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GATHERINGS:
An informed
guide to happenings throughout the region.
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Thai
senate seeks
referendum on
new constitution: Lese Majeste law
From News
Reports:
Bangkok, February 12: The
Senate is seeking a referendum on the
drafting of a new constitution as dictated by the
Referendum Act after the House of Representatives
voted for an opposition-sponsored
motion on November 3, 2022 to seek a
referendum, reports the Bangkok Post.
Senators voted 151 for, 26 against, and 15 abstentions
to form a panel to study a motion to
organise a referendum that would pave
the way for a rewrite of the constitution
that includes the Lese Majeste law.
The Senate called on the government to hold a referendum
on whether a new constitution should be
drawn up by a charter drafting
assembly made up of elected representatives,
saying "the referendum should be arranged on the
same day as the next general election that has
tentatively been set for May 7 by the
Election Commission (EC).
Senators
were critical of voting for the formation of
a panel to study a motion to organise a referendum,
saying "It is a tactic to stall the
referendum"
Sen Kittisak
Rattanawaraha said he supported a referendum
on the drafting of a new constitution, saying he
disagreed with organising the
referendum on the same day as the
general election,
"This could
confuse voters," he said.
The Southeast Asian
Times
China calls emergency
COVID-19 meeting with ASEAN in Laos
From News
Reports:
Beijing, February 19: An
emergency meeting of foreign ministers
from China and the 10 Association of South East
Asian Nations (ASEAN) that was proposed by China is
to be held in Vientiane, Laos on
Thursday and Friday to discuss the
COVID-19 virus epidemic.
The
COVID-19 virus has so far killed 1,869 and infected
73,336 in China and has spread to the 10 ASEAN
member states.
The
meeting that was proposed by China is reportedly
intended to share information and to
improve coordination between China and the 10 ASEAN
member states in order to combat the
COVID-19 virus.
China Foreign
Affairs Minister Wang Yi is reportedly to
discuss China's measures in countering the COVID-19 virus
epidemic at the meeting in Laos, with
focus on strengthening joint
prevention and control measures against the virus.
The meeting is also to explore the idea of
establishing a long term and effective
collaboration mechanism on public
health to safeguard the region, with China Foreign Affairs
Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang saying "
China and Asean countries have been in
close communication since the outbreak
of the Covid-19 virus.
Cambodia's
Foreign Minister Prak Sokhonn, who will be
attending the emergency COVID-19 virus epidemic meeting,
said that the meeting will be an
opportunity for the foreign ministers
to discuss measures to prevent the spread of
the coronavirus.
"The meeting
will help strengthen cooperation between
ASEAN member states in the midst of this global health
threat," he said.
His said that Cambodia's participation in the emergency
meeting that was proposed by China will
demonstrate Cambodia’s support of
China and confidence in the measures taken
by the China government to address the coronavirus
outbreak.
The Southeast Asian
Times
Vietnam opens consulate
in Macau
From
News Reports:
Hanoi, January 9: Vietnam's Hong Kong Consulate General
launched a consulate office in the Macau
Special Administrative Region of China
on Friday, reports the Vietnam News Service.
Consulate General of Hong Kong, Tran Than Huan, said
at the launching ceremony that the
office aims to better ensure the
rights of Vietnamese citizens and tourists
in the region.
He said that the
consulate office in Macau will provide
easier access to information about Vietnam, saying that
it would boost
friendship and co-operation between Vietnam
and Macau.
The Consulate
General said that the office expected to
recieve support from local organisations including the
Vietnam Fellow Countrymen Friendship
Association in Macau.
More than
20,000 Vietnamse are employed as domestic workers,
in the service industry at Macau's casino's.
Vietnamese also operate tourist and
services companies.
The Southeast Asian
Times
US invites
Vietnam Communist Party General Secretary to
the White House
From News Reports:
Hanoi, July 6, 2015: The General Secretary
of the Central Committee of the
Communist Party of Vietnam will visit
the United States from July 6 to July 10 at the invitiation
of the United States State Department in
a "landmark" visit, Rueters
reports.
General Secretary of the
Central Committee of the Communist
Party Nguyen Phu Trong will meet United States President
Barack Obama at the White House on
Tuesday.
Rueters quotes a
senior state department official
saying that the meeting between the General Secretary
of the Central Committee of the Communist Party
and the President of the United States
"would skirt protocol" because the
General Secretary is "not part of a government".
"Obama saw the visit as crucial", Rueters reports
the senior state department official
as saying.
Rueters also quotes the
senior state department official
saying that "there was a broad agreement that it
made sense to treat General
Secretary of the Central Committee of
the Communist Party Nguyen Phu Trong
as the visit of "the top leader
of the country".
"It's a pretty big
event," Rueters quotes the state
department official as saying.
The Southeast Asian
Times France agrees
to return Aboriginal remains home to
Australia
From News
Reports:
Canberra, November 25:
French president Francois Hollande and
Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott have agreed
to work together to return Aboriginal remains to
Australia during the first official
visit by a French head of state to
Australia last week, reports Australian Associated
Press.
The French head
of state and the Australian prime minister
said that a joint expert committee is to be established
to help identify the origin of the
Aboriginal remains held in France.
The head of state and prime minister
said in a joint statement that the
identification process would respect the sensitivities
and values of the two countries and consider
the requests of Aboriginal and Torres
Strait Islander communities including
the French legal system.
"The
French government will examine possible solutions
to enable the return of the Aboriginal human
remains to their community of origin."
the statement said.
Australia
believes the remains of Aboriginal and Torres
Strait Islanders are being held in Museum collections
around the world including in Europe and
the
United States.
In 2010 a British museum agreed to return 138 sets
of Aboriginal skeletal remains to
Australia including the severed head
of Australian Aboriginal warrior, Yagan,
to the Noongar of South West Western Australia after being
missing in action for about 177 years.
Yagan was shot dead for his resistance
to British settlement on the Swan
river.
The Southeast Asian
Times
"No " to proposal to delete religion from Indonesian
national identity card
From
News Reports:
Jakarta, November
10: Islamic-based political party politicians
oppose the proposal put by the newly selected Home
Minister Tjahjo Kumolo, that national
identity cards (KTP) do not include
the religion of the car holder.
Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) politician Aboebakar Al
Habsy said that not to include the religion of
the card holder on national identity
cards (KTP)
contradicted the
country’s founding philosophy of
Pancasila
“If we believe that Pancasila is our state
ideology and our national identity,
then why should we be ashamed of
including our religion on our national identity card,"
he said
Home
Minister Tjahjo Kumolo also proposed that the regious
beliefs of Indonesian citizens be omitted from
official government documents.
He said that the religion of Indonesian
citizens on national identity cards
(KTP) or in official government documents
should not be imposed.
"It's up
to the people", he said.
The Souheast Asian
Times
The
Wolf bridge: An insult to Thai
monarchy
From News Reports:
Bangkok, October 31: Thai University students,
Patiwat Saraiyaem, 23, and Pornthip
Mankong, 26, were charged in the
Ratrachada Court on Monday, with defamation of
the Thai monarchy in a play titled "The Wolf Bridge"
performed at the Thammasat university in
October 2013, reports the Bangkok
Post.
The students were charged
with insulting the Royal Thai family
in the fictional depiction of the monarchy in a
play performed in commemoration of the 37th and 40th
anniversaries of the October 6, 1976
and October 14, 1973 pro-democracy
student uprisings at Thammasat University.
The prosecution cites nine passages from the plays's
script, a work of fiction that depicts
a fictional monarch, that allegedly
insults the monarchy and as such is in violation
of the lese majeste law.
Patiwat Saraiyaem, actor and Pornthip Mankong, producer
of the play, in detention since arrested on
13 August, have been refused bail are
scheduled to appear in court to enter
pleas on December 29.
The Southeast Asian
Times
World
including
Asean PM's and Presidents
to attend inauguaration of Indonesian
president
From News Reports:
Jakarta, October 18: World Prime ministers,
Presidents and State representatives
including US Secretary of State, John
Kerry and Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott will
attend the inauguaration of Joko “Jokowi” Widodo
as President of Indonesiaon on
Monday.
The speaker of the People's
Consultative Assembly (MPR) Zulkifli
Hasan said that representatives from the ten
Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) member
nations have also been invited to attend
the swearing in of the former governor
of Jakarta, Joko “Jokowi” Widodo as
president of Indonesia.
"The Prime
Ministers and Presidents of Malaysia,
Singapore, Japan and South Korea are also expected to
attend", he said.
He
said that the Indonesian People's Consultative Assembly
(MPR) has also invited "domestic VIP's"
including former Presidents and
Vice-Presidents.
“All chairpersons of political parties
have also be invited,” said the
speaker.
The Southeast Asian
Times
Banned ISIS
flag found flying in Aceh
From News Reports:
Jakarta, September 12: The Islamic State of
Iraq and Syria (ISIS) flag found
flying from a coconut tree in Aceh on
Sunday has been torn down, reports the Jakarta Post.
The discovery of the banned ISIS flag was
reportedly the first in Aceh.
Police chief First Inspecter Azwan said
that the flag of the nationally banned
movement was discovered by chess
players sitting at a food stall near the coconut tree
in the Sungai Raya district of East Aceh
regency in Aceh.
He said that a
bomb disposal team inspected the area before
the flag was taken down.
President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono announced Indonesia's
rejection of the State of Iraq and the
Levant (ISIL) and banned the teaching
of ISIL ideology in Indonesia last
month at his parliamentary state-of-the-nation address
and ahead of the 69th anniversary of
Indonesias Independence.
The Southeast Asian
Times
Singapore
passes Trans- boundary Haze Pollution
Act
From News Reports:
Singapore, August, 18: The passing of the 2014
Trans-boundary Haze Pollution Act by
the Singapore parliament last week
will enable Singapore regulators to sue individuals or
companies in neighbouring countries for
causing severe air pollution in
Singapore.
The Act that was first
proposed in 2013 would enable Singapore
to impose fines of up to S$2 million on companies that
cause or contribute to transboundary haze
pollution in Singapore.
Environment and Water Resources Minister Vivian
Balakrishnan said that under the Act,
Singapore will have the legal right
under the Objective Territorial Principle to take
legal action against air polluters.
"While neighbouring countries have the sovereign
right to exploit their natural resources
in accordance with their policies they
also have a responsibility to ensure
that "slash and burn" agricultural practices
do not cause damage to Singapore", he said.
The passing of the 2014 Trans-boundary Haze
Pollution Act gives Singapore the
legal power to serve notices on those
that do not have assets or a presence in Singapore.
Indonesia is yet to
ratify an Agreement on Transboundary
Haze Pollution that was signed by ASEAN member counries
in November 2003 in order to
address haze pollution arising from land and forest
fires.
A bill passed in the
Indonesian House of Representatives in
July 2013 gave the Indonesian goverment the power to
seize assetts gained from illegal logging and
illegal clearing of forests for palm
oil plantations.
The new bill,
designed to protect more than 13 million
hectres from deforestation, gave the Indonesian government
a mandate to establish a task force
including police to monitor the
prevention and eradication of deforestation.
The Southeast Asian
Times
Papua
Biak massacre remembered in Sydney
with 136 white carnations
From News Reports:
Sydney, July 5: A ceremony to mark the 16th
anniversary of the Biak Massacre in
West Papua ua on 6 July 1998 will be
held at the Waverley Cliffs cemetery in Sydney on Sunday.
The Waverley
Cliffs community will throw 136 white carnations
from the waverley cliffs into the Pacific Ocean in
memory of the Biak massacre.
A citizens tribunal, hosted by the Centre
for Peace and Conflict Studies (CPACS)
at the University of Sydney last year
on the 15th anniversary of the Biak massacre found
that 136 West Papuan protesters were thrown into
the sea by Indonesian security
forces.
The tribunal heard eye
witness testimony that the West Papuan
demand for the right to vote for independence from
Indonesia was met with gunfire by Indonesian
security forces.
Survivors of the massacre told the international team
of jurists that the unarmed West Papuan
protesters were surrounded and shot by
Indonesian security forces and that
survivors were thrown into the sea on 6 July
1998.
The Southeast Asian
Times
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US
Ambassador to Vietnam
calls on Vietnamese
not to trust false
promises of migration
to US
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Panama's
Security Minister,
Frank Ábrego,
said that Panama,
El Salvador and Guatemala
agreed to accept illegal
immigrants deported
from Texas in the
U.S. on a C-17 transport
plane on Thursday
January 23, 2025
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From
News Reports:
Hanoi, February 20: The U.S. Ambassador
to Vietnam called on Vietnamese
on Friday not to trust the false
promises of migrant smugglers or
visa fixers to reach the U.S. after
a boat carrying 17 illegal immigrants
including 3 Vietnamese sank, drowning
five, with U.S. Ambassador, Marc
Knapper, saying ''I’m sad to
report that the boat sank less than
200 meters from shore,'' reports
Vietnam News.
U.S. Ambassador to Vietnam Marc
Knapper said that the Vietnamese
Embassy in Cuba and Nicaragua reported
on Monday that three young Vietnamese
were rescued from the small boat
that sank off the Colombia coast
as it made its way towards Nicaragua
in an effort to reach the U.S.''
''I'm sad to report that the boat
sank less than 200 meters from
shore. Five people died, including
two children, and four are still
missing. Three young Vietnamese
were rescued,'' he said.
''As Vietnam’s friends and
partners, we implore you not to
let yourself, your families, your
friends, your neighbors take this
illegal and possibly dangerous
journey, he said.
He said that the journey was supposed
to lead the Vietnamese to a better
life, saying ''but instead found
suffering, regret, and even death.''
''Such illegal attempts by land,
air or sea come at great cost,
draining savings, risking health
and in may cases costing lives,''
he said.
''When U.S. immigration authorities
find illegal immigrants, they detain
them and send them back to their
countries of origin, including Vietnam,
'' he said.
Panama's Security Minister, Frank
Ábrego, said that Panama,
El Salvador and Guatemala have
agreed to accept the illegal immigrants
deported from the U.S. saying
''more than 170 of the 300 illegal
migrants have agreed to be deported
to their country of origin.''
He said that illegal migrants
who have not agreed to be deported
were relocated from the Decapolis
Hotel in Panama to camp San Vicente
saying ''the migrants would remain
at the camp until they were offered
asylum in a third country.''
U.S. President Donald Trump issued
the Executive Order to deports illegal
migrants under the Immigration and
Nationality Act and the Constitution
of the United States, authorising
and directing the Department of
Homeland Security, the Department
of Justice, and the Department of
State to take all necessary action
to immediately repel, repatriate,
and remove illegal aliens across
the southern border of the United
States.
The
Southeast Asian Times
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France
and Europe don't want
ASEAN partners to
choose between the
US and China
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French
ambassador, Stephen
Marchisio, left, presents
his credentials to
Singapore President,
Tharman Shanmugaratnam,
in Singapore on Monday
February 17, 2025
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From News Reports:
Singapore, February 20: Singapore's
new French ambassador, Stephen Marchisio,
took office in Singapore on Monday
saying
France and Europe do not want their
Association of South East Nation
(ASEAN) partners to have to choose
between the United States and China,
reports Reuters.
French ambassador to Singapore,
Stephen Marchisio, said ''France
sees increasing pressure, maybe
more on the US side.''
''We don't want anyone to choose,''
he said.
He said ahead of the visit of French
President Emmanuel Macron to the
International Institute for Strategic
Studies (IISS) Asia Security Summit:
The Shangri-La Dialogue (SLD) in
Singapore in May 2025, ''It’s
very important to say we can talk
to everybody.''
He said that French President Emmanuel
Macron will insist in his address
that each country in the Association
of South East Nation (ASEAN) partners
can defend its own interests, saying
"you can do that even if you
disagree with the Chinese political
model.''
''And you can do that even if you
don't want a military base from
the U.S. on your soil," he
said.
He said that some countries saw
defence-related purchases as a way
to gain favour with the US government
during the first Donald Trump administration,
saying ''but that views had changed
now.''
''Now European countries might not
buy American military hardware because
there is no guarantee that doing
so would ease US pressure or antagonistic
rhetoric,'' he said.
''We don’t like to say that,
but we will retaliate to tariffs
and other US pressure if we have
to,'' he said.
French ambassador to Singapore,
Stephen Marchisio said ''the best-case
scenario is that Europe does not
need to retaliate, saying ''the
United States and European countries
have many shared interests and industries.''
