GATHERINGS: An informed
guide to happenings throughout the region.
|
Thai
senate seeks referendum on
new constitution: Lese Majeste law From News
Reports: Bangkok, February 12: The
Senate is seeking a referendum on the
drafting of a new constitution as dictated by the
Referendum Act after the House of Representatives
voted for an opposition-sponsored
motion on November 3, 2022 to seek a
referendum, reports the Bangkok Post.
Senators voted 151 for, 26 against, and 15 abstentions
to form a panel to study a motion to
organise a referendum that would pave
the way for a rewrite of the constitution
that includes the Lese Majeste law.
The Senate called on the government to hold a referendum
on whether a new constitution should be
drawn up by a charter drafting
assembly made up of elected representatives,
saying "the referendum should be arranged on the
same day as the next general election that has
tentatively been set for May 7 by the
Election Commission (EC). Senators
were critical of voting for the formation of
a panel to study a motion to organise a referendum,
saying "It is a tactic to stall the
referendum" Sen Kittisak
Rattanawaraha said he supported a referendum
on the drafting of a new constitution, saying he
disagreed with organising the
referendum on the same day as the
general election, "This could
confuse voters," he said. The Southeast Asian
Times
China calls emergency
COVID-19 meeting with ASEAN in Laos From News
Reports: Beijing, February 19: An
emergency meeting of foreign ministers
from China and the 10 Association of South East
Asian Nations (ASEAN) that was proposed by China is
to be held in Vientiane, Laos on
Thursday and Friday to discuss the
COVID-19 virus epidemic. The
COVID-19 virus has so far killed 1,869 and infected
73,336 in China and has spread to the 10 ASEAN
member states. The
meeting that was proposed by China is reportedly
intended to share information and to
improve coordination between China and the 10 ASEAN
member states in order to combat the
COVID-19 virus. China Foreign
Affairs Minister Wang Yi is reportedly to
discuss China's measures in countering the COVID-19 virus
epidemic at the meeting in Laos, with
focus on strengthening joint
prevention and control measures against the virus.
The meeting is also to explore the idea of
establishing a long term and effective
collaboration mechanism on public
health to safeguard the region, with China Foreign Affairs
Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang saying "
China and Asean countries have been in
close communication since the outbreak
of the Covid-19 virus. Cambodia's
Foreign Minister Prak Sokhonn, who will be
attending the emergency COVID-19 virus epidemic meeting,
said that the meeting will be an
opportunity for the foreign ministers
to discuss measures to prevent the spread of
the coronavirus. "The meeting
will help strengthen cooperation between
ASEAN member states in the midst of this global health
threat," he said.
His said that Cambodia's participation in the emergency
meeting that was proposed by China will
demonstrate Cambodia’s support of
China and confidence in the measures taken
by the China government to address the coronavirus
outbreak. The Southeast Asian
Times
Vietnam opens consulate
in Macau From
News Reports:
Hanoi, January 9: Vietnam's Hong Kong Consulate General
launched a consulate office in the Macau
Special Administrative Region of China
on Friday, reports the Vietnam News Service.
Consulate General of Hong Kong, Tran Than Huan, said
at the launching ceremony that the
office aims to better ensure the
rights of Vietnamese citizens and tourists
in the region. He said that the
consulate office in Macau will provide
easier access to information about Vietnam, saying that
it would boost
friendship and co-operation between Vietnam
and Macau. The Consulate
General said that the office expected to
recieve support from local organisations including the
Vietnam Fellow Countrymen Friendship
Association in Macau. More than
20,000 Vietnamse are employed as domestic workers,
in the service industry at Macau's casino's.
Vietnamese also operate tourist and
services companies.
The Southeast Asian
Times
US invites
Vietnam Communist Party General Secretary to
the White House
From News Reports:
Hanoi, July 6, 2015: The General Secretary
of the Central Committee of the
Communist Party of Vietnam will visit
the United States from July 6 to July 10 at the invitiation
of the United States State Department in
a "landmark" visit, Rueters
reports. General Secretary of the
Central Committee of the Communist
Party Nguyen Phu Trong will meet United States President
Barack Obama at the White House on
Tuesday. Rueters quotes a
senior state department official
saying that the meeting between the General Secretary
of the Central Committee of the Communist Party
and the President of the United States
"would skirt protocol" because the
General Secretary is "not part of a government".
"Obama saw the visit as crucial", Rueters reports
the senior state department official
as saying. Rueters also quotes the
senior state department official
saying that "there was a broad agreement that it
made sense to treat General
Secretary of the Central Committee of
the Communist Party Nguyen Phu Trong
as the visit of "the top leader
of the country". "It's a pretty big
event," Rueters quotes the state
department official as saying. The Southeast Asian
Times France agrees
to return Aboriginal remains home to
Australia From News
Reports: Canberra, November 25:
French president Francois Hollande and
Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott have agreed
to work together to return Aboriginal remains to
Australia during the first official
visit by a French head of state to
Australia last week, reports Australian Associated
Press. The French head
of state and the Australian prime minister
said that a joint expert committee is to be established
to help identify the origin of the
Aboriginal remains held in France.
The head of state and prime minister
said in a joint statement that the
identification process would respect the sensitivities
and values of the two countries and consider
the requests of Aboriginal and Torres
Strait Islander communities including
the French legal system. "The
French government will examine possible solutions
to enable the return of the Aboriginal human
remains to their community of origin."
the statement said. Australia
believes the remains of Aboriginal and Torres
Strait Islanders are being held in Museum collections
around the world including in Europe and
the United States.
In 2010 a British museum agreed to return 138 sets
of Aboriginal skeletal remains to
Australia including the severed head
of Australian Aboriginal warrior, Yagan,
to the Noongar of South West Western Australia after being
missing in action for about 177 years.
Yagan was shot dead for his resistance
to British settlement on the Swan
river. The Southeast Asian
Times
"No " to proposal to delete religion from Indonesian
national identity card From
News Reports: Jakarta, November
10: Islamic-based political party politicians
oppose the proposal put by the newly selected Home
Minister Tjahjo Kumolo, that national
identity cards (KTP) do not include
the religion of the car holder.
Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) politician Aboebakar Al
Habsy said that not to include the religion of
the card holder on national identity
cards (KTP) contradicted the
country’s founding philosophy of
Pancasila “If we believe that Pancasila is our state
ideology and our national identity,
then why should we be ashamed of
including our religion on our national identity card,"
he said Home
Minister Tjahjo Kumolo also proposed that the regious
beliefs of Indonesian citizens be omitted from
official government documents.
He said that the religion of Indonesian
citizens on national identity cards
(KTP) or in official government documents
should not be imposed. "It's up
to the people", he said. The Souheast Asian
Times
The
Wolf bridge: An insult to Thai
monarchy From News Reports:
Bangkok, October 31: Thai University students,
Patiwat Saraiyaem, 23, and Pornthip
Mankong, 26, were charged in the
Ratrachada Court on Monday, with defamation of
the Thai monarchy in a play titled "The Wolf Bridge"
performed at the Thammasat university in
October 2013, reports the Bangkok
Post. The students were charged
with insulting the Royal Thai family
in the fictional depiction of the monarchy in a
play performed in commemoration of the 37th and 40th
anniversaries of the October 6, 1976
and October 14, 1973 pro-democracy
student uprisings at Thammasat University.
The prosecution cites nine passages from the plays's
script, a work of fiction that depicts
a fictional monarch, that allegedly
insults the monarchy and as such is in violation
of the lese majeste law.
Patiwat Saraiyaem, actor and Pornthip Mankong, producer
of the play, in detention since arrested on
13 August, have been refused bail are
scheduled to appear in court to enter
pleas on December 29. The Southeast Asian
Times
World
including Asean PM's and Presidents
to attend inauguaration of Indonesian
president From News Reports:
Jakarta, October 18: World Prime ministers,
Presidents and State representatives
including US Secretary of State, John
Kerry and Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott will
attend the inauguaration of Joko “Jokowi” Widodo
as President of Indonesiaon on
Monday. The speaker of the People's
Consultative Assembly (MPR) Zulkifli
Hasan said that representatives from the ten
Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) member
nations have also been invited to attend
the swearing in of the former governor
of Jakarta, Joko “Jokowi” Widodo as
president of Indonesia. "The Prime
Ministers and Presidents of Malaysia,
Singapore, Japan and South Korea are also expected to
attend", he said. He
said that the Indonesian People's Consultative Assembly
(MPR) has also invited "domestic VIP's"
including former Presidents and
Vice-Presidents. “All chairpersons of political parties
have also be invited,” said the
speaker. The Southeast Asian
Times
Banned ISIS
flag found flying in Aceh From News Reports:
Jakarta, September 12: The Islamic State of
Iraq and Syria (ISIS) flag found
flying from a coconut tree in Aceh on
Sunday has been torn down, reports the Jakarta Post.
The discovery of the banned ISIS flag was
reportedly the first in Aceh.
Police chief First Inspecter Azwan said
that the flag of the nationally banned
movement was discovered by chess
players sitting at a food stall near the coconut tree
in the Sungai Raya district of East Aceh
regency in Aceh. He said that a
bomb disposal team inspected the area before
the flag was taken down.
President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono announced Indonesia's
rejection of the State of Iraq and the
Levant (ISIL) and banned the teaching
of ISIL ideology in Indonesia last
month at his parliamentary state-of-the-nation address
and ahead of the 69th anniversary of
Indonesias Independence.
The Southeast Asian
Times
Singapore
passes Trans- boundary Haze Pollution
Act From News Reports:
Singapore, August, 18: The passing of the 2014
Trans-boundary Haze Pollution Act by
the Singapore parliament last week
will enable Singapore regulators to sue individuals or
companies in neighbouring countries for
causing severe air pollution in
Singapore. The Act that was first
proposed in 2013 would enable Singapore
to impose fines of up to S$2 million on companies that
cause or contribute to transboundary haze
pollution in Singapore.
Environment and Water Resources Minister Vivian
Balakrishnan said that under the Act,
Singapore will have the legal right
under the Objective Territorial Principle to take
legal action against air polluters.
"While neighbouring countries have the sovereign
right to exploit their natural resources
in accordance with their policies they
also have a responsibility to ensure
that "slash and burn" agricultural practices
do not cause damage to Singapore", he said.
The passing of the 2014 Trans-boundary Haze
Pollution Act gives Singapore the
legal power to serve notices on those
that do not have assets or a presence in Singapore.
Indonesia is yet to
ratify an Agreement on Transboundary
Haze Pollution that was signed by ASEAN member counries
in November 2003 in order to
address haze pollution arising from land and forest
fires. A bill passed in the
Indonesian House of Representatives in
July 2013 gave the Indonesian goverment the power to
seize assetts gained from illegal logging and
illegal clearing of forests for palm
oil plantations. The new bill,
designed to protect more than 13 million
hectres from deforestation, gave the Indonesian government
a mandate to establish a task force
including police to monitor the
prevention and eradication of deforestation. The Southeast Asian
Times
Papua
Biak massacre remembered in Sydney
with 136 white carnations From News Reports:
Sydney, July 5: A ceremony to mark the 16th
anniversary of the Biak Massacre in
West Papua ua on 6 July 1998 will be
held at the Waverley Cliffs cemetery in Sydney on Sunday.
The Waverley
Cliffs community will throw 136 white carnations
from the waverley cliffs into the Pacific Ocean in
memory of the Biak massacre.
A citizens tribunal, hosted by the Centre
for Peace and Conflict Studies (CPACS)
at the University of Sydney last year
on the 15th anniversary of the Biak massacre found
that 136 West Papuan protesters were thrown into
the sea by Indonesian security
forces. The tribunal heard eye
witness testimony that the West Papuan
demand for the right to vote for independence from
Indonesia was met with gunfire by Indonesian
security forces.
Survivors of the massacre told the international team
of jurists that the unarmed West Papuan
protesters were surrounded and shot by
Indonesian security forces and that
survivors were thrown into the sea on 6 July
1998. The Southeast Asian
Times
| | |
Manila
Bay oil slick not
leaking from crude
oil tank on sunken
oil tanker MT Terra
Nova, says Admiral
Balilo
|
|
![](Philippines%2026%20Jul%202024%20PIX%20400%20X%20250%20MT%20Terra%20Nova%20oil%20tanker%20sinks%20in%20Manila%20Bay%20Thur%2025%20Jul%202024.jpg) |
MT
Terra Nova sank in
Manila Bay after the
65-meter oil tanker
with 1.4 million liters
of crude oil onboard
was hit by Typhoon
Gaemi on Thursday
July 25, 2024
|
|
From
News Reports:
Manila, July 28: The Philippine
flagged oil tanker, MT Terra Nova,
that capsized and sank in Manila
Bay on Thursday, leaving one crew
member of the 17 onboard dead
and a 3,7 kilometere oil slick
after the tanker was hit by Typhoon
Gaemi, with Rear Adm. Armand Balilo,
saying the oil leak from the MT
Terra Nova was not from the 1.4
million liters of crude oil carried
by the oil tanker,'' reports the
Philippine Inquirer.
''No oil is leaking from the 1.4
million liters of crude oil tank
onboard the MT Terra Nova,'' he
said.
Rear Adm. Armand Balilo, said
the oil leak from the 65-meter
oil tanker MT Terra Nova ''appeared
to be diesel fuel used to power
the tanker and not from the 1.4
million liters of crude oil carried
by the oil tanker.''
Rear Adm. Armand Balilo warned
that if the cargo of crude oil
had leaked from the MT Terra Nova,
''it would become the worst oil
spill in Philippine history.''
''A dispersant has been applied
to the small oil slick in Manila
Bay from the diesel fuel used
to power the MT Terra Nova,''
he said.
Rear Adm. Armand Balilo said the
MT Terra Nova crew had assured
him that the crew had secured
the valve on the diesel fuel tank
used to power the tanker, saying
''the crew secured the diesel
fuel before they abandoned the
ship that sank in 34 meteres of
water about 7 kilometres east
of Limay town in Manila Bay.''
''The tanker, MT Terra Nova, sank
in shallow waters raising the
possibility that the 1.4 million
liters of crude oil onboard could
be siphoned off in about a week,''
he said.
Rear Adm. Armand Balilo said the
Philippine flagged oil tanker,
MT Terra Nova, left Bataan province
en route to the central province
of Iloilo with 1.4 million litres
of crude oil onboard when the
ship was hit by Typhoon Gaemi
and began to take water.
''The crew struggled to steer
the tanker back to port but it
sank after midnight on Thursday,''
he said.
Rear Adm. Armand Balilo said that
siphoning 1.4 million liters of
crude oil from the sunken tanker
would protect the waters of Bataan
and Manila Bay against environmental,
social, economic, financial and
political impact.
The
Southeast Asian Times
Indonesias
National Narcotics
Agency raid homemade
drug laboratory at
rented Bali villa
|
|
![](Bali%2027%20Jul%202024%20PIX%20400%20X%20250%20BNN%20raided%20illegal%20drug%20laboratory%20in%20Bali%20Thurs%2018%20Jul%202024.jpg) |
Indonesia's
National Narcotics
Agency (BNN) raid
illegal homemade drug
laboratory in the
grounds of a rented
villa in Bali in Keliki
Kawan village, Payangan
sub-district, Gianyar
district, in the Bali
province of Sugiri
on Thursday July 18,
2024
|
|
From
News Reports:
Bali, July 27: Indonesia's National
Narcotics Agency (BNN) raided an
illegal homemade drug laboratory
in the grounds of a rented villa
in Bali finding the hallucinogenic
drug, dimethyltryptamine (DMT),
with BNN Commissioner General, Marthinus
Hukom, warning that ''Bali has become
a target for transnational drug
lords for their international operations,''
reports Antara.
National Narcotics Agency (BNN)
Commissioner General, Marthinus
Hukom, said ''the findings have
sounded the alarm bell for Bali
and other regions in Indonesia.
''The finding is an alarm or warning
that Bali and other parts of Indonesia
are targets for illicit drug production
for international drug networks,''
he said.
National Narcotics Agency (BNN)
law enforcement deputy Insp Gen
I Wayan Sugiri raided the illegal
homemade drug laboratory located
in a tarpaulin tent in front of
a rented villa in Keliki Kawan village,
Payangan sub-district, Gianyar district,
in the Bali province of Sugiri on
Thursday July 18, 2024.
He said that three Filipinos, identified
by their initials, DAS, a 28-year-old
male, PMS, mother of DAS, and DOS,
sister of DAS, were arrested at
the Illegal homemade drug laboratory,
saying that ''DAS has been named
a suspect and the two others are
witnesses.''
''DAS has been charged under Articles
114 (2), 113 (2), and 112 (2) of
Law No.35 of 2009 on Narcotics,
and is facing the death penalty
or life imprisonment,'' he said.
He said that the National Narcotics
Agency (BNN) law enforcement officers
found chemical substances and laboratory
equipment, including measuring glasses,
beaker glasses, and a magnetic stirrer
including a plastic of clear liquid
containing the hallucinogenic drug,
dimethyltryptamine (DMT) substance
in the homemade drug laboratory.
