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GATHERINGS:
An informed guide to happenings throughout the region.
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Vietnam
opens consulate in Macau
From
News Reports:
Hanoi, January 9: Vietnam's Hong Kong Consulate General
launched a consulate office in the Macau Special Administrative
Region of China on Friday, reports the Vietnam News Service.
Consulate General of Hong Kong, Tran Than Huan, said at
the launching ceremony that the office aims to better
ensure the rights of Vietnamese citizens and tourists
in the region.
He said that the consulate office in Macau will provide
easier access to information about Vietnam, saying that
it would boost friendship and co-operation between Vietnam
and Macau.
The Consulate General said that the office expected to
recieve support from local organisations including the
Vietnam Fellow Countrymen Friendship Association in Macau.
More than 20,000 Vietnamse are employed as domestic workers,
in the service industry at Macau's casino's.
Vietnamese also operate tourist and services companies.
The
Southeast Asian Times
US invites Vietnam Communist Party General Secretary to
the White House
From News
Reports:
Hanoi, July 6, 2015: The General Secretary of the Central
Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam will visit
the United States from July 6 to July 10 at the invitiation
of the United States State Department in a "landmark"
visit, Rueters reports.
General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist
Party Nguyen Phu Trong will meet United States President
Barack Obama at the White House on Tuesday.
Rueters quotes a senior state department official
saying that the meeting between the General Secretary
of the Central Committee of the Communist Party and the
President of the United States "would skirt protocol"
because the General Secretary is "not part of a government".
"Obama saw the visit as crucial", Rueters reports
the senior state department official as saying.
Rueters also quotes the senior state department official
saying that "there was a broad agreement that it
made sense to treat General
Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party
Nguyen Phu Trong as the visit of "the top
leader of the country".
"It's a pretty big event," Rueters quotes the
state department official as saying.
The
Southeast Asian Times
France
agrees to return Aboriginal remains home to Australia
From
News Reports:
Canberra, November 25: French president Francois Hollande
and Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott have agreed
to work together to return Aboriginal remains to Australia
during the first official visit by a French head of state
to Australia last week, reports Australian Associated
Press.
The French head of state and the Australian prime minister
said that a joint expert committee is to be established
to help identify the origin of the Aboriginal remains
held in France.
The head of state and prime minister said in a joint statement
that the identification process would respect the sensitivities
and values of the two countries and consider the requests
of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities including
the French legal system.
"The French government will examine possible solutions
to enable the return of the Aboriginal human remains to
their community of origin." the statement said.
Australia believes the remains of Aboriginal and Torres
Strait Islanders are being held in Museum collections
around the world including in Europe and the
United States.
In 2010 a British museum agreed to return 138 sets of
Aboriginal skeletal remains to Australia including the
severed head of Australian Aboriginal warrior, Yagan,
to the Noongar of South West Western Australia after being
missing in action for about 177 years. Yagan was shot
dead for his resistance to British settlement on the Swan
river.
The
Southeast Asian Times
"No " to proposal to delete religion from Indonesian
national identity card
From News Reports:
Jakarta, November 10: Islamic-based political party politicians
oppose the proposal put by the newly selected Home Minister
Tjahjo Kumolo, that national identity cards (KTP) do not
include the religion of the car holder.
Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) politician Aboebakar Al
Habsy said that not to include the religion of the card
holder on national identity cards (KTP)
contradicted the country’s founding philosophy of
Pancasila
“If we believe that Pancasila is our state ideology
and our national identity, then why should we be ashamed
of including our religion on our national identity card,"
he said
Home Minister Tjahjo Kumolo also proposed that the regious
beliefs of Indonesian citizens be omitted from official
government documents.
He said that the religion of Indonesian citizens on national
identity cards (KTP) or in official government documents
should not be imposed.
"It's up to the people", he said.
The
Souheast Asian Times
The
Wolf bridge: An insult to Thai monarchy
From News Reports:
Bangkok, October 31: Thai University students, Patiwat
Saraiyaem, 23, and Pornthip Mankong, 26, were charged
in the Ratrachada Court on Monday, with defamation of
the Thai monarchy in a play titled "The Wolf Bridge"
performed at the Thammasat university in October 2013,
reports the Bangkok Post.
The students were charged with insulting the Royal Thai
family in the fictional depiction of the monarchy in a
play performed in commemoration of the 37th and 40th anniversaries
of the October 6, 1976 and October 14, 1973 pro-democracy
student uprisings at Thammasat University.
The prosecution cites nine passages from the plays's script,
a work of fiction that depicts a fictional monarch, that
allegedly insults the monarchy and as such is in violation
of the lese majeste law.
Patiwat Saraiyaem, actor and Pornthip Mankong, producer
of the play, in detention since arrested on 13 August,
have been refused bail are scheduled to appear in court
to enter pleas on December 29.
The
Southeast Asian Times
World
including
Asean PM's and Presidents to attend inauguaration of Indonesian
president
From News Reports:
Jakarta, October 18: World Prime ministers, Presidents
and State representatives including US Secretary of State,
John Kerry and Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott will
attend the inauguaration of Joko “Jokowi” Widodo
as President of Indonesiaon on Monday.
The speaker of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR)
Zulkifli Hasan said that representatives from the ten
Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) member
nations have also been invited to attend the swearing
in of the former governor of Jakarta, Joko “Jokowi”
Widodo as president of Indonesia.
"The Prime Ministers and Presidents of Malaysia,
Singapore, Japan and South Korea are also expected to
attend", he said.
He said that the Indonesian People's Consultative Assembly
(MPR) has also invited "domestic VIP's" including
former Presidents and Vice-Presidents.
“All chairpersons of political parties have also
be invited,” said the speaker.
The
Southeast Asian Times
Banned ISIS flag found flying in Aceh
From
News Reports:
Jakarta, September 12: The Islamic State of Iraq and Syria
(ISIS) flag found flying from a coconut tree in Aceh on
Sunday has been torn down, reports the Jakarta Post.
The discovery of the banned ISIS flag was reportedly the
first in Aceh.
Police chief First Inspecter Azwan said that the flag
of the nationally banned movement was discovered by chess
players sitting at a food stall near the coconut tree
in the Sungai Raya district of East Aceh regency in Aceh.
He said that a bomb disposal team inspected the area before
the flag was taken down.
President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono announced Indonesia's
rejection of the State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) and
banned the teaching of ISIL ideology in Indonesia last
month at his parliamentary state-of-the-nation address
and ahead of the 69th anniversary of Indonesias Independence.
The
Southeast Asian Times
Singapore passes Trans- boundary Haze Pollution Act
From News Reports:
Singapore, August, 18: The passing of the 2014 Trans-boundary
Haze Pollution Act by the Singapore parliament last week
will enable Singapore regulators to sue individuals or
companies in neighbouring countries for causing severe
air pollution in Singapore.
The Act that was first proposed in 2013 would enable Singapore
to impose fines of up to S$2 million on companies that
cause or contribute to transboundary haze pollution in
Singapore.
Environment and Water Resources Minister Vivian Balakrishnan
said that under the Act, Singapore will have the legal
right under the Objective Territorial Principle to take
legal action against air polluters.
"While neighbouring countries have the sovereign
right to exploit their natural resources in accordance
with their policies they also have a responsibility to
ensure that "slash and burn" agricultural practices
do not cause damage to Singapore", he said.
The passing of the 2014 Trans-boundary Haze Pollution
Act gives Singapore the legal power to serve notices on
those that do not have assets or a presence in Singapore.
Indonesia is yet to ratify an Agreement on Transboundary
Haze Pollution that was signed by ASEAN member counries
in November 2003 in order to
address haze pollution arising from land and forest fires.
A bill passed in the Indonesian House of Representatives
in July 2013 gave the Indonesian goverment the power to
seize assetts gained from illegal logging and illegal
clearing of forests for palm oil plantations.
The new bill, designed to protect more than 13 million
hectres from deforestation, gave the Indonesian government
a mandate to establish a task force including police to
monitor the prevention and eradication of deforestation.
The
Southeast Asian Times
Papua
Biak massacre remembered in Sydney
with 136 white carnations
From
News Reports:
Sydney, July 5: A ceremony to mark the 16th anniversary
of the Biak Massacre in West Papua ua on 6 July 1998 will
be held at the Waverley Cliffs cemetery in Sydney on Sunday.
The Waverley Cliffs community will throw 136 white carnations
from the waverley cliffs into the Pacific Ocean in memory
of the Biak massacre.
A citizens tribunal, hosted by the Centre for Peace and
Conflict Studies (CPACS) at the University of Sydney last
year on the 15th anniversary of the Biak massacre found
that 136 West Papuan protesters were thrown into the sea
by Indonesian security forces.
