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GATHERINGS:
An informed guide to happenings throughout the region.
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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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| Australian
reporter, Chris Ray, investigates
why Australia dropped five spots
in the World Press Freedom Index...open |
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Thai
Constitutional Court rejects
ineligibility of MP to hold
seat
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Member
of Parliament and Deputy Agriculture
Minister, Thamanat Prompaw,
center, also known as Thammanat
Prompao, Yuthaphum Bophlom,
Manat Bophlom, and Patchara
Prompao, pleaded guilty to
herion trafficking in Sydney
in 1991, is one of six Thai
Members of Parliament who
faced a week-long censor motion
in the Thai parliament in
February
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From
News Reports:
Bangkok, July 4: The Constitutional Court
rejected a petition from 54 Members of Parliament
to the Constitutional Court calling on the
Court to rule on the eligibility of Member
of Parliament, Thamanat Prompaw, to hold
a seat in Parliament on grounds that his
wife held shares in a company that had entered
into a land lease contract with the Port
authority of Thailand, reports the Bangkok
Post.
Parliament President, Chuan Leekpai, submitted
the petition to the Constitutional Court
after receiving support from 54 Members
of Parliament, more than the required one-tenth
of sitting members of the House of Representatives.
The petitioners said that Member of Parliament,
Thamanat Prompaw, who is also the Deputy
Agriculture and cooperative minister, was
ineligible to hold a seat in the House of
Representatives under Section 101 and 184
of the constitution.
They argued that shares held by the wife
of the Member of Parliament, in Klongtoey
Market (2551) Co Ltd that had entered into
a land lease contract with the Port Authority
of Thailand, had the potential to hold a
monopoly.
The Constitutional Court rejected the petition
to rule on the eligibility of the Member
of Parliament, saying that the shares held
by the member of Parliamen't wife are not
monopolistic, saying "there is no reason
for Member of Parliament, Thamanat Prompaw,
to lose his status as an Member of Parliament.
Last month the newly established opposition
Move Forward Party (MFF) submitted a motion
for impeachment of Member of Parliament,
Thamanat Prompaw, under Section 98(10) of
the constitution that prohibited anyone
found guilty of a narcotics trafficking
offence from standing for election to parliament,
saying "Member of Parliament, Thamanat
Prompaw, was convicted of trafficking in
herion in Australia."
Deputy Agriculture Minister Member of Parliament,
Thamanat Prompaw, who pleaded guilty to
herion trafficking in Sydney in 1991 is
one of six Thai Members of Parliament who
faced a week-long censor motion in the Thai
parliament in February.
Member of Parliament Thamanat Prompaw, also
known as Thammanat Prompao, Yuthaphum Bophlom,
Manat Bophlom, and Patchara Prompao attempted
to block admission of Australian court documents
that included the NSW Court of Criminal
Appeal's final ruling detailing that Thamanat
Prompaw had “participated in the delivery
of heroin” to two co-accused.
He argued that accepting an Australian court's
decision as proof of his unfitness for office
would be tantamount to Thailand becoming
a colony.
Deputy Agriculture Minister Member of Parliament,
Thamanat Prompaw, spent four years of a
six year sentence in a Sydney jail for trafficking
in heroin with a street value of $4.1 million
and was deported on his release.
The
Southeast Asian Times
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China's
new national security law
to
be enforced in Hong Kong
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Police
hold up a warning against
breaking the newly passed
national security law in the
streets of Hong Kong on Tuesday
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From
News Reports:
Hong Kong, July 3: The enforcement of the
new law on Safeguarding National Security
in the Hong Kong Special Administrative
Region (HKSAR) that was adopted by the National
People's Congress in May was passed into
legislature in Beijing on Tuesday with the
director of the Legislative Affairs Commission
of the National People's Congress (NPC)
Standing Committee, Shen Chunyao, saying
that the law only targets those who endanger
national security, reports Xinhua.
Director of the Legislative Affairs Commission
of the National People's Congress (NPC)
Standing Committee, Shen Chunyao, said at
a press conference in Beijing on Tuesday
that "the jurisdiction of the Office
for Safeguarding National Security of the
Central People's Government in the Hong
Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR)
"will only target the very few criminals
that severely endanger national security."
"The promulgation and implementation
of the new law on Safeguarding National
Security in Hong Kong will uphold and
improve the institutional system of "one
country, two systems," he said.
He said that the new law on Safeguarding
National Security does not target opposing
political views in the Hong Kong Special
Administrative Region (HKSAR), saying
"political views, including those
not favourable to the government can still
exist."
"The new law does not criminalize
normal international communication and
exchanges either," he said.
He said that the new law will fully protect
the rights and freedoms enjoyed by the
vast majority of Hong Kong residents and
the legitimate rights and interests of
investors in Hong Kong.
The new law on Safeguarding National Security
in the Hong Kong Special Administrative
Region (HKSAR) was enforced on the day
it was passed into legislature with Hong
Kong police arresting 10 protesters.
It was the first time the police in Hong
Kong exercised their new powers under
the legislation that allows arrest on
grounds of national security.
The 10 arrested were among about 370 detained
for taking part in an illegal assembly,
disorderly conduct and possession of offensive
weapons.
Thousands of protesters took to the streets
on July 1 in protest against the new law.
The
Southeast Asian Times
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Philippine
military says soldiers shot
dead by police in Mindanao
a rubout
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Four
Armed Forces of the Philippines
(AFP) soldiers were shot dead
by the Philippines National
Police (PNP) in Jolo, Sulu
Province, in Mindanao, southern
Philippines on Monday in what
the military says "is
a rubout"
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From
News Reports:
Manila, July 2: Four Armed Forces of the
Philippines (AFP) soldiers were shot dead
by the Philippines National Police (PNP)
in Jolo, Sulu Province, in Muslim Mindanao,
southern Philippines on Monday, with the
Philippine National Police saying that the
shooting of the soldiers was a "misencounter"
and the Armed Forces of the Philippines
saying the shooting was unprovoked carnage,
reports the Philippines Inquirer.
Commander General of the Armed Forces
of the Philippines (AFP) Lt. Gen. Gilbert
Gapay, rejected the Philippines National
Police (PNP) claim that the shooting of
the soldiers by police outside the Jolo
Police station was a "misencounter"
saying that the shooting of the soldiers
"is a rubout."
He said that despite proper identification,
the police fired on the soldiers,"
saying "it is murder."
He said that the soldiers were on a mission
to identify the location of known terrorists
in the area, saying that "based on
eyewitness accounts, no altercation transpired
between the soldiers and the police nor
was there any provocation on the part
of army personnel to warrant such carnage,"
he said.
“There’s no misencounter because
our troops never fired a shot," he
said.
Philippine National Police (PNP) spokesman
Brig. Gen. Bernard Banac, said that the
shooting of the soldiers is considered
a misencounter.
The soldiers were reportedly returning
from Patikul to their headquarters in
Jolo when they were stopped at a quarantine
checkpoint and instructed to proceed to
the Jolo police station.
The soldiers, who were reportedly wearing
civilian clothing, were later identified
as members of an intelligence unit of
the Armed Forces of the Philippines.
The soldiers who were instructed to drive
to the Jolo Police station, allegedly fled
towards Barangay San Raymundo, and were
chased by the police.
The soldiers allegedly disembarked from
the vehicle with their firearms pointed
at the police.
The Philippine National Police (PNP) shot
the soldiers allegedly in self defence.
The
Southeast Asian Times
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Singapore
judge dismisses submission
to stop elections
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Singapore
Deputy Attorney General says
that the attempt to derail
this general election is made
in contravention of the law
and in ignorance of the science
and the facts, and is nothing
more than a naked attempt
at political grandstanding
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From News Reports:
Singapore, July 1: The Singapore High Court
has ruled against stopping the general elections
filed hours after Prime Minister Lee Hsien
loon called the election last week, dismissing
the claim that holding the election during
the Covid-19 pandemic was disproportionately
unfair to Singaporeans and opposition parties,
reports the Straits Times.
Supreme Court Justice Chua Lee Ming dismissed
the submission by Singapore Lawyer, M. Ravi
to be granted a Prohibitory Order to stop
the Returning Officer, who is a public officer
appointed by the Prime Minister to oversee
the election, from holding an election on
10 July on grounds that "current Covid-19
regulations will inhibit voting."
He said that there is no basis for the Prohibitory
Order that lawyer M Ravi seeks to stop the
Returning Officer from holding an election
now and ordered his client, Daniel De Costa,
to pay $8,000 in costs to the Attorney-General.
Singapore Lawyer, M. Ravi filed an application
in the Supreme Court on Friday on behalf
of his client Daniel De Costa that he be
granted a Prohibitory Order enjoining the
Returning Officer from proceeding with the
holding of the general election as per section
24(3) of the Parliamentary Elections Act.
He said in his submission to the Supreme
Court on Monday that the key provisions
under the Parliamentary Elections Covid-19
Special Arrangements Act that are included
in the election campaign guidelines issued
by the Elections Department are disproportionately
unfair to Singaporeans and opposition political
parties.
He said that the Parliamentary Elections
Covid-19 Special Arrangements Act that was
passed in May allows for those on stay-home
notices at designated facilities to vote
outside their electoral divisions at special
polling stations, while those on quarantine
orders or stay-home notices will be excused
from voting, saying "those on stay
homes notices will not be able to violate
their quarantine orders claiming their right
to vote."