The State of Southeast Asia 2024
Survey conducted by the Institute
of Southeast Asian Studies (ISEAS)
in Singapore found that Association
of Southeast Asian Nation (ASEAN)
member countries ''have continued
to prioritise bolstering ASEAN's
resilience and unity to counter
pressure from the US-China rivalry
barring Myanmar, with Thailand and
Vietnam strongly advocating ASEAN
unity.''
The State of Southeast Asia 2024
Survey found that ''China has experienced
a surge in popularity among Association
of Southeast Asian Nation (ASEAN)
member countries, to become the
preferred alignment choice in the
region.''
''This trend is particularly evident
among respondents from Malaysia,
Indonesia, Laos, Brunei, Thailand,
with Indonesia, Laos and Malaysia
benefitting significantly from China's
Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and
robust trade and investment relations.''
The State of Southeast Asia 2024
Survey found an increase of 20 percent
from 2023 for ASEAN member countries
preference for China.
The State of Southeast Asia 2024
Survey found that ''the EU and Japan
remain the primary options for the
region in navigating
the uncertainties stemming from
the US-China strategic rivalry,''
with the EU followed by Japan, India,
Australia, the UK and
South Korea as options for ASEAN
support.
The
Southeast Asian Times
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Australian
Muslim nurses boast
killing Israeli patients
in Sydney hospital
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Australian
Muslim nurses Ahmad
Rashad Nadir, left,
Sarah Abu Lebdeh,
right, on video boasting
about killing patients
on video at Bankstown
Hospital Sydney on
Tuesday February 11,
2025
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From
News Reports:
Sydney, February 19: Two Australian
Muslim nurses, boasting killing
Israeli patients on video at the
Bankstown Hospital in Sydney, have
been barred from working at all
hospitals in Austtralia after the
New South Wales Nursing and Midwifery
Board suspended their registrations
and the New South Wales Police took
possession of CCTV footage and the
video taken by Israeli, Max Veifer,
reports Bangkok Post.
Israeli, Max Viefer said that
he published the full, unedited
version of the video that shows
two registered New South Wales
Health nurses, former Pakistani,
Sarah Abu Lebdeh and former Afghanistani,
Ahmad Rashad Nadir, bragging about
killing Israeli patients at the
Bankstown Hospital in Sydney on
Tuesday 11th.
''I won't treat them,'' said nurse
Sarah Abu Lebdeh, seen in the
video wearing a medical uniform
and a hijab.
''I'll kill them,'' she said.
Nurse, Ahmad Rashad Nadir, seen
in the video also wearing a medical
uniform, ominously runs a finger
across his neck.
The video taken by Israeli, Max
Veifer showing the two Bangkstown
registered nurses boasting killing
Israeli patients that was posted
on TikTok at 3am AEDT on Wednesday
February 12 was viewed by more than
100,000 followers on the social
media platform.
The TikTok social media platform
that states the platform is an
eSafety website claims that the
platform pairs people randomly
for a video chat, with a country
and gender specified by the user,
saying ''no names, friend lists
or conversation histories are
stored, so finding people again
is purely left to chance."
New South Wales Police are in
possession of Bangstown Hospital
CCTV footage showing registered
nurses, Ahmad Rashad Nadir and
Sarah Abu Lebdeh, wearing medical
uniform at work at the Bankstown
Hospital on Tuesday 11th.
New South Wales Police have interview
workers at the Bankstown Hospital
at the time the video was recorded
by Israeli, Max Veifer that showed
the two Bankstown nurses boasting
about killing Israeli patients,
with News South Wales Police Commissioner,
Karen Webb, saying ''neither Ahmad
Rashad Nadir or Sarah Abu Lebdeh
have been charged with any criminal
offences.''
''The decision on whether to charge
the nurses would depend on the
evidence gathered,'' she said.
The
Southeast Asian Times
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US
federal court judge
orders President Trump
to allow funding
to USAID over Executive
Orders
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US
President Donald Trump
issued Executive Orders
that paused funds
to USAID and revoked
the USAID lease on
USAID Washington headquarters
on Monday January
20, 2025
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From News Reports:
Washington, February 18: A federal
court judge has ordered President
Donald Trump's administration to
temporarily allow funding to the
US Agency for International Development
(USAID) that was paused worldwide
for 90 days last month in an Executive
Order issued by U.S. President Donald
Trump, reports Reuters.
The federal court order to allow
funds to the US Agency for International
Development (USAID) that was issued
by Judge Amir Ali on Thursday applies
to contracts that were in place
before President Donald Trump issued
the January 20 Executive Order declaring
a freeze on U.S. foreign assistance.
Judge Amir Ali issued the temporary
order to allow funds to the US Agency
for International Development (USAID)
on Thursday
in a lawsuit brought by two organisations,
the AIDS Vaccine Advocacy Coalition
and the Global Health Council, representing
health organisations receiving US
funds for work abroad.
Judge Amir Ali said that the Donald
Trump administration argued it had
to shut down funding for the thousands
of US Agency for International Development
(USAID) programs worldwide to conduct
a thorough review of each program
and determine whether US Agency
for International Development (USAID)
programs should be shut down,
He said that the Donald Trump administration
officials had not offered any explanation
for blanket suspension of all congressionally
appropriated foreign aid, saying
''the blanket suspension set off
a shockwave and up-ended contracts
with thousands of non-profit groups.''
''Lawyers for the administration
failed to show they had a rational
reason for disregarding the countless
small and large businesses that
would have to shutter programs or
shutter their businesses altogether,"
he said.
Federal Court judge Amir Ali rejected
the Donald Trump administration
that the administration was buffering
the impact of the funding freeze,
offering waivers to allow funding
to keep flowing to USAID partners
including HIV treatment services
under the U.S. President’s
Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief,
or PEPFAR.
He cited testimony saying ''no such
waiver system on USAID funding yet
existed and that the online payment
system at US Agency for International
Development (USAID) no longer functioned.''
Federal Court Judge Amir Ali rejected
a request from the World Health
Organisation (WHO) to challenge
President Donald Trump's Executive
Order itself, limiting his ruling
to temporarily blocking Secretary
of State, Marco Rubio, and other
administration officials from enforcing
the funding to the US Agency for
International Development (USAID).
U.S. State Department director of
foreign assistance, Pete Marocco,
who was appointed by U.S. Secretary
of State, Marco Rubio.
to close the U.S. Agency for International
Development (USAID) on executive
orders issued by U.S. President
Trump argued that
''insubordination made it impossible
for the new administration to undertake
a close review of aid programs without
first ordering almost all USAID
employees off the job and halt aid
and development work.''
U.S. Agency for International Development
(USAID employees have denied being
insubordinate, saying they were
doing their best to carry out what
they describe as vague and confusing
orders that came from the Department
of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
U.S. President Trump acted on the
advice of executive of SpaceX and
Tesla, Department of Government
Efficiency (DOGE) executive, Elon
Musk, who called USAID ''a criminal
organisation, saying ''it's time
for the organization to die."
U.S. Agency for International Development
(USAID employer groups, Democratic
lawyers and Democratic Senators
argue that the closure of USAID
and other administrative actions
including revoking the USAID lease
on its Washington headquarters ''was
really about eradicating USAID before
lawmakers or the courts could stop
it.''
''Without congressional approval
President Donald Trump lacks the
power to shut USAID or end its programs.''
they said.
U.S. State Department director of
foreign assistance, Pete Marocco,
said that ''the power of the courts
or lawmakers to stand in the way
of U.S. President Donald Trump Executive
Order to close USAID missions is
limited at best.
''The President’s powers in
the realm of foreign affairs are
generally vast and unreviewable,''
he said.
The
Southeast Asian Times
|
US
and Philippines to
build on
US-Philippine Alliance
to address maritime
security tensions
with China
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Foreign
Affairs Secretary
Enrique A. Manalo,
left, and US Secretary
of State Marco Rubio,
right, at the Munich
Security Conference
(MSC) in Germany on
Friday February 14,
2025
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From
News Reports:
Manila, February 17: U.S. Secretary
of State, Marco Rubio, said that
''Washington was eager to build
on the invested and enduring relationship
in the US-Philippine Alliance
at a meeting with Philippines
Foreign Affairs Secretary, Enrique
A. Manalo, on the sidelines of
the Munich Security Conference
(MSC) on Friday, reports Philippine
Inquirer.
U.S. Secretary of State, Marco Rubio,
and Philippines Foreign Affairs
Secretary, Enrique A. Manalo discussed
ongoing cooperation in response
to China's destabilizing actions
in the South China Sea, with US
Secretary of State, Marco Rubio.
saying ''We discussed how we can
strengthen the US-Philippine Alliance.''
The US-Philippine Alliance binds
the Philippines and the United
States to come to each other's
military aid in the event of an
attack by an external power under
the 1951 US Mutual Defense Treaty.
US Secretary of State, Marco Rubio
said that maritime security tensions
with China undermines regional
peace and stability and is inconsistent
with the 1982 United Nations Convention
on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS)
''The U.S. reaffirms commitment
to increasing cooperation on infrastructure,
critical minerals, information technology,
energy and nuclear cooperation,''
said U.S. Secretary of State, Marco
Rubio.
Philippine Foreign Affairs Secretary,
Enrique A. Manalo, said ''both
the Philippines and the US were
committed to working together
to further strengthen economic
and security ties.''
''A strong and committed Philippine-US
partnership in various areas will
contribute to a more robust alliance,"
said said.
In August 2024 then U.S. Secretary
of State Antony Blinken, U.S.
Defence Secretary, Lloyd Austin
and Filipino counterparts, Philippine
Secretary of Foreign Affairs,
Enrique A. Manalo, and Philippine
Secretary of National Defense,
Gilberto Teodoro, Jr., discussed
their shared commitment to upholding
the 1982 United Nations Convention
on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS)
in the South China Sea and reaffirmed
the U.S. commitment to the Philippines
under the 1951 US Mutual Defense
Treaty that binds the Philippines
and the United States to come
to each other's military aid in
the event of an attack by an external
power.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony
Blinken reaffirmed advances in
U.S.- Philippines economic relations
including the entry into force
of the U.S.-Philippines Agreement
for Cooperation in Peaceful Uses
of Nuclear Energy (123 Agreement).
U.S. Secretary of State Antony
Blinken reaffirmed advances of
over $1 billion in investment
pledges from the U.S. Presidential
Trade and Investment Mission in
March 2024, the launch of the
Luzon Economic Corridor under
the Partnership for Global Infrastructure
and Investment and the Indo-Pacific
Economic Framework PGI-IPEF Investment
Accelerator with Japan.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony
Blinken recounted the first United
States-Philippines Cyber-Digital
Dialogue, and the successful co-hosting
of the Indo-Pacific Business Forum
in Manila.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony
Blinken reaffirmed the United
States commitment to advance shared
economic priorities on semiconductors,
clean energy, cybersecurity and
the digital economy, and high-quality
infrastructure.''
The
Southeast Asian Times
|
US
Executive Order pauses
US$150 million in
USAID to Vietnam
|
|
 |
|
Vietnam
Foreign Ministry spokeperson,
Pham Thu Hang said
''Vietnam and the
U.S. have engaged
in effective collaboration
in numerous fields''
at press conference
at Hanoi Thursday
February 13, 2025
|
|
From
News Reports:
Hanoi, February 16: Vietnam Ministry
of Foreign Affairs says that the
suspension of U.S. Agency for International
Development (USAID) of US$150 million
annually by U.S. President Trump
in an Executive Order last month
''will significantly impact human
safety, the environment, and the
livelihoods of people in areas supported
by USAID,'' reports the Vietnam
News Agency.
U.S. President Donald Trump ordered
all overseas humanitarian aid
and development missions to shut
down last month with all employees
recalled including from the U.S.
Agency for International Development
(USAID) mission in Vietnam.
U.S.Embassy in Hanoi, Vietnam
says that the U.S. Agency for
International Development (USAID)
operates in Vietnam with an annual
budget of US$150 million to support
projects ranging from demining
and dioxin decontamination, education,
healthcare, to climate change
and the digital economy.
Vietnam Ministry of Foreign Affairs,
spokeswoman, Pham Thu Hang, said
on Thursday at a press conference
in Hanoi,
"Over the past years, through
various means and mechanisms of
cooperation, including USAID,
Vietnam and the U.S. have engaged
in effective collaboration in
numerous fields.''
''These include healthcare, environment,
climate change, disaster relief
and post-war legacy issues,"
said the spokeswoman.
Spokeswoman Pham Thu Hang said that
foreign aid provided by the U.S.
has been effectively utilised across
provinces and cities in Vietnam,
saying ''USAID has served to bring
about a better life for those who
directly benefit from foreign aid
projects.''
''Suspension of USAID-supported
projects, especially those related
to bomb and mine clearance or
dioxin remediation at Bien Hoa
air base, will significantly impact
human safety, the environment,
and the livelihoods of people
in the project areas,'' she said.
In May 2022 then Prime Minister
of Vietnam, Pham Minh Chinh, called
on the United States Agency for
International Development (USAID)
administrator, Samantha Power
to increase support to overcome
the consequuences of the American
war in Vietnam, focusing on Post-war
Unexploded Ordinance and defoilent
Agent Orange Toxic Chemical consequences
in seven provinces including Vietnam
People's Air Force (VPAF) military
airfield, Bien Hoa Air Base, outside
Ho Chi Minh City in southern Vietnam.
He also called on the USAID administrator
to continue to provide health
care, medical treatment and physical
rehabilitation to Vietnamese affected
by the defoilant Agent Orange
(AO)/dioxin that was supplied
by multinational chemical companies
to US military forces during the
American war in Vietnam.
Prime Minister of Vietnam, Pham
Minh Chinh, also called for continued
support from USAID in the search
for the remains of Vietnamese
including support of Vietnamese
scientists in DNA assessment with
the construction of a technical
centre.
Administrator of the United States
Agency for International Development
(USAID) Samantha Power, reaffirmed
the USAID commitment to work with
Vietnam in a Memorandum of Understanding
(MoU) that formalises the USAID
partnership with the Vietnamese
Government on combating climate
change and environmental pollution
with ocean plastics as a key area
of collaboration.
"USAID would continue to
focus on supporting Vietnam in
Post-war Unexploded Ordinance
clearance and defoilent Agent
Orange Toxic Chemical consequences,"
she said.
The
Southeast Asian Times
|
NASA
and Kennedy Space
Center terminates
Diversity, Equity,
Inclusion and Accessibility
program
|
|
 |
|
Hans
Guttman Executive
Director of ADPC,
Robert F. Godec U.S.
Ambassador to Thailand,
Dr. Pakorn Apaphant
Executive Director
of GISTDA, Dr. Karen
M. St. Germain Director
NASA Earth Sciences
Division at the SERVIR-Southeast
Asia at the SERVIR-Southeast
Asia Launch Ceremony
in Bangkok Tuesday
January 24, 2023
|
|
From
News Reports:
Washington, February 14: US space
agency National Aeronautics and
Space Administration (NASA) acting
administrator said the agency is
implementing the Executive Order
issued by U.S. president Donald
Trump on January 20 to terminate
Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and
Accessibility (DEIA) program at
NASA and the Kennedy Space Center,
reports Reuters.
US space agency National Aeronautics
and Space Administration (NASA)
acting administrator, Janet Petro,
said the Executive Order ordered
the closure of offices related to
diversity, equity, inclusion and
accessibility (DEIA) at the agency.
The Executive order ordered the
US space agency National Aeronautics
and Space Administration (NASA)
to cancel all contracts relevant
to the Diversity, Equity, Inclusion
and Accessibility (DEIA) program,
saying ''the contracts are discriminatory
and an immense public waste.''
''These programs divide Americans
by race, wasted taxpayer dollars,
and result in shameful discrimination,”
said NASA acting administrator,
Janet Petro.
National Aeronautics and Space Administration
(NASA) acting administrator, Janet
Petro, has previously praised the
Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and
Accessibility (DEIA) program, saying
at the beginning of her tenure as
director of the Kennedy Space Centre
in 2021, ''diversity efforts were
important to NASA and to her personally.''
She said in 2021 in an interview
with Engineering News-Record that
NASA and the Kennedy Space Center
was committed to diversity, equity,
inclusion and accessibility (DEIA)
saying ''the NASA leadership team
stands behind this commitment.''