The tribunal heard eye witness testimony that the West
Papuan demand for the right to vote for independence from
Indonesia was met with gunfire by Indonesian security
forces.
Survivors of the massacre told the international team
of jurists that the unarmed West Papuan protesters were
surrounded and shot by Indonesian security forces and
that survivors were thrown into the sea on 6 July 1998.
The
Southeast Asian Times
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Philippine
Supreme Court extends martial
law over Muslim Mindanao
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The
Philippines Supreme Court extended
martial law for the third time
over Mindanao in the southern
Philippines to December 31 on
Tuesday |
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From
News Reports:
Manila, February 21: The Supreme Court
affirmed the legality of the third extension
of martial law and the suspension of the
privilege of the writ of habeas corpus
over the whole of Muslim Mindanao in the
southern Philippines until December 31,
reports the Philippine Inquirer.
Nine justices of the Supreme court voted
in favor of the extension with four dissenting
despite opposition to the extention from
legislators who claim that the extention
is unconstitutional and that the state
of rebellion in Muslim Mindanao claimed
by Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte
does not exist.
Political party Bayan Muna, Gabriela National
Alliance of Women's Organizations, Sangguniang
Kabataan youth council, Samahang Magdalo
nationalist organisation and the Alliance
of Concerned Teachers (ACT) claims that
the Supreme Court is a rubber stamp for
Malacanan, saying that the extension of
martial law was upheld despite there being
no grounds for the extention.
“The Supreme Court has once again stretched
the boundaries of judicial interpretation
by upholding Congress’ approval of
President Duterte’s extension of martial
law in Mindanao", said Bayan Muna party
chairman, Neri Colmenares.
"It paves the way for imposing martial
law nationwide even if there is no threat
to public safety,” he said.
"The Supreme Court had once again
proven that it had submitted itself to
the whims of the Duterte administration,"
said Gabriela National Alliance of Women's
Organizations, spokeswoman Arlene Brosas.
“Where will Filipino women and the
people turn to for justice and accountability
during these dark times of impunity if
the Supreme Court itself is already an
appendage of the Armed Forces of the Philippines
and its Commander in Chief?” she
said.
Samahang Magdalo nationalist organisation,
spokesman, Gary Alejano, said that “instead
of being a vanguard of justice and rationality,
the Supreme Court has shown otherwise.”
The Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT)
spokesman, Antonio Tinio, said that the
Supreme Court had no basis to declare
the third extension of martial law in
Mindanao constitutional.
“The only terrorism still lurking in
Mindanao is state terrorism, brought by
elements of the Armed Forces of the Philippines,
paramilitary forces and the Philippine National
Police who drive lumad children out of their
schools, illegally detain people without
warrants of arrest, charge them with trumped-up
cases and tag them as terrorists,”
he said.
Last month opposition legislator, Albay
Rep. Edcel Lagman said that the Supreme
Court had ruled in previous petitions
that had questioned the imposition of
martial law that there must be an actual
rebellion and that public safety must
be at risk before martial law can be imposed
or extended.
The opposition legislator argued that
President Duterte’s December 6, 2018
letter to Congress that initiated a third
extension of martial law “failed
to demonstrate the sufficient factual
basis for his request, while his allegations
of lawless violence and terrorism were
not connected to rebellion.”
"The President admitted that the
alleged rebellion has been significantly
placed under control,” he said.
In December 2018 Philippine President
Rodrigo Duterte called on congress to
extend martial law over the southern Philippine
province of Mindanao for another year
on the recommendation of the Philippine
National Police (PNP) and the Armed Forces
of the Philippines (AFP).
Presidential spokesman, Salvador Panelo
said President Duterte was “compelled”
to extend martial law in Mindanao in order
to strengthen economic development that
can only be achieved if there is peace
and order.
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte who
was the mayor of Davao City in Mindanao
before he was elected president in May
2016, declared martial law over the southern
Philippines a year later following the
occupation of Marawi City by Abu Sayyaf
Maute ISIS fighters, saying then that
"the proclamation will last 60 days."
The
Southeast Asian Times
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Myanmar
workers call for labour laws
in line with ILO
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Workers
led by the Confederation of
Trade Unions Myanmar (CTUM)
and Myanmar Industrial Craft
Services - Trade Unions Federation
(MICS TUsF) marched on Mandalay
City Park calling for labour
laws in line with International
Labour Organisation (ILO) |
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From
News Reports:
Yangon, February 20: Thousands of Mandalay
workers called on the government to ammend
and enact laws to protect and promote
the welfare of workers in the draft labour
law, calling for labour laws in line with
the Interntional Labour Organisation (ILO),
reports the Myanmar Times.
About 1000 workers led by the Confederation
of Trade Unions Myanmar (CTUM) and Myanmar
Industrial Craft Services - Trade Unions
Federation (MICS TUsF) marched on Mandalay
on Sunday calling for the government to
bring the labour law in line with International
Labour Organisation (ILO) standards.
Myanmar Industrial Craft Services - Trade
Unions Federation (MICS TUsF) general
secretary U Thet Hnin Aung said that the
Myanmar parliament was not listening to
workers.
"The laws on leave and holidays and
on the settlement of labour disputes have
not been drafted in consultation with
the workers", he said.
The Myanmar Times reports that the Myanmar
Ministry of Labour draft labour law includes
provisions that are not supported by labour
unions including retraints on the right
to organise.
Myanmar Industrial Craft Services - Trade
Unions Federation (MICS TUsF) general
secretary U Thet Hnin Aung said that worker
dismissal rates are rising.
"The government is not addressing
the rise in worker dismissals", he
said.
The workers reportedly called for freedom
of association and the right to organise,
the development of a labour court, the
right of state workers to form unions,
the lifting of restrictions imposed on
construction workers, protection of workers
in special economic zones, and bringing
the labour law in line with International
Labour Organization standards.
“The government draft labour law
oppresses labour unions,” said U
Thet Hnin Aung.
In October 2018 Myanmar 300 garment workers
who had been on strike for 56 days were
attacked with metal rods at the Chinese
owned Fu Yuen Garment factory in Dagon
Seikkan Industrial Zone.
About 40 men weilding metal rods reportedly
attacked 26 garment workers outside the
Fu Yuen Garment factory, who were protesting
against the sacking of 30 factory union
offcials and the violation of labour laws,
leaving six workers hospitalised with
head injuries.
“Our strike has been going on for
56 days and there has not been a settlement
of our grievances", said Fu Yuen
Garment factory, union chair, Ma Thet
Htar Swe.
"We have a right to hold a strike,”
she said.
The
Southeast Asian Times
| Thai
Princess Ubolratana cannot be
PM says Election Commission |
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From
News reports:
Bangkok, February 19:
The Thai Election Commission
(EC) has rejected the
Thai Raksa Chart Party
nomination of Princess
Ubolratana Rajakanya
Sirivadhana Barnavadi,
67, as a candidate for
prime minister while
approving 69 other nominees
for prime minister from
45 political parties,
reports the Bangkok
Post.
The Election Commission
(EC) said that among
the nominees for prime
minister from the political
parties that have been
approved for the March
24 Thai elections is
Prime Minister Prayut
Chan-o-ch whe was nominated
by the Palang Pracharath
Party (PPRP).
The Election Commission
(EC) rejected the Thai
Raksa Chart Party's
nomination of Princess
Ubolratana as its candidate
for prime minister on
Monday, citing the Thai
Royal ruling that members
of the royal family
are above politics and
are not permitted to
stand for election.
Princess Ubolratana
who relinquished her
royal status in 1972,
when she married a
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The
Thai Election Commission
(EC) rejected the
Thai Raksa Chart
Party nomination
of Princess Ubolratana
Rajakanya Sirivadhana
Barnavadi, 67, as
a candidate for
prime minister,
citing the Thai
Royal ruling that
members of the royal
family are above
politics and are
not permitted to
stand for election |
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"commoner"
an American, claims that she is a "commmoner
with the freedom and rights of an ordinary
Thai to register with the Election Commission
(EC) to be the candidate for the Thai Raksa
Chart Party.
“My acceptance of the Thai Raksa Chart
Party’s invitation to be its PM candidate
is a constitutional right, not a privilege,”
she said.
Thai King Maha Vajiralongkorn says that
although princess Ubolratana, who is the
eldest daughter of late Thai King Bhumibol
and the elder sister of His Majesty King
Maha Vajiralongkorn, has relinquished her
royal status she is still a royal family
member by tradition, saying that "the
princess still performed activities on behalf
of the royal family."
The Election Commission (EC) secretary-general
Pol Col, Jarunvith Phumma, said that the
Commissions decision for candidates for
prime minister was final and that there
are no legal channels for parties to appeal
the decision.