"This is a serious violation of their
rights as a Singapore citizen," he
said.
He said that the Parliamentary Elections
Covid-19 Special Arrangements Actprovides
wide powers to the Returning Officer and
the director of medical services, saying
that a Singaporian can be prevented from
voting if he exhititsacute respiratory symptoms
or a fever or if he has been exposed to
the risk of being infected with Covid-19.
"The Singapore Election Department
campaign guidelines are unfair and insufficient
to level the playing field between the Government
and the opposition political parties, he
said.
Singapore Deputy Attorney-General Hri Kumer
said that the submission by lawyer Mr Ravi
to stop the elections was completely without
legal merit, saying that it was pursued
to make Political and scandalous attacks
in an "egregious abuse of the court's
process".
He said there is no evidence that the pandemic
will abate between now and January next
year, saying "the Parliament would
be automatically dissolved at the end of
the Government's term in January."
"The attempt to derail this general
election is made in contravention of the
law and in ignorance of the science and
the facts, and is nothing more than a naked
attempt at political grandstanding,"
he said.
The
Southeast Asian Times
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Muslim
organisations want ban of
Communist Party of Indonesia
included in Pancasila
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Islamist
organisations, the National
Anti-Communist Alliance (Anak
NKRI), the Islamic Defenders
Front (FPI), the 212 Alumni
Brotherhood (PA 212) including
Indonesia's largest Muslim
clerical organistion, the
Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI)
are calling on the House of
Representatives to include
a ban on the Indonesian Communist
Party (PKI) in the Pancasila
Ideology Guidelines (HIP)
bill and to recognise Islam
in the Constitution
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From
News Reports:
Jakarta, June 30: Muslim organisations and
Islamist political parties, who after successfully
blocking the passing of the Pancasila Ideology
Guidelines (HIP) draft bill in the House
of Representatives earlier this month, are
protesting the non inclusion of the ban
of the Indonesian Communist Party (PKI)
in the Pancasila, saying that deliberation
of the draft bill has been carried out "in
secrecy" and "in great silence"
during the Covid-19 pandemic, reports the
Jakarta Post.
Islamist organisations, the National Anti-Communist
Alliance (Anak NKRI), the Islamic Defenders
Front (FPI), the 212 Alumni Brotherhood
(PA 212) and including Indonesia's largest
Muslim clerical organisation, the Indonesian
Ulema Council (MUI) are calling on the House
of Represenatatives in South Jakarta to
include the ban on the Indonesian Communist
Party (PKI), in the Pancasila Ideology Guidelines
(HIP) bill and also to include the recognition
of Islam in the Constitution.
Indonesia's largest Muslim clerical organisation,
the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) objects
to the passing of the Pancasila Ideology
Guidelines (HIP) without including a ban
on the Indonesian Communist Party (PKI),
saying "the passing of this bill
without a ban on the Communist Party of
Indonesia (PKI) and recognition of Islam
in political party ideology will only
trigger public protests from Muslims who
have fought to protect Pancasila."
President Joko Widodo halted the deliberation
of the Pancasila Ideology Guidelines (HIP)
draft bill in the House of Representatives
earlier this month following a reportedly
"contentious plenary session involving
Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) politicians
including former president of Indonesia,
Megawati Soekarnoputri, sparring with
lawmakers from Muslim-based political
parties."
In June 2016 Islam Defenders Front ( FPI
) spokesman Muhammad Rizieq Shihab warned
that President Jokowi would be impeached
if he agreed to a state apology for the
1965 mass killings of communists as demanded
by human rights activists and families
of the victims.
"We will oppose anyone, including
state officials, who instigate the rebirth
of the Indonesian Communist Party ( PKI
)," he said.
In May 2017 President Joko Widodo called
for religious leaders and politicians
not to mix religion and party politics,
warning that "mixing religion and
politics was dangerous and could lead
to divisions within society."
"The two should be separate so that
people can know what is religion and what
is politics, he said."
The
Southeast Asian Times
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Vietnam
PM warns Covid-19 threatens
millions: Travel corridor
for ASEAN
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Vietnam
Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan
Phuc said at the opening of
the 36th Association of South
East Asian Nations (ASEAN)
summit video conference held
in Hanoi on Friday that "the
Covid-19 pandemic has swept
away the successes of recent
years threatening the lives
of millions in the region"
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From News Reports:
Hanoi, June 29: The 36th Association of
South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit
video conference held in Hanoi on Friday
began with a warning from the Prime Minister
of Vietnam, that Covid-19 threatens the
lives of millions in the region and included
the proposal from the President of Indonesia
of a regional travel corridor in an effort
to accelerate economic recovery, reports
the Vietnam News Service.
Prime Minister of Vietnam, Nguyen Xuan
Phuc, said that "the Covid-19 pandemic
has swept away the successes of recent
years threatening the lives of millions
in the region."
"ASEAN leaders will carry a heavy
burden in the comming months in leading
the region out of difficult times,"
he said.
He said that there were serious consequences
of the Covid-19 pandemic on the economic
development of the ASEAN member countries,
warning that the Covid-19 pandemic will
cause an economic calamity as it sweeps
away years of economic gains in the region.
ASEAN member country Indonesia, President
Joko Widodo, said at the summit video
conference from Indonesia that "regional
leaders must give clear direction to accelerate
post-Covid-19 ASEAN economic recovery."
He said that Indonesia and other ASEAN
member country leaders have proposed a
regional travel corridor, saying "a
regional corridor would accelerate economic
recovery."
"It's time for ASEAN as a community
to think about ASEAN travel corridor arrangements,"
he said.
He said that ASEAN travel corridors would
be crucial to the maintainance of regional
connectivity and to economic growth, saying
that ASEAN travel corridors would signal
the stratigic significance of the ASEAN
community in the region.
ASEAN member countries Singapore, Brunei
and Indonesia are reportedly planning
to open an ASEAN travel corridor that
would allow safe travel during the Covid-19
pandemic.
Indonesia and Singapore are planning a
"fast lane" travel corridor
with China, Malaysia is planning a "green
lane' travel corridor with Singapore and
Brunei that is expected to open at the
end of the month in an effort to accelerate
economic recovery.
The
Southeast Asian Times
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Singapore
lawyer calls on Supreme Court
to stop general elections
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Singaporean,
Daniel De Costa and lawyer,
M Ravi, have called on the
Singapore Supreme Court to
stop the general elections
announced by Singapore Prime
Minister Lee Hsien Loon on
Tuesday
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From News Reports:
Singapore, June 28: An application to the
Supreme Court to stop the Singapore general
election hours after Prime Minister Lee
Hsien Loon called an election on Tuesday,
with Singapore lawyer M Ravi, saying that
he has filed a constitutional challenge
against the decision to call an election
in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic and
for the right to vote to be included in
the Singapore constitution, reports the
Straits Times.
"Singaporeans do not enjoy the right
to vote as a basic right," he said.
Singapore lawyer, M Ravi, wants to stop
the Returning Officer from holding an election
on 10 July until the right to vote is included
in the Singapore Constitution on behalf
of his client, Singaporean, Daniel De Costa.
“I have filed a constitutional challenge
on behalf of Daniel De Costa that he be
granted a Prohibitory Order enjoining the
Returning Officer from proceeding with the
holding of the general election as per section
24(3) of the Parliamentary Elections Act,”
he said.
Singaporean, Daniel De Costa, said that
his lawyer has filed a constitutional challenge
against the decision to call an election
in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic and
that he wants the Supreme Court to declare
"the right to vote and the right to
free and fair elections are fundamental
rights guaranteed to all citizens of Singapore
under the Constitution”.
Singapore Human Rights lawyer, M Ravi, said
that his client is seeking to stop the Returning
Officer who is a public officer appointed
by the Prime Minister to oversee the election,
from holding an election on 10 July on grounds
that "current Covid-19 regulations
will inhibit voting."
He said the Singapore Elections Department
has put in place measures, including distancing
and modified campaign rules, saying that
"distancing rules that restrict the
size of public gatherings to five people
mean traditional campaign mass rallies cannot
be held."
"Political parties have had to scale
back election campaigns," he said.
Singapore Human Rights lawyer, M Ravi, has
reportedly asked the Supreme Court that
is to hear the application to stop the election
on Monday to allow the hearing to take place
in an open court as a "matter of public
interest."
Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loon said that
he decided to call an election now, "while
the Covid-19 pandemic was stable" in
order for the government to seek a new mandate.
"After the election, the new government
can focus on the national agenda which includes
handling the coronavirus pandemic, the economy
and jobs," he said.
He said that the option of waiting till
the pandemic is over was ruled out as there
is no way to be sure the Covid-19 pandemic
would be over before the Government's term
ends in April next year.
The
Southeast Asian Times
|
Duterte
government to rename Ninoy
Aquino International Airport
|
|
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|
|
Mindanao,
Davao City Representative,
Paolo Duterte, son of Philippine
president Rodrigo Duterte,
wants to change the name of
the Manila international airport
from Ninoy Aquino International
Airport (NAIA) to Paliparang
Pandaigdig ng Pilipinas (PPP
or International Airport of
the Philippines
|
|
From News Reports:
Manila, June 27: A proposal to change the
name of the Manila international airport
from Ninoy Aquino International Airport
(NAIA) to Paliparang Pandaigdig ng Pilipinas
(PPP) or International Airport of the Philippines,
was put to the parliament by Mindanao, Davao
City Reprentative, Paolo Duterte, son of
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, reports
the Philippine Inquirer.
