Democracy Digest
Democracy Digest
A bite-sized weekly wrap-up of developments
across the region through a human rights and democratic lens
Democracy Digest

September 18, 2023

In this week’s edition, we look at Taiwan’s housing crisis, the ASEAN Air Chiefs Conference in Myanmar, freedom of information in Malaysia, and the questionable appointment practices of Pakistan’s caretaker government.

Read below for more.

Malaysia
Freedom (of information) at last
Last week’s move by a Malaysian Cabinet committee to enact a Freedom of Information Act for Malaysia has been lauded as a positive step, because among others it will amend the controversial Official Secrets Act (OSA) while mandating public access to information.

The Cabinet’s special committee on national governance, which made the decision, is headed by Malaysian Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

The Kuala Lumpur-based Centre for Independent Journalism (CIJ) expressed support for such a law. In a statement, it said: “A progressive right to information regime will promote a culture of transparency and contribute to enhancing the public’s trust in the governance process.” It urged the setting up of a Steering committee  composed of civil society and other experts to facilitate the drafting of the proposed law and the amendments to the OSA.

The proposed Act will map out guidelines to enable the public to access information from government agencies.

First brought to force in 1972, the OSA prohibits the dissemination of official secrets – or information that the state deems crucial to national security and is not for public disclosure. But critics have dubbed the law draconian, citing its overly broad provisions.

“It contains a very ample package of broadly framed prohibitions which effectively obstruct the free flow of information from official sources,” said international non-profit Article 19. “These prohibitions are backed by severe criminal sanctions and the State is armed with extensive powers which enhance its ability to detect infringements and secure convictions under the Act.”

According to Human Rights Watch, the OSA criminalizes such disclosures without the state having to prove that such information is indeed crucial to national security. This violates international freedom of speech norms, according to the group.

Officials have often used the broad terms of the Act for their political gain. In April 2016, for instance, an opposition politician was arrested under the OSA after allegedly disclosing details about a then-classified investigation into the infamous 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) scandal.

Several other countries in Southeast Asia have also enacted Right to Information or Freedom of Information (FOI) legislation, including Indonesia, Thailand, and Vietnam, according to the CIJ. No such law yet exists for the Philippines, but former president Rodrigo Duterte signed an executive order in 2016 guaranteeing FOI.

Globally, 129 countries have passed enabling laws that facilitate the freedom of information.
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Taiwan
Troubled housing
Are high housing rental prices in Taiwan causing deep anxiety, or worse hopelessness, among young or middle-aged people in the country?

A study published earlier this month has shown a link between the housing rental index and spikes in suicide rates in the country, especially within these segments of the population. Older residents, however, appear to be less affected.

“Findings suggest that the housing rental index significantly impacts suicide rates in young-aged and middle-aged adult groups,” Taiwan News quoted the study as saying.

Study co-author Yi-Lung Chen said that the findings should help policymakers come up with effective and sustainable solutions to improve the state of housing in Taiwan, such as rent controls or more socialized housing projects.

Taiwan has one of the highest property prices in Asia. According to a March 2023 analysis by The News Lens (TNL), properties in Taiwan are among the most expensive in the world. In the city center, apartment rates in the island nation rank as the fifth most expensive in the world.

Meanwhile, Taiwan has lagged far behind other advanced economies in terms of wages. For instance, whereas the country’s housing prices are often on par with those of other rich countries like Norway and the Netherlands, its minimum wage is only about half – or is even sometimes four times lower – compared to these countries.

“In other words, Taiwan’s residents are paying one of the highest prices for housing on one of the lowest wages among the advanced countries,” said TNL.

In turn, this foments an overall environment of discontent and frustration, which external forces can exploit to destabilize a country. In Taiwan’s case, its housing crisis exposes it to influence from China.

“High housing prices can cause resentment among Taiwanese people, which can then be used by external forces to create greater distrust towards the government and divide society,” the TNL wrote.

Social housing has emerged as a promising answer to the country’s real estate problem. However, this is plagued with challenges – such as renters illegally raising rent and prematurely cancelling leases to avoid taxes – which prevent the scheme from being an effective solution to the housing crisis.

The government has also been slow to roll out these socialized developments, and at its current pace, it is unlikely to match the demand for affordable housing.
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Pakistan
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Looming election delay
Amid a yawning power vacuum and ahead of a yet-unscheduled general election, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) last week issued a stern warning to the caretaker federal government to not appoint individuals with conflicts of interest.

In a letter to Syed Tauqir Hussain Shah, principal secretary to the Prime Minister, the ECP emphasized that “due care should be exercised” when selecting cabinet members and that “persons with known political allegiance” should be avoided.

“Moreover, when selecting senior civil servants for key positions, this aspect should also be kept in mind to strengthen the neutrality of the caretaker setup," the letter read.