The Thai Election Commission (EC) has recommended
that the Constitutional Court dissolve the
Thai Raksa Chart Party (TRC) for nominating
Princess Ubolratana to be its prime ministerial
candidate, with Election Commission (EC)
secretary-general Charungwit Phumma saying
that the commission had found that the Thai
Raksa Chart Party (TRC) is in breach of
Section 92 of the 2018 Political Parties
Act.
"The registration by the Thai Raksa
Chart Party (TRC) of Princess Ubolratana
as a presidential candidate is deemed hostile
to the constitutional monarchy," he
said.
Section 92 reportedly states that credible
evidence that a political party has committed
an act deemed hostile to the constitutional
monarchy, the Election Commission (EC) must
propose the dissolution of the political
party to the Constitutional Court.
The
Southeast Asian Times
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Assassins
get death penalty
for murder of Myanmar Muslim
lawyer
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Thousands
of mourners gathered in Myanmar's
capital to bury Muslim lawyer,
U Ko Ni, 65, who was shot dead
at the Yangon International
airport in 2017 |
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From
New Reports:
Yangon, February 18: A Yangon court sentenced
four men convicted of the murder of Muslim
lawyer, U Ko Ni, 65, who was shot dead
on January 27, 2017 at the Yangon airport
in what the National League for Democracy
(NLD) party said was a "political
assassination", with party leader,
Aung San Suu Kyi, saying that he was killed
for his constitutional reform work and
not because of inter-communal tensions
to do with religion or Buddhist-Muslim
conflict, reports the Myanmar Times.
Gunman U Kyi Lin, U Aung Win Zaw, a former
Myanmar military officer, accomplices
U Zeyar Phyo and U Aung Wi Tun were convicted
of premeditated murder under section 302(1)(b)
of the Penal Code and sentenced to death
for the murder of member of the ruling
National League for Democracy (NLD), U
Ko Ni.
The four men were charged with the murder
of lawyer U Ko Ni, a pro-democracy advocate,
who worked as a constitutional lawyer
advising the National League for Democracy
(NLD) on charter reform, at the Yangon
Northern District Court on March 17, 2017.
U Ko Ni, a lawyer and a member of the
ruling National League for Democracy (NLD),
was part of a 21-member government delegation
including Myanmar Information Minister,
U Pe Myint, the Myanmar Deputy Minister
for Home Affairs, and the Myanmar Home
Affairs Minister for Arakan State returning
from Indonesia when he was shot dead at
the Yangon International airport.
A member of the team who traveled with
U Ko Ni to Indonesia said that “It
seemed that the gunman knew the exact
time of his arrival and was waiting to
shoot him.”
U Ko Ni was reportedly shot in the head
at close range as he was about to leave
the Yangon International Airport.
Yangon International Airport security
guard, U Aung Myint Oo, said that U Ko
Ni " fell bleeding to the ground
and died on the spot,”
The gunman, identified as U Kyi Lin from
Mandalay, reportedly also shot and killed
a taxi driver who with others had attempted
to stop the gunman.
Taxi drivers held the gunman, until police
arrived and placed him under arrest.
The taxi drivers said that the gunman
shouted “You can’t act like
that,” before opening fire.
The National League for Democracy (NLD)
party leader Aung San Suu Kyi, whose party
won about 97 per cent of Yangon Region
seats in the November 2015 General elections,
is subject to the conditions of the Solidarity
and Development Party (USDP) military-drafted
Myanmar constitution.
The Myanmar constitution allows for the
allocation of 25 percent of Parliamentary
seats in both houses to unelected military
officers.
The
Southeast Asian Times
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Thai
Election Commission recommends
dissolution of Thai Raksa
Chart Party
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Thai
Raksa Chart Party (TRC) official,
Preechapol Pongpanich, says
that the party is loyal to Thai
King Maha Vajiralongkorn and
all members of the royal family |
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From
News Reports:
Bangkok, February 17: The Thai Election
Commission (EC) recommends that the Constitutional
Court dissolve the Thai Raksa Chart Party
(TRC) for nominating Princess Ubolratana
to be its prime ministerial candidate, who
as a royal family member is not permitted
to take a political position, reports the
Bangkok Post.
Election Commission (EC) secretary-general
Charungwit Phumma said the commission had
found that the Thai Raksa Chart Party (TRC)
is in breach of Section 92 of the 2018 Political
Parties Act.
"The registration by the Thai Raksa
Chart Party (TRC) of Princess Ubolratana
as a presidential candidate is deemed hostile
to the constitutional monarchy," he
said.
The Election Commission (EC) must reportedly
propose the dissolution of the political
party to the Constitutional Court under
Section 92 if evidence is provided that
the political party has committed an act
deemed hostile to the constitutional monarchy.
Thai Raksa Chart Party (TRC) official, Preechapol
Pongpanich, said that the party has suspended
party activities for seven days in order
to prepare a defence for alleged breach
of Section 92 of the 2018 Political Parties
Act and hostile to the constitutional monarchy.
Thai King Maha Vajiralongkorn claims that
Princess Ubolratana Rajakanya Sirivadhana
Barnavadi, 67, who registered as a candidate
for Prime Minister for the Thai Raksa Chart
Party with the Election Commission, is not
permitted to take a political position .
Princess Ubolratana who relinquished her
royal status in 1972, when she married a
"commoner" an American, claimed
that she is a "commmoner" with
the freedom and rights of an ordinary Thai
to register to be the candidate for the
Thai Raksa Chart Party.
“My acceptance of the Thai Raksa Chart
Party’s invitation to be its PM candidate
is a constitutional right, not a privilege,”
she said
Thai King Maha Vajiralongkorn said in a
statement published in the Royal Gazette
that although princess Ubolratana, who is
the eldest daughter of late King Bhumibol
and the elder sister of King Maha Vajiralongkorn,
has relinquished her royal status, she is
still a royal family member by tradition,
saying that "the princess still performed
activities on behalf of the royal family"
"Bringing a high-ranking member of
the royal family to politics in whatever
manner, is an act in violation of the royal
tradition and national culture and
highly inappropriate," he said.
The
Southeast Asian Times
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Christian
Lanao del Norte rejects inclusion
in Muslim Mindanao
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Dimaporo of the ruling Dimaporo
clan of Lanao del Norte opposes
the inclusion of the six towns
in the Bangsamoro Autonomous
Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM)
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From News Reports:
Manila, February 16: The Commission on Elections
(Comelec) results of the second plebiscite
on the Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL) formerly
the Bangsamaoro Basic Law (BBL) held in
Muslim Mindanao in the southern Philippines
last week, show that the majority of the
67 villages in the North Cabato region would
join the newly established political entity
the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim
Mindanao (BARMM), formally the Autonomous
Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM), with as
expected voters in the majority-Christian
region of Lanao del Norte refusing to allow
six local towns to join, reports the Philippine
Inquirer.
The reportedly powerful ruling Dimaporo
clan of Lanao del Norte opposed the inclusion
of the six towns in the Bangsamoro Autonomous
Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), saying
that inclusion would divide and weaken the
province and compromise peace and security
due to loss of the these 6 towns.
The Dimaporos of Lanao del Norte campaigned
against the inclusion of 6 towns in the
expanded Muslim region and against the Moro
Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), the revolutionary
organization that represents the efforts
in Muslim Mindanao for self-determination
in their campaign for a 'yes' vote.
Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) chairman
Murad Ebrahim said on the election of Davao
City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte to President
in May 2016 that the Rodrigo Duterte victory
would carry with it the MILF hopes and aspirations
for peace and justice in Mindanao following
the failure of the Philippine Congress to
pass the proposed Bangsamoro Organic Law
(BOL) formerly Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL)
for the second time in February 2016 under
then President Benigno Aquino III administration.
The Commission on Elections (Comelec) ratified
the first plebiscite held last month despite
the Province of Sulu rejection of the law
that would establish a political entity
for Muslim Mindanao.
Sulu province was reportedly the only province
that voted against the ratification of the
Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL) formerly the
Bangsamaoro Basic Law (BBL) in the January
plebiscite with 22,441 against and 19,032
for the BOL from a turnout of 80 percent.
Lawyer for the Bangsamoro Transition Commission,
Maisara Dandamun Latiph, said that the Sulu
province rejection of the Bangsamoro Organic
Law (BOL) "won't matter" because
other provinces in the Bangsamoro Autonomous
Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), formally
the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao
(ARMM) have deemed it ratified.
"The organic law says that ARMM votes
are counted as one geographical region and
that if the majority of BARMM provinces
ratified the BOL, then the law prevails",
said the lawyer.