National Narcotics Agency (BNN)
Public Relations and Protocol Bureau,
Brigadier General Sulistyo Pudjo
Hartono, said that the raid on the
illegal homemade drug laboratory
at the rented villa in Bali including
several residences is believed to
be connected to the manufacture
of illegal drugs.
''Aside from dimethyltryptamine
(DMT) we found a variety of other
narcotics including Fentanyl,"
he said.
He said that the investigation into
the illegal homemade drug laboratory
at a rented villa in the Bali province
of Sugiri originated with a National
Narcotics Agency (BNN) cyber patrol
that uncovered online dimethyltryptamine
(DMT) drug transactions, saying
''the BNN obtained information about
the illegal homemade drug laboratory
at a rented villa in Keliki Kawan
village, Payangan sub-district,
Gianyar district, in the Bali province
of Sugir.
The
Southeast Asian Times
Indonesia's
Rempang Island residents
reject relocation
for China's investment
solar-panel manufacturing
plant
|
|
![](Indonesia%2025%20Jul%202024%20PIX%20400%20X%20250%20Envronmenatalists%20protest%20China%20embassy%20glass%20solar-panel%20plant%20Rempang%20Is%20Tues%2019%20Sep%202023.jpg) |
Environmentalists
protest against Indonesia's
Rempang Eco City national
strategic project
(PSN) that includes
the relocation of
thousands of residents
at the Chinese embassy
in Jakarta on Tuesday
September 19, 2024
|
|
From
News Reports:
Jakarta, July 26: Rempang Island
residents in Galang district, Batam
city, in Indonesia's Riau Islands,
east of Singaspore and Malaysia,
protested against the Rempang Eco
City national strategic project
(PSN), that includes a solar-panel
manufacturing plant on Rempang Island
and the relocation of thousand of
residents on Sunday, saying "Reject
relocation, reject evil investment,''
reports Antara.
Rempang Eco City national strategic
project (PSN), a joint venture between
the Indonesian Batam Development
Board (BP) for Free Trade Zone and
Free Port of Batam and local company,
PT Makmur Eloc Graha (MEG) is in
partnership with Chinas Xinyi
International Investment Ltd., in
a solar-panel manufacturing plant.
Residents from villages in Galang
district including Kampung Sembulang
Hulu, Sembulang Tanjung, Sembulang
Pasir Merah, Sembulang Camping,
Sungai Buluh, Pasir Panjang and
Sungai Raya oppose the Rempang Eco
City national strategic project
(PSN) that includes the relocation
of thousands of residents and the
Pasir Merah Sembulang beach, with
Sembulang Camping resident Bakir
saying '''We the residents of Rempang,
refuse relocation.''
''Non-negotiable !'' he said.
''We will not leave our home villages,
saying 'in these villages we were
born, in our villages we will die,''
he said.
He said that there has been numerous
protests against the Rempang Eco
City national strategic project
(PSN that includes the relocation
of Rempang Island residents, saying
''there has never been any response
from the government. We want our
village to remain."
''We want our village to remain,''
he said.
Sembulang Pasir Merah resident,
Nia, said residents will continue
to reject relocation to make way
for the Rempang Eco City national
strategic project (PSN), saying
''we will fight the Batam Development
Board (BP).''
''The Batam Development Board (BP)
tries to persuade residents to relocate
to a different place to make way
for the Rempang Eco City national
strategic project (PSN) everyday,''
she said.
Batam Mayor, Muhammad Rudi, who
is also the head of the Batam Development
Board (BP) for Free Trade Zone and
Free Port of Batam, said that more
than 80 percent of residents on
Rempang Island have agreed to relocate.
''A new residentional area will
be provided for Rempang Island residents,''
he said.
He said that each family would receive
500 square metres of land and a
45-square meter house worth 120
million rupiah (U.S. $7,600), including
a monthly allowances and job opportunities,''
he said.
On July 27, 2023, during the visit
to China by President of Indonesia,
Jokowi Widodo, Chinas Xinyi
International Investment Ltd. committed
to investing US. $$11.6 billion
in a glass and solar-panel manufacturing
plant in Rempang Island
Indonesia Minister of Investment
Bahlil Lahadalia said the factory
would create 35,000 jobs and the
entire Rempang Eco-City project
would bring in an estimated 381
trillion rupiah (U.S. $26.6 billion)
in investment by 2080.
''Once completed, Rempang Eco-City
will include a 2,000-hectare (4,942
acres) industrial park and a 15,600-hectare
(39,000 acres) residential and commercial
area on the island.'' he said.
The
Southeast Asian Times
Hong
Kong spectator at
volley ball match
found guilty for covering
his ears against China's
national anthem
|
|
![](Hong%20Kong%2024%20Jul%202024%20PIX%20400%20X%20250%20Chan%20Pak%20yui%20centre%20leaves%20the%20Kowloon%20City%20Court%20on%20Fri%2019%20Jul%202024.jpg) |
Chan
Pak-yui, 22, centre,
was found guilty in
Hong Kong of covering
his ears when the
National Anthem of
the People's Republic
of China was played
before a volleyball
match on Friday June
16, 2023
|
|
From
News Reports:
Hong Kong July 25: The Kowloon
City Magistrates Court found Chan
Pak-yui, 22, a spectator at the
Hong Kong Stadium , guilty under
the National Anthem Law of the
People's Republic of China that
criminalises insults to the national
anthem, for covering his ears
when the ''March of the Volunteers''
played, with the Magistrates saying
that Chan Pak-yui had deliberately
insulted the national anthem,
reports the Hong Kong Free Press.
Chan Pak-yui, 22, a spectator at
the Hong Kong stadium on June 16,
2023, was found guilty on Friday
of covering his ears when the National
Anthem Law of the People's Republic
of China was played before a volleyball
match between the Volleyball Womens
Nations League team of China and
the Bulgaria Women's National Volleyball
team at the Hong Kong stadium.
Magistrate Kestrel Lam Tsz-hong
rejected the argument put forward
by the defence that Chan Pak-yui
had autism and attention hyperactivity
disorder on Friday, saying ''Chan
Pak-yui had deliberately insulted
the national anthem.''
Chan Pak-yui, 22, admitted that
he had booed the national anthem,
''March of the Volunteers'', displayed
a thumbs down gesture, plugged
his ears and chanted the chorus
of ''Do You Hear the People Sing''
from ''Les Miserables'' that had
become a Hong Kong protest song.
Magistrate Kestrel Lam Tsz-hong
said ''the national anthem requires
people to stand solemnly and deport
themselves with dignity
on any occasion where the national
anthem is played.''
''The National Anthem Law of the
People's Republic of China penalises
misuse of the song and insulting
conduct towards the song,'' he
said.
''Chan Pak-yui, 22, had undermined
China's significance and existence
by diverting public attention
away from the song on an occasion
where it was intended to be honoured,''
he said.
He said that the national anthem
was played to demonstrate the
pride and praise for the countrys
sovereignty, dignity, solidarity
and territorial integrity. saying
''it was a time for its subjects
to express their feelings for
the nation.''
''The defendants act would
definitely give the impression
that the national anthem of China,
the symbol and sign of the nation,
did not need to be honoured whatsoever,
and could even be ignored,'' he
said.
On June 6, 2024 three football spectators
were arrested at the Hong Kong Stadium
under the National Anthem Law that
criminalises insults to the national
anthem of the People's Republic
of China, the ''March of the Volunteers,''
for turning their backs and failing
to stand for the playing of the
national anthem of China at the
beginning of the match.
Two males and a female aged 18
to 31 were arrested on Thursday
night at the Hong Kong Stadium
where Iran secured a 4-2 victory
against Hong Kong in a qualifying
match for the international football
championship in 2026.
Hong Kong police Force (HKPF)
reportedly filmed the trio as
they turned their backs to the
field and failed to stand for
the national anthem of China ''March
of the Volunteers,'' at the Hong
Kong Stadium at the begining of
the football match.
The arrest of football spectators
at the Hong Kong Stadium on Thursday
under the National Anthem Act
that criminalises insults to the
national anthem of China, ''March
of the Volunteers,'' follows the
Hong Kong Court of Appeal decision
on May 8, 2024 to uphold the ban
on the League of Social Democrats
(LSD) protest song, "Glory
to Hong Kong."
The
Southeast Asian Times
Thailand
orders removal of
Chinese-language billboard
advertising sale of
passports to Chinese
nationals
|
|
![](Thailand%2022%20Jul%202024%20PIX%20400%20X%20300%20Chinese%20billboard%20in%20Bangkok%20offering%20passports%20for%20sale%20Mon%2022%20Jul%202024.jpg) |
The
Minister of the Interior
and Deputy Prime Minister
of Thailand, Anutin
Charnvirakul, ordered
the removal of a Chinese-language
billboard advertising
passports for sale
in the Huai Khwang
district of Bangkok
on Monday July 22,
2024
|
|
From
News Reports:
Bangkok, July 24: Deputy Prime
Minister of Thailand, Minister
of the Interior, Anutin Charnvirakul,
ordered the removal of a Chinese-language
billboard advertising passports
for sale in the Huai Khwang district
of Bangkok on Monday, with the
Ministery of the Interior spokesperson
saying ''officials have been instructed
to look into whether the billboard
was legally erected,'' reports
the Bangkok Post.
''The finding would be made public,''
said the Ministery of the Interior
spokesperson, Traisuree Taisaranakul.
The Chinese-language billboard
in the Huai Khwang district of
Bangkok is advertising passports
from numerous countries for sale
at various prices including 30,000
Chinese yuan for an Indonesian
passport, 70,000 yuan for Vanuatu,
150,000 yuan for Cambodian and
150,000 yuan for a Turkish passport.
The Chinese-language billboard
showes a male of Chinese origin
holding a passport with fees in
the Chinese currency for applications
for passports and citizenship
in the background.
The Ministery of the Interior
spokesperson, Traisuree Taisaranakul,
said that the Thailand government
facilitates visits to attract
currency inflow, saying ''the
government of Thailand prioritises
screening to prevent criminals
from arriving as tourists and
using Thailand as a base for illegal
activities.''
Opposition Move Forward Party
(MFP) list-MP Wiroj Lakkhanaadisorn
said that the billboard in the
Huai Khwang district is intended
for Chinese nationals, saying
''many Chinese stay and do business
in the Din Daeng and Huai Khwang
areas of Bangkok.''
''The passports are genuine,''
he said.
He said the application process
takes about 30 days with an assurance
of confidentiality, saying ''payment
is to be made when the passports
are ready.''
He warned that Thailand may become
a hub for transnational criminal
elements seeking foreign passports,
saying ''several Chinese elements
are taking advantage of lax immigration
restrictions.''
''lax immigratrion restrictions
with the collusion of corrupt
officials is making it possible
for criminal Chinese elements
to seek refuge in Thailand,''
he said.
Thailand Deputy Commissioner of
the Immigration Bureau, Pol Maj-Gen
Panthana Nutchanart, said that
the billboard in the Huai Khwang
district in not illegal per se,
saying ''the passports offered
for sale are not Thailand passports.''
''Selling passports is normal
in several countries,'' he said.
The
Southeast Asian Times
Thailand
Election Commission
to investigate authenticity
of Phd in Political
Science allegedly
earned in US by newly
elected senator
|
|
![](Thailand%2023%20Jul%202024%20PIX%20400%20X%20250%20OCSC%20claims%20newly%20elected%20senator%20Assoc%20Prof%20Dr%20Keskamol%20Pleansamai%20not%20certified%20Sun%2014%20Jul%202024.jpg) |
Newly
elected Senator Keskamol
Pleansamai rejects
claims that she purchased
a PhD in Political
Science from the California
University Foreign
Credentials Evaluation
(CUFCE) on Nation
TV on Wednesday July
10, 2024
|
|
From
News Reports:
Bangkok, July 23: The Election Commission
of Thailand (EC) has accepted a
petition to investigate tshe authenticity
of a PhD in Political Science allegedly
earned by newly elected senator,
Keskamol Pleansamai, 45, from the
California University Foreign Credentials
Evaluation (CUFCE), with the new
senator rejecting claims that she
had purchased the PhD required for
the degree, reports Bangkok Post.
Former senatorial election candidate,
Sonthiya Sawasdee, petitioned
the Election Commission of Thailand
(EC) to investigate the educational
background of senator, Keskamol
Pleansamai, on July 13, saying
that the senator had allegedly
earned the PhD from a foreign
educational institution that was
not accredited in Thailand or
the United States.
''The Election Commission would
focus its investigation on whether
or not Keskamol Pleansamai action
violates Section 77 (4) of the
Organic Act on the Acquisition
of Senators BE 2561 (2018)'',
he said.
Newly appointed senator, Keskamol
Pleansamai defended her credentials
on Nation TV, saying she had graduated
with a PhD in philosophy in business
administration from California
University Foreign Credentials
Evaluation (CUFCE).
''The California University was
recognised by the US Department
of Education,'' she said.
Senator, Keskamol Pleansamai,
rejected claims that she had purchased
the PhD required for the degree,
saying she had done all the research
herself.
Former senatorial election candidate,
Sonthiya Sawasdee, said that neither
the US or Thailand officially
recognise California University
Foreign Credentials Evaluation
(CUFCE) saying ''the Election
Commission had the power to investigate
and determine whether Senator,
Keskamol Pleansamai, intentionally
provided false information about
her academic credentials..
Senator, Keskamol Pleansamai includes
a bachelors degree in medicine
from Rangsit University, a masters
in organisational management from
Krirk University, and a doctorate
in resource management and development
from Maejo University in Chiang
Mai in her CV.
Senator, Keskamol Pleansamai,
also lists associate professor
of business administration and
professor in human resource development
from California University, honorary
doctorate from the Union Internationale
de Pentathlon Moderne (UIPM) and
a certificate in aesthetic medicine
from the American Academy of Aesthetic
Medicine in her list of overseas
credentials.
Senator, Keskamol Pleansamai owns
four beauty-oriented companies,
including Keskamol Dental Clinic,
Keskamol Clinic Intergroup, Inter
Derma Laboratory, and Medical
Pharma, with a combined revenue
of 62.6 million baht in 2023.
Senator, Keskamol Pleansamai,
who describes herself as a medical
expert in beauty, is dubbed 'Angel
Doctor' with a large social media
presence including 134,000 followers
on Facebook, 200,000 on TikTok,
and 287,000 on Instagram.
The
Southeast Asian Times
ASEAN
member, Indonesia,
says ''not true
to say that Indonensia
refuses to join economic
alliance BRICS''
|
|
![](Indonesia%2022%20Jul%202024%20PIX%20Sidharto%20Reza%20Suryodipuro%20at%2043rd%20ASEAN%20Summit%202023%20on%20Tues%207%20Mar%202023.jpg) |
Director
General of ASEAN Cooperation
at Indonesia's Ministry
of Foreign Affairs,
Sidharto R Suryodipuro,
(left) at 43rd ASEAN
Summit 2023 Jakarta
on Sunday 3 September
2023
|
|
From
News Reports:
Jakarta, Jul 22: The Director
General for ASEAN cooperation,
Sidharto Reza Suryodipuro, Deputy
Minister of Indonesia's Ministry
of Foreign Affairs said on Friday
that ''it is not true to say that
Indonesia refuses to join the
economic allianc of, Brazil, Russia,
India, China and South Africa
(BRICS),'' ahead of the 57th ASEAN
Foreign Minister's Meeting (Retreat
Session) in Vientiane, Laos, reports
Antara.
Director General for ASEAN Cooperation,
Indonesia's Deputy Minister of
Foreign Affairs, Sidharto Reza
Suryodipuro, said that Indonesia
has not made a decision to join
the developing economies alliance
BRICS, saying
"Indonesia is studying the
membership of Brazil, Russia,
India, China and South Africa
(BRICS).''
He said at a press conference
on Friday ahead of the 57th ASEAN
Foreign Minister's Meeting (Retreat
Session) that ''it is not true
to say that Indonesia refuses
to join BRICS.''
He said that ASEAN member countries
do not have a common foreign policy,
saying ''ASEAN has a regional
mechanisms to develop cooperation
based on common interests.''
''ASEAN is a regional institution
and not a supranational body,''
he said.
He said that ASEAN members joining
other alliances would not affect
or reduce the centrality of ASEAN,
saying ''ASEAN members have been
free to develop cooperation with
other parties.''
He said that ASEAN has never been
monopolized by ASEAN alone, saying
''ASEAN has always facilitated
various mechanisms operating in
the Southeast Asian region.''
ASEAN members, Thailand and Malaysia
have conveyed interest in joining
Brazil, Russia, India, China and
South Africa (BRICS), with Malaysia
Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim saying
last month that ''Malaysia will
begin formal proceedures to join
the intergovernmental organisation
BRICS.
''Malaysia's membership in BRICS
would be of strategic importance
given the Straits of Malacca's
position as an important shipping
lane connecting the Pacific and
Indian Oceans,'' he said.
''Malaysia has made the appropriate
decision'', he said.
''We are now awaiting the final
decision and feedback from the
government of South Africa, he
said.
