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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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| West
Papuan's boycott Indonesian
elections |
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From
News reports:
Jakarta, April 23: The
United Liberation Movement
for West Papua (ULMWP)
estimates that 60 percent
of voters in West Papua
boycotted the 2019 Indonesian
elections held last
Wednesday.
The United Liberation
Movement for West Papua
(ULMWP) chairman, Benny
Wenda, said that "while
voting did not take
place at many polling
stations in West Papua
because ballots were
not delivered is was
the boycott that has
reduced voting to a
record low."
“This is the first
time in our history
that 60 percent have
boycotted the Indonesian
elections in West Papua,"
he said.
He said that "the
boycott is growing",
saying that the boycott
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The
United Liberation
Movement for West
Papua (ULMWP) estimates
that 60 percent
of West Papuan voters
boycotted the 2019
Indonesian general
elections |
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of the 2019 Indonesian election was the
second time that West Papuans have not voted
in Indonesian presidential elections.
"There is growing confidence in West
Papua that we will be an independent state,”
he said.
The United Liberation Movement for West
Papua (ULMWP) chairman urged West Papuans
and those sympathetic with the West Papuan
cause to boycott the Indonesian April elections,
saying that West Papuans respect Indonesia’s
right to hold elections in its own territory
but that West Papua will oppose the Indonesian
elections when the elections are forced
on West Papua.
In June 2018 Indonesia's General Elections
Commission (KPU) commissioner Wahyu Setiawan
postponed voting in Paniai and Nduga regencies
in West Papua due to an ongoing conflict
between the Indonesian National Armed Forces
and West Papuan pro-independence separatist
group, the Free West Papua Campaign (FWPC).
He said that the conflict had hampered the
distribution of ballot papers in 29 districts.
Nduga regency Indonesian military official,
Colonel Muhammad Aidi said three civilians
were killed and two were injured including
a pilot in an attack allegedly by West Papuan
pro-independence separatist activists at
the Kenyam airport on the day before the
2018 Indonesian elections.
“The plane was carrying 15 mobile brigade
officers tasked with safeguarding the local
election,” he said.
West Papua, a former Dutch colony in the
western part of New Guinea, was incorporated
into Indonesia in 1969 after a U.N. sponsored
ballot that has been contested by Free West
Papua Campaign (FWPC) separatists since
Indonesian rule over West Papua.
The
Southeast Asian Times
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Indonesian
election officials sacked
over Malaysian postal votes
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%20official%20Alfitra%20Salam,.jpg) |
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Election
Organizer Honorary Council (DKPP)
official, Alfitra Salam, says
that violation of the election
code of ethics must be poven
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From
News Reports:
Jakarta, April 22: The Indonesia Election
Organization Ethics Council (DKPP) is to
investigate the dismissal of electoral officials
accused of violation of the election code
of ethics in ballots cast in Selango, Malaysia,
reports the Jakarta Post.
Marked ballot papers were reportedly found
in Selango, Malaysia before voting in Indonesia
had begun on Wednesday 17.
Election Organizer Honorary Council (DKPP)
official, Alfitra Salam, said that the council
will investigate the dismissal of two Overseas
Election Organizers (PPLN) officials, saying
that "the dismissal was recommended
by the Election Supervisory Body (Bawaslu)"
He said that the Election Organizer Honorary
Council (DKPP) will undoubtedly follow up
on the dismissal of two Overseas Election
Organizers (PPLN) officials, Krishna KU
Hanna who is also the Indonesian deputy
ambassador to Malaysia and Djadjuk Nashir
who was responsible for postal votes in
Kuala Lumpur.
In Jakarta presidential candidate former
general, Prabowo Subianto and running mate
Sandiaga Uno have called for an investgation
of alleged election violation, saying that
they have lossed 106 votes in the counting
of ballots in East Jakarta, saying "this
is an election violation."
Presidential candidate former general, Prabowo
Subianto claims that
encumbant president Jokowi and running mate
Ma'ruf reportedly received 47 votes at the
polling station in Bidara Cina, Jatinegara
sub-district in East Jakarta while he received
162 as shown on the C1 Form.
However, the ballot count according to the
General Elections Commissions (KPU) showed
that encumbant president Jokowi and running
mate Ma'ruf
received 180 votes and presidential candidate
former general, Prabowo Subianto received
56 votes
Presidential candidate former general, Prabowo
Subianto and running mate Sandiaga Uno have
reportedly declared victory over incumbent
President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo
and his running mate, Ma’ruf Amin,
despite "quick count" results
that show that Joko “Jokowi” Widodo
won the popular vote.
Presidential candidate former general, Prabowo
Subianto, declared victory on an alleged
popular vote of 64 percent on the day of
the elections.
“We have declared this victory earlier
than the final results because we have evidence
of various wrong doings in numerous villages,
subdistricts and districts across Indonesia,”
he said.
The
Southeast Asian Times
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Muslim clerics call for impartiality
in investigation of election
violations
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The
Indonesian Ulema Council Majelis
Ulama Indonesia (MUI), the largest
Muslim clerical organisation
in Indonesia, called on the
General Elections Commissions
(KPU) Elections Supervisory
Body (Bawaslu), and Election
Organization Ethics Council
(DKPP) to maintain impartiality
and professionalism in its investigation
of the ballot count
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From
News Reports:
Jakarta, April 21: The Indonesian Ulema
Council Majelis Ulama Indonesia (MUI),
the largest Muslim clerical organisation
in Indonesia, called on the General Elections
Commissions (KPU) Elections Supervisory
Body (Bawaslu), and Election Organization
Ethics Council (DKPP) to maintain impartiality
and professionalism in its investigation
of the ballot count for presidential candidate
former general, Prabowo Subianto and running
mate Sandiaga Uno.
Presidential candidate former general,
Prabowo Subianto and running mate Sandiaga
Uno have twice declared victory since
the elections held on Wednesday over incumbent
President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo
and his running mate, Ma’ruf Amin,
despite results that show Joko “Jokowi”
Widodo and his running mate Ma'ruf Amin
are leading with between 54 and 55 percent
of the popular vote, while Prabowo and
Sandiaga are behind with between 44 and
45 percent.
The Indonesian Ulema Council Majelis Ulama
Indonesia (MUI) advisory council official,
Din Syamsudin, said that "fairness
and justice are important in the parliamentary
and presidential elections as mandated
by the Constitution."
Presidential candidate former general,
Prabowo Subianto and running mate Sandiaga
Uno election campaign officials have reportedly
reported a loss of 106 votes in the counting
of ballots in East Jakarta to the General
Elections Commissions (KPU).
MUI advisory council official, Din Syamsudin,
said that encumbant president Jokowi and
running mate Ma'ruf received 47 votes
at the polling station in Bidara Cina,
Jatinegara sub-district in East Jakarta
while presidential candidate Prabowo and
running mate Sandiaga received 162 as
shown on the C1 Form.
He said that the ballot count according
to the General Elections Commissions (KPU)
showed that encumbant president Jokowi
and running mate Ma'ruf had jumped to
180 votes and that votes for presidential
candidate Prabowo and running mate Sandiaga
was reduced to 56 votes, saying that "this
was an election violation"
"The Indonesian Ulema Council Majelis
Ulama Indonesia (MUI) has reported the
violation to the Election Organization
Ethics Council (DKPP) and the police",
he said.
Presidential candidate former general,
Prabowo Subianto and running mate Sandiaga
Uno declared victory over incumbent President
Joko “Jokowi” Widodo and his
running mate, Ma’ruf Amin, on the
day of the elections saying that they
had evidence of election violations in
numerous villages, subdistricts and districts
across Indonesia.