Office of Personnel Management
(OPM) acting director, Charles
Ezell, sent a memo directing US
space agency National Aeronautics
and Space Administration (NASA)
to remove reference to Diversity,
Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility
(DEIA) programs including the
terms ''environmental justice,''
''Indigenous people,'' and ''anything
specifically targeting women in
leadership.''
On January 24, 2023 the U.S. Ambassador
to Thailand Robert F. Godec and
Dr. Karen M. St. Germain, Earth
Science Division Director at the
National Aeronautics and Space Administration
(NASA), launched the SERVIR-Southeast
Asia program, an $11.2 million Asian
Disaster Preparedness Center (APDC)
- United States Agency for International
Development (USAID)-National Aeronautics
and Space Administration (NASA)
initiative to help communities across
Southeast Asia adapt to regional
and transboundary climate issues
and mitigate the impacts of climate
change and disasters.
''This new program expands the
geographic focus of SERVIR in
Southeast Asia and deepens our
engagement with regional institutions
to accelerate climate resilience,”
said Ambassador Godec.
''SERVIR-Southeast Asia will go
a long way to ensure that communities
and businesses throughout Thailand
and across ASEAN are not only
resilient to the impacts of climate
change, but prosper in spite of
these challenges,'' he said.
The
Southeast Asian Times
|
U.S.
wants remedial measures
for multinational
companies charged
under Foreign Corrupt
Practices Act
|
|
 |
|
U.S.
President Donald Trump
and Pamela Jo Bondi
sworn in as U.S. Attorney
General at White House
on Wednesday February
5, 2025
|
|
From
News Reports:
Washington, February 14: U.S. President
Donald Trump issued an Executive
Order to pause the enforcement of
the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act
(FCPA) on Monday, instructing the
Attorney General to include remedial
measures in past inappropriate FCPA
investigations and enforcement actions
in multinational companies, states
the Executive Order, reports Reuters.
The Executive Order to pause the
enforcement of the Foreign Corrupt
Practices Act (FCPA) in multinational
companies for 180 days will allow
the Attorney General, Pamela Jo
Bondi, to review the guidelines
and policies governing investigations
and enforcement under the Foreign
Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA), includes
measures to inappropriate past FCPA
investigations and enforcement actions.
The Executive Order states that
U.S. President Donald Trump has
paused the enforcement of the Foreign
Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) under
the Constitution and laws of the
United States of America in order
to ''Further American Economic and
National Security.''
''Since its enactment in 1977, the
Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA)
has been systematically, and to
a steadily increasing degree, stretched
beyond proper bounds and abused
in a manner that harms the interests
of the United States,'' states the
Executive Order.
''Current FCPA enforcement impedes
the United States’ foreign
policy objectives and therefore
implicates the President’s
Article II authority over foreign
affairs,'' states the Executive
Order.
''The President’s foreign policy
authority is inextricably linked
with the global economic competitiveness
of American companies,'' states
the Excutive Order.
''American national security depends
in substantial part on the United
States and its companies gaining
strategic business advantages whether
in critical minerals, deep-water
ports, or other key infrastructure
or assets,'' states the Executive
Order.
The Executive Order to pause the
enforcement of the Foreign Corrupt
Practices Act (FCPA) for 180 days
directs the Attorney General to
''review in detail all existing
FCPA investigations or enforcement
actions and take appropriate action
with respect to such matters to
restore proper bounds on FCPA enforcement
and preserve Presidential foreign
policy prerogatives.''
U.S. Attorney General is to ''issue
updated guidelines or policies,
as appropriate, to adequately promote
the President’s Article II
authority to conduct foreign affairs
and prioritize American interests,
American economic competitiveness
with respect to other nations, and
the efficient use of Federal law
enforcement resources,'' states
the Executive Order.
In 2009 U.S. film producers Gerald
Green, 77, and his wife Patricia,
54, who were found guilty after
standing trial in a Los Angeles
Federal Court for making a series
of payments totalling about US$1.8
million over five years to the Thailand
Tourism Authority (TAT) were the
first in the entertainment industry
to be charged under the Foreign
Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) for
corruption.
In 2006 the US Federal Bureau of
Investigation found that American
film producers Gerald Green and
his wife Patricia had paid US$1.8
million in bribes to the Thailand
Tourism Authority (TAT) between
2003 and 2007 in return for a $10
million-contract to manage the Bangkok
International Film Festival.
Los Angeles Federal Court judge,
George Wu, sentenced Gerald Green
and his wife Patricia Green to six
months in jail and six months home
detention and ordered payment of
$250,000 in restitution for bribes
paid to Thailand Tourism Authority
(TAT) governor, Juthamas Siriwan,
in exchange for contracts to stage
the Bangkok International Film Festival.
U.S. prosecutors charged former
Tourism Authority of Thailand governor,
Juthamas Siriwan, in 2009 with violations
of the US Money Laundering Control
Act, alleging that she violated
the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act
(FCPA).
The
Southeast Asian Times
|
US
imposes tariffs on
Australia saying Australia
is killing the US
steal and aluminium
market
|
|
 |
|
Australian
Prime Minister Anthony
Albanese talks to
US President Donald
Trump in Washington
on the phone about
tariffs on Australian
steel and aluminium
imports in Canberra
on Tuesday February
11, 2025
|
|
From
News Reports:
Washington, February 13: The U.S.
President Donald Trump imposed 25
percent tariff on Australian steel
and aluminium imports to the U.S.
on Tuesday declaring there were
no exceptions or exemptions, with
counselor for trade and manufacturing
for the U.S. President Donald Trump,
saying ''Australia is killing the
U.S. steel and aluminium market,''
reports Reuters.
U.S. President Donald Trump signed
Executive Orders to impose steel
and aluminium tariffs on Australian
imports within hours of a phone
call with Australian Prime Minister
Anthony Albanese declaring there
were no exceptions, saying ''It’s
25 per cent without exceptions or
exemptions,'' he said.
''That's all countries no matter
where the steel and aluminium comes
from,'' said U.S. President Donald
Trump from the Washington on Tuesday.
U.S. President Donald Trump said
that the U.S. has a surplus with
Australia, saying Australia is one
of the few with a surplus and the
reason is Australia buys a lot or
airplanes.''
U.S. President Donald Trump's senior
counsellor on trade and manufacturing,
Peter Navarro, said ''Australia
is killing the U.S.
steel and aluminium market.''
"He said that companies in
Australia are the same companies
that operate in Canada, saying ''the
companies in Australia are hitting
the American markets".
"Australia has disregarded
its verbal commitment to voluntarily
restrain its aluminium exports to
a reasonable level," he said.
He said that tariffs would put an
end to foreign dumping boost domestic
production and secure our steel
and aluminium industries, saying
''this isn’t just about trade,
it’s about ensuring that America
never has to rely on foreign nations
for critical industries like steel
and aluminium,'' he said.
The Australia-United States Free
Trade Agreement (AUSFTA) was established
on 1 January 2005 with 97 percent
of Australia's non-agricultural
exports to the United States, excluding
textiles and clothing, tariff free
and two-thirds of agricultural exports
tariff free, making 96.1 percent
of all Australian exports to the
U.S tariff free.
The Australia-United States Free
Trade Agreement (AUSFTA) provides
for a Joint Committee to meet annually
or as otherwise agreed to supervise
the implementation of AUSFTA and
review trade relationship betw
Australia Prime Minister Albert
Albanese said that he would meet
with senior U.S. representatives
and Australia's ambassador to the
U.S. Kevin Rudd, in Washington on
February 24 and 26th.
U.S. President Donald Trump signed
executive orders imposing an additional
10 percent tariff on all exports
from China to the U.S. 25 percent
on Canadian exports and Mexican
exports effective February 4, with
China Ministry of Commerce spokesperson,
He Yongqian, warning the U.S. that
Beijing would file a lawsuit at
the World Trade Organization, saying
"the unilateral imposition
of tariffs by the United States
seriously violates WTO rules".
Mexico President Claudia Sheinbaum
immediately ordered retaliatory
tariffs, saying she has instructed
her economy secretary to implement
a response including retaliatory
tariffs and other measures in defence
of Mexico’s interests.
''We categorically reject the White
House’s slander that the Mexican
government has alliances with criminal
organizations, as well as any intention
of meddling in our territory,''
she said.
Canada Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau,
said that Canadian duties on $30
billion in trade in US alcohol and
fruit would take effect on Tuesday,
saying '' the tariffs will have
real consequences for you, the American
people.''
The
Southeast Asian Times
|
Australia
and China replace
USAID funding for
demining operations
in Cambodia
|
|
 |
|
Australia
Ambassador to Cambodia
Derek Yip, left, and
United Nation Development
Programme (UNDP) Resident
Representative in
Cambodia, Alissar
Chaker, sign Contribution
Agreement for Cambodia's
demining operations,
''Clearing for Results
Project'' in Phnom
Penh on Thursday January
30, 2025
|
|
From
News Reports:
Phnom Penh, February 12: Australia
is to allocate an additional US$2
million for Cambodia's demining
operations, ''Clearing for Results
Project'' in a new Contribution
Agreement following the United
States closure of United States
Agency for International Development
(USAID) for USAID-sponsored demining
operations, with China's continued
support to the Cambodian Mine
Action Centre (CMAC) and with
Co-Founder of the Khmer Democracy
Organisation saying, ''Chinese
funds supporting (CMAC) operations
are not surprising,'' reports
Khmer Times.
Cambodian Mine Action Centre (CMAC)
director-general, Heng Ratana,
said that a US$4.4 million grant
from China in March 2024 was the
second of three yearly grants
to the Cambodian Mine Action Centre
(CMAC), saying ''the grants from
China from March 2023 to February
2026 totalling US13.2 million
support of the Cambodia Landmine
Elimination Project.''
He said that China's support of
the Cambodia Landmine Elimination
Project will support over 400
CMAC technical experts, saying
'The China Cambodia Landmine Elimination
Project aimed to clear 3,400 hectares
of land contaminated by landmines
and unexploded ordnance (UXO)
from March 2024 to February 2025.
He said that the Cambodian Mine
Action Centre (CMAC), has halted
USAID-sponsored demining operations
in eight provinces after an executive
order issued by U.S. President
Donald Trump suspended all US
foreign assistance provided through
the State Department and USAID,
saying ''the suspension of USAID
has stopped demining operations
in eight provinces.''
The Australian government has
allocated an additional US$2 million
to the ''Clearing for Results
Project'' in a new Contribution
Agreement to be implemented by
Cambodian Mine Acton and Victim
Assistance Authority (CMAA) and
the United Nation Development
Programme (UNDP) with Ly Thuch,
Senior Minister and first Vice
President of (CMAA) saying ''Australia
and UNDP have been key partners
in Cambodia’s mine action
efforts, with Australia contributing
over AUD$100 million since the
1990s, including more than USD$35
million USD to the Clearing for
Results project.''
Southeast Asia Geopolitical Analyst
and Co-Founder of the Khmer Democracy
Organisation (KDO, Seng Vanly
said that ''Chinese funds supporting
Cambodian Mine Action Centre (CMAC)
operations are not surprising''
''Cambodia already has strong
and extensive ties with China
across various sectors, including
economics, politics, security
and the military,'' he said.
He said that United States Agency
for International Development
(USAID) withdrawal from humanitarian
aid efforts and from international
organisations that play a key
role in promoting human rights
provide China with an opportunity
to gain more decision-making power.
''Especially in Cambodia, becasue
China already has influence in
almost all sectors,'' he said.
He said that United States closure
of United States Agency for International
Development (USAID) has drawn
Cambodia closer to China, saying
that China's increasing involvement
in Cambodia maked it seem that
China is becoming the only viable
option.''
The
Southeast Asian Times
|
Indonesia
Health Ministry seeks
other donor countries
after USAID withdraws
funding
|
|
 |
|
Elon
Musk, executive of
SpaceX and Tesla,
Starlink, and Department
of Government Efficiency
(DOGE) executive launches
SpaceX's Starlink
internet service at
a health center in
Denpasar, Bali, on
Sunday May 19, 2025
|
|
From
News Reports:
Jakarta, February 11: Indonesia's
Ministry of Health plans to seek
other donor countries following
the United States closure of United
States Agency for International
Development (USAID) last week, with
the Ministry of Health saying ''We
have secured AU$130 million commitment
from Australia,'' reports Antara.
"We have secured an AU$130
million commitment from Australia,''
said Indonesian Health Ministry,
Gunadi Sadikin.
''Later, I will try to find other
donors too,'' he said.
U.S. Secretary of State, Marco
Rubio, appointed U.S. State Department
director of foreign assistance,
Pete Marocco to close the U.S.
Agency for International Development
(USAID) on executive orders issued
by U.S. President Trump.
U.S. President Trump acted on the
advice of executive of SpaceX and
Tesla, Department of Government
Efficiency (DOGE) executive, Elon
Musk, who called USAID ''a criminal
organisation, saying ''it's time
for the organization to die."
Indonesian Health Ministry, Gunadi
Sadikin, said that Indonesia received
US$100 million in USAID each year,
saying ''USAID was then handed
over to a third party.''
''The shortfall in USAID funding
will have an impact,'' he said.
On March 19 2024 SpaceX and Tesla
executive, Department of Government
Efficiency (DOGE) executive, Elon
Musk, and Indonesia Health Minister,
Gunadi Sadikin, launched SpaceX's
satellite internet service, Starlink,
for the Indonesia's health sector
to improve access in remote parts
of the Indonesian archipelago.
SpaceX's satellite internet service,
Starlink, was launched at three
Indonesian health centers including
two in Bali and one on the remote
island of Aru in Maluku.
"If you have access to the
internet you can learn anything,''
he said.
In September 2023 Australia Prime
Minister, Anthony Albanese, released
the Invested: Australia Southeast
Asia Economic Strategy to 2040
at the ASEAN Indo-Pacific Forum
in Jakarta, announcing a $95 million
package for business to invest
in Southeast Asia.
He said that Australia would advance
economic growth under the Australia
for ASEAN Futures Initiative (Aus4
ASEAN Futures Initiative) committing
AUS$470 million in development
funding to support the implementation
of the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific
(AOIP) initiative that would enable
support for three ASEAN Community
councils.
The Australian support for the
implementation of the Outlook
on the Indo-Pacific (AOIP) initiative
would enable support for the ASEAN
Political- Security Community
(APSC), the ASEAN Economic Community
(AEC) and the ASEAN Socio-Cultural
Community (ASCC).
The
Southeast Asian Times
|
Indonesia
rejects U.S. President
Trump's proposal to
resettle two million
Palestinians from
Gaza
|
|
 |
|
Indonesia's
Foreign Affairs Ministry
spokesman, Rolliansyah
Soemirat, says "Indonesia
strongly rejects any
attempt to forcibly
displace Palestinians,''
on Wednesday February
5, 2025
|
|
From
News Reports:
Jakarta. February 10: Indonesia
said Wednesday that it would strongly
reject any attempts to displace
Palestinians from Gaza following
U.S. President Donal Trump's proposal
to resettle two million Palestinians
from Gaza to neighbouring countries,
with Indonesia's Foreign Affairs
Ministry saying "Indonesia
strongly rejects any attempt to
forcibly displace Palestinians,''
reports Jakarta Globe.
"Indonesia strongly rejects
any attempt to forcibly displace
Palestinians or alter the demographic
composition of the occupied Palestinian
territory," said Indonesia's
Foreign Affairs Ministry spokesman
Rolliansyah Soemirat.
''Such action obstructs the realization
of an independent and sovereign
State of Palestine as envisioned
by the two-state solution based
on the 1967 borders, with East
Jerusalem as its capital, "
he said.
''Particularly the right to self-determination
of the Palestinians as well as
their inalienable right to return
to their homeland,'' he said.
U.S. President Donald Trump's
Middle East envoy had reportedly
initiated the Palestine relocation
plan during post-war reconstruction
efforts last month, with Middles
East envoy, Steve Witkoff, saying
''although U.S. President Donald
Trump did no propose a U.S. takeover.''
'Particularly the right to self-determination
of the Palestinians as well as
their inalienable right to return
to their homeland,'' he said.
In January 2025 Indonesia called
for support for full membership
of Palestine in the United Nations
Security Council (UNSC) at the
19th Summit of the Non-aligned
Movement (NAM), titled "Deepening
Cooperation for Shared Global
Affluence." held in Kampala,
Uganda on Saturday, with Indonesia's
Deputy Foreign Minister saying
"Indonesia has consistently
supported the People of Palestine's
struggle for independence."