Sulu Governor Abdusakur "Toto"
Tan II petitioned the Supreme Court in October
2018 questioning the constitutionality of
the law, arguing that "votes in the
Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM)
should not be counted as one geographical
area".
The
Southeast Asian Times
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US
bomb dropped on Cambodia unearthed
in rice field
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Cambodian
Mine Action Authority (CMAA)
vice president, Ly Thuch,
said that Cambodia requires
about 1,000 to 2,000 more
landmine and unexploded ordnance
removal experts in order to
achieve a land-mine free Cambodia
by 2025
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From
News Reports:
Phnom Penh, February 15: Villagers in Cambodia's
Kong Pisei district, Kampong Speu province,
unearthed a bomb dropped on Cambodia by
the US between 1963-73 while cultivating
their land on Monday, reports the Phnom
Penh Post.
Kong Pisei district police chief, Khem Sophanra,
said that villagers unearthed the bomb while
working in their rice field with tractors,
saying that "despite its age the bomb
looked relatively new."
"The bomb had little rust", he
said.
Cambodian Mine Action Centre (CMAC) director
Heng Ratana said that the villagers reported
the unexploded ordnance, a US M117 weiging
340g, to local police and to the Cambodian
Mine Action Centre (CMAC) on Monday.
The Cambodian Mine Action Centre (CMAC)
Unit 5 reportedly inspected the bomb on
Tuesday saying that villagers were prohibited
from the area as they prepared to remove
it to a secure area.
The Cambodian Mine Action Centre (CMAC)
Unit 5 director Keo Sarath said that the
bomb was still dangerous.
“It could easily explode if removed
carelessly”, he said.
Last week the Cambodian Mine Action Authority
(CMAA) called on China to work with the
Royal Cambodian Armed Forces (RCAF) in training
Cambodians to remove about 1,729 square
kilometres of Unexploded Ordnance (UXO)
including 809 square kilometres of mine
fields.
Cambodian Mine Action Authority (CMAA) vice
president Ly Thuch, called on China Ambassador
to Cambodia, Wang Wientian, to provide equipment
and financial support to train Royal Cambodian
Armed Forces (RCAF) in order to achieve
a land-mine free Cambodia by 2025.
The Cambodian Mine Action Authority (CMAA)
that is tasked with the disposal of tonnes
of ordnance dropped on Cambodia by the United
States during the administration of President
Lyndon B Johnson from 1965, claims that
bombing campaigns intensified during the
Nixon administration with about two million
tonnes dropped in the five years between
1969-73.
Between four and five million landmines,
28 million small cluster bombs and chemical
munitions were reportedly dropped on Cambodia
from October 4, 1965, to August 15, 1973.
The
Southeast Asian Times
|
CNRM
party president in exile accused
of prejudice against China
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Former
president of the dissolved
opposition Cambodia National
Rescue Party (CNRP), Sam Rainsy,
who has been in exile since
2005, launched the Cambodia
National Rescue Movement (CNRM),
in California in January 2018
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From
News Reports:
Phnom Penh, February 14: The Cambodian People's
Party (CPP) has condemned former president
of the dissolved opposition Cambodia National
Rescue Party (CNRP), Sam Rainsy for alleged
prejudice against Chinese nationals in Cambodia,
reports the Khmer Times.
Cambodian People's Party (CPP) spokesman,
Sok Eysan, says that Sam Rainsy, in exile
since 2005 and is now the president of the
Cambodia National Rescue Movement (CNRM)
launched last year, is critical of Chinese
nationals behaviour in the provinces of
Preah Sihanouk and Koh Kong
The former dissolved opposition Cambodia
National Rescue Party (CNRP) president Sam
Rainsy reportedly described the behaviour
of Chinese Nationals in Sihanoukville, the
coastal capital of Preah Sihanouk province,
as "arrogant and discrimminatory."
“The newly-arrived Chinese in Cambodia,
loaded with dollars, show their scorn
for the local Cambodian population, he
said.
Sam Rainsy reportedly condemned the Chinese
government for offering political and finanacial
stability in exchange for Cambodia's natural
resources, saying that "the Chinese
must return the land that was seized from
the villagers to make way for casinos, and
take their mafia and triad gangs associated
with their investments in Cambodia, back
to China".
Cambodian People's Party (CPP) spokesman,
Sok Eysan, said that the dissolved former
opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party
(CNRP) president Sam Rainsy, provoked
hatred against the Chinese as a move to
garner support against Prime Minister
Hun Sen.
“This is another incitement trick
by the former opposition Cambodia National
Rescue Party (CNRP) president Sam Rainsy
to fool his supporters,” he said.
Khmer Rise Party (KRP) president Sok Sovann
Vathana Sabung claimed in a report to Prime
Minister Hun Sen in December last year that
the Preah Sihanouk provincial governor,
Yun Min, had established a provincial committee
to transfer the ownership of the state-owned
land to developers.
Preah Sihanouk provincial governor, Yun
Min, has denied the allegations saying
that the Khmer Rise Party (KRP) report
to Prime Minister Hun Sen "is groundless"
and that he has complied with the law.
The
Southeast Asian Times
|
Philippine
Catholic church bans priests
from politics in May elections
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Bishop
Ruperto Santos has banned
political posters from church
premises in his dioceses
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From
News Reports:
Manila, February 13: The Philippines Catholic
dioceses has issued directives against
the posting of political posters on church
premises and prohibited priests from engaging
in politics during the 90-day national
campaign for the May elections that began
yesterday, reports the Philippine Inquirer.
Balanga Bishop Ruperto Santos and Caceres
Archbishop Rolando Tirona have banned
political posters from church premises
in their dioceses
“We have issued a pastoral directive
that there will be no political posters
on church patios and fences,” said
Bishop Ruperto Santos.
The Bishop said that church people who
work for political candidates must take
a leave of absence.
“A political candidate will also
not be allowed to participate in offertory
processions,” he said.
Caceres Archbishop Rolando Tirona said
it was prohibited to post any candidate's
or political party's political advertisement
on church property or to hold political
rallies on church premises.
The Archbishop said that priests were
prohibited from holding mass weddings,
baptisms and confirmations under the sponsorship
of any political candidate or party.
"Priests could not solicit donations
from political candidates or parties for
church renovation or other projects that
may compromise the nonpartisanship of
the Church, he said.
The 90-day national campaign for over
60 senatorial candidates and 154 party-list
groups in the May elections began yesterday
with the Commission on Elections (Comelec)
warning against electoral offenses.
the Commission on Elections (Comelec)
released the names of 62 senatorial candidates
registered to campaign in the May elections
and 154 accredited party-list groups seeking
seats in the House of Representatives
last month.
The
Southeast Asian Times
|
Myanmar
protests against construction
of dam on Ayeyarwady
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Protesters
against the revival of the
China's financed Myistone
dam project in Myanmar's Kachin
state say that the protest
is meant to correct a statement
from the Chinese embassy in
Myanmar that "most Kachin
people support the project
and only a few non-governmental
organisations and political
parties oppose it"
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From
News Reports:
Yangon, February 12: Thousands gathered
in Myanmar's Kachin state on Saturday
to protest against the revival of China's
financed Myistone dam project, calling
for a complete halt to the construction
of the dam on the Ayeyarwady River, reports
the Myanmar Times.
About 7,000 gathered at the Myitkyina
township public park in Myanmar's Kachin
state to protest against attempts by China's
State Power Investment Corporation (SPIC)
formally China Power Investment Corporation
(CPIC) to restart the project that was
suspended in September 2011.
The US$3.6 billion Myistone dam project
was signed between Myanmar and China under
the the administration of Myanmar President
U Thein Sein, with construction begining
in 2009 but suspended to years later after
widespread public protests.
Protesters that include the Kachin religious
leaders from Myitkyina and Waingmaw township,
Buddhist monks, and Kachin political parties,
civil society groups and activists said
on Saturday that "90 percent of the
electricity produced by the dam will be
exported to China and will not benefit
the country."
Protest leader, U Sar Chi, said that "We
can’t accept the implementation of
the project without the people’s
will," saying that "we support
the free flow of the Ayeyarwady".
Kachin Democratic Party, chairman U Aung
Hkam, urged the government to take decisive
action and stand with the people in opposing
the dam, warning that "the government
would meet with strong opposition if it
ignores the people's will".
Last week commander-in-chief of the Myanmar
Armed Forces, General Min Aung Hlaing,
said that the military will respect the
people’s will on the dam.
National League for Democracy (NLD) party
leader and state counsellor Aung San Suu
Kyi, whose party won about 97 per cent
of Yangon Region seats in the November
2015 General elections, is subject to
the conditions of the Solidarity and Development
Party (USDP) military-drafted Myanmar
constitution.