Presidential candidate, Prabowo Subianto
reportedly claimed victory after receiving
information that he had won with 62 percent
of the vote based on an internal count
of over 320,000 polling stations across
Indonesia.
Indonesian President Joko “Jokowi”
Widodo and his running mate, Ma’ruf
Amin, have reportedly won 55.8 percent
of the vote against former general, Prabowo
Subianto and Sandiaga Uno with 44.2 percent
of the vote.
The
Southeast Asian Times
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Both
Widodo and Prabowo claim Indonesian
general election victory
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Presidential
candidate former general, Prabowo
Subianto and running mate Sandiaga
Uno have again declared victory
in the general elections at
the party's headquarters in
Jakarta with supporters shouting
Allahu Akbar |
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From
News Reports:
Jakarta, April 20: Presidential candidate
former general, Prabowo Subianto and running
mate Sandiaga Uno have again declared victory
over incumbent
President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo
and his running mate, Ma’ruf Amin,
despite "quick count" results
that show that Joko “Jokowi” Widodo
won the popular vote in the general elections
held on Wednesday, reports the Jakarta Post.
Presidential candidate former general, Prabowo
Subianto, first declared victory for a five
year term based on an alleged popular vote
of 64 percent on Wednesday, on the day of
the elections.
“We have declared this victory earlier
than the final results because we have evidence
of various wrong doings in numerous villages,
subdistricts and districts across Indonesia,”
he said.
Presidential candidate, Prabowo Subianto
declared victory despite the release of
"quick count" results by twelve
survey instititions that show that Joko
“Jokowi” Widodo and his running
mate Ma'ruf Amin are leading with between
54 and 55 percent, while Prabowo and Sandiaga
are behind with between 44 and 45 percent.
Presidential candidate, Prabowo Subianto
first claimed victory on Wednesday from
Jakarta after receiving information that
he had won with 62 percent of the vote based
on an internal count of over 320,000 polling
stations across Indonesia.
Researcher Burhanuddin Muhtadi from Indikator
Politik Indonesia said after Prabowo's second
declaration on Thursday that collecting
data from 320,000 polling stations across
Indonesia within a day was impossible.
Incumbent President Joko “Jokowi”
Widodo who has yet to rebuke his rival's
repeated victory declaration said on Thursday
that 13 state leaders had congratulated
him and his running mate Ma’ruf for
the success of the general elections.
General Election Commission (KPU) chairman
Arief Budiman said the commission required
35 days maximum to count all votes in the
2019 general elections, saying that "vote
counting is carried out manually."
The
Southeast Asian Times
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President
Widodo re elected amid alleged
election fraud in six countries
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Indonesian
President Joko “Jokowi”
Widodo with his running mate,
Ma’ruf Amin |
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From
News Reports:
Jakarta, April 19: Indonesian President
Joko “Jokowi” Widodo has been
re-elected to the presidency, together with
his running mate, Ma’ruf Amin, winning
55.8 percent of the vote against former
general, Prabowo Subianto and Sandiaga Uno
with 44.2 percent of the vote, amid alleged
election fraud in Indonesia and in six countries,
reports the Jakarta Post.
Komisi Pemilihan Umum (KPU), the Indonesian
General Election Commission reported a turnout
of more than 81 per cent from the 192 million
eligible voters that includes overseas voters.
Komisi Pemilihan Umum (KPU), the Indonesian
General Election Commission reportedly found
almost 3 million duplicate names on the
electoral rolls prior to the April 17 general
election.
A Chinese national was reportedly found
on the electoral roll in place of an Indonesian
citizen due to an imput error by the election
commission.
Election fraud was also found in six countries
including Australia, Netherlands, Germany,
New Zealand, Bangladesh, Hong Kong between
8 and 14 April.
The Presidential National Campaign Team
(TKN) director of Law and Advocacy, Ade
Irfan Pulungan, reported alleged fraud and
violations in the six countries, to the
Election Supervisory Board (Bawaslu).
He claims that allegations of election fraud
was receved from the Indonesia diaspora
overseas, saying that "various forms
of fraud and violations were committed particularly
in Sydney."
He said that Indonesian citizens in Brisbane,
Australia and in Wan Chai and Yuen Long
in Hong Kong were unable to cast their ballot
after queuing for hours because the election
officers said that "time was up"
and closed the polling station.
He urged the Election Supervisory Board
(Bawaslu) to act promptly in their investigations
in order to establish if the alleged election
fraud and violation
was carried out deliberately.
“I urge the Bawaslu to find out whether
this was done deliberately to disrupt the
elections or whether it is because of the
limited overseas elections committee resources,”
he said.
Komisi Pemilihan Umum (KPU), the Indonesian
General Election Commission will announce
official election results next month.
The
Southeast Asian Times
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Philippines
to talk peace without chairman
of Communist Party
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Jose
Maria Sison, 90, founder and
chairman of the Communist Party
of the Philippines (CPP) that
established the New People’s
Army (NPA) in 1969 to fight
a Maoist, nationalist and anti-imperialist
revolution in the Philippines
with the National Democratic
Front – Philippines (NDFP)
as the umbrella organisation
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From
News Reports:
Manila, April 18: The Philippines government
has called on peace talks with New Peoples
Army (NPA) rebels who do not "listen"
to Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP)
founder and chairman, Jose Maria Sison,
90, yesterday, saying that the peace talks
would be more productive without the chairman,
reports the Philippine Inquirer.
Philippines Senator Panfilo Lacson said
that the government would have a better
chance of ending the 50-year communist insurgency
by holding localised peace talks and negotiating
with rebels who "resented" Sison's
leadership.
"I have always believed that this is
the better way to deal with the five-decade
communist insurgency problem,” he said.
He said that it was counter productive to
deal with Communist Party of the Philippines
(CPP) chairman, Jose Maria Sison, who has
been in self-exile in the Netherlands since
1987, because he does not have control over
the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP)
armed wing, the New People's Army (NPA)
"Localised peace negotiations with
communist rebels would be productive",
he said.
In February the Manila Regional Trial Court
ordered the Department of Justice (DOJ)
to issue a summons on Communist Party of
the Philippines (CPP) founder and chairman,
Jose Maria Sison, in the government's effort
to officially declare the Communist Party
of the Philippines (CPP) armed wing The
New People's Army (NPA) a terrorist group.
In December 2018 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 2018.
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
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Malaysia
lifts suspension on China's
funded rail project
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Prime
Minister of Malaysia Mahathir
Mohamad and Premier Li Keqiang
of China in the Great Hall of
the People in Beijing on August
20, 2018, two months after Mahathir
Mohamad was elected Prime Minister
and the suspension of China's
Belt and Road funded projects
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From
News Reports:
Kuala Lumpur, April 17: Malaysia has lifted
the suspension on China's Belt and Road
funded projects that included the construction
of the East Coast Rail Link from the Thai
border to Kuala Lumpur in order to avoid
a more than $5 billion penalty imposed
by China, reports Agence France Presse.
Malaysia Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad
said that the government was faced with
the choice to either renegotiate or pay
termination costs of about 21.78 billion
ringgit ($5.3 billion) with nothing to
show for it.
"We chose to go back to the negotiating
table and call for a more equitable deal",
he said.
He said that China Communications Construction
Co. (CCCC) has agreed to help with operation
and maintainance of the proposed East
Coast Rail Link from the Thai border to
Kuala lumpur in order to ease the finanacial
burden on Malaysia.
"The cost of the East Coast Rail
Link project has been reduced to 44 billion
ringgit", he said.
He said that Malaysia would still need
to take out a loan from a Chinese state-owned
bank to fund the project but that the
cost would be less than under the original
deal.