The
Southeast Asian Times
Oil
supertanker carrying
sanctioned Iranian
oil to China on fire
after collision in
Singapore Straits
|
|
![](Singapore%2021%20Jul%202024%20PIX%20400%20X%20260%20Two%20oil%20tankers%20off%20Singapore%20on%20fire%20after%20collision%20Fri%2019%20Jul%202024.jpg) |
Singapore
flagged tanker, Hafnia
Nile, carrying highly
flammable naphtha
cargo and Africa,
Sao Tome and Príncipe-flagged
tanker, Ceres I, carrying
Iranian oil despite
sanctions, on fire
after a collision
in the Singapore Straits
on Friday July 19,
2024
|
|
From
News Reports:
Singapore, July 21: Singapore flagged
tanker, Hafnia Nile, carrying highly
flammable naphtha cargo and Africa,
Sao Tome and Príncipe-flagged
tanker, Ceres I, carrying Iranian
oil despite sanctions, are on fire
after a collision in the Singapore
Straits, with the Maritime and Port
Authority of Singapore (MPA) saying
the authority was alerted to the
fire northeast of Pedra Branca within
thse Singapore Maritime Search and
Rescue Region (MSRR) at 6.16am on
Friday, reports Reuters.
The Maritime and Port Authority
of Singapore (MPA) called on passing
vessels to assist in the search
and rescue of 22 crew onboard the
Singapore flagged tanker, Hafnia
Nile, and 40 crew onboard Africa,
Sao Tome and Príncipe-flagged
tanker, Ceres I.
The Republic of Singapore Navy Formidable-class
frigate, RSS Supreme, rescued 16
crew from Singapore flagged tanker,
Hafnia Nile.
The Malaysian Maritime Enforcement
Agency vessel rescued six crew from
the Singapore Hagna Nile life raft
and transferred to Singapore Navy
frigate RSS Supreme.
The Singapore flagged supply vessel,
Dolphin 1, rescued 14 crew from
the Africa, Sao Tome and Príncipe-flagged
tanker, Ceres I.
Two crew were evacuated by the Republic
of Singapore Air Force helicopter
to the Singapore General Hospital
to receive medical attention.
The remaining 26 Africa, Sao Tome
and Príncipe-flagged tanker,
Ceres I crew are conducting fire-fighting
operations onboard.
EMEA and APAC CEO of Kepler, Matt
Stanley, said that Singapore flagged
tanker, Hafnia Nile was carrying
about 300,000 barrels of naphtha,
saying ''the Africa, Sao Tome and
Príncipe-flagged tanker,
Ceres I is a supertanker that ship
tracking data last showed was carrying
around 2 million barrels of Iranian
crude.''
"The Ceres I has been a boat
that has gone dark many times over
the years," he said.
He said the last Automatic Identification
System (AIS) signal the Ceres I
transmitted was in March indicating
that the supertanker was carrying
Iranian crude oil, saying ''the
U.S. has tried to curtail including
imposing sanctions on ports, vessels
and refineries involved in the trade.''
"He said the Ceres I was at
anchorage on Friday, saying ''we
can be fairly sure that she was
carrying Iranian crude and was going
to China."
The
Southeast Asian Times
Vietnam
submits entitlement
to extend continental
shelf in the Vietnam
East Sea
|
|
![](Vietnam%2020%20Jul%202024%20PIX%20400%20X%20250%20%20Dang%20Hoang%20Giang%20submits%20extention%20of%20continental%20shelf%20to%20UN%20Wed%2017%20Jul%202024.jpg) |
Ambassador
Dang Hoang Giang presents
the submission for
entitlement to extend
the continental shelf
in Vietnam East Sea
to the representative
of the United Nations
Commission on the
Limits of the Continental
Shelf (CLCS) Wednesday
July 17, 2024
|
|
From
News Reports:
Hanoi, July 20: The Vietnam Ministry
of Foreign Affairs submitted an
official entitlement for Vietnam
to extend the continental shelf
to the central area of the Vietnam
East Sea to the United Nations
(UN) Commission on the Limits
of the Continental Shelf (CLCS)
at the United Nations headquarters
in New York, with the Foreign
Ministry of China saying ''the
claims made by Vietnam infringes
on China's territorial sovereignty
and maritime rights and interests,''
reports Vietnam News.
Permanent Representative of Vietnam
to the United Nations, Ambassador
Dan Hoang Giang, and delegates
from the Vietnam Ministry of Foreign
Affairs presented the submission
to extend the continental shelf
beyond 200 nautical miles in the
central area of the Vietnam East
Sea on Wednesday, with the Foreign
Ministry of China saying, ''the
claims made by Vietnam over parts
of Chinas Nansha Qundao,
infringes on Chinas territorial
sovereignty and maritime rights
and interests.''
Foreign Ministry of China spokesperson,
Lin Jian, says that the Vietnam
submission violates the United Nations
Charter and the United Nations Convention
on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS),
saying ''the claim breaches the
Agreement on Basic Principles Guiding
the Settlement of Sea-related Issues
between China and Vietnam.''
''The claim breaches the Declaration
on the Conduct of Parties in the
South China Sea jointly signed
by China and ASEAN countries including
Vietnam.'' said the spokesperson.
'He said that according to the
Rules of Procedure of the Commission
on the Limits of the Continental
Shelf (CLCS) submissions will
not be considered where a dispute
exists, saying ''the CLCS will
not examine or qualify relevant
submissions of Vietnam and the
Philippines on delimitation.''
He said that submissions from
Vietnam and the Philippines do
not have any practical effect,
saying ''the submission will only
accentuate differences and exacerbate
frictions.''
On June 15 The Philippine Department
of Foreign Affairs made an official
submission for entitlement to
extend the continental shelf in
the West Philippine Sea to the
United Nations (UN) Commission
on the Limits of the Continental
Shelf (CLCS), on June 15, with
the Philippines saying ''today
we secure our future by making
a manifestation of our exclusive
right to explore and exploit natural
resources in the West Philippine
Sea.''
The Philippines Department of
Foreign Affairs Assistant Secretary
for Maritime and Ocean Affairs,
Marshall Louis M. Alferez,
said that the Philippines is entitled
to establish the outer limits
of its continental shelf under
Article 76 of the United Nations
Convention on the Law of the Sea
(UNCLOS).
''A coastal State like the Philippines
is entitled to establish the outer
limits of its continental shelf
that includes the seabed and subsoil
of the submarine areas extending
beyond 200 nautical miles but
not to exceeding 350 nautical
miles from the baseline,'' he
said.
In July 2016 Judges of the Permanent
Court of Arbitration in the Hague
ruled in favour of the Philippines
against China's claim of "historic
rights" over the South China
Sea.
The Permanent Court of Arbitration
in the Hague decision followed
the Philippine complaint in 2013
that called on the court to intervene
in the Philippine dispute with
China over the right to exploit
natural resources inluding fish
in the West Philippine Sea.
The Judges of the Permanent Court
of Arbitration in the Hague ruled
in 2016 that China had violated
the United Nations Convention
on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS)
by invoking "historic rights"
in its claim over the West Phillipine
Sea.
China rejected the Permanent Court
of Arbitration in the Hague ruling
with China Foreign Ministry spokesman,
Lu Kang saying then that "the
Permanent Court of Arbitration
in the Hague has no jurisdiction
on this matter."
"The dispute was not covered
by U.N. Convention on the Law
of the Sea (UNCLOS) because it
was ultimately a matter of sovereignty
not exploitation rights.
The
Southeast Asian Times
Philippines
Senate Sergeant at
Arms deployed to arrest
suspended Bamban Mayor
for refusal to appear
before Senate Committee
hearing
|
|
![](Philippines%2019%20Jul%202024%20PIX%20400%20X%20250%20%20Arrest%20warrant%20for%20suspended%20Mayor%20Alice%20Guo%20of%20Bamban%20in%20Tarlac%20Province%20on%20Thur%2011%20July%202024.jpg) |
An
arrest warrant was
issued for suspended
Mayor, Alice Guo,
centre, of Bamban
in Tarlac Province,
five family members
and two officials,
by the Senate Committee
hearing on Thursday
July 11, 2024
|
|
From
News Reports:
Manila, July 19: Philippine Senate
Committee orders the Philippines
Office Senate Sergeant at Arms (OSAA)
to execute arrest warrants for Mayor,
Alice Guo, who was suspended as
Mayor of Bamban in Tarlac Province,
after accusations that the Mayor
was a Chinese Spy, and for two mayor
officials and five family members,
reports the Philippine Inquirer.
The arrest warrant was issued by
the Senate Committee hearing into
crimes related to illegal Philippine
Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs),
with Senator Risa Hontiveros saying
''suspended Mayor, Alice Guo has
refused to appear before the Senate.''
Senator Risa Hontiveros, as chair
of Senate Committee on Women, Children,
Family Relations and Gender Equality,
is conducting an inquiry into alleged
human trafficking, cyber fraud and
other crimes related to illegal
Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators
(POGOs), ordered the arrest of suspended
Mayor, Alice Guo, five family members
and two officials, for their refusal
to appear before the Senate Committee
hearing.
Senator Risa Hontiveros said that
suspended Mayor, Alice Guo, her
relatives and two officials refuse
to appear before the Senate Committee
hearing despite due notices issued,
saying ''an order for the arrests
was approved by Senate President,
Francis Escudero, on July 11.
Office of the Philippines
Senate Sergeant at Arms (OSAA) retired
Philippine Army Lt. Gen. Roberto
Ancan, was ordered to arrest and
detain suspended Mayor Alice Guo,
Sheila Leal Guo, Wesley Leal Guo,
Jian Zhong Guo, Seimen Guo, Wen
Yi Lin, Dennis Cunanan, and Nancy
Gamo for contempt for failing to
appear at the Senate Committee hearing.
Arrest Warrants were ordered for
suspended Mayor Alice Guo, five
family members and two officials,
''for unduly refusing to appear,
despite due notices'' at the Senate
committee hearing on reports on
human trafficking, torture, serious
illegal detention and other serious
crimes committed at Philippine offshore
gaming operator (POGO) hubs.
Suspended Mayor Alice Guo, is allegedly
linked to two illegal Philippine
offshore gaming operator (POGO)
hubs including a hub in Bamban in
Tarlac Province that was raided
by the Philippine National Police
on
March 13.
Senator Risa Hontiveros said then
that 295 foreign workers were found
at the Philippine Offshore Gaming
Operators (POGOs) premises in Bamban,
Tarlac in the Philippine National
Police raid on March 13, saying
that the illegal POGO hub in Bamban
had offices outfitted with computor
workstations with instructional
guides and scripts used to conduct
love scams and crypto schemes, rows
of iPhones and Android smartphones
hung on metal racks at the illegal
pogo hub, saying ''numerous SIM
cards, presumably used to execute
fraudulent transactions were also
found.''
Senator Risa Hontiveros said that
human trafficking is part of the
illegal Philippine Offshore Gaming
Operators (Pogos)
business model, saying ''the Visa
Upon Arrival (VUA) continues to
be exploited.''
The
Southeast Asian Times
Six
Vietnamese including
two with
US citizenship found
dead in five star
Bangkok hotel
|
|
![](Thailand%2018%20Jul%202024%20PIX%20400%20X%20250%20Six%20Vietnamese%20found%20dead%20Grand%20Hyatt%20Erawan%20Hotel%20in%20Bangkok%20on%20Tues%2016%20July%202024.jpg) |
Six
Vietnamese nationals,
two with American
citizenship, were
found dead of suspected
poisoning in a hotel
room at the Grand
Hyatt Erawan Hotel
on Ratchadamri Rd,
Lumphini, Pathum Wan,
Bangkok on Tuesday
July 16, 2024
|
|
From News Reports:
Bangkok, July 18: Six Vietnamese
nationals, including two with US
citizenship, were found dead of
suspected poisoning in a hotel room
at the five star Grand Hyatt Erawan
Hotel in Bangkok, with the Royal
Thai Police (RTP) saying ''the six
Vietnamese nationals were victims
of murder, not suicide,'' reports
the Bangkok Post.
Royal Thai Police (RTP) Bangkok
police chief Gen Thiti Sangsawang
said the six found dead in a hotel
room at the Grand Hyatt Erawan Hotel
were identified as four Vietnamese
nationals and two Vietnam nationals
with American citizenship.
Bangkok police chief Gen Thiti Sangsawang
said the bodies of the six dead,
three males and three females, were
found with foam at the mouth, saying
''there were no signs of a struggle.''
The six victims include Vietnam
national and US citizen, Chong Sherine,
56, Vietnam national and US citizen,
Dang Hung Van, 55, Vietnam national,
Nguyen Thi Phuong Lan, 47, Vietnam
National, Pham Hong Thanh, 49, Vietnam
National, Tran Dinh Phu, 37, Vietnam
national, Nguyen Thi Phuong, 46.
''Four died at a dining table and
two others in the bedroom,'' he
said.
He said the bodies were discovered
by a maid who went to the room after
the guests failed to check out and
found the door locked from the inside.
'The bodies have been taken to the
Chulalongkorn Hospital for an autopsy,''
he said.
He said the victims had booked rooms
at the Grand Hyatt Erawan Hotel
in seven names, saying ''police
are looking for the seventh person
included in the hotel booking.
''Food that had been ordered earlier
from room service had been left
uneaten, but the dirinks had been
consumed,'' he said.
Bangkok police chief Gen Thiti Sangsawang
said the deaths occurred about 24
hours before police arrived at the
Grand Hyatt Erawan Hotel on Tuesday
evening after being called by the
hotel.
He said that forensic teams have
collected various items from the
hotel room including food containers,utensils,
and other potential evidence, for
further examination.
''The investigation is still ongoing,
with a focus on identifying the
motive behind the killings and the
whereabouts of the seventh individual
who was registered as a guest in
the hotel,'' he said.
Bangkok police chief Gen Thiti Sangsawang
said police are reviewing CCTV footage
taken from the victims arrival at
the airport and in the vicinity
of the hotel to gather more information.
The Vietnamese Embassy in Thailand
has dispatched officials to the
Grand Hyatt Erawan Hotel crime scene
to work with Thailand authorities
to gather information, identify
the victims, and provide consular
assistance to their families.
Thailand Prime Minister Srettha
Thavisin inspected the crime scene
holding a press conference at the
Grand Hyatt Erawan, saying ''the
incident was neither a robbery nor
a random assault and that it should
not affect Thailand's lucrative
tourism industry.''
''Pending the results of autopsies,
our hypothesis is that they ingested
something that killed them,'' he
said.
U.S State Department spokesman,
Matthew Miller, said U.S officials
are aware of the reports of the
deaths of the two U.S. citizens
in Bangkok
We offer our sincere condolences
to the families on their loss. We
are closely monitoring the situation
and stand ready to provide consular
assistance to those families,
he told reporters in Washington.
The
Southeast Asian Times
Indonesia's
Corruption Eradication
Commission sentences
former minister of
Agriculture to prison
|
|
![](Indonesia%2017%20Jul%202024%20PIX%20400%20X%20260%20%20Former%20cabinet%20minister%20Syahrul%20Yasin%20Limpo%20sentenced%20to%2010%20years%20Thur%2011%20Jul%202024.jpg) |
Former
Minister of Agriculture,
Syahrul Yasin Limpo,
69, centre, was sentenced
to 10 years in prison
by the Jakarta Corruption
Eradication Commission
(KPK) court in Jakarta
on Thursday July 11,
2024
|
|
From
News Reports;
Jakarta, July 17: The Jakarta Corruption
Eradication Commission (KPK) court,
sentenced former Minister of Agriculture,
Syahrul Yasin Limpo, 69, to 10 years
in prison on Thursday for extortion,
abuse of power, bribery and benefiting
from fraudulent ministry projects
contracted to private vendors, with
the KPK presiding judge, saying
''the defendant has been proven
guilty of committing the crime of
corruption,'' reports Reuters.
Corruption Eradication Commission
(KPK) presiding judge, Rianto Adam
Pontohsaying, said that former Minister
of Agriculture, Syahrul Yasin Limpo,
had extorted more that 44 billion
rupiah (U.S. $2.75 million) between
2020 and 2023, saying ''the former
Minister of Agriculture extorted
the money through two of his subordinates.''
He said he sentenced Ministry of
Agriculture secretary general, Kasdi
Subagyono and the Agricultural Equipment
and Machinery directorate Muhammad
Hatta to four years in prison each.
Former Minister of Agriculture,
Syahrul Yasin Limpo, was arrested
on October 12, 2023 with lawyer,
Febri Diansyah, saying then that
his client does not deny the allegations
and would coordinate with Corruption
Eradication Commission (KPK) investigators.
Corruption Eradication Commission
(KPK) deputy chairman, Johanis Tanak,
said after the arrest of former
Minister of Agriculture, Syahrul
Yasin Limpo, that ''Syahrul Yasin
Limpo allegedly instructed his two
subordinates to force officials
at his ministry to pay him between
$4,000 and $10,000 in exchange for
promotions or participation in the
procurement of fraudulent projects
at the ministry."
''The former Minister of Agriculture,
Syahrul Yasin Limpo, received bribes
from private vendors who were granted
fraudulent projects with the Ministry
of Agriculture," he said.
In October 2023 Corruption Eradication
Commission (KPK) investigators searched
the official residence of former
Minister of Agriculture, Syahrul
Yasin Limpo finding firearms and
banknotes worth about 30 billion
rupiah ($1.9 million) in several
currencies.
