New Naratif's Southeast Asia Dispatches
By New Naratif
New Naratif's Southeast Asia DispatchesAug 20, 2021
Democracy Unbound: Free Speech in Indonesia’s New Era with Fatia-Haris
This episode was recorded in front of an online live audience as part of our Media Freedom Network Legal Briefing activity. This episode was recorded in front of an online live audience as part of our Media Freedom Network Legal Briefing activity. In this episode with Fatia Muliyadiyanti and Haris Azhar we discuss their court victory following their criminalisation over a video discussing the involvement of Indonesia’s Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment, Luhut Binsar Panjaitan, in Papua’s mining operations and continued military occupation. We also discuss the sweeping victory of Prabowo Subianto ex-special forces commander with an alleged history of human rights abuses, in the 2024 general elections.
You can also find this podcast on our website. Our movement needs your support. A movement is only as strong as its members. If you believe in a more democratic Southeast Asia, join New Naratif as a member here.
Enforced Disappearance in Southeast Asia
Transparency and accountability and historical awareness are some of the most important pillars of democracy. Historical revisionism is an affront to that democracy. And enforced disappearances, where the police or military or paramilitary forces knock on your door and kidnap you, has always been the bedrock of such revisionism.
In this episode with Wulan Kusuma Wardhani and Celia Sevilla, we will talk about the cases of enforced disappearance in Indonesia and the Philippines, mechanisms for dealing with enforced disappearances, and what kind of regional solidarity that we need to tackle this issue.
You can also find this podcast on our website. Our movement needs your support. A movement is only as strong as its members. If you believe in a more democratic Southeast Asia, join New Naratif as a member through our website.
Editors Note: At 47:44, we mentioned "72 organisations" it is supposed to say "72 ratifications".
Engendering Media Freedom
In this episode, Wai Liang Tham (New Naratif's Researcher) and Avon Ang (Altermidya's National Coordinator) will talk about the 2nd and the 3rd publication of New Naratif’s Media Freedom Insights series titled “Engendering Media Freedom”, the role of Altermidya, and what to expect from New Naratif’s 4th MFI publication.
You can also find this podcast on our website. Our movement needs your support. A movement is only as strong as its members. If you believe in a more democratic Southeast Asia, join New Naratif as a member through our website.
Malaysia’s Justice for Sisters on Democratic Participation
In this episode, Oktaria Asmarani (New Naratif's Researcher) and Thilaga Sulathireh (Justice for Sisters) will talk about the systemic and structural issues that hinder the practice of inclusive democracy in Southeast Asia, the cases in Malaysia, the role of research, and the importance of regional solidarity.
You can also find this podcast on our website. Our movement needs your support. A movement is only as strong as its members. If you believe in a more democratic Southeast Asia, join New Naratif as a member here.
Unlawful Surveillance in Southeast Asia, Pegasus Case
This is a special edition of the podcast, the fourth of six episodes in the Pegasus series that New Naratif are co-producing together with KBR. Three episodes will be conducted in English, while three in Bahasa Indonesia, which you can find at Ruang Publik at kbrprime.id.
At a time when the use of spyware is becoming increasingly normalised and the lines between counterterrorism efforts and surveillance technologies are increasingly blurred, it is important to secure human rights before national security through collective action on rights-based approaches to counter-terrorism.
In this episode, Gema Gita Persada (LBH Pers) and Ni Putu Candra Dewi (Manushya Foundation) will talk about unlawful surveillance in Southeast Asia, what can we do about it, and of course, what can the listeners do to help this process.
You can also find this podcast on our website. Our movement needs your support. A movement is only as strong as its members. If you believe in a more democratic Southeast Asia, join New Naratif as a member here.
Unmasking the Menace of Pegasus
This episode was recorded in front of an online live audience as part of our Media Freedom Network Legal Briefing activity. It is also part of our Pegasus Series, a series of podcasts, comics, articles, and other conversations on the Israeli spyware Pegasus and its unlawful applications in Indonesia and the rest of Southeast Asia.
We hope that this legal briefing session can help media practitioners and members of the public in Southeast Asia and beyond. We also hope to establish further cooperation in our efforts to promote democracy and media freedom in Southeast Asia.
You can also find this podcast on our website. Our movement needs your support. A movement is only as strong as its members. If you believe in a more democratic Southeast Asia, join New Naratif as a member here.
Penyadapan Ilegal di Indonesia, Kasus Pegasus
This is a special edition of the Southeast Asia Dispatches, the third of six episodes in the Pegasus series that we are co-producing together with KBR. Three episodes will be conducted in English, while three in Bahasa Indonesia, which you can find at Ruang Publik at KBRPrime.id.
In our previous two episodes of Pegasus Series, we discovered that we need to push the government to form an investigation team related to Pegasus spyware in Indonesia. This team will also serve as checks and balances for the use of Pegasus and other surveillance tools in Indonesia.
However, until now there has been no follow-up from the government regarding this situation. In 2021, Member of Commission I DPR, Effendi Simbolon, said that Indonesia was indeed using Pegasus. According to him, this tool has long been used by Indonesian intelligence, mainly to deal with terrorism.
On the other hand, the Head of the Technology, Informatics and Communications Division of the National Police, Slamet Uliandi, did not deny the use of zero-click based spyware, but not Pegasus.
In this episode, Gema Gita Persada (LBH Pers) will discuss surveillance regulations in Indonesia, unlawful surveillance, and the role of civil society.
You can also find this podcast on our website. Our movement needs your support. A movement is only as strong as its members. If you believe in a more democratic Southeast Asia, join New Naratif as a member here.