In August 2018 newly elected Prime Minister
Dr Mahathir Mohamad suspended China's
Belt and Road funded projects worth more
than US22 billion that included construction
of the East Coast Rail Link project from
the Thai border to Kuala Lumpur, saying
that the project was overpriced.
Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad halted
work on a further two projects worth more
than US$2.3 billion awarded to the China
Petroleum Pipeline Bureau that was reportedly
linked to the misappropriation of funds
from the 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB)
He said that Malaysia's national debt
of US250 billion was due to the "quick
deals cut with Beijing" by former
Prime Minister Najib Razak in return for
help to pay off debts linked to the 1Malaysia
Development Bhd (1MDB) funds.
Former Prime Minister Najib Razak was
arrested in July 2018 for his alleged
involvement in the misappropriation of
funds from 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB)
of which he was the Finance Minister and
chairman.
Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad said then
that Malaysia's fiscal problems have turned
Malaysia from an Asian tiger into a ''small
kitten''.
The
Southeast Asian Times
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Indonesia
deploys military and police
to safeguard elections
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Jakarta
Police Inspector General Gatot
Pramono appealed to the public
to "cool down" ahead
of the Indonesian general elections
to be held tomorrow
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From
News Reports:
Jakarta, April 16: Indonesian Defense Forces
(TNI) and National Police will deploy 38,000
personnel, including 23,000 police officers
and 15,000 military in order to safeguard
the 2019 legislative and presidential elections
to be held tomorrow, with a turnout expected
to reach at least 70 percent of the total
192 million eligible voters, reports the
Jakarta Post.
Thousands of Indonesian Defense Forces (TNI)
and National Police personnel including
Kodam Jaya Regional Military Commander of
the Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI),
Major General Eko Margiyono and Jakarta
Police Inspector General Gatot Pramono attended
a roll call in preparation for the deployment
of personnel at polling stations throughout
Indonesia.
Jakarta Police Inspector General Gatot Pramono
said that the military and police will ensure
the safety of the community at the polling
stations, saying "we guarantee it".
For the first time in Indonesian history
the president, the vice president and members
of the local and national legislatures will
be elected on the same day.
The two Presidential candidates are current
President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo
and former Lieutenant-General Prabowo Subianto.
The election is reportedly a re-match of
the 2014 presidential election in which
Joko "Jokowi" Widodo defeated
former Lieutenant-General Prabowo Subianto.
Prabowo.
Presidential hopeful Prabowo Subianto said
on Saturday that the Indonesian economy
was on “the wrong track”, saying
that a massive amount of wealth had left
the country."
"Indonesia was not producing anything,."
he said.
President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo
said that infrastructure development is
the driver for creating new sources of economic
growth and bringing about more equitable
development in Indonesia.
He said it was vital for the government
to manage key and strategic natural resources,
citing his administration’s past actions
such as the takeover of the Mahakam gas
block and the Rokan oil and gas block and
the acquisition of a majority stake in PT
Freeport Indonesia.
The
Southeast Asian Times
|
China
warns US against stirring
up trouble in the South China
Sea
|
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China
Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu
Kang said on Wednesday that
the presence of the US and other
non-regional forces could stir
up trouble in the South China
Sea |
|
From
News Reports:
Manila, April 15: China warned the United
States and other nations against stirring
up trouble in the South China Sea on Wednesday
after reports that the USS Wasp, carrying
F35B Lightning 11 stealth fighter jets,
was sighted in the waters off what China
calls Thitu Islands and the Philippines
call Panatag or Scarborough Shoal in the
West Philippine Sea, occupied by China since
2012, reports the Philippine Inquirer.
China Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang
said the presence of the US and other non-regional
forces in the waters off Panatag could stir
up trouble in the South China Sea.
"China's position is that we hope non-regional
forces will refrain from stirring up trouble
in the South China Sea,” he said.
Philippine fishermen from Zambales on their
way to fish in the Chinese occupied Panatag
Shoal reportedly sighted US fighter jets
taking off and landing on the USS Wasp aircraft
carrier.
China's warning on Wednesday against "stirring
up trouble in the South China Sea"
follows the Philippines protests on Tuesday
at the Chinese consulate in Manila against
China's growing influence in the Philippines,
with protesters chanting "China out"
and carrying banners saying "defend
out sovereign rights" in reference
to China's claim to the South China Sea.
China's claim over the South China Sea is
also contested by Asociation of South East
Asian (ASEAN) member countries, Malaysia,
Brunei, and Vietnam.
In 2013 the Philippines filed a complaint
with the Permanent Court of Arbitration
in the Hague against China asking the court
to intervene in the Philippine dispute with
China over the right to exploit natural
resources inluding fish in the West Philippine
Sea, saying that China has violated the
United Nations Convention on the Law of
the Sea (UNCLOS) by invoking “historic
rights” in its claim over the West
Phillipine Sea.
In July 2016 the Arbitration Court in the
Hague ruling ruled in favour of the Philippines
against China's claim of historic rights
over the South China Sea that included the
West Philippine Sea, with United States
Assistant Secretary of State Daniel Russel
reportedly saying in Washington that as
both Beijing and Manila are signatories
to the United Nations Convention on the
Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), they are legally
bound to abide by the the Permanent Court
of Arbitration in the Hague decision.
China reportedly claimed that the Arbitration
tribunal made an illegal and invalid final
verdict on the South China Sea dispute with
China Foreign Ministry spokesman, Lu Kang
saying then that the dispute was not covered
by U.N. Convention on the Law of the Sea
(UNCLOS) because it was ultimately a matter
of sovereignty not exploitation rights.
"China's position of neither accepting
nor participating in the arbitration unilaterally
initiated by the Philippines remains unchanged,"
he said.
The
Southeast Asian Times
|
Indonesia
accuses Malaysia of violation
of sovereignty in the Malacca
Straits
|
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|
Indonesia's
Maritime Affairs and Fisheries
Ministry (KKP accuses Malaysian
Malaysian Maritime Enforcement
Agency (APMM) of obstructing
an Indonesian surveillance vessel
in the Malacca Straits |
|
From
News Reports:
Jakarta, April 14: Indonesia has accused
Malaysia of violating Indonesian sovereignty
in Indonesian waters in the Malacca Straits,
calling for the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign
Affairs to issue a diplomatic notice to
the Malaysian government for obstructing
an Indonesian surveillance vessel.
Indonesia's Maritime Affairs and Fisheries
Ministry (KKP) acting director for Directorate
General of Marine and Fisheries Resources
Surveillance, (PSDKP), Agus Suherman, urged
the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs
to issue a diplomatic notice to the Malaysian
government in protest against "the
meddling of a Malaysian Maritime Enforcement
Agency (APMM) vessel in Indonesia's surveillance
of the Malacca Straits.
Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (APMM)
vessel, the Panggalang 13, reportedly hindered
Indonesia's Maritime Affairs and Fisheries
Ministry (KKP) vessel, the Hiu 08 and Macan
Tutul, while the Indonesian vessel was attempting
to arrest two Malaysian vessels allegedly
illegally fishing in Indonesian waters in
the Malacca Straits on April 3 and 9.
Indonesia's Maritime Affairs and Fisheries
Ministry (KKP), Agus Suherman, said that
"the incident was serious because the
intervention was committed by a state institution
under Malaysian administration."
He called on the Indonesian Ministry of
Foreign Affairs to issue a diplomatic notice
to the Malaysian government, saying that
the alleged violation of Indonesian sovereignty
was not a trivial matter.
"Malaysia has violated Indonesian sovereignty,
had obstructed an Indonesian surveillance
vessel and entered Indonesian waters to
fish illegally", he said.
