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GATHERINGS:
An informed guide to happenings throughout the region.
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US invites Vietnam
Communist Party General Secretary to the White House
From News
Reports:
Hanoi, July 6, 2015: The General Secretary of the Central
Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam will visit
the United States from July 6 to July 10 at the invitiation
of the United States State Department in a "landmark"
visit, Rueters reports.
General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist
Party Nguyen Phu Trong will meet United States President
Barack Obama at the White House on Tuesday.
Rueters quotes a senior state department official
saying that the meeting between the General Secretary
of the Central Committee of the Communist Party and the
President of the United States "would skirt protocol"
because the General Secretary is "not part of a government".
"Obama saw the visit as crucial", Rueters reports
the senior state department official as saying.
Rueters also quotes the senior state department official
saying that "there was a broad agreement that it
made sense to treat General
Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party
Nguyen Phu Trong as the visit of "the top
leader of the country".
"It's a pretty big event," Rueters quotes the
state department official as saying.
The
Southeast Asian Times
France
agrees to return Aboriginal remains home to Australia
From
News Reports:
Canberra, November 25: French president Francois Hollande
and Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott have agreed
to work together to return Aboriginal remains to Australia
during the first official visit by a French head of state
to Australia last week, reports Australian Associated
Press.
The French head of state and the Australian prime minister
said that a joint expert committee is to be established
to help identify the origin of the Aboriginal remains
held in France.
The head of state and prime minister said in a joint statement
that the identification process would respect the sensitivities
and values of the two countries and consider the requests
of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities including
the French legal system.
"The French government will examine possible solutions
to enable the return of the Aboriginal human remains to
their community of origin." the statement said.
Australia believes the remains of Aboriginal and Torres
Strait Islanders are being held in Museum collections
around the world including in Europe and the
United States.
In 2010 a British museum agreed to return 138 sets of
Aboriginal skeletal remains to Australia including the
severed head of Australian Aboriginal warrior, Yagan,
to the Noongar of South West Western Australia after being
missing in action for about 177 years. Yagan was shot
dead for his resistance to British settlement on the Swan
river.
The
Southeast Asian Times
"No " to proposal to delete religion from Indonesian
national identity card
From News Reports:
Jakarta, November 10: Islamic-based political party politicians
oppose the proposal put by the newly selected Home Minister
Tjahjo Kumolo, that national identity cards (KTP) do not
include the religion of the car holder.
Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) politician Aboebakar Al
Habsy said that not to include the religion of the card
holder on national identity cards (KTP)
contradicted the country’s founding philosophy of
Pancasila
“If we believe that Pancasila is our state ideology
and our national identity, then why should we be ashamed
of including our religion on our national identity card,"
he said
Home Minister Tjahjo Kumolo also proposed that the regious
beliefs of Indonesian citizens be omitted from official
government documents.
He said that the religion of Indonesian citizens on national
identity cards (KTP) or in official government documents
should not be imposed.
"It's up to the people", he said.
The
Souheast Asian Times
The
Wolf bridge: An insult to Thai monarchy
From News Reports:
Bangkok, October 31: Thai University students, Patiwat
Saraiyaem, 23, and Pornthip Mankong, 26, were charged
in the Ratrachada Court on Monday, with defamation of
the Thai monarchy in a play titled "The Wolf Bridge"
performed at the Thammasat university in October 2013,
reports the Bangkok Post.
The students were charged with insulting the Royal Thai
family in the fictional depiction of the monarchy in a
play performed in commemoration of the 37th and 40th anniversaries
of the October 6, 1976 and October 14, 1973 pro-democracy
student uprisings at Thammasat University.
The prosecution cites nine passages from the plays's script,
a work of fiction that depicts a fictional monarch, that
allegedly insults the monarchy and as such is in violation
of the lese majeste law.
Patiwat Saraiyaem, actor and Pornthip Mankong, producer
of the play, in detention since arrested on 13 August,
have been refused bail are scheduled to appear in court
to enter pleas on December 29.