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Dari pembicaraan pada 2 episode sebelumnya di Pegasus Series, kita mendapati betapa pentingnya menekan pemerintah Indonesia untuk membentuk tim investigasi sesuai dengan kewajiban konstitusionalnya. Tim ini juga akan berfungsi sebagai checks and balances untuk penggunaan Pegasus dan alat-alat pemantauan lainnya di Indonesia. Namun, hingga saat ini belum ada tindak lanjut dari pemerintah terkait situasi ini. Pada 2021 silam, Anggota Komisi I DPR, Effendi Simbolon, menyebut Indonesia memang memakai Pegasus. Menurutnya, sudah lama alat itu digunakan oleh para intelijen Indonesia, terutama menangani terorisme.
Di sisi lain, Kepala Divisi Teknologi, Informatika, dan Komunikasi Polri Slamet Uliandi tak membantah adanya penggunaan penyadap berbasis zero-click, tapi bukan Pegasus. Dalam episode kali ini, Gema Gita Persada (LBH Pers) akan membahas tentang peraturan penyadapan di Indonesia, pelanggaran-pelanggaran yang terjadi, serta bagaimana peran masyarakat sipil dalam menghadapi situasi ini.
Thailand's Press by the People
We’ve covered the political situation in Thailand before in this podcast – a constant struggle between pro-democracy factions and former royalist powers. Although there are members of the press on both sides, the idea and maintenance of press freedom itself remains a challenge, especially since the 2014 military coup.
In this episode, we're talking with New, a citizen journalist and pro-democracy activist who believes that there are ways to maintain your safety while still being very very critical of the government. New is not employed by any news organisation and covers protests voluntarily.
In this episode, we're talking about New's personal experiences, how to stay safe, and, of course, the kind of regional solidarity that we need for Thailand across Southeast Asia.
You can also find this podcast on our website. Our movement needs your support. A movement is only as strong as its members. If you believe in a more democratic Southeast Asia, join New Naratif as a member here.
The Citizens' Agenda Indonesia
The Citizens’ Agenda is a space for citizens to express their concerns and increase their political participation. In general, it is a survey aimed at creating a space for citizens to express their concerns and increase their political participation.
Your concerns will then be used to guide our democracy classes and media coverage to create pathways for citizens to engage in politics and help Southeast Asians Participate as citizens in their communities more easily.
In this episode, we will talk about New Naratif’s The Citizens Agenda, 22 most important issues facing Indonesia in 2023, and what we can do about it.
You can also find this podcast on our website. Our movement needs your support. A movement is only as strong as its members. If you believe in a more democratic Southeast Asia, join New Naratif as a member here.
Cambodia’s Media Clampdown
In February 2023, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen ordered the closure of one of the country's last independent local news outlets, Voice of Democracy (VOD), saying it had attacked him and his son and caused damage to the country. VOD is one of the few independent and vital media outlets left in Cambodia since the media crackdown circa 2017-2018.
Silence of the press is one of the Cambodian government's strategies to stay in power. Freedom House observed that the 2018 Cambodian elections took place "in an extremely repressive environment".
In this episode, we will talk about media shutdowns and shrinking democratic space in Cambodia, how media workers and the public alike are dealing with the situation, and how regional solidarity is really important to create change.
You can also find this podcast on our website. Our movement needs your support. A movement is only as strong as its members. If you believe in a more democratic Southeast Asia, join New Naratif as a member here.
The Threats of Anti Terror Law in The Philippines
In July 2022, Jasmin Rubia, Kenneth Rementilla, and Hailey Pecayo took part in a fact-finding mission to look into the alleged murder of Kylene Casao, a 9-year-old girl, and Maximino Digno, a 50-year-old farmer, by members of the 59th Infantry Battalion on July 18 in Taysan, Batangas. Later, the military stated that people who took part in the fact-finding mission were giving terrorists material assistance. The law authorises the police and military to hold people for up to 24 days without a warrant or charge. This is clearly in violation of international laws and standards. But this is what red-tagging does: giving the government vast rights to conduct surveillance and label groups or people as terrorists without due process, or in fact any clarity on how that label can be removed afterwards. In this episode, we will talk about the Kyllene and Maximino investigation, the ATA law in the Philippines, and what we can do as Southeast Asians to support the persecuted activists and to vigorously fight for the repeal of said law.
You can also find this podcast on our website. Our movement needs your support. A movement is only as strong as its members. If you believe in a more democratic Southeast Asia, join New Naratif as a member here.
The Struggle to End Child Immigration Detention in Malaysia
Based on April 2023 figures from the Home Ministry, a total of 1,030 children, 43% of whom are girls, are currently being held in 19 immigration detention centres across Malaysia. Two-thirds of these are unaccompanied and separated children.
There are alternatives to detention that ensures proper administration of migration in kinder, more successful, and less expensive ways that do not include arrest or imprisonment. We call this Alternatives to Detention, or ATD. But if that’s so promising, why hasn’t there been any concrete action?
In this episode, Hannah Jambunathan (International Detention Coalition) and Joshua Low (New Naratif) will talk about children in Malaysia’s immigration detention centres, what the deal is with the holdup in the Malaysian government, and what researchers and non-researchers can do to help advocacy moving forward.
You can also find this podcast on our website. Our movement needs your support. A movement is only as strong as its members. If you believe in a more democratic Southeast Asia, join New Naratif as a member here.
Pegasus Spyware di Indonesia
This is a special edition of the Southeast Asia Dispatches, the first of six episodes in the Pegasus series that we are co-producing together with KBR. Three episodes will be conducted in English, while three in Bahasa Indonesia, which you can find at Ruang Publik at KBRPrime.id.
Pegasus Spyware has been used in over 24 countries throughout the world, including Thailand and Ukraina, even a narcotics cartel in Mexico. Data from Indonesia Leaks reveals that Pegasus was purchased in 2018 from its developer, NSO Group, a cyber weapons company from Israel. In this episode, Ika Ningtyas (AJI Indonesia) and Imal (SAFENet) will discuss the Indonesia Leaks report, the impact of Pegasus on human rights in Indonesia, and the role of civil society in this situation.
