The State and Digital Governance in Southeast Asia: Internet Control and Democracy (Politics in Asia)

This important volume offers a critical examination of how Southeast Asian states utilise digital governance to improve public services, democracy, and service delivery, while maintaining control over their populations through, among others, digital surveillance and internet control. Through a series of case studies, the book explores key themes such as regulatory frameworks, state strategies, and societal responses to digital governance.It examines Malaysia’s balancing act between regulation and repression, Singapore’s Smart Nation vision, and Indonesia’s ambitious yet authoritarian e-democracy initiatives.The book also delves into the challenges faced by countries like Brunei and Cambodia, where digital governance is used by the respective government regimes to manage misinformation and dissent.Employing diverse methodologies, including content analysis, elite interviews, and social network analysis, the chapters provide a nuanced understanding of how digital governance shapes politi