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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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| Vietnam
calls for maintainance of Vietnam-China
relations |
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Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan, chairwoman
of the National Assembly of
Vietnam and Zhang Ping, vice
chairman of the Standing Committee
of the National People’s
Congress of China, at the 137th
Inter-Parliamentary Union Assembly
(IPU-137) held in Saint Petersburg
on Sunday |
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From
News Reports:
Hanoi, October 2017: Chairwoman of the
National Assembly of Vietnam called for
maintainance of Vietnam's "treasured"
relationship with China, saying that "Vietnam's
relationship with China was given top
priority in Vietnam's foreign policy,
reports Nhan Dan.
National Assembly of Vietnam Chairwoman,
Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan, called for maintainance
of the relationship between Vietnam and
China at the 137th Inter-Parliamentary
Union Assembly (IPU-137) held in Saint
Petersburg on Sunday.
The Chair woman called on the Standing
Committee of National People’s Congress
of China (NPC) vice chairman, Zhang Ping,
to implement policies that had been reached
by agreement by senior officials of both
Vietnam and China.
The chairwoman drew attention to the establishment
of the Vietnam-China friendship parliamentary
group that planned to visit China in December
in order to promote parliamentary ties.
Standing Committee of the National People’s
Congress of China (NPC) vice chairman, Zhang
Ping, called on Vietnam and China to maintain,
solidarity, friendship and cooperation and
to address disagreements.
Vice chairman, Zhang Ping, called on Vietnam
and China to implement collaborative programmes
and projects within China's "One
Belt, One Road initiative" in order
to build "a corridor of economic
connectivity".
Vice chairman, Zhang Ping, also drew attention
to the establishment of the Vietnam-China
friendship parliamentary group saying that
Vietnam and China have maintained delegation
exchanges.
"In 2016 chairman of the Standing
Committee of the National People’s
Congress of China (NPC), Zhang Dejiang
visited Vietnam" he said.
He said that legislators held talks that
worked to elevate the Vietnam-China friendship
parliamentary bilateral relationship.
General Secretary of the Communist Party
of China and President of the People's
Republic of China Xi Jinping, are scheduled
to attend the APEC Economic Leaders Week
in Vietnam's central city of Da Nang in
November.
The
Southeast Asian Times
| Thailand
to extradite Red bull heir charged
with hit-and-run death of police
officer |
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Vorayuth
Yoovidhya, whose nickname is
Boss, was allowed bail of baht
500,000, about US$16,000, at
the local Thong Lor police station
where he was charged with causing
death through carelessness and
fleeing the scene of an accident
in September 2012 |
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From
News Reports:
Bangkok, October 17: Thai authorities are
preparing to extradite Red Bull heir, Vorayudh
Yoovidhaya, 32, who fled Thailand while
on bail charged with the the hit-and-run
death of a police officer in Bangkok in
2012, reports the Bangkok Post.
Amnat Chotchai, director-general of the
Office of the Attorney-General's (OAG)
International Affairs Department, said
prosecutors were working with police and
the Foreign Ministry to draw up the extradition
request in English.
"A written request will be ready
to send to the country that has apprehended
the the Red Bull heir", he said.
He said that the Red Bull heir has the
right to defend himself in a foreign court
during his detention prior to extradition.
"This could take about 30 days, he
said.
He said that the Office of the Attorney-General's
(OAG) International Affairs Department
is ready to take swift action, saying
that the Attorney General wants the Red
Bull heir to face prosecution in Thailand
before the statute of limitations on the
charges against him expire.
"We must try to avoid raising public
suspicion that rich people can escape
legal action in Thailand because that
would taint the judicial process and scare
off investment," he said.
Red Bull heir Vorayudh Yoovidhaya, charged
with dangerous driving, speeding, drunk
driving, fleeing the crime scene and causing
the death of Pol Sen Sgt Maj Wichean Klanprasert,
48, in Bangkok in 2012, failed to attend
the prosecutors office in April, believed
to have fled to Singapore.
He was charged in 2012 with drunk driving
after his Ferrari hit a motorbike driven
by police senior sergeant major Wichean
Klinprasert.
The Red Bull heir, whose blood sample
reportedly contained alcohol over the
legal limit, was charged with causing
death by dangerous driving and fleeing
the scene of an accident.
The policeman, who was on his way to early-morning
sentry duty was reportedly dragged about
200 metres, died as aresult of his injuries.