The
Southeast Asian Times
|
US
federal court orders payment
to victims of Marcos martial
law
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In
November 2018 the Philippines’
anti-corruption court found
former first lady Imelda Marcos,
90, guilty on seven counts of
corruption during the two-decade
rule 1965 to 1986 of former
president of the Philippines,
Ferdinand Marcos
|
|
From News Reports:
Manila, April 13: The US federal court
ordered the distribution of $13.75 million
to thousands of victims of martial law
in the Philippines, who won a class action
for human rights violations against the
estate of the late former president of
the Philippines, Ferdinand Marcos on Wednesday,
over objections from the Philippine government,
reports the Philippine Inquirer.
Judge Katherine Failla of US federal court
in New York ruled that the amount allocated
to the victims that was a share of $32
million obtained from the sale of the
painting by French impressionist Claude
Monet “Le Bassin aux Nympheas,”
acquired by the widow of former president
of the Philippines, Imelda Marcos, be
distributed to the victims by their lawyers.
Lawyers for the victims, Robert Swift,
Rodrigo Domingo and Ruben Fruto, said
in a joint statement that despite objections
from the Philippines Office of the Solicitor
General (OSG) on the settlement agreement,
the US federal court has "the actual
and apparent authority to bind the Philippines
to the settlement.”
Lawyer Robert Swift said that about 6,500
victims of martial law or their heirs
will each recieve $1,500 saying that the
distribution will begin on May 1 at Butuan
City in Agusan del Norte province followed
by distributions in 15 other cities.
The Philippines Office of the Solicitor
General (OSG) and the Department of Justice
(DOJ) and the Presidential Commission
on Good Government (PCGG) rejected the
settlement order by the US Federal Court
on Wednesday on grounds that the settlement
was “disadvantageous to the government
and not in accord with existing Philippine
laws and jurisprudence.”
The Philippines Office of the Solicitor
General (OSG) objected to the payment
of compensation to the victims of martial
law in the Phillippines from the sale
of painting by French impressionist Claude
Monet “Le Bassin aux Nympheas,”
acquired by Imelda Marcos, 89, on the
grounds that criminal immunity was given
to the first lady's former secretary,
Vilma Bautista, 80,
Former secretary to the first lady, Vilma
Bautista, was charged in New York in November
2012 with conspiring to sell the Claude
Monet painting and three other valuable
works that the Philippine government had
reportedly attempted to repossess since
2009.
The “Le Bassin aux Nympheas”
was subsequently sold in 2010 at a London
gallery for US$32 million with Vilma Bautista
reportedly “keeping the largest share
of the money," and accused of seeking
to hide the gain from the United States
tax office.
The United States tax office with the
United States Appeals Court upheld a judgement
of contempt against Senator Ferdinand
“Bong Bong” R. Marcos Jr, 55;
his mother Imelda Marcos and the estate
of former president Ferdinand E. Marcos
for violating an injunction that prohibits
them from dissipating the assets of the
estate.
In 1995 the Philippine government and
representatives of more than 1,000 Filipinos
- or their descendants - arrested, tortured
and executed during the 13 years from
1972 in which Ferdinand Marcos ruled by
decree and martial law won US$2.7-billion
in exemplary damages against the former
president’s estate at a hearing in
the United States federal court, Hawaii.
The Federal Court of Hawaii found Marcos
guilty of grave human-rights violations.
A "people power" revolt ousted
Ferdinand Marcos in February 1986, forcing
him and his family to flee to Hawaii,
where he died in exile in 1989.
His body was returned to the Philippines
in 1993 and was preserved in a refrigerated
crypt at his Batac hometown in Ilocos Norte
until he was buried at the Heroes Cemetery
in 2016.
The
Southeast Asian Times
|
Filipino's
protest against China's growing
influence in the Philippines
|
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Filipino's
rallied at the Chinese consulate
in Manila on Tuesday to protest
China's growing influence in
the Philippines |
|
From News Reports:
Manila, April 12: Filipinos rallied at the
Chinese consulate in Manila on Tuesday to
protest China's growing influence in the
Philippines, chanting
"China out" and carrying banners
saying "defend out sovereign rights"
in reference to China's claim to the South
China Sea, reports Agence France Presse.
The protest follows the sighting of more
than 200 hundred Chinese vessels sailing
off Thitu Island in the Spratly Islands
claimed by the Philippines.
Presidential spokesman Salvador Panelo said
the Department of Foreign Affairs has lodged
a protest with the Chinese consulate in
Manila last week after 275 Chinese vessels
were sighted in the waters of Thitu island,
known as Pag-asa in the Philippines.
he said that the Chinese vessels have been
sighted more than 600 times in the waters
off Thitu Island so far this year, saying
that the "presence of the Chinese vessels
is intimidating."
"The Chinese vessels are not fishing
instead they are occupying the waters in
the sandbars between Pag-asa and Zamora
(Subi) Reef, blocking Filipino fishermen
from entering the waterway," he said.
Last month allegations of crimes against
humanity committed in the South China Sea
by China were lodged at the International
Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague accusing
China President Xi Jinping of implementing
a systematic plan to control the South China
Sea, undermining food and energy security
of a number of nations, causing destruction
of the environment and depriving thousands
of fishermen of their livelihoods.
President Duterte said then that the the
International tribunal in The Hague does
not have jurisdiction over the Philippines
or China, saying that “China is not
a member of the International Criminal Court
(ICC).”
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte reportedly
withdrew from the International tribunal
four days after the alleged crimes against
humanity committed in the South China Sea
were lodged at the International Criminal
Court (ICC) in The Hague on March 13
China's claim over the South China Sea is
contested by Asociation of South East Asian
(ASEAN) member countries, Malaysia, Brunei,
Vietnam and was also contested by the Philippines
under the Benigno Aquino III administration.
In July 2016 the Arbitration Court in the
Hague ruling ruled in favour of the Philippines
against China's claim of historic rights
over the South China Sea that included the
West Philippine Sea.
China reportedly claimed that the Arbitration
tribunal made an illegal and invalid final
verdict on the South China Sea dispute with
China Foreign Ministry spokesman, Lu Kang
saying then that the dispute was not covered
by U.N. Convention on the Law of the Sea
(UNCLOS) because it was ultimately a matter
of sovereignty not exploitation rights.
The China Foreign Ministry spokesman said
then that "China's position of neither
accepting nor participating in the arbitration
unilaterally initiated by the Philippines
remains unchanged".
The
Southeast Asian Times
|
Protesters
calling for direct elections
in HK
deemed a public nuisuance
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The
West Kowloon Court found the
founders of the Hong Kong Occupy
Central Movement, Sociology
professor Chan Kin-man, 59,
Baptist minister Chu Yiu-ming,
74, Professor
of law Benny Tai, 54, guilty
of unlawful obstruction of public
places and roads in their involvement
in mass street protests in Hong
Kong in 2014 that called on
Beijing to give Hong Kong direct
elections
|
|
From
News Reports:
Hong Kong, April 10: A Hong Kong court found
a group of nine tried over the 79-day protests
also known as the "Umbrella Movement"
guilty of conspiracy to commit public nuisance
acts during the mass protests in Hong Kong
in 2014 that called on Beijing to give Hong
Kong direct elections, reports Rueters.
The nine defendants were accused of inciting
and mobilising protesters that blocked major
roads in Hong Kong during the pro-democracy
demonstrations that included the call for
autonomy for the 1917 election of the Hong
Kong Chief Executive.
Justice Johnny Chan said in summary of his
judgement that while the concept of civil
disobedience is "recognised in Hong
Kong", it wasn't a defence to a criminal
charge.