You can also find this podcast on our website. Our movement needs your support. A movement is only as strong as its members. If you believe in a more democratic Southeast Asia, join New Naratif as a member here.
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Pegasus adalah perangkat lunak mata-mata atau spyware yang telah digunakan di lebih dari 24 negara di seluruh dunia, termasuk Thailand dan Ukraina, serta bahkan kartel narkotika di Meksiko. Data dari Indonesia Leaks mengungkapkan bahwa Pegasus dibeli pada tahun 2018 dari pengembangnya, NSO Group, sebuah perusahaan senjata siber asal Israel. Dalam episode kali ini kami bersama Ika Ningtyas (AJI Indonesia) dan Imal (SAFENet) akan membahas tentang laporan Indonesia Leaks, dampak Pegasus terhadap hak asasi manusia di Indonesia, dan peran masyarakat sipil dalam situasi ini.
Pegasus Spyware in Southeast Asia
This is a special edition of the Southeast Asia Dispatches, the first of six episodes in the Pegasus series that we are co-producing together with KBR. Three episodes will be conducted in English, while three in Bahasa Indonesia, which you can find at Ruang Publik at KBRPrime.id.
In 2022, iLaw, Digital Reach, and The Citizen Lab discovered a large-scale espionage campaign targeting pro-democracy demonstrators and activists calling for monarchy reform in Thailand. At least 30 people were infected with NSO Group's Pegasus spyware.
Thailand's parliament has so far failed to introduce regulation or countermeasures against the government's extensive and evolving surveillance powers, while government accountability mechanisms have weakened and attacks on civil society continue.
You can also find this podcast on our website. Our movement needs your support. A movement is only as strong as its members. If you believe in a more democratic Southeast Asia, join New Naratif as a member here.
Digital Security Support in Thai Protests
Thailand’s political situation has been rather tumultuous for a while. What began as pro-democracy marches by students in February 2020 expanded into endless protests against the pro-military administration, and has become the first time in modern Thai history that the monarchy has been discussed openly in a critical manner, despite the fact that doing so is a punishable violation.
At the height of the situation, the movement also founded protection mechanisms for human rights defenders and activists which aim to provide digital security support and assistance to activists in need through helpline service.
In this episode, Bonnibel Rambatan and Darika Bamrungchok will be talking about what’s happening in Thailand after the Elections and the importance of digital security support during protests.
You can also find this podcast on our website. Our movement needs your support. A movement is only as strong as its members. If you believe in a more democratic Southeast Asia, join New Naratif as a member here.
A Tale of Queer Migration in Indonesia
This episode is based on their short comic trilogy called “The Rites of Passage: A Tale of Queer Migration” by Asmara S. Wigati. In this episode, Asmara and Bonni discusses the trilogy, Asmara’s journey, and how we can build better connections and collective care for queer people in Indonesia.
You can check the trilogy through the link below:
2. Transition
3. Homeward
You can also find this podcast on our website. Our movement needs your support. A movement is only as strong as its members. If you believe in a more democratic Southeast Asia, join New Naratif as a member here.
Queerphobia in Indonesia's Newsrooms
In general, the national media in Indonesia either ignores LGBTQ+ issues or does not cover them at all. Otherwise, when they publish such content, they are blatantly reflecting hate and discrimination through the language, choice of sources, and use of news frames. In this episode, Bonnibel Rambatan and Widia Primastika will talk about the queerphobia media ecosystem in Indonesia, policies that forbid publishing news on LGBTQIA+, and where do journalist queer peoples stand. Previously, we also published Tika's article titled "Queerphobia in the Newsroom: Beyond the News on LGBTQIA+" as one of our Media Freedom Voices publication.
You can also find this podcast on our website.
Our movement needs your support. A movement is only as strong as its members. If you believe in a more democratic Southeast Asia, join New Naratif as a member here.
The Principles of Democracy
In this episode, Bonnibel Rambatan and PJ Thum will be talking about New Naratif’s upcoming Principles of Democracy project and what it takes to build a democracy.
In the upcoming months, we’ll be publishing a series of articles on principles of democracy, illustrated through concrete examples from Southeast Asia, showing how Southeast Asians define and promote democracy in their communities. We’ll also be holding Democracy Classrooms, about once a month, online, on these principles, which you can also take part in. So, what else does it take to build a democracy?
You can also find this podcast on our website at https://newnaratif.com/sead-principles-of-democracy/
Our movement needs your support. A movement is only as strong as its members. If you believe in a more democratic Southeast Asia, join New Naratif as a member https://newnaratif.com/product/membership/
Managing the Cost of Living in Malaysia
The start of the new decade in 2020 was devastating and demoralising for many Malaysians. Millions of Malaysians' quality of life has been drastically lowered by the pandemic, political and economic crisis, and flood. The present social protection system in Malaysia has been stretched to its breaking point by the extraordinary scope and severity of the health, political, flood, and economic crises, demanding ad hoc budgetary help to complement them.
In this episode, Bonnibel Rambatan and Greg Lopez will discuss the top three issues, cost of living, employment and wages, and the economy, along with how the Malaysian government may address them through inclusive economic growth and all-inclusive social protection.
You can also find this podcast on our website at https://newnaratif.com/managing-the-cost-of-living-in-malaysia/
Our movement needs your support. A movement is only as strong as its members. If you believe in a more democratic Southeast Asia, join New Naratif as a member https://newnaratif.com/product/membership/
Trans Healthcare in Indonesia
On May 18th, we released an episode talking about Indonesia’s new Health Bill that is currently being proposed. The Indonesian government has been criticised for their hasty process and lack of access to information for the public. It’s problematic, to say the least, and while some activists are seeing opportunities for reform in this Bill, its potential for harm is nothing to scoff at.