The
Southeast Asian Times
|
Thai
Princess cannot be Thai PM
under constitution says Thai
King
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Thai
Princess Princess Ubolratana
Rajakanya Sirivadhana Barnavadi,
67, who relinquished her royal
status in 1972, said on Friday
she was exercising her constitutional
right as a common citizen
to enter politics and would
enjoy no special advantage
as a member of the Royal Family
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From
News Reports:
Bangkok, February 11: The King of Thailand
Maha Vajiralongkorn claims that Princess
Ubolratana Rajakanya Sirivadhana Barnavadi,
67, who registered as a candidate for
Thai Prime Minister for the Thai Raksa
Chart Party with the Election Commission,
is not as a royal family member permitted
to take a political position .
Princess Ubolratana who relinquished her
royal status in 1972, when she married
a "commoner" an American, claimed
on Friday that she is a "commmoner
with the freedom and rights of an ordinary
Thai to register to be the candidate for
the Thai Raksa Chart Party.
“My acceptance of the Thai Raksa
Chart Party’s invitation to be its
Prime Minister candidate is a constitutional
right, not a privilege,” she said.
The King of Thailand Maha Vajiralongkorn
said in a statement published in the Royal
Gazette that although princess Ubolratana,
who is the eldest daughter of late King
Bhumibol and the elder sister of His Majesty
King Maha Vajiralongkorn, has relinquished
her royal status she is still a royal
family member by tradition, saying that
"the princess still performed activities
on behalf of the royal family"
The Thai constitution reportedly contains
provisions endorsing the special status
of the royal institution in line with
constitutional monarchy rule that applies
to royal family members who like the King
is above politics.
The King said that Royal family members
including princess Ubolratana are not
permitted to hold any political position
as it is against the intention of constitutional
monarchy rule.
Preechaphol Pongpanit chairman of the
Thai Raksa Chart Party that is aligned
with fugitive ousted former Thai Prime
Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, said that
Princess Ubolratana's canditacy was suggested
at a party executive meeting.
"The party agreed that the princess
had the credentials to make a perfect
candidate", he said.
Former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra
Thaksin has faced numerous arrest warrants
since he fled Thailand in 2008 including
an arrest warrant for the Thaksin government's
conversion of mobile phone operators'
concession fees into excise tax that allegedly
benefited Thaksin's own company.
The former fugitive prime minister was
also issued an arrest warrant for his
involvment in the approval of loans totalling
more than 10 billion baht in 2003-2004
to real estate developer Krissadamahanakorn
through its affiliates, although the company
was rated a non-performing debtor.
In January 2018 the Thai Supreme Court
Criminal Division for Political Office
Holders established a panel of judges
to try fugitive former Thai Prime Minister
Thaksin Shinawatra in absentia.
In August 2018 the Thai Supreme Court
Criminal Division for Holders of Political
Positions acquitted former fugitive prime
minister Thaksin Shinawatra in absentia
of malfeasance for his alleged unauthorisied
involvment in the rehabilitation of Thai
Petrochemical Industry (TPI).
The
Southeast Asian Times
|
Health
workers accused of bribery
after death of children in
Philippine school immunization
program
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Secretary
of Health and Human Services,
Francisco Duque III, has denied
alegations of bribery in the
death of at least five children
innoculation agianst dengue
fever in a school immunization
program conducted by the Philippines
Department of Health (DOH
in 2017
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From
News Reports:
Manila, February 10: The mother of one
of at least five children, who died after
innoculation agianst dengue fever with
Dengvaxia in a school immunization program
conducted by the Philippines Department
of Health (DOH in December 2017, claims
that a Department of Health (DOH) health
worker had offered 'financial assistance'
in exchange for her son's medical documents,
reports the Philippine Inquirer.
Janet Eliphane said that the offer by
the Department of Health (DOH) health
worker was made after the body of her
son, Melvin Karl, 12, who died 5 December
2017, was exhumed from the public cemetery
at San Isidro Nueva Ecija in February
2018 with an autospsy conducted on the
orders of the Public Attorney's Office
(PAO)
The Public Attorney's Office (PAO) Persida
Acosta ordered the exhumation and autopsy
following alegations of bribary against
Secretary of Health and Human Services,
Francisco Duque III, and Department of
Health (DOH) health workers who offered
the families of dead children
innoculated against dengue fever with
Dengvaxia 'financial assistance' in exchange
for not pursuing a lawsuit.
In January 2018 the Public Attorney’s
Office (PAO) director of Forensic Laboratory,
Dr Erwin Erfe, said that the forensic
examiners had observed a pattern in the
death of five children who had been inoculated
with Dengvaxia, saying that the Public
Attorney’s Office (PAO) Forensic
Laboratory examined the body of an 11-year-old
boy from Bataan province, who died within
12 hours of developing a headache and
fever following the innoculation of Dengvaxia
in December 2017.
Janet Eliphane, who was among many, who
supported the alegations of bribery against
Secretary of Health and Human Services,
Francisco Duque III, and Department of
Health (DOH) health workers, claims that
she was invited to the San Isidro Nueva
Ecija Rural Health Unit (RHU) in the days
after the body of her son was exhumed
where she was asked to open a bank account
in order to receive 'financial assistance'.
She said that she was initially willing
to provide photocopies of her son's medical
records to the Rural Health Unit (RHU)
health workers but that the health workers
wanted the original copies including her
son's vaccination card.
“The Rural Health Unit (RHU) health
worker asked me again a few days later
but I again refused to give in to their
demand for the original documents,”
she said.
Secretary of Health and Human Services,
Francisco Duque III, has denied the allegations
saying that the Public Attorney's Office
(PAO) claim is
“malicious, baseless and a complete
lie.”
The Department of Health (DOH) halted
the immunization programme on December
1, 2017 three days after French pharmaceutical
company, Sanofi Pasteur, that developed
Dengvaxia announced that the vaccine worsened
symptoms in those vaccinated who had no
previous exposure to the dengue virus.
More than 830,000 schoolchildren had received
at least one dose of Dengvaxia before
the Department of Health (DOH) stopped
the immunization program.
Records from the Cavite provincial Rural
Health Unit (RHU) reportedly show that
68,366 schoolchildren had received the
first dose of Dengvaxia, while 37,966
had received the second dose and 36,860
had completed the three doses.
The
Southeast Asian Times
|
Myanmar
police officer jailed for
testifying against police
released
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Former
Myanmar Police Force captain
Moe Yan Naing outside Insein
Prison after his release yesterday
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From News Reports:
Yangon, February 9: Former Myanmar Police
Force captain, Moe Yan Naing, who was sentenced
to prison for one year for violation of
the Police Disciplinary Act after testifying
in court that two Mynamr reporters employed
by international news agency Rueters were
"framed" by police, was released
from prison on Friday, reports the Myanmar
Times.
Police Captain, Moe Yan Naing, who was arrested
in December 2017, said on his release from
prison on Friday morning that "the
Police Disciplinary Act was not up to standard
and should be amended."
The former Police Captain told the Yangon
court at the trial of Myanmar reporters,
Wa Lone, 32, and Kyaw Soe Oo, 28, in April
last year, that
a high ranking police officer had ordered
two policemen to meet the two reporters
and hand over documents believed to contain
information that reportedly contravened
the Burma Official Secrets Act of 1923.
He told the court that the order to entrap
the two Reuters reporters, who were apprehended
by police with documents that contained
"details of police strength and weapons
and the position of security forces in northern
Rakhin State", was given by Brig Gen
Tin Ko Ko.
"Brig Gen Tin Ko Ko ordered two police
officers to hand over secret documents to
the two reporters", he said.
He claimed that the meeting between the
two Rueters reporters and the two police
officers was arranged at a restuartant outside
Yangon, saying that a police team intercepted,
arresting the reporters with the documents
at the meeting in the restuarant.
Yangon northern district judge Ye Lwin,
sentenced the two reporters to seven years
imprisonment in Septemeber 2018, saying
that the court had taken into account the
time served since their detention.
Reporters Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo, who have
been held in custody at the Insein prison
in Yangon since their arrest in December
2017 have pleaded not guilty to breaching
the secrets act.
The reporters claim that they were investigating
alleged abuses by Myanmar government security
forces against the Muslim Rohingya's in
Myanmar's Rakhine State when arrested.
Laywer for the reporters, Than Zaw Aung,
claimed that the arrest of the reporters
"amounted to entrapment by police."
He said that the reporters had been arrested
immediately after they had been handed documents,
believed to contain information about "the
situation in northern Rakhine" at a
meeting in Yangon that was arranged by two
police officers.
Last month the Supreme Court of Myanmar
rejected an appeal for the release of the
Myanmar reporters with the Supreme Court
judge Aung Naing saying that the burden
of proof of innocence was to be provided
by the reporters.
