Law & Paneir

The July 28, 2025 ceasefire agreement between Thailand and Cambodia, brokered by Malaysia as the current Chair of ASEAN, marks a crucial step toward de-escalating tensions in mainland Southeast Asia. The commitment to an immediate and unconditional halt to hostilities came after an emergency meeting in Putrajaya, where Malaysian Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim successfully brought both nations to the negotiating table. With a midnight ceasefire, informal military talks set for the following morning, and a General Border Committee meeting planned for August 4 in Cambodia, the diplomatic structure laid out is sound. Yet this development should not be viewed in isolation. It presents ASEAN with a broader test: Can the region maintain its independence and stability amid growing strategic rivalry between global powers, particularly the United States and China? The ceasefire highlights ASEAN’s capacity to resolve intra-regional disputes through its traditional consensus-drive...

The violent border clashes between Thailand and Cambodia have thrust Malaysia’s Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim into the spotlight not just as a concerned regional leader, but as the current Chair of ASEAN. With at least nine civilians dead, multiple injuries, airstrikes, and diplomatic relations downgraded, this conflict is no longer a bilateral issue but it is a regional crisis that demands a strong, strategic response. Anwar’s actions now will shape both the trajectory of this conflict and ASEAN’s credibility as a peace-promoting institution. So far, Anwar has taken the first step: calling for peace and reaching out to his counterparts in both countries. But expressions of concern, while important, are not sufficient. The region has already seen the cost of delayed and passive diplomacy in Myanmar. Anwar must lead ASEAN beyond this pattern of cautious disengagement. As ASEAN Chair, Anwar should immediately call for an emergency ASEAN Summit or a Special Meeting of ...

In Leviathan, the 17th-century philosopher Thomas Hobbes argued that in the absence of a sovereign authority, human beings live in a “state of nature” characterized by fear, insecurity, and constant conflict. Without a central power to impose order, each individual acts in their own interest, often threatening others in the process. The solution, Hobbes proposed, was the creation of an all-powerful sovereign that an entity entrusted with absolute authority to maintain peace and stability. In modern political terms, this sovereign is the state itself. As Malaysia navigates a complex era under the leadership of Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, Hobbes’s insights offer a compelling lens through which to assess both the administration’s actions and the expectations of its citizens. Anwar’s unity government came into power in November 2022 amid political fragmentation, economic uncertainty, and mounting social anxieties. Hobbes believed that individuals are willing to surrender certain ...

In the fog of Malaysian politics, few alliances have been as dramatic and fraught as that between Dr Mahathir Mohamad and Anwar Ibrahim. Once mentor and protégé, turned bitter enemies, then uneasy allies but their dynamic has profoundly shaped Malaysia’s political landscape over the past few decades. Since 1998, I had been a supporter of Anwar Ibrahim, even when it was risky to do so. I believed in his cause and his message of reform and justice. At a time when speaking up for Anwar could attract unwanted attention, I persisted because I was convinced, he was the change Malaysia needed. However, in recent years particularly since late 2022, my perception has shifted dramatically. I have witnessed Anwar's leadership firsthand, and it has been both disappointing and disheartening. The reformist image that once inspired millions now appears hollow, muddled by political compromises, indecisiveness, and a lack of real transformation. For the first time, I truly understand why Dr M...

In the age of mass surveillance, disinformation, and political polarization, the newly accessible files on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. at the U.S. National Archives are not just historical curiosities but they are urgent moral documents. They force us to confront an uncomfortable truth: that one of the most revered figures in American history was relentlessly surveilled, harassed, and smeared by his own government to neutralize his influence. The declassified FBI documents are long sealed under the justification of national security, reveal not just the overreach of a law enforcement agency but a systemic effort to dismantle a movement for justice by assassinating its character. These files, many of which date back to the 1960s and were compiled under the now-infamous COINTELPRO (Counter Intelligence Program), show how the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of J. Edgar Hoover, targeted Dr. King with unprecedented zeal. The rationale began with alleged ties to c...

By all appearances, the People's Justice Party (PKR) is united under the banner of reform, democratic governance, and social justice. However, beneath the surface, a growing ideological and political divergence is threatening to fracture the party's top leadership. At the heart of this rift is the quiet but intensifying cold war between Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and his one-time protégé and former PKR Deputy President, Rafizi Ramli. To many political observers, this cold war bears an uncanny resemblance to the historical fallout between Anwar and his former political mentor, Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad, in 1998. Then, Anwar was the rising reformist star within UMNO, riding high on a wave of public support and international admiration. His bold, progressive ideas and calls for economic transparency clashed with Mahathir’s entrenched autocratic style. The conflict culminated in Anwar’s dramatic ouster, galvanizing the Reformasi movement and birthing the very party he now lead...