The
Southeast Asian Times
World
including
Asean PM's and Presidents to attend inauguaration of Indonesian
president
From News Reports:
Jakarta, October 18: World Prime ministers, Presidents
and State representatives including US Secretary of State,
John Kerry and Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott will
attend the inauguaration of Joko “Jokowi” Widodo
as President of Indonesiaon on Monday.
The speaker of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR)
Zulkifli Hasan said that representatives from the ten
Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) member
nations have also been invited to attend the swearing
in of the former governor of Jakarta, Joko “Jokowi”
Widodo as president of Indonesia.
"The Prime Ministers and Presidents of Malaysia,
Singapore, Japan and South Korea are also expected to
attend", he said.
He said that the Indonesian People's Consultative Assembly
(MPR) has also invited "domestic VIP's" including
former Presidents and Vice-Presidents.
“All chairpersons of political parties have also
be invited,” said the speaker.
The
Southeast Asian Times
Banned ISIS flag found flying in Aceh
From
News Reports:
Jakarta, September 12: The Islamic State of Iraq and Syria
(ISIS) flag found flying from a coconut tree in Aceh on
Sunday has been torn down, reports the Jakarta Post.
The discovery of the banned ISIS flag was reportedly the
first in Aceh.
Police chief First Inspecter Azwan said that the flag
of the nationally banned movement was discovered by chess
players sitting at a food stall near the coconut tree
in the Sungai Raya district of East Aceh regency in Aceh.
He said that a bomb disposal team inspected the area before
the flag was taken down.
President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono announced Indonesia's
rejection of the State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) and
banned the teaching of ISIL ideology in Indonesia last
month at his parliamentary state-of-the-nation address
and ahead of the 69th anniversary of Indonesias Independence.
The
Southeast Asian Times
Singapore passes Trans- boundary Haze Pollution Act
From News Reports:
Singapore, August, 18: The passing of the 2014 Trans-boundary
Haze Pollution Act by the Singapore parliament last week
will enable Singapore regulators to sue individuals or
companies in neighbouring countries for causing severe
air pollution in Singapore.
The Act that was first proposed in 2013 would enable Singapore
to impose fines of up to S$2 million on companies that
cause or contribute to transboundary haze pollution in
Singapore.
Environment and Water Resources Minister Vivian Balakrishnan
said that under the Act, Singapore will have the legal
right under the Objective Territorial Principle to take
legal action against air polluters.
"While neighbouring countries have the sovereign
right to exploit their natural resources in accordance
with their policies they also have a responsibility to
ensure that "slash and burn" agricultural practices
do not cause damage to Singapore", he said.
The passing of the 2014 Trans-boundary Haze Pollution
Act gives Singapore the legal power to serve notices on
those that do not have assets or a presence in Singapore.
Indonesia is yet to ratify an Agreement on Transboundary
Haze Pollution that was signed by ASEAN member counries
in November 2003 in order to
address haze pollution arising from land and forest fires.
A bill passed in the Indonesian House of Representatives
in July 2013 gave the Indonesian goverment the power to
seize assetts gained from illegal logging and illegal
clearing of forests for palm oil plantations.
The new bill, designed to protect more than 13 million
hectres from deforestation, gave the Indonesian government
a mandate to establish a task force including police to
monitor the prevention and eradication of deforestation.
The
Southeast Asian Times
Papua
Biak massacre remembered in Sydney
with 136 white carnations
From
News Reports:
Sydney, July 5: A ceremony to mark the 16th anniversary
of the Biak Massacre in West Papua ua on 6 July 1998 will
be held at the Waverley Cliffs cemetery in Sydney on Sunday.
The Waverley Cliffs community will throw 136 white carnations
from the waverley cliffs into the Pacific Ocean in memory
of the Biak massacre.