The
Southeast Asian Times
|
China to
work with Cambodia military
to remove war explosives
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%20vice%20president%20Ly%20Thuch,%20and%20China%20Ambassador%20to%20Cambodia%20Wang%20Wientian.jpg)
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Cambodian
Mine Action Authority (CMAA)
vice president Ly Thuch, and
China Ambassador to Cambodia,
Wang Wientian, in Phnom Penh
last week
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From
News Reports:
Phnom Penh, February 8: The Cambodian
Mine Action Authority (CMAA) called on
China to work with the Royal Cambodian
Armed Forces (RCAF)
in training Cambodians to remove explosive
remnants of war littering Cambodia since
1965 to achieve a land-mine free Cambodia
by 2025, reports the Phnom Penh Post.
Cambodian Mine Action Authority (CMAA)
vice president Ly Thuch, called on China
Ambassador to Cambodia, Wang Wientian,
to provide equipment, financial support
and to train Royal Cambodian Armed Forces
(RCAF) to remove explosive remnants of
war in Cambodia's effort to clear about
1,729 square kilometres of Unexploded
Ordnance (UXO) including 809 square kilometres
of mine fields,
“We want the Chinese government to
work with the commander of the Royal Cambodian
Armed Forces (RCAF) Hun Manet in our mine
clearance efforts," he said.
Commander of the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces
(RCAF), Hun Manet, was reportedly promoted
to the rank of Commander of the Royal Cambodian
Armed Forces (RCAF) by a royal decree in
September last year on the advice of his
father, Prime Minister Hun Sen.
Cambodian Mine Action Authority (CMAA)
vice president, Ly Thuch, said that Cambodia
requires about 1,000 to 2,000 more landmine
and unexploded ordnance removal experts
in order to achieve a land-mine free Cambodia
by 2025.
"The increase requires the endorsement
of Prime Minister Hun Sen and army commander
Lieutenant General Hun Manet," he
said.
He called on countries that have so far
helped to remove explosive remnants of
war in Cambodia to work with the Royal
Cambodian Armed Forces (RCAF) in Cambodia's
effort to achieve a land-mine free Cambodia
by 2025, calling on the countries to contact
Commander of the Royal Cambodian Armed
Forces (RCAF), Hun Manet.
The Cambodian Mine Action Authority (CMAA)
that is tasked with the disposal of tonnes
of ordnance dropped on Cambodia by the
United States during the administration
of President Lyndon B Johnson from 1965,
claims that bombing campaigns intensified
during the Nixon administration with about
two million tonnes dropped in the five
years between 1969-73.
Between four and five million landmines,
28 million small cluster bombs and chemical
munitions were reportedly dropped on Cambodia
from October 4, 1965, to August 15, 1973.
The
Southeast Asian Times
|
Thailand claims
Australia's Interpol alert
triggered arrest of Bahraini
footballer
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Former
Bahraini footballer, Hakeem
al-Araibi, 25, who has been
detained in Thailand pending
extradition to Bahrain, rejected
voluntary extradition to Bahrain
at a Bangkok court on Monday
|
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From News Reports:
Bangkok, February 7: Thailand claims that
the Australian bureau of Interpol is responsible
for the arrest and pending extradition of
Bahraini footballer Hakeem al-Araibi, 25,
who holds refugee status in Australia, for
the issue of the Interpol red notice that
led to his arrest on arrival in Thailand,
reports the Bangkok Post.
Bahraini footballer Hakeem al-Araibi, was
arrested at Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi international
airport on arrival in Thailand with his
new wife for a honeymoon on November 27.
Thailand, Foreign Minister Don Pramudwinai
said that a warrant for the arrest of Bahraini
national Hakeem al-Araibi was issued by
Bahrain after he was found guilty of criminal
charges in 2014.
Thai Foreign Minister Don Pramudwinai said
that the Interpol red notice issued by the
Australian bureau of Interpol for the arrest
of Hakeem al-Araibi reached Thailand before
he arrived in Thailand in November, saying
that "Interpol was very quick".
"Thailand arrested Bahraini footballer
Hakeem al-Araibi at Bahrains request",
he said.
The Thai Foreign Ministry said that despite
Australia's withdrawal of the red notice
from Interpol's database, the extradition
process had been activated following the
receipt of a formal request from the Bahraini
government.
Thai International Affairs Department at
the Office of the Attorney-General Director
General, Chatchom Akapin, said that his
office had reviewed the defendant's alleged
offences that included arson, saying that
the offences were not political or race
related and that Thailand had similiar crimes."
“Therefore, the Bahraini request is
in line with extradition legislation,”
he said.
Former Bahraini footballer Hakeem al-Araibi,
claims that he fled Bahrain after he and
other athletes were allegedly beaten and
tortured over their or their families’
involvement in political protests, and was
convicted in absentia and sentenced to 10
years in jail in 2014.
He arrived in Australia in 2014, claiming
asylum, and was granted refugee status in
2017.
The
Southeast Asian Times
|
Five Abu
Sayyaf admit to bombing Catholic
Church in Muslim Mindano
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Philippine
National Police, Director
General Oscar Albayalde, points
at the five suspected Ajang-Ajang
Abu Sayyaf subgroup militants
at a press conference in Manila
on Monday
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From
News Reports:
Manila, February 6: Five of the Ajang-Ajang
22 Abu Sayyaf subgroup militants, who
surrendered to the combined Armed Forces
of the Philippines (AFP) and the Philippine
National Police (PNP) in a fierce gun
battle in Sulu on Saturday, have admitted
to the bombing of the Catholic church
in Muslim Mindanao in the southern Philippines
that left 23 dead and more than 100 injured
last Sunday, reports the Philippine Inquirer.
Philippine National Police (PNP) Director
General, Oscar Albayalde said that Ajang-Ajang
22 Abu Sayyaf subgroup militants operative,
Kammah Pae, alias Kamah, and four others
identified as Albaji Kisae Gadjali, alias
Awag; Rajan Bakil Gadjali, alias Rajan;
Kaisar Bakil Gadjali, alias Isal, and
Salit Alih, alias Papong surrendered during
the "all-out-offensive" that
was ordered by Philippine President Duterte
after the attack on the Catholic Church
on January 27.
Director General, Oscar Albayalde said that
the five Ajang-Ajang, Abu Sayyaf subgroup
militants have admitted to their involvment
in the attack on the Catholic church, saying
that police had brought multiple murder
charges, among other accusations, against
the five at the Sulu provincial prosecutors
office on Monday.
He said that 14 other Ajang-Ajang, Abu Sayyaf
subgroup militants remained at large including
Hatib Hajan Sawadjaan, believed to be the
mastermind of the attack on the Catholic
church in the Sulu province of Muslim Mindanao
last Sunday.
"Sawadjaan is believed to have provided
funds for the attack on the church",
he said.
Hatib Hajan Sawadjaan is reportedly believed
to be commander of the Ajang-Ajang 22 Abu
Sayyaf subgroup militants in Sulu and reportedly
to have assisted two Indonesian nationals
who are believed to have carried out the
suicide bombing at the Catholic church in
Jolo last week.
Director General, Oscar Albayalde said that
the two Indonesian nationals arrived in
Jolo by boat on January 24 and were transported
to Barangay Langhub in Patikul where they
were met by among others, Senior Ajang-Ajang,
Abu Sayyaf subgroup operative, Kammah Pae,
alias Kamah and Hatib Hajan Sawadjaan, the
reported commander of the Abu Sayyaf subgroup.
"One of the Indonesian nationals,
a male, had been hiding in southern Sulu
Province for about a year before the attack
on the church, with the second, a female,
arriving only recently," he said.
He said that the Indonesian nationls were
driven to Jolo on January 26, the day
before the bombing of the Catholic church.
The Philippine Inquirer reports that Arrmanatha
Nasir, spokesman for the Indonesian foreign
ministry, said that the Indonesian government
had not been able to confirm the involvement
of Indonesian nationals in the Jolo attack.
The
Southeast Asian Times
|
East Timor
parliament calls for anti-corruption
law to combat corruption
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The
National Parliament voted
42, in favour of the new Anti-Corruption
Commission (KAK) Commissoner,
Sergio Hornai, with 13 against
and 2 absentees
|
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From
News Reports:
Dili, February 5: Member of the National
Parliament in Dili, Adriano do Nascimento,
has called on the East Timor government
and members of parliament for an anti-corruption
law following the election of a commissioner
for the Anti-Corruption Commission (KAK),
reports the Dili Weekly.
Member of Parliament, Adriano do Nascimento,
said that the anti-corruption draft law
is not on the parliamentary agenda for debate
and approval at the plenary.