"The offence of conspiracy to cause
a public nuisance does not have the undesirable
effect of curtailing or suppressing civil
disobedience at its formation stage or suppressing
human rights as the defendants contended,"
he said.
Prosecutors argued that the mass protests
had caused a "common injury done to
the public", who had been affected
by the blockage of major roads, and that
the leaders of the movement deserved to
be punished.
All nine of the group tried in West Kowloon
Court, including the three founders of the"
Hong Kong Occupy Central Movement",
Sociology professor Chan Kin-man, 59, law
professor Benny Tai, 54, and Baptist minister
Chu Yiu-ming, 74, pleaded not guilty to
the charges that carry a maximum of seven
years jail.
The "Hong Kong Occupy Central Movement",
founded in 2013, joined the student-led
pro-democracy "Umbrella Movement"
bringing parts of Hong Kong to a standstill
for months in 2014,
The prosecutor accused the three founders
of the "Occupy Central Movement"
of taking part in and supporting the student-led
pro-democracy "Umbrella Movement"
protests in Hong Kong in the unlawful obstruction
of public places and roads.
In December 2014 the three founders of the
"Occupy Central Movement Chan"
surrended to police after hundreds of student
pro-democracy "Umbrella Movement"
protesters clashed with police, leaving
dozens injured in one of the worst nights
of violence since the streets protests in
Hong Kong began in September. 2014.
The founders called for an end to the occupation
of Hong Kong streets and urged students
protesters to surrender, saying that the
fight for autonomy for Hong Kong elections
"is a long battle."
Hong Kong student activist, Joshua Wong
and other students reportedly refused to
call off the street protest, saying they
would go on an indefinite hunger strike
to press Beijing for autonomy for the 2017
election of the Hong Kong Chief Executive.
The National People's Congress in Beijing
ruled in August 2014 that Hong Kong could
use the "one man one vote" system
to elect the Chief Executive in 2017 but
from only two or three candidates that would
be elected by a nominating committee from
Beijing.
The
Southeast Asian Times
|
Philippine
Supreme Court orders release
of war on drugs documents
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The
Philippines Supreme Court (SC)
voted unanimously for the release
of tens of thousands of documents
related to the extrajudicial
killings in President Rodrigo
Duterte's war on drugs
|
|
From News Reports:
Manila, April 10: The Philippines Supreme
Court (SC) voted unanimously for the release
of tens of thousands of documents related
to the extrajudicial killings by both vigilantes
and police in President Rodrigo Duterte's
war on drugs, rejecting an appeal by the
Solicitor General, Jose Calida, who argues
that "the release of the documents
was a risk to national security", reports
the Philippine Inquirer.
The Supreme Court rejected the Solicitor
General, Jose Calida's, appeal to revoke
the Supreme Courts December 5, 2017 order
to submit the official Philippine National
Police (NPA) reports on the extrajudicial
killings (EJKs) of about 4,000 drug suspects
under the Duterte administration.
"The Supreme Court has ordered the
Solicitor General to submit the police reports
to the Supreme Court with copies to the
petitioners", said Supreme Court spokesman,
Brian Keith.
The spokesman said that the Supreme Court
will provide copies of the police reports
related to 20,322 killings by both viligantes
and police to the Center for International
Law (CenterLaw) and the Free Legal Assistance
Group (FLAG).
The Supreme Court rejected the Solicitor
General's arguement that the release of
the documents was a risk to national security,
saying that "the documents do not involve
rebellion, invasion, terrorism, espionage,
infringement of Philippine sovereignty,
or any military, diplomatic or state secret."
The Supreme Court reportedly said in its
order for the release of the documents that
the government must prove that it has documented
all killings, including legitimate drug
operations, as mandated by regulations.
In March, 2017 House of Representatives
member, Gary Alejano, filed an impeachment
order accusing President Duterte of the
death of thousands of Filipinos in the 'war
on drugs', saying that "the President
has betrayed the public trust in the extrajudicial
killings of drug suspects."
In February, 2017 the Catholic Church delivered
sermons from pulpits across the Philippines
at Saturday and Sunday services denouncing
President Rodrigo Duterte's "war on
drugs" and accusing the president of
creating a "reign of terror" among
the poor.
The sermon denouncing the war on drugs was
delivered in a pastoral letter signed by
the bishops of the Catholic Bishops Conference
of the Philippines (CBCP).
"Killing people is not the answer to
traficking in illegal drugs", says
the pastoral letter.
The
Southeast Asian Times
|
PM Mahathir
claims Malaysia not affected
by withdrawal from International
Criminal Court
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Prime
Minister Mahathir Mohamad warned
that Malaysian's are not above
the law in his claim that Malaysia
would not be affected by the
Cabinents decision to withdraw
from the International Criminal
Court (ICC) in The Hague |
|
From
News Reports:
Kuala Lumpur, April 9: Prime Minister of
Malaysia, Mahathir Mohamad, claims that
Malaysia would not be affected by Malaysia's
withdrawal from the Rome Statute of the
International Criminal Court (ICC) in The
Hague, saying that the "the Malaysian
government has no intention of committing
crimes such as genocide or other excessive
acts", reports the Star.
Prime Minister Mahathir said that the government
"was forced " to withdraw from
the International Criminal Court (ICC) a
month after acceding to the treaty, saying
that the decision to withdraw was "against
Malaysia's own interest."
He said that the Cabinents decision to withdraw
ratification of the Statute of Rome was
not based on grounds that were deterimental
to Malaysia but based in "politics".
"The decision to withdraw from the
International Criminal Court (ICC) was
an attempt to undermine the government
and me as Prime Minister", he said.
The opposition alliance of the United
Malay National Organization (UMNO) and
Parti Islam Se-Malaysia (PAS) is reportedly
against the government
joining the International Criminal Court
(ICC) on grounds that it is deterimental
to the Conference of Rulers (OIC) including
the Yang di-Pertuan Agong and to Malaysia's
sovereignty.
The crown prince of Malaysia's Johor state,
Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim, said that
the government had not consulted the hereditary
Conference of Rulers (OIC), saying that
"the king could face prosecution
for war crimes orchestrated by individuals
seeking to damage royalty."
Non-government organisation, the United
Nations Association of Malaysia (Unam) president,
Tengku Ahmad Rithauddeen Tengku Ismail,
said that the ratification of the Rome Statute
of the International Criminal Court (ICC)
would not diminish Malaysia's sovereignty
or affect the respected status of the Conference
of Rulers (OIC) including the Yang di-Pertuan
Agong.
"Giving in to the idea that the Malaysia's
sovereignty is being threatened would
suggest that Malaysians have allowed mischief
to triumph over truth", he said.
The Rome Statute of the International
Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague that
was established in 2002 is the first permanent,
treaty-based international court that
prosecutes perpetrators who commit genocide,
war crimes, crimes against humanity, and
crimes of aggression.
The
Southeast Asian Times
|
Philippine
victims of war on drugs vow
to work with international
court
|
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Philippine
Lawyer, Jude Josue Sabio, at
the International Criminal Court
in The Hague in April 2017 with
the 77-page complaint against
Philippine President Rodrigo
Duterte’s war on drugs |
|
From
News Reports:
Manila, Monday 8: Mother of epoleptic, Djastin
“DJ” Lopez, 23, who was shot dead
in the Philippines in the war on drugs campaign,
vows to continue to work with the International
Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague, despite
Philippine President Rodrigo Deturte's withdrawal
of its membership from the tribunal, reports
the Philippine Inquirer.
The National Union of Peoples’ Lawyers
(NUPL) said in a statement that mother of
the slain drug suspect, Norma Lopez, will
continue to communicate with the Philippines
Office of the Ombudsman and the International
Criminal Court (ICC) "despite threats
and dissuasion against cooperating with
the court in the Hague."