On November 22, 2023 then chairman
of the Corruption Eradication Commission
(KPK), Firli Bahuri, was accused
of bribing former Minister of Agriculture,
Syahrul Yasin Limpo, with the Corruption
Eradication Commission (KPK) Supervisory
Council, saying "the Supervisory
Council held sufficient evidence
to order Firli Bahuri to appear
before an KPK ethical hearing.
"We have probed at least 33
witnesses including the KPK chairman,
Firli Bahuri, internal and external
witnesses, and expert witnesses,"
he said.
On December 28, 2023, then President
Joko Widodo signed Presidential
Decree Number 129/P of 2023 for
the Dismissal of Firli Bahuri as
Chair and Member of the Corruption
Eradication Committee for the 2019-2024
term of office.
Former Corruption Eradication Commission
(KPK) chairman, Firli Bahuri, awaits
trial on extortion charges
The
Southeast Asian Times
Assassination
attempt of former
US President Trump
ahead of Republic
selection of presidential
nominee
|
|
![](US%20Washington%2016%20July%202024%20PIX%20400%20X%20250%20Assassination%20attempt%20of%20former%20Pres%20Donald%20Trump%20Sat%2013%20Jul%202024.jpg) |
Former
United State President,
Donald Trump, after
assassination attempt
at a rally in Butler
in Pennsylvania on
Saturday July 13,
2024
|
|
From
News Reports:
Washington July 16: The United States
University of Massachusetts, Lowell
(UML) Professor of Criminology and
Justice Studies Arie Perliger, said
after the assassination attempt
of former United State President
Donald Trump at a rally in Butler,
Pennsylvania on Saturday, a day
ahead of the Republic Party selection
of the presidential nominee at the
2024 Republican National three day
Convention, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin,
said ''The first thing that I thought
about is that we were basically
one inch from a potential civil
war,'' reports Reuters.
Professor of Criminology and Justice
Studies, Arie Perliger, said ''The
first thing that I thought about
is that we were basically one inch
from a potential civil war,'' in
reply to a question asked by The
Conversation politics editor, Naomi
Schalit, ''When you heard the news,
what was the first thing you thought?''
University of Massachusetts, Lowell
(UML) Professor of Criminology and
Justice Studies Arie Perliger, said
''given the stark political polarization
in the US its not a surprise
that eventually people engage in
violence.''
Professor Arie Perliger said after
the attempted assassination of former
President Donald Trump on Saturday,
'' I think that if, indeed, Donald
Trump would have suffered fatal
injuries today, the level of violence
that we witnessed so far will be
nothing in comparison to what would
have happened in the next couple
of months.''
'' I think that would have unleashed
a new level of anger, frustration,
resentment, hostility that we havent
seen for many, many years in the
US,'' he said.
The Conversation politics editor,
Naomi Schalit, also asked, ''Political
assassination attempts dont
aim only to kill someone. They have
a larger goal, dont they?''
Professor Arie Perliger, said ''In
many ways, assassination attempts
bypass the long process of trying
to downgrade and defeat political
opponents, when there is a sense
that even a long political struggle
will not be sufficient.''
He said that many perpetrators see
assassinations as a tool that will
allow them to achieve their political
objectives in a very quick, very
effective way that doesnt
demand a lot of resources or a lot
of organization.
''If we are trying to connect it
to what weve seen today, I
think that many people see Trump
as a unicorn, as a unique entity,
who in many ways really consumed
the entire conservative movement.''
he said.
''So by removing him, theres
a sense that that will or may solve
the problem,'' he said.
The
Southeast Asian Times
Papua
students call on President
Widodo to withdraw
Indonesian military
from Puncak regency
|
|
![](Papua%2014%20Jul%202024%20PIX%20400%20X%20250%20Puncak%20students%20call%20for%20withdrawal%20of%20military%20from%20%20Puncak%20regency%20Wed%2010%20Jul%202024.jpg) |
The
Puncak High School
and University Student
Community (KMPP) claimed
on Wednesday July
10, 2024 that violence
has increased in Puncak
Regency since the
placement of Indonesian
National Armed Forces
(TNI) and the National
Police of Indonesia
(Polri)
|
|
From News Reports:
Jakarta, July15: Papua students
have called on Indonesia President
Joko Widodo to withdraw Indonesian
National Armed Forces (TNI) and
the National Police of Indonesia
(Polri) from Puncak regency, Central
Papua Province, saying ''the presence
of Indonesia's military has triggered
an increase in violence against
civilians,'' reports Indoleft.
Puncak High School and University
Student Community (KMPP) General
Secretary, Urnius Matuwan, claims
that discrimination, intimidation
and violence have increased since
the placement of Indonesian National
Armed Forces (TNI) and the National
Police of Indonesia (Polri) TNI
in Puncak regency, saying ''we reject
the military placement in the district.''
"We urge President Joko Widodo
to immediately withdraw Indonesian
military forces that control civilian
areas in Sinak, Oneri and Agandugume,''
he said at the Sinak student dormitory
in Jayapura City on Wesdnesday.
He said that violence by the Indonesian
National Armed Forces (TNI) and
the National Police of Indonesia
(Polri) TNI against Puncak regency
communities has increased since
the placement of the Indonesian
National Armed Forces (TNI) and
the National Police of Indonesia
(Polri) TNI in Puncak regency.
''The increase in violence is also
the result of the flow of internally
displaced people from Sinak, Yugumuak,
Mageabume Oneri and Agandugume to
Wamena in Jayawijaya,'' he said.
He said that the Puncak Regional
House of Representatives (DPRK)
has not paid serious attention to
the condition of the Puncak people,
saying Puncak people are traumatised
by the presence of the Indonesian
military.''
'' It is as if acting Puncak Regional
House of Representatives (DPRK),
Darwin Tobing, has closed his eyes
to the presence of TNI military
in Puncak," he said.
He said that the Puncak regency
Regional House of Representatives
(DPRK) ''does not seem to care about
the fate of residents who are increasingly
curtailed by the placement of Indonesian
National Armed Forces (TNI) and
the National Police of Indonesia
(Polri) TNI in Puncak regency.
He said that Puncak High School
and University Student Community
(KMPP) records show that violence
escalated in Puncak regency saying
''women and children were often
targets''
He said that Makilon Tabuni, 12,
was shot dead by the Indonesian
National Armed Forces (TNI) and
the National Police of Indonesia
(Polri) TNI in February 2022 and
Tarina Murib was murdered and mutilated
in March 2023,
''In May 2023 Sinak, school principal,
Panius Tabuni, was shot dead and
in February 2024 Warinus Murib and
two of his friends were tortured','
he said.
In December 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, Puncak
and Sorong following mass protests
in August and September 2019 calling
on Indonesia for a referendum for
independence for Papua and West
Papua that had spread to almost
all regions.
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.
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
Bhumjaithai
Party MP suspended
from parliament for
vote-buying in Thailand
2023 elections
|
|
![](Thailand%2014%20July%202024%20PIX%20400%20X%20250%20%20Bhumjaithai%20MP%20Mukdawan%20Luengsinil%20accused%20of%20vote%20buying%20in%20general%20elections%20Sun%2014%20May%202023%20.jpg) |
Bhumjaithai
Member of Parliament
for Nakhon Si Thammarat,
Mukdawan Luengsinil,
accused of vote-buying
in Thailand general
elections Sunday May
14, 2024
|
|
From
News Reports:
Bangkok, July 14: The pro-monarchy
Bhumjaithai Party Member of Parliament
for Nakhon Si Thammarat, Mukdawan
Leungsinil, was suspended from Parliament
after the Supreme Court accepted
vote-buyer finding by the Election
Commission, with the House Speaker
saying ''Member of Parliament, Mukdawan
Leungsinil, is suspended until court
proceedings are finalised,'' reports
the Bangkok Post.
House Speaker. Wan Muhammad Noor
Matha, announced the suspension
of Bhumjaithai Party Member of Parliament,
Mukdawan Leungsinil, on Thursday
before the weekly House meeting,
saying ''the Supreme Court accepted
the vote-buying findings by the
Election Commission on 5 July.''
The Election Commission in Nakhon
Si Thammarat ruled to disqualify
the Bhumjaithai Member of Parliament,
Mukdawan Leungsinil, in December
after the Member of Parliament was
accused of offering money in exchange
for votes and to attend election
campaign rallies for the Bhumjaithai
Party in 2023.
In March, the Election Commission
filed a case with the Supreme Court,
petitioning the court to revoke
the right of the Bhumjaithai Member
of Parliament for Nakhon Si Thammarat,
Mukdawan Leungsinil to contest elections
and to order a new election in Constituency
8, with expenses to be met by the
candidate.
On January 19, 2024 Lawyer Patrapong
Supaksorn petitioned the Constitutional
Court to dissolve the Bhumjaithai
Party led by defacto secretary-general
Newin Chidchob, who is brother of
former secretary-general of the
Bhumjaithai Party.
Former secretary-general of the
Bhumjaithai Party, former Minister
of Transport, Saksayam Chidchob,
resigned as Bhumjaithai secretary-general
and a member of parliament after
accusations of conspiring to illegally
gain billions of baht.
Lawyer Patrapong Supaksorn accused
Bhumjaithai Party, Minister of Transport,
Saksayam Chidchob, of conspiring
to illegally gain billions of baht
via the Buri Charoen Construction
Ltd.
Lawyer Patrapong Supaksorn said
the Buri Charoen Construction Ltd.
won government construction contracts,
saying ''former secretary-general
of the Bhumjaithai Party, former
Minister of Transport, Saksayam
Chidchob, allegedly handed some
of the illegally gained funds to
Bhumjaithai Party members of parliament
during last years electoral
campaigns."
In August 2023 Thailand's pro-monarchy
Bhumjaithai party that won 71 seats
in the May 2023 elections and the
ruling Pheu Thai Party (PTP) won
141 seats formed a new coalition
party that excluded the Move Forward
Party (MFP) that won Thailand's
elections with 151 seats, with the
then Pheu Thai Party (PTP) leader,
Cholnan Srikaew, saying parties
in the coalition would not support
a coalition government if it included
the Move Forward Part (MFP).
"The Bhumjaithai party and
the Pheu Thai Party (PTP) combine
212 seats of the 500 seats in parliament
will be the basis for the formation
of government," he said.
The Pheu Thai Party (PTP) withdrew
from the Move Forward Party (MFP)
eight-party coalition on August
2, 2023 with Pheu Thai Party (PTP)
prime ministerial candidate, Srettha
Thavisin, saying then that he would
not seek to abolish or amend the
lese majeste law under Section 112
of the Criminal Code if the parliament
approves his nomination as prime
minister.
The
Southeast Asian Times
Philippines
demand compensation
from China for damages
in confrontation in
disputed South China
Sea
|
|
![](Philippines%2013%20Jul%202024%20PIX%20400%20X%20260%20%20Philippine%20Marines%20stationed%20on%20WWII%20ship%20BRP%20Sierra%20Madre%20%20in%20disputed%20South%20China%20Sea.jpg) |
Philippine
Marines fly the Philippine
flag on the grounded
WWII ship LST BRP
Sierra Madre (LS57)
to maintain the Philippine
territorial claim
of the Second Thomas
Shoal on the Philippines
116th Independence
Day, Thursday June
12, 2014
|
|
From
News Reports:
Manila, July 13: The Armed Forces
of the Philippines demand that China
pay 60 million pesos (US$1 million)
for damages incurred last month
in a confrontation between the Philippine
Navy and the China Coast Guard at
the grounded WWII ship LST BRP Sierra
Madre (LS57) in the second Thomas
Shoal in the disputed South China
Sea , with Gen. Romeo Brawner saying
''China destroyed our equipment
and a sailor was injured in the
standoff,'' reports Reuters.
''I demand the return of seven firearms
that were taken by the Chinese coast
guard,'' he said.
The Armed Forces of the Philippines
(AFP) claim that during the confrontation
in the contested South China Sea
one of its vessels was forcibly
towed, looted and damaged, and that
China Coast Guards used machetes,
blades and pikes to threaten sailors
and damage equipment.
''The Armed Forces of the Philippines
(AFP) estimates the cost of the
damage at 60 million pesos (US$1
million),'' he said.
The Armed Forces of the Philippines
(AFP) Gen. Romeo Brawner demanded
compensation for damages from China
after a conference between Armed
Forces of the Philippines (AFP)
and President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
on security challenges and threats
facing the Philippines.
Gen. Romeo Brawner said that President
Ferdinand Marcos Jr. renewed an
order for the Armed Forces of the
Philippines to de-escalate tensions
in the disputed South China Sea
waters, saying ''the military would
continue to comply.''
''However, the rotation of the military
and resupply missions to the grounded
WWII ship LST BRP Sierra Madre (LS57)
in the second Thomas Shoal would
continue,'' he said.
The confrontation between the Filipino
Navy and the Chinese Coast Guard
at the second Thomas Shoal in the
disputed South China Sea began on
June 17, two days after the enforcement
of new regulations authorising the
Chinese Coast Guard to intercept
and detain foreign vessels and crews
allegedly trespassing in the South
China Sea.
The new regulation that became effective
on June 15, allows the China coast
guards to detain alleged tresspassers
for 60 days and use force against
foreign ships in waters claimed
by China in the disputed South China
Sea that includes areas claimed
by the Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia,
Taiwan and Vietnam.
The China Foreign Ministry spokesman,
Lin Jian accused the Philippines
navy of attempting to transport
firearms and construction materials
to refurbish the WWII ship LST BRP
Sierra Madre (LS57) grounded by
the Philippines at the Thomas Shoal
in the late 1990s to mark a territorial
claim.
In July 2016 the Arbitration Court
in the Hague ruling ruled in favour
of the Philippines against China's
claim of historic rights over the
South China Sea that included the
West Philippine Sea.
China reportedly claimed that the
Arbitration tribunal made an illegal
and invalid final verdict on the
South China Sea dispute with China
Foreign Ministry spokesman, Lu Kang
saying then that the dispute was
not covered by U.N. Convention on
the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) because
it was ultimately a matter of sovereignty
not exploitation rights.
The China Foreign Ministry spokesman
said then that "China's position
of neither accepting nor participating
in the arbitration unilaterally
initiated by the Philippines remains
unchanged".
The
Southeast Asian Times
Police
warn former Philippines
President Duterte
of aiding and abetting
fugitive Pastor Apollo
Quiboloy
|
|
![](Philippines%20PIX%2011%20Jul%202024%20400%20X%20260%20KOJC%20founder%20Pastor%20Apollo%20Quiboloy%20and%20former%20president%20Rodrigo%20Duterte%20Tues%2025%20Apr%202023.jpg) |
Kingdom
of Jesus Christ (KOJC)
Pastor, Apollo Quiboloy,
left, celebrates his
birthday with former
Philippines President
Rodrigo Duterte, right,
in Davao City Mindanao
Tuesday April 25,
2023
|
|
From
News Reports:
Manila,
July 12: Police have offered a reward
for information leading to the arrest
of the founder of Kingdom of Jesus
Christ (KOJC) fugitive Pastor, Apollo
Quiboloy who faces child sexual
abuse and human trafficking charges
in Davao City, Mindanao in Southern
Philippines with, Philippine Interior
Secretary Benjamin Abalos Jr saying
''Police are looking at whether
former President Rodrigo Duterte
and former mayor of Davao City could
be charged with aiding and abetting
fugitive Pastor Apollo Quiboloy,''
reports the Philippine Inquirer.
Philippine Interior Secretary Benjamin
Abalos Jr. and National Police chief
Gen. Rommel Marbil offered a reward
of 10 million peso (U.S. $170,760)
for the arrest of fugitive Pastor
Apollo Quiboloy at a press conference
in Quezon City, Metro Manila, on
Monday, saying ''anyone helping
Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC) fugitive
Pastor, Apollo Quiboloy hide from
authorities could be charged with
obstruction of justice under Philippine
law,''
''Police are looking at whether
former President and former Mayor
of Davao City, Rodrigo Duterte,
could be charged with aiding and
abetting Kingdom of Jesus Christ
(KOJC) fugitive televangelist, Apollo
Quiboloy after the former President
publicly said last month that he
knew where fugitive Pastor Apollo
Quiboloy's was hiding but would
not disclose the location,'' said
National Police chief Gen. Rommel
Marbil.
Former President Rodrigo Duterte
has reportedly publicly admitted
to receiving property and luxurious
cars from fugitive televangelist,
Apollo Quiboloy while he was mayor
of Davao City in Mindanao, southern
Philippines.
Former President Rodrigo Duterte
accused President Ferdinand Marcos
Jr. of persecuting fugitive Pastor,
Apollo Quiboloy, saying ''the raids
on properties in Davao City, are
an overkill.''
Philippine National Police Special
Action Force have raided Kingdom
of Jesus Christ (KOJC) headquarters
on Diversion Road, in Davao City
properties at Prayer Mountain, Glory
Mountain in Barangay Tamayong, Davao
City, the Sands Resport at the Island
Garden City of Samal in Mindanao
but failed to arrest fugitive Pastor
Apollo Quiboloy.
The Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC)
fugitive Pastor Apollo Quiboloy,
named former President Rodrigo Duterte
as the administrator of the properties,
as he went into hiding to evade
arrest on allegations of sexual
assault in the United States.