A citizens tribunal, hosted by the Centre for Peace and
Conflict Studies (CPACS) at the University of Sydney last
year on the 15th anniversary of the Biak massacre found
that 136 West Papuan protesters were thrown into the sea
by Indonesian security forces.
The tribunal heard eye witness testimony that the West
Papuan demand for the right to vote for independence from
Indonesia was met with gunfire by Indonesian security
forces.
Survivors of the massacre told the international team
of jurists that the unarmed West Papuan protesters were
surrounded and shot by Indonesian security forces and
that survivors were thrown into the sea on 6 July 1998.
The
Southeast Asian Times
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| Bomb
believed dropped by US found in Cambodia |
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| Cambodian
Mine Action Centre (CMAC)
officials
unearth the M117 aircraft
bomb found in Takeo province
on Thursday |
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From
News Reports:
Phnom Penh, June 25: A 350-kg
M117 aircraft bomb believed
to have been dropped during
the US bombing of Cambodia
was found by local residents
in Takeo province, Tram Kak
district on Thursday, reports
the Phnom Penh Post.
Cambodian Mine Action Centre
(CMAC) Director Heng Ratana
said residents discovered
the large bomb buried 5 metres
deep while excavating for
a pond.
"It was likely left behind
from the US bombardment of
Cambodia’s countryside
during the Vietnam War,"
he said.
He said that it was very common
for the Cambodian Mine Action
Centre (CMAC) to receive reports
of bombs found in the Cambodian
country side, saying that
"an M117 bomb is not
a very common find."
"We have only found three
M117
this year," he said.
Cambodian Mine Action Centre
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(CMAC) Director Heng Ratana says that an
estimated 2,000 square kilometres of land
has yet to be demined.
"It is worrying that residents attempted
to clear land that the Cambodian Mine Action
Centre (CMAC) had not declared free of mines.
Cambodian Prime Minister Hune Sen has condemned
the US for the carpet bombing of Cambodia
during the Vietnam War.
The Prime Minister said that the US owed
Cambodia a larger debt for the destructon
the bombardment caused than the debts the
Lon Nol regime incurred during the 1970's,
The
Southeast Asian Times
Australia
to assist Philippines in fight against
ISIS in Muslim Mindanao
From News Reports:
Canberra,
June 24: The Royal Australian Air Force
(RAAF) is to fly intellegince-gathering
aircraft over the southern Philippines
in order to assist the Armed Forces of
the Philippines (AFP) in its fight with
Maute Abu Sayyaf ISIS who lay seige to
Marawi City in Mindanao last month, reports
the Philippine Inquirer.
Australian Defence Minister Marise Payne
said that Australia will operate two of
its P-3 Orion aircraft over the southern
region of Mindanao.
"The regional threat from terrorism
in particular Islamic State (IS) foreign
militants is a direct threat to Australia
and our interests," she said
The Australian Defence Minister said that
she had spoken to Philippine Secretary
of Defence Delfin Lorenzana about providing
assistance to the Philippines in its fight
with the Maute Abu Sayyaf ISIS.
"We agreed the best way to defeat
terrorism in our region is for us to work
together, she said.
The Philippines (AFP) and the Philippine
National Police (PNP) security forces
have been in battle with the Maute Abu
Sayyaf ISIS militants who lay seige to
the city on May 23 following the unseccessfull
attempt by the Armed Forces of the Philippines
(AFP) and the Philippine National Police
(PNP) security forces to arrest Isnilon
Hapilon.
Isnilon Hapilon who pledged allegiance
to the Islamic State in 2014 and who is
reportedly the commander of the Abu Sayyaf
Maute ISIS militants, escaped arrest as
militants took over the city, burning
buildings and seizing hostages incuding
a Catholic priest.
About 400 Armed Forces of the Philippines
(AFP) security forces arrived in the city
last Wednesday to carry out President
Rodrigo Duterte's instructions under martial
law declared over Muslim Mindanao on 30
May.
President Duterte ordered Armed Forces
of the Philippines (AFP) and Philippine
National Police (PNP) security forces
to "crush" the militants, saying
that "you can arrest any person,
search any house without a warrant.''