Davao City Representative, Paolo Duterte,
together with Marinduque representative,
Lord Allan Jay Velasco and ACT-CIS party
represenatative, Eric Go Yap, filed House
Bill 7031 to change the name of the Philippine
international airport, with Davao City Representative,
Paolo Duterte,
saying "the proposed name is more
representative branding for the international
gateway of our country."
He said that the new name, Paliparang
Pandaigdig ng Pilipinas (PPP), bears no
color, no political agenda, saying "it
only signifies our warmth as Filipinos
in welcoming our own kababayans and foreign
visitors."
“The proposed name Paliparang Pandaigdig
ng Pilipinas in the national language
clearly represents the whole nation and
brings pride to the Filipinos," he
said.
Representative for Marinduque, Lord Allan
Jay Velasco, who is to be the speaker
of the House, said "having a Filipino
name for our international gateway sparks
nationalism in each and everyone of us."
He said that the Filipino language should
be the first thing visitors must see upon
landing at the airport, saying "the
name in the national language is an indication
that they are proud of their heritage."
ACT-CIS party represenatative for Eric
Go Yap said that there are many personalities
who deserve to have institutions including
roads named after them, saying "when
it comes to our airport it should mirror
our nation and our people."
Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA)
was named after former Senator Beningo
"Ninoy" Aquino Jr in 1987, a
year after the People Power revolution
that installed his widow Corazon Aquino
as president and toppled the Marcos dictatorship.
Senator Beningo "Ninoy" Aquino
Jr., was assassinated on the tarmac of
the Manila International Airport, now
named Ninoy Aquino Internationalon on
Sunday, August 21, 1983.
Son of Senator Beningo "Ninoy"
Aquino Jr and Corazon Aquino, former President
Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino III,
was the predecessor to the incumbent,
Rodrigo Duterte.
Aquino's Liberal Party is currently the
political opposition.
The
Southeast Asian Times
|
Australia's
military deployed to Melbourne
to fight Covid-19
|
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|
Australian
Defence Minister Linda Reynolds
said that Australian Defence
Force personnel will help
monitor returned international
travellers held in hotel quarantine
and provide logistical and
medical support to Covid-19
testing in Melbourne
|
|
From
News Reports:
Melbourne, June 26: The Australian military
is to be deployed to the city of Melbourne,
in Australia's state of Victoria, to contain
Covid-19 in fear of a second wave of infections
following 150 new infections over the
last week, with Australian Defence Minister
saying yesterday that "1000 troops
would be rapidly deployed to Victoria
in the coming days."
Australian Defence Minister, Linda Reynolds,
said that Australian Defence Force (ADF)
personnel would help monitor returned
international travellers held in hotel
quarantine and provide logistical and
medical support to Covid-19 testing facilities.
Premier of the state of Victoria, Daniel
Andrews, called on the military to help
manage the outbreak of Covid-19 clusters
that emerged at a hotel used to quarantine
returned international travellers and
in large family groups across Melbourne,
saying that investigations in Covid-19
transmission between hotel workers and
security guards and multiple families
are underway.
He said that the military would be involved
in logistics, saying that military personnel
would support medical teams at large Covid-19
testing sites, with transportation that
would involve the transport of international
returnese from the airport to hotel quarantine
and administrative support at the Department
of Health and Human Services at the State
Control Center.
He said that the Australian Defence Force
would also support more testing of Covid-19,
saying "the state of Victoria needs
to increase overall testing capacity."
“I have reached out to the premiers
of New South Wales, Tasmania, South Australia
and Queensland, and I’m very pleased
to say that they have agreed to give us
some of their laboratory capacity.
He said that the Australian Defence Force
(ADF) will be in charge of transporting
samples to laboratories for the Covid-19
tests to be processed.”
“We’re very grateful that the
request for military support has been granted,"
he said..
Australia has recorded about 7,500 Covid-19
infections and 103 deaths in a population
of 25 million, with several regions to
be effectively virus free.
The
Southeast Asian Times
|
ASEAN
and partners agree to sign
RCEP: world's largest trading
bloc
|
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|
|
Vietnam Minister of Industry
and Trade, Tranh Tuan Tuean
Anh, who chaired the Regional
Comprehensive Economic Partnership
(RCEP) videoconference on
Tuesday, said that ASEAN ministers
and partner countries agreed
to sign the Regional Comprehensive
Economic Partnership (RCEP)
free trade agreement in November
|
|
From
News Reports:
Hanoi, June 25: Ministers at the 10th Regional
Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP)
Intersessional Ministerial Meeting videoconference
in Hanoi are determined to sign the RCEP
free trade agreement dispite Covid-19 challenges
and India's withdrawal from negotiations,
saying that signing the free trade agreement
would show support for the multilateral
trade system, reports the Vietnam News Service.
Vietnam Minister of Industry and Trade,
Tranh Tuan Tuean Anh, who chaired the Regional
Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP)
videoconference on Tuesday, said that ministers
agreed that the signing of the Regional
Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP)
free trade agreement in November would show
support for the multilateral trade system
and would enhance economic integration in
the region.
"The signing of the Regional Comprehensive
Economic Partnership (RCEP) free trade agreement
would contribute to restoring economic confidence
and to establishing a new normal in the
region post Covid-19," he said.
He said that ministers are well aware of
the challenges facing the region saying
that despite the Covid-19 pandemic, the
emerging trend of trade protectionism and
the withdrawal of India from the RCEP the
ministers were determined to sign the Regional
Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP)
at the fourth RCEP Summit in November 2020.
"Vietnam as the ASEAN chair for 2020
has worked closely with ASEAN member states
in maintaining ASEAN's leading role in the
RCEP while cooperating with partner countries
after the withdrawal of India in order to
accelerate the finalization of RCEP negotiations
for the signing in Ha Noi in November.
In March, at the Regional Comprehensive
Economic Partnership (RCEP) Caucus Meeting
at the 26 ASEAN Economic Ministers (AEM)
Retreat in Vietnam's central city Danang,
the Association of South East Asian Nations
(ASEAN) called on India to return to the
16-nation Regional Comprehensive Economic
Partnership (RCEP) free trade agreement
negotiation table.
India withdrew from Regional Comprehensive
Economic Partnership (RCEP) negotiations
in 2019, saying "the RCEP will bring
untold hardship to farmers, shopkeepers,
and small and medium-sized enterprises in
India."
The 16-nation Regional Comprehensive Economic
Partnership (RCEP) of 10 ASEAN member countries,
and six member countries, China, Japan,
South Korea, Australia and New Zealand with
India absent from the RCEP Caucus Meeting
in Danang, agreed that despite India's withdrawal
from negotiations "the RCEP is still
the world's largest free trade agreement
trading bloc."
Indian National Congress Party president
Sonia Gandhi said that any decision by the
government to sign the Regional Comprehensive
Economic Partnership (RCEP) agreement "will
bring untold hardship to farmers, shopkeepers,
and small and medium-sized enterprises in
India."
He said that India feared that cutting tariffs
on dairy and other products would allow
for a greater influx of Chinese goods and
agricultural imports from Regional Comprehensive
Economic Partnership (RCEP) countries.
RCEP disagreement also includes the Investor-State
Dispute Settlement mechanism (ISDS) that
would grant corporations the exclusive right
to bypass domestic legal systems and sue
the partner government for compensation
at an international arbitration tribunal.
The
Southeast Asian Times
|
Indonesian
national police preplanned
acid attack on KPK investigator
|
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Indonesian
National Police Chief Brig.
Ronny Bugis, center, was charged
with the drive-by acid attack
on Corruption Eradication
Commission (KPK) investigator
Novel Baswedan at the Jakarta
Police headquarters in South
Jakarta on December 28, 2019
|
|
From
News Reports:
Jakarta, June 24: Prosecutors at the North
Jakarta District Court on Monday rejected
the defence argument that two Indonesian
National police officers had not planned
the acid attack on senior Corruption Eradication
Commission (KPK) investigator Novel Baswedan
at Kelapa Gading, North Jakarta in April
2017, rejecting that the acid attack that
left the KPK investigator with serious acid
burns to his face was spontaneous, reports
the Jakarta Post.
Lawyers for National Police officers,
Chief Brig. Ronny Bugis and Brig. Rahmat
Kadir Mahulette, said that the police
officers "had no intention of harming
the ant-corruption investigator, saying
"the attack was a spontaneous act."
The defence lawyers had sought an acquittal
on the grounds that the police officers
had not preplanned the attack, arguing
that police officer Brig. Rahmat Kadir
Mahulette was anxious on the night before
the attack and that a perpetrator of a
planned crime would likely be more relaxed.
"The defendants had accidentally
thrown sulfuric acid in the KPK investigator’s
face," the lawyers said.
Prosecutors rejected the defence argument
that the police officers had not replanned
the attack saying "the fact that
there was a period of time for the police
officers to calculate their action is
enough to prove that this was a planned
crime."
"Both National Police officers, Chief
Brig. Ronny Bugis and Brig. Rahmat Kadir
Mahulette, had spied on senior Corruption
Eradication Commission (KPK) investigator
Novel Baswedan before the attack, he said.
"The police officers waited at the
Al-Ikhsan mosque on Jl. Deposito Block
E In Pegangsaan Due subdistrict where
senior Corruption Eradication Commission
(KPK) investigator Novel Baswedan attended
dawn prayers."
Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK)
senior investigator, Novel Baswedan, suffered
serious acid burns to his face in a drive-by
attack by two men riding a motorbike and
was transferred to a Singapore hospital
to undergo treatment for his injuries.
The Corruption Eradication Commission
(KPK) investigator Novel Baswedan, was
reportedly leading an investigation into
a nationwide electronic ID embezzlement
scam that had incurred Rp 5.0 trillion
($US440million) in state losses and allegedly
involved
several members of Parliament when he
was attacked.
In January former chairman of the Corruption
Eradication Commission (KPK), Busyro Muqoddas,
called on the Indonesian National police
to reveal the "mastermind" behind
the acid attack on the senior Corruption
Eradication Commission (KPK) investigator
following the arrest of the two police
officers charged with the acid attack
in December 2019.
He said that arresting the attackers is
not enough, saying that the acid attack
on senior corruption Eradication Commission
(KPK) investigator, Novel Baswedan, was
an attack on the commission.
"Attacks on the residences of former
KPK chairman Agus Rahardjo, former KPK
deputy head Laode M Syarif and KPK investigator
Afif Julian Miftah also investigating
the nationwide electronic ID embezzlement
scam, proves that "the attack on
KPK investigator Novel Baswedan was not
personal but an attack on the institution.
The
Southeast Asian Times
|
Sam
Rainsy charged with defamation
of PM Hun Sen in French court
|
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Former
president of the dissolved
opposition Cambodia National
Rescue Party (CNRP) Sam Rainsy
and Prime Minister Hun Sen
at the National Assembly in
Phnom Penh on September 17,
2013
|
|
From
News Reports:
Phnom Penh, June 23: Sam Rainsy, former
president of the dissolved opposition
Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP),
who is in self exile in France, was charged
with defamation by a French Criminal Court
for allegedly claiming that Cambodia Prime
Minister Hun Sen ordered the killing of
a National Police chief, reports the Phnom
Penh Post.
The French Criminal Court charged Sam
Rainsy, former opposition leader in exile,
with public defamation on an individual
following a complaint by Cambodian Prime
Minister Hun Sen on August 20, 2019.
Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen filed a
civil suit against the former president
of the dissolved opposition Cambodia National
Rescue Party (CNRP), alledging that Sam
Rainsy claimed on Facebook and in an interview
that Prime Minister Hun Sen organised the
killing former national police Chief Hok
Lundy whe died in a 2008 helicopter crash.
Sam Rainsy claimed that Cambodia Prime
Minister Hun Sen had planted a bomb on
board the helicopter that crashed in Svay
Reing province killing former national
police Chief Hok Lundy.
Lawyer for the Cambodian government, Ky
Tech, said that the Paris Criminal court
charged Sam Rainsy with defamation on June
8, saying "the Paris court found that
there is sufficient evidence that Sam Rainsy
committed the offence as accused.
"Sam Rainsy did not oppose the charge,"
he said.
Former president of the dissolved opposition
Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP),
Sam Rainsy said that he would not oppose
the charge of defamation saying "the
charges gave him a golden opportunity
to reveal the criminal acts of Cambodia
Prime Minister Hun Sen and his family
in an independent court.
"The complaint brought by Hun Sen
brings hope in the struggle to end impunity
in Camboda," he said.
Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP)
former president and co-founder of the
party, Sam Rainsy, went into exile in
Paris in 2015 fearing arrest after parliamentary
immunity was removed and he faced multiple
criminal defamation charges for his accusation
of corruption against the Hun Sen Cambodia's
People's Party (CPP).
Sam Rainsy and six other former members
of the dissolved Cambodia National Rescue
Party (CNRP) are charged with committing
offences including incitement under the
Cambodian Criminal Code that includes
plotting in the United States to overthrow
the Hun Sen government.
In September 2013 the opposition Cambodia
National Rescue Party (CNRP) boycotted parliament
following the July general elections which
saw the fourth consecutive victory of the
Cambodian People's Party gain 68 seats of
the National Assembly and the opposition
occupying the remaining 55 seats, claiming
that that up to 1.25 million Cambodians
who were eligible to vote were not on the
electoral role and accused the ruling Cambodia's
People's Party (CPP) of poll fraud.
The
Southeast Asian Times
|
President
Joko Widodo appeals guilty
verdict blocking internet
access Papua
|
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The
Independent Journalist Alliance
(AJI) and the Southeast Asia
Freedom of Expression Network
(SAFEnet) at the Communication
and Information Ministry building
on Jl. Tanah Merdeka, Jakarta,
August 23, 2019 in protest
against the Indonesian government
blocking of internet access
to Papua and West Papua provinces
during protests that called
on Indonesia for a referendum
for independence
|
|
From
News Reports:
Jakarta, June 22: The Indonesian government
has submitted an appeal against the Jakarta
Administrative District Court’s (PTUN)
decision that found President Jokowi and
Communication and Informatics Minister guilty
of blocking internet access to Papua and
West Papua provinces during
protests that called on Indonesia for a
referendum for independence in August last
year, reports the Jakarta Post.
President Jokowi and Communication and Informatics
Minister Johnny G. Plate reportedly filed
an appeal against the Jakarta Administration
Court Decision ruling No. 230/G/TF/2019/PTUN-JKT
on June 3, 2020, after the Jakarta State
Administrative Court handed down its decision
that the ban on internet communication was
unlawful.
The Alliance of Independent Journalists
(AJI) Indonesia, South East Asia Freedom
of Expression Network (SAFEnet), Press Legal
Assistance Institution (LBH Press), YLBHI,
KontraS, Elsam, and ICJR, who filed the
lawsuit against the Indonesian government
arguing that the Indonesian government ban
on internet access in Papua and West Papua
was unlawful, have confirmed that the Indonesian
government has filed an appeal against the
Jakarta State Administrative Court decision.
They argued that the Indonesian government
had restricted internet access in several
provinces in West Papua and Papua on August19,
2019 from 1pm to 8.30pm, that the Indonesian
government banned access to data services
and internet access in 29 cities in Papua's
provinces and 13 cities and districts in
West Papua between 21 August and 4 September
last year and that the Indonesian government
banned data services and internet access
in Papua's Provinces including Jayapura
City, Jayapura District, Mimika District,
and Jayawijaya District and Manokwari City
and Sorong City in West Papua from September
4, 2019 to September 9, 2019.
Jakarta State Administrative Court judge
Nelvy Christin, one of three judges on the
panel, said in the court decision June 1,
2020 that actions carried out by President
Joko Widodo and Minister for Communication
and Infomatics Johnny G Plate were unlawful
acts by government agencies or officials,
saying "the unlawful acts did not follow
human rights restrictions set out in the
Constitution and other human rights conventions."
Minister for Communications and Informatics,
Johnny G. Plate, said that he respected
the Jakarta State Administrative Court (PTUN)
Court decision that the ban on internet
access is unlawful but that he had yet to
discover documents pertaining to the government
decision to ban or restrict internet access
in the region.
"There could have been damage to the
telecommunications infrastructure that led
to internet disruption in the area,"
he said.
The
Southeast Asian Times
|
UN
calls on Japan to delay discharge
of nuclear waste into the
Pacific
|
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|
The
Sendai High Court ordered
those evacuated from the vicinity
of the 2011 tsunami triggered
meldown of the Fukushima Daiichi
Nuclear Power plant be paid
compensation on March 12,
2020
|
|
From
News Reports:
Tokyo, June 21: The United Nations has called
on Japan not to discharge radioactive water
from the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power
plant into the Pacific Ocean, calling for
delay of the decision until after the Covid-19
pandemic in order to consult with neighbouring
countries, reports the Japan Times.
United Nations special rapporteurs have
called on the Japan government to delay
the decision to discharge the radioactive
wastewater into the sea or atmosphere
until communities and neighbouring countries
are consulted, saying that discharge of
the nuclear waste into the Pacific Ocean
would pose a grave threat to the livelihoods
of fishers.
"We are deeply concerned by reports
that the Government of Japan has accelerated
its timeline for the release of radioactive
wastewater into the ocean without time
or opportunity for consultations,"
said the United Nations special rapporteurs.
United Nations special rapporteurs called
on the Japanese government to give "proper
space and opportunity for consultations
on the disposal of nuclear waste that
will likely affect people and peoples
both inside and outside Japan."
"Covid-19 must be not be used as
a sleight of hand to distract from decisions
that will have profound implications for
people and the planet for generations
to come."
The Japan government plan to excellerate
the discharge radioactive waste from the
Fukushima nuclear plant into the sea or
atmosphere was proposed in a government
committee report in February, saying that
the release of the contaminated water
into the sea or atmoshere is a realistic
option.
More than one million meters of water
contaminated with tritium are stored in
977 storage tanks at the Fukushima Daiichi
Nuclear Power Plant.
The Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant
was disabled by an earthquake and Tsunami
on March 11, 2011 causing the meltdown of
three reactors.
The
Southeast Asian Times
|
Myanmar
military party motion to impeach
fails in secret ballot
|
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|
A
motion to impeach the Myanmar
ruling party National League
for Democracy (NLD), member,
Yangon Region Chief Minister,
U Phyo Min Thein, was rejected
in a secret ballot in the
Yangon parliament on Thursday
|
|
From News Reports:
Yangon, June 20: A motion to impeach Myanmar
ruling party National League for Democracy
(NLD), member, Yangon Region Chief Minister,
U Phyo Min Thein, was rejected by a majority
vote in the parliament after an investigation
found that accusations against the Chief
Minister were not valid, reports the Myanmar
Times.
