Southeast Asia in September 2026: the most important developments in politics
In September 2026, Southeast Asia's politics were led by the Philippines. Vice President Sara Duterte's impeachment trial continued in the Senate, with former senator Antonio Trillanes IV and others set to testify; her camp considered a Supreme Court challenge after a Senate threshold ruling. A court issued an arrest warrant for her on September 4 over statements about President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., and she posted bail the next day. Her father, former president Rodrigo Duterte, made his first appearance before International Criminal Court judges on September 16 over charges tied to his anti-drug campaign. On September 14 the Bangsamoro region held its first parliamentary election; at least three people died in election violence and counting indicated that no party won a majority. On September 25 Mary Jane Veloso, a Filipino who had been sentenced to death, received a pardon.
In Malaysia, the king allowed former prime minister Najib Razak to serve the rest of his 1MDB corruption sentence under house arrest, announced on September 18, after the Pardons Board deferred his bid on September 11. Transport Minister Anthony Loke announced his resignation, then said on September 29 he would stay until the house arrest begins. Najib asked a court to stay his 15-year sentence, with a hearing set for October 14. UMNO and PAS pressed for early elections.
Thailand shortened visa-free stays from 60 to 30 days for citizens of dozens of countries and announced reform plans on September 3, including looser rules for foreign firms in seven service sectors. Prime Minister Anutin sued the director of iLaw, and the Constitutional Court was due to rule on September 28 on a challenge to the 2026 election over barcode ballots. Thailand and Cambodia began UN-backed conciliation over their maritime boundary dispute.
In Singapore, ministerial pay was debated in parliament after Prime Minister Lawrence Wong's salary was raised by between S$1 million and S$1.1 million; he said he would donate the increase to charity for five years. Indonesia's president replaced the finance minister, and Prabowo's trip to Russia drew criticism during domestic disasters. China and the Philippines traded criticism over a South China Sea collision, and Vietnam and Canada elevated ties to a Strategic Partnership.
by WorldBrief & Maksim Micheliov | AI-generated summary
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