Indonesia Deputy Foreign Minister,
Pahala Nugraha Mansury, called
on the 121 Non-aligned Movement
(NAM) member states that comprise
of more than half of the world's
population " to support full
membership of Palestine in the
United Nations Security Council,
" saying "currently
five NAM members are serving as
Non-Permanent Members of the UN
Security Council, and it is anticipated
that they can articulate a joint
NAM position on Palestine."
Indonesia Deputy Foreign Minister,
Pahala Nugraha Mansury met with
the Foreign Ministers of Palestine
and South Africa saying "Indonesia
supports the Palestinian peoples
struggle to achieve a long-term
solution and independence."
"Indonesia also supports
South Africa's legal action against
Israel in the International Court
of Justice (ICJ)," he said.
The
Southeast Asian Times
|
US
President Trump bans
transgender athletes
from women's sports
effective immediately
|
|
 |
|
U
S President Donald
Trump signed an Executive
Order banning transgender
athletes from participating
in women's sport in
Washington on Wednesday
February 5, 2025
|
|
From
News Reports:
Washington, February 9: U S President
Donald Trump signed an Executive
Order on Wednesday banning transgender
athletes from participating in women's
sports effective immediately, saying
"with this executive order
the war on women's sports is over,"
reports Reuters.
"We will defend the proud
tradition of female athletes,
and we will not allow men to beat
up, injure and cheat our women
and our girls," said President
Donald Trump.
The Executive Order allows US
government agencies to deny funds
to schools that allow transgender
athletes to compete on women's
teams.
"If you let men take over
women's sports teams or invade
your locker rooms, you will be
investigated and risk your federal
funding," said U.S. President
Donald Trump.
President Donald Trump issued
a warning to the International
Olympic Committee (IOC) ahead
of the 2028 Summer Olympics in
Los Angeles, saying he has empowered
Secretary of State, Marco Rubio,
to make it clear to the International
Olympic Committee (IOC) that "America
categorically rejects transgender
lunacy.''
He said that the International
Olympic Committee (IOC) has essentially
passed the buck on transgender
participation to the International
Sports Federations (ISF) for each
sport.
''That could change when a new
International Olympic Committee
(IOC) president comes on to replace
the retiring Thomas Bach president
who was elected in 2013,'' he
said.
He said that former track star
Sebastian Coe, leader of World
Athletics, the governing body
for international track and field,
is among the candidates up for
election in March, saying ''Sebastian
Coe has been a strong proponent
of banning transgender women participation
in female sports.''
President Donald Trump said that
he has also directed Homeland
Security chief, Kristi Noem, to
deny visa applications to men
attempting to fraudulently enter
the United States while idendifying
themselves as women athletes to
try to get into the Los Angeles
games,''
National Collegiate Athletic Association
(NCAA) President, Charlie Baker,
that had previously allowed transgender
women to compete, banned transgender
women from competing in women's
sports after President Donald Trump
signed the Executve Order on Wednesday.
"We strongly believe that
clear, consistent, and uniform
eligibility standards would best
serve today's student-athletes
instead of a patchwork of conflicting
state laws and court decisions,"
he said.
"To that end, President Trump's
order provides a clear, national
standard,'' he said.
LGBTQ rights organizations condemned
President Donald Trump's executive
order as unconstitutional and
based on misstatements and distortions
about transgender people, with
Advocates for Trans Equality (A4TE)
condemning the National Collegiate
Athletic Association (NCAA) move
to comply with President Donald
Trump Executive Order that banned
transgender athletes from womens
sports.
Advocates for Trans Equality (A4TE)
described the Executive Order
as a ''blatantly discriminatory
and unconstitutional policy."
The
Southeast Asian Times
|
Malaysia
ASEAN chair 2025 rejects
US proposal to resettle
two million Palestinians
from Gaza
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Malaysia
Foreign Minister,
Mat Hasan, says ASEAN
counterparts disagree
with the U.S. proposal
to resettle Palestinians
from Gaza
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From
News Reports:
Kuala Lumpur, February 8: Malaysia
chair for the Association of South
East Asian Nations (ASEAN) 2025
said that Malaysia disagrees with
the proposal to resettle Palestinians
from Gaza following U.S president
Donald Trump's proposal to resettle
two million Palestinians from Gaza
to neighbouring countries, with
Malaysia saying “We will issue
a joint statement after receiving
consensus from all ASEAN members,
reports the Star.
Malaysia Foreign Minister, Mat Hasan,
said that ''Malaysia strongly disagrees
with the proposal to resettle Palestinians
from Gaza, saying ''the suggestion
is not of sane mind.''
''We’re against the recommendation
as it is not of sane mind and against
all international conventions, charters
and treaties,'' he said in Parliament
during question time on Thursday.
He said that he had discussed the
proposal to remove Palestinians
from Gaza with ASEAN counterparts,
saying ''ASEAN counterparts also
disagree with the proposal.''
''Malaysian ASEAN chair 2025 will
issue a joint statement after receiving
consensus from all members,'' he
said.
''Malaysia strongly opposed any
suggestion to resettle Palestinians
from their homeland,'' he said.
U.S. Secretary of State, Marco Rubio,
said ''U.S President Donald Trump's
proposal to help with the reconstruction
of the enclave after 15 months of
fighting between Israel and Hamas
is a very generous offer.''
''In the interim, obviously people
are going to have to live somewhere
else,'' he said.
He said that the U.S. has the ability
to help with debris removal, help
with munitions removal, help with
reconstruction, the rebuilding of
homes and businesses so that people
can move back.
On December 21, 2017 the United
Nations General Assembly (UNGA)
that includes the Association of
South East Asian Nations (ASEAN)
member countries, approved a nonbinding
resolution in a 128-9 vote that
rejects the United States decision
to recognise Jerusalem as the capital
of Israel.
Eight of the 10 Association of South
East Asian Nations (ASEAN) member
countries, Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia,
Malaysia, Myanmar Singapore, Thailand
and Vietnam were included in the
128 countries that rejected the
United States decision to recognise
Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.
Laos is not a member of the United
Nations Security Council.
The Philippines, an Association
of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN)
member country, was one of nine
countries including the United States,
Guatemala, Honduras, Israel, Marshal
Islands, Togo, Micronesia and Nauru
that opposed the United Nations
Security Council draft resolution.
China, Japan, South Korea, the United
Kingdom and France were among the
128 member countries that approved
the United Nations Security Council
draft resolution.
Canada, Mexico and Australia were
among the 35 registered absentions.
On May 14, 2018 United States President
Donald Trump recognize Jerusalem
as the capital of Israel and relocate
the US embassy to Jerusalem from
Tel Aviv during the first term of
his presidency January 20, 2017
to January 20, 2021
United States President acted under
the Jerusalem Embassy Act of 1995
that accepts Jerusalem as the Israeli
capital and requires the United
States to relocate its embassy from
Tel Aviv to Jerusalem in the United
States decision to relocate the
embassy
On October 18, 2022 the Australia's
Labor Party foreign minister, Penny
Wong, reversed the previous Liberal
government recognition of West Jerusalem
as the capital of Israel, with foreign
minister Penny Wong, saying "the
government regrets the decision
made by the previous administration
and reiterates committment to a
two-state solution,"
Australia's foreign Minister Penny
Wong said that "Australia will
no longer recognise West Jerusalem
as the capital of Israel,"
reversing a decision taken by the
Liberal government of former Prime
Minister Scott Morrison in 2018.
"Australia’s embassy would
remain in Tel Aviv," she said.
The
Southeast Asian Times
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US
withdraws
UN Human Rights Council
and UN Relief and
Works Agency funding
claiming
anti-US bias
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US
President Donald Trump
signs Executive Order
withdrawing US funding
from the UN Human
Rights Council (UNHRC)
and UN Relief and
Works Agency for the
Near East (UNRWA)
in Washington on Tuesday
February 4, 2025
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From News Reports:
Washington, February 7: U.S. President
Donald Trump signed an Executive
Order withdrawing U.S. funding from
United Nations Human Rights Council
(UNHRC) and United Nations Relief
and Works Agency (UNRWA) claiming
anti-American bias, with Amnesty
International USA Human Rights Organisation
calling the Executive Order ''performative,''
reports Associated Press.
Amnesty International USA Director
for Government Relations and Advocacy,
Amanda Klasing, said ''the Association
of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)
and the United States new leadership
changes in 2025 gave the U.S. an
opportunity to reassess its strategy
toward ASEAN with a focus on advancing
human rights in the region'' ahead
of the Executive Order that withdrew
the U.S. from the UN Human Rights
Council (UNHRC) and the UN Relief
and Works Agency (UNRWA).
''This isn’t about President
Trump thumbing his nose at the UN
Human Rights Council (UNHRC) institution,
instead he’s just demonstrating
he’d rather make a callous
show of rejecting human rights than
do the work needed to protect and
promote human rights for people
everywhere, including in the US,
'' said Amnesty International USA
Director for Government Relations
and Advocacy, Amanda Klasing.
U.S. President Donald Trump signed
an Executive Order withdrawing the
U.S. from the United Nations Human
Rights Council (UNHRC) and the United
Nations Relief and Works Agency
(UNRWA), saying ''in light of the
numerous actions taken by a number
of bodies of the United Nations
which exhibited deep anti-American
bias, we have an Executive Order
prepared for your attention that
would withdraw the United States
from the UN Human Rights Council,
would withdraw the United States
from the UNRWA which is a refugee
organization and would also review
American involvement in UNESCO,
which has also exhibited anti-American
bias. More generally, the executive
order calls for review of American
involvement and funding in the UN
in light of the wild disparities
and levels of funding among different
countries that, as you’ve expressed
previously, is deeply unfair to
the United States.''
U.S. President Donald Trump said
at the signing of the Executive
Order withdrawing the U.S. from
the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC)
and the UN Relief and Works Agency
(UNRWA) on Tuesday, ''I've always
felt that the UN has tremendous
potential.''
''It's not living up to that potential
right now.''
''They've got to get their act together.''
''The United Nations needs to be
fair to countries that deserve fairness.''
''There are some countries that
are outliers that are very bad and
they’re being almost preferred.''
The
Southeast Asian Times
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U.S
State Department recalls
USAID employees worldwide
effective Friday or
evacuation by U.S.
military
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Protesters
at the U.S. Agency
for International
Development (USAID)
headquarters in Washington,D.C.,against
worldwide closure
of USAID humanitarian
aid and development
missions on Monday
February 5, 2025
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From
News Reports:
Washington,D.C., February 6: All
U.S. Agency for International
Development (USAID) overseas humanitarian
aid and development missions were
ordered to shut down with all
employees recalled effective Friday,
with instructions from the U.S.
State Department ''to get every
USAID employee out of their respective
countries worldwide by Friday
or they will be evacuated by the
U.S. military,'' reports Reuters.
U.S. Secretary of State, Marco
Rubio, appointed Pete Marocco
to shut the U.S. Agency for International
Development (USAID) on executive
orders issued by U.S. President
Trump on the advice of Department
of Government Efficiency (DOGE)
executive, Elon Musk, with U.S.
State Department director of foreign
assistance, Pete Marocco saying
that he has instructed the U.S.
State Department ''to get every
USAID employee out of their respective
countries worldwide by Friday,''
''If the State Department did
not shut down the USAID missions
and workers did not respond to
the recall order, USAID workers
would be evacuated by the U.S.
military,'' he said.
More that 120 USAID overseas humanitarian
aid and development missions have
been ordered to shut down with more
than 14,000 USAID employees recalled
effective Friday.
US Department of Homeland Security
officials barred USAID employees
from entering USAID headquarters
in Washington on Monday and Tuesday
after the U.S. State Department
ordered the USAID headquarters
closed.
U.S. State Department director
of foreign assistance, Pete Marocco
, said ''USAID employees were
infomed that they would remain
on administrative leave until
otherwise notified.''
''While you are on administrative
leave with pay, you must be available
by telephone and email during normal
business hours, as it may be necessary
for agency officials to contact
you,'' he said.
Department of Government Efficiency
(DOGE) executive, Elon Musk, advisor
to President Donald Trump, called
the U.S. Agency for International
Development (USAID "a criminal
organization" saying "you've
got to basically get rid of the
whole thing."
He said that he had cleared the
unprecedented closure of a major
wing of US government with President
Donald Trump himself, saying "I
went over the closure of USAID
with the president in detail,
and he agreed that we should shut
it down," he said.
Department of Government Efficiency
(DOGE) executive, Elon Musk, who
established DOGE to modernize
federal technology and software
to maximize governmental efficiency
and productivity, said that he
advises on how money is used.
''USAID has done rogue CIA work
and even funded bioweapon research,
including Covid-19, that killed
millions of people,'' he said.
The
Southeast Asian Times
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Suspension
of USAID in Cambodia
stops removal of explosive
remnants
of US war in eight
provinces
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China
Department of Arms
Control Ministry of
Foreign Affairs, deputy
director-general,
Ma Shengkun, left
and Cambodian Mine
Action Centre (CMAC)
planned explosive
remnants of war reduction
by 2028 and to eliminate
the explosive remnants
of war by 2035 at
the Cambodian Mine
Action Centre (CMAC)
in Phnom Penh on Monday
January 15, 2024
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From
News Reports:
Phnom Penh, February 5: The Cambodian
Mine Action Centre (CMAC), has
halted USAID-sponsored demining
operations in eight provinces
after an executive order issued
by U.S. President Donald Trump
suspended all US foreign assistance
provided through the State Department
and USAID, with CMAC director-general
saying ''the suspension of USAID
has stopped demining operations,
reports Khmer Times.
CMAC director-general, Heng Ratana,
said ''USAID sponsored demining
operations have been suspended
in Ratanakiri, Mondulkiri, Stung
Treng, Kratie, Tboung Khmum, Kampong
Cham, Prey Veng, and Svay Rieng
provinces for 90 days.''
He urged local authorities at
the eight provinces to coordinate
with more that 1,000 CMAC volunteers
and local National Police, saying
''the CMAC will provide emergency
response teams to explosive remnants
of war demining operations.''
''Development partners in cooperation
with CMAC will clear the landmines
and explosive remnants of war,''
he said.
Cambodian Mine Action and Victim
Assistance Authority (CMAA) first
vice-president senior minister,
Ly Thuck, said that
''halting USAID demining operations
has affected 93 demining projects
managed by the United Nations
Transitional Authority in Cambodia
(UNTAC).
He said that the United States
has been a great supporter of
demining the US-origin unexploded
ordinances as the remnants of
war for decades, saying ''unfortunately
the three month suspension will
affect our anticipated outcome
in 2025.''
In February 2019 the Cambodian
Mine Action Authority (CMAA) called
on China to work with the Royal
Cambodian Armed Forces (RCAF)
in training Cambodians to remove
explosive remnants of war in Cambodia
to achieve a land-mine free Cambodia
by 2025, with CMAA vice president
Ly Thuch saying ''we want the
Chinese government to work with
the commander of the Royal Cambodian
Armed Forces (RCAF) Hun Manet
in our mine clearance efforts.''
Commander of the Royal Cambodian
Armed Forces (RCAF), Hun Manet,
was promoted to the rank of Commander
of the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces
(RCAF) by a royal decree in September
2018 on the advice of his father,
Prime Minister Hun Sen.
CMAA vice president Ly Thuch,
called on China Ambassador to
Cambodia, Wang Wientian, to provide
equipment, financial support and
to train Royal Cambodian Armed
Forces (RCAF) to remove explosive
remnants of war in 1,729 square
kilometres of Unexploded Ordnance
(UXO) including 809 square kilometres
of mine fields in Cambodia.
Cambodian Mine Action Authority
(CMAA) vice president, Ly Thuch,
said that Cambodia requires about
1,000 to 2,000 more landmine and
unexploded ordnance removal experts
in order to achieve a land-mine
free Cambodia by 2025.
"The increase requires the
endorsement of Prime Minister
Hun Sen and army commander Lieutenant
General Hun Manet," he said.
The
Southeast Asian Times
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China
opposes U.S. executive
order imposing additional
tariffs on exports
to U.S. effective
today
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U.S.