The investigation found that the accusations
against Yangon Region Chief Minister U Phyo
Min Thein were not valid grounds for impeachment
in a secret ballot on Thursday.
The 117 legislators attending the parliament,
in which the military-drafted Myanmar constitution
allows for 25 percent of parliamentary seats
in both houses to unelected military officers,
voted 77 against and 25 for impeachment.
The military appointed Solidarity and Development
Party (USDP) opposition legislator U Tin
Oo, representing the Coco Islands, submitted
the move to impeach the Yangon Region Chief
Minister to the regional parliamentary speaker
earlier this month with seven accusations.
Accusations made against the Yangon Region
Chief Minister included the implementation
of a New City project without the parliament's
knowledge, borrowing money from private
banks for the city bus service and violation
of the government ban on mass gatherings
amid the Covid-19 pandemic when he attended
a Buddhist religious event.
Yangon Region Chief Minister U Phyo Min
Thein denied all accusations against him
saying that by implementing the New City
project he was carrying out a project that
had been approved by the parliament during
the previous government.
He said that the regional government was
not responsible for borrowings by a private
company from a private bank and that under
the Union Ministry of Health and Sports
ruling government officials were allowed
to gather in groups larger than five when
performing their duties.
The
Southeast Asian Times
|
Papuans
on trial for treason are criminals
not political prisoners: Indonesian
National Police
|
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|
Indonesia's
National Police spokesman,
Inspector General Argo Yuwono
says that the Papuans on trial
for treason at the Balikpapan
District Court are criminals
not political prisoners
|
|
From
News Reports:
Jakarta, June 19: Indonesia rejects the
claim that the seven Papuans on trial for
treason at the Balikpapan District Court
in East Kalimantan are political prisoners,
saying the Papuans on trial for their involvement
in the August 2019 anti- racist protests
in Jayapura are criminals, reports the Jakarta
Post.
Indonesia's National Police spokesman, Inspector
General Argo Yuwono, said ahead of the verdict
to be handed down by the Balikpapan District
Court in East Kalimantan that the Papuans
on trial for treason are criminals not political
prisoners.
He claims that the Papuans incited violence
and rioting in Papua Province including
in Jayapura last year saying "as a
consequence violence and riots erupted in
Indonesia's easternmost province, resulting
in loss and destruction to personal property."
"Claims that the seven Papuans are
political prisoners are completely baseless
and groundless," he said.
He said that the trial at the Balikpapan
District Court is not considered a political
matter," saying "the Papuans are
criminals."
The Papuan political activists on trial
for treason at the Balikpapan District Court
in East Kalimantan, Agus Kossay, chairman
of the National Committe of West Papua (KNPB)
and Buktar Tabuni, Fery Kombo, Alexander
Gobay, Steven Itlai, Hengku Hilapok, Irwanus
Uropmabin who are members of Free Papua
Movement affilated groups, the West Papua
National Committee (KNPB) and the United
Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP)
were arrested in Jayapura in August 2019.
The Papuans were arrested at student protests
that called on Indonesia for a referendum
for independence for West Papua that had
spread to almost all regions in Papuan and
West Papua.
The protests that had spread to Jayapura,
Nabire, Paniai, Deiyai, Manokwari, Fakfak
and Sorong followed the forcible removal
of West Papuan students from their dormitory
in Surabaya in East Java on Indonesia's
74th Independence Day anniversary on August
17, 2019 for alleged vandalism of the Indonesian
national flag.
In December 2018 the West Papua Liberation
Army (TPNPB) claimed responsibility for
the attack on Indonesia's state-owned construction
company, PT Istaka Kar, killing 19 construction
workers in Nduga regency in Papua, saying
that they are not armed criminals but true
fighters for the freedom of the Republic
of West Papua.
West Papua Liberation Army (TPNPB) spokesman
Sebby Sanbom said then that "through
this attack on the contruction of the trans
Papua road we are telling the colonialist
country of Indonesia that we are not armed
criminals but true fighters for the freedom
of the Republic of West Papua,” saying
that the workers shot dead were not civilians
but Indonesian soldiers.
"We are ready to take responsibility",
he said.
The
Southeast Asian Times
|
Singapore
public servant arrested for
leaking post-Covid-19 economy
plans
|
|
|
|
|
Singapore
National Development Minister
Lawrence Wong said that phase
two of the Singapore post-Covid-19
plans that are to be released
on Friday include the resumption
of a wide range of services,
saying "a range of restrictions
would be eased to allow more
business and social activities
to resume"
|
|
From News Reports:
Singapore, June 18: A public servant was
arrested on Saturday under the Singapore
Offical Secrets Act for leaking classified
information on the reopening of Singapore's
economy a week before the information was
to be officially released, reports the Straits
Times.
The 50-year-old Singaporean male was arrested
under Section 5(1) of the Official Secrets
Act for releasing information on the resumption
of social activities and business in phase
two of the reopening of the Singapore economy.
Singapore Police Force (SPF) said that police
had received infomation that the public
servant was to release the Singapore post-Covd-19
plans via WhatsApp messages to the public.
Singapore National Development Minister
Lawrence Wong said that phase two of the
Singapore post-Covid-19 plans that would
be released on Friday would include the
resumption of a wide range of services,
saying "a range of restrictions would
be eased to allow more business and social
activities to resume."
The arrest of the public servant on Saturday
is the third arrest of a public servant
under the Singapore Offical Secrets Act
for leaking classified information about
the Covid-19 in Singapore.
A 35 year-old public servant was arrested
on April 23 under the Singapore Offical
Secrets Act and the Computer Misuse Act
after the woman leaked the number of new
daily Covid-19 infections in Singapore.
The Singaporean woman had shared information
about the number of daily new Covid-19 infections
with members of a private WeChat group,
who were not authorised to receive the information.
Police received information that the classified
information on the number of new infections
in Singapore had been leaked on an Instagram
post before the Ministry of Health (MOH)
had officially released the figure.
A public servant and her husband were arrested
on April, 5 under the Singapore Offical
Secrets Act for leaking a draft media statement
on Covid-19 school closure to the public
before the information was officially released.
The 37-year-old woman who is an authorised
recipient of the draft media statement,
had taken a screenshot of the draft media
statement on her computer and sent the image
to her 38-year-old husband via WhatsApp,
who shared the statement with his friends.
The draft media statement had been circulated
on WhatsApp and other social media platforms
hours before it was officially released
that day.
Offences under the Singapore Offical Secrets
Act carry a fine of up to $2,000 and imprisonment
of up to two years.
The
Southeast Asian Times
|
Protesters
call for release of 7 Papuan
political prisoners on trial
for treason
|
|
|
|
|
The protesters under
the Committee for the Release
of Papuan Political Prisoners
protested under a banner saying
"Free 7 Papuan political
prisoners without conditions"
at the Supreme Court building
in Central Jakarta on Monday
|
|
From News Reports:
Jakarta, June 17: Protests for the release
of West Papuans on trial for treason that
took place simultaneously in cities throughout
Indonesia including Jakarta on Monday
were held ahead of the verdict for treason
to be handed down at the Balikpapan District
Court in East Kalimantan on Wednesday,
reports the Jakarta Post.
Students and political activists protested
in Jakarta, Balikpapan, Jayapura and Sarong
in Papua, Bogor in West Java, Yogyakarta
and Malang in East Java calling for the
release of seven West Papuan political
activists who are on trial for treason
at the Balikpapan District Court in East
Kalimantan for their involvement in the
August 2019 anti- racist protests in Jayapura.
The seven West Papuans were arrested in
Jayapura in August 2019 following a series
of student protests calling on Indonesia
for a referendum for independence for West
Papua that had spread to almost all regions
in Papua and West Papua.
The protests that had spread to Jayapura,
Nabire, Paniai, Deiyai, Manokwari, Fakfak
and Sorong followed the forcible removal
of West Papuan students from their dormitory
in Surabaya in East Java on Indonesia's
74th Independence Day anniversary on August
17, for alleged vandalism of the Indonesian
national flag.
Surabaya district police who were armed
with riot shields, and who reportedly fired
tear gas into the domitory, stormed the
student dormitory and arrested the students
for alleged vandalism of the Indonesian
flag.
In October 2019 the National Committe
of West Papua (KNPB) condemned the alleged
secretive transfer of the seven West Papuan
activists from Jayapura in Papua to Balikpapan
district court in East Kalimantan, calling
on the Papua police to return the political
activists.
The National Committe of West Papua (KNPB)
claimed that Papuan political activists,
Agus Kossay, chairman of the National
Committe of West Papua (KNPB) and Buktar
Tabuni, Fery Kombo, Alexander Gobay, Steven
Itlai, Hengku Hilapok, Irwanus Uropmabin
who are members of Free Papua Movement
affilated groups, the West Papua National
Committee (KNPB) and the United Liberation
Movement for West Papua (ULMWP) were reportedly
transferred without any legal basis to
stand trial for treason at the Balikpapan
District Court in East Kalimantan,
The
Southeast Asian Times
|
Malaysia
to deport Rohingya refugees:
Not signatory to UNHCR
|
|
|
|
|
Minister
for Security and Defence,
Ismail Sabri Yaakob, said
that Malaysia would not allow
the 269 Rohingya refugees
who were rescued in the waters
of Langkawai last week to
remain in Malaysia
|
|
From
News Reports:
Kuala Lumpur, June 16: Malaysia is to
deport 269 Rohingya refugees who were
rescued in the waters off Langkawi last
week after the refugees had disabled their
vessel, with Minister for Security and
Defence saying that Malaysia is not a
signatory to United Nations High Commissioner
for Refugees (UNHCR), reports the Star.
