Southeast Asia

The global scope of the cyber-scam operations based in the two Southeast Asian countries is only now starting to becoming clear.

The coin, issued by the Royal Australian Mint last month, shows the flag of the now-defunct South Vietnamese government.

In an interview late last week, Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi offered some hints about the country's approach to the conflict.

Fake recruiters allegedly offered the Indonesian victims high-paying jobs in Thailand but instead trafficked them to Myawaddy in Myanmar. 

Last week's attempted execution of a prominent government critic points to the recent rise of lawlessness and a sharp decline in public safety.

With two opposition parties leading in pre-election polls, the country's conservative establishment is reportedly considering drastic measures to keep them out of power.

The rare intervention by Sultan Ibrahim follows a report of a plot by disgruntled MPs to abandon Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim's unity government.

Since the 2014 coup, the country's international activities have been conservative and narrowly conceived.

By aligning China’s Global Security Initiative with Anwar’s Malaysia Madani, security ties between the two nations can be strengthened – including in the South China Sea.

An Australia that can engage culturally with Indonesia can also counter the perception that poorly behaved individuals are reflective of wider Australian culture. 

All of those amnestied were detained under a law – Section 505(a) of the penal code – that makes it illegal to promote dissent against the military.

Myanmar’s leader upgrades a strategic outpost in the Bay of Bengal.