In this episode, we’ll be talking about something a little more complicated. Trans healthcare in Indonesia. It’s already a tricky subject, but if the health bill passes, there will be a lot more risks of criminalisation and imprisonment, not only for trans people but also for the healthcare providers and the rest of our allies.
You can also find this podcast on our website at https://newnaratif.com/trans-healthcare-in-indonesia/
Only as strong as its members. If you believe in a more democratic Southeast Asia, join New Naratif as a member https://newnaratif.com/product/membership/
Enabling Filipino Children to Dream in Colour
Through their initiatives, FundLife, a purpose-driven not for profit organisation in the Philippines, is committed to improving this situation. They aim to establish educational and employment pathways for Philippines underprivileged youth so that they can achieve their full potential.
In this episode we will be talking about how the most marginalised children and youth are living in chronic and short-term emergencies in the Philippines, FundLife’s initiatives, and of course, how every dream is worth believing in.
Marie Angelique Villamor is the Project Lead for Girls and Women Empowerment at FundLife. Angel is a nurse and a teacher by profession, and has been in the field of development work for years. She works on the grass roots level in the marginalised sectors in the community. She is a strong advocate in Child Rights, Gender Equity, and Youth Empowerment.
You can also find this podcast on our website at https://newnaratif.com/enabling-filipino-children-to-dream-in-colour/
Our movement needs your support. A movement is only as strong as its members. If you believe in a more democratic Southeast Asia, join New Naratif as a member https://newnaratif.com/product/membership/
The Fight for Reproductive Rights in Indonesia
Earlier this month, the Indonesian House of Representatives (DPR RI) and the government continued the legislative process of the Health Bill.The rapidity with which the government and the House of Representatives drafted the Health Bill has drawn criticism, as has the public's lack of access to information
In this episode, Bonnibel Rambatan will talk with Diah Satyani Saminarsih and Ignatia Alfa Gloria about the updates on Indonesia Health Bill progress and its problems, reproductive health issues on the Health Bill, and why this health bill needs to be monitored together.
Diah Satyani Saminarsih is the Founder & CEO of Center for Indonesia’s Strategic Development Initiatives or CISDI. Diah is a psychologist by training, her professional journey has gone across consulting companies, national ministry/public institutions, and now multilateral organisations.
Ignatia Alfa Gloria. is Policy and Advocacy Officer at Yayasan IPAS Indonesia. She believes every woman needs to be able to determine their own sexuality and reproductive rights. Beside her day job, she is also learning and doing stand up comedy.
You can also find this podcast on our website at https://newnaratif.com/the-fight-for-reproductive-rights-in-indonesia/
Our movement needs your support. A movement is only as strong as its members. If you believe in a more democratic Southeast Asia, join New Naratif as a member https://newnaratif.com/product/membership/
The Struggles of Refugees in Malaysia
In Peninsular Malaysia there are over one hundred and eighty thousand refugees. Regardless of origin or identity, they all run into the same core problem of legal recognition. Malaysian authorities treat refugees as illegal, as there are no laws relating to their status. How do you expect to have a democracy when there are that many people not being legally recognised?
In this episode, we will talk about refugee struggles in Malaysia, Joshua Low’s previous and current work, and the broader issues at hand.
Joshua is a social anthropologist by training who recently completed fieldwork in Northern Ecuador researching xenophobia and the impact of legal documentation. Having grown up in Southeast Asia, he has since moved back and is now working on Forced Migration Research along with the Research Team here in New Naratif.
You can also find this podcast on our website at https://newnaratif.com/the-struggles-of-refugees-in-malaysia/
Our movement needs your support. A movement is only as strong as its members. If you believe in a more democratic Southeast Asia, join New Naratif as a member https://newnaratif.com/product/membership/
Myanmar’s New Feminist Narrative
In this episode, Bonnibel Rambatan and Thet Wai talks about Myanmar's New Feminist Narrative and Wai's experiences as a feminist activist in Myanmar.
Thet Wai is a gender rights researcher at New Naratif currently leading our Democratic Participation research. She has spent more than ten years working with different marginalised groups in Myanmar for feminist movement building.
You can also find this podcast on our website at https://newnaratif.com/myanmars-new-feminist-narrative/
Our movement needs your support. A movement is only as strong as its members. If you believe in a more democratic Southeast Asia, join New Naratif as a member https://newnaratif.com/product/membership/
Santa Ana: Stories by the Riverside
The episode will be presented to you by Levi Masuli, who will be telling the story of former migrants turned riverside vegetable farmers in Santa Ana of the Rizal Province, Philippines.
Levi Masuli is a sound artist and community organiser for Migrante Philippines, whose community work focuses on strengthening local migrants' formations, providing education, and empowering their capacity for political mobilisation and cultural expression.
This Southeast Asia Dispatches special episode was brought to you by New Naratif and made possible by the BEBESEA Story Fellowship.
Find other stories produced in this fellowship, and find out more about what you can do to support migrant workers, stateless people, and other displaced populations at newnaratif.com/story-fellowship.
You can also find this podcast on our website at https://newnaratif.com/santa-ana-stories-by-the-riverside/
Our movement needs your support. A movement is only as strong as its members. If you believe in a more democratic Southeast Asia, join New Naratif as a member https://newnaratif.com/product/membership/
Indonesia's Police Brutality & Media Freedom
One of the key pillars of democracy is the ability to freely criticise those in power. But as we all know, such is rarely the case in Southeast Asia. Whenever journalists criticise any police-related issues, it is no secret that they need to be extremely careful.
Over the last five years, the police have been a major perpetrator in violence against journalists in Indonesia. Worse is that they remain unpunished. Contrary to their explicitly stated principles, often known as Tri Brata and Catur Prasetya, police members in Indonesia contribute to plenty of human rights violations. They clearly do not protect and serve the people – just in case anyone still believes that.