Norma Lopez joined the National Union of
Peoples’ Lawyers (NUPL) in August 2018
following the fatal shooting of her epileptic
son, Djastin “DJ” Lopez, 23, by
a police officer.
The National Union of Peoples’ Lawyers
(NUPL) reportedly submitted cases related
to Philippine President Durtete's ant-drug
campaign to the International Criminal Court
(ICC) including the case of Djastin “DJ”
Lopez, who was allegedly shot dead by Police
Staff Sergeant Gerry Geñalope in
Tondo, Manila in 2017.
On Friday the Philippines Office of the
Ombudsman ordered the filing of murder charges
against Police Staff Sergeant Gerry Geñalope
for killing Djastin “DJ” Lopez.
In April 2017 Philippine Lawyer, Jude Josue
Sabio, filed a complaint against Philippine
President Rodrigo Duterte and 11 senior
government officials in the International
Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague for crimes
against humanity.
He filed a 77 page complaint against President
Rodrigo Duterte for the mass murder of thousands
of Filipinos under the anti-drug campaign
that the lawyer claims was introduced by
the President when he was the mayor of Davao
City.
The lawyer said that there was enough evidence
for President Rodrigo Duterte and the senior
government officials to stand trial for
crimes against humanity.
Presidential spokesman Salvador Panelo said
on Friday that the Prosecutors office of
the International Criminal Court (ICC) was
pursuing the case filed against the President
“despite the Philippine government
saying that the Philippines was never part
of its jurisdiction.”
He said that legal realities dictate that
the Philippines had never become part of
the jurisdiction of the International Criminal
Court (ICC), saying that "the present
actions of the court in the Hague are not
only baseless but tainted with political
motivation.”
The
Southeast Asian Times
Cambodia
and US to sign MoU on law enforcement
agreement
From News Reports:
Phnom Penh, April 7: The Cambodia National
Police and the US Federal Bureau of Investigation
(FBI) are to sign a Memorandum of Understanding
(MoU) that would create a joint taskforce
to combat terrorism and cross-border crimes
in Washington this week, the first such
agreement to be signed between the Cambodia
National Police, General Department of
Immigration and the FBI, reports the Khmer
Times.
Cambodia National Police Lt General Neth
Savoeun led a delegation to Washington
to discuss security cooperation at the
invitation of the Federal Bureau of Investigation
(FBI), leaving Cambodia on Wednesday.
Lt General Neth Savoeun said that the
five-day visit aims to enrich collaboration
by exchanging experiences in dealing with
security, saying that "we will strengthen
our cooperation in combating terrorism
and cross-border crimes.”
“Both parties will also sign a Memorandum
of Understanding (MoU) to establish a
joint taskforce to prevent terrorism,
transnational crime and also discuss other
areas of mutual interest, ” he said.
Lt General Neth Savoeun says that training
and technical equipment will be provided
by the US to the Cambdia National Police
to support cooperation, saying that "the
Cambodia National Police and the Cambodia
General Department of Immigration value
cooperation with the US Federal Bureau
of Investigation (FBI).
"Cooperation in Law enforcement to
address crime, including money laundering
and the financing of terrorism is highly
valued,' he said.
The
Southeast Asian Times
|
Vietnam
calls for ASEAN member states
to assert ASEAN independence
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The
ASEAN Defence Senior Officials'
Meeting, "Sustainable security",
attended by senior defence officals
from the 10 ASEAN member states,
was held in Phetchaburi province,
Thailand |
|
From News Reports:
Bangkok, April, 6: Vietnam called on the
Association of Southeast Asian Nations
(ASEAN) to assert ASEAN independence in
all decisions related to security at the
two day ASEAN Defence Senior Officals'
Meeting held in Thailand this week, reports
the Vietnam News Service.
Deputy Minister of Defence, Nguyen Chi Vanh,
called for the central role of ASEAN including
the practice of consensus to be upheld in
making deceisions related to security at
the meeting held in Thailand's Phetchaburi
province.
Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Defence
of Thailand, General Nath Intharacharoen,
said at the opening ceremony of the meeting
"Sustainable security" that due
to the regions extensive economic growth
and integration "the level of ASEAN
independence was becoming clearer".
He said that ASEAN member states have
increasingly realised how important the
role of security forums such as the ASEAN
Defence Ministers' Meeting and the ASEAN
Senior Defence Officials' Meeting play
in shaping the security community of the
ASEAN bloc.
He said that stepping up defence cooperation
in ASEAN would help member states to better
deal with security challenges and build
a security environment that would "favour
the region's growth and prosperity".
Proposals by ASEAN member state Brunei to
expand direct communications infrastructure,
member state Myanmar to establish an ASEAN
military medicine conference and member
state Thailand to address security and the
role of defence in illegal fishing were
included in the disccusion on sustainable
security at the ASEAN Defence Senior Officals'
Meeting that ended in Thailand yesterday.
The
Southeast Asian Times
|
Curruption
trial for ousted PM Najib
Razak begins in Kuala Lumpur
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Former
Prime Minister of Malaysia Najib
Razak, center, arrives for trial
at the Kuala Lumpur court on
Wednesday over the misappropriation
of 1Malaysia Development Bhd
(1MDB) funds |
|
From
News Reports:
Kuala Lumpur, April 5: The trial of former
ousted Prime Minister of Malaysia Najib
Razak, charged with using his position
as Prime Minister and Finanace Minister
to obtan gratification of RM42 million
as chairman of 1Malaysia Development Bhd
(1MDB) and adviser in its subsidiary SRC
International Sdn Bhd, went ahead on Wednesday
despite his lawyers attempt to stall the
proceedings, reports the Star.
Lawyer Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah
filed a motion reportedly at the "eleventh
hour" to declare the seven charges
against the former Prime Minister Najib
Razak in the SRC International Sdn Bhd
trial as defective, saying that "the
motion should be heard first before any
withnesses were called".
“We have filed a certificate of urgency
this morning,” he said.
Attorney General Tommy Thomas objected
to the charges against former president
Najib Razak be declared defective, saying
that "there is not reason why any
motion on the charges should be brought
on at this stage.
“This move is merely to delay the
trial and have the trial stayed, struck
off or postponed,” he said.
Justice Mohd Nazlan Mohd Ghazali then
deferred the hearing of Najib’s application
to a later date.
The court then ordered for the first witness
to take the stand.
Justice Mohd Nazlan Mohd Ghazali ordered
the first witness to take the stand, deferring
the application to declare the seven charges
against the former Prime Minister a later
date.
The first witness, Muhamad Akmaludin
Abdullah, 35, assistant registrar of the
Companies Commission of Malaysia told
the court that SRC International Sdn Bhd
had a paid capital of RM1mil when it registered
with the commission in 2011.
Attorney-General Tommy Thomas said the
prosecution would prove that former ousted
Prime Minister of Malaysia Najib Razak
had used his position as prime minister
and finance minister to obtain for himself
gratification of RM42 million that was
transferred into his bank accounts between
August 17, 2011, and February 8, 2012.
The arrest of former Prime Minister Najib
Razak in July 2018 and his subsequent
successful bail application follows the
May 9, 2018 Malaysian general elections
that saw the defeat of the ruling Barisan
National (BN) party lead by former Prime
Minister Najib Razak
The election of Dr Mahathir Mohamad as
Prime Minister in May followed the declassification
of the 1MDB audit report that had been
marked secret under the Official Secrets
Act (OSA).