Minister for Security and Defence, Ismail
Sabri Yaakob, said that Rohingya refugees
entering Malaysia will be deported back
to Bangladesh, saying that the “Rohingya
refugees should not assume they will be
accepted in Malaysia."
He said that the Rohingya refugees drilled
holes in their vessel and damaged the
engine beyond repair, saying "the
Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency
(MMEA) patrol boats had attempted to push
the vessel back out to sea when they found
that the vessel was disabled and were
forced to rescue the refugees."
He said that Malaysia would not allow the
269 Rohingya refugees to remain in Malaysia,
saying that he would hold talks with the
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
(UNHCR) to explore the possibility of the
refugees being sent to a third country.
He said that countries who were signatories
to the United Nations High Commissioner
for Refugees (UNHCR) had accused Malaysia's
decision to deport the Rohingya refugees
inhuman.
"We ask the countries that are signatories
to the UNHCR to take these refugess to
their own countries", he said.
Last month the ASEAN Intergovernmental
Commission on Human Rights (AICHR) called
on a humane response from ASEAN member
countries to 200 Rohinya whose boat was
intercepted by the Malaysian Maritime
Enforcement Agency (MMEA) off Langkawi
and escorted out of Malaysian waters in
April.
The ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission
on Human Rights (AICHR) Indonesia, Yuyun
Wahyuningrum, called on member states
to integrate human rights in the ASEAN
response to the Covid-19 pandemic, saying
that the Association of Southeast Asian
Nations (ASEAN) should show compassion
for the Rohinya who were denied entry
to Malaysia.
"The Rohinya are in desperate need
of assistance, saying that hundreds of
Rohinya have died of starvation on crowded
boats at sea during the Covid-19 pandemic."
In December 2019 the Association of Southeast
Asian Nations (ASEAN) and Myanmar formalised
cooperation on the Terms of Reference (ToR)
that includes Malaysia for the repatriation
of hundreds of thousands of Rohingya Muslims
who fled Myanmar's Rakhine state for Bangladesh
following Myanmar's military retaliation
to the assualt by the Arakan Rohingya Salvation
Army (ARSA) on police outposts and military
bases in August 2018.
Myanmar's deputy permanent secretary of
the Ministry of Foreign Affairs , U Aung
Kyaw Zan, said then "international
pressure on the Myanmar government would
be greatly reduced with ASEAN being not
only a witness to the process of repatriation
but also an active participant in the repatriation
effort.
“ASEAN can put the necessary mechanisms
for repatriation in place and Myanmar
will implement the repatriation of the
refugees with ASEAN support,” he
said.
The
Southeast Asian Times
|
Indonesian
University students support
Papuan political activists
|
|
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|
National
Committe of West Papua (KNPB)
chairman, Agus Kossay, center,
and Buktar Tabuni, Fery Kombo,
Alexander Gobay, Steven Itlai,
Hengku Hilapok, Irwanus Uropmabin
who are members of Free Papua
Movement affilated groups,
the West Papua National Committee
(KNPB) and the United Liberation
Movement for West Papua (ULMWP)
are on trial for treason for
their involvement in the August
2019 anti-racists protests
in Jayapura, Papua
|
|
From News Reports:
Jakarta Post, June 15: Two student organisations
of the University of Indonesia (UI) have
again attempted to file an amicus brief
in support of seven West Papuan political
activists on trial for treason for their
involvement in the August 2019 anti- racist
protests in Jayapura, Papua, in the hope
that support from the reportedly nonpartisan
students would be considered by the judges
in reaching a verdict, reports the Jakarta
Post.
The first attempt by the two student organisations,
University of Indonesia (UI) Student Executive
Body (BEM UI) and the UI School of Law Student
Executive Body (BEM FHUI) to show support
for the Papuan activits in the Balikpapan
district court in East Kalimantan was reportedly
rejected by the University of Indonesia
(UI) administration.
The University of Indonesia (UI) administration
said in a statement that the proposal to
support the Papuan activists in their involvement
in the 2019 antiracism protests in Jayapura
"did not reflect the views and attitudes
of University of Indonesia (UI) as an institution."
But an alliance of University of Indonesia
(UI) lecturers subsequently expressed
their support for the proposal, saying
that the proposal to file an amicus brief
"fostered the spirit of free speech
among university academics."
The student organisations argued in the
second attempt to file an amicus brief on
Friday that the treason charges brought
against the Papuan activists were not appropriate,
saying "the charges against the activists
were racist."
The student organisations filed an amicus
brief in support of Papuan activists following
demands by the prosecution at the Balikpapan
district court in East Kalimantan to imprison
the West Papuans for between five and 17
years for their participation in the protests
in Jayapura in July last year.
In October 2019 the National Committe
of West Papua (KNPB) condemned the alleged
secretive transfer of the seven West Papuan
activists from West Papua to Balikpapan
district court in East Kalimantan, calling
on the West Papua police to return the
political activists.
The National Committe of West Papua (KNPB)
claimed that West Papuan political activists,
Agus Kossay, chairman of the National
Committe of West Papua (KNPB) and Buktar
Tabuni, Fery Kombo, Alexander Gobay, Steven
Itlai, Hengku Hilapok, Irwanus Uropmabin
who are members of Free Papua Movement
affilated groups, the West Papua National
Committee (KNPB) and the United Liberation
Movement for West Papua (ULMWP) were reportedly
transferred without any legal basis.
The seven West Papuans were arrested in
Jayapura in August 2019 following a series
of student protests that spread to almost
all regions in West Papua including Jayapura,
Nabire, Paniai, Deiyai, Manokwari, Fakfak
and Sorong with West Papuans calling on
Indonesia for a referendum for independence
for West Papua.
In August 2019 protests calling on Indonesia
for a referendum for independence for
West Papua spread to almost all regions
in West Papua and Papua after West Papua
students were forcibly removed from their
dormitory in Surabaya in East Java on
Indonesia's 74th Independence Day anniversary
on August 17, for alleged vandalism of
the Indonesian national flag.
The
Southeast Asian Times
|
Directors
of Indonesia's state aircraft
manufacturer detained for
fraud
|
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|
Corruption
Eradication Commission (KPK)
chairman Firli Bahuri, centre,
said that former PT Dirgantara
Indonesia president director
Budi Santoso and former commerce
director Irzal Rinaldi Zailan,
background, would be detained
for the next 20 days
|
|
From
News Reports:
Jakarta, June 14: Former directors of state-owned
aircraft manufacturer PT Dirgantara Indonesia
were detained by the Corruption Eradication
Commission (KPK) on Friday to answer charges
for their alleged involvement in fictitious
projects at PT Dirgantara Indonesia between
2007 and 2017, reports the Jakarta Post.
Former PT Dirgantara Indonesia (PT DI)
president director Budi Santoso and former
commerce director Irzal Rinaldi Zailani,
were charged under Articles 2 and 3 of
the 2001 Corruption Law, that prohibits
the abuse of power for personal gain resulting
in state losses.
Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK)
chairman Firli Bahuri said that former PT
Dirgantara Indonesia (PT DI) president director
Budi Santoso and former commerce director
Irzal Rinaldi Zailan would be detained for
the next 20 days for investigation into
their alleged involvement in fictitious
projects at PT Dirgantara Indonesia.
He said that state-owned aircraft manufacturer
PT Dirgantara entered partnership contracts
with trading companies PT Angkasa Mitra
Karya, PT Bumiloka Tegar Perkasa, PT Abadi
Sentosa Perkasa, PT Niaga Putra Bangsa
and PT Selaras Bangun Usaha between 2008
and 2011, saying "none of the parties
carried out the work stated in their contracts."
"State-owned aircraft manufacturer
PT Dirgantara allegedly paid the companies
a total of Rp 205.3 billion ($8.6 million)
between 2011 and 2018," he said.
He said that the payments by state-owned
aircraft manufacturer PT Dirgantara to the
partnership trading partners shows that
the state had lost about Rp 330 billion,
saying that such state losses were sufficient
to give approximately 1 million families
social aid during the COVID-19 pandemic.
"The former directors of state-owned
aircraft manufacturer PT Dirgantara Indonesia
face 20 years in prison for each charge
and Rp 1 billion (US$70,509) in fines,"
he said.
In October 2007 State-owned aircraft manufacturer
PT Dirgantara Indonesia resumed work after
the Supreme Court decision to annul a
Commerce Court ruling that declared it
bankrupt on September 4.
Managing director Budi Santoso said that
PT Dirgantara Indonesia would renegotiate
a cancelled purchase order for six CN-235
aircraft that were placed by a Middle
Eastern country.
"We were negotiating the price and
the dates of delivery with guests from
the Middle East on the day the bankruptcy
decision was handed down." he said.
The Commerce Court had ruled for bankruptcy
on September 4, 2007 after about 6,500
former employees, who were sacked in 2003
filed a petition against it.