In this episode, Bonnibel Rambatan, Fadiyah Alaidrus, and Ade Wahyudin will be talking about Indonesia’s police brutality and its effect on media freedom, police reform and other related policy advocacies, and how we can contribute to create change.
You can also find this podcast on our website at https://newnaratif.com/myanmars-new-feminist-narrative/
Our movement needs your support. A movement is only as strong as its members. If you believe in a more democratic Southeast Asia, join New Naratif as a member https://newnaratif.com/product/membership/
Research as Activism
With an increasingly hostile atmosphere towards media workers in Southeast Asia, New Naratif’s Media Freedom Insights publications try to better understand their life experiences. New Naratif’s current Media Freedom Insights series, titled “Engendering Media Freedom,” aims to showcase the gendered experiences of journalists in the region to understand the media ecosystem.
In this episode, Bonnibel Rambatan and Wai Liang Tham we’ll be talking about Research as Activism. But essentially, rather than simply applying a theoretical framework, this approach platforms marginalised voices, researching with people instead of researching people.
You can also find this podcast on our website at https://newnaratif.com/research-as-activism/
Our movement needs your support. A movement is only as strong as its members. If you believe in a more democratic Southeast Asia, join New Naratif as a member https://newnaratif.com/product/membership/
On Media Freedom and Digital Security
Bonnibel Rambatan talks to Damar Juniarto, Executive Director of SAFEnet, about digital rights and digital security, the increasing judicial harassment of expression in the digital space in Southeast Asia, how various countries try to emulate China's Great Firewall to conduct surveillance and censorship of its people, and how can the people of Southeast Asia fight back the digital authoritarian practices.
Damar Juniarto mentioned lots of things that us listeners can access for our own protection, as well as to share to everyone in our networks who might benefit from it:
- For the fast response team for those under cyber attacks, go to trace.mu
- For an education on online gender-based violence go to awaskbgo.id
- For an education on digital rights, go to padepokan.safenet.or.id
- For an education on digital security, go to digses.safenet.0r.id
- And finally, to assess your own digital vulnerability, go to pakemdiri.safenet.or.id
You can also find all of these links in our show notes at https://newnaratif.com/on-media-freedom-and-digital-security/
Our movement needs your support. A movement is only as strong as its members. If you believe in a more democratic Southeast Asia, join New Naratif as a member https://newnaratif.com/product/membership/
Resilience Against Digital Authoritarianism
It is important for any coalition of democratic allies to play both defensive and offensive roles, promoting resilience to authoritarian digital threats while building an affirmative alternative that diminishes the influence of authoritarian actors over time.
In New Naratif, the Media Freedom Network (MFN) is our response to these challenges as we aim to build a sustainable network of media workers, organisations, and activists to provide support, solidarity, and resources to media practitioners in our region. There are, fortunately, quite a few initiatives with a similar mission across Southeast Asia. One of the oldest ones is the Alliance for Independent Journalists in Indonesia or Aliansi Jurnalis Independen Indonesia (AJI)
In this episode, Bonnibel Rambatan talks to Ika Ningtyas, the current Secretary General of AJI Indonesia. Having been an independent journalist for a number of years herself, she now fights for media freedom as well as the safety and welfare of journalists and human rights defenders alike.
MFN network activities include digital security trainings, legal briefings, and workshops, which you can find out more about at newnaratif.com/mediafreedom.
Our movement needs your support. A movement is only as strong as its members. If you believe in a more democratic Southeast Asia, join New Naratif as a member https://newnaratif.com/product/membership/
Legal Rights for Haiyan’s LGBTQ Survivors
In this episode, Bonnibel Rambatan talks to Arturo Golong, or Arthur, a trans woman who was also Haiyan’s survivor, and Mavic Conde, a Filipino environmental journalist, about how things are going right now regarding Haiyan’s survivors, the story behind discriminatory laws in Philippines, the Yolanda Permanent Housing Program, and SOGIESC Equality Bill in Philippines.
You can help their initiatives by signing the petition to support the SOGIESC Equality Bill becoming a law in the Philippines on change.org, link in the show notes or in our article at newnaratif.com. Share the article, as well as this podcast, to raise awareness about this issue.
Our movement needs your support. A movement is only as strong as its members. If you believe in a more democratic Southeast Asia, join New Naratif as a member https://newnaratif.com/product/membership/
Development Through Distress
Previously, Teo S. Marasigan, Filipino activist and New Naratif's researcher, published research series on OFWs titled "The Philippines’ Dangerous Dependence on the Exploitation of its People" and "Agency Amidst Structures in Migration: Stories of Filipina Domestic Workers in Dubai".
In this episode, Bonnibel Rambatan talks to to Teo S. Marasigan and Zelda Santos, a domestic worker and volunteer of a help desk for distressed OFWs in the United Arab Emirates, about the history of OFWs, how the government ended up aggressively exporting Filipinos, how did people decided to be one, bagong bayani narrative from the government, help desk for OFWs from OFWs, and who are the beneficiaries of this phenomenon.
You can find this podcast on our website at https://newnaratif.com/development-through-distress/
Our movement needs your support. A movement is only as strong as its members. If you believe in a more democratic Southeast Asia, join New Naratif as a member https://newnaratif.com/product/membership/
On Media Freedom and Public Journalism
In this episode, Bonnibel Rambatan talks with Evi Mariani, one of the co-founders of Project Multatuli, a collective initiative dedicated to carrying out the ideals of public journalism by giving a voice to the voiceless, spotlighting the marginalised, and reporting on the underreported, whose work involves collaboration with other news organisations, research bodies, and civil society groups that strive for democracy, human rights, social justice, environmental sustainability, and equal rights for all.