The
Southeast Asian Times
| Former health minister
sentenced to prison for bribery
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| Former
health minister Siti Fadilah
Supari at the Jakarta Corruption
Court |
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From News Reports
Jakarta, June 23: The Jakarta Corruption
Court sentenced former health minister
Siti Fadilah Supari to four years imprisonment
for accepting bribes in the procurement
of state-funded medical equipment, reports
the Jakarta Post.
Former health minister, Siti Fadilah Supari,
was found guilty of abusing her authority
in the procurement of medical equipment
for the Center for Health Problems (PPMK)
in 2005, causing more than Rp 6 billion
in state losses.
The former health minister also accepted
bribes of Rp 1.9 billion and Rp 1.3 billion,
from PT Graha Ismaya finance director
Sri Wahyuningsih and traver's cheques
from company president director, Masrizal
Achmad Syarif.
The former health minister who has returned
Rp 1.35 billion was ordered to return an
outstanding Rp 550 million to the state.
Former health ministry crisis center chief,
Rustam Pakaya, was also found guilty of
abusing his authority in the medical equipment
procurement for the crisis center in 2007,
causing Rp 21.3 billion in state losses.
Rustam Pakaya was sentenced to four years
in prison.
The Indonesian Corruption Eradication
Commission (KPK) was established on 29
December 2003 with the swearing in of
five commissioners by President Megawatti
- five years after Indonesia said that
it had had enough of corruption and President
Soeharto.
The People’s Consultative Assembly
said in 1998, the same year that Soeharto
resigned, that they wanted "a clean
state administration free from corruption,
collusion and nepotism".
Indonesia established - anti-corruption
courts in 33 provinces in 2011 each with
six judges with two of the judges attached
to the higher court. The corruption courts
reportedly hold trial hearings with their
secretariats at existing district courts.
The
Southeast Asian Times
Indonesia
grants more land title certificates
From
News Reports:
Jakarta, June 22: Indonesian president
Joko "Jokowi" Widodo has issued
a further 2,500 land title certificates
in central Java as part of the agrarian
reform program that includes the certification
of 126 million hectres of land throughtout
Indonesia, reports the Jakarta Post.
The 2,500 land title certificates were
issued in four regencies in Central Java,
Purbalingga, Wonosobo, Banjarnegara and
Cilacap.
President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo
said that of the total 126 million hectares
of land in Indonesia only 46 million hectares
had been certified.
"Efforts to issue certificates of
ownership for the remaining 80 million
hectres would be stepped up in the next
few years" he said.
Central Java Governor Ganjar Pranomo said
that local people could mortgage their
land to obtain a loan from a bank in order
to start a business when they received
a land title certificate showing ownership
of their land.
In December 2016 Indonesian President
Joko Widodo granted 2,082 land title certificates
to the Kubu Raya District community in
West Kalimantan, saying that the land
title certificates "can be used as
collateral for a bank loan."
In October 2016 the Indonesian Agrarian
Affairs and Spatial Layout Ministry and
National Land Agency (BPN) announced a
plan to issue land certificates throughout
Indonesia by 2025.
Sugeng Suparwoto, spokesman for the Ministery
and Land Agency said that President Joko
Widodo had included the land certification
program in the medium-term national development
plan in 2015.
In January 2015 Palm-oil tycoon, Budiono
Tan was arrested in Jakarta for the misappropiation
of land titles belonging to palm oil farmers
in West Kalimantan.
Budiono Tan, who was on the police most-wanted
list since 2009, is accused of misappropriatting
1,535 land titles in Ketapang, West Kalimantan
through his company, PT Benua Indah Grup
(BIG).