"The anti-corruption draft law is currently
on the table of the Anti-Corruption Commission
(KAK)", he said.
The member of parliament said that East
Timor must also have an anti-corruption
law to strengthen the work of the newly
elected Commissioner for the Anti-Corruption
Commission (KAK, Sergio Hornai.
Member of parliament, Adriano do Nascimento,
called on the paliament to put their trust
in the newly elected Commissioner for the
Anti-Corruption Commission (KAK), Sergio
Hornai, who was elected on January 15, in
order to combat corruption, urging all government
agencies and politicians "not to interfere
in his job."
“If we elect a person who does not
enjoy the support of politicians and we
interfere in his duties, we will not be
able to eradicate corruption", he said.
Non-governmental organization, Mirror for
the People (LABEH) executive director, Christopher
Henry Samson, said that "newly elected
Anti-Corruption Commission (KAK) Commissoner
Sergio Hornai needs from the onset of his
term to push for the anti-corruption draft
law that is pending debate at the parliament."
He said that Sergio Hornai should push parliament
to show their commitment to the anti-corruption
law in order to to strengthen his duties
to fight corruption, saying that "there
is big hope for the fight against corruption
in 2019."
The
Southeast Asian Times
|
Armed Forces
of the Philippines in gun
battle with Abu Sayyaf militants
|
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Philippine President Rodrigo
Duterte orders an all-out
offensive against IS jihadis
in Sulu, following attack
on the Our Lady of Mount Carmel
Cathedral in in Muslim Mindanao
in the southern Philippines
last week
|
|
From
News Reports:
Manila, February 4: The Armed Forces of
the Philippines (AFP) killed three Abu Sayyaf
militants and wounded 13, believed to be
responsible for the attack on the Our Lady
of Mount Carmel Cathedral in Solo in Sulu
province in Muslim Mindanao in the southern
Philippines last week, in a reportedly fierce
gun battle on Saturday, reports the Philippine
Inquirer.
The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP)
Joint Task Force in Sulu, Lt. Col. Gerald
Monfort, said that five Armed Forces of
the Philippines (AFP) 5th Scout Ranger Battalion
soldiers were killed and five wounded in
the two hour gun battle with the Abu Sayyaf
militants at Sitio Sungkog, Barangay Kabbon
Takas, Patikul in Sulu.
"The Armed Forces of the Philippines
(AFP) have not recovered a single Abu Sayyaf
militant body from the gunfight due to the
volume of enemy fire", he said.
He said that Indang Susukan, the self proclaimed
caliph of the IS jihadis in Sulu was among
the wounded, but that the commander of the
IS hihads in Sulu, Hatib Hajan Sawadjaan,
escaped during the fierce gun battle.
He said that IS hihads in Sulu, under commander
Hatib Hajan Sawadjaan, had guided and assisted
two Indonesians who reportedly carried out
the
suicide bombing Cathedral in Jolo last week
that left 20 dead and more than a hundred
injured.
Philippines Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana
and Interior Secretary Eduardo Año
said that Hatib Hajan Sawadjaan was the
target of the military assault in Patikul,
saying that the IS jihadis in Sulu, were
the only Abu Sayyaf faction that harbored
foreign IS terrorists.
Philippine President Duterte ordered an
all-out offensive against the IS jihadis
in Sulu, following his visit to the Cathedral
in Sulu that was reportedly attacked by
Abu Sayyaf militants.
Western Mindanao Command (Westmincom) civil
military operation chief, Col. Gerry Besana,
said the offensive began on Tuesday with
airstrikes and a ground offensive including
heavy machine gun fire after ground troops
detected about 30 Abu Sayyaf militants in
the Sulu jungles.
Philippine National Police (PNP) have not
ruled out that the attack on the Cathedral
in Muslim Mindanao was the result of the
the just-concluded plebiscite that ratifiedthe
Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL) that would
establish a Muslim Mindanao political entity.
The Commission on Elections (Comelec)
deemed ratified the plebiscite on the
Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL) held in Muslim
Mindanao in the days before the attack
on the Catholic Church, despite the Sulu
Province rejection of the law that would
establish a Muslim Mindanao political
entity.
Sulu province was reportedly the only
province that voted against the ratification
of the Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL) with
Sulu Governor Abdusakur "Toto"
Tan II petitioning the Supreme Court in
October 2018 questioning the constitutionality
of the law, arguing that "votes in
the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao
(ARMM) should not be counted as one geographical
area".
The
Southeast Asian Times
Philippines stop
payment to China for installation of surveillance
camera's
From News Reports:
Manila, February 3: The Philippine Senate
is set to block payment to the Philippine
Department of the Interior and Local Government
(DILG) that signed a "Safe Philippines
Project" agreement with China International
Telecommunication Construction Corporation
(CITCC) during the state visit of China
President Xi Jinping to the Philippines
in November last year, warning of a serious
risk to national security, reports the
Philippine Inquirer.
The Senate has included "block provisions"
in the 2019 national budget that would
block payment of P20 billion for the initial
installation of 12,000
surveillance cameras in Metro Manila and
Davao City in the southern Philippines.
Senate President Pro Tempore Ralph Recto
has called for an inquiry into the "Safe
Philippines Project" saying that
"the installation of closed-circuit
television (CCTV) cameras in public places
connected to a central command center
raises concerns about national security."
The first "block provision"
that would stop payment for the installation
of surveillance cameras in the "Safe
Philippines Project" agreement between
the Philippines and China in the Senate
version of the 2019 national budget reportedly
states that:
"No amount appropriated herein shall
be utilized for any project intended for
public video surveillance and communication
system with suppliers or service providers
that are considered as serious risks to
national security or interest or are involved
in cases regarding information leakage,
computer or network hacking, and other
forms of cyber espionage, whether in the
Philippines or in other countries."
Senate President Pro Tempore Ralph Recto
said that the Philippines needed to safeguard
classified action plans, programs and
state secrets from espionage, and to protect
itself from computer-generated attacks
that could cause massive crises in the
economy and financial institutions.
“It is imperative that the Philippine
government review and evaluate government
programs and projects and their impact
on national security and public interest,”
he said.
The
Southeast Asian Times
|
New King
on throne within month of
abdication of King Muhammad
V
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The
official flag of the new monarch
was rased by the Fourth Company,
Royal Military Police at 10th
Mile Camp, Kuantan on the
auguration of the 16th King
of Malaysia
|
|
From News Reports:
Kuala Lumpur, February 2: The newly inaugurated
Sultan of Pahang, Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin
Al-Mustafa Billah Shah, 59, became the 16th
King or Yang di-Pertuan Agong yesterday,
within a month of the abdication of King
Muhammad V, Sultan of Kelantan on January
6.
The new Sultan of Pahang, was inaugurated
King after holding the title of Regent that
is a prerequisite to the title of Sultan
of Pahang that was bestowed on him by the
Conference of Rulers on January 15.
The new King and as such the new head of
state of the federation of Malaysia replaced
his father Ahmad Shah Al Musta'in Billah
Ibni Almarhum Sultan Abu Bakar, 88, the
fifth Sutan of Pahang, after the unprecedented
abdication of Malaysian King Muhammad V,
Sultan of Kelantan.
The Conference of Rulers elected the Sultan
of Pahang to be King for a term of five
years within a month of the abdication of
King Muhammad V, Sultan of Kelantan, despite
the constitution that does not stipulate
a time for the "ascension of the King"
Constitutional lawyer Prof Dr Aziz Bari
called on the Conference of Rulers to decide
on the next King by the end of January saying
that "the King is the repository power
of authority."
“It is important that the Conference
of Rulers do not depart from the succession
plan that follows the line of rotation,"
he said
He said that althought the rotation system
for the installation of the King allows
every state to have a turn there are situations
where the Conference of Rulers can exercise
discretion and change the line of rotation.
"The Conference of Rulers can extend
a period of time to allow for a Regent to
be installed as the Sultan before he is
installed as King,” he said.
He said that breaking away from tradition
would have to be done very carefully by
the Conference of Rulers as the monarchy
is deemed the most stable institution in
Malaysia.
"This is what places us above a republic,"
he said.
The traditional ceremony that inaugurated
the new King and as such the new head of
state was attended by all Malay rulers including
the Sultans
of Selangor, Johor, Kedah, Perlis Terengganu,
Kelantan and Pahan and included the attendance
of the newly elected Prime Minister Mahathir
Mohamad
The
Southeast Asian Times
Southern Philippines
peace talk delegate assassinated on bus
From
News Reports:
Manila, February 1: A delegate of the
National Democratic Front of the Philippines
(NDFP), the political wing of the Communist
Party of the Philippines (CPP) who attended
formal peace talks with the Philippine
government as part of the Reciprocal Working
Committee for Political and Constitutional
Reforms (RWC-PCR), was shot dead aboard
a bus on Wednesday, reports the Philippine
Inquirer.
