Southeast Asia | Pressing Issues

burnout

According to the 2024 Wellness at Work Report by Employment Hero, 61% of Singaporean employees are experiencing ___, with 39% feeling stressed multiple times a week

ages, workforce

Singapore is grappling with significant demographic challenges, as its population ___ rapidly, with fewer young people joining the ___ and more leaving

death penalty

Since Singapore's Prime Minister Lawrence Wong took office in May 2024, the policies on death penalty have become even more stringent

economic instability, petroleum

Timor-Leste faces ___ as it heavily relies on rapidly depleting ___ resources, with limited diversification in agriculture, manufacturing, and tourism, threatening fiscal sustainability and development

poverty, unemployment

Widespread ___ and ___ persist in Timor-Leste due to its overreliance on oil, poor infrastructure, limited formal job opportunities, and stalled development in key sectors

corruption, factionalism

Timor-Leste's governance is weakened by persistent ___, leadership struggles, and political ___, undermining development efforts and deterring foreign investment

economic instability, public debt, China

Laos faces ongoing _ driven by high inflation, currency depreciation, and unsustainable_—particularly to ___—causing widespread hardship among its population

tainted, methanol poisoning

Laos’ international image has been ___ by recent tourist deaths from ___ in Vang Vieng, prompting global safety concerns and potentially jeopardizing the country’s vital tourism industry

human trafficking, gender, activists

Laos continues to face serious human rights issues, including ___, ___-based violence, media censorship, suppression of protests, and violence against ___ both domestically and abroad

authoritarian, junta

Since the 2021 military coup, Myanmar has been engulfed in civil war and ___ rule, with the ___ clinging to power amid growing resistance and regional condemnation

collapsing, displacement, airstrikes, Rohingya

Myanmar faces a ___ economy, severe hunger, mass ___, and escalating human rights abuses—including ___ on civilians and ongoing persecution of the ___

Shwe Kokko, crime, Chinese

In Myanmar, ___ has transformed into a hotspot for transnational ___—including online scams, human trafficking, and money laundering—under the guise of ___-backed urban development

fertility rate, population, aging

Vietnam’s ___ fell to a historic low of 1.91 in 2024, raising concerns about future labor shortages, ___ decline, and socio-economic imbalances due to an ___ society

export, tariffs, US, imports

Vietnam’s ___-reliant economy faces serious threats from rising global ___—particularly those from the ___ on Chinese goods—disrupting supply chains and increasing pressure from Beijing to absorb more ___

free expression, 147, social media

Vietnam’s authoritarian crackdown on ___ intensified in 2024 with Decree ___, expanding state control over ___ and exposing dissenters to surveillance, arrest, and digital repression

repression, persecution

Despite pledges of democratic reform, Cambodia’s government has intensified ___ in 2024 through new laws, media crackdowns, and ___ of critics, drawing global condemnation

transmission, Prey Lang Wildlife Sanctuary, endangered, REDD+

A major ___ line project through Cambodia’s ___ threatens ___ species, accelerates deforestation, and undermines environmental protections and ___ conservation efforts

90, freeze, foreign aid

A ___-day ___ on US ___ by President Trump casts uncertainty over Cambodia’s critical development programs, jeopardizing health, education, and human rights initiatives

fuel, LGP subsidy

Indonesia faced public outrage and ___ shortages after a sudden ___ reform disrupted access for low-income households and small businesses, forcing the government to reverse the policy

Paris Agreement, US, coal phase-out

Indonesia’s dedication to the ___ is wavering amid ___ withdrawal, rising domestic skepticism, and insufficient funding for a ___, casting doubt on its climate goals

terrorist, Hambali

The potential return of ___ suspect ___ has sparked national debate over legal, moral, and security concerns, challenging Indonesia’s counterterrorism stance and public trust

Sharia Law, stoning, LGBTQ, women

Brunei’s nationwide implementation of ___ imposes severe punishments like ___ and flogging, deeply restricting ___ rights and ___’s autonomy while reinforcing systemic discrimination

oil, gas, tourism, energy

Brunei faces economic stagnation due to declining ___ and ___ production and a sluggish ___ recovery, threatening its long-term growth and ___-dependent economy

UK, military, China

The ___’s ___ presence in Brunei is under threat as ___’s growing economic and strategic influence challenges Western footholds in the region, raising geopolitical concerns

350, Bangkok, pollution

In Thailand, over ___ ___ schools were forced to close due to dangerously high PM2.5 ___ levels caused by vehicle emissions, crop burning, and industrial activity, prompting emergency health measures

Srettha Thavisin, removed, ethical breach

Prime Minister ___ was ___ by Thailand’s Constitutional Court over an ___ tied to a controversial cabinet appointment, deepening political instability

China, cross-border scam, abduction

Thailand, in coordination with ___, is intensifying efforts to dismantle ___ operations (Myanmar) and human trafficking hubs after a high-profile ___ exposed regional security risks

US trade, Trump, economic stability, adjustments, inflation

___ trade measures under President ___ pose serious risks to Malaysia’s ___, prompting calls for policy ___ to mitigate ___ and protect vulnerable sectors

free expression, sedition, communications, licensing

Malaysia is tightening its grip on ___ by amending ___ and ___ laws and introducing new ___ requirements for digital platforms, sparking censorship concerns

EU, deforestation, palm oil

The ___’s upcoming ___ law challenges Malaysia’s ___ exports but also pushes the industry to adopt more sustainable practices to retain access to European markets