Police lieutenant colonel Pannaphol Nammueng,
who was the immediate superior of the dead
police officer, was accused of having produced
the Red Bull family driver, Suwes Homubon,
45, as the suspect in the hit-and-run accident,
was suspended for at least 30 days pending
an investigation. The
Southeast Asian Times
Government
takes over Halal certification
From
News Reports:
Jakarta, October 15: The Indonesian government
has revoked the authority of the Indonesian
Ulema Council (MUI) to certify Halal products
following the inauguration of the Halal
Certification Agency, reports the Jakarta
Post.
The inauguration of the government agency
by Religious Affairs Minister, Lukman
Halim Saifuddin, ends the MUI’s authority
to issue halal certificates.
The Religious Affairs Minister said that
the establishement of the Halal Certification
Agency was based in Law No. 33/2014 on
halal product guarantee.
He said that the Halal Certification Agency
was not allowed to collect fees from business
for issuing certificates.
“There will be no certification fee
at all," he said.
Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) deputy
chairman Zainut Tauhid Sa’adi said
that the MUI was behind the drafting of
the Halal Product Guarantee Law and the
establishment of the agency.
“Anything that relates to the protection
and guarantee of halal products is now
the responsibility of the government,”
he said.
The Indonesian Food and Beverage Producers
Association (Gapmmi) chairman, Adhi Lukman,
said that
halal certification will give added value
to the products on the global market.
"We hope the certification process
will not add to the industry's burden,”
he said.
In 2008 the House of Reprentatives approved
mandatory halal food labeling in a draftlaw.
The then House religious affairs commission
chairman Hazrul Azwar agreed with the
Indonesian Ulema
Council (MUI) that halal certification
should be obligatory rather than voluntary.
The
Southeast Asian Times
| Mother charged
with selling daughter into prostitution |
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30-year-old mother and her accomplice
45-year-old karaoke bar owner
in Kuala Lumpur charged selling
a 14 year old girl into prostitution |
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From
News Reports:
Kuala Lumpur, Sunday 15: Two women charged
with selling a 14 year old girl into prostitution
face up to 15 years in prison if convicted,
reports the Star.
Magistrate Keli Mareng charged the 30 year
old mother of the 14 year old girl and her
accomplice, 45 year old karaoke bar owner
under the Child Act 2001 on Friday
The mother of the 14 year old girl was arrested
last week after a village headman brought
the girl to the police to lodge a report.
Sarawak CID chief Senior Asst Comm Datuk
Dev Kumar said that the village headman
or ketua kampung brought the girl to the
police after he learnt that the young girl
had been working as a prostitution.
"The girl said she was forced by her
own mother into prostitution" he said.
The
Southeast Asian Times
Cambodia
rejects data that shows increase in deforestation
From News Reports:
Phnom Penh, October 14: Cambodia's Ministry
of the Environment has refuted the US
University of Maryland data that shows
a loss of 30 percent forest cover in the
last year, pointing instead to its own
data that shows minimal deforestation
during the same period, reports the Phnom
Penh Post.
The Phnom Penh Post reports that deforestation
has increased despite the governments
"much-touted yearlong crackdown on
illegal logging that was led by National
Military Police Chief Sao Sokha.
The US University of Maryland satellite
imagery reportedly gives a global picture
and not a Cambodia-specific picture, showing
the change in forest cover over the last
16 years.
Cambodia's forestry administration deputy
director, Keo Omalis, said that there
was a high rate of deforestation from
2010 to 2014 due to clearing for economic
land concessions.
"But deforestation was reduced after
2014 to 0.67 percent annually", he
said.
Cambodia's Ministry of the Environment
denied the validity of the US University
of Maryland satelite data saying that
the University did not conduct on-the-ground
verification of their claim.
Cambodia's Ministry of the Environment
said that the US University of Maryland
data that includes rubber
plantations, palm oil plantations and
other crops is inconsistent with findings
of Cambodia's team of national experts
that includes three development partners.
Conservationist, Marcus Hardtke said the
inclusion of plantations in forest cover
evaluations had been criticised globally
– pointing to a flawed association
between forests and plantations.