Evi Mariani has won the 2020 Public Service Journalism Award from the Society of Publishers in Asia and the 2020 Tasrif Award from the AJI, the Indonesian Alliance of Independent Journalists. In this interview, Bonni and Evi talks about what media freedom means and what the ideals of public journalism are, and how we can keep up a good fight despite the increasing threats to our freedom of expression in Southeast Asia
Myths & Migration
On this episode, Bonnibel Rambatan talks about New Naratif’s Research Department and the idea of research as activism with Lengga Pradipta, Migration Researcher at New Naratif.
Migration research is an evergreen field of study that has only grown in its breadth of topics and range of micro-disciplines. In line with our approach of research as activism, that by conducting and publishing research that draws attention to such systematic failures of countries, and the consequent price that individual communities and people have to unjustly pay for, that we will embody the metaphorical butterfly whose flapping wings causes a cascading effect, changing people's attitudes and raising their awareness until this eventually manifests as the healing winds in a reformatory hurricane of social change, whether this is done through highlighting the environmental degradation resulting from reckless policies, the heartbreaking circumstances that lead Indonesian women to seek to migrate, or the self-destructive ways through which governments can actively encourage their people to desire being exploited.
You can also find this podcast on our website at https://newnaratif.com/myths-migration/
Our movement needs your support. A movement is only as strong as its members. If you believe in a more democratic Southeast Asia, join New Naratif as a member https://newnaratif.com/product/membership/
Advocating for Trans Liberation in Southeast Asia
On this episode, Bonnibel Rambatan talks about trans liberation in Southeast Asia with Erik Nadir and Nhuun Yodmuang from Asia Pacific Transgender Network, also known as APTN, a trans-led organisation that engages with a range of partners across Asia and the Pacific to support, organise, and advocate for fundamental human rights including gender identity, access to justice and legal protections, and comprehensive gender-affirming policies and healthcare. APTN work to improve the lives of trans and gender diverse people throughout Asia and the Pacific. Over the course of a decade, APTN has grown to become a credible voice for transgender people in Asia and the Pacific, working to ensure that their rights and needs are represented politically, socially, culturally, and economically. The network serves as a platform for transgender people to advocate for access to health, legal gender recognition, legislative reform, social justice and human rights, and to share information and strategies with one another.
You can also find this podcast on our website at https://newnaratif.com/advocating-for-trans-liberation-in-southeast-asia/
Our movement needs your support. A movement is only as strong as its members. If you believe in a more democratic Southeast Asia, join New Naratif as a member https://newnaratif.com/product/membership/
Duterte’s War On Women, Workers and Farmers
Content warning: This podcast includes references to sexual assault.
On this week’s episode, Jacob Goldberg speaks to Peter Murphy, chairman of the International Coalition for Human Rights in the Philippines, also known as ICHRP. ICHRP is a network of organisations in the Philippines and in diaspora communities around the world working to inform the international community about extrajudicial killings and other human rights abuses in the Philippines. Philippine human rights groups estimate that up to 30,000 people have been killed in President Rodrigo Duterte’s war on drugs, and more than 400 have been killed in what appear to be politically motivated attacks. Almost every week, reports emerge of a new massacre, and almost always, these are coordinated attacks, and the victims are workers, poor people, fisherfolk, indigenous leaders and human rights defenders.
In this interview, Jacob and Peter talk about how these killings are aimed at preventing leftist people’s movements and political parties from campaigning.
Communist Democracy in the Philippines
On this week's episode, Jacob Goldberg speaks to Professor Jose Maria Sison, who goes by the nickname Joma. Joma is the founding chairman of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP), which has been waging a revolutionary guerilla war against the Philippine government since 1968. He is a controversial figure to many and a beloved comrade to others. The United States and the Philippine governments have designated him as a terrorist, while he lives in the Netherlands as a recognised political refugee. In 1977, he was imprisoned for more than eight years for organising against the Marcos dictatorship.
Today, he continues to advise the CPP and its network of allied revolutionary organisations that make up the National Democratic Front, always pushing for the introduction of what he calls National Democracy—a democracy for the toiling masses of the Philippines, distinct from the “semi-colonial and semi-feudal society” that exists there today.
In this interview, Jacob and Joma discuss the meaning of National Democracy and how to achieve it.
In the process, there are some acronyms not every listener might be familiar with. There’s the CPP—the Communist Party of the Philippines; the NPA—the New People’s Army, which is the armed wing of the CPP, waging a guerilla war in the countryside. Joma refers to the GRP, which is the Government of the Republic of the Philippines, and to the SGRM—the Second Great Rectification Movement, which was an effort by the CPP in 1992 to correct its political course and identify counterrevolutionaries. Critics of the CPP say this process led to several assassinations, while Joma denies this.
New Naratif in 2021: A Year of Many Firsts
New Naratif founder PJ Thum and editor-in-chief Jacob Goldberg reflect on the tough decisions, impactful stories and blossoming team spirit that made 2021 our most memorable year yet.
Can Malaysia’s Cycle of Statelessness Be Broken?
Earlier this year, New Naratif published a piece about Wong Kueng Hui, one of the many stateless people in the Malaysian state of Sabah, and his decade-long legal battle to gain citizenship in Malaysia.
In October 2019, the Kuala Lumpur High Court finally granted Wong citizenship. But this breakthrough only lasted for three weeks. The Malaysian government applied for a stay of execution on the order to grant Wong’s citizenship. Last month was the two-year anniversary of what could have marked the end of his ongoing struggle.
On this week’s episode of Southeast Asia Dispatches, we look at what has happened since. We hear from Wong himself, along with his lawyer, Haijan Omar, and Dr. Vilashini Somiah, executive committee member of the Sabah Human Rights Centre. We discuss Wong’s efforts to break the generational cycle of statelessness affecting him and nearly a million other people who live in Sabah.
If you enjoy what we’re doing, please support our work by becoming a member of New Naratif at newnaratif.com/join. Memberships start at just 52 US dollars a year — that’s just one dollar a week. Or you can donate at newnaratif.com/donate.
