS stand you in good stead.
Wishing all RSIS MSc Programme graduates success in your future endeavours!
Prof Kumar Ramakrishna has been appointed the new Dean of RSIS, NTU in Singapore with effect from 1 January 2023 for a three-year term. Outgoing Dean Prof Ralf Emmers remains as Professor of International Relations in RSIS. Read more here:
As the recent state polls indicate, Anwar may yet gain by being more Prime Minister with a plan and less politician with a public relations overdrive or an axe to grind, wrote Shahril Hamdan in the latest RSIS Commentary.
RSIS Distinguished Public Lecture by Mr Agus Harimurti Yudhoyono on “Unleashing the Potential of Young Indonesians: Opportunities and Challenges in a Vibrant Democracy “on 13 Jul at Marina Mandarin Singapore.
Russian aggression against Ukraine and US-China strategic competition have made the world more uncertain and dangerous. Read more in “Navigating Great Power Competition in the 21st Century: Beyond the Cold War Paradigm” by Bilahari Kausikan.
RSIS Distinguished Public Lecture by Mr Richard Fontaine on “The United States in the Indo-Pacific: Pivoting or Pretending?” on 19 May at InterContinental Singapore.
Check out “Engaging the Eagle – Exploring US Foreign Policy in Southeast Asia”, an in-house podcast series by the US Programme, Institute of Defence and Strategic Studies (IDSS), RSIS, here:
#RSIS
and
@Indfoundation
will host the
#7thIOC2024
in Perth on Feb 9-10, 2024. It will witness addresses by 1 Head of State, ministers from 22 countries, senior officials from 16 countries & 6 leaders of multilateral organisations. Find out more here:
How will the Indonesian presidential candidates' use of technology and social media in their campaigns affect the political landscape in light of the upcoming elections? Leonard C. Sebastian and Januar Aditya Pratama analyse in this IDSS paper.
The country’s political leadership took a leap in reimagining the military, but it must pay attention to structural issues, wrote Anit Mukherjee, Associate Professor at RSIS.
Malaysia’s recent general election demonstrates the potency of TikTok as a political space, where parties adopted different strategies to appeal to voters, especially those who were young and new. Read the full RSIS Commentary by Ooi Kok Hin.
The RSIS Distinguished Public Lecture by Dr Marty Natalegawa on “Promoting Amity: Diplomacy and Dialogue as Statecrafts in a Fragmented World” on 11 June 2024 at Sheraton Towers Singapore.
The regional security outlook in Asia is mixed. None can be resolved by any one country alone. How will the relationship between China and the US impact the role ASEAN can play to promote regional stability and prosperity? Lawrence Anderson explores.
Does the Taleban situation in Afghanistan pose a threat to Singapore and its neighbouring countries? RSIS experts Muhammad Faizal Abdul Rahman, Noor Huda Ismail and Jasminder Singh share their views.
The RSIS Distinguished Public Lecture by Professor M. Taylor Fravel on Title of “The Future of US-China Relations and the Implications for the Global Order - Is Engagement Dead?” on 20 Aug at ParkRoyal Collection Marina Bay.
Why is the US economic influence in ASEAN waning despite the high volume of US investments in the region, and what can the US do about it? Kevin Chen evaluates in this IDSS paper.
As Indonesia's 2024 election race heats up, how will presidential candidate Ganjar Pranowo's track record in office, political network, and campaigns impact his chances? James Guild discusses in this IDSS paper.
#IndonesiaElection
The AUKUS initiative to equip Australia with nuclear-powered submarines has unsettled the region. How is the neighbouring archipelagic state of Indonesia responding to potential nuclear submarines in its regional waters? Read more in this IDSS paper.
Although Southeast Asian economies are benefitting from ongoing supply chain realignments, they should be wary of serious longer-term challenges with the West's inclination to embrace industrial policy. Read more in this IDSS paper.
The UMNO party elections held soon after Malaysia’s 15th General Election (GE15) were framed as a test of how its members felt about recent events, wrote Shahril Hamdan in the latest RSIS Commentary.
Will Indonesian presidential candidate Prabowo Subianto be able to maintain his considerable lead over his two opponents, Ganjar Pranowo and Anies Baswedan, to win the February 2024 presidential election in one round? Read more in this IDSS paper.
Join us in this seminar by Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad, Member of Parliament for Setiawangsa, Malaysia, as he draws on his new memoir to discuss the youth factor in Malaysian politics.