The
Southeast Asian Times
| Muslim
preacher arrested for sedition
over Muslim-only laundrettes |
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Muslim
preacher Zamihan Mat Zin, was
arrested for sedition on Wednesday
for his criticism of Sultan
Ibrahim Iskandar of Johor |
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From
News Reports:
Kuala Lumpur, October 13:: A Muslim preacher
was arrested on Wednesday for sedition following
a religious lecture in which he criticisedl
the Sultan of Johor for the ban on Muslim-only
launderettes, reports the Star.
National criminal investigation chief Wan
Ahmad Najmuddin Mohd said that Muslim preacher
Zamihan Mat Zin, a former officer with the
government's Islamic Development, was in
remand.
"He was arrested after summoned to
have his statement recorded," he said.
The arrest of the Muslim preacher follows
the Conference of Malay Rulers condemnation
of the plan to establish Mulsim-only laundrettes.
The Conference of Malay Rulers said that
the establishment of the Muslim-only laundrettes
was "divisive and tainted the reputation
of Islam" with the Sultan Ibrahim Sultan
Iskandar of Johor saying that he could not
accept "this nonsence".
"Johor belongs to Bangsa Johor and
belongs to all races and faiths", he
said.
He said that Johor is a progressive, modern
and moderate state and not a Taleban state.
"As the head of Islam in Johor I find
this action to be totally unacceptable as
- it is extremist in nature," he said.
Muslim preacher Zamihan Mat Zin denied criticising
the Sultan of Johor, with the Ahli Sunnah
Wal Jamaah Organisation president saying
that the Muslim-only launderette controversy
was sparked by the sultan of Joho.
"It is not right for the sultan to
say that the Muslim-only laudrette was nonesence,"
he said.
He said that the launderettes are meant
to show that Muslims prioritise cleanliness.
The Conference of Malay Rulers that include
nine state rulers and the governors of four
states have reportedly supported Sultan
Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar of Johor and the
Crown Prince of Perlis, who ordered a Muslim-only
launderette in the northern state to drop
its Muslim-only policy.
The
Southeast Asian Times
Call
for security following deadly fire at
KL Islamic school
From News Reports:
Kuala Lumpur, Ooctober 11: Calls for improved
safety and tougher regulations at Malaysian
religious school were made following a
fire at an Islamic school that left 23
students dead, reports the New Straits
Times.
Two non- Muslim teenagers have been charged
with the murder of the students for setting
fire to the Kuala Lumpur Islamic boarding
school, killing 23 students.
The teenagers, who were not students at
the school, set fire to the Muslim boarding
school on September 14.
The fire was started on the top floor
domitory of the three-story boarding school
where most of the students were asleep
in bunk beds.
The windows on the third floor were barred
by a metal grill.
The two teenagers charged with murder
were part of a group of seven youths aged
between 12 and 18.
Police said the teenagers who lived in
the vicinity of the Muslim boarding school
started the fire following an argument
with the students
The Star reports that the fire that has
sparked public outrage was the deadlietst
of its kind in two decades
The
Southeast Asian Times
| Court
relocated to high security laboratory
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A
Royal Malaysia Police (RMP)
officer stands guard at the
high-security laboratory in
Petaling Jaya where the contaminated
clothing of Indonesian Siti
Aisyah, 25, and Vietnamese Doan
Thi Huong, 28, accused of the
murder of Kim Jong-nam, 47,
are held.
From
News Report:
Kuala
Lumpur, October 11: The trial
of two women accused of the
murder of the half-brother of
North Korea's leader entered
its second week on Monday with
the court relocating to a high-security
laboratory in Petaling Jaya
to view evidence believed to
be contaminated by VX nerve
agent, reports the Associated
Press.
High Court Judge Azmi Ariffin
ordered Indonesian Siti Aisyah,
25, and Vietnamese Doan Thi
Huong, 28, charged with the
murder of Kim Jong-nam, 47,
the prosecution and defence
lawyers to resume the trial
at the laboratory in order to
examine the contaminated clothing.
Government chemist, Raja Subramaniam,
said in his testomy last week
that VX nerve agent found on
the womens clothing was active.
He said that he found traces
of the VX nerve agent on the
clothing worn by Indonesian
Siti Aisyah and Vietnamese Doan
Thi Huong at the Kuala Lumper
International airport at the
time of Kim Jong-nam's death
in February
The government chemist confirmed
that he found VX nerve agent
on Kim Jong-nam's face, eyes,
clothing and in his blood and
urine.