President Donald Trump
with executive order
imposing additional
tariffs on China imports
signed in Oval Office
Saturday February
1, 2025
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From
News Reports:
Washington, Tuesday 4: China is
against the U.S. decision that imposes
increased tariff on good exported
to the U.S. effective on Tuesday
February 4, with the China Ministry
of Commerce vowing to take countermeasures,
reports Reuters.
China Ministry of Commerce spokesperson,
He Yongqian, warned the U.S. that
Beijing would file a lawsuit at
the World Trade Organization, saying
"the unilateral imposition
of tariffs by the United States
seriously violates WTO rules".
U.S. President Donald Trump signed
executive orders imposing a additional
10 percent tariff on all exports
from China to the U.S. 25 percent
on Canadian exports and Mexican
exports effective Tuesday February
4, in response to the United States
failure to stop the flow of the
narcotic fentanyl into the U.S.
China Ministry of Commerce spokesperson,
He Yongqian, said ''the United States
should objectively and rationally
view and deal with its own issues
like fentanyl rather than threatening
other countries with tariffs at
every turn.''
''The increase in tariffs are not
only unhelpful in solving United
States problems but undermine normal
economic and trade cooperation,''
he said.
United States President Donald Trump
signed three separate executive
orders on Saturday February 1, imposing
10 percent on all imports from China,
25 percent on imports from Canada
and Mexico, saying ''tariffs were
necessary to protect Americans.''
President Donald Trump declared
a national emergency under the International
Emergency Economic Powers Act and
the National Emergencies Act to
implement the tariffs, allowing
the United States President powers
to impose tariffs on imports from
China, Canada and Mexico.
Tariff collections began 12:01am
on Tuesday February 4, in accordance
with President Donald Trump’s
executive order, with imports loaded
onto a vessel or onto their final
mode of transit before entering
the US prior to 12:01am Saturday
areexempt from the duties.
Mexico President Claudia Sheinbaum
immediately ordered retaliatory
tariffs, saying she has instructed
her economy secretary to implement
a response including retaliatory
tariffs and other measures in defence
of Mexico’s interests.
''We categorically reject the White
House’s slander that the Mexican
government has alliances with criminal
organizations, as well as any intention
of meddling in our territory,''
she said.
Canada Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau,
said that Canadian duties on $30
billion in trade in US alcohol and
fruit would take effect on Tuesday,
saying '' the tariffs will have
real consequences for you, the American
people.''
United States Customs and Border
Protection (CBP) officials said
that Canada would no longer be allowed
the ''de minimis'' US duty exemption
for small shipments under $800,
saying ''Canada and Mexico has become
a conduit for shipments of fentanyl
and its precursor chemicals into
the US, via small packages that
are not often inspected by customs
agents.''
The
Southeast Asian Times
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Malaysia
and Thailand pledge
to clamp down on China's
attempt to dodge U.S.
tariffs
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Vice
Premier of China,
Ding Xuexiang, said
'China is looking
for a win-win solution
to trade tensions
with the U.S. and
wanted to expand its
imports'' at the World
Economic Forum in
Davos, Switzerland,
Tuesday January 21,
2025
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From
News Reports:
Kuala Lumpur, February 3: The U.S.
President Donald Trump administration
imposed 25 percent tariff on imports
from Mexico, 10 percent on Canada
and China on Saturday with China
warning against U.S. protectionism
saying ''increased tariffs threaten
a trade war between the world's
two biggest economies, with the
Association of Southeast Asian Nations
(ASEAN) member countries, Malaysia
and Thailand pledging ''to clamp
down on Chinese companies transshipping
goods through their territories
to dodge U.S. tariffs, reports Reuters.
Vice Premier of China, Ding Xuexiang,
said at the World Economic Forum
in Davos, Switzerland, last month
''China is looking for a win-win
solution to trade tensions with
the U.S. and wanted to expand
its imports.''
He said that China does not seek
trade surplus, saying ''we want
to import more competitive quality
products and services to promote
balanced trade.''
''China gives all economic developing
countries having diplomatic relations
with China zero-tariff for 100
percent tariff lines,'' he said.
Developing ASEAN member countries
Malaysia and Thailand have pledged
to clamp down on Chinese companies
transshipping goods through their
territories to dodge US tariffs,
with Malaysia’s deputy trade
minister, Liew Chin Tong calling
on China ''to avoid using Malaysia
as a base to rebadge products
to avoid being slapped with a
made-in-China label.''
The U.S. imposition of 25 percent
on imports from Mexico, 10 percent
on Canada and China on Saturday
has put Malaysia and Thailand
under pressure with Customs Department
in Thailand, director general,
Theeraj Athanavanich, saying ''
Chinese goods would flow into
Thailand after President Donald
Trump steps up the trade war with
China.''
''Thai customs have been instructed
to monitor checkpoints for illegal
imports,'' he said.
Political analysist Australian,
Carl Thayer, said ''Thailand and
export-reliant neighbour Vietnam
are likely to monitor for export
violations that are blatant enough
to anger U.S. President Donald
Trump, but will still try to attract
more Chinese factory projects
to boost their economic growth,
'' saying ''they’re under
pressure no doubt to look compliant
with what Trump is doing,'' he
said.
''No one wants to have their head
above the parapet,'' he said.
Malaysian officials could let
individual importers, exporters
and US customs agents assume responsibility
for any inspections, with Kuala
Lumpur-based think tank Institute
of Strategic and International
Studies, Shariman Lockman, saying
''I suspect it wouldn’t be
a matter of policy but rather
the result of individuals attempting
to circumvent tariffs.''
Pacific Research Centre think
tank advisor, Singapore Institute
of International Affairs, Oh Ei
Sun, said ''if Washington complains,
Malaysia is likely to take symbolic
action in response,
The U.S. will put ASEAN governments
under pressure as it chases transshipment
sites around the world, with Thailand
Chulalongkorn University political-science
analyst, Thitinan Pongsudhirak,
saying ''Thailand will likely
not want to get caught on this
in light of its significant trade
surplus with the US,'' he said.
Singapore economist, Rajiv Biswas,
said ''U.S. policymakers already
worry about the extent of evasive
transshipments by Chinese companies
through ASEAN member countries,''
saying the US views Thailand,
Malaysia and Vietnam as key sources
of Chinese transshipments.
The
Southeast Asian Times
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U.S
warns off BRICS including
ASEAN member countries
from replacing U.S.
dollar
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ASEAN
member countries Thailand,
Indonesia, Malaysia
and Vietnam were among
13 nations named as
a new partner country
by Brazil, Russia,
India, China and South
Africa (BRICS) at
the BRICS Summit held
in Kazan, Russia October
22-October 24. 2024
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From
News Reports:
Bangkok, February 2: U.S. President
Donald Trump warned off Brazil,
Russia, India, China and South Africa
(BRICS) member countries that now
include ASEAN member countries,
Thailand, Malayssia, Indonesia and
Vietnam who became official members
on January 1, from replacing the
U.S. dollar as a reserve currency
by repeating a 100 percent Tariff
increase, reports Bangkok Post.
"There is no chance that BRICS
will replace the US Dollar in International
Trade, or anywhere else, and any
Country that tries should say hello
to Tariffs, and goodbye to America!,"
said U.S. Presiden Donald Trump.
"We are going to require a
commitment from these seemingly
hostile Countries that they will
neither create a new BRICS currency,
nor back any other currency to replace
the mighty US Dollar or, they will
face 100 percent Tariffs,"
said U.S. President Donald Trump.
The Association of Southeast Asian
Nations (ASEAN) member countries
Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand
and Vietnam joined
Brazil, Russia, India, China and
South Africa (BRICS) including
Iran, Eqypt, Ethiopia and United
Arab Emirate (UAE) on January
1, 2025, with ASEAN member countries
Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia
and Vietnam saying at the BRICS
Summit held in Kazan, Russia in
October 2024 ''joining BRICS should
not harm established United States
relations.''
Thailand Minister of Foreign Affairs,
Maris Sangiampongsa, said at the
"Brics and the Global South:
Building a Better World Together"
three day summit that was attended
by 36 countries, ''Thailan believed
BRICS could be a voice for developing
and emerging economies.''
''Thailand and BRICS could collaborate
to revise the global system to
work for all nations not just
the most powerful,'' he said.
Malaysia Minister for Economics,
Rafizi Ramli, said ''we see tremendous
synergies between ASEAN and BRICS.''
''Malaysia assumes the chairmanship
of the Association of Southeast
Asian Nations on January 1,''
he said.
He said that barriers to obtaining
development finances and a growing
global debt as reasons for joining
the intergovernmental grouping
BRICS, saying ''for Malaysia,
BRICS is not just a rejection
of these constraints, but it is
also a solution.''
''Malaysia’s decision to
join BRICS was not meant to reject
American currency but instead
aimed at reducing the risk of
Malaysian ringgit instability,''
he said.
Indonesia Foreign Minister Sugiono
said that Indonesia's decision
to apply to join BRICS is a manifestation
of our free and active foreign
policy,”
''It does not mean we align with
any specific bloc but rather that
we actively participate in all
forums,'' he said.
Director General for ASEAN Cooperation,
Indonesia's Deputy Minister of
Foreign Affairs, Sidharto Reza
Suryodipuro said ASEAN members
joining other alliances would
not affect or reduce the centrality
of ASEAN, saying ''ASEAN members
have been free to develop cooperation
with other parties.''
He said that ASEAN has never been
monopolized by ASEAN alone, saying
''ASEAN has always facilitated
various mechanisms operating in
the Southeast Asian region.''
He said that ASEAN member countries
do not have a common foreign policy,
saying ''ASEAN has a regional
mechanisms to develop cooperation
based on common interests.''
''ASEAN is a regional institution
and not a supranational body,''
he said.
Southeast
Asian Times
|
Myanmar
refugee centres on
Thai-Myanmar border
closed after 90 day
freeze on USAID
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Former
British foreign secretary,
David Miliband, CEO
International Rescue
Committee (IRC) ordered
closure of health
clinics on Thai-Myanmar
on Friday January
25, 2025 after USAID
was suspened
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From
News Reports:
Naypyitaw, February 1: Healthcare
centres for Myanmar refugees on
the Thai-Myanmar border have been
closed after USAID was suspended
worldwide for 90 days by the U.S.
Department of State including at
the Association of Southeast Asian
Nations ASIAN member states Thailand
and Myanmar, with the International
Rescue Committee (IRC) that funds
Thai-Myanmar clinics with USAID
support ordering the clinics closure
on Friday 24, reports the Bangkok
Post.
Bweh Say, refugee committee member
Mae La camp in Tha Song Yang district
and a local schoolteacher, said
on Wednesday that the International
Rescue Committee (IRC) had discharged
patients and stopped patients including
pregnant women and patients with
breathing difficulties dependent
on oxygen tanks from using their
equipment and medicine.
''The camp's water distribution
and garbage disposal systems, which
the organisation had also been helping
with, were also affected,'' she
said.
She said that it is not immediately
clear what the impact of the 90-day
freeze on USAID by the U.S. State
Department will have on the provision
of life-saving humanitarian assistance.
''It is not clear how many health
centres across the nine camps on
the Thai-Myanmar border housing
100,000 refugees were impacted by
the freeze on USAID,'' she said.
On December 7, 2023 Deputy Prime
Ministers and Foreign Ministers
of Thailand and the Myanmar ruling
Armed Forces (Tatmadaw) of Myanmar,
that seized the elected National
League for Democracy (NLD) government
in February 2021, agreed to establish
a joint task force to provide humanitarian
assistance to Myanmar's internally
displaced people (IDP) on their
shared border, with Thailand and
Myanmar agreeing to work together
to increase humanitarian assistance
for the Myanmar people living along
the Thai-Myanmar border.
The then Thailand Deputy Prime Minister
and Foreign Affairs Minister Parnpree
Bahiddha-Nukara said "the provision
of humanitarian assistance to Myanmar's
internally displaced people on the
Thai-Myanmar border is in line with
the ASEAN's five-point consensus
plan," he said.
He said Thailand supports constructive
engagement between Myanmar, the
Association of Southeast Asian Nations
(ASEAN) and the international community,
saying "the plan is consistent
with the implementation of the Five-Point
Consensus (5PC) plan,"
The ASEAN Five Point Consensus (5PCs)
peace plan was introduced at the
emergency ASEAN Leaders Meeting
(ALM) in Jakarta in April 2021,
after the Armed Forces (Tatmadaw)
of Myanmar takeover of the elected
National League for Democracy (NLD)
government in February 2022.
The ASEAN Five Point Consensus (5PCs)
peace plan included an immediate
end to all forms of violence, the
release of political prisoners,
implementation of the rights of
women and children, unimpeded humanitarian
access and facilitation and mediation
with the Secretary General of ASEAN.
The
Southeast Asian Times
|
New
US Secretary of State
calls on Vietnam to
address trade imbalance
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Secretary
of State Marco Rubio
called on Vietnam's
Deputy Prime Minister
and Foreign Minister
Bui Thanh Son to address
Vietnam's trade imbalance
on Friday January
24, 2025
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From News Reports:
Hanoi, January 31: New US Secretary
of State, Marco Rubio, called on
Vietnam's Deputy Prime Minister
and Foreign Minister, Bui Thanh
Son, to address Vietnam's trade
imbalance in a phone conversation
last week, with the Association
of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN)
Dezan Shira and Associates director
in Ho Chi Minh City saying ''Vietnam
is now likely to face stricter scrutiny
under the new U.S. President Donald
Trump administration,'' reports
Reuters.
New US Secretary of State, Marco
Rubio, confirmed that Vietnam has
the fourth highest surplus with
the US after China, the European
Union and Mexico.
Vietnam is among the world’s
most trade-dependent nations with
exports accounting for about 85
percent of its economy.
(ASEAN) Dezan Shira and Associates,
director, Marco Forster who has
relocated to Vietnam from China
said Vietnam is now likely to face
stricter scrutiny, especially for
goods transiting through Vietnam
to bypass tariffs on China,'' he
said.
''Vietnam has racked up the fourth-largest
trade surplus with the US,'' he
said.
He said Vietnam is trailing behind
China, Mexico and the EU in trade
surplus as global manufacturers
shifted factories away from China
to avoid the impact of tariffs.
''Chinese goods were being routed
through Vietnam to circumvent tariffs,
sometimes under questionable rules
of origin or even fake ‘Made
in Vietnam’ labels,'' he said.
He said that U.S. President Donald
Trump, has vowed to impose tariffs
of 60 percent on imports from China
and up to 20 percent on goods from
all other countries, warning that
Vietnam's economic growth that was
5 percent last year could decrease
by 4 percentage points under increased
tariffs.
''If tariffs were to be imposed
on Vietnam, the effects could be
catastrophic,'' he said.
Korean Chamber of Commerce in Vietnam
(KOCHAM), chairman, Hong Sun, said
''certain Korean enterprises in
Vietnam are concerned about potential
tariffs from the new Trump administration.''
He said that South Korea has long
been one of Vietnam’s top sources
of foreign direct investment, saying
''electronics group Samsung is the
single largest investor in Vietnam.''
''South Korean companies might delay
or reduce investments and production
in Vietnam should Washington impose
tariffs on Vietnamese goods,'' he
said.
The
Southeast Asian Times
|
ASEAN
member Thailand's
private sector urge
government to set
up trade war room
for US tariff talks
|
|
 |
|
Thailand's
Commerce Minister,
Pichai Naripthaphan,
says he is preparing
for tough negotiations
on export tariffs
in Washington on Saturday
February 1, 2025
|
|
From
News Reports:
Bangkok, January 30: ASEAN member
Thailand's private sector urged
the Paetongtarn Shinawatra government
to set up a trade war room after
U.S. President Donald Trump ssigned
executive orders designed to increase
tariffs and relocate production
to the U.S., with Thailands Commerce
Minister to visit Washington on
February 1, Thailand's Intelligent
Research Consultant (IRC) economic
advisor warning that two centuries
of diplomatic friendship with the
U.S. will not protect Thailand from
U.S. President Donald Trump’s
trade tariff's, and the Federation
of Thai Industries (FTI) saying
''Thailand can expect pressure on
countries with significant trade
surpluses with the U.S.,'' reports
Bangkok Post.
Thailand's Commerce Minister, Pichai
Naripthaphan, said he is preparing
for tough negotiations on export
tariffs in Washington saying ''Thailand
is bracing for an increased trade
tariffs with the U.S. its biggest
export market.''