Full details and registration link here:
Rather than turning the whole of ASEAN into its “friendly backyard”, China has been ensuring that ASEAN remains divided.
Read more in IDSS Paper "China’s Vision for Southeast Asia: The Struggle to Create a 'Friendly Backyard'" by Tsjeng Zhizhao Henrick
ASEAN provides neutral platforms for major powers and regional states, effectively the ‘political and security space’ to engage one another, wrote Lawrence Anderson.
#ASEAN
Sandwiched between China and Russia, Central Asia feels at the heart of international tensions. How will they navigate these choppy waters? Find out more in RSIS Commentary “Central Asia Among Giants: Taking a Leaf from ASEAN” by Raffaello Pantucci.
Remembering Mr S. Rajaratnam who was born on this date 107 years ago. The Institute of Defence and Strategic Studies was inaugurated into S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS) in 2007 in recognition of his legacy and the foundations he has laid for Singapore.
Now that the Taliban has taken over Afghanistan, how will they govern the country?
Raffaello Pantucci, Senior Fellow at ICPVTR, RSIS, discusses how the Taliban have become pragmatic after 20 years of fighting.
US security view of China is not black and white. Understanding the nuances beyond the “securitisation of everything” can help the world navigate the delicate and complex US-China relationship. Read more in this op-ed by Asst Prof Chang Jun Yan.
RSIS Distinguished Public Lecture by General (Ret) John R. Allen on “War in Ukraine and Taiwan: Implications and Consequences” on 21 Jun 2023 at Pan Pacific Singapore.
The Indonesian presidential election race is heating up with Prabowo Subianto as an early forerunner while Ganjar Pranowo and Anies Baswedan struggle to attract coalition partners and viable vice-presidential nominees. Read more in this IDSS paper.
Given the Mekong’s increasing importance to regional geopolitics and vice versa, analysts and scholars from around the region examine the contestation over interests, initiatives, and influence in the subregion, contributed Sarah Teo and Xue Gong of RSIS.
Learn more about the “Outsized Role of the Abduction Issue in Japan’s Politics and International Implications” in this
#RSIS
Commentary by Soyoung Kim.
#EastAsia
While the deployment of a German frigate to the Indo-Pacific region is only a signal, the question is to whom and for what exactly?
Read more in RSIS Commentary: "German Warship in Asia: Berlin's Indo-Pacific Strategy?" by Frederick Kliem.
Read more in commentary “ The good, bad and unknowns of letting Singapore’s civil servants use ChatGPT” featuring Benjamin Ang and Dr Shashi Jayakumar.
“Reflections: The Legacy of Lee Kuan Yew” is a collection of essays reflecting on the immense contribution of Singapore's first Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew to nation-building and the idea of development. Read more here:
Though Indonesia's ministry of defence has evolved since the fall of the New Order regime, it has to contend with other potential challenges in its defence transformation. Adhi Priamarizki analyses in this IDSS paper.
As Indonesia heads towards elections next year, economic pragmatism and the desire to expand its strategic options could motivate Indonesia to join BRICS. By Jefferson Ng and Utaryo Santiko
What might a second Trump presidency look like for America based on his first term, and how should the Indo-Pacific region engage with Trump if he is re-elected? See Seng Tan analyses in this IDSS paper.
Scholars and experts came together at the RSIS Trilateral Exchange today to discuss “US-China Relations: the Future of International Order”. The exchange sought to understand the impact of US-China competition and examine constructive means of effectively managing the competition
The experience of the Ukrainian Territorial Defence Force is instructive in the importance of territorial defence and volunteerism within the larger framework of Total Defence and national security.
#UkraineWar
#NSmen
#Defence
China’s perception of threat along its periphery is the driving force for the inception of the China’s Global Security Initiative (GSI) in 2022, although it was purportedly “global” in its outlook. RSIS Commentary by Ian Seow Cheng Wei:
Tensions in the South China Sea remained high throughout 2021 and continued into the first half of 2022, with China’s growing sensitivity to sovereignty and propensity to initiate incidents at sea, wrote Shuxian Luo.
In the joint webinar by CSIS Indonesia, GRIPS, and RSIS, on 18 Aug, Prof Mely Caballero-Anthony said that "ASEAN cannot be content to only be the convener of meetings".
Read more in the article:
The increasingly intense contestation among major powers necessitates renewal of a foresightful approach in maintaining the relevance of ASEAN and in securing its security, writes Dr Marty Natalegawa.