Indonesian Siti Aisyah, 25,
and Vietnamese Doan Thi Huong,
28, are charged with applying
the banned VX deadly nerve agent
to Kim Jong Nam's face at the
crowded airport where he died
within 20 minutes.
Lawyers for the defence argue
that they were not aware that
they had applied the deadly
nerve agent to Kim Jong Nam's
face, saying that they were
the victims of an elaborate
trick.
The defence lawyers argue that
the women was recruited by a
north Korean at a Kuala Lumpur
Hotel in January to star in
a prank show and were to be
paid $100-$200 for each prank.
The prosecution says that they
will present airport security
videos showing the two women
applying the deadly VX nerve
agent on Kim Jong Nam's face,
saying that the vido shows that
the women knew they were handling
a poisonous substance.
VX nerve agent is banned by
an international treaty as a
weapon of mass destruction and
is believed to be part of North
Korea's chemical weapons arsenal.
The
Southeast Asian Times
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| ASEAN calls
on UN for impartiality in human
rights investigations |
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Evan
P. Garcia, left, the permanent
representative of the Philippines
to the United Nations Office
at Geneva, has served as the
Permanent Representative of
the Philippines to the United
Nations Office at Geneva and
in the Office of Asian and Pacific
Affairs and the Office of ASEAN
Affairs |
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From
News Reports:
Manila, October 10: The 10 Association of
South East Asian nations (ASEAN) member
countries including the Philippines and
18 other states have called on the United
Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) to
order its special rapporteurs and independent
experts to conduct professional and impartial
investigations in human rights abuses including
extrajudicial killings, reports the Philippine
Inquirer.
The call for profession and impartial investigations
in human rights abuses was made in a joint
statement at the 36th session of the United
Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) that
concluded in Geneva on September 29.
The Philippines permanent representative
to the United Nations Human Rights Council
(UNHRC), Evan Garcia, said that "certain
UN special rapporteurs went beyond their
mandates, delivering politically biased
and unsubstantiated public statements and
using uncorroborated and sometimes false
information.”
“The Philippines attaches high significance
to the work of the special rapporteurs and
independent experts, and fully supports
discussions to strengthen the integrity
and credibility of the special procedures
mechanism of the Human Rights Council,”
he said.
In July 2017 Philippine represenatative
of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations
(ASEAN) ten member countries called on the
legislators of country representatives to
support president Rodrigo Duterte in his
"war on drugs" in the Philippines.
Philippine representative of ASEAN , Pantaleon
Alvarez, said then that he was concerned
that the region "was becoming a major
transshipment hub for illegal drugs"
in his speach at the opening of the Asean
Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (Aipa) meeting
held in Pasay City in the Philippines.
In May 2017 representatives of the United
Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) met
in Geneva to review the Philippines human
rights record and called on the Philippines
government to end extrajudicial killings
and to withdraw its plans to reinstate the
death penalty.
The Philippines is among 164 states that
ratified the International Covenant on Economic,
Social and Cultural Rights and as such is
required to undergo regular review by the
United Nations Human Council (UNHRC).
The review of Economic, Social and Cultural
Rights that includes the right to health
and the rehabilitation of drug addicts was
conducted by 47 United Nations Human Rights
Council (UNHRC) member countries.
The
Southeast Asian Times
Vietnam
warns of participation in China's One Belt
One Road project
From News Reports:
Hanoi, October 9: Vietnam warned that country's
should look beyond economic gain in their
participation in China's One belt One Road
initiative, saying that sovereignty and
dependence on China should be considered,
reports the Vietnam News Service.
Prof. Trinh Van Ðinh of the University
of Social Sciences and Humanities, said
at an International conference held in Hanoi
on Friday to discuss opportunities and challenges
of China’s Belt and Road Initiative
(BRI) that "China's One Belt One Road
initiative was like a snake shedding its
skin to enable further growth and development"
He warned that China aimed to turn Vietnam
into a "buffer zone" saying that
"historically China attempted to achieve
this goal through cultural assimilation
and political ties."
"But today China exerts influence via
funding".
Prof. Trinh Van Ðinh claims that China's
One belt One Road initiative poses a dilemma
for Vietnam, saying that economic gains
would be "tremendous" should Vietnam
join the "old silk road".
"But Vietnam would be sacrificing its
territorial claim in the East Sea (South
China Sea) dispute", he said.