Randy Felix Malayao, 49, who was en route
from Quezon City to his hometown San Pablo
in Isabela province on Wednesday, was
shot dead at about 2pm as he slept on
the bus.
Senior Superintendent Jeremias Aglugub,
Nueva Vizcaya provincial police director
said that " the unidentified assailant
boarded the bus in Aritao, Nueva Vicaya
at about 2am and shot the victim".
He said that the unidentified assailant
fled the scene by boarding a motorcycle
driven by an accomplice, saying that "two
unidentified suspects were reportedly
seen riding a black Yamaha Mio motorcycle
away from the crime scene".
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte declared
a full-scale war on the Communist Party
of the Philippines (CPP) and its armed
wing, New People’s Army (NPA) in
December last year following the extention
of martial law over the southern Philippine
province of Mindanao for another year.
President Duterte said then that he would
not resume peace talks with the National
Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP),
the umbrella organization of the Communist
Party of the Philippines (CPP) and its
armed wing, New People’s Army (NPA),
saying that he would "pursue a full-scale
war on communist rebels".
"The earlier we finish the insurgency,
the better for us all," he said.
In December Philippine president Rodrigo
Duterte signed the proclaimation that
classifies the Communist Party of the
Philippines (CPP) and its armed wing the
New People's Army as terrorists under
the Republic Act 10168 and the Terrorism
Financing Prevention and Suppression Act
of 2012.
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte called
for the implementation of tactics used
by President Suharto in 1965-66 to eliminate
communists in Indonesia in eliminating
the Communist Party of the Philippines
(CPP), New Peoples Army (NPA) in a speech
to the 10th Infantry Division Headquarters
at Camp General Manuel T. Yan Sr. in Mawab,
Compostela Valley Province in Mindanao
in the southern Philippines in December.
The President said that he would adopt
the late President Suharto's campaign
against communism that led to the killing
of up to two million Indonesian Communist
Party (PKI) members and supporters.
The
Southeast Asian Times
|
Philippine
government calls on Islamic
revolutionary organisation
for help in Muslim Mindanao
|
|
|
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|
Philippine
Senator Ralph Recto says that
"nothing prevents the
Moro Islamic Liberation Front
(MILF) which is a government-in-waiting,
from being a government in
action in the newly established
political entity the Bangsamoro
Autonomous Region in Muslim
Mindanao (BARMM)
|
|
From
News Reports:
Manila, January 31: The Philippine government
has called on the Moro Islamic Liberation
Front (MILF), the revolutionary organization
that represents the efforts in Muslim Mindanao
for self-determination, to apprehend the
perpetrators of the attack on the Our Lady
of Mount Carmel Cathedral in Jolo in Sulu
in Muslim Mindanao in the southern Philippines
on Sunday that left 20 dead and 80 injured,
reports the Philippine Inquirer.
Philippine Senator Ralph Recto said that
the search for the perpetrators of the deadly
attack on the Jolo cathedral in Sulu is
“no longer the sole responsibility
of the national government but a joint venture
with the Bangsamoro leaders.”
"Nothing prevents the the Moro Islamic
Liberation Front (MILF) which is a government-in-waiting,
from being a government- in- action,"
he said.
Philippine Senator Ralph Recto called on
the government to provide the newly established
political entity, the Bangsamoro Autonomous
Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), that
was ratified in the plebicite on the Bangsamoro
Organic Law (BOL) held in Mindanao last
week, with the rescources and authority
set by the decree.
"We cannot ask the new Bangsamoro
government to search for the perpetrators
and find lasting solutions without providing
resources and authority to undertake this
task", he said.
The ratification of the Bangsamoro Organic
Law (BOL that allows for the establishment
of a political entity in the Bangsamoro
Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM),
states that the Bangsamoro Transition Authority
(BTA) will be led by the Moro Islamic Liberation
Front (MILF), the revolutionary organization
that represents the efforts in Muslim Mindanao
for self-determination, and that Moro Islamic
Liberation Front (MILF) would serve as “de
facto government” until June 30, 2019.
The Moro Islamic Liberation Front ( MILF
) chairman Murad Ebrahim said on the election
of of Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte
to President in May 2016 that "it
was a historic victory" .
The MILF chairman said then that the MILF
"remains higly optimistic and confident
that the Rodrigo Duterte victory would
carry with it the MILF hopes and aspirations
for peace and justice in Mindanao following
the failure of the Philippine Congress
to pass the proposed Bangsamoro Organic
Law (BOL) formerly Bangsamoro Basic Law
(BBL) for the second time in February
2016 under then President Benigno Aquino
III administration.
In June 2018 the Bangsamoro Organic Law
(BOL) formerly the Bangsamaoro Basic Law
(BBL) was submitted to President Duterte
for his signature in preparation for re-submission
to the Philippine Congress by the Moro
Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).
“I make the solemn commitment that
this administration will never deny our
Muslim brothers and sisters the basic
legal tools to charter their own destiny
within the constitutional framework of
our country,” he said.
Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL) formerly
the Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) bill allows
for a wealth and power sharing arrangement
between the Philippine government and
the proposed Bangsamoro political entity
and includes the surrender of weapons
in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao
(ARMM), that is to be dissolved with the
passing of the Bangsamoro Organic Law
(BOL) formerly the Bangsamoro basic law
(BBL).
The
Southeast Asian Times
|
Philippine
President visits catholic
church attacked by IS militants
|
|
|
|
|
Philippine
President Rodrigo Duterte
visits the Our Lady of Mount
Carmel Cathedral in Jolo,Sulu
Province, Muslim Mindanao
in the southern Philippines
on Monday that was attacked
reportedly by Islamic State
(IS) militants on Sunday
|
|
From
News Reports:
Manila, January 30: Philippine President
Rodrigo Duterte, who has been accused of
persecution of the Catholic church, visited
the Catholic church
that was reportedly attacked by Islamic
State (IS) militants in Muslim Mindanao,
despite the extention of martial law over
Mindanao, reports the Philippine Inquirer.
President Duterete visited the Our Lady
of Mount Carmel Cathedral in Jolo in Sulu
in Muslim Mindanao in the southern Philippines
on Monday the day after the church was attacked
leaving 20 dead and 80 injured.
Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo
said that President Duterte was awaiting
results of investigations into the claim
by Islamic State (IS) militants of responsibility
for the attack on the Catholic church in
Muslim Mindanao.
"Martial law is effective but there
may be lapses in security," he said.
He said that the claim of responsibility
by Islamic State (IS) militants for the
attack on the catholic church in Jolo has
prompted Philippine National Police (PNP)
to increase security nationwide.
"The highest alert was raised in Metro
Manila", he said.
Philippine National Police (PNP) have reportedly
not ruled out that the attack on the Catholic
church in Solo in Sulu in Muslim Mindanao
was related to the plebiscite on the Bangsamoro
Organic Law (BOL) conducted last week and
that ratified the establishment of a Muslim
Mindanao political entity.
Sulu province was reportedly the only province
that voted against the ratification of the
Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL) with Sulu Governor
Abdusakur "Toto" Tan II petitioning
the Supreme Court in October 2018 questioning
the constitutionality of the law, arguing
that "votes in the Autonomous Region
in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) should not be
counted as one geographical area".
Earlier this month Philippine opposition
legislators called on the Supreme Court
to void and declare as unconstitutional
the third extension of martial law passed
by congress in December 2018 over the whole
of Mindanao in the southern Philippines,
saying that "the state of rebellion
does not exist".
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, who
was the mayor of Davao City in Muslim Mindanao
before he was elected president in May 2016,
declared martial law over the southern Philippines
a year later following the occupation of
Marawi City in Mindanao by Abu Sayyaf Maute
ISIS fighters.
The
Southeast Asian Times
| The
Southeast Asian Times wishes
its readers a happy Christmas
and all the best for the New
Year with a special thankyou
to its treasured letter writers
|
|
| "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 |
|
|
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 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
|
|
| 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 |
|
| 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
|
|
| 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 |
|
| .MEDIA
CHECK |
|
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 |
|
|
Timor-Leste
justice
threatened
by firing of foreign judges
By Susan Marx ...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 dated 29 May 2012
from Vietnam Womens Union to
International Olympic Committee...open
here |
|
Published
by Pas Loizou Press Darwin Northern Territory
Australia
PASLOIZOUPRESSDARWIN@bigpond.com
|
|
| ; |
|
The
Southeast Asian Times cannot be bought
|
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| |
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|
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
...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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