This reminder comes a day after caretaker Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar appointed Fawad Hasan Fawad to the cabinet. Fawad had previously acted as principal secretary to former prime minister Nawaz Sharif and is known to have close ties to the Pakistan Muslim League (PML-N) party. His appointment sparked talks that the caretaker government was merely a continuation of the PML-N-led coalition leadership.

Fawad had also been arrested in 2018 by the National Accountability Bureau on charges of corruption.

In keeping with a routine step in Pakistani politics, Arif Alvi dissolved the National Assembly last month to pave the way for the next elections. This signals that within the constitutionally mandated 90-day period, general elections have to be held. A recent census, however, could push polls back by four months.

Officials have decided that the elections should be conducted under a new census. The release of the new census results will make it binding for the ECP to undertake new delimitations of the constituencies prior to the next polls.

A delay in the conduct of the elections will put at risk the US$3 billion bailout package from the International Monetary Fund for the “cash-strapped” country, according to Outlook magazine.

The incumbent PML-N party, along with other allies, is expected to face stiff electoral competition from the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party, to which ousted Prime Minister and vastly popular Imran Khan belongs.
Global/Regional
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Courting the junta
Last week, from Sept. 12 to 15, the ASEAN Air Chiefs Conference took place in Myanmar, which also headed the summit.

By a very narrow margin, the regional bloc appeared to have swayed slightly in favor of the military junta. Of the 10 nations making up the ASEAN, only four decided to skip the conference: the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore.

Meanwhile, air force chiefs from the five remaining countries – Brunei, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, and Thailand – joined Myanmar’s own representative in the military summit. Although the conference tried to steer away from political and politically charged topics, focusing instead on the environment, it was difficult not to see these countries’ attendance as lending credence and legitimacy to the junta and its brutality.

As the three-day conference was taking place, Myanmar’s military leaders launched 20 air strikes across three regions. Their targets included a monastery and a village, and among their victims were an abbot, a lay brother, and several other civilians.

In a statement, Yadanar Maung, spokesperson for activist group Justice for Myanmar, said that without a unified effort to boycott the conference, the ASEAN is “legitimizing and encouraging war criminals through defense and security cooperation, jeopardizing the lives of the Myanmarese people and exacerbating the crisis.”

Since Myanmar’s armed forces violently grabbed power from the democratically elected government in February 2021, they have launched a violent and bloody campaign against critics, dissenters, and protesters. A scrappy shadow government, called the National Unity Government (NUG), has stood in staunch opposition to the junta. In May 2022, the NUG established the People’s Defense Forces (PDF) and formally called on supporters to take up arms against the junta.

Conflicts between the PDF and the military leadership have since escalated. Air strikes seem to be the military’s preferred type of offensive, often dropping bombs on areas that they suspect are harboring rebels – without regard for civilian casualties. According to the NUG, the junta has launched more than 1,400 air strikes since it assumed power over two years ago.
September 18, 2023
September 18, 2023

In this week’s edition, we look at Taiwan’s housing crisis, the ASEAN Air Chiefs Conference in Myanmar, freedom of information in Malaysia, and the questionable appointment practices of Pakistan’s caretaker government.

September 11, 2023
September 11, 2023

This week, we look at domestic worker rights in Macao, potential government complicity in Sri Lanka’s Easter bombings, ramping school surveillance in the Philippines, and China’s continued protest against the release of Fukushima wastewater.

September 4, 2023
September 4, 2023

In this week’s edition, we look at the upcoming G20 meeting, South Asia’s rapid descent into surveillance, starvation and secrecy in North Korea, and Hun Sen’s triumphant return to Facebook despite having demonstrably violated its policies.

August 28, 2023
August 28, 2023

In this edition, we will look at mounting anti-Christian violence in India and Pakistan, Hong Kong’s crackdown on artistic expression, the roster of Presidential candidates in Singapore, and the enduring problem of human trafficking in India.

August 21, 2023
August 21, 2023

In this week’s edition, we are looking at Taiwan’s weak cybersecurity, the state of disability equality in Nepal, Cambodia’s pro-business courts, and the challenges that humanitarian workers worldwide endure in the performance of their duties.

August 14, 2023
August 14, 2023

In this week’s edition, we look at China’s belligerence in the South China Sea, South Korea’s growing mental health problem, the Myanmar junta’s crimes against humanity, and the imminent implementation of Sharia law in Afghanistan.

August 7, 2023
August 7, 2023

In this week’s edition, we look at China’s newest round of internet restrictions, Pakistan kowtowing to the IMF’s demands, the Sedition Act in Malaysia, and the climate injustice drowning large swathes of Asia.

July 31, 2023
July 31, 2023

In this week’s edition, we look at youth extremism in Singapore, child sexual exploitation in Taiwan, Sri Lanka’s 40th year commemorations for Black July, and North Korea’s first foreign guest since the pandemic.