In November 2021 Kingdom of Jesus
Christ (KOJC) fugitive televangelist,
Apollo Quiboloy, was charged for
allegedly orchestrating a sex-trafficking
operation, with the United States
prosecutors saying ''Apollo Quiboloy
coerced girls as young as 12 to
have sex with him or risk eternal
damnation.''
''Televangelist, Apollo Quibolo,
allegedly recruited girls and young
women ranging from 12 to 25 years
olds, to work as personal assistants
or pastorals at the Kingdom of Jesus
Christ (KOJC) branch in California,''
said the United States prosecutors.
The
Southeast Asian Times
Malaysia
rejects Philippine
submission to United
Nations to extend
continental shelf
over Sabah waters
|
|
![](Malaysia%2011%20Jul%202024%20PIX%20400%20X%20260%20Malaysia%20Foreign%20Minister%20Mohamad%20Hasan%20Thur%204%20Jul%202024.jpg) |
Malaysia
Foreign Minister,
Mohamad Hasan, said
Malaysia is prepared
to contest the Philippine
claim over territory
in Sabah waters at
the International
Court of Justice (ICJ)
in the Hague
|
|
From
News Reports:
Kuala Lumpur July 11: Malaysia has
rejected the Philippine submission
to the United Nations to extend
the continental shelf
over territory in Sabah waters,
with Malaysia Foreign Minister,
Mohamad Hasan, saying ''Malaysia
submitted a diplomatic note to the
United Nation in response to the
Philippines submission to the United
Nations to extend the continental
shelf in the West Phillippine Sea,
reports the Star.
Malaysia Foreign Minister, Mohamad
Hasan, said that the Philippines
is claiming that its maritime border
runs through Sabah
saying ''if this claim is used as
a yardstick then the Philippines
is claiming that Sabah belongs to
them.''
He said that Sabah and Sarawak became
a part of the Malaysian Federation
decades ago, saying ''all leaders
then agreed to the formation of
the federation.''
''The formation of the Malaysian
Federation was done in a proper
manner and was recognised by the
United Nations,'' he said.
He said that Malaysia is an independent
and sovereign nation, saying ''no
one can just come and stake a claim
on any of our territories.''
Malaysia Foreign Minister, Mohamad
Hasan, said Malaysia is prepared
for the territorial claim by the
Philippines to be decided at the
International Court of Justice (ICJ).
On June 15 the Philippine Department
of Foreign Affairs assistant Secretary
for Maritime and Ocean Affairs,
Marshall Louis M. Alferez, made
an official submission to the United
Nations (UN) Commission on the Limits
of the Continental Shelf (CLCS)
for entitlement to extend the continental
shelf in the West Philippine Sea,
saying then ''today we secure our
future by making a manifestation
of our exclusive right to explore
and exploit natural resources in
the West Philippine Sea.''
He said the Philippines is entitled
to establish the outer limits of
its continental shelf under Article
76 of the United Nations
Convention on the Law of the Sea
(UNCLOS), saying ''a coastal State
like the Philippines is entitled
to establish the outer limits of
its continental shelf that includes
the seabed and subsoil of the submarine
areas extending beyond 200 nautical
miles but not to exceeding 350 nautical
miles from the baseline.''
''The Philippine submission does
not prejudice discussions with relevant
coastal states that may have legitimate
extension of the continental shelf
claims measured from their respective
lawful baselines under the United
Nations Convention on the Law of
the SeaUNCLOS,'' he said.
He said that the Philippines considers
the Philippine submission to the
United Nations as a step in discussing
delimitation matters and other forms
of cooperation moving forward, saying
''what is important is the Philippines
puts on record the maximum extent
of the Philippines entitlement.''
The
Southeast Asian Times
Philippines
calls for investigation
into contracts to
China for reclamation
of Manila Bay
|
|
![](Philippines%209%20Jul%202024%20PIX%20400%20X%20250%20ACT%20CIS%20party%20list%20Representative%20Erwin%20Teshiba%20Tulfo%20calls%20for%20action%20Mon%208%20Jul%202024.jpg) |
Anti-Crime
and Terrorism Community
Involvement and Support
(ACT-CIS) party-list
Representative, Erwin
Teshiba Tulfo, calls
for an investigation
into approval of 24
reclamation projects
in Manila Bay to China
Dredging Corp., and
Construction Communication
Corp., (CCC) on Monday
July 8, 2024
|
|
From News Reports:
Manila, July 10: The Philippines
House of Representatives called
for an investigation into the Philippine
Reclamation Authority (PRA) approval
of 24 reclamation projects in Manila
Bay to China Dredging Corp., and
Construction Communication Corp.,
(CCC) after nine Chinese nationals
were arrested on Monday for illegally
working on dredging vessels, with
Anti-Crime and Terrorism Community
Involvement and Support (ACT-CIS)
party-list Representative, Erwin
Teshiba Tulfo , saying he had called
for an investigation into contracts
issued by local government units
(LGUs) to China Dredging Corp.,
and Construction Communication Corp.,
(CCC) for reclaiming projects in
Manila Bay a year ago, reports the
Philippine Inquirer.
ACT-CIS party-list Representative,
Erwin Teshiba Tulfo called for an
investigate into the Manila Bay
reclamation projects amid reports
of the proliferation of illegal
Chinese immigrants in the Philippines,''
saying ''we really need to focus
on the security of the Philippies
because these Chinese nationals
are roaming around the country.''
''The question now is what is the
reason for the Chinese nationals
moving around Metro Manila when
they don't have visas,'' he said.
ACT-CIS party-list Representative,
Erwin Teshiba Tulfo said that House
Resolution No. 1171 was submitted
to the House of Representatives
committees on national defence and
security, ecology and other appropriate
panels to investigate the Manila
Bay reclamation projects in August,
2023.
''Back then Speaker Ferdinand Martin
Romualdez had received reports that
Chinese workers on dredging vessels
in Manila Bay had been leaving their
vessels and had joined parties at
nightclubs despite the absence of
a working visa,'' he said.
He said that the China owned China
Dredging Corp., and Construction
Communication Corp., (CCC) is in
charge of the dredging reclamation
operations in Manila Bay, saying
''the same company is responsible
for the construction of air and
naval bases at Philippines-claimed
territories in the West Philippine
Sea (WPS).''
''The dredging operations may be
a national security threat if the
workers on dredging vessels are
members of the Chinese military,''
he said.
In August 2023 the Department of
Public Works and Highways secretary,
Manuel Bonoan, said at a Senate
hearing that his department was
not involved in the approval of
the 22 reclamation projects by the
Philippine Reclamation Authority
(PRA) that had been issued by local
government units (LGUs)."
He said that all bodies of water
inluding Manila Bay are patrimonial
assets owned by the state, saying
"that's why I don't understand
why the local government units (LGUs)
were authorised to grant the contracts."
The Department of Environment and
Natural Resources (DENR) Secretary
Maria Antonia Yulo-Loyzaga said
all 22 reclamation projects were
suspended following the presidential
order on Monday August 7, 2024.
''The Department of Environment
and Natural Resources (DENR) has
not issued the required Area Clearance
and the Environmental Compliance
Certificates (ECCs) for the 22 reclamation
projects,'' she said.
"Under Executive Order 74,
no reclamation project shall be
approved by the Philippine Reclamation
Authority (PRA) without the required
Area Clearance and Environmental
Compliance Certificates (ECCs) to
be issued by the Department of Environment
and Natural Resources (DENR),"
she said.
The
Southeast Asian Times
Joshua
Wong guilty plea a
mitigating factor
in conspiracy to commit
subversion in Hong
Kong elections
|
|
![](Hong%20Kong%208%20Jul%202024%20PIX%20400%20X%20250%20Hong%20Kong%20student%20activist%20Joshua%20Wong%2019%20detained%20Bangkok%20Wed%205%20Oct%202016.jpg) |
Hong
Kong student activist
Joshua Wong, 19, detained
at Bangkok Suvarnabhumi
airport after arriving
from Hong Kong to
speak on the "Occupy
Central With Love
and Peace" movement
on Wednesday October
5, 2016
|
|
From News Reports:
Hong Kong, July 9: Jailed former
student activist, Joshua Wong, 27,
is one of six defendants of 47 pro-democracy
defendants, who appeared at the
West Kowloon Law Court in Hong Kong
on Friday for mitigating hearings
for conspiracy to commit subversion
in the Hong Kong District Council
elections in 2020, with lawyer,
Marco Li, saying ''Joshua Wong's
guilty plea was a mitigating factor,''
reports Reuters.
''The fact that Joshua Wong had
pleaded guilty earlier was the most
significant mitigating factor in
his favour,'' he said.
Lawyer, Marco Li, said his client
was not involved in the organisation
of the Hong Kong District Council
elections in 2020 that attempted
to exclude candidates selected by
Beijing.
He said that his client was considered
an active participant, saying ''an
active participant referred to the
second of three categories that
determine a jail term under the
new law passed in Beijing on Safeguarding
National Security in the Hong Kong
Special Administrative Region (HKSAR).''
He said the law on Safeguarding
National Security in the Hong Kong
Special Administrative Region (HKSAR)
stipulates three categories of offenders
with principal offenders facing
up to life in prison.''
''An active participant could be
sentenced up to 10 years in jail
and other participants up to three
years in jail,''
Joshua Wong is one of 47 pro-democracy
supporters in a campaign that attempted
to win a majority of votes in Hong
Kongs 70-seat Legislative
Council in the 2020 elections, with
accusations from Hong Kong Secretary
for Security, John Lee Ka-chiu,
that the pro-democracy supporters
attempted to block Beijing's selected
candidates.
On October 5, 2016 Joshua Wong who
was involved in the "Occupy
Central With Love and Peace"
movement that began in Hong Kong
in 2014 and later founded the pro-democracy
political party, Demosisto, was
detained on arrival at the Bangkok
Suvarnabhumi airport.
Joshua Wong was detained by Thai
tourist police and returned to Hong
Kong the day before he was to give
a speech at the faculty of political
science at the Chulalongkorn University
in Bangkok on his experience of
the 74 day Hong Kong street protest.
Joshua Wong, was one of thousands
of students who supported the student-led
protest in central Hong Kong, opposing
the 2017 elections that would allow
Beijing to nominate candidates for
Chief Executive.
Beijing ruled in August 2014 that
Hong Kong could use the "one
man one vote" system to elect
the Chief Executive in 2017 but
from only two or three candidates
that would be elected by a nominating
committee from Beijing.
The Hong Kong students called on
Beijing to give Hong Kong direct
elections and also for the resignation
of Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying,
who was elected by committee in
Beijing.
The Pro-democracy umbrella movement
was founded in Hong Kong in 2014
in response to the National People's
Congress ruling in Beijing in August
2014 that Hong Kong would use the
"one man one vote" system
to elect the Chief Executive of
Hong Kong but from only two or three
candidates that would be selected
by a nominating committee in Beijing.
Pro-democracy umbrella movement
protesters said that China had reneged
on its promise to maintain Hong
Kong autonomy under its ''one country,
two systems'' that was agreed when
British colonial rule ended in 1997.
The
Southeast Asian Times
United
Nations Human Rights
Council approves China's
Universal Periodic
Review on Human Rights
|
|
![](China%20UNHRC%208%20Jul%202024%20400%20X%20250%20Ambassador%20Chen%20Xu%20centre%20at%20Universal%20Periodic%20Review%20in%20Geneva%20Thurs%204%20Jul%202024.jpg) |
Ambassador
Chen Xu, Permanent
Representative of
China to the United
Nations Human Rights
Council (UNHRC) at
the 4th Universal
Periodic Review (UPR)
in Geneva, Switzerland
on Thursday July 4,
2024
|
|
From News Reports:
Geneva, July 8: The United Nations
Human Rights Council (UNHRC) unanimously
approved China's 4th Universal Periodic
Review (UPR) in Geneva, Switzerland
on Thursday with Ambassador Chen
Xu, Permanent Representative of
China, saying ''more than 120 of
the 193 United Nations member states
praised China for China's progress
in the development of human rights
and fully affirmed China's unremitting
efforts in promoting and protecting
human rights,'' reports Rueters.
Gambia, Indonesia and Estonial were
among 193 United Nations member
states at China's 4th Universal
Periodic Review (UPR) session that
assessed China's efforts and achievements
in the development of human rights,
with Gambia recommending that ''China
reinforce the safeguarding of ethnic
and religious minorities right by
promoting the preservation of cultural
identities.''
Indonesia recommended that China
''strengthen protection of freedom
of religion or belief,'' and Estonia
recommendation that China ''enable
all members of civil society to
freely engage with international
human rights mechanisms without
fear of intimidation or reprisals.''
More than 120 of the 193 United
Nations member states praised China's
acceptance of the majority of the
recommendations at the 4th Universal
Periodic Review (UPR) on Thursday
with United Nations Human Rights
Council (UNHRC) president, Omar
Zniber, saying that China had accepted
almost 70 percent of the 428 Human
Rights reform recommendations from
the 193 United Nations member states.
United Nations Human Rights Council
(UNHRC), United States representative,
Michele Taylor, said on Thursday
that "ongoing genocide and
crimes against humanity in Xinjiang
against the Uyghurs remain in effect.''
''China has refused to take action
amid consistent calls from the international
community to respect human rights
and fundamental freedoms and has
rejected numerous constructive recommendations,"
he said.
"China's abuses constitute
a rejection of U.N. assessments
and recommendations and violate
or undermine international commitments,"
he said.
The British representative, United
Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC),
Simon Manley, said that China has
rejected all of the U.K.'s recommendations.
"In doing so, the Chinese government
has failed to acknowledge its serious
human rights violations, and again
tried to claim that the United Nations
authoritative Xinjiang assessment
is 'illegal and void.'
''It is neither," he said.
China Ambassador, Chen Xu, Permanent
Representative to the United Nations
in Geneva, said at the 4th Universal
Periodic Review (UPR) in Geneva
on Thursday that ''China firmly
opposes the politicalization, instrumentalization,
and weaponization of human rights
issues.''
''China firmly opposes using human
rights issues as an excuse to interfere
in China's internal affairs,'' he
said.
Ambassador Chen Xu said that China
will continue to resolutely follow
its own path of human rights development,
saying 'China will promote the great
rejuvenation of the Chinese nation
with Chinese modernization.''
The
Southeast Asian Times
Former
Philippines President
Duterte and Senator
Bong Go accused of
graft and plunder
in Mindanao projects
|
|
![](Philippines%205%20Jul%202024%20PIX%20400%20X%20250%20Former%20Sen%20Trillanes%20files%20charges%20against%20former%20Pres%20Duterte%20Fri%205%20Jul%202024.jpg) |
Former
Senate Antonio Trillanes
IV files a criminal
complaint against
former President Rodrigo
Duterte and Senator
Bong Go for graft
and plunder at the
Department of Justice
(DOJ) in Manila on
Friday July 5, 2024
|
|
From News Reports:
Manila, July 7: Former Senator Antonio
Trillanes IV filed criminal complaints
against former President Rodrigo
Duterte and Senator Christopher
Bong Go, who served as special assistant
to the former President, for graft
and plunder of public infrastructure
projects in Davao City, Mindanao
in the southern Philippines, reports
the Philippine Inquirer.
Former Senator Antonio Trillanes
IV included the Senator's father,
Desiderio, and half brother, Alfredo,
in the criminal complaints filed
at the Department of Justice (DOJ)
in Manila on Friday.
He said that the graft and plunder
complaints are based on a 2018 report
by the Philippine Center for Investigative
Journalism (PCIJ) that found that
builders, Christopher Lawrence Bong
Tesoro Go (CLBT) and Alfrego Builders
and Supply are owned by Senator
Christopher Bong Go's father Desiderio
and half brother, Alfredo.
''Senator Christopher Bong Go, his
father, Desiderio and half brother,
Alfredo dominated the construction
of public infrastructure projects
in Mindanao,' he said.
The 2018 report found that Senator
Christopher Bong Go, his father
Desiderio and half brother, Alfredo
had dominated the construction of
public infrastructure projects from
2007 while Rodrigo Duerte was Mayor
of Davao City until 2017 while President
of the Philippines.
Former Senator Antonio Trillanes
IV said in his complaint that Christopher
Lawrence Bong Tesoro Go (CLBT) builders
and Alfrego Builders and Supply
were awarded government infrastructure
projects from 2007 to 2018 valued
at more than P6.6 billion.
''It was during this period that
Senator Christopher Bong Go was
appointed to a Cabinet post by former
President Duterte and that Christopher
Lawrence Bong Tesoro Go (CLBT) builders
and Alfrego Builders and Supply
were involved an overwhelming number
of substantial and sizeable public
infrastructure projects worth billion
of pesos,'' he said.
Former Senator Antonio Trillanes
IV said that Section 1(d) of the
plunder law or Republic Act 7080
lists ways to acquire ill-gotten
wealth, including ''taking undue
advantage of official position,
authority, relationship, connection
or influence to unjustly enrich
himself or themselves at the expense
and to the damage and prejudice
of the Filipino people and the Republic
of the Philippines.''