Is Malaysia’s Parliament Dead?
On the 16th of August, Malaysia’s 8th prime minister, Muhyiddin Yassin and his cabinet, who came to power via a political coup in 2020, officially resigned. At the time of this recording, the next prime minister is being selected by a secret vote by members of parliament via statutory declarations to the king. The next prime minister—the third in two years—will be just another product of a long-running political crisis. How can Malaysians enact meaningful change when politicians can so easily topple the government by jumping between coalitions?
On this week's episode, Deborah Augustin speaks to Arveent Kathirtchelvan and Chong Yee Shan from Parti Sosialis Malaysia about the limitations of electoral politics and potential alternatives to this system.
Why Malaysia’s COVID-19 Aid Isn’t Reaching Queer Communities
Since March 2020, Malaysia has been placed under several movement control orders (MCOs) that restrict movement and business operations in order to curb COVID-19 infections. However, the MCOs have also resulted in rising unemployment, business closures and increased food insecurity. Cash aid from the government has been disbursed in several stages, with the next one only due to arrive in August 2021. As the country faces increasing economic difficulties in the wake of the pandemic, mutual aid funds have sprung up around Malaysia to provide food and cash aid to affected communities.
However, LGBTQIA+ people face an extra hurdle when it comes to accessing aid. Fears of discrimination, being dead-named and an increasingly hostile environment toward queer people prevents them from accessing aid from public COVID-19 funds.
In this episode, Deborah Augustin speaks to Nisha Ayub from SEED Foundation and Connie Connor, an organiser with the Queer Solidarity Fund, about the need for LGBTQIA+ specific mutual aid funds that are more gender-inclusive, and how the queer community in Malaysia has organised themselves against the backdrop of an increasingly hostile environment.
For the sake of full transparency, we'd like to disclose that the presenter has previously donated to both SEED Foundation and the Queer Solidarity Fund.
Why Some Malaysian Teachers Are Paying for Students’ Mobile Data
Every so often, heartwarming stories emerge of educators and students alike overcoming hurdles in order for learning to continue, whether that’s a teacher travelling over 100 kilometres daily to reach students in rural areas, or a student who spent the night in a tree for better internet connection to sit for her exams. Stories like these tend to take off on social media because they represent a sense of triumph over adversity. But on the flip side, they also represent a societal failure to ensure access to education for all—a problem that has only been made worse by COVID-19.
In Malaysia, students have mostly been learning online since the onset of the pandemic and online learning seems likely to continue through August before a gradual reopening of schools. For many students without regular internet access, this has meant falling behind with their lessons. A survey conducted by the Ministry of Education in 2020 with almost 900,000 student respondents suggests that 37% do not have appropriate devices for home learning—and those who do may have to share with others in their household. So while remote learning may be an inconvenience to some, it is a true barrier to education for many, especially those from low-income families.
On this episode, Dayana Mustak speaks to Mazliza Mahmood, a teacher, and Chan Soon Seng, CEO of Teach for Malaysia. They talk about the educational alternatives available when a pandemic means in-person learning could put lives at risk and what help has been given to support students in need during this time.
For more information on how you can help Mazliza's students, you can send an enquiry to taniazae@rocketmail.com.
Undocumented and Unvaccinated: Malaysia’s Unequal Vaccine Rollout
Infection rates continue to climb in Malaysia’s latest wave of COVID-19 infections. National COVID-19 Immunisation Programme was launched in February, not long after it was announced that everyone would be included in the vaccination program, including undocumented migrants. However, the Malaysian government later reversed this decision and instead pledged to crack down on undocumented migrants amid a nationwide lockdown. This has led to the arrest of more than 500 migrant workers, bringing the number of undocumented migrants detained this year to more than 9,000.
This U-turn by the Perikatan Nasional administration is unsurprising. Last May, the same assurance was given to undocumented migrants to coax them into coming forward to get tested for COVID-19, only for hundreds to later be arrested in raids by the immigration department.
On this episode, Deborah Augustin speaks to Adrian Pereira from North South Initiative and Mohammed*, an undocumented migrant from Bangladesh, about how the Malaysian government’s decision to deprive undocumented migrants of vaccines endangers not only this marginalised community but also Malaysia’s chances of reaching herd immunity.
*A pseudonym has been used to protect the guest’s identity due to fear for his safety.
This interview was recorded on 14 July 2021
COVID-19’s Mental Health Impact: How are Refugees Coping?
This podcast includes references to suicide.
These days, almost anyone you meet can talk about how the COVID-19 pandemic has changed their lives for the worse. Salary cuts or a total loss of income, separation from friends and family, and long periods of isolation. It is no surprise that this pandemic has taken a toll on our mental health.
But there are some groups who are not only more systematically vulnerable to mental illness, but have also suffered from a far more brutal experience than others. From heightened xenophobic sentiment, to being hunted down by the authorities during a nationwide lockdown and facing threats on social media, the refugee community in Malaysia have been forced to endure all of the same hardships as Malaysian citizens, plus an additional set of hardships stemming from their refugee status. Refugee mental health already received little attention or resources before the pandemic hit, so what kind of repercussions has COVID-19 had on this marginalised community?
In this episode, Deborah Augustin speaks to Matilda Xavier, Clinical Psychologist, and Bo Min Naing, president of the Rohingya Society in Malaysia. They talk about the stigma around mental health in the refugee community, how they have been coping with it during the pandemic, and how some communities are affected more than others.
If you are based in Malaysia and would like to speak to someone, you can contact:
Befrienders: 03-76272929 or email them at sam@befrienders.org.my
For more information on Mentem Psychological Services, please click here.