July 24, 2023
July 24, 2023

This week, we are looking at Cambodia’s sham elections, growing anti-trans hate in Japan, the royalist barrier stemming Thailand’s progressive wave, and Bangladesh’s worsening economic crisis.

July 17, 2023
July 17, 2023

In this week’s edition, we look at the precarious situation in Myanmar, India’s achievements against poverty, Hong Kong’s ongoing crackdown on dissent, and the state of population control across Asia.

July 10, 2023
July 10, 2023

In this edition, we look at domestic violence in South Korea, the deteriorating peace situation in Sri Lanka, Cambodia’s vindictive ban on Meta’s Oversight Board members, and Japan’s plan to dump treated radioactive water from the Fukushima incident into the Pacific Ocean.

July 3, 2023
July 3, 2023

In this week’s edition, we look at Laos’s environmental laws, the Philippines’ online casino-related human trafficking problem, Nepal’s recent ruling on same-sex marriage, and China’s new “education initiative” to sway public opinion toward reunification.

June 26, 2023
June 26, 2023

In this edition, we look at the ongoing U.N. Human Rights Council’s regular session, jail overcrowding in the Philippines, the formidable force of conservativism in Hong Kong, and online child sexual abuse in India.

June 19, 2023
June 19, 2023

In this edition, we look at Sri Lanka’s tightening grip on the media, Thailand’s growing tension with the throne, the dire state of migrant workers in Southeast Asia, and Japan’s dark history of eugenics.

June 12, 2023
June 12, 2023

In this week’s edition, we look at North Korea’s spiking suicide rate, Russia-China military drills, Afghanistan’s enduring and ironic dependence on international aid, and Vietnam’s energy crisis.

June 5, 2023
June 5, 2023

In this edition, we look at Pakistan’s tense negotiations with the International Monetary Fund, Indonesia’s crackdown on online speech, and China’s youth unemployment problem and unwillingness to engage in level-headed discussions over security matters in the region.

May 29, 2023
May 29, 2023

In this edition, we look at a contentious land use bill in the Philippines, a new mobile device management policy in Nepal, the growing support for gender equality in Taiwan, and what Thailand’s new progressive government might mean for Myanmar.

May 22, 2023
May 22, 2023

In this week’s edition, we look at the human rights agenda at the G7 Summit in Hiroshima, the commemoration of the Gwangju uprising’s 43rd anniversary, skyrocketing drug prices in South Asia, and the sex abuse case that shook Singapore to its core.

May 15, 2023
May 15, 2023

In this edition, we look at two oppressive detention policies in Northeast Asia: China’s unyielding arrest of foreign journalists and Japan’s harsh policies for immigrants. We also look at Thailand’s lese-majeste law in the context of its elections and Pakistan’s widespread internet shutdown.

May 8, 2023
May 8, 2023

In this edition, we look at the dire state of press freedom in Southeast Asia, a bubbling conflict between healthcare workers in South Korea, the dengue problem swarming South Asia, and Indonesia’s measures against the impending COVID-19 surge.

May 1, 2023
May 1, 2023

In this edition, we look at Singapore’s overly harsh approach to cannabis as the death penalty for drug-related offenses remains firmly in place, the political convenience of gender equality in India, the continued shrinking of civic space in Hong Kong, and the U.S.’s increased military presence in Asia, keeping tight tabs on its authoritarian adversary.

April 24, 2023
April 24, 2023

In this edition, we will look at the Philippines’ education crisis, Pakistan’s political turmoil, the United Nations’ impending withdrawal from Afghanistan, and the continued and fraught push for marriage equality in Japan.

April 17, 2023
April 17, 2023

In this edition, we look at the environmental crises sweeping through Southeast Asia, another Covid-19 outbreak threatening South Asia, a bird flu death in China, and the bloody consequences of an apathetic international community, alongside powerful benefactors, abetting amid the unyielding violence and tyranny of Myanmar’s junta.

March 20, 2023
March 20, 2023

In this edition, we highlight news about the following: the sad truth about health staffing shortages; the impossible choice faced by the Rohingya in Bangladesh; Vietnam’s repressive Article 331; and the challenges of exposing Uyghur forced labor in supply chains.

March 13, 2023
March 13, 2023

In this edition, we highlight news about the following: the few bright spots for democracy in Asia; the Northeast Asian country where feminism is a dirty word; the country known as the internet shutdown capital of the world; and a symbolic victory for World War II sex slaves in the Philippines.

February 27, 2023
February 27, 2023

In this edition, we highlight news about the following: Asia’s deadliest place for a woman to be a mother; Japan’s antiquated age of consent law; a hidden danger in Northeast Asia; and a sweet victory for people-oriented mobility in the Philippines.