In August 2014 the Malaysian Anti-Corruption
Commission (MACC), Bank Negara and Malaysian
police began investigation of allegations
that funds that had allegedly been donated
by one of the nine sons of the late Saudi
king Abdullah, were transferred from 1Malaysia
Development Bhd (1MDB) and its subsidiary
SRC International Sdn Bhd to Malaysia
Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak private
bank accounts.
In July Former Prime Minister Najib Razak
was arrested in July for his alleged involvement
in the misappropriation of funds from
1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) of which
he was the Finance Minister and chairman.
The
Southeast Asian Times
|
Overthrow
of Thai constitutional monarchy
would cause civil war: warns
Royal Thai Army
|
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Commander
in Chief of the Royal Thai Army
Apirat Kongsompong, warns that
efforts to change the Thai constitutional
monarchy system of government
would cause civil war, saying
that the armed forces follow
the instructions of the King |
|
From
News Reports:
Bangkok, April 4: Commander in chief of
the Royal Thai Army Apirat Kongsompong warned
that efforts to overthrow the constitutional
monarchy system of government in Thailand
would result in division and cause civil
war, urging all sides of politics to respect
the results of the election that saw the
pro-Royal Thai Armed Forces party, the Palang
Pracharath Party (PPRP) win the popular
vote.
The Election Commission (EC) reports that
the ruling pro-Royal Thai Armed Forces party,
the Palang Pracharath Party (PPRP) that
nominated current Prime Minister Prayut
Chan-o-cha, who is also the commander of
the National Council for Peace and Order
(NCPO), as candidate for prime minister,
has won the popular vote.
Commander in Chief of the Royal Thai Army,
Apirat Kongsompong, called on politicians,
lecturers and students at the 1st Division,
King's Guard on the 112nd anniversary
of its founding, to abide by the rules
and not to try to change Thailand's constitutional
monarchy system of government.
He warned that refusal to abide by the
rules would divide Thai's into "democratic"
and "dictorial" camps, saying
that such "democracy-dictatorship"
rhetoric is meant to cause division and
civil war.
The commander in Chief of the Royal Thai
Army, Apirat Kongsompong, denied that
the National Council for Peace and Order
(NCPO), was dictorial, saying that "the
council did not copy the acts of dictators
of other countries."
“Those who graduated abroad shouldn’t
bring extreme leftist ideology to topple
the Thai democratic regime with the monarchy
as head of state,” he said.
He said that students, scholars and government
officials, no matter where you graduated
from, should bear in mind that democracy
needs to be adjusted in line with local
culture and norms, saying that "we
are Thai and this is Thai democracy"
and that "Thai democracy is the notion
of Thai's love Thai's and we are united.”
"You have to adapt what you have
learned to fit within our country,”
he said."
In May 2014 the Royal Thai Army declared
martial law under the 1914 Martial Law
Act on the grounds that ongoing protests
between political rivals were a threat
to Thailands security and to the safety
of life and property, martial law reportedly
gave the military authority to intervene
during times of crises.
Martial law commander Gen Prayuth Chan-ocha,
who is the current Prime Minister of Thailand,
was declared the commander of the Peace
Keeping Command Centre (PKCC) that was
later replaced by the National Council
for Peace and Order (NCPO), on the signing
of the Martial Law Act.
The
Southeast Asian Times
|
Massacre suspect imprisoned
for 556 years for corruption
in Philippines
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Sajid
Ampatuan, center, son of alleged
mastermind of the 23 November
2009 Maguindanao massacre, Andal
Ampatuan Sr, sentenced to 556
years in prison for corruption |
|
From News Reports:
Manila, April 3: Former governor of Maguindanao
province in Muslim Mindanao in the southern
Philippines, Sajid Ampatuan, one of two
sons of alleged mastermind of the November
2009 Maguindanao massacre, Andal Ampatuan
Sr, in which 58 were murdered including
members of a rival political clan and 32
journalists, was sentenced to 556 years
in prison by the Sandiganbayan Fourth Division,
anti-corruption court last week, reports
the Philippine Inquirer.
The former Maguindanao governor, Sajid Ampatuan,
who with his brother Andal Ampatauan Jr,
is also a suspect in the 2009 Maguindanao
massacre, was found guilty of 63 counts
of falsification of public documents, one
count of graft and one of corruption in
the ghost purchase of P38.12 million worth
of construction materials in 2009.
The Sandiganbayan’s Fourth Division
anti-corruption court sentenced Sajid Ampatuan
to a prison term of six months and one day
to eight years for each count of falsification,
eight to 12 years for graft and reclusion
perpetua or 40 years imprisonment for corruption
to a total maximum prison term of 556 years.
In May 2017, the Ombudsman filed 75 cases
of corruption against Ampatuan and other
provincial officials in connection with
alleged ghost or non existent projects in
Maguindanao province.
The former governor of Maguindanao, Sajid
Ampatuan, and co-accused officials claimed
to have purchased timber and other construction
materials for the repair of a school building
in Maguindanao from Abo Lumberyard and Construction
Supply.
Sajid Ampatuan and co-accused officials
were charged with fabricating 73 disbursement
vouchers to pocket provincial funds from
May to September 2009 in the purchase of
construction materials from a fictitious
or nonexistent supplier.
Justices Bayani Jacinto, Alex Quiroz and
Reynaldo Cruz concluded that the assertion
of good faith by accused Sajid Ampatuan,
was not supported by the weight of evidence
on record.
The 58 murdered in Shariff Aguak, Maguindanao
Province, southwestern Mindanao, southern
Philippines on 23 November 2009 were abducted
while traveling in six vehicles to the Maguindanao
Provincial Election Office in order for
wife of Buluan, Maguindanao, deputy mayor
Ismael “Toto” Mangudadatu, to
nominate her husband for provincial governor
in the May 2010 elections.
Former Maguindanao governor the late Andal
Ampatuan Sr, who was a close political ally
of former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo,
was accused of having played a key role
in the massacre of the 58 reportedly political
opponents that included the prospective
candidate’s wife and sister, reporters
and lawyers.
The dead were reportedly shot at close range,
some with their hands tied behind their
backs, and dumped or buried in shallow graves
on a remote road close to Ampatuan.
More than 100 court hearings have been held
since the Maguindanao massacre trial began
in 2010 with 104 including eight members
of the Ampatuan clan arraigned.
89 of the 193 allegedly responsible for
the massacre remain at large not including
three wittnesses that have since been killed.
In June 2012 Shariff Aguak police superintendent
Marcelo Pintac confirmed that Alijol Ampatuan,
36, a potential witness to the massacre
had been killed.
Three witnesses and three relatives of other
witnesses were killed including the driver
for the Ampatuan family and a supposed key
witness to the massacre.
The driver, Esmail Amil Enog, who testified
that he had driven dozens of armed men who
participated in the massacre, was mutilated
and dismembered.
The Ampatuan patriarch and his two sons
pleaded not guilty to the multiple charges
of murder against them.
The
Southeast Asian Times
|
Protesters
call for investigation into
Thai election commission
|
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Protesters
scuffle with police at Ratchaprasong
intersection in Bangkok on Sunday
demanding an investigation of
the Election Commission
|
|
From
News Reports:
Bangkok, April 2: Protesters calling for
an investigation of the Election Commission
(EC), accusing the commission with voting
irregularities, scuffled with police in
Bangkok on Sunday, a week after the Thai
general elections that resulted in the election
of the ruling pro-Royal Thai Armed Forces
party, the Palang Pracharath Party (PPRP),
reports the Bangkok Post.
The Palang Pracharath Party (PPRP) that
nominated current Prime Minister Prayut
Chan-o-cha who is also the commander of
the National Council for Peace and Order
(NCPO) as candidate for Prime Minister,
won the popular vote.
