Singapore was part of the British Empire. It was once administered by the British from Calcutta (Kolkata). Many of our laws, including the Penal Code, were imported from India. The Indian Penal Code, in Section 377, criminalises ‘carnal intercourse against the order of nature’. Sodomy was considered a crime under Section 377. Section 377A of …
I want to begin my essay by stating that I have a very positive attitude towards Canada. I served twice as Singapore’s High Commissioner to Canada when I was based at the United Nations in New York. During those 13 years, I met many Canadian leaders, including Canada’s most famous and charismatic Prime Minister, Pierre …
ASEAN and Canada—Building Bridges Across the Pacific Read More »
The Russian Federation succeeded the Union of the Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) in 1991. The heart of the Russian Federation is Russia. The medieval state of “Rus” rose in the 9th century. It adopted orthodox Christianity as its religion in the 10th century. In the 13th century Rus was overrun by the Mongols and the …
Many people in ASEAN have great admiration for South Korea. They remember that the country had been destroyed by the 1950-1953 Korean War. The country was dirt poor. Some American pundits had even described it as a basket case. Undaunted by the challenges, South Korea has performed an economic miracle. Today, South Korea is a …
America was attacked by terrorists on 11 September 2001. It caused a paradigm change in United States foreign and security policy. The new priority was to fight terrorism and its sponsors. In his famous address to the US Congress, on 29 January 2002, President George W Bush named Iran, Iraq and North Korea as forming …
Trump-Kim Summit in Singapore: From Brink of War to Peace Read More »
I will begin my essay by stating that ASEAN and Japan are neighbours, friends and partners. The statement that ASEAN and Japan are neighbours may surprise some readers. How can I describe them as neighbours when Japan is located in Northeast Asia and ASEAN in Southeast Asia? My answer is that the 1997 Asian Financial …
ASEAN and Japan: Neighbours, Friends and Partners Read More »
On 9 May 2018, the Conciliation Commission in the maritime boundary dispute between Timor-Leste and Australia issued its report, marking the conclusion of the first-ever conciliation proceedings under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). This article aims to explain the significance of this ground-breaking conciliation case that culminates in the …
Australia and Timor-Leste’s Landmark Maritime Boundary Conciliation Process Read More »
The terms “north” and “south” have special meanings in the vocabulary of political science and international relations. The term, North, refers to the rich or developed countries which are usually located in the northern hemisphere. The term, South, refers to the poor or developing countries which are usually located in the southern hemisphere. Relations between …
ASEAN and European Union: A North-South Success Story Read More »
