Southeast and East Asia
The Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom (FNF) promotes democracy, human rights, economic freedom, and curbing climate change. In Southeast and East Asia, we have offices in Bangkok, Hanoi, Jakarta, Manila, Seoul, Taipei, and Yangon. We also work in Malaysia. The FNF regional team works with the Council of Asian Liberals and Democrats, the Working group for an ASEAN Human Rights Mechanism, the Asia Centre, and the ASEAN Prosperity Initiative, which is part of the Institute for Democracy and Economic Affairs. Should you have questions or suggestions about our work, please contact us. You can also meet our team here.
News
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Media Freedom in Southeast Asia Report is out
Media Freedom in Southeast Asia: Repeal Restrictive Laws, Strengthen Quality Journalism is a collaborated project between Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom Southeast and East Asia and Asia Centre to research through the situations that affected journalism in this region.
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World’s largest free trade agreement kicks off
From January 1st, 2022 on, the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) will govern trade between China, New Zealand, Japan, South Korea, Australia and the 10 member-states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), including the major economies of Indonesia, Singapore, Thailand, Philippines, Malaysia and Vietnam.
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Young People & Cryptocurrencies – a Revolution of Digital Natives
Young people, digital natives, have been attracted to cryptocurrencies as a way to make easy money. Investing in crypto sounds easy but comes with associated risks. In order to support the youth to understand underlying risks, the Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom, Southeast, and East Asia Office, held a two-day workshop, the Crypto Revolution, with 27 students from the region.
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Elections in Hong Kong: What choice do the people have?
On 19 December, HK is electing a new legislative council. This is the election that should have taken place in 2020, and that was postponed amid claims of pandemic concerns. Since then, a new election law has been passed – and people in HK have less of a choice than ever. Freiheit.org interviewed MR Charles Mok, a former LegCo Councillor, about this upcoming election, what it means for HK and where the city is going from here.
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API ASEAN Integration report 2021 is released
Economic Freedom is one of the main topics that we give a close attention to, especially in ASEAN. The process of ASEAN Economic integration is still so far to be fully completed. On this noted, our regional partner IDEAS Malaysia is the organization that monitors such process under the project name ASEAN Prosperity Initiatives. This year, API ASEAN Integration report was published as a project of the yearlong research on the economic integration.
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Commemorating International Human Rights Day
December 10th is the International Human Rights Day, the very day when in 1948, the United Nations General Assembly adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. It is observed and celebrated around the world. Taking this opportunity, the Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom Regional Office, Southeast and East Asia, likes to look back as well as look forward to our distinctive human rights activities in the region for 2021.
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How far can freedom take you?
We would like to thank all participants for joining this year's virtual run. It was a great experience to see pictures from all over the regions showing how important freedom is. We hope to see everyone again at the next event. It was a great experience to see pictures from all over the regions showing how important freedom is. We hope to see everyone again at the next event.
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Malaysia's Political Impasse: The Battle of Two Tigers
Malaysia has been experiencing a hung parliament where no party or coalition controls a reliable majority since March 2020. As premier Muhyiddin struggles to keep in power, the Covid-19 pandemic in the country worsens. How will Malaysia chart its direction with the new Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob?
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Fresh out of school. What’s next?
Future careers. Exchange of Ideas. Networking. Connecting with international experts and organisations. Aspiring young leaders (aged 16-19) from Southeast and East Asia have a rare opportunity to expand their knowledge, career prospects and network in an international setting.
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Cartoonists tell the stories of human rights issues in Southeast Asia
Cartoonists from Malaysia, Indonesia, Myanmar, the Philippines and Thailand display their artworks to reflect human rights issues in their home countries at Human Rights in ASEAN – The Cartoonists Perspective Exhibition.
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When human rights takes over comic strip: a fight for human rights in cartoonists perspective
“How can I be neutral, even my pen has a stand,” a quote from a famous Malaysian political cartoonist, Zunar has shared his view on how important it is to speak up about the injustice in the country.
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Hanoi and Cape Town are not far away
Meeting virtually has become the new normal for people and organisations on earth. Face-to-face discussions became screen-to-screen. FNF Vietnam sees this as an opportunity for the foundation to grow as a global family.
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Thank you, President Aquino
The Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom mourns with the Filipino people and the liberal community worldwide for the untimely passing of Former Philippine President Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III. He led a “straight path” to ensure that lives were uplifted through honest and decent governance.
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All women are wonder women
For Rep. Josy Limkaichong, public service entails sacrifice, but it doesn't compare to the rewarding experience of being able to empower individuals and helping them uplift their lives.
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The noble cause
Dr. Zaliha Mustafa encourages everyone to take up their share in carrying the load - by volunteering or countering misinformation, by owning up their individual civic duty - that could help put an end in the pandemic.
Social Media
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Where is Hong Kong now? How will the people of Hong Kong fight back amidst draconian laws? Is there a sense of fatigue or fear on the side of the opposition? How do you overcome these, if any? What’s next for the democracy fighters and supporters? Listen to “ The Great Asian Pushback Episode 9 ” RSS: https://bit.ly/3zsuoJB Spotify: https://spoti.fi/332gYbo
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Defending human rights is required in all countries. Be it in states divided by internal armed conflicts or in stable states. Human rights must be defended in non-democratic states as well as in those with a strong liberal democracy, in states that are just developing economically and in those that have long been considered developed. In more than 60 countries, the Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom promotes the work of human rights defenders, journalists and representatives of civil society. With their actions, they repeatedly create new spaces to control governments and those in power. It takes people who fight for freedom under adverse circumstances and stand up for human rights and threatened fellow human beings, and these people need support. Sabine Leutheusser-Schnarrenberger Deputy Chair of the Management Board of the Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom and former German Minister of Justice Read Liberal Human Rights Work 2021: https://humanrights-2021.freiheit.digital/liberal-human-rights-work-2021
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"Eat. Drink. Be free. Have a wonderful Christmas!" #There is no peace without freedom
