Democracy

East Timor govt faces uncertainty after parliamentary defeat

East Timor's new government has suffered a major setback after opposition parties vetoed its policy programme, a blow that could see the impoverished young democracy return to the polls.The Fretilin party, which won the July election by a narrow margin, did not receive enough votes to govern alone and has formed a minority coalition government with the Democratic Party.With only 30 seats in the 65-seat house, the government relies on confidence and supply from other parties in parliament

20 October 2017
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Fate of Cambodia’s opposition hangs in the balance

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen’s 32-year grip on the nation has tightened further when the country’s parliament passed amendments to the laws governing political parties which would redistribute seats to smaller parties if the opposition Cambodian National Rescue Party (CNRP) is dissolved.67 MPs (member of parliaments) of the ruling party including Hun Sen himself voted in favour of the amendment which passed without any debate.

18 October 2017
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The systemic destruction of Cambodia's democracy

Cambodian Prime Minister, Hun Sen is on an unstoppable onslaught. Communal elections in June this year have shown that his ruling CPP (Cambodian People’s Party) is fast losing its foothold amongst voters. Supporters are leaving his party in droves in favour of the opposition CNRP (Cambodian National Rescue Party) ahead of the general election slated for next year. But Hun Sen is having none of this.

12 October 2017
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Cambodian MP: 'I'm not going to jail'

Two late-night text messages in an hour, one from sources in the military, the other from the cops, warned Cambodian opposition politician Mu Sochua her arrest was at hand. The next day she bolted from the country, joining half of the kingdom's opposition lawmakers in self-exile.

6 October 2017
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Half of Cambodia's opposition have fled the country

Nearly half of Cambodia's opposition parliamentarians have fled abroad in the past month to escape a government crackdown that has battered their party with legal cases, an MP said on Wednesday.The exodus further imperils the prospects of a party that poses the only viable challenge to premier Hun Sen in next year's national poll.The strongman has smothered dissent in the lead-up to the election and is accused of picking off his critics through a series of dubious court cases.

4 October 2017
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Has Hun Sen won the battle and the war?

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen’s crackdown on his critics have taken a turn for the worse as opposition parliamentarians have fled the country for fear of being incarcerated like their opposition leader, Kem Sokha.Hun Sen’s actions came amidst fears that his 32-year rule in the country might end due to increased support for the opposition.

2 October 2017
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US says 'ethnic cleansing' shames Suu Kyi's govt

The United States accused Myanmar Thursday of the ethnic cleansing of minority Rohingya Muslims, saying the bloodshed in Rakhine state had shamed Aung Sang Suu Kyi's government.Speaking at a United Nations Security Council meeting, US Ambassador Nikki Haley pressed for members of Myanmar's military to face action from the global body in response to the violence and expressed sharp criticism of the civilian government.

29 September 2017
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Thailand to kick start $45 bn economic revamp

Thailand’s military government is looking to start construction of projects under a 1.5 trillion baht (45 billion dollars) investment plan before the country’s possible return to democracy late next year.Enabling laws for the so-called Eastern Economic Corridor initiative should be in place by the end of 2017 to bolster investor confidence, and construction of some of the planned infrastructure could begin next year, Kanit Sangsubhan, the secretary-general of the office overseeing the plan, s

28 September 2017
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Singapore's First Woman President Nudges Diversity Needle

Halimah Yacob, 63, will become Singapore’s first female president when she is sworn in Thursday as the city’s eighth head of state. She was named president-elect as the only eligible candidate this week, after two others were disqualified in an election reserved for minority ethnic Malay candidates.The process sparked criticism on social media that Singaporeans were deprived of the opportunity to choose their president and that it diminished Halimah’s achievement.

14 September 2017
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Anger in Singapore as no election for president

Singaporeans Tuesday poured scorn on the process to select their new president after an establishment figure was deemed the only eligible candidate, meaning no election will be held.Halimah Yacob, a former speaker of parliament from the city-state's Muslim Malay minority, will be the first woman to hold the largely ceremonial role if – as expected – she is formally nominated to the presidency Wednesday.But the 63-year-old will avoid an election originally slated for September 23, as othe

13 September 2017
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Is there space for democracy in Cambodia?

Democracy is under threat in Cambodia. In the run-up to the general elections next year, longstanding Cambodian Prime Minister, Hun Sen recently closed down several media outlets operating within the country.

12 September 2017
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Press freedom remains a challenge as ASEAN turns 50

ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asia Nations) recently celebrated its 50th anniversary in August and has come a long way since its commencement through the 1967 Bangkok Declaration. The organisation promotes economic cooperation, political stability, good governance and civil liberties – which were the founding principles on which the association has been built upon.

12 September 2017
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