Restructuring of the aircraft maker followed
the 1997 financial crises and the number
of employees was reduced from 9670 to
3720 in 2003.
The restructuring included the reduction
of 18 divisions to Aircraft services,
aero structure and defence.
The
Southeast Asian Times
|
Indonesia:
Fifth ASEAN member to challenge
China's claim of sovereignty
in South China Sea
|
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|
China's
coast guard ship 3303 and
Indonesia's Imam Bonjol warship
383 in the disputed Natuna
waters June 17, 2019. Indonesian
Maritime Security Agency (Bakamla)
reports that China's coast
guard vessels have escorted
Indonesian traditional fishermen
from the disputed Natuna waters
in the Riau islands
|
|
From
News Reports:
Jakarta, June 13: Indonesia has rejected
China's offer to negotiate overlapping claims
over Natuna waters in the Riau Islands with
Indonesia's deputy speaker of the House
of representatives warning that the Indonesian
government should not compromise Indonesia's
sovereignty over Natuna waters, reports
the Jakarta Post.
Indonesia's deputy speaker of the House
of representatives, Aziz Syamsuddin, said
that the Indonesian government would not
negotiate sovereignty over the Natuna waters
in the Riau Islands, saying "Indonesia's
rights over the North Natuna Sea region
have been confirmed under the 1982 United
Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea
(UNCLOS).
"Based on Article 4 of Law Number 5/1983,
Indonesia has the right to exploration and
exploitation in the exclusive economic zone
(EEZ)," he said.
But China's Foreign Ministry spokesperson
Geng Shuang says that the Exclusive Economic
Zone (EEZ) in the north Natuna Sea is not
under Indonesian sovereignty, saying that
"the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ)
is a high sea where coastal countries have
sovereign rights over natural resources."
The Indonesian government said in a letter
to the United Nations Secretary-General
Antonio Guterres on May 28 that the Indonesian
government supported the Permanent Court
of Arbitration in The Hague that ruled in
favour of the Philippines against China's
claim over the West Philippine Sea in 2016,
with The Hague court saying "there
was no legal basis for China to claim historic
rights to resources in seas falling within
the 'nine-dash line'."
In response, the government of China said
on June 1 in a letter to United Nations
Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, that
China's maritime rights and interests in
the South China Sea were "established
in the long course of historical practice
and consistent with international law,”
including the 1982 United Nations Convention
on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) that China
ratified in 1996.
“China is willing to settle the overlapping
claims through negotiation and consultation
with Indonesia, and work together with Indonesia
to maintain peace and stability in the South
China Sea.”
Indonesia is the fifth Association of South
East Asian Nations ASEAN member country
after Philippines, Vietnam, Brunei and Malaysia
to challenge China's claim of sovereignty
over waters in the South China Sea, claiming
sovereignty over the resource-rich Natuna
Islands located off the southern end of
the 'nine-dash line' in the South China
Sea.
The
Southeast Asian Times
|
Thailand
to join Asia-Pacific trade
talks but not membership
|
|
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Thailand's
Department of Trade Negotiations
director general, Auramon
Supthaweethum said in March
2018 following the signing
in Chile of the revised version
of the Trans-Pacific Partnership
(TPP) trade agreement, the
Comprehensive and Progressive
Agreement for Trans-Pacific
Partnership (CPATPP), by 11
member country ministers,
excluding the US that had
withdrawn in January 2017,
that Thailand was following
developments and consulting
relevant parties on whether
Thailand should join the trade
agreement
|
|
From
News Reports:
Bangkok, June 12: Thailand's joint standing
committee on commerce, industry and banking,
established to consider whether Thailand
would seek membership in the Comprehensive
and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific
Partnership (CPTPP) trade agreement, agreed
to join the Asia-Pacific trade talks in
August but not membership, reports the Bangkok
Post.
The Council of Ministers of Thailand established
the committee last month to consider CPTPP
membership that includes 11 member countries
Canada, Mexico, Peru, Chile, New Zealand,
Australia, Japan, Singapore, Brunei, Malaysia
and Vietnam following concerns that joining
the Asia-Pacific trade agreement would have
a negative impact on the agriculture and
healthcare sector.
Joint standing committee on commerce, industry
and banking, chairman, Predee Daochai, said
that Thailand should take part in the Asia-Pacific
trade talks in August in order to examine
the terms and conditions of the Comprehensive
and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific
Partnership (CPTPP), saying "competition
had intensified in electronics and agriculture
from rivals such as Vietnam and Malaysia,"
he said.
"The process of seeking membership
will take at least four years and Thailand
can withdraw at any stage if found unbeneficial,"
he said.
Thailand's Department of Trade Negotiations
director general, Auramon Supthaweethum,
said that joining the Comprehensive and
Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific
Partnership (CPTPP) would boost Thailands
gross domestic product.
She said in March 2018 following the signing
of the revised version of the Trans-Pacific
Partnership (TPP) trade agreement, the Comprehensive
and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific
Partnership (CPATPP), in Chile by 11 member
country ministers, excluding the US withdrawal
in January 2017, that Thailand was following
developments and consulting relevant parties
on whether Thailand should join the trade
agreement.
"Thailand's position for now is wait-and-see,"
she said.
In November 2017 the signing ceremony for
agreement between the remaining eleven Pacific
Rim member countries of the Trans-Pacific
Partnership (TPP) following the withdrawal
of the US was cancelled, reportedly due
to Canada's Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau,
non-attendance to the signing ceremony as
scheduled.
Canada’s Office of Ministry of International
Trade spokesman, Pierre-Olivier Herbert,
said then that there were oustanding issues
for more than one of the 11 TPP member countries
including Canada that had yet to be resolved.
"We are working hard to maintain Canadian
jobs in important industries such as automotive,
agriculture, culture, and intellectual property,”
he said.
Consensus on the trade agreement between
the 11 member countries Canada, Mexico,
Peru, Chile, New Zealand, Australia, Japan,
Singapore, Brunei, Malaysia and Vietnam
was reportedly not reached over several
outstanding "trade issues."
In February 2016 the Trans-Pacific Partnership
Agreement (TPPA), believed to be the largest
trade agreement in history, was signed in
New Zealand after five years of negotiations
amid protests.
Ministers representing the then 12 countries
said in a joint statement that the TPP "will
set a new standard for trade and investment
in one of the worlds fastest growing and
most dynamic regions".
The trade agreement between the then 12
Pacific rim countries was expected to provide
improved access for goods and services to
more than 800 million across the TPP countries
that make up 36 percent of global Gross
Domestic Product (GDP)
The
Southeast Asian Times
|
Covid-19
transmissions in Bali on increase:
Access to beaches banned
|
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|
|
|
Bali
Governor, I Wayan Koster,
said that low level hygiene,
health, and safety protocols
contributed to the increasing
number of Covid-19 transmissions
|
|
From News Reports:
Jakarta, June 11: The Bali provincial government
reports an increasing number of Covid-19
transmissions on the resort Island, with
the Bali Governor saying that of the 25
new Covid-19 infections recorded on Sunday
only one was imported, reports the Jakarta
Post.
Bali Governor, I Wayan Koster, said that
low level hygiene, health, and safety protocols
contributed to the increasing number of
local Covid-19 transmissions in Bali's four
regencies, Bandun, Denpasar, Klungkung and
Tabanan.
He said that out of 25 new Covid-19 infections
recorded in Bali on Sunday, 24 were local
transmissions with only one identified as
an imported infection.
On Monday Bali reported a further 12 new
confirmed Covid-19 infections bringing the
total number of infections to 594 with five
fatalities.
Bali Governor, I Wayan Koster, revoked the
Badung Tourist Agency June 1 decision to
open access to two beaches, Canggu Beach
and Labuan Sait Beach to surfers.
He said that the Bali provincial administration
had ordered all tourist attractions closed,
saying that activities involving large groups
including traditional and religious activities
are banned due to the increasing number
of local Covid-19 transmissions.
In April the Bali provincial government
employed Covid-19 detection measures including
screening, body temperature checks and rapid
testing on all migrant workers returning
to Bali.
Bali provincial government regional secretary
and chairman of the Bali Covid-19 Task Force,
Dewa Made Indra, said that the data collected
would help determine the strategy that the
provincial government would use to curb
the spread of Covid-19 in Bali, saying in
April that "the majority of infections
on the island are imported."
He said that Bali has thousands of migrant
workers who are only now returning to Bali,
saying "these imported infections are
difficult for Bali to control."
He said that migrant workers returning to
Bali will be put through a rigorous health
check, saying "those who have the virus
will be isolated to prevent transmission."
The
Southeast Asian Times
|
Protesters
against anti-terrorism law
arrested under Covid-19 mass
gathering ruling
|
|
|
|
|
Eight of about 30 protesters
against the passing of the
draft Anti-Terrorism Act were
arrested at the University
of the Philippines (UP) campus
in Cebu City on Friday under
the Covid-19 mass gathering
ruling
|
|
From
News Reports:
Manila, June 10: Eight protesters against
the passing of the draft Anti-terrorism
Act in the House of Representatives that
would allow the Philippine government to
designate individuals and organisations
as terrorists and also allow arrest without
a warrant, were arrested at the Cebu City
University of the Philippines (UP) campus
on Friday, with the Cebu City police saying
the protesters were in violation of the
Covid-19 mass gathering ruling, reports
the Philippines Inquirer.