By repeatedly awarding hundreds
of public infrastructure projects
worth billions upon billions of
pesos to sole proprietorships undeniably
owned by Christopher Lawrence Bong
Tesoro Go (CLBT) builders and Alfrego
Builders and Supply,
Senator Christopher Bong Go, his
father, Desiderio, and half brother,
Alfredo, unjustly enriched themselves
at the expense
of the Filipino people and the Republic
of the Philippines,'' he said.
In November 2016 Philippine President
Rodrigo Duterte signed a US$13.5
billion package agreement including
private sector Memorandums of Understanding
(MoU) with China during a presidential
four day state visit to China at
the invitation of China President
Xi Jinping.
The Philippine Mega Harbor Port
and Development Inc., representative,
Reghis Romero, who was one of 200
delegates representing Philippine
business including oil and gas,
signed a contract for the development
of ports on the Davao coastline
in Mindanao in the southern Philippines
with China Dredging Corp. and Construction
Communication Corp. (CCC).
The China Dredging Corp. and Construction
Communication Corp. (CCC) had also
undertaken to construct a P7.5-billion
50-hectare Harbor Center Port Terminal
in Manila in order to alleviate
port congestion in Manila.
The
Southeast Asian Times
Opposition
Move Forward Party
holds ruling Pheu
Thai Party to election
MoU promises
|
|
![](Thailand%205%20Jul%202024%20PIX%20400%20X%20260%20Thai%20king%20and%20Queen%20opens%20parliament%20Monday%201%20Jul%202024.jpg) |
Thailand's
King Maha Vajiralongkorn
said at the opening
of parliament in Bangkok
"Please keep
in mind that you were
chosen by the people
to represent them
in exercising legislative
power and to consider
various laws for the
government to use
as a principle to
administer the country,"
on Wednesday July
3, 2024
|
|
From
News Reports:
Bangkok, July 6: Thailand's King
Maha Vajiralongkorn opened the parliament
in Bangkok on Wednesday, the first
parliamentary session since the
May 14, 2023 elections that was
won by the Move Forward Party (MFP),
with the former leader of the now
opposition Move Forward Party (MFP)
Pita Limjaroenrat saying he would
hold the ruling Pheu Thai Party
(PTP), Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin
to the Memorandum of Understanding
(MoU) signed after the elections
last year, reports the Bangkok Post.
The Move Forward Party (MFP) now
advisor, Pita Limjaroenrat, said
on the first day of the new parliamentary
session on Wednesday that ''the
ruling Pheu Thai Party (PTP) must
honour its promises to improve transparency
and efficiency in parliament, pass
a new political amnesty bill and
expedite Royal Thai Armed Forces
(RTARF) reforms.''
''These promises were declared in
a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU)
that was signed by the Move Forward
Party (MFP) and the Pheu Thai Party
(PTP) after the eight-party coalition
led by the Move Forward Party (MFP)
won Thailands general elections
in May 2023.''
The eight-party coalition then led
by the Move Forward Party, included
the Pheu Thai Party, Thai Sang Thai
Party, Prachachart Party, Seree
Ruam Thai Party, Pheu Thai Ruam
Palang Party, Fair Party, and Plung
Sungkom Mai Party signed the memorandum
of understanding (MoU) reaching
agreement on 23 missions.
Then Move Forward Party (MFP) leader,
Pita Limjaroenrat, said that the
restoration of democracy was at
the top of the list in the memorandum
of understanding (MoU), giving assurances
that "the coalition government
policies will maintain Thailand's
constitutional monarchy."
Pita Limjaroenrat, said that all
eight coalition parties agreed that
no mission of the government should
affect Thailand's status as a unitary
state, saying "no mission should
affect Thailand as a democracy under
a constitutional monarchy framework."
He said that moves to amend the
Lese Majeste Law under Section 112
of the Criminal Code of the Constiutuion
will continue, saying 'no mission
of the government should affect
the inviolable status of the monarchy."
The Pheu Thai Party (PTP) withdrew
from the Move Forward Party (MFP)
eight-party coalition on August
2, 2023 with Pheu Thai Party (PTP)
then prime ministerial candidate,
Srettha Thavisin, saying that he
would not seek to abolish or amend
the lese majeste law under Section
112 of the Criminal Code.
Ruling Pheu Thai Party (PTP) Prime
Minister, Srettha Thavisin, is accused
of stalling the the passing of the
Amnesty Bill that was submitted
to the National Assembly of Thailand
after the elections in May 2023,
''if we want to see Thailand move
forward and a new government successfully
set up, Section 112 that makes it
illegal to defame, insult, or threaten
the monarch of Thailand must be
set aside."
In July 2023 the Move Forward Party
(MFP) submitted a petition to the
Thailand parliament to revoke the
power of the Royal Thai Armed Forces
(RTAF) to select the prime minister
after senators appointed by the
Royal Thai Armed Forces (RTAF) voted
against the Move Forward Party (MFP)
leader Pita Limjaroenrat, 42, in
his bid to be the next Prime Minister
of Thailand.
The then Move Forward Party (MFP)
secretary-general Chaithawat Tulath
said that all members of the Move
Forward Party (MFP) eight-party
coalition including the Pheu Thai
Party (PTP) signed the petition,
saying "the petition supports
amendments to Section 272 of the
Royal Thai Armed Forces (RTAF) drafted
2017 Consititution."
The Move Forward Party (MFP) secretary-general
Chaithawat Tulath said that all
members of the Move Forward Party
(MFP) eight-party coalition including
the then Pheu Thai Party (PTP) signed
the petition, saying "the Move
Forward Party (MFP) is opposed to
Section 272 that gives power to
the Royal Thai Armed Forces (RTAF)
to select the prime minister,"
He said that from the 250 Royal
Thai Armed Forces (RTAF) members
in the Senate, 159 senators abstained
from voting while another 43 senators
were absent, saying "the senators
clearly expressed that they don't
want to exercise their voting rights."
The
Southeast Asian Times
|
Cambodian
environmentalists
sentenced
to prison
for conspiring
against
the state
and insulting
the king
|
|
![](Cambodia%204%20Jul%202024%20PIX%20400%20X%20260%20Environmental%20activists%20Long%20Kunthea,%20Thon%20Ratha,%20Phuon%20Keoreaksmey,%20%20Ly%20Chandaravuth.jpg) |
Mother
Nature
Cambodia
environmentalists,
from left
to right
Long Kunthea,
26, Thon
Ratha,
32, Phuon
Keorasmey,
23, Ly
Chandaravuth,
24, at
the Phnom
Penh Municipal
Court
on Tuesday
July 2,
2024
|
|
From
News Reports:
Phnom Penh, July 5:
Mother Nature Cambodia
environmentalists, who
worked to expose corruption
and document environmental
destruction, including
widespread illegal logging,
were convicted and sentenced
to prison for conspiring
against the state and
insulting the king,
including the 2021 filming
of sewage draining into
the Tonle Sap river
from the Phnom Penh
Royal Palace, with United
Nations Human Rights
Council (UNHRC) calling
for the case to be reviewed
on appeal in line with
international human
rights law, reports
Reuters.
Ten Mother Nature Cambodia
environmentalists, includng
6 in absentia were sentenced
from six to eight years
in prison on Tuesday
for conspiring against
the state and insulting
the King, with United
Nations Human Rights
Council (UNHRC) spokeperson
Thameen Al-Kheetan saying
''the trial raised concerns
that the proceedings
did not comply with
Cambodias binding
obligations on human
rights.''
''The increasing use
by Cambodian authorities
of lèse majesté
and other articles of
Cambodias criminal
code to penalize the
exercise of human rights
is deeply worrying,''
he said
He said that the United
Nations Human Rights
Council (UNHRC) urge
Cambodian authorities
to review the case on
appeal in line with
international human
rights law, saying ''six
of the Mother Nature
Cambodia environmentalists
were minors at the time
the alleged acts were
committed.'' The United
Nations Human Rights
Council (UNHRC) calls
on Cambodia to amend
relevant articles of
the Criminal Code to
bring them into conformity
with international human
rights law, saying ''we
are ready to engage
with the Cambodian government
in this process.''
Law student Ly Chandaravuth,
24, Phuon Keorasmey,
23, Long Kunthea. 26,
and Thon Ratha, 32)
were each given a six-year
prison sentence for
conspiring against the
state and insulting
the King.
Yim Leanghy, 35, was
sentenced to eight years
in prison in absentia,
and ordered to pay a
fine of 10 million riel
($2,500),
Founder of Mother Nature
Cambodia, Spanish national,
Gonzalez-Davidson, who
was deported from Cambodia
in 2015, was sentenced
in absentia to eight
years and ordered to
pay 10 million riel
($2,500.)
Minh Piseth, Pok Khoeuy
and Rai Raksa received
six year prison sentences
also in absentia for
conspiring against the
state and insulting
the King.
Mother Nature Cambodia
environmentalists, law
student Ly Chandaravuth,
24, was arrested while
testing pollution in
the Tonle Sap river
and charged with conspiring
against the state and
insulting the King and
who was in pre-trial
detention for five months
said that ''questions
asked by the judge on
the third hearing on
June 11 did not seem
relevant to the charges
of conspiring against
the state and insulting
the king.''
He said the court seemed
focused on establishing
the source of funds
and training for Mother
Nature Cambodia, saying
''it seemed the court
wanted the Mother Nature
Cambodia group to be
seen as a foreign-funded
and internationally
trained organization.''
''The allegation that
Mother Nature Cambodia
is foreign funded has
been repeatedly pushed
by pro-government media,''
he said.
In November 2018 Cambodia's
Non Government Organisations
(NGO's) called on the
government to repeal
the Law on Associations
and Non-Governmental
Organisations (NGO's)
passed by the Cambodia
National Assemby in
2015 with the Cooperation
Committee for Cambodia
(CCC), a membership
organisation for Cambodian
and international Non-
Government Organisations
(NGOs) executive director,
Soeung Saroeun, saying
then that Non-Government
Organisation (NGO's)
want to carry out their
activities without restrictions
that were imposed on
them by the passing
of the Law on Associations
and Non-Government Organisations
(NGO's).
The
Southeast Asian Times
Philippines
makes submission
to United Nations
to extend continental
shelf in West
Philippine Sea
|
|
From
News Reports:
Manila,
July 4:
The Philippine
Department
of Foreign
Affairs
made an
official
submission
to extend
the continental
shelf
in the
West Philippine
Sea to
the United
Nations
(UN) Commission
on the
Limits
of the
Continental
Shelf
(CLCS),
on Junes
15, with
the Philippines
saying
''today
we secure
our future
by making
a manifestation
of our
exclusive
right
to explore
and exploit
natural
resources
in the
West Philippine
Sea,''
reports
the Philippine
Inquirer.
The Philippines
Department
of Foreign
Affairs
Assistant
Secretary
for Maritime
and Ocean
Affairs,
Marshall
Louis
M. Alferez,
said that
the Philippines
is entitled
to establish
the outer
limits
of its
continental
shelf
under
Article
76 of
the United
Nations
Convention
on the
Law of
the Sea
(UNCLOS).
''A coastal
State
like the
Philippines
is entitled
to establish
the outer
limits
of its
continental
shelf
that includes
the seabed
and subsoil
of the
submarine
areas
extending
beyond
200 nautical
miles
but not
to exceeding
350 nautical
miles
from the
baseline,''
he said.
|
|
![](Philippines%204%20July%202024%20PIX%20200%20X%20300%20Department%20of%20Foreign%20Affairs%20Marshall%20Louis%20M%20Alferez%20submission%20to%20UN%20Mon%2015%20Jun%202024.jpg) |
Philippines
Department
of
Foreign
Affairs
Assistant
Secretary
for
Maritime
and
Ocean
Affairs,
Marshall
Louis
M.
Alferez,
said
''incidents
in
the
waters
in
the
West
Philippine
Sea
tend
to
overshadow
the
importance
of
what
lies
beneath'
|
|
|
|
He
said that the seabed and the
subsoil extending from the
Philippines up to the maximum
extent allowed by United Nations
Convention on the Law of the
Sea (UNCLOS) hold significant
potential resources that will
benefit our nation and our
people for generations to
come, saying ''today we secure
our future by making a manifestation
of our exclusive right to
explore and exploit natural
resources in our entitlement,''
he said.
Assistant Secretary Alferez
said that the Philippine submission
does not prejudice discussions
with relevant coastal states
that may have legitimate extension
of the continental shelf claims
measured from their respective
lawful baselines under UNCLOS,
saying ''we consider our submission
as a step in discussing delimitation
matters and other forms of
cooperation moving forward,''
''What is important is the
Philippines puts on record
the maximum extent of the
Philippines entitlement,''
he said.
In July 2016 Judges of the
Permanent Court of Arbitration
in the Hague ruled in favour
of the Philippines against
China's claim of "historic
rights" over the South
China Sea.
The Permanent Court of Arbitration
in the Hague decision followed
the Philippine complaint in
2013 that called on the court
to intervene in the Philippine
dispute with China over the
right to exploit natural resources
inluding fish in the West
Philippine Sea.
The Judges of the Permanent
Court of Arbitration in the
Hague ruled in 2016 that China
had violated the United Nations
Convention on the Law of the
Sea (UNCLOS) by invoking "historic
rights" in its claim
over the West Phillipine Sea.
China rejected the Permanent
Court of Arbitration in the
Hague ruling with China Foreign
Ministry spokesman, Lu Kang
saying then that "the
Permanent Court of Arbitration
in the Hague has no jurisdiction
on this matter."
"The dispute was not
covered by U.N. Convention
on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS)
because it was ultimately
a matter of sovereignty not
exploitation rights.
The
Southeast Asian Times
Former
Cambodia PM
Hun Sen warns
of attempt to
form illegal
government in
exile
|
|
![](Cambodia%202%20Jul%202024%20PIX%20400%20X%20250%20Hun%20Sen%20speaks%20at%2073rd%20anniversary%20of%20CPP%20on%20Fri%2028%20Jun%202024.jpg) |
Former
Prime Minister
of Cambodia
Hun Sen and
ruling party
Cambodia Peoples
Party President
Hun Sen at 73
anniversary
of the party's
founding at
the party's
headquarters
in Phnom Penh
on Friday 28
June 2024
|
|
From
News Reports:
Phnom Penh, July 3: Former
Prime Minister of Cambodia,
Hun Sen, who is now President
of ruling Cambodia Peoples
Party (CPP) and Senate President,
warned on Friday at the party's
73 anniversary celebration
at the party's headquarters
in Phnom Penh that ''an extremist
group is in the process of
attempting to form an illegal
government-in-exile (GiE),
'' reports the Phnom Penh
Post.
''Stern action will be taken
to stop the threat,'' he said.
Former Prime Minister Hun
Sen said he received leaked
information that an extremist
group is plotting to form
an illegal government-in-exile
(GiE), saying ''the initiative
to form an illegal government-in-exile
(GiE) has begun.''
''The extremist groups are
initiating a GiE abroad to
oppose the legitimate government
and destroy the peace and
security of the Cambodian
people,'' he said.
''I would like to confirm
that any political party or
organisation in Cambodia that
has ties to the illegal government-in-exile
(GiE) must be dissolved to
ensure that national interests
are protected,'' he said at
the 73 anniversary celebration
of the Cambodia Peoples Party
(CPP).
He called on the ruling Cambodia
Peoples Party (CPP) led by
his son Prime Minister, Hun
Manet, ''to amend the law
on political parties or other
relevant laws to severely
punish the extremists who
join in the formation of the
GiE.''
Royal Academy of Cambodia
(RAC), Secretary-General,
Yang Peou, said that the message
from former Prime Minister
of Cambodia, Hun Sen, can
be viewed as a deterrent against
threats to peace and national
security.
''Given the past political
situation, Cambodia has had
a difficult time maintaining
peace and political stability,''
he said.
He said that Cambodians should
work together to achieve lasting
peace in order to have the
opportunity to develop the
country,
saying, ''We should not create
a government-in-exile (GiE)
or a shadow government abroad
to oppose the government in
the Cambodia.''
In June 2022 the Phnom Penh
Municipal Court sentenced
42 former members and supporters
of the Court-dissolved opposition
Cambodia National Rescue Party
(CNRP) including Cambodian-American
lawyer, Seng Theary, to six
years in prison for treason
for plotting to overthrow
the ruling Hun Sen government
and former Cambodia National
Rescue Party (CNRP) president
Sam Rainsy to eight years
inprison in absentia.
Former Cambodia National Rescue
Party (CNRP) president Sam
Rainsy to eight years in prison
in absentia for treason for
plotting to overthrow the
Hun Sen government, incitement
to committ a felony and inciting
military disobedience under
Articles 453, 471, 494 and
495 of the Criminal Code.
The Phnom Penh Municipal Court's
decision was the direct implementation
of Cambodian law, with Justice
Ministry spokesman, Chin Malin,
saying then "the court
had a solid and clear legal
basis to charge and sentence
the former members of the
dissolved opposition Cambodia
National Rescue Party (CNRP)
for treason for plotting to
overthrow the Hun Sen government
under the pretext of the return
to Cambodia of its president
Sam Rainsy from exile in France
.