The protesters, who call themeselves "People
who want elections", set up a desk
at McDonald's at the Ratchaprasong intersection
in Bangkok, calling for signatures for a
petition to investigate the Election Commission
(EC) over alleged irregularities in the
March 24 general election.
The protesters led by Anurak Jeantawanich,
who was involved in the 2010 violent anti-government
protests in support of the then United Front
for Democracy Against Dictatorship (UDD)
party or Red Shirts aligned with fugitive
former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra,
were confronted by about 100 police as they
spilled onto the Ratchaprasong intersection,
with police confiscating sound equipment
and loudspeakers.
Fugitive former prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra,
who was ousted in 2006, said from Hong Kong
after the elections on Sunday 24 March 2019
that "the election was plagued with
irregularities."
He said that there were more ballots cast
than voter turnout, saying that "in
many constituencies the Palang Pracharath
Party (PPRP) vote jumped suddenly from third
place to first place."
Anurak Jeantawanich said that he obtained
permission from the Lumpini police to hold
the protest and to use sound equipment and
loudspeakers, saying that "Thai's have
the right to free speech in line with the
law."
He said that the National Council for Peace
and Order (NCPO) has lifted the ban on gatherings
of five or more, saying that the "People
who want elections" sang songs including
the anti-pro-Royal Thai Armed Forces party,
the Palang Pracharath Party (PPRP) song,
Prachet Ku Mee (What my country got) before
dispersing at 8pm.
He said the "People who want elections"
believe that the election was marred by
fraud, vote-buying and irregularities in
vote-counting.
The Election Commission (EC) deputy secretary
general released an update of the election
results on Thursday saying that 100 percent
of the ballots had been counted and that
the results showed that the ruling pro-Royal
Thai Armed Forces party, the Palang Pracharath
Party (PPRP) that nominated current Prime
Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha who is also the
commander of the National Council for Peace
and Order (NCPO) as candidate for prime
minister has won the popular vote, with
8.4 million and the Pheu Thai Party (PTP)
aligned with ousted fugitive former Prime
Minister Thaksin Shinawatra with 7.9 million
from a voter turnout of 75 percent.
The
Southeast Asian Times
|
Investors
call for nationalisation of
Singapore's debt ridden company
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Singapore
investors in Hyflux Ltd., water
and power company at Speakers
Corner in Singapore on Saturday,
called on the Singapore government
to nationalise the debt ridden
Tuaspring desalination and power
plant |
|
From
News Reports:
Singapore, April 1: Investors in Singapores's
Hyflux Ltd., S$900 million perpetual securities
water and power company, who stand to lose
almost all their money in a proposed S$2.8
billion debt restructuring plan, called
for Singapore to nationalise the Tuaspring
desalination and power plant, reports the
Straits Times.
About 500 investors gathered at Singapore's
Speaker’s Corner on Saturday, carrying
placards and posters, calling for the
Monetary Authority of Singapore to investigate
the slump in electricity prices reportedly
responsible for the debt and for an explanation
from auditor KMPG LLP that provides assurance,
tax, and financial advisory services to
Hyflux Ltd.,
About 34,000 investors were reportedly lured
into investing in the water and power company,
Hyflux Ltd., with the promise of a 6 percent
annual return in perpetuity with the golden
seal of approval by the Singapore government.
Singapore investors are reportedly angered
by the restructuring plan that would see
losses at 75 percent under the S$2.8 billion
debt restructuring plan that is proposed
by a consortium of Indonesian business.
Hyflux urges the investors to consider
the merits of the proposal, saying that
the proposal to recover 3 percent in cash
and 7 percent in equity represents the
most viable option, as opposed to zero
recovery in a liquidation scenario.
Singpore retiree Ray Ho, 65, who invested
in Hyflux Ltd., perpetual bonds described
his investments as a "leap of faith"
saying that "the investment was his
life savings.
Singaporean, Wendy Yap, 48, said she invested
about S$70,000 in Hyflux shares in 2014
and left her investments untouched in
the belief that "utility companies
were cash cows".
She said that her husband also stands
to lose on his investment in Hyflux Ltd.,.
Singapore government policy on the energy
market reportedly sparked a slump in electricity
prices that reportedly could not have
been anticipated by the Hyflux Ltd., desalination
and power plant.
The Tuaspring desalination and power plant
was reportedly heralded as a “national
tap” for the Island state of Singapore
that had depended on importing water and
harvesting rainwater for survival.
The Tuaspring desalination and power plant
was opened on September 2013, but losses
snowballed after its gas-turbine power plant
began selling excess capacity in 2016 to
the power grid, with liberation of the market
causing an electricity glut and a slump
in electricity prices.
The
Southeast Asian Times
|
Darwin
reporter John Loizou asks
a survivor of the 1965 killings
in Bali "why didn't you
try to stop them" in
"Remembering the slaughter
in Paradise"
........open
page here
|
|
| "Goodbye
America"
says B.A. Hamzah as he calls
for Asians to determine their
own political destiny in "Time
for Asia to set it's own course,
minus the U.S."...open
here |
|
| Is
prescribed burning of grasslands
in northern Australia out of
control? ......Chris
Ray reports ...
open page here |
|
| "Rockefeller
and the Demise of Ibu Pertiwi"
by Kerry B. Collison "is
undoubtedly fictional but by
no means improbable, "
says Johannes Nugroho ....open
page here |
|
Viet
Nam is planning to go nuclear
by the year 2020.reports
John Loizou in
"Calculating
the costs of nuclear energy
in Vietnam"
...open
page here |
|
| Bombed
by the Americans for Christmas
in 1972, Ha Noi Bach Mai hospital
is still a war zone...Christina
Pas reports...Open
page here |
|
|
The
founder of the Revolutionary
Front of Independent East
Timor (Fretilin), Mari Alkatiri,
the now former Prime Minister
of Timor Leste, after losing
the May 12, 2018 election
to the National Congress for
Timorese Reconstruction (CNRT)
party, led by Xanana Gusmao,
has accused the opposition
of a coup attempt.
Twelve years ago Mari Alkatiri
also accused the opposition
of a coup attemp claiming
then that the crises that
led to his resignation was
the result of a conspiracy.
"I have no doubt about
that" he told Darwin
reporter John Loizou in an
interview in Dili on 6 November
2006
......open
page here
|
|
|
Cuba's
302 physicians in East Timor
work at five hospitals and
remote villages throughout
the republic...writes Darwin
reporter John Loizou ...open
page here
|
|
| Benedict
Anderson, a man without a country,
dies in Indonesia
Jeet Heer reports.....open
page here |
|
|
Thousands
of Northern Australia's indigenous
rock art sites are under threat
from buffalo, fire and feral
animals.
Tim Lee reports
........open page here
|
|
| Copy
of letter 29 May 2012 from Vietnam
Womens Union to International
Olympic Committee...open
here |
|
| A
cartoon goes inside the tour
bus in Manila on the day that
ended with the slaying of eight
Hong Kong tourists
...Open
page here |
|
| .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 |
|
|
Published
by Pas Loizou Press Darwin Northern Territory
Australia
PASLOIZOUPRESSDARWIN@bigpond.com
|
The
Southeast Asian Times cannot be
bought
|
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| ; |
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| |
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Oz $ buys
|
|
Updated daily.
Prices indicative only
|
US...0.7582
Brunei...1.0310
Cambodia...3,115.36
China..Yuan..5,0710
East Timor...0.7582
Euro..0.6794
HongsKong...5.8808
Indonesia Rupiah.9,997.47
Japan..78.8528
Laos..6,140.58
Malaysia Ringgit.....3.0900
Myanmar..923.19
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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