Diplomatic Academy of Viet Nam scholars
said at the conference that protection of
labour rights, the environment, transparancy
and international dispute settlement mechanisms
were concerns yet to be resolved in the
thousands of related projects in China's
Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).
The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) was launched
by China's General Secretary Xi Jinping
in 2013.
The initiative involves billion dollar investments
in infrastructure in countries along the
"old silk road" including new
routes that are underwritten by China. China
has reportedly spent about US$150 billion
a year in the 68 countries that have participated
in the project.
The
Southeast Asian Times
KPK
working on biggest corruption case in
its history
From
News Reports:
Jakarta. October 8: The Corruption Eradication
Commission (KPK) is working on the largest
corruption case in the commmission's history,
with allegations of abuse of power against
former Southeast Sulawesi regent, reports
the Jakarta Post.
The Corruption Eradication Commission
(KPK) has accused former North Konawe
regent, Aswad Sulaiman, of receiving bribes
in the issuance of unlawful mining permits
in the regency between 2007 and 2014.
Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK)
deputy chairman, Saut Situmorang, said
that the total loss to the state from
the sale of nickel produced by miners
who had been issued with unlawful mining
permits is estimated at Rp 2.7 trillion
(US$200 million).
The Corruption Eradication Commission
(KPK) has accused the former regent of
reportedly receiving bribes from eight
mining companies for the issuance of unlawful
mining permits.
The former North Konawe regent reportedly
revoked the PT Antam in Langgikima and
Molawe districts mining concession while
valid, issuing 30 mining unlawful mining
concessions in the district.
The deputy chairman said that the issuance
of unlawful mining permits is "one
of the biggest cases ever handled by the
commission when compared with the high
profile e-ID case and the Bank Indonesia
Liquidity Support (BLBI) cases.
He said that the e-ID case involved an
estimated Rp 2.3 trillion loss to the
state while the Bank Indonesia Liquidity
Support (BLBI) case involved Rp 3.7 trillion
in losses to the state.
Former North Konawe regent, Aswad Sulaiman,
who was appointed the caretaker regent
when it was established in 2007 and who
was also a Democratic Party politician,
held his position as regent of North Konawe
until 2016.
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
| Thailand
to extradite fugitive former
PM Yingluck Shinawatra |
|
 |
| Fugitive
former Thai prime minister Yingluch
Shinawatra with Queen Elizabeth
II of England at Buckingham
Palace in London on 13 November
2012 |
|
From
News Reports:
Bangkok, October 7: Thailand is preparing
to extradite fugitive former Thai prime
minister Yingluch Shinawatra from London
where she is reportedly seeking political
asylum following a prison sentence handed
down in her absence by the Thai Supreme
Court Criminal Division for Political Office
Holders last month, reports the nation.
The Thai Supreme Court Criminal Division
for Political Office Holders sentenced the
fugitive former prime minister to five years
in prison in absentia last month for dereliction
of duty in the national rice subsidy programme.
The former Prime Minister was charged with
committing nonfeasance and malfeasance reportedly
resulting in the loss of 518 billion baht
to the state while holding the post of Prime
Minister.
The former prime minister was found guilty
of the alleged offences under Section 157
of the Criminal Code and Section 123/1 of
the Organic Act on Counter Corruption 1999.
The former prime ministers was accused of
colluding with two Chinese companies not
authorised by the Chinese government to
undertake G2G deals with the Thai government
to buy rice from stockpiles generated by
the government rice pledging scheme.
The former Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra
denied all charges made against her by the
Thai National Anti-Corruption Commission
(NACC) who voted unanimously in May 2014
following the declaration of Martial Law
that there was sufficient evidence to indict
the ousted prime minister on charges of
dereliction of duty in the national rice
subsidy programme.
The former prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra
fled Thailand in August ahead of the Supreme
Court Criminal Division for Political Office
Holders ruling that sentenced her to prison.
The
Southeast Asian Times
| 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
|
|
| ; |
| |
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| |
|
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|
Oz $ buys
|
|
Updated daily.
Prices indicative only
|
US...0.7582
Brunei...1.0310
Cambodia...3,115.36
China..Yuan..5,0710
East Timor...0.7582
Euro..0.6794
HongsKong...5.8808
Indonesia Rupiah.9,997.47
Japan..78.8528
Laos..6,140.58
Malaysia Ringgit.....3.0900
Myanmar..923.19
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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