Cebu City Police office deputy director
for administration Lt. Col. Melbert Esguerra,
said the protesters violated the Covid-19
ban on mass gatherings, saying "we
gave them 10 minutes to disperse but they
did not heed our call."
"Hence we arrested them,” he said.
He said that the protesters are charged
with violation of Section 4, Paragraph 12
of the Omnibus Guidelines on the Implementation
of Community Quarantine in the Philippines
that inlcudes the prohibition of mass gatherings.
He said that the protesters also violated
the Public Assembly Act of 1985 that requires
a permit to assemble in parks, private property
and state university campuses.
The passing of the draft anti-terrorism
law in the House of Representatives on Wednesday
3 June followed certification of the Anti-terrorism
Act to the Congress on Monday 1 June by
President Duterte that the passage of the
draft Anti-terrorism Act was urgent.
The draft Anti-terrorism Act that would
replace the existing Human Security Act
of 2007, would establish a new Anti-Terrorism
Council (ATC) that would include members
appointed by the executive.
The Anti-Terrorism Council would permit
arrest without a warrant and allow detainment
for up to 24 days of those designated by
the council to be terrorists.
Under existing law, terrorism suspects must
be brought before a judge within three days.
Lawyer, for the protesters, Rey Fernandez,
questioned the arrests of the protesters
at the Cebu City University of the Philippines
(UP), saying that a 1982 agreement between
state university's and the Armed Forces
of the Philippines (AFP) and Philippine
National Police (PNP) barred their entry
into University of Philippines (UP) campuses
without the University's consent.
The
Southeast Asian Times
|
Jakarta
court rules ban on internet
access in West Papua unlawful
|
|
|
|
|
Indonesian
activists at Ministry of Communcation
and Information office in
Jakarta on August 23, 2019,
demand that the Indonesian
government restore internet
access to Papua and West Papua
|
|
From
News Reports:
Jakarta, June 9: The Indonesia government
decision to ban internet access in Papua
and West Papua in August and September last
year amid protests calling on Indonesia
for a referendum for independence and that
had spread to almost all regions, was ruled
unlawful by the Jakarta State Administrative
Court (PTUN), reports the Jakarta Post.
Jakarta State Administrative Court judge
Nelvy Christin, said that the internet ban
carried out by President Joko Widodo and
Minister for Communication and Infomatics
Johnny G Plate was unlawful, saying "the
unlawful acts did not follow human rights
restrictions set out in the Constitution
and other human rights conventions."
The Alliance of Independent Journalists
(AJI) Indonesia, South East Asia Freedom
of Expression Network (SAFEnet), Press Legal
Assistance Institution (LBH Press), YLBHI,
KontraS, Elsam, and ICJR, filed the lawsuit
against the Indonesian government arguing
that the Indonesian government ban on internet
access in Papua and West Papua was unlawful.
They argued that the Indonesian government
had restricted internet access in several
provinces in West Papua and Papua on August
19, 2019 from 1pm to 8.30pm, that the Indonesian
government banned access to data services
and internet access in 29 cities in Papua's
provinces and 13 cities and districts in
West Papua between 21 August and 4 September
last year and that the Indonesian government
banned data services and internet access
in Papua's Provinces including Jayapura
City, Jayapura District, Mimika District,
and Jayawijaya District and Manokwari City
and Sorong City in West Papua from September
4, 2019 to September 9, 2019
Minister for Communications and Informatics,
Johnny G. Plate, said that he respected
the Jakarta State Administrative Court (PTUN)
decision that the ban on internet access
is unlawful but he had yet to discover documents
pertaining to the government decision to
ban or restrict internet access in the region.
"There could have been damage to the
telecommunications infrastructure that led
to internet disruption in the area,"
he said.
He said that President Widodo formed policies
in the best interests of the state and people
of Indonesia including those in Papua.
In August and September 2019 about 6,000
joint Indonesian Military (TNI) and National
Police personnel were deployed to secure
Papua and West Papua provinces including
Jayapura, Nabire, Paniai, Deiyai, Manokwari,
Fakfak and Sorong following protests that
had spread to almost all regions with protesters
calling on Indonesia for a referendum for
independence for Papua and West Papua.
Calls for a referendum and self determination
were dismissed in August 2019 by Indonesia's
former Coordinating Minister for Political,
Legal, and Security Affairs, Wiranto, who
said then that the “NKRI the Unitary
State of the Republic of Indonesia is final.
”
He said the New York Agreement, signed in
1962 by the Netherlands and Indonesia, had
officially made Papua and West Papua legitimate
territories of Indonesia.
“That means NKRI is final, NKRI is
non-negotiable, including Papua and West
Papua,” he said.
"Referendums are for occupied countries
that are given the choice to be independent
or to join with the occupying country",
he said.
The
Southeast Asian Times
|
Australians
protest racial discrimination
in Australia in Sydney
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The
Indigenous Australian flag
flying at the Black lives
matter protest against racial
discrimination at Sydney's
Town Hall on Saturday was
designed by land rights activist
from Central Australia, Harold
Thomas, was flown for the
first time on 12 July 1971
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From
News Reports:
Sydney, June 8: More than 20,000 Australians
were prepared to defy the New South Wales
state Supreme Court ruling on Friday that
ruled that the planned protest against racial
discrimination at Sydney's Town Hall on
Saturday was a risk to public health when
the Court of Appeal overturned the decision,
with New South Wales Australian Greens Party,
saying protestors were ammune from prosecution,
reports the Australian Broadcasting Corporation
(ABC)
Greens Party of New South Wales Member of
Parliament, David Shoebridge, said that
the last minute decision meant that protesters
against deaths in police custody were immune
from prosecution for breaching public health
Covid-19 orders.
He said that the Black lives matter protests
in Australia against racial descrimination
was "one of those moments when you
fight the system," saying "its
a system that's been in place against First
Nations people in Australia for centuries."
"But sometimes you have those moments
when you have a win over the system,"
he said.
New South Wales Police Assistant Commissioner,
Mick Willing, said police operations were
underway in Sydney when the Supreme Court
decision allowed the protest to go ahead,
saying that police had to change plans.
"I have spoken with police commanders
who have said they are pleased that all
protests were essentially peaceful,"
he said.
Indigenous Australian, Shanaya Donovan,
said she attended the protest against racial
discrimination despite the potential of
a fine or jail because she was constantly
racially profiled, saying "I've been
followed around in Kmart by security guards
because they think I'm going to steal something."
"I have learned to go to Kmart in
my work uniform," she said.
Indigenous Australians make up 3.3 per cent
of the about 25 million Australian population
and about 28 per cent of the total Australian
prison population of 43,028 making indigenous
Australians the most incarcerated in the
world.
The
Southeast Asian Times
|
Cambodia
adopts draft law on anti-money
laundering: Asia Pacific Group
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The
National Assembly today approved
the draft law on anti-money
laundering and combating the
financing of terrorism on
Thursday. The draft law would
be sent to the Senate and
Constitutional Council before
final approval from King Norodom
Sihamoni
|
|
From
News Reports:
Phnom Penh, June 7: The National Assembly
of Cambodia adopted draft laws on anti-money
laundering (AML) and counter-terrorist
financing (CFT) and combating the financing
of weapons of mass destruction (WMD proliferation
on Thursday, with the Interior Ministry
saying that Cambodia is required to follow
international standards in combating money
laundering, terrorist financing and Weapons
of Mass Destruction (WMD financing, reports
the Phnom Penh Post.
Interior Minister Sar Kheng said at the
National Assembly that as a member of
the Asia Pacific Group (APG) since 2004,
Cambodia is required to follow international
standards on combating money laundering,
terrorist financing and Weapons of Mass
Destruction (WMD) proliferation financing.
"The draft law on AML and CFT is
designed to combat money laundering and
terrorist financing by identifying measures
to control, prevent and eliminate them,"
he said.
The Asia-Pacific Group (APG) on Money
Laundering found that Cambodia lacked
a legal basis and adequate enforcement
mechanisms related to penalties over money
laundering and terrorism financing and
was not in line with international standards.
Ruling Cambodian People's Party (CPP)
president, Hun Neng, said the draft law
of 9 chapters and 47 articles was studied
by the Commission on Interior, National
Defence, and Civil Service Administration
and the Commission on Economics, Finance,
Banking and Auditing.
Cambodia Deputy National Police chief and
Ministry of Interior central security department
director Dy Vichea said that the anti-money
laundering law will help fix loopholes in
Cambodia's money-laundering laws.
He said that police investigated 71 money
laundering cases involving drugs, economic
fraud offences and others last year, saying
that only 13 of the 71 cases went to court.
The
Southeast Asian Times
| 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 |
|
| MEDIA
CHECK |
| Cambodia-China
Journalist Association
(CCJA) launched in Phnom
Penh
...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
|
|
| 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 |
|
| Bombed
by the Americans for Christmas
in 1972, Ha Noi Bach Mai hospital
is still a war zone...Christina
Pas reports...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 |
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|
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 |
|
| A
cartoon goes inside the tour
bus in Manila on the day that
ended with the slaying of eight
Hong Kong tourists
...Open
page here |
|
Published
by Pas Loizou Press Darwin Northern Territory
Australia
PASLOIZOUPRESSDARWIN@bigpond.com
|
The
Southeast Asian Times cannot be
bought
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| ; |
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| |
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|
Oz $ buys
|
|
Updated daily.
Prices indicative only
|
US...0.7582
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
erty
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
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