In response to Chinese muscle-flexing, the island nations surrounding China are increasingly strengthening their defences, potentially counterbalancing the PRC and allowing
#SoutheastAsia
to maintain its autonomy. Read more in this IDSS paper.
#Maritime
In Malaysia, the lack of new ideas makes the country more likely to languish under unstable governments.
Ariel Tan, Coordinator of Malaysia Programme at RSIS, and Joseph Liow Chin Yong, Research Adviser, discuss why Malaysian politics needs a reset.
Is former Prime Minister Najib Razak’s reduced sentence a reflection of UMNO’s Continuing Influence? Read more in this RSIS Commentary by Aaron Denison Deivasagayam.
As part of Singapore Maritime Week 2023, RSIS and
@recaapisc
hosted the Piracy & Sea Robbery conference which featured senior maritime law enforcement officers, captains of maritime industry & others committed to keeping seafarers safe from criminal threats.
In recent years, some analysts have referred to the growing rivalry between China, Russia, and the United States, as a new Cold War or a second Cold War. “Are We in a New Cold War?” Read more in this Commentary by Loro Horta.
The online reactions surrounding the death of IS’s "caliph" Al-Qurashi reflect that, despite setbacks, IS does not seem to have suffered a deficit of trust among its supporters in Indonesia, wrote V. Arianti and Unaesah Rahmah of RSIS.
If current plans to build a new capital on the east coast of Borneo pans out, Indonesia could become a very different political and strategic entity in the post-Jokowi era, wrote Jefferson Ng.
#RSIScommentary
#Indonesia
#Nusantara
#Borneo
#Jakarta
Over the next 20 years, the international order is likely to be reshaped. Small states will have to navigate a multipolar world.
Read more in IDSS Paper: "Global Politics in a Multipolar Age: The Choice for Small States" by Benjamin Ho and Wu Wan Xin.
Security challenges in the Indo-Pacific undermine those who benefit from the free, fair, and legal use of the sea.
John Bradford, Senior Fellow at the Maritime Security Programme, discusses how the the U.S.-Japan Alliance can address maritime challenges.
The Ngee Ann Kongsi-RSIS Distinguished Public Lecture by Dr Stephen Roach on ““Accidental Conflict: America, China, and the Clash of False Narratives” on 18 Nov 2022 at InterContinental Singapore.
At COP26, nuclear technology was promoted as “an indispensable tool” for addressing climate change. What does nuclear power bring to the table?
Read more in RSIS Commentary: "COP26: The Indispensable Role of Nuclear Power" by Julius Cesar Trajano.
President Jokowi recently announced that discussions for a national unity coalition are underway. How will such a coalition affect Indonesia's 2024 elections? Jefferson Ng and Arya Fernandes evaluate in this IDSS paper.
The growing influence of Hindutva ideology in Hindu diasporic nationalism poses a challenge for diverse and multicultural societies outside India. There are potential implications for Singapore’s multiracial communities, wrote Antara Chakraborthy.
The Centre for Non-Traditional Security Studies (NTS Centre) was established on this day 14 years ago.
Today, it continues to address NTS issues and challenges in the Asia-Pacific region and beyond.
As the climate insecurity of small island states in the Indo-Pacific increases, Japan needs to build the capacity of their militaries for disaster relief.
Read more in IDSS Paper: "Japan’s Climate Security Strategy in the Indo-Pacific" by Ono Keishi.
This latest issue of the CTTA looks at some trends in radicalisation in Indonesia and Malaysia and the impact of broader violent extremist threats resulting from the Taliban takeover in Afghanistan for Malaysia and China respectively.
Think Tank is an RSIS newsletter that features the latest books published by our staff, selected RSIS articles, and podcasts of recent webinars. Read the latest issue (Feb 2022) here:
Can G7 partnership counter Belt and Road? Both initiatives will face challenges in governance and navigating local regulations in recipient countries, wrote Stefanie Kam of RSIS.
#BeltandRoad
#BRI
#PGII
#G7
#China
#US
Malaysia’s management of the South China Sea issue is generally considered to be effective in securing its interests.
Read more in RSIS Working Paper: "Malaysia Policies and Interests in the South China Sea" by Johan Saravanamuttu.
Find out more about "Invisible Islamism in Indonesia’s 2024 elections" in this op-ed by RSIS Senior Fellow Alexander R Arifianto.
#2024IndonesianElection
In Malaysia, the high cost of electoral campaigns means that candidates with limited access to resources face challenges in raising funds, hampering broader participation in politics. Read more in Aira Azhari’s commentary.