''The U.S. has imposed a 25 percent
tariff on imports from Canada
and Mexico and 10 percent on imports
from China.'' he said.
Thailand's Intelligent Research
Consultant (IRC) economic advisor,
Ath Pisalvanich, warned that two
centuries of diplomatic friendship
with the U.S. will not protect
Thailand from the U.S. increased
trade tariffs, saying ''Thailand
can expect the US to impose tariffs
on its exports within the next
one or two months.''
''Thailand should aim for partnerships
that attract US investment and
integrate Thailand into the U.S.
supply chain,'' he said.
He said that Thailand should position
itself as a supply hub for agricultural
product as the U.S. reduces agricultural
imports from China.
He said that trade negotiators
need clear strategies to make
mutually beneficial offers to
their US counterparts, saying
''the business sector urge the
government to establish a trade
war room for lobbyists as U.S.
talks loom.''
Federation of Thai Industries
(FTI) chairman, Kriengkrai Thiennukul,
said ''the Thailand private sector
is urging the government to set
up a trade war room that would
include business leaders to faciliatate
information exchange, monitor
developments and
and to strategise effectively.
''The trade war room would enable
Thailand to adopt both proactive
and reactive approaches simultaneously,''
he said.
Thailand's Commerce Minister,
Pichai Naripthaphan, visit Washington
on February1 must be accompanies
by well-prepared proposals for
trade exchange, saying ''the U.S.
is expected to make enxetensive
demands to reduce its trade deficit.''
''Thailand must work to safeguard
the mutual interests of both countries
and ensure fair and balanced trade
negotiations.'' he said.
The
Southeast Asian Times
|
U.S.
issues worldwide freeze
order on USAID funding
including for ASEAN
member country Philippines
|
|
 |
|
Philippines
Foreign Affairs Undersecretary,
Eduardo Jose de Vega,
said the freeze on
USAID funding is not
going to severely
affect the Philippines
|
|
From
News Reports:
Manila, January 29: The U.S. State
Department issued a worldwide freeze
order on USAID funding including
for ASEAN member country the Philippines,
after U.S. President Donald Trump
ordered USAID allocation to be aligned
with U.S. foreign policy, with the
Philippines saying ''freezing USAID
funding was unlikely to severely
affect the Philippines, reports
Reuters.
Philippines Foreign Affairs Undersecretary,
Eduardo Jose de Vega, said ''the
freeze on USAID funding is not going
to severely affect the Philippines
because the aid packages from the
US are small,''
''The U.S. involvement in the Philippines
as a trading partner is very high,
''he said.
The USAID freeze was ordered by
U.S. President Donald Trump with
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio,
freezing all existing USAID for
internal review for 90 days, except
for emergency food programs and
military aid to Israel and Egypt.
''No new funds shall be committed
for new awards or extensions of
existing awards until each proposed
new award or extension has been
reviewed and approved,'' he said.
He said that every dollar the U.S
spends every program we fund, and
every policy we pursue must be justified
with the answer to three simple
questions, ''Does it make America
safer? Does it make America stronger?
Does it make America more prosperous?”
Albay 2nd Distric Philippine House
of Representatives, Joey Salceda,
warned that if the United States
neglected its relationship with
the Philippines, ''the Philippines
might have no other choice but to
balance that out with China.''
''We have territorial issues with
China, but between the US and China,
only the US actually invaded our
main islands,'' he said.
He said the Philippines want the
U.S. to be fair because the farther
the U.S. goes from the Philippines,
the more the U.S. will force the
Philippines to U.S. adversaries.''
''The Philippines most important
foreign relationships are, with
Japan, our ASEAN community, and
our strategic multilateralism,''
he said.
Oxfam America president Abby Maxman
said that U.S. President Trump was
abandoning a long-standing consensus
in the United States for foreign
assistance.
“Suspending and ultimately
cutting many of these programs could
have life or death consequences
for countless children and families
who are living through crisis,”
she said.
She said humanitarian and development
assistance accounts for only around
1 percent of the U.S. federal budget,
saying ''USAID saves lives, fights
diseases, educates millions of children
and reduces poverty.''
The
Southeast Asian Times
|
Cambodia
approves draft law
against non-recognition
of crimes committed
by Khmer Rouge
|
|
 |
|
Cambodia
prime minister Hun
Manet, left, and former
prime minister Hun
Sen, right, approve
draft Law against
Non-Recognition of
Crimes Committed during
the Democratic Kampuchea
Period at plenary
cabinet session at
Peace Palace in Phnom
Penh on Saturday January
25, 2025
|
|
From News Reports:
Phnom Penh, January 28: The draft
Law against Non-Recognition of
Crimes Committed during the Democratic
Kampuchea Period” was approved
in a plenary cabinet session at
the Peace Palace in Phnom Penh
under the chairmanship of Prime
Minister Hun Manet on Saturday,
with opposition Cambodia Reform
Party (CRP) Vice President saying
''from my perspective, I don’t
think it is necessary to adopt
such laws,'' reports Khmer Times.
Opposition Cambodia Reform Party
(CRP) vice president Ou Chanrath,
and former member of CNRP that was
dissolved by former Prime Minister
Hun Sen said ''we already have a
Criminal Code.''
''We have seen many people convicted
over alleged incitement or causing
social chaos, so it would not
be good to label one group or
individuals as terrorists,'' he
said.
He said that he did not support
convicting those who have difference
ideas regarding the Khmer Rouge
regime, saying ''for me, approval
of the Law against Non-Recognition
of Crimes Committed during the
Democratic Kampuchea Period is
an attempt to silence them.''
Former Prime Minister Hun Sen
called for action against those
who threatened peace by refusing
to acknowledge the crimes committed
during the Democratic Kampuchea
Period at the 46th Anniversary
of Victory Day at Koh Pich on
January 7.
He called for Cambodia's institutions
to implementation stricter measures
to the 2013 law against the non-recognition
of crimes committed during the
period of Democratic Kampuchea.
''I believed that it is time to
establish a law that will define
any person or group who plans
or conspires to create an extremist
movement, causes chaos and insecurity
in society, provokes conflicts
with other states, and attempts
to overthrow the legitimate government
as terrorists, and that person
or group must be brought to justice,''
he said.
In November 2018 the Extraordinary
Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia
(ECCC), found Khmer Rouge, economist
and chairman of the state presidium
of Democratic Kampuchea, Khieu
Samphan between 1975 and 1979,
guilty as charged with crimes
against humanity and grave breaches
of the 1949 Geneva Conventions
that includes genocide against
the Cham and Vietnamese between
1977 and 1979.
The Khmer Rouge Tribunal was established
following an agreement between
the Cambodian government and the
United Nations to try senior members
of the Khmer Rouge for crimes
against humanity, war crimes and
genocide between April 1975 and
January 1979.
The Trial Chamber of the Extraordinary
Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia
(ECCC) began hearing evidence
in February 2016 with Kaing Guek
Eav alias Duch, 75, being the
first of only three to go on trial.
Kaing Guek Eav alias Duch who
was the former warden of Security
Centre S-21 was found to be responsible
for a minimum of 12,272 deaths
and is serving a life sentence
for crimes against humanity and
grave breaches of the 1949 Geneva
Conventions.
In June 2016 Kaing Guek Eav alias
Duch testified against Nuon Chea,
92, former second in command to
Pol Pot, Prime Minister of Democratic
Kampuchea between 1975 and 1979.
In November 2018, Nuon Chea, 92,
was found guilty of crimes against
humanity and grave breaches of
the 1949 Geneva Conventions that
includes genocide against the
Cham and Vietnamese between 1977
and 1979
The
Southeast Asian Times
|
US
Secretary of state
wants Vietnam to address
Vietnam's trade imbalance
|
|
 |
|
Vietnam
Prime Minister Minh
Chinh at the 55th
annual meeting of
the World Economic
Forum (WEF) in Davos
Switzerland January
15 - 23, 2025
|
|
From News Reports:
Hanoi, January 27: New US Secretary
of State, Marco Rubio, called
on Vietnam's Foreign Minister
to address Vietnam's trade imbalance
that showed the US trade deficit
with Vietnam exceeded $110 billion
in the first 11 months of 2024,
reports Reuters.
Vietnam Prime Minister Pham Minh
Chinh said at the World Economic
Forum in Dacos on Tuesday that
''Vietnam is working on solutions
to re-balance its trade surplus
with the US.
The US showed an 18 percent rise
in US trade deficit with Vietnam
compared with the same period
the previous year, confirming
that the Communist Party of Vietnam
(CPV) one party state has the
fourth highest commercial surplus
with the US after China, the European
Union and Mexico.
Vietnam is among the world’s
most trade-dependent nations with
exports accounting for about 85
percent of its economy with the
US its largest market including
large export focused industrial
operations of US multinationals
including Apple, Google, Nike
and Intel in Vietnam.
On August 3, 2024 the US Department
of Commerce rejected the Vietnam
bid to be designated as a market
economy under the US Tariff Law
following the Vietnam Minister of
Industry and Trade, Nguyen Hong
Dien's, request ''to consider the
removal of Vietnam from the list
of non-market economies.''
Vietnam is on the list of 12 nations
identified by the US Department
of Commerce as non-market economies
including China and Russia that
reportedly have a strong state
intervention in their economies.
The US has labelled Vietnam a non-market
economy since 2002 due to state
interventions in trade, pricing
and currency, with the EU also designating
Vietnam a non-market economy.
On May 7, 2024 Human Rights Watch
(HRW) Southeast Asia, advocacy
director, John Sifton, said at
the UN Human Rights Council, Geneva,
Switzerland, that ''Human Rights
Watch (HRW) takes no position
on Vietnam's economic status but
the redesignation of Vietnam to
a market economy under the US
Tariff Law is legally contingent
on basic labor rights protections
and stated US policy on promoting
labor rights.''
''Vietnam’s claims to respect
labor rights relies on empty words
and promises, laws and regulations
that have no connection to the
realities of the county’s
actual labor rights situation,''
he said.
He said that the Vietnam government
continues to call the government-led
Vietnam General Confederation
of Labor (VGCL) a labor confederation
of enterprise-level labor federations
but the VGGL is led by Vietnam
government appointees.
''The unions and federations that
exist under the VGCL are almost
all led by people appointed by
management at the enterprise level,''
he said
He said that workers or labor
leaders do not choose leaders
or representatives who can bargain
to set wages on their behalf,
saying ''the government-led Vietnam
General Confederation of Labor
(VGCL) bargains with management
or at the state-wide level in
the interests of the government
and the Vietnamese Communist Party,
not on behalf of workers and in
a representative capacity.''
''State control of the Vietnam
General Confederation of Labor
(VGCL) is demonstrated by Directive
24 issued by the Communist Party
of Vietnam that orders enhanced
scrutiny of labor groups, civil
society, and foreign organizations,
specifically in the context of
Vietnam’s implementation
of new trade agreements with other
countries and with the International
Labour Organization (ILO).
Directive 24 reportedly ''shares
a striking similarity with Document
9, a Chinese Communist Party (CCP)
directive introduced in April
2013 that enumerated a list of
seven trends and activities that
according to the Chinese Communist
Party (CCP) posed a threat to
the party.''
China's Document 9 reportedly
made it clear that ''the one party-state
would exert control over all expression
in the country and limit the ability
of civil society in China to operate.''
The
Southeast Asian Times
|
Weddings
for LGBTQ+ couples
in demand in Thailand
with same sex marriage
laws effective on
Thursday
|
|
 |
|
Chanathip
Sirihiranchai, left,
and Police Sergeant
Major Pisit Sirihiranchai,
right, were among
more than two hundred
same sex couples married
at the Siam Paragon
shopping centre Bangkok
Thurs January 23,
2025
|
|
From
News Reports:
Bangkok, January 26: Thailand's
same-sex marriage laws come into
effect on Thursday after Thailand
senators voted to pass the Marriage
Equality Act 2024 in June, with
Thailand making history as the
first of the 10 Association of
South East Asian Nations (ASEAN)
member countries to enact the
law, and with wedding business
anticipating an increase in demand
for wedding services from LGBTQ+
couples, reports the Bangkok Post.
Bridal Planner Thailand managing
director, Chonlada Lafferty, said
''the new Marriage Equality Act
2024 could enhance Thailand's
reputation among foreign couples
seeking a marriage destination
in Southeast Asia.''
"We are excited about this
development and eager to see how
it will benefit our business,"
she said.
She said that Bridal Planner Thailand
specialises in destination weddings
focusing on couples from overseas
wanting to tie the knot in Thailand,
saying ''the business anticipates
an increase in LGBTQ+ couples
seeking wedding services, reflecting
broader trends in the market.''
"We are excited about this
development and eager to see how
it will benefit our business,"
she said.
She urged businesses in the wedding
industry to prepare by familiarising
themselves with necessary legal
documents, saying ''obtaining
a Thai marriage certificate for
foreign LGBTQ+ couples will require
collaboration with agencies that
facilitate foreign marriages in
Thailand.''
"We need to work closely
with partners to understand the
rules and regulations related
to marriage documents, including
the laws of the tourists' home
countries," she said.
She said businesses in the wedding
industry in Thailand need wedding
arrangements to cater to LGBTQ+
couples, saying ''heterosexual couples
often request separate dressing
rooms for the bride and groom.''
''Wedding planners should discuss
preferences for room arrangements
with LGBTQ+ clients.'' she said.
In June 2023 Thailands senators
voted to pass the Marriage Equality
Act 2024 that legalises same-sex
marriage, with the then eight-party
coalition led by the Move Forward
Party (MFP) that had won the general
elections in May 14, 2023, vowed
to legalise same-sex marriage and
gender equality, with then Move
Forward Party (MFP) leader, Pita
Limjaroenrat, saying "once
we form government, we will push
for amendements to the Marriage
Equality Act in the first 100 days."
Move Forward Party (MFP) list-Members
of Parliament elect, Parit Wacharasindhu,
said then that amendements to
the Marriage Equality Act would
not only promote gender equality
but also open a host of financial,
tax and inheritance benefits for
members of the LGBTQIA2S+ community.
He said that the Marriage Equality
Act aims to amend Section 1448
of the Civil and Commercial Code,
saying "Section 1448 of the
Civil and Commercial Code limits
the definition of marriage to
a man and a woman.
"Amendements to the Marriage
Equality Act would make the marriage
law applicable to any couple,
regardless of gender," he
said.
The
Southeast Asian Times
|
Kontras
claim Indonesia's
military involvement
in free nutricious
meals program is illegal
|
|
 |
|
Indonesia
President, Prabowo
Subianto, former Minister
of Defence and a former
General in President
Suharto's New Order
planned to establish
a Regional Military
Command (Kodam) throughout
Indonesia, Sunday
October 20, 2024
|
|
From
News Reports:
Jakarta, January 25: The Commission
for Missing Persons and Victims
of Violence (Kontras) claim that
involvement of the Indonesian National
Armed Forces (TNI) in the government
free nutricious meals program that
began on January 6 is illegal, saying,
''non-war operations require a political
decision to legalise TNI involvement
in a civilian program,'' reports
Indoleft.
Kontras Coordinator Dimas Bagus
Arya said that there is no regulation
governing the involvement of the
National Armed Forces (TNI) in
civilian programs under the National
Armed Forces (TNI) law.''
'' Article 7 Paragraph 3 of the
TNI Law regulates the involvement
of the TNI in military war operations
only,'' he said.
He said that moves to involve
National Armed Forces (TNI) operations
in a number of state policies
and a number of state projects
are illegal operations, saying
''the National Armed Forces (TNI)
operations in civilian programs
are not based in the provisions
of the TNI Law.''
He said that the free nutricious
meals program is an effort to
revive the National Armed Forces
(TNI) role in civilian life, saying
''the effort is very very systematic.''
''The involvement of the National
Armed Forces (TNI) in the free
nutricious meals program is contrary
to existing TNI regulations,''
he said.
TNI Information Centre head (Kapuspen)
Major General Hariyanto confirmed
that the TNI is involved in overseeing
and evaluating the progress of
the free nutritional meals program
that began on January 6.
''TNI personnel will help ensure
the program runs smoothly according
to the government's target,''
he said.
He said the National Armed Forces
(TNI) is also tasked with facilitating
logistics in the implementation
of the free nutritious meals programs.