The
Southeast Asian Times
| Australian
nurse denies organising surrogate
pregnancies in Cambodia |
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Australian
Tammy Davis-Charles, 49, who
was arrested in November for
allegedly organising surrogate
preganancies, is transported
in a prison van to the Phnom
Penh Municipal Court on Friday
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From News Reports:
Phnom Penh, June 21: An Australian nurse
denied that she organised surrogate pregnancies
at the opening of Cambodia's first surrogacy
trial at the Phnom Penh Municipal Court
on Friday, reports the Phnom Penh Post.
Australian nurse Tammy Davis-Charles,
who is the founder of Fertility Solutions
Pre-implantation genetic diagnosis (PGD),
denied that she was the central figure
in Cambodia's surrogacy industry, describing
her role "as only one cog in a broader
machine."
Australian, Tammy Davis-Charles, 49, Cambodian
Ministry of Commerce employee, Penh Rithy,
28, and Cambodian nurse Sambath Chakriya,
34, were arrested in November last year,
two weeks after the Cambodian Ministry of
Health banned commercial surrogacy.
The three women were reportedly charged
not for commercial surrogacy but for allegedly
being intermediaries between an adoptive
parent and a pregnant woman and for fraudulently
obtaining documents such as birth certificates.
Australian nurse Tammy Davis-Charles denied
the charges saying that she did not recruit
women to be surrogates or seek intended
parents, saying that her role was "to
supervise surrogates and provide medical
care including ultrasounds and medication
during the pregnancies."
“I monitored the surrogate mothers
to care for them and make sure they were
safe,” she said.
The Australian nurse said that she had
tended to 23 pregnancies of which 18 were
Australians and five Americans, since
her arrival in Cambodia in 2015.
She reportedly objected to the police
statement saying that she had employed
the surrogates and was paid $50,000 for
each pregnancy,
The Australian nurse denied employing
the surrogate mothers and denied receiving
payment for each pregnancy.
"I explained that many times at the
police station and the police officers
and the translator would not listen,”
she said.
Deputy chief of the Municipal Anti-Human
Trafficking Police, Phat Phalla, said
that "the translator did not force
her to fake her answers."
"Tammy Davis-Charles agreed her translator
was acceptable at the time," he said.
The
Southeast Asian Times
| Bodies
of US sailors retrieved from
US Navy ship after collision
with Philippine tanker |
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| US
Navy ship, USS Fitzgerald in
port at Yokosuka, Japan after
a collision at sea with Philippine-flagged
merchant vessel ACX Crystal. |
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From
News Reports:
Manila, June 20: The search for seven
U.S. Navy sailors missing after the US
Navy ship, USS Fitzgerald, collided with
a Philippine container ship 56 miles southwest
of Yokosuka, Japan was called off Sunday
after their bodies were found in the ship's
flooded compartments, reports the Philippine
Inquirer.
The U.S. Navy has identified the seven
sailors who were found in the USS Fitzgerald
on Sunday the day after the Arleigh Burke-class
guided-missile destroyer USS Fitzgerald
(DDG 62) was damaged in a collision with
Philippine-flagged merchant vessel ACX
Crystal.
U.S. Navy said in a statement that the
bodies of the seven US sailors were located
in flooded compartments after divers gained
access on Sunday.
US Vice Adm. Joseph P. Aucoin, commander
of the 7th Fleet said that three sailors
including commanding officer, Bryce Benson
of the USS Fitzgerald were evacuated and
transferred to the Yokosuka naval hospital,
Japan.
He said that the ship returned under its
own power to port Yokosuka with damage
to its hull.
The collission reportedly occurred at
2:30 a.m. on Saturday.
"It was only through the heroic efforts
of the ship's crew that the ship was prevented
from foundering or sinking," said
US Vice Adm. Joseph P. Aucoin.
He said that the damage to the shp is
beneath the waterline, saying that "it's
a large gash near the keel of the ship".
"The water flow was tremendous,"
he said.
Japanese investigators have reportedly
questioned the crew of the Philippine-flagged
merchant vessel ACX Crystal about the
collision, saying that they will be cooperatig
with US officials in determining the cause
of the collison.