The
Southeast Asian Times
Philippine
Senate demands
identity
of former Cabinet
member who facilitated
illegal gaming
licenses
|
|
![](Philippines%202%20Jul%202024%20PIX%20400%20X%20250%20Senate%20Pres%20Francis%20Escudero%20demands%20PAGCOR%20identify%20Cabinet%20member%20Sun%2030%20Jun%202024.jpg) |
Senate
President, Francis
Escudero, demands
that the Philippine
Amusement and
Gaming Corporation
(PAGCOR) chair,
Alejandro Tengco,
identify the
former Cabinet
member that
allegedly facilitated
gaming licenses
to illegal Philippine
Offshore Gaming
Operations (POGOs)
|
|
From News
Reports:
Manila July 2: The Philippine
Senate led by Senate President,
Francis Escudero, demands
that the Philippine Amusement
and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR)
chair, Alejandro Tengco, identify
the former Cabinet member
that PAGCOR claimed on Saturday
allegedly facilitated gaming
licenses to illegal Philippine
Offshore Gaming Operations
(POGOs), reports the Philippine
Inquirer.
''Philippine Amusement and
Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR)
chair, Alejandro Tengco, should
name the cabinet member,''
said Senate President Francis
Escudero.
Senate Minority Leader Aquilino
Pimentel III, Senators Joel
Villanueva, Sherwin Gatchalian,
and Risa Hontiveros have joined
the Senate President's demand
for (PAGCOR) to identify the
cabinet member who allegedly
facilitated gaming licenses
to illegal Philippine Offshore
Gaming Operations (POGOs),
saying that ''revealing this
persons identity would
avoid casting a shadow of
suspicion over all past Cabinet
members.''
Former Senate House of Representatives
Minority Leader Aquilino Pimentel
III said ''the Philippine
Amusement and Gaming Corporation
(PAGCOR) should reveal the
identity of the cabinet member.''
''PAGCOR's revelation on Saturday
proves that (POGOs) should
be banned from the Philippines,''
he said.
Senator Joel Villanueva said
''the Philippine Amusement
and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR)
has infiltrated not only business
and gaming industries but
also our government with local
and Cabinet members serving
as their protectors,'' he
said.
''Our duty as public servants
is not to protect the illegal
activities of the Philippine
Amusement and Gaming Corporation
(PAGCOR) but to put the Filipino
peoples welfare as our
main priority,'' he said.
Senate President, Francis
Escudero, said the Senate
Committee headed by Sherwin
Gatchalian and Senator Risa
Hontiveros should unmask the
Cabinet member and find out
if the Cabinet member has
violated any laws.''
Sherwin Gatchalian said that
the Senate Committee would
press the Philippine Amusement
and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR)
chair, Alejandro Tengco, to
reveal the identity of the
former cabinet member allegedly
involved in illicit Philippine
Offshore Gaming Operations
(POGOs) activities in the
next Senate hearing.
He said that the Philippine
Amusement and Gaming Corporation
(PAGCOR) chair, Alejandro
Tengco, could identify a government
official who worked under
former President Rodrigo Duterte
administration, saying ''POGOs
commenced their illegal gaming
activities during his administration.''
Senator Risa Hontiveros claims
that a senior government official
had facilitated gaming licences
for illegal Philippine Offshore
Gaming Operations (POGOs)
that were raided on March
13, saying she is preparing
for the next hearing on illegal
POGO's.
'I expect that Philippine
Amusement and Gaming Corporation
(PAGCOR) chair, Alejandro
Tengco, will attend the next
hearing personally, rather
than send a representative,''
she said.
Whoever the ex-Cabinet
official turns out to be,
the fact remains that POGOs
are being used as a legal
cover for scam hubs,'' she
said.
Senator Risa Hontiveros said
that 295 foreign workers were
found at the Philippine Offshore
Gaming Operators (POGOs) premises
in Bamban, Tarlac in the Philippine
National Police raid on March
13, saying that the illegal
POGO hub in Bamban had offices
outfitted with computor workstations
with instructional guides
and scripts used to conduct
love scams and crypto schemes,
rows of iPhones and Android
smartphones hung on racks
at the illegal pogo hub, saying
''numerous SIM cards, presumably
used to execute fraudulent
transactions were also found.''
Senator Risa Hontiveros said
that human trafficking is
part of the illegal Philippine
Offshore Gaming Operators
(Pogos)
business model, saying ''the
Visa Upon Arrival (VUA) continues
to be exploited.''
The
Southeast Asian Times
Indonesia
to push eight
countries to
ratify Nuclear-Test-Ban
Treaty
|
|
![](Indonesia%201%20Jul%202024%20PIX%20400%20X%20260%20Indonesia%20Foreign%20Minister%20Retno%20Marsudi%20in%20Vienna%20to%20retify%20CTBT%20Tues%2025%20Jun%202024.jpg) |
Indonesian
Foreign Minister,
Retno Marsudi,
left, and Comprehensive
Nuclear Test
Ban Treaty (CTBT),
with executive
secretary, Robert
Floyd, right,
discuss progress
on the ratification
of the treaty
in Vienn, Austria
on Tuesday June
25, 2024
|
|
From News Reports:
Jakarta, July1: Indonesian
Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi,
agreed to continue to push
eight countries for ratification
of the Comprehensive Nuclear
Test Ban Treaty (CTBT), with
executve secretary, Robert
Floyd, and Austrian Foreign
Minister, Alexander Schallenberg,
in Vienna, Austria on Tuesday,
with Indonesian Foreign Minister
Retno Marsudi saying ''the
CTBT provisions state that
the treaty will come into
force when the eight outstanding
countries in Annex II of the
CTBT ratify it.''
Indonesian Foreign Minister
Retno Marsudi said that Indonesia
has agreed to continue pushing
for ratification of eight
countries in Annex II. of
the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban
Treaty Organization (CTBTO.)
She said that Annex II countries
are countries that took part
in the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban
Treaty Organization (CTBT)
negotiations in 1994 to 1996
at the Conference on Disarmament,
saying ''Annex 11 countries
are countries that once had
and still have nuclear weapons
and or large capacity nuclear
reactors."
''The Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban
Treaty Organization (CTBTO)
has been signed by 187 countries
and ratified by 178 countries,''
she said.
Indonesian Foreign Minister
Retno Marsudi said ratification
is still required from eight
Annex 11 countries, saying
''China, North Korea, Egypt,
India, Iran, Israel, Pakistan,
and the United States are
still to ratify the Comprehensive
Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization
for it to enter into force.''
''Indonesia is an Annex II
country that ratified the
treaty in 2011,'' she said.
"We welcome the ratification
of Papua New Guinea on March
13 this year, and we agree
to continue to push for ratification
by the eight countries in
Annex II," she said.
Indonesian Foreign Minister,
Retno Marsudi, said that Indonesia
has strong cooperation with
the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban
Treaty Organization (CTBTO),
saying Indonesia hosts six
Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban
Treaty Organization (CTBTO),
seismic stations.
''Indonesia hosts Jayapura,
Sorong, Parapat, Kappang,
Baumata, and Lembang Comprehensive
Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization
(CTBTO) stations,'' she said.
Indonesian Foreign Minister,
Retno Marsudi said that the
Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban
Treaty Organization (CTBTO)
stations in Indonesia are
useful for tsunami early warning
systems, saying ''Indonesia
is ready to carry out stronger
cooperation with the Comprehensive
Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization
(CTBTO).
"This meeting is very
important at this time in
a world situation that is
increasingly filled with uncertainty
where conflict and war can
occur at any time," she
said.
The
Southeast Asian Times
Deputy
Police Commissioner
files malfeasance
complaint against
Thai PM for
dismissal
|
|
![](Thailand%2030%20Jun%202024%20PIX%20400%20%20X%20250%20Pol%20Gen%20Surachate%20Hakparn%20files%20alleged%20malfeasance%20against%20PM%20Srettha.jpg) |
Former
Deputy Police
General, Surachate
Hakparn, has
filed a malfeasance
complaint against
Prime Minister
Srettha Thavisin
with the National
Anti-Corruption
Commission (NACC)
for his dismissal
from the Royal
Thai Police
(RTP) force
|
|
From News
Reports:
Bangkok, June 30: Former Deputy
Police Commission- General,
Surachate Hakparn, who was
reportedly in line for promotion
to the Police Commissioner-General
position, but was dismissed
from the Royal Thai Police
(RTP) Force, has filed a malfeasance
complaint with the National
Anti-Corruption Commission
(NACC) against Prime Minister
Srettha Thavisin, with the
NACC saying ''the NACC wants
more time to investigate the
complaint of alleged malfeasance
against Prime Minister Srettha
Thavisin,'' reports the Nation.
Former Deputy Police General,
Surachate Hakparn, who was
the most senior Deputy Police
Commissioner in line for promotion
to the Police Commissioner-General
position, was removed for
promotion by a panel of Royal
Thai Police (RTP) force members
established by Prime Minister
Srettha Thavisin.
Acting Deputy Police General,
Kitrat Phanphet, who is reportedly
now in line for promotion
to become Police Commissioner-General
of the Royal Thai Police (RTP)
force, endorced the Royal
Thai Police (RTP) force panel
decision to remove former
Deputy Police General, Surachate
Hakparn, from the Royal Thai
Police (RTP) force.
National Anti-Corruption Commission
(NACC) secretary-general Niwatchai
Kasemmongkol said the NACC
could not say whether Prime
Minister Srettha Thavisin
would face a formal investigation
as a result of the complaint
made by former Deputy Police
General, Surachate Hakparn.
''The NACC was still at the
stage of gathering facts to
decide whether the complaint
had substance or not,'' he
said.
National Anti-Corruption Commission
(NACC) secretary-general said
the NACC was investigating
accusations that former Deputy
Police General, Surachate
Hakparn, was involved in money
laundering for an online gambling
network.
Former Deputy Police General,
Surachate Hakparn has also
filed a complaint against
acting Deputy Police General,
Kitrat Phanphet for malfeasance
with the National Anti-Corruption
Commission (NACC), for lack
of fairness in proceedings
of a panel established by
Prime Minister. Srettha Thavisin.
Deputy Police General, Kitrat
Phanphet, endorced the Royal
Thai Police (RTP) decision
to remove former Deputy Police
General, Surachate Hakparn,
from the Royal Thai Police
(RTP) Force from a panel established
by the Prime Minister.
The
Southeast Asian Times
Malaysian
fugitive financier
Jho
Low
forfeits embezzled
1MDB
assets
to US
|
|
![](Malaysia%2029%20Jun%202024%20PIX%20%20400%20X%20250%20Jho%20Low%20reaches%20agreement%20with%20US%20over%20embezzlement%201MDB%20Mon%2024%20Jun%202024.jpg) |
The
United States
Department of
Justice (DoJ)
has reached
agreement with
Low Taek Jho
also known as
Jho Low to forfeit
embezzled assetts
from 1Malaysia
Development
Bhd (1MDB)
|
|
From News
Reports:
Kuala Lumpur, June 29: The
United States Department of
Justice (DoJ) reached agreement
with Malaysian financier fugitive
Low Taek Jho also known as
Jho Low, members of his family,
and trust entities for the
return of assets involved
in the misappropriatsion of
RM42 million from the 1Malaysia
Development Bhd (1MDB) funds
under Malaysia's former ousted
Prime Minister Najib Razaks,
reports the Star.
A warrant for the arrest of
Malaysian fugitive financier
Low Taek Jho also known as
Jho Low was issued in August
2018 for money laundering
involved in the misappropriation
of funds from 1Malaysia Development
Bhd (1MDB) that was founded
by ousted former Prime Minister
Najib Razak who was the Finance
Minister and chairman of the
state fund.
The US Justice Department
claims that more than $1.7
billion from the 1Malaysia
Development Bhd (1MDB) fund
was invested in hotels, luxury
real estate in Manhattan,
Beverly Hills and London including
$100 million in the 2013 film
The Wolf of Wall Street"
and including the luxury yacht
'Equanimity' valued at US$250
million.
The luxury yacht 'Equanimity'
that was seized in Bali by
Malaysian authorities was
allegedly linked to the recovery
of assets that were purchased
with the misappropriated funds
from 1Malaysia Development
Bhd (1MDB) fund.
The United States Department
of Justice (DoJ) said that
Malaysian financier fugitive
Low Taek Jho also known as
Jho Low, faces criminal charges
for allegedly conspiring to
launder billions of dollars
embezzled from the 1Malaysia
Development Bhd (1MDB) and
for conspiring to violate
the Foreign Corrupt Practices
Act (FCPA) by allegedly paying
bribes to various Malaysian
and Emirati officials and
for conspiring to make and
conceal foreign and conduit
campaign contributions during
the United States presidential
election in the District of
Columbia in 2012.
Fugitive financiers Low Taek
Jho and his father Larry Low
Hock Pen, allegedly laundered
hundreds of millions of illicit
funds in real estate in the
United States, transferring
$85 million to casinos in
Las Vegas in eight months
between 2009 and 2010.
The US Justice Department
said that the agreement reached
with Malaysian financier fugitive
Low Taek Jho also known as
Jho Low, members of his family,
and trust entities involved
in the misappropriation of
RM42 million from the 1Malaysia
Development Bhd (1MDB) included
the return to Malaysia assets
including cash in bank accounts
valued at US$67million from
Hong Kong, Switzerland and
Singapore.
"The agreement resolves
the civil forfeiture action
against a luxury apartment
in Paris and artwork located
in Switzerland by artists
Andy Warhol and Claude Monet,
which Low purchased for approximately
US$35million in total,
said the the United States
Department of Justice (DoJ).
The
Southeast Asian Times
Captain
America challenges
revocation of
prison release
under new Hong
Kong security
law
|
|
![](Hong%20Kong%2028%20Jun%202024%20PIX%20400%20X%20250%20Ma%20Chun%20man%20Captain%20America%2031jailed%20%20five%20years%20on%20Thurs%2011%20Nov%202021.jpg) |
Ma
Chun-man, 34,
also known as
Captain America,
was sentenced
to prison for
five years and
nine months
for treason,
secession, sedition
and subversion
against the
Central People's
Government of
China in Hong
Kong in Tursday
11 November
2021
|
|
From News
Reports:
Hong Kong, June 28: Ma Chun-man,
34, also known as Captain
America, who was sentenced
to prison for five years and
nine months for treason, secession,
sedition and subversion in
Hong Kong against the Central
People's Government of China
in 2021, has had early release
from prison revoked, reports
the Hong Kong Free Press.
Ma Chun-man, 34, also known
as Captain America who protested
against the Central People's
Government of China rule over
Hong Kong in 2019, has filed
Hong Kong's first legal challenge
against Article 23 that was
included in the Basic Law
on Safeguarding National Security
in the Hong Kong Special Administrative
Region (HKSAR on March 19,
2024.
The new Safeguarding National
Security Ordinance Article
23 stipulates that a prisoner
that has been convicted for
treason, secession, sedition
and subversion ''cannot be
granted remission unless the
commissioner is satisfied
that an early release will
not be contrary to the interests
of national security.''
Ma Chun-man, 34, also known
as Captain America, said he
was informed by the Hong Kong
Correctional Services Department
(CSD) in late February that
his release from the Tong
Fuk Correctional Institution
was March 25, with his lawyer
saying 'he had been given
more than a year reduction
for good behaviour from the
five-year and nine month sentence.''
''But on March 23 two days
before he was to be released
he was informed by the Hong
Kong Correctional Services
Department (CSD) that early
release would not be granted,''
he said.
On November 11, 2021, Ma Chun-man,
34, also known as Captain
America pleaded not guilty
to charges of treason, secession,
sedition and subversion against
the Central People's Government
of China.
He was accused of chanting
'liberate Hong Kong, revolution
of our times' and 'Hong Kong
independence, the only way
out'.
Ma Chun-man, 34, also known
as Captain America wrote a
letter to presiding Judge
Stanley Chan, saying he has
'no regret for his actions.''
'On my road to democracy and
freedom, I can't afford to
be a coward,' he said.
New Article 23 of the Basic
Law on Safeguarding National
Security in the Hong Kong
Special Administrative Region
(HKSAR) stipulates that ''Hong
Kong shall enact laws on its
own to prohibit any act of
treason, secession, sedition,
subversion against the Central
People's Government, or theft
of state secrets, to prohibit
foreign political organizations
or bodies from conducting
political activities in the
HKSAR, and to prohibit political
organizations or bodies of
the HKSAR from establishing
ties with foreign political
organizations or bodies.''
The
Southeast Asian Times
Former
Senator Leila
de Lima cleared
of drug charges
during former
President Duterte
war on drug
|
|
![](Philippines%2027%20Jun%202024%20PIX%20400%20X%20255%20Former%20Senator%20Leila%20de%20Lima,%2063,%20leaves%20Muntinlupa%20City%20Regional%20Trial%20Court%20on%20Mon%2024%202024.jpg) |
Former
Senator Leila
de Lima, 63,
centre, a former
Commission on
Human Rights
(CHR) chair
was cleared
of all drug
charges brought
against her
under former
President Rodrigo
Duterte administration
during the campaign
on the war on
drugs at the
Muntinlupa City
Regional Trial
Court in Manila
on Monday June
24, 2024
|
|
From
News Reports:
Manila, June 27: Former Senator
Leila de Lima, 63, a former
Commission on Human Rights
(CHR) chair, was cleared of
all drug charges brought while
she was the Justice Secretary
under former President Rodrigo
Duterte campaign on the war
on drugs, with the Muntinlupa
City Regional Trial Court
in Manila dismissing the last
remaining drug charge brought
against her by the former
Bureau of Corrections Director
at the New Bilibid Prison
(NBP), reports Philippine
Inquirer.
