Contemporary Southeast Asia Vol. 46/3 (December 2024)

Contents

• Contemporary Southeast Asia Vol. 46/3 (December 2024)
  [Whole Publication, ISSN: 1793284X]

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• Preliminary pages

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• ARTICLES
• 1. The Rise and Fall of the Palang Pracharath Party in Thailand: The Problems of Patronage-Oriented Authoritarian Party Building, by Napon Jatusripitak, author see abstract

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  This article explores the rise and fall of the Palang Pracharath Party (PPRP) in Thailand, using it as a case study to illustrate the challenges that transitional military regimes face in retaining power through electoral means. The PPRP’s initial success at the ballot was heavily dependent on patronage politics, which, while effective in the short term, ultimately contributed to its downfall. Local elites who managed these patronage networks were not merely passive allies; they actively leveraged their affiliation with the PPRP to solidify their own local power bases instead of the party’s institutional capacity. Their loyalty was not to the party but to the resources and opportunities the party provided. This dynamic weakened the PPRP’s ability to consolidate power at the national level, leading to internal divisions that eroded its effectiveness in maintaining the military regime’s political dominance amid pressures for democratization. The article concludes that the organizational weaknesses of parties such as the PPRP undermine both authoritarian resilience and the prospects for democratic consolidation, compelling regime stakeholders to adopt strategies that, in Thailand’s case, further destabilize political institutions.
• 2. Promoting the Rules-Based Regional Order: Japan’s Judicial Diplomacy in Southeast Asia, by Hidetaka Yoshimatsu, author see abstract

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  This study addresses the gap in existing literature concerning Japan’s engagement with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to foster an international rules-based, liberal order. While previous research has often overlooked the long-term perspective of Japanese engagement, this article offers a comprehensive analysis of Japan’s legal and technical commitments to ASEAN, specifically focusing on the development of judicial systems and the institutionalization of judicial cooperation. Using the concept of “diplomatization”, the article situates Southeast Asia as a key region in Japan’s diplomatic strategy to advance a rules-based regional order. It presents two key arguments: Japan has gone from providing long-term legal technical assistance to establishing formalized institutional frameworks with ASEAN, and this has allowed Tokyo to utilize its judicial diplomacy to promote the rule of law internationally.
• 3. Grey Zone Conflict in the South China Sea: The Challenges for Indonesian Maritime Security Governance, by Muhamad Arif, Arie Afriansyah, Tangguh Chairil, Gita Ardi Lestari, authors see abstract

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  This article examines the dynamics of “grey zone conflict” in the South China Sea, focusing on how smaller states such as Indonesia respond to China’s assertive actions in the disputed waters. It argues that China’s strategy towards Indonesia illustrates the distinct characteristics of grey zone tactics when employed by a stronger actor against a weaker one, differing from the more typical cases where weaker actors challenge stronger adversaries. China’s dominance in law enforcement and naval capabilities enables it to execute grey zone tactics while managing and controlling the escalation of conflict. Moreover, the ambiguous nature of grey zone strategies complicates Indonesia’s efforts to reform its maritime security governance, which has aimed to clearly delineate the roles and responsibilities of civilian maritime security agencies and the navy. This institutional rigidity conflicts with the flexibility required to address grey zone challenges effectively. To better prepare for and respond to grey zone challenges, Indonesia must enhance its coastguard and naval capabilities, adopt a whole-of-government approach to maritime security and integrate grey zone considerations into its strategic planning. Additionally, Indonesia should seek to strengthen cooperation with like-minded countries in the region to create a more unified front against grey zone challenges.
• 4. Ethno-Religious Identity and Mobilization: Examining Framing Strategies of Ikatan Muslimin Malaysia in Malaysia, by Aliye Nur Kelesoglu, Khoo Ying Hooi, Jatswan S Sidhu, authors see abstract

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  This article explores the intersection between identity, religion and social mobilization within Islamic movements, with a focus on the Muslim Solidarity Front (Ikatan Muslimin Malaysia, or ISMA). It investigates ISMA’s strategic integration of ethnic and religious identities to mobilize support among the Malay-Muslim community within Malaysia’s pluralistic society. ISMA diverges from traditional Islamic proselytizing (dakwah) movements that emphasize “solidarity with the Muslims all around the world” by focusing on Malay-Muslim supremacy. Since its inception in 1997, ISMA has championed ethno-nationalism, advocated for Malay-Muslim primacy and denounced liberal and secular values, thereby challenging the country’s fragile ethnic and religious harmony. Using concepts from “frame theory”, such as “identity fields” and “core framing tasks”, this article examines ISMA’s discourse and shows how the movement strategically uses identity fields rooted in Islamic and nationalist ideologies to galvanize support for its ethno-nationalist agenda. By aligning collectiveidentities with “framing tasks”, ISMA constructs narratives that weave Malaysia’s historical grievances with contemporary sociopoliticalconcerns. Its “discursive frames”, particularly its depiction of non-Malays as “internal outsiders”, pose significant risks to Malaysia’s social cohesion.
• 5. Orchestrating Fear: How Thailand’s Establishment Uses Fear to Maintain Authoritarian Rule, by Matthana Rodyim, author see abstract

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  From ceremonial spectacles to repressive laws, the Thai state has strategically utilized fear to assert its control over the populace and legitimize the ruling classes. Through the efforts of the monarchy, military and other influential forces, a climate of fear has been cultivated and disseminated to maintain the status quo. In Thai politics, fear is not just a byproduct of authoritarian rule, but rather a conscious and calculated tactic employed by those in power. This article examines the ways in which fear is created, perpetuated and upheld through both legal and cultural means, starting with King Bhumibol Adulyadej and continuing with King Vajiralongkorn. Drawing upon the concepts of cultural hegemony by Gramsci and the concept of the “theatre state” by Geertz, it sheds light on the utilization of fear as a means of exerting power in Thai society, reinforcing the monarchy’s central role in maintaining political stability and social order.
• BOOK REVIEWS
• BOOK REVIEW: Lost Decade: The US Pivot to Asia and the Rise of Chinese Power, by Robert D. Blackwill and Richard Fontaine, by Joseph Liow Chinyong, author

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• BOOK REVIEW: Public Subsidy/Private Accumulation: The Political Economy of Singapore’s Housing, by Chua Beng Huat, by Linda Y C Lim, author

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• BOOK REVIEW: Resource Nationalism in Indonesia: Booms, Big Business, and the State, by Eve Warburton, by Trissia Wijaya, author

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• BOOK REVIEW: Southeast Asia and the Indo-Pacific Construct, edited by Indu Saxena and Stephen Nagy, by Alfred Gerstl, author

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• BOOK REVIEW: China’s Rising Foreign Ministry: Practices and Representations of Assertive Diplomacy, by Dylan Loh, by Chong Ja Ian, author

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• BOOK REVIEW: Kretek Capitalism: Making, Marketing, and Consuming Clove Cigarettes in Indonesia, by Marina Welker, by Aditya Pratama, author

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