Governments around the world have taken exceptional emergency measures to mitigate the spread of COVID-19. In many cases, a predominant focus on control and punishment has been observed, rather than on public health and social support.

This report reviews the laws, policies, and practices introduced in Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, and Sri Lanka to respond to the pandemic.

Analysis reveals three main approaches to the securitisation of the COVID-19 responses across the five countries; and overall, points to the tendency of governments to over-rely on law enforcement authorities, both in the development and in the enforcement of health responses.

This is a primer to the report: “The Securitisation of COVID-19 Health Protocols: Policing the Vulnerable, Infringing Rights.”