The Philippine-flagged merchant vessel
ACX Crystal with 29,000 tons displacement,
it is about three times the size
of the US Navy ship, USS Fitzgerald.
The Japanees Coast Guard reports that
none of the 20 crew members aboard the
Philippine -flagged merchant vessel ACX
Crystal
were injured.
The
Southeast Asian Times
| Khmer Rouge
genocide trial in Phnom Penh
comes to an end |
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| Prosecutors
William Smith and Nicholas Koumjian
give closing statements in the
genocide trial in the United
Nations-sponsored Extraordinary
Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia
(ECCC) or Khmer Rouge Tribunal
in Phnom Penh on Friday |
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From
News Reports:
Phnom Pehn, 19 June: Prosecutor in the United
Nations-sponsored Extraordinary Chambers
in the Courts of Cambodia (ECCC) or Khmer
Rouge Tribunal in Phnom Penh delivered their
closing statement in the trial of Khmer
Rouge officials, Nuon Chea and Khieu Samphan,
who are charged with genocide, reports the
Phnom Penh Post.
Khieu Samphan and Nuon Chea charged of genocide
against the Cham and Vietnamese, includes
forced marriages and rape, internal purges,
alleged crimes committed against Buddhists
and former Khmer Republic officials including
crimes allegedly committed at four security
centers, three worksites and at work cooperatives.
The Trial Chamber of the Extraordinary
Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia (ECCC)
began hearing evidence in February 2016
related to charges of genocide and other
crimes alleged against the Vietnamese
minority in Cambodia during the period
of Democratic Kampuchea.
Nuon Chea and Khieu Samphan, were convicted
in August 2015 of breaches of the Geneva
Conventions of 1949 including crimes against
humanity.
Prosecutor, Nicholas Koumjian, said in
his closing statement that the role of
the accused, Nuon Chea and Khieu Samphan,
as Pol Pot's most trusted advisers, were
equally responsible for the development
and implementation of his policies.
He said that it was Khmer Rouge policy
to remove the Vietnamese from Cambodia,
saying that "we see in the latter
years of the regime that the intent was
to kill all those that remained."
Prosecutor, Nicholas Koumjian, said that
the strongest evidence that Cambodia’s
ultimate goal was to destroy the Vietnamese
people lies in a statement from Pol Pot
broadcast on the radio in 1978.
"Pol Pot estimated that each Cambodian
soldier was capable of killing 30 Vietnamese,
and therefore Cambodia could wipe out the
entire population with only 2 million soldiers",
he said.
Council for the defence argued that Nuon
Chea and Khieu Samphan had limited knowledge
of the crimes carried out despite Khieu
Samphan being the country’s head
of state, claiming that the accused was
not a high ranking official within the
Khmer Rouge.
The
Southeast Asian Times
Malaysia accuses the US of interference
in domestic affairs
From
News Reports:
Kuala Lumpur, June 17: The Malaysian government
has accused the United States Department
of Justice (DoJ) of having an ulteria
motive that goes beyond the seizure of
assets alledgedly misapropriated by 1Malaysia
Development Berhad (IMDB), reports the
Star.
Spokesman for the Malaysian Prime Ministers
office, Tengku Sarifuddin Tengku Ahmad,
said that "the US has a motivation
that goes beyond seizing assets following
the United States Department of Justice
(DoJ) notice to seize a further US$540mil
(RM2.3bil) in assets allegedly belonging
to 1MDB.
He said that the United States Department
of Justice (DoJ) naming of individuals
and matters in the lawsuit against the
alledged misapropriated of funds by 1Malaysia
was "unnecessary and gratuitous".
He accused the US of "domestic political
manipulation and interference" in
the naming of individuals and matters
in the US lawsuit against Malaysia, saying
that "numerous and extensive investigations
by Malaysian authorities into 1MDB had
been conducted and no crime had been found".
