Amid Tourism Push, Malaysia Keeps Binational Families Apart
Pandemic travel and immigration rules in Malaysia have left many binational families stressed, strained and separated for months, with officials deeming foreign spouses “non-essential”. Some have turned to online groups to support and advocate for each other.
LATEST
Communist Democracy in the Philippines
Jacob Goldberg speaks to Professor Jose Maria Sison, 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.
Pushed From National Parks, Forest-Dwellers Defend Land and Customs
From Thailand to Indonesia, indigenous people who have lived off the land for centuries are struggling to preserve their forest homes and customs. But as states create national parks and forcibly evict forest-dwellers, their ties to ancestral land are cut.
Picturing Media Freedom in 2021
Nine artists draw out their experiences and interpretations of media freedom in Southeast Asia.
Mothers Fight Sexism in Malaysia’s Citizenship Law
Malaysia’s constitution allows Malaysian fathers—not mothers—to pass their citizenship to children born abroad. Six mothers successfully challenged this discriminatory policy in court, but must continue to take on a recalcitrant government.
The Media Freedom in Southeast Asia Project
TOPICS
- Freedom of Expression
- LGBTQIA+
- Human Rights and Freedom from Tyranny
- Transparency and Accountability
- Freedom of Association
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FEATURES >
Sabah Community Aims to Regrow Healthy Forests Amid Pandemic
The pandemic has strained reforestation work in Sabah’s biodiverse Lower Kinabatangan region, but locals continue to replant trees in an effort to secure their livelihoods, protect endangered species and regrow carbon-capturing rainforests.
In Fight for Malaysian Forest, Can Activists Replicate a Win?
Community conservationists in Selangor are working to save the Shah Alam forest from planned development by showcasing its threatened biodiversity, disproving government claims and building support. Can they repeat an earlier victory by other forest defenders?
For Cambodians With Disabilities, Lockdowns Leave Lingering Pain
For Cambodians living with disabilities, pandemic lockdowns disrupted access to prostheses, wheelchairs and related care, affecting their health, quality of life and livelihoods. As Cambodia reopens, some face the lingering effects of interrupted healthcare.
COMICS >
Ripple Effect
My mother became a refugee in her own country during the Indonesian War of Independence. The experience reverberated through the rest of her life.
RESEARCH >
Media Work as Resistance
A graphic summary of New Naratif’s study of media freedom in Southeast Asia, drawn from media workers’ experiences and challenges.
PODCASTS >
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.
VIDEOS >
The Women Tree Planters of Sukau
Since 2008, women from Sabah’s Sukau Village have planted trees to connect forest fragments and preserve the area’s biodiversity. COVID-19 stopped their work for months, resulting in the deaths of many newly planted trees. Now, they have returned to the forest.
The Long Road Home
A domestic worker in Singapore returns to Indonesia during the pandemic. She encounters differential treatment and a costly road home.
Under-Protected Abroad, Domestic Workers Find Ways to Resist
Southeast Asian domestic labourers often migrate to wealthier countries where they are excluded from labour protections and left vulnerable to abuse. While COVID-19 has made labour conditions worse, some migrant workers have found their own ways to resist.
Can Malaysia’s Cycle of Statelessness Be Broken?
Deborah Augustin speaks to Haijan Omar, Dr. Vilashini Somiah and Wong Kueng Hui, one of the many stateless people in the Malaysian state of Sabah, about his decade-long legal battle to gain citizenship in Malaysia.
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