As the Indo-Pacific region experiences growing instability driven by great power competition, especially in the South China Sea, Malaysia must adapt its defence strategy to respond to emerging threats. Rather than pursuing costly conventional weapons, Malaysia has a unique opportunity to enhance its military readiness through the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) and drone technology. This dual strategy provides a cost-effective, agile, and non-escalatory means of securing national interests while preserving its diplomatic neutrality and regional credibility. Malaysia’s defence strategy is increasingly pivoting toward unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). In June 2025, the Royal Malaysian Air Force acquired three Turkish-made Anka-S drones i.e. medium-altitude, long-endurance (MALE) UAVs equipped with synthetic aperture radar, electro-optical/infrared sensors, and secure satellite communications. Based in Labuan, these unarmed drones are primarily deployed for surveillance ope...

In today’s increasingly polarized global landscape, small and middle powers face growing pressure to pick sides in the rivalries between major geopolitical blocs. For Malaysia, a country strategically located in the heart of Southeast Asia, navigating this high-stakes environment requires a delicate balance between maintaining national sovereignty and leveraging the benefits of global partnerships. This balancing act was brought into sharp focus during the 25th Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit, hosted by China in Tianjin on June 25–26, 2025. The summit, centred on counter-terrorism, regional stability, and economic integration, reflected the SCO’s broader agenda, one that aligns with Chinese and Russian interests and often positions itself as a counterweight to Western influence. Meanwhile, the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (QUAD) made up of the United States, Japan, India, and Australia continues to push its vision of a “free and open Indo-Pacific.” The QUAD ...

The dismantling of the Bangladeshi Radical Militant Group (GMRB) in Malaysia has brought into sharp focus the evolving nature of extremist threats facing the country. This group, composed of 100 to 150 Bangladeshi nationals working in Malaysia’s labour sectors, had been secretly raising funds and recruiting on behalf of the Islamic State (IS) in Syria and Bangladesh. According to Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Mohd Khalid Ismail, members paid an annual RM500 fee, with additional voluntary contributions based on income levels. These funds were transferred abroad using e-wallet apps and money transfer services, while WhatsApp and Telegram were used to recruit and coordinate activities. Although Malaysia has long been seen as a stable and moderate country, the 2025 Global Terrorism Index (GTI) paints a more troubling picture. The GTI reports that terrorist activity is again on the rise globally, with 66 countries experiencing at least one attack in 2024, up from 58 the previous...

Recent controversies surrounding judicial appointments in Malaysia have once again brought to light a longstanding issue: the lack of a truly independent judiciary. As questions mount over executive involvement in the appointment of top judges and the silence from key decision-makers, Malaysians are expressing growing dissatisfaction with the transparency, accountability, and integrity of the justice system. These concerns are not new. From the 1988 judicial crisis to the 2007 V.K. Lingam scandal, Malaysia’s judiciary has, time and again, faced credibility challenges due to perceived executive interference. Now, as the nation faces another episode of political hesitation and opaque decision-making regarding the succession of top judges, it is time to re-examine how judicial independence can be safeguarded and how the United Kingdom’s model offers a proven path forward. Learning from the UK: Structural Independence Malaysia’s legal heritage is deeply rooted in the British comm...

President Donald Trump’s return to the White House has reenergized his trademark brand of economic nationalism this time, with sharper geopolitical edges. One of his administration’s early foreign policy actions in his second, non-consecutive term is a renewed crackdown on countries aligning with BRICS, a coalition of emerging economies challenging U.S.-led global financial dominance. Framing BRICS as “anti-American,” Trump recently announced a sweeping set of new tariffs, including a punitive 25% levy on goods from Malaysia, aimed at deterring participation in alternative trade blocs and efforts at de-dollarization. While major BRICS members China, Russia, India, Brazil, and South Africa have dismissed the notion that their bloc is inherently adversarial to the U.S., the implications of Trump’s announcement extend well beyond BRICS’ core membership. Countries like Malaysia, which have recently deepened ties with BRICS, are now caught in a strategic squeeze. For Malaysia, which a...