In July 2016 the United States Justice
Department (DoJ) seized assets worth more
than $3.5 billion including artworks and
real estate that was allegedly owned by
individuals related to Malaysian Prime
Minister Najib Tun Razak and that was
allegedly misappropriated from the 1Malaysia
Development Bhd (1MDB) fund.
In August 2014 the Malaysian Anti-Corruption
Commission, Bank Negara and Malaysian
police began investigation of allegations
published in the Wall Street Journal on
2 July 2014 that funds that had allegedly
been donated by one of nine sons of the
late Saudi king Abdullah, were transferred
from 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB)
to Malaysia Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak
private bank accounts.
Malaysia Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak
who is Finance Minister and Chairman of
the state fund 1Malaysia Development Bhd
(1MDB) advisory board, denied the Wall
Street Journal (WSJ) allegations, saying
that he would take legal action against
the Wall Street Journal (WSJ).
The 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) has
reportedly amassed RM42 billion in debts
since its establishement in 2009.
The Wall Street Journal reported that
US$1 billion (S$1.4 billion) was deposited
into Prime Minister Najib Razak account
between 2011 and 2013, more than the US$681
million identified in the initial investigation.
The
Southeast Asian Times
| Cuba to
learn from Vietnamese economic
model |
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Cuban
National Assembly Chairman,
Esteban Lazo Hernandez and Vietnam
National Assembly Chairwoman,
Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan
in Hanoi this week |
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From News Reports:
Hanoi. June 16: Vietnam and Cuba agreed
to the development of legislature between
the two countries in order to facilitate
bilateral trade, reports the Vietnam News
Service.
Vietnam National Assembly Chairwoman, Nguyen
Thi Kim Ngan and Cuban National Assembly
Chairman, Esteban Lazo Hernandez, agreed
to legislative ties between the two countries
during the visit of the Cuban National Assembly
Chairman to Hanoi.
Vietnam and Cuba agreed to exchange their
experiences in the development of laws in
order to facilitate bulateral trade.
Vietnam and Cuba also agreed to foster co-operation
in agriculture, bio-technology, construction,
tourism infrastructure, telecommunications
and electronic equipment.
Cuban National Assembly Chairman, Esteban
Lazo Hernandez, said that he aimed to learn
from the Vietnam 30 year experience of Doi
Moi in order to apply the Vietnamese economic
model to Cuba.
The introduction of Doi Moi in 1986 at the
6th Congress of the Vietnam Communist Party
in Hanoi was a historical moment in Vietnam's
political and Social history.
Vienam's economic association with the former
Soviet Union and the socialist mode of production
ended with the introduction of Doi Moi.
The focus on economic development rather
than on war strategy began in I986 and with
it came the shift to a market economy.
Vietnam National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyen
Thi Kim Ngan said that Vietnam's legislature
"is gearing towards transparency."
"Vietnamese legislature plans to take
an active role in multilateral forums, regional
and international inter-parliamentary organisationn"
In April the Vietnam Glass and Ceramics
for Construction Corporation, Viglacera,
opened its first showroom under the Cuban
Ministry of Construction’s Escambray
chain stores in Havana.
The
Southeast Asian Times
UN calls for decriminalization
of Lese Majeste law
From News Reports
Bangkok, June 15: The United Nations Human
Rights Council (OHCHR) has called on Thailand
to bring its Lese Majeste law that criminalizes
insults against the monarchy in line with
international law, reports the Bangkok
Post.
The United Nations Human Rights Council
(OHCHR) Geneva spokesman, Rupert Colville
said that the UN was "very concerned
by the rise in the number of lese majeste
prosecutions in Thailand since 2014 and
the severity of the sentencing."
Gen Prayuth Chan-ocha was officially appointed
commander of the National Council for
Peace and Order (NCPO) by Thai King Bhumibol
Adulyadej following the declaration of
Martial law under the 1914 Martial Law
Act at Bangkok military headquarters in
May 2014.
The military then urged about 20 lese
majeste suspects to report to military
headquarters in Bangkok in the month following
the declaration of Martial Law.