Muntinlupa Regional Trial
Court Judge, Gener Gito, dismissed
the charges against former
Senator Leila de Lima on grounds
that the evidence presented
by the prosecutors is insufficient
for a criminal conviction.
''The prosecution was not
able to prove the guilt of
the accused beyond a reasonable
doubt, he said.
Judge, Gener Gito, said their
was insufficient evidence
to establish a conspiracy
between the former Senator
Leila de Lima, the former
Bureau of Corrections Director
Franklin Jesus Bucayu, and
other co-defendants to engage
in illegal drug trading within
New Bilibid Prison (NBP).
Senator Leila de Lima, 63,
who was in detention at the
Philippine National Police
(PNP) custodial centre in
Camp Crame in Quezon City
since her arrest on February
24, 2017, until she was released
on bail on November 13, 2023,
has denied charges of alleged
involvement in the drug trade
that allegedly took place
at the New Bilibid Prisons
(NBP) while she was the Justice
Secretary.
Former Senator Leila de Lima,
called for the transfer of
9 prisoners from the Sablayan
Prison and Penal Farm (SPPF)
in Occidental Mindoro after
the prisoners retracted their
testmonies in a letter addressed
to Judge Gener Gito of the
Muntinlupa City Regional Trial
Court in Manila after she
was released on bail from
the Philippine National Police
(PNP) custodial centre in
Camp Crame in Quezon City
on November 13, 2023.
In May 2022 the prosecution
star witness Bureau of Corrections
officer, Rafael Ragos, withdrew
his statements that accused
Senator Leila de Lima of drug
trafficking at the New Bilibid
Prison (NBP) during the Senator's
term as Justice Secretary.
"The withdrawal by the
former Bureau of Corrections
officer of the accusations
against Senator Leila de Lima
in an affidavit should compel
the Department of Justice
(DOJ) to drop all charges
against Senator Leila de Lima,"
said Lawyer, De Leon for Senator
Leila de Lima.
Lawyer, De Leon said then
that the Rafael Ragos retraction
followed the retraction of
key witness Rolan Kerwin Espinosa,
who said he had been misled
by the police into signing
his affidavit against the
senator in exchange for dropping
charges against him.
Senetor Leila de Lima has
denied charges of alleged
involvement in the illegal
drug trade at the New Bilibid
Prisons (NBP), accusing President
Duterte of political persecution.
In April 2009 Senator De Lima
in her role as the Commission
on Human Rights (CHR) chair,
said that the Commission would
prove there is a Davao Death
Squad (DDS) in Mindanao in
the southern Phillipines that
was initiated and funded by
former Philippines President
Rodrigo Duterte
"The Human Rights Watch
(HRW) investigation had "found
evidence of complicity and
at times direct involvement
of government officials and
members of the police in killings
by the so-called Davao Death
Squad (DDS)."
The
Southeast Asian Times |
|
MEDIA CHECK |
Cambodia-China Journalist Association
(CCJA)
launched
in
Phnom
Penh ...open
here |
|
|
Darwin
reporter
John Loizou
asks a
survivor
of the
1965 killings
in Bali
"why didn't
you try
to stop
them"
in "Remembering
the slaughter
in Paradise"
........open page here
|
|
Kang-Fu
the Red
Kangaroo
is relentless
in his fight
to
protect
Australia's
sovereignity...Open
page
here | |
Bombed
by
the Americans
for Christmas
in 1972,
Ha Noi Bach
Mai hospital
is still
a war zone...Christina
Pas
reports...Open
page
here | |
Indigenous
Australians
in the northern
Queensland
town of
East Trinity
aim for
economic
independence
from
eco-cultural
tourism,
reports
Christine
Howes in
"Australian
indigenous
eco-cultural
tourism
venture
wins best
small project
national
award
"
...open
here
| |
Kavi
Chongkittavorn
talks about
the UK
application
to become
an ASEAN
dialogue
partner
in "New
dynamics
of Aseans
external
ties,"
with consensus
yet to be
reached
on admitting
a
former
colonial
master of
four
ASEAN
member countries
into the
Southeast
Asian bloc....open
| |
Esther
Samboh talks
about
the
choise between
thousands
dying
of
Covid-19
or from
hunger in
densely
populated
Jakarta
in the new
normal in
"Medics
dying, infections
soaring
- it's still
the economy"
...open
page
here | |
Australian
reporter,
Chris Ray,
investigates
why Australia
dropped
five spots
in the World
Press Freedom
Index...open | |
Read
what Son
Nguyen has
to say about
the impact
of China's
virus on
Vietnam's
economy
in
"When
the
economy
gets sick"
open
here | |
Has
the ancient
Syrian city
of
Palmyra
suffered
a fatal
blow, or
will it
rise again?
asks Australian
reporter
Chris Ray...
Open
page
here | |
Darwin
reporter
John Loizou
asks a
survivor
of the
1965 killings
in Bali
"why
didn't
you try
to
stop
them"
in "Remembering
the slaughter
in
Paradise"
........open
page here
| |
"Goodbye
America"
says B.A.
Hamzah as
he calls
for Asians
to determine
their own
political
destiny
in "Time
for Asia
to
set it's
own course,
minus the
U.S."...open
here | |
Is
prescribed
burning
of
grasslands
in northern
Australia
out of control?
......Chris
Ray reports
...
open page
here | |
"Rockefeller
and the
Demise of
Ibu
Pertiwi"
by Kerry
B. Collison
"is
undoubtedly
fictional
but by no
means improbable,
"
says Johannes
Nugroho
....open
page
here | |
Viet
Nam is
planning
to go nuclear
by the year
2020.reports
John
Loizou
in
"Calculating
the costs
of nuclear
energy in
Vietnam"
...open
page here
| |
The
founder
of the
Revolutionary
Front
of Independent
East Timor
(Fretilin),
Mari
Alkatiri,
the now
former
Prime
Minister
of Timor
Leste,
after
losing
the May
12, 2018
election
to the
National
Congress
for Timorese
Reconstruction
(CNRT)
party,
led by
Xanana
Gusmao,
has accused
the opposition
of a coup
attempt.
Twelve
years
ago Mari
Alkatiri
also accused
the opposition
of a coup
attemp
claiming
then that
the
crises
that led
to his
resignation
was the
result
of a conspiracy.
"I
have no
doubt
about
that"
he told
Darwin
reporter
John Loizou
in an
interview
in Dili
on 6 November
2006 ......open
page here
| |
Cuba's
302
physicians
in East
Timor
work at
five hospitals
and remote
villages
throughout
the republic...writes
Darwin
reporter
John Loizou
...open
page here
| |
Benedict
Anderson,
a man
without
a country,
dies in
Indonesia
Jeet Heer
reports.....open
page
here | |
Thousands
of Northern
Australia's
indigenous
rock art
sites
are under
threat
from buffalo,
fire and
feral
animals.
Tim Lee
reports
........open
page here
| |
Copy
of
letter
29 May 2012
from Vietnam
Womens Union
to
International
Olympic
Committee...open
here | |
The
Southeast
Asian Times
wishes its
readers
a
happy
Christmas
and all
the best
for the
New Year
with a special
thankyou
to its treasured
letter
writers
| |
The
Southeast
Asian
Times
wishes
its readers
a happy
Christmas
and all
the best
for the
New Year
with a
special
thankyou
to its
treasured
letter
writers
|
|
Published
by Pas Loizou Press
Darwin Northern
Territory
Australia
PASLOIZOUPRESSDARWIN@bigpond.com
The
Southeast
Asian
Times cannot
be
bought
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
|
|
Oz $
buys |
Updated
daily. Prices
indicative
only |
US...0.7582
Brunei...1.0310
Cambodia...3,115.36
China..Yuan..5,0710
East
Timor...0.7582 Euro..0.6794
HongsKong...5.8808 Indonesia
Rupiah.9,997.47 Japan..78.8528
Laos..6,140.58 Malaysia
Ringgit.....3.0900 Myanmar..923.19
Viet Nam
Dong..16,849.44
Singapore properties listed for sale in
Myanmar From News Reports:
Yangon, November 25: Singapore's largest property developer,
the Far East Organization, is to partner with
Myanmar's property sales and marketing company, Min
Zin Agency, in Yangon to sell condos in
Singapore. Managing director of the Min Zin
Agency in Yangon, Ko Kyaw Min Zin, said that
Singapore's Far East Organization has expanded its
sales and marketing efforts into Myanmar. “The Far East
Organisation has been selling their Singapore
properties to Myanmar buyers since 2009,” he said.
The Far East Organisation reportedly have over 750 properties
in Singapore’s residential, hospitality, retail,
commercial and industrial sectors,
including 45,500 or one in every six private homes in Singapore
listed with the Min Zin Agency in Yangon. The
Southeast Asian Times
China to invest in rail and road construction
in Indonesia From News Reports:
Jakarta, November 10: Indonesia's
Railway Corporation (PT KAI) and state construction
company PT Jasa Marga signed a memorandum of
understanding (MoU) with China Investment Fund
(CIF) to develop indonesia's railway services and
toll road construction. Witness to the signing,
coordinating Minister for the Economy Sofyan Djalil,
said that the MoU will provide the groundwork for
further cooperation between China Railway and P KAI and China
Investment Fund (CIF). "The MoU is the
first step towards further development of public
services between China and Indonesia" he said.
Chinese Ambassador to Indonesia, Xie Feng said that the MoU would
spark more cooperations between China and Indonesia and
would bring about "real benefits to the public."
The Southeast Asian Times
Penang health department
shuts down soya bean factory From News Reports: Penang, October 19:
Five Penang food factories including a 100 year old
soya bean factory at Tanjong Bungah were ordered closed
by the state health department for failure to observe health
standards. State health, food safety and quality
division, deputy director Ku Nafishah Ku Ariffin
said soya bean products were processed in an unclean
"rusty and moldy kitchen". "Our inspectors found
that wet products were left to dry on "dirty" bamboo
sticks along with bathing towels. The bamboo sticks
were also dirty and dusty," she said. A "sweets"
factory in Teluk Kumbar, a noodle factory in Simpang
Ampat and a sauce factory in Bukit Metajam were also
closed by the state health department The Southeast Asian
Times
Fuel smugglers including military personnel
under arrest From News Reports:
Jakarta, September 15: Riau Islands Police have arrested
30 suspects including several Indonesian Military
(TNI) personnel and seized 64 cars, two boats and
106 tons of fuel. Riau Islands Police chief Brig.
Gen. Arman Depary said in Batam last week that the
seized cars had been modified to hold 100 litres of
fuel. "The Military (TNI) personnel are suspected
of fuel smuggling and have been handed over to the
military base", he said. TNI Commander Gen.
Moeldoko said that the alleged suspected fuel
smugglers are honor-based service military personnel. The Southeast Asian
Times
Thai coup blammed for fall in tourist
arrivals From News Reports:
Bangkok, August 18: The Thai tourism sector suffered its largest
fall in international visitors to Thailand in June, the
first month after the establishment of marshal law
and the military seizure of the Yingluck Shinawatra
government. Tourism reportedly accounts for 10
percent of the Thai economy. Data from the Thai
Department of Tourism shows that inernational
tourist arrival numbers in July fell by 10.9 percent compared
to the same time last year.
International arrivals in July totalled 1.91 million compared
to 2.15 million in July 2013. Arrivals
from China with a18 percent share of all visitors to
thailand and the largest group of visitors to Thailand, fell by
25.3 percent. Arrivals from the United
Kingdom with a 4 percent share of all visitors to
Thailand, was one of the few large markets to record
a gain, of 6.2 percent The Southeast Asian
Times
US Senate approves sales of nuclear
equipment to Vietnam From News Reports:
Hanoi, July 31: The US Senate Committee on Foreign Relations
passed legislation approving a 123 agreement on
civil nuclear commerce with Vietnam at a business
meeting of the committee last week. The 123
agreement under the US Atomic energy Act of 1954 establishes
a civil nuclear commerce agreement that allows the US to
export nuclear reactors, research information and
equipment to Vietnam. The civil nuclear commerce
agreement between the US and Vietnam is "part of
Vietnam's effort to ease its shortage of energy
towards meeting over 10 percent of the domestic power demand by
2030", reports the Vietnam News Service The Southeast Asian
Times
Court for
construction Industry
established in Malaysia From
News Reports: Kuala Lumpur, May 3: The first two
Construction Courts for Malaysia were opened by
Chief Justice Tun Arifin Zakaria in Kuala Lumpur and
Shah Alam last week, reports the Star. The courts
will deal with disputes in the construction industry.
Works Minister Datuk Haji Fadillah bin Haji Yusof said that the
establishment of the courts will transform the way
the construction business in the country
operates. "The construction industry
stakerholders can now have their disputes resolved
by judges with expert knowledge and experience in
construction industry disputes', he said. The
proposal by the Construction Industry Board (CIDB) for the
establishment of the construction courts was first put to the
Judiciary in January 2013. Britain
is the only other country that has a specially designated
court that deals with construction industry disputes.
The
Southeast Asian Times
Bali communities want larger share of tourism revenue
From News Reports: Denpasar, April 14: Bali
community-based tourism operators have called for
amendments to regulations that stipulate that the local
community pay the Bali regency administration 60 percent of their
total tourism revenue.
Penglipuran tourist village in Bangli, community-based tourism
manager, Nengah Moneng, said that he objected to the fact
that his community received only 40 percent of the
total revenue. "We want to have 60 percent share
of the tourist revenue to pay for operating costs",
he said. The Penglipuran tourism manager said
that operating costs for trekking, traditional
dance, cultural shows including religious rituals
had increased. The cost of operating lodges and
community halls for tourism had also increased.
"An increase in revenue for not only the Bangli
community but for tourism based communities across
Bali would benefit tourism island-wide" said the
tourism manager. The Southeast Asian
Times
Riau forest fires force
Chevron to shut down oil wells From News Reports:
Jakarta, March 21: PT Chevron Pacific Indonesia (CPI), the
Indonesian subsidiary of US-based oil company
Chevron has shut down 573 oil wells in the Riau
province of Sumatra. The deteriorating quality of
air due to forest fires that have been raging for
the last month has forced PT Chevron Pacific Indonesia
(CPI) to shut down its oil wells and evacuate workers and there
families. Indonesia's upstream oil
and gas regulator, SKK Migas, public relations
officer, Handoyo Budi Santoso, said that oil assets
in Riau province are important to national crude oil production.
"The biggest production loss came from the shutdown
of Rokan block, operated by Chevron Pacific
Indonesia, the country's biggest producer of crude
oil production", he said The Jakarta Posts
reports that potential losses are estimated at about
12,000 barrels of oil a day. The Southeast Asian
Times
Sabah caters to influx of tourists from China
From News Reports: Kuala Lumpur,
March 5: The New Straits Times reports that there
was an 86 percent increase in tourist arrivals from
China to Sabah in the last two years.
Data from the Sabah Tourism Board reportedly shows that
193,010 tourist tourists arrived in Sabah from China
in 2011 increasing to 360,361 in 2013
Sabah West Coast Coffeeshop Association chairman, Yong Chee Yun,
said coffee shop operators were catering to the
influx of tourists from China.
"Coffee shops displayed tourist friendly signs in Chinese
saying 'how are you?' and menues included China's favourite
foods", he said. Sabah and Labuan
Chapter chairman of the Malaysian Association of
Hotels and general manager of the At Shangri-La's Tanjung Aru
Resort, said that staff members are
encouraged to learn Mandarin. "So that they can
converse better with guests" he said. The Southeast Asian
Times
Pilots strike forces Merpati to cancel
flights From News Reports:
Jakarta,January 29: A pilots strike forced State-owned PT Merpati
Nusantara Airlines to cancelled all scheduled flights
to Surabaya, Merauke and Timika on Saturday, reports
The Jakarta Post. Merpati corporate secretary
Riswanto Chendra Putra said that the airline had not
paid salaries to pilots and cabin crew for two
months. The Jakarta Post reports that PT Merpati
Nusantara Airlines was required to restructure its
operations. Merpati corporate secretary Riswanto
Chendra Putra says that Merpati has signed a
memorndum of understanding (MoU) with PT Armagedon
Indonesia and PT Bentang Persada Gemilang to restructure the
company. The airline has debts of Rp 6.5 trillion
(US$533 million) reports the Jakarta Post.
"The management would pay the salaries around March or
early April, said the Merpati corporate
secretary. Merpati’s workers union advisory board
official, Erry Wardhana, said about 200 Merpati
pilots planned to strike again next Saturday for an
indefinite period. "The pilots would strike until
1,600 Merpati employees were paid", he said.
The union advisory board official says that this is the
first time that Merpati workers have gone on strike
over unpaid wages. The pilots are owed wages for
December and January reports the Jakarta
Post. The
Southeast Asian Times
| |