Heroes by Necessity: Reframing Refugee Stories
When you hear the word “refugee”, what picture comes to mind? Is it an image of a boat full of people trying to find a safe place to stay, or is it a desolate refugee camp? Often, the narrative we have of refugees is that they are helpless. On this episode of Southeast Asia Dispatches, Deborah Augustin speaks to Monique Truong and Leena Al-Mujahed, two women who have experienced forced displacement and continue to face their circumstances and obstacles with courage.
They reflect on the characterization of refugees as heroes and their vision for their lives and the society they want to be a part of.
You can register for the Women in Displacement event, taking place on 26 June, 8 PM GMT +8 by clicking here.
If you would like to learn more about the work that Leena does, please visit the Yemeni Refugee Women Association's Facebook or Instagram for more information. You can also go to their website yrwa.org to find out how you can support their work. If you would like to read Monique’s latest book, The Sweetest Fruits, you can find it here.
Why Are Politicians Afraid of Art?
Do politicians and rulers have anything to worry about when it comes to the influence of art in politics?
This year alone, Fahmi Reza, a Malaysian political graphic designer and activist has been questioned by police five times for publishing his work on social media. Last month in May, it was for his satire piece depicting Malaysia’s health minister in a missing person’s poster. The month before that, it was for allegedly insulting the queen with a Spotify playlist.
On this episode of Southeast Asia Dispatches, Deborah Augustin speaks to Sharon Chin, a Malaysian artist, about her thoughts on protest art and whether political satire is an effective tool when it comes to challenging people in power.
New Naratif needs your support to survive. To be able to continue operating this year, we need to raise a total of US$226,336—that’s 4,353 new members. Please click here to join our movement to create a freer, more democratic Southeast Asia.
Thai Protesters Gagged and Released
After 10 months of protests, in which Thai people took to the streets to call for reform of the monarchy and the political system, more than 600 activists have been arrested and charged for their political expression. In 2021 alone, at least 30 people have been detained on charges of sedition or royal defamation. For months, most were denied bail while awaiting trial.
But this month, the Thai Criminal Court started granting bail to 24 of the detained activists. However, most of the activists were only released on the condition that they do not participate in activities that might cause public disorder or damage the monarchy. This means they cannot continue expressing their political opinions. Meanwhile, seven activists remain in detention, with several now testing positive for COVID-19 due to the recent outbreaks in prisons across the country. A question remains: Is it worth getting out of jail when you cannot speak freely?
On this week’s episode of Southeast Asia Dispatches, Yiamyut Suthichaya, assistant editor for Prachatai English, speaks to Sirikan Charoensiri from Thai Lawyers for Human Rights about the tension between the Thai constitution’s presumption of innocence and the Criminal Court’s criminalisation of political speech.
This episode is a collaboration between New Naratif and Prachatai, an independent non-profit online newspaper in Thailand. You can find out more about how to support Prachatai at prachatai.com/support.
Why Do Indonesian Dictionaries Call Women “Whores”?
Language has the power to shape our understanding about the world. It’s a cultural, political, and psychological tool that impacts our psyche and the way we relate to people around us. But who gets to decide the meaning of the words we use?
In the official Indonesian dictionary, the word “woman” (or perempuan) is listed among compound words that mean “whore”, “evil”, “mistress”, “pervert”, and many other terms that give the concept of “woman” a derogatory and sexualised connotation.
The dictionary entry for “man” (or laki), on the other hand, only contains two examples of compound words: “masculine” and “courage”.
On this episode, Dwitri Amalia speaks to Ika Vantiani, a visual artist from Indonesia who has been pushing the Language and Book Development Agency to revise the entry for “woman” in the Indonesian dictionary to have more neutral and inclusive connotations.
Please note that this episode contains some foul language that some listeners may find offensive.
The Plight of Transnational Families in Malaysia
For more than a month, Malaysian authorities detained Nigerian national Simon Momoh even after he had paid a fine and served his one-day jail term for a drink-driving offence. Although a court has since ruled that Malaysia’s Immigration Department had unlawfully detained Simon, his detention and the threat of deportation brought to light the many challenges foreign spouses and transnational families face in the country.
On this episode, Deborah Augustin speaks to Bina Ramanand, founding member of Family Frontiers and co-founder of the Foreign Spouses Support Group; and Naz, a Malaysian in a transnational marriage, to share their experience and to talk about the existing policies in place that affect these families.
This interview has been edited for clarity.
Resisting Myanmar’s Coup With Civil Disobedience
On the 1st of February this year, Senior General Min Aung Hlaing launched a coup, aborting Myanmar’s five-year experiment with electoral democracy. The army toppled the civilian government a day before a newly elected parliament was set to take office. State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi and hundreds of their allies were arrested.
Since then, numerous ad hoc online fundraisers have materialised in the wake of the coup to support the Civil Disobedience Movement, whose primary tactic is to encourage civil servants to walk off their jobs until a stalled economy and an inability to govern force the generals to step down. New Naratif recently published a journalism piece on this, so please visit our website to check that out.
On this week's episode, Jacob Goldberg speaks to 23-year-old Hein Aung Htet, about how the coup has affected him personally, his role in the anti-coup movement, and what those listening in can do to help.
To donate, please visit this Instagram page for more information.
Undi18: Malaysian Youth Fight to Lower the Voting Age
In 2019, Malaysia’s parliament agreed to lower the voting age from 21 to 18, a move that was supposed to be implemented by July this year. However, a few days ago, it was announced that this will be delayed and pushed to September 2022 instead. This led to speculation about an impending general election, which many think will be called once Malaysia’s state of emergency is lifted in August. In response, Malaysian youths marched to parliament in protest on the 27th of March.
On this episode of Southeast Asia Dispatches, Deborah Augustin speaks to Lim Wei Jiet, one of the co-founders of the Malaysian United Democratic Alliance, Malaysia’s first youth-driven political party, about their thoughts on this voting age controversy, the challenges the party has faced in getting registered, and the political climate for young politicians in Malaysia.