The suspects had allegedly violated article
112 of the Thai criminal Lese-Majeste
law that is designed to ensure that the
then, King Bhumibol Adulyadej, 86, and
members of the royal family were not insulted
or defamed.
National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO)
spokesman, Col Winthai Suvaree said then
that those who did not present themselves
to the military would be defying National
Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) orders.
"Their cases would be prosecuted
in military courts instead of the criminal
court" he said.
The United Nations Human Rights Council
(OHCHR) call yesterday for the decriminalization
of the Lese-Majeste law follows a thirty
five year prison sentence handed down
by the Thai military court on Tuesday
for violation of Section 112 of the Criminal
Code, the Lese-Majeste law, on a social
media post that was deemed defamatory
and insulting to the monarchy.
In September 2016 Thai Prime Minister,
Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha ended military court
trials for security offences, including
offences against the lese majeste law
that protects the Thai monarchy from defamatory
imputation.
The end of military trials for civilians
that for violation of the Lese-Majeste
law was made under National Council for
Peace and Order (NCPO) order No.55/2016
did not apply to existing cases but to
offences committed after it was implemented
on 19 September 2019.
The
Southeast Asian Times
Singapore teacher arrested for support of ISIS
From News Reports
Singapore, June 14: Singapore police have
arrested a pre-school assistant teacher
under the Internal Security Act (ISA) for
the exchange of pro-Islamic State material
and her intention to travel to Syria in
order to undergo military training, reports
the Straits Times.
Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) said in statement
that Syaikhah Izzah Zahrah Al Ansari, 22,
was arrested under the Internal Security
Act (ISA) that allows for indefenite detention
without trial.
Syaikhah Izzah Zahrah Al Ansari is reportedly
the first woman of 14 Singaporeans arrested
for their support of ISIS since 2015.
The pre-school assistant teacher, who worked
for a chain of Singapore government public
pre-schools, reportedly planned to travel
to Syria with her young child with the intent
to join ISIS.
Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) said that
Syaikhah Izzah Zahrah Al Ansari had been
"looking for a Salafi or an ISIS supporter
to marry in Syria since 1915."
"The pre-school assistant teacher would
reap ‘heavenly rewards’ if her
husband died in battle. Her ‘elevated
status’ as a ‘martyr’s widow’,
would allow her to marry another ISIS fighter
in Syria," the statement said.
The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) is conducting
investigations into family members of the
accused who are believed to have destroyed
evidence relating to her plans to join ISIS.
The Straits Times reports that the detention
of the first Singaporean woman for support
of ISIS comes amid growing concern in the
ASEAN region about the spread of suppot
for the Islamic State.
The
Southeast Asian Times
Timor-Leste
justice
threatened
by firing of foreign judges
By Susan Marx ...open
page here |
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Thousands
of Northern Australia's indigenous
rock art sites are under threat
from buffalo, fire and feral
animals.
Tim Lee reports
........open page here
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| .MEDIA
CHECK |
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The
Yogyakarta Alliance of
Independent Journalists
(AJI) want
the murder of Yogyakarta
journalist in 1996 remembered
in proposed Anti-Violence
against Journalists Day...open
here |
|
|
| Copy
of letter dated 29 May 2012
from Vietnam Womens Union to
International Olympic Committee...open
here |
|
| A
cartoon goes inside the tour
bus in Manila on the day that
ended with the slaying of eight
Hong Kong tourists
...Open
page here |
|
| Bombed
by the Americans for Christmas
in 1972, Ha Noi Bach Mai hospital
is still a war zone...Christina
Pas reports...Open
page here |
|
Published
by Pas Loizou Press Darwin Northern Territory
Australia
PASLOIZOUPRESSDARWIN@bigpond.com
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Oz $ buys
|
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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
Papua New Guinea..2.4033
Philippines Peso..35.3212
Singapore dollar...1.0308
Thailand...Baht..26.2521
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 local 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
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