Indonesia President, Prabowo Subianto,
former Minister of Defence and
a former General in President
Suharto's New Order regime, proposed
a plan to establish a Regional
Military Command (Kodam) that
includes the Army (TNI-AD), Navy
(TNI-AL), and Air Force (TNI-AU)
throughout Indonesia including
in the newly established Papua
provinces, saying "there
are parts of Indonesia that do
not have an Indonesian National
Military (TNI) command."
"As Minister of Defence I
plan to establish a Regional Military
Commands (Kodam) in every province,
a District Military Command (Kodim)
unit in each district and a Sub-District
Military Command (Koramil) in
each sub-district," he said.
The
Southeast Asian Times
|
Protesters
call on PM to separate
relationship with
her father, former
PM Thaksin Shinawatra,
from administration
of Thailand
|
|
 |
|
Protesters
led by Jatuporn Prompan,
Dr Warong Dechgitvigrom,
Jade Donavanik, and
Dr Tul Sittisomwong,
submit letter of complaint
to the Office of the
Ombudsman in Bangkok
on Tuesday January
21, 2025
|
|
From
News Reports:
Bangkok, Friday 24: A group of
protesters have submitted a letter
of complaint to the Office of
the Ombudsman in Bangkok on Tuesday
calling on Prime Minister Paetongtarn
Shinawatra to separate her relationship
with her father, former Prime
Minister Thaksin Shinawatra from
the administration of Thailand,
reports the Bangkok Post.
The group of protesters led by
Jatuporn Prompan, Dr Warong Dechgitvigrom,
Jade Donavanik, and Dr Tul Sittisomwong,
claim that former prime minister
Thaksin Shinawatra’s evasion
of a prison sentence has severely
undermined the country’s
justice system and demonstrated
his influence over the justice
system.
''Our group calls on Prime Minister
Paetongtarn Shinawatra to address
the matter of separation of her
relationship with her father from
the administration of Thailand,''
said the political activists.
Former Prime Minister, Thanksin
Shinawatra, faced Lese Majeste
Law and the Computor Crime Act
charges on his return to Thailand
from exile in Dubai and Hong Kong
in August 22, 2022 after fleeing
Thailand in 2008 to avoid trial
for nonfeasance and malfeasance
while holding the position of
Prime Minister.
Former Prime Minister Thaksin
Shinawatra was sentenced to eight
years in prison in August 2024,
reduced to one year by a royal
pardon in honour of King Maha
Vajiralongkorn's birthday, following
the election of his daughter,
Paetongtarn Shinawatra, 37, as
the 31st Prime Minister of Thailand
on August 16, 2024.
The letter of complaint protested
against the Department of Corrections
Thailand and the Police General
Hospital in Bangkok
for not cooperating with an investigation
into Thaksin Shinawatra's stay
at the hospital conducted by the
National Anti-Corruption Commission
(NACC) and the Medical Council
of Thailand.
Inmates at the Police General
Hospital in Bangkok are legally
permitted to receive treatment
outside prison for 120 days but
the
Department of Corrections Thailand
allowed Thaksin Shinawatra to
stay at the Police General Hospital
for 180 days, saying that conditions
in the prison could threaten his
life.
Former Prime Minister Thaksin
Shinawatra paid all costs for
his six-month stay, including
a VIP room on the hospital's 14th
floor
costing 8,500 baht a night.
'We are fully aware that Prime
Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra
is Thaksin Shinawatra's daughter
but, as the leader of Thailand
she should prioritise the national
interest over family ties,'' said
the letter of complaint to the
Office of the Ombudsman
The
Southeast Asian Times
|
Philippines
trade union wants
one-stop shop in U.S.
to support deportation
of undocumented Filipinos
|
|
 |
|
Trade
Union Congress of
the Philippines (TUCP)
Vice-President Luis
C. Corral wants a
one stop shop in the
United states to provide
legal assistance for
reintegration services
for undocumented Filipinos
|
|
From
News Reports:
Manila, January 23:The Trade Union
Congress of the Philippines (TUCP)
wants an interagency body to coordinate
efforts with government agencies,
civil society and Filipino organisation
in the United States to support
about 370,000 undocumented Filipinos
at risk of deportation, reports
Manila Times.
Trade Union Congress of the Philippines
(TUCP) Vice President, Luis C.
Corral, said ''the Philippine
government will be ready to assist
our countrymen if mass deportation
will indeed be implemented by
the new US administration under
President Donald Trump.''
He said Trade Union Congress of
the Philippines (TUCP) advocates
a unified coherent response ranging
from legal assistance to reintegration
services in a one-stop shop for
accessible and comprehensive services.
''The Trade Union Congress of
the Philippines would help returning
overseas Filipino workers to reintegrate
not just through employment facilitation
but also through public employment
programs,'' he said.
President Donald Trump declared
illegal immigration in the United
States a national emergency, ordering
the United States Department of
Defence to support border wall
construction, detention location
and migrant transportation, empowering
the Defence secretary to send
the United States military to
the border.
President Donald Trump issued
a broad ban on asylum in the United
States and restricted citizenship
for children born on United States
soil, saying in his inaugural
address, ''illegal entry into
the United States will immediately
be halted, and we will begin the
process of returning millions
and millions of criminal aliens
back to the places from which
they came.''
University of the Philippines
Diliman School of Labor and Industrial
Relations, Benjamin B. Velasco,
claims ''American unions, migrant
organizations and civil society
allies have resisted President
Donald Trump's mass deportation
policy,'' saying ''the mass deportation
of Filipinos is not in Manila’s
national interest.''
''To face the consequences of
mass deportation the Philippines
needs to ramp up public employment
and develop an industrial policy,''
he said.
He said the Philippine government
needs to take a more active role
in economic planning and development,
saying ''the Philippines has let
the private sector lead the economy
and the result is persistent unemployment,
underemployment and labor migration,
saying ''public sector-led industrialization
is what is needed to address the
root causes of underdevelopment.''
The
Southeast Asian Times
|
Thailand
calls on ASEAN states
to work together against
US increase in import
tariffs
|
|
 |
|
Danucha
Pichayanan, secretary-general,
National Economic
and Social Development
Council of Thailand
says China is planning
to relocate production
bases to avoid U.S.
import tarrifs on
Monday January 20,
2025
|
|
From News Reports:
Bangkok, January 22: The Association
of Southeast Asian (ASEAN) member
countries should work together to
increase bargaining power when negotiating
trade deals with the U.S administration,
after U.S President Donald Trump's
increase in import taxes on goods
from countries with trade surpluses
in the United States, with Thailand
saying ''the Trump administration
will increase import tariffs without
negotiation, reports Agence France
Presse.
Thailand’s National Economic
and Social Development Council secretary-general,
Danucha Pichayanan, said that China
is planning to relocate production
bases to Thailand but registering
in Singapore to avoid high import
tariffs.
''It's possible that the U.S. will
impose high import taxes even though
the goods are produced in Thailand,''
he said.
He said that the Thailand Board
of Investment should step in to
ensure that companies registered
in Singapore are majority owned
by Thailand nationals, saying ''these
companies should be granted additional
investment incentives if they engage
in high tech businesses.''
Federation of Thai Industries president,
Kriangkrai Thiennukul, said that
the Thailand government should establish
a war room and hire effective U.S.
lobbyists to manage the new trade
policies introduced by the U.S,
saying '' the Thai government should
increae efforts to find new markets
for Thai products.''
He said that the International Monetary
Fund (IMF) has predicted that the
U.S administration under U.S President
Donald Trump
will impose from 10 percent to 20
percent import taxes on imports
to the U.S. and between 50 percent
and 100 percent on specifically
Chinese products, saying ''Canade
and Mexico are facing 25 percent
taxes on products imported into
the U.S. market.''
''Thailand is concerned that more
Chinese products are expected to
be dumped in Thailand and other
countries when they find it harder
to enter the U.S. market,'' he said.
Singapore Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Ambassador-at-Large Professor Chan
Heng Chee said ''what the US does
or does not do matters to the whole
world,'' at the United Overseas
Bank Global Markets Economic Forum
held in Singapore on January 14.''
She said that the U.S. imposition
of tariffs on China to as high as
60 percent will affect ASEAN member
countries, saying ASEAN member countries
have benefited from the diversification
of the supply chain from China to
countries such as Vietnam, Thailand,
Malaysia and Singapore.
The
Southeast Asian Times
|
Malaysia
ASEAN chair 2025 appoints
fifth special envoy
to Myanmar since military
coup
|
|
 |
|
ASEAN
Foreign Ministers
Retreat (AMM) under
Malaysia's ASEAN Chairmanship
2025 attended by ASEAN
Secretary-General,
Dr. Kao Kim Hourn,
Minister of Foreign
Affairs and Cooperation
of Timor-Leste as
observer and foreign
ministers from ASEAN
member states
|
|
From
News Reports:
Malaysia, January 21: The Association
of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)
Malaysia chair for 2025 appointed
ASEAN special envoy to Myanmar,
former secretary-general of Malaysia's
foreign ministry, Othman Hashim,
as the fifth special envoy to
Myanmar since the takeover of
the elected National League for
Democracy (NLD) government by
the Armed Forces (Tatmadaw) of
Myanmar on February 1, 2021, reports
the Star.
Chair of the ASEAN Foreign Ministers’
(AMM) Retreat, Minister of Foreign
Affairs of Malaysia, Haji Hasan,
said "we are doing our very
best to work together with dialogue
partners and neighbouring countries
to ensure stability and restore
a democratic government in Myanmar.''
He said ASEAN's focus is on ending
violence in Myanmar, saying "the
Five-Point Consensus (5PC) plan
has been fulfilled, except for
the first point, ''to stop the
violence.''
He said the task of the ASEAN special
envoy to Myanmar, Othman Hashim,
is to work towards a ceasefire in
Myanmar, saying ''the crisis in
Myanmar is deepening,''
He said the Armed Forces (Tatmadaw)
of Myanmar are planning to have
an election but an election must
be inclusive, saying ''elections
cannot be in isolation.''
''Holding an election in Myanmar
is not the main prority of ASEAN
at present,'' he said
On December 31, 2024 the Armed
Forces (Tatmadaw) of Myanmar Ministry
of Immigration and Population,
released the nationwide population
and household census conducted
in 2024 with Immigration and Population
minister, U Myint Khaing, saying
''more than 32 million civilians
were counted from the estimated
population of 51 million.''
''More than 19 million living
in towns and townships in Myanmar
could not be conducted,'' he said.
He said that the Ministry of Immigration
and Population, was unable to
conduct a nationwide population
and household census in dozens
of towns and townships in northern
Shan State and Rakhine State,
Kachin, Karenni, Karen and Chin
states, and central Myanmar.
The population and household census
was rescheduled from 1 to 15 October
2024 to 1 to 15 December 2024 due
to bomb attacks on ward administrative
offices and attacks on census collectors
in towns and townships in the Myanmar's
states Census collectors in Yangon
refused to make door to door census
collections in fear of their safety
and were guarded by the Armed Forces
(Tatmadaw) of Myanmar during the
population and household census.
The ASEAN Five Point Concensus
(5PC) plan that was introduced
at the ASEAN Leaders Meeting (ALM)
in Jakarta in April 2021, was
attended by the Armed Forces (Tatmadaw)
of Myanmar, Commander-in-Chief
Senior General Min Aung Hlaing.
who agreed to the ASEAN Five Point
Concensus (5PC) plan that included
an immediate end to all forms
of violence, the release of political
prisoners, implementation of the
rights of women and children,
unimpeded humanitarian access
and facilitation and mediation
with the Secretary General of
ASEAN.
In November 2022 the Association
of Southeast Asian Parliamentarians
for Human Rights (APHR), chairman,
Charles Santiago, said ASEAN’s
five-point consensus (5PC) reached
with the Armed Forces (Tatmadaw)
of Myanmar's Sr. Gen. Min Aung
Hlaing in Jakarta in April 2021
''has been an utter failure."
He said that the Armed Forces
(Tatmadaw) of Myanmar's Sr. Gen.
Min Aung Hlaing has shown absolute
contempt for the ASEAN’s
five-point consensus agreement,
saying "the Association of
Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)
has been unable to adopt a stance
to put pressure on the Armed Forces
(Tatmadaw) of Myanmar."
“Meanwhile, most of the international
community has hidden behind ASEAN
in order to avoid doing anything
meaningful, he said.
He said that countries and international
institutions that claim to support
democracy in Myanmar have reacted
with a timidity that puts in serious
doubt their alleged commitment
to Myanmar, saying "it is
past time that ASEAN ditches the
five-point consensus (5PC) and
urgently rethinks its approach
to the crisis in Myanmar."
The
Southeast Asian Times
|
Bhumjaithai
Party demands PM Shinawatra
rescind land owned
by temple in central
Thailand
|
|
 |
|
Bhumjaithai
Party party, Anutin
Charnvirakul, centre,
Pheu Thai Party, Paetongtarn
Shinawatra, right,
at Government House
Bangkok Tuesday October
15, 2024
|
|
From
News Reports:
Bangkok, January 20: The pro-monarchy
Bhumjaithai Party demands that Prime
Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra,
rescind ownership of land at the
Alpine Golf and Sports Club Co,
in central Thailand, with the Bhumjaithai
Party saying that the land was bequeathed
to Wat Thamikararam Worawihan, temple
in 1971, reports Bangkok Post.
Bhumjaithai Party party leader,
Anutin Charnvirakul, said the
Department of Lands (DoL) should
nullify the land title deeds at
the Alpine Golf and Sports Club
Co and revert the land title deed
to the ownership of the Wat Thamikararam
Worawihan, temple.
He said that the owners of the
land that was bequeathed to Wat
Thamikararam Worawihan, temple
will require compensation, saying
''compensation would be calculated
on the land's current market value.''
''Payment of compensation for
damages resulting from the nullification
order would impose a significant
financial burden on the Department
of Lands,'' he said.
He said that the Department of Lands
(DoL), the Alpine Golf and Sports
Club Co, and the Mahamakut Buddhist
University Foundation, that manages
the land owned by Wat Thamikararam
Worawihan, temple may be required
to jointly pay compensation to 533
landowners and 30 mortgagees.
Neum Chamnanchartsakda, the original
owner of the land on which the
Wat Thamikararam Worawihan, temple
in Prachuap Khiri Khan was established
in 1922, bequeathed the land to
the temple in her will in 1971,
saying that the land should belong
to the temple.
The Wat Thamikararam Worawihan,
temple sold the land to Sanoh
Thienthong, at the Alpine Real
Estate Ltd, for 30 million baht
in 1990, who established the Alpine
Golf and Sport Club Ltd, on the
temple land.
The Wat Thamikararam Worawihan
temple land that has been turned
into the Alpine Golf and Sport
Club Ltd, was sold in 1997 to
Khunying Potjaman Na Pombejra,
mother of Prime Minister Paetongtarn
Shinawatra and wife of former
Prime Minister Thaskin Shinawatra
for 500 million baht.
Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra
tranferred 22,410,000 shares in
the Alpine Golf and Sport Club Ltd,
valued at 224 million baht to her
mother Khunying Potjaman Na Pombra
on September 4, 2024.
The
Southeast Asian Times
|
ADHOC
report citing judges
violation of court
procedures dismissed
by Cambodia's Ministry
of Justice
|
|
 |
|
Secretary
of State of the Ministry
of Justice, Chin Malin,
said the Ministry
of Justice does not
agree with the Non-Government
Organisation (NGO)
Cambodian Human Rights
and Development Association
(ADHOC) report submitted
on Friday January
17, 2025
|
|
From News Reports:
Phnom Penh, January 19: Cambodian
Human Rights and Development Association
(ADHOC), Non-Government-Organisation
(NGO), submitted a report to the
Cambodia Ministry of Justice saying,
''judges violated the courts procedures,''
with the Ministry of Justice, saying
''the ministry does not agree with
the ADHOC report'', reports the
Khmer Times.
The Hearing Monitoring report of
the Capital-Provincial Court of
First Instance from October 2023
to September 2024 found 55 percent
of accused were detained for more
than six months and up to 18 months
in pre-trial detention.
ADHOC recommended the Ministry
of Justice review and take specific
measures against the actions of
judges and prosecution representatives
that contravene the objectives
of Article 208 and Article 209
of the 2007 Criminal Procedure
Code that outlines the duration
of pre-trial detention.
ADHOC also recommended the Ministry
of Justice review and impose severe
administrative penalties on judges
and prosecution representatives
who delay performing their duties
in opening hearings.