February 20, 2023
February 20, 2023

In this edition, we highlight news about the following: an uphill battle against a stigmatizing disease in Bangladesh; the threat multiplier of rising sea levels; a heavy-handed attempt to silence an independent media outlet in Cambodia; and a landmark victory for trans men in Hong Kong.

February 13, 2023
February 13, 2023

In this edition, we highlight news about the following: forced assimilation in the guise of education in Tibet; the women-only buses in Karachi, Pakistan; the need to make the internet safer for children; and the Malaysian manufacturers reaping the rewards of responsible business.

February 6, 2023
February 6, 2023

In this edition, we highlight news about the following: Hong Kong’s long-simmering housing crisis; corruption’s vicious cycle; the ban barring Afghanistan women from giving lifesaving support to people in dire need of aid; and a tiny Indonesian island’s battle against a huge carbon-emitting cement maker.

December 12, 2022
December 12, 2022

In this edition, we highlight news about the following: a railway that has brought few benefits to poor Laotians; why Pakistan’s coal mines are some of the most dangerous in the world; Hong Kong’s refugees in limbo; and the forced labor that taints the global auto supply chain.

December 5, 2022
December 5, 2022

In this edition, we highlight news about the following: the persons with disabilities worldwide who are being left behind; the disinformation hampering polio vaccination in Indonesia and Pakistan; an opportunity for Sri Lanka’s women caught in twin crises; and the torture being inflicted on transgenders in Singapore and Japan.

November 28, 2022
November 28, 2022

In this edition, we highlight news about the following: Apple’s albatross; an unfolding catastrophe for Afghan children; the new UN treaty to end the age of pernicious plastics; and the good news for Singapore’s gig workers.

November 21, 2022
November 21, 2022

In this edition, we highlight news about the following: the youth from the Global South who made the most of their seat at the table at COP27; the Thai police who show zero tolerance for peaceful protests; the attacks on press freedom in South Korea; and the too-few Nepali women in the political arena.

November 14, 2022
November 14, 2022

In this edition, we highlight news about the following: the Philippines’ human rights in the spotlight; the modern slaves behind football’s biggest party; the harmful practice endured by women and girls in Asia; and the new mandatory disclosures that can close the gender pay gap in Japan.

November 7, 2022
November 7, 2022

In this edition, we highlight news about the following: the shocking impunity of murderers of media workers; Pyongyang’s record-breaking missile barrage; a call to starve Myanmar’s military junta of fuel for its deadly air attacks; and the landmark ruling that banned a traumatic test in India.

October 31, 2022
October 31, 2022

In this edition, we highlight news about the following: the return of a global killer; the appalling forced deportations in Malaysia and Thailand; China’s worldwide network of illegal police stations; and the future of farming in Bangladesh.

October 17, 2022
October 17, 2022

In this edition, we highlight news about the following: a baby step forward for LGBTQ rights in Japan; a neglected epidemic in Cambodia; the countries in Asia that cling to the death penalty; and hope for mental health sufferers in India.

October 10, 2022
October 10, 2022

In this edition, we highlight news about the following: the false narrative that endangers transgenders in Pakistan; why Indonesia is one of the most dangerous countries in which to attend a football game; education under attack in Asia; and the foiled debate on China’s widespread human rights abuses in Xinjiang.

October 3, 2022
October 3, 2022

In this edition, we highlight news about the following: the construction workers in Hong Kong who are dying on the job; the South Asian country where many ferry passengers risk drowning and death; the human rights defenders who risk reprisals; and a sweet victory for an under-supported changemaker in the Philippines.

September 26, 2022
September 26, 2022

In this edition, we highlight news about the following: sobering statistics about women’s lives on the brink; the country where women are stalked and killed; a blocked citizenship law in Nepal; and the faint silver lining in Myanmar’s humanitarian crisis.

September 19, 2022
September 19, 2022

In this edition, we highlight news about the following: the global rise in forced marriages; the risks brought about by digital identity systems such as India’s Aadhar; the Southeast Asian country that doesn’t deserve a seat in the UN Human Rights Council; and a ray of hope for foreigners detained in Japan’s immigration centers.

September 12, 2022
September 12, 2022

In this edition, we highlight news about the following: the alarming spike in house arrests under Chinese President Xi Jinping’s rule; the community at risk of genocide in Afghanistan; the millions deprived of the right to read; and Cambodia’s learning gardens.

September 5, 2022
September 5, 2022

In this edition, we highlight news about the following: how extreme heat has led to occupational safety lapses worldwide; how North Korea used the coronavirus to increasingly repress the rights of its people; the weaponization of Sri Lanka’s Prevention of Terrorism Act against peaceful protesters; and Thailand’s innovative approach to curb teenage pregnancy.

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