Secretary of State of the Ministry
of Justice, Chin Malin, said on
Friday that the ministry does not
agree with the ADHOC report, saying
''the Ministry will study the ADHOS
assessment as to whether it is well-researched
or not.''
''The Ministry of Justice will
review the ADHOC’s report
to verify what the ADHOC has found
and raised in its report as well
as whether its assessment is researched
well or not,'' he said.
He called on the officers of ADHOC
to provide examples of specific
cases to the Ministry of Justice
of ADHOC findings that ''judges
and prosecution representatives
had violated the procedures and
their professional ethics including
disrespect for working hours and
the detention of the accused in
excess of the time limit.''
He said the Ministry of Justice
has launched a campaign to expedite
and motivate the obstruction of
court cases and irregularties
in the courts, opening channels
for the public to check whether
there is inactivity or irregularities
in the court.
''The public can file a complaint
with the Ministry of Justice,''
he said.
In November 2018 Cambodia's Non
Government Organisations (NGO's)
called on then Prime Minister Hun
Sen to repeal the the Law on Associations
and Non-Government Organisations
(NGO's) that was passed by the National
Assembly in 2015.
The Law on Association and Non-Government
Organisations (NGO's) regulates
about 5,000 Non Government Organisations
(NGO) in Cambodia including Cambodian
Human Rights and Development Association
(ADHOC).
Under the Law on Associations
and Non-Governmental Organisations
(NGO's), all Cambodian and international
Non-Government Organisations (NGO)
are reportedly required to report
their activities and finances
to the government, with failure
to comply resulting in fines,
legal action and disbandment.
Cambodian Human Rights and Development
Association (ADHOC) investigator
Soeung Sen Karuna also called
on the government to allow Non-Government
Organisation (NGO's) to carry
out their activities without discrimination
from government authorities
"After the restrictions put
on NGO's, we saw accusations that
we are involved with a colour
revolution that is behind the
opposition Cambodia National Rescue
Party (CNRP)" he said.
The
Southeast Asian Times
| The
Southeast Asian Times
wishes its readers
a happy Christmas
and all the best for
the New Year with
a special thankyou
to its treasured letter
writers |
|
|
| MEDIA CHECK |
| Cambodia-China Journalist Association
(CCJA)
launched
in
Phnom
Penh ...open
here |
|
|
|
Darwin
reporter
John Loizou
asks a
survivor
of the
1965 killings
in Bali
"why didn't
you try
to stop
them"
in "Remembering
the slaughter
in Paradise"
........open page here
|
|
| Kang-Fu
the Red
Kangaroo
is relentless
in his fight
to
protect
Australia's
sovereignity...Open
page
here | |
| Bombed
by
the Americans
for Christmas
in 1972,
Ha Noi Bach
Mai hospital
is still
a war zone...Christina
Pas
reports...Open
page
here | |
| Indigenous
Australians
in the northern
Queensland
town of
East Trinity
aim for
economic
independence
from
eco-cultural
tourism,
reports
Christine
Howes in
"Australian
indigenous
eco-cultural
tourism
venture
wins best
small project
national
award
"
...open
here
| |
| Kavi
Chongkittavorn
talks about
the UK
application
to become
an ASEAN
dialogue
partner
in "New
dynamics
of Aseans
external
ties,"
with consensus
yet to be
reached
on admitting
a
former
colonial
master of
four
ASEAN
member countries
into the
Southeast
Asian bloc....open
| |
| Esther
Samboh talks
about
the
choise between
thousands
dying
of
Covid-19
or from
hunger in
densely
populated
Jakarta
in the new
normal in
"Medics
dying, infections
soaring
- it's still
the economy"
...open
page
here | |
| Australian
reporter,
Chris Ray,
investigates
why Australia
dropped
five spots
in the World
Press Freedom
Index...open | |
| Read
what Son
Nguyen has
to say about
the impact
of China's
virus on
Vietnam's
economy
in
"When
the
economy
gets sick"
open
here | |
| Has
the ancient
Syrian city
of
Palmyra
suffered
a fatal
blow, or
will it
rise again?
asks Australian
reporter
Chris Ray...
Open
page
here | |
|
Darwin
reporter
John Loizou
asks a
survivor
of the
1965 killings
in Bali
"why
didn't
you try
to
stop
them"
in "Remembering
the slaughter
in
Paradise"
........open
page here
| |
| "Goodbye
America"
says B.A.
Hamzah as
he calls
for Asians
to determine
their own
political
destiny
in "Time
for Asia
to
set it's
own course,
minus the
U.S."...open
here | |
| Is
prescribed
burning
of
grasslands
in northern
Australia
out of control?
......Chris
Ray reports
...
open page
here | |
| "Rockefeller
and the
Demise of
Ibu
Pertiwi"
by Kerry
B. Collison
"is
undoubtedly
fictional
but by no
means improbable,
"
says Johannes
Nugroho
....open
page
here | |
Viet
Nam is
planning
to go nuclear
by the year
2020.reports
John
Loizou
in
"Calculating
the costs
of nuclear
energy in
Vietnam"
...open
page here
| |
|
The
founder
of the
Revolutionary
Front
of Independent
East Timor
(Fretilin),
Mari
Alkatiri,
the now
former
Prime
Minister
of Timor
Leste,
after
losing
the May
12, 2018
election
to the
National
Congress
for Timorese
Reconstruction
(CNRT)
party,
led by
Xanana
Gusmao,
has accused
the opposition
of a coup
attempt.
Twelve
years
ago Mari
Alkatiri
also accused
the opposition
of a coup
attemp
claiming
then that
the
crises
that led
to his
resignation
was the
result
of a conspiracy.
"I
have no
doubt
about
that"
he told
Darwin
reporter
John Loizou
in an
interview
in Dili
on 6 November
2006
......open
page here
| |
|
Cuba's
302
physicians
in East
Timor
work at
five hospitals
and remote
villages
throughout
the republic...writes
Darwin
reporter
John Loizou
...open
page here
| |
| Benedict
Anderson,
a man
without
a country,
dies in
Indonesia
Jeet Heer
reports.....open
page
here | |
|
Thousands
of Northern
Australia's
indigenous
rock art
sites
are under
threat
from buffalo,
fire and
feral
animals.
Tim Lee
reports
........open
page here
| |
| Copy
of
letter
29 May 2012
from Vietnam
Womens Union
to
International
Olympic
Committee...open
here | |
| The
Southeast
Asian Times
wishes its
readers
a
happy
Christmas
and all
the best
for the
New Year
with a special
thankyou
to its treasured
letter
writers
| |
| The
Southeast
Asian
Times
wishes
its readers
a happy
Christmas
and all
the best
for the
New Year
with a
special
thankyou
to its
treasured
letter
writers
|
|
Published
by Pas Loizou Press
Darwin Northern
Territory
Australia
PASLOIZOUPRESSDARWIN@bigpond.com
|
The
Southeast
Asian
Times cannot
be
bought
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
Oz $ buys
|
|
Updated
daily.
Prices indicative only
|
US...0.7582 s
Brunei...1.0310
Cambodia...3,115.36
China..Yuan..5,0710
East Timor...0.7582
Euro..0.6794
HongsKong...5.8808
Indonesia Rupiah.9,997.47
Japan..78.8528
Laos..6,140.58
Malaysia Ringgit.....3.0900
Myanmar..923.19
Viet Nam Dong..16,849.44
Singapore
properties listed for sale in Myanmar
From News Reports:
Yangon, November 25: Singapore's largest property developer, the
Far East Organization, is to partner with Myanmar's property sales and marketing company, Min Zin Agency, in
Yangon to sell condos in Singapore.
Managing director of the Min Zin Agency in Yangon, Ko Kyaw Min
Zin, said that Singapore's Far East Organization has expanded
its sales and marketing efforts into Myanmar.
“The Far East Organisation has been selling their Singapore properties
to Myanmar buyers since 2009,” he said.
The Far East Organisation reportedly have over 750 properties
in Singapore’s residential, hospitality, retail, commercial and
industrial sectors,
including 45,500 or one in every six private homes in Singapore
listed with the Min Zin Agency in Yangon.
The Southeast
Asian Times
China to invest in rail and road construction
in Indonesia
From News Reports:
Jakarta, November 10: Indonesia's Railway
Corporation (PT KAI) and state construction company PT Jasa Marga
signed a memorandum of understanding
(MoU) with China Investment Fund (CIF) to develop indonesia's
railway services and toll road construction.
Witness to the signing, coordinating Minister for the Economy
Sofyan Djalil, said that the MoU will provide the groundwork for
further cooperation between China Railway and P KAI and China
Investment Fund (CIF).
"The MoU is the first step towards further development of public
services between China and Indonesia" he said.
Chinese Ambassador to Indonesia, Xie Feng said that the MoU would
spark more cooperations between China and Indonesia and would
bring about "real benefits to the public."
The Southeast Asian Times
Penang health department
shuts down soya bean factory
From News Reports:
Penang, October 19:
Five Penang food factories including a 100 year old
soya bean factory at Tanjong Bungah were ordered closed
by the state health department for failure to observe health
standards.
State health, food safety and quality
division, deputy director Ku Nafishah Ku Ariffin
said soya bean products were processed in an unclean
"rusty and moldy kitchen".
"Our inspectors found
that wet products were left to dry on "dirty" bamboo
sticks along with bathing towels. The bamboo sticks
were also dirty and dusty," she said.
A "sweets"
factory in Teluk Kumbar, a noodle factory in Simpang
Ampat and a sauce factory in Bukit Metajam were also
closed by the state health department
The Southeast Asian
Times
Fuel smugglers including military personnel
under arrest
From News Reports:
Jakarta, September 15: Riau Islands Police have arrested
30 suspects including several Indonesian Military
(TNI) personnel and seized 64 cars, two boats and
106 tons of fuel.
Riau Islands Police chief Brig.
Gen. Arman Depary said in Batam last week that the
seized cars had been modified to hold 100 litres of
fuel.
"The Military (TNI) personnel are suspected
of fuel smuggling and have been handed over to the
military base", he said.
TNI Commander Gen.
Moeldoko said that the alleged suspected fuel
smugglers are honor-based service military personnel.
The Southeast Asian
Times
Thai coup blammed for fall in tourist
arrivals
From News Reports:
Bangkok, August 18: The Thai tourism sector suffered its largest
fall in international visitors to Thailand in June, the
first month after the establishment of marshal law
and the military seizure of the Yingluck Shinawatra
government.
Tourism reportedly accounts for 10
percent of the Thai economy.
Data from the Thai
Department of Tourism shows that inernational
tourist arrival numbers in July fell by 10.9 percent compared
to the same time last year.
International arrivals in July totalled 1.91 million compared
to 2.15 million in July 2013.
Arrivals
from China with a18 percent share of all visitors to
thailand and the largest group of visitors to Thailand, fell by
25.3 percent.
Arrivals from the United
Kingdom with a 4 percent share of all visitors to
Thailand, was one of the few large markets to record
a gain, of 6.2 percent
The Southeast Asian
Times
US Senate approves sales of nuclear
equipment to Vietnam
From News Reports:
Hanoi, July 31: The US Senate Committee on Foreign Relations
passed legislation approving a 123 agreement on
civil nuclear commerce with Vietnam at a business
meeting of the committee last week.
The 123
agreement under the US Atomic energy Act of 1954 establishes
a civil nuclear commerce agreement that allows the US to
export nuclear reactors, research information and
equipment to Vietnam.
The civil nuclear commerce
agreement between the US and Vietnam is "part of
Vietnam's effort to ease its shortage of energy
towards meeting over 10 percent of the domestic power demand by
2030", reports the Vietnam News Service
The Southeast Asian
Times
Court for
construction
Industry
established
in Malaysia
From
News Reports:
Kuala Lumpur, May 3: The first two
Construction Courts for Malaysia were opened by
Chief Justice Tun Arifin Zakaria in Kuala Lumpur and
Shah Alam last week, reports the Star.
The courts
will deal with disputes in the construction industry.
Works Minister Datuk Haji Fadillah bin Haji Yusof said that the
establishment of the courts will transform the way
the construction business in the country
operates.
"The construction industry
stakerholders can now have their disputes resolved
by judges with expert knowledge and experience in
construction industry disputes', he said.
The
proposal by the Construction Industry Board (CIDB) for the
establishment of the construction courts was first put to the
Judiciary in January 2013.
Britain
is the only other country that has a specially designated
court that deals with construction industry disputes.
The
Southeast Asian Times
Bali communities want larger share of tourism revenue
From News Reports:
Denpasar, April 14: Bali
community-based tourism operators have called for
amendments to regulations that stipulate that the local
community pay the Bali regency administration 60 percent of their
total tourism revenue.
Penglipuran tourist village in Bangli, community-based tourism
manager, Nengah Moneng, said that he objected to the fact
that his community received only 40 percent of the
total revenue.
"We want to have 60 percent share
of the tourist revenue to pay for operating costs",
he said.
The Penglipuran tourism manager said
that operating costs for trekking, traditional
dance, cultural shows including religious rituals
had increased.
The cost of operating lodges and
community halls for tourism had also increased.
"An increase in revenue for not only the Bangli
community but for tourism based communities across
Bali would benefit tourism island-wide" said the
tourism manager.
The Southeast Asian
Times
Riau forest fires force
Chevron to shut down oil wells
From News Reports:
Jakarta, March 21: PT Chevron Pacific Indonesia (CPI), the
Indonesian subsidiary of US-based oil company
Chevron has shut down 573 oil wells in the Riau
province of Sumatra.
The deteriorating quality of
air due to forest fires that have been raging for
the last month has forced PT Chevron Pacific Indonesia
(CPI) to shut down its oil wells and evacuate workers and there
families.
Indonesia's upstream oil
and gas regulator, SKK Migas, public relations
officer, Handoyo Budi Santoso, said that oil assets
in Riau province are important to national crude oil production.
"The biggest production loss came from the shutdown
of Rokan block, operated by Chevron Pacific
Indonesia, the country's biggest producer of crude
oil production", he said
The Jakarta Posts
reports that potential losses are estimated at about
12,000 barrels of oil a day.
The Southeast Asian
Times
Sabah caters to influx of tourists from China
From News Reports:
Kuala Lumpur,
March 5:
The New Straits Times reports that there
was an 86 percent increase in tourist arrivals from
China
to Sabah in the last two years.
Data from the Sabah Tourism Board reportedly shows that
193,010 tourist tourists arrived in Sabah from China
in 2011 increasing to 360,361 in 2013
Sabah West Coast Coffeeshop Association chairman, Yong Chee Yun,
said coffee shop operators were catering to the
influx of tourists from China.
"Coffee shops displayed tourist friendly signs in Chinese
saying 'how are you?' and menues included China's favourite
foods", he said.
Sabah and Labuan
Chapter chairman of the Malaysian Association of
Hotels and general manager of the At Shangri-La's Tanjung Aru
Resort,
said that staff members are
encouraged to learn Mandarin.
"So that they can
converse better with guests" he said.
The Southeast Asian
Times
Pilots strike forces Merpati to cancel
flights
From News Reports:
Jakarta,January 29: A pilots strike forced State-owned PT Merpati
Nusantara Airlines to cancelled all scheduled flights
to Surabaya, Merauke and Timika on Saturday, reports
The Jakarta Post.
Merpati corporate secretary
Riswanto Chendra Putra said that the airline had not
paid salaries to pilots and cabin crew for two
months.
The Jakarta Post reports that PT Merpati
Nusantara Airlines was required to restructure its
operations.
Merpati corporate secretary Riswanto
Chendra Putra says that Merpati has signed a
memorndum of understanding (MoU) with PT Armagedon
Indonesia and PT Bentang Persada Gemilang to restructure the
company.
The airline has debts of Rp 6.5 trillion
(US$533 million) reports the Jakarta Post.
"The management would pay the salaries around March or
early April, said the Merpati corporate
secretary.
Merpati’s workers union advisory board
official, Erry Wardhana, said about 200 Merpati
pilots planned to strike again next Saturday for an
indefinite period.
"The pilots would strike until
1,600 Merpati employees were paid", he said.
The union advisory board official says that this is the
first time that Merpati workers have gone on strike
over unpaid wages.
The pilots are owed wages for
December and January reports the Jakarta
Post.
The
Southeast Asian Times
| |
