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GATHERINGS:
An informed
guide to happenings throughout the region.
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Thai
senate seeks
referendum on
new constitution: Lese Majeste law
From News
Reports:
Bangkok, February 12: The
Senate is seeking a referendum on the
drafting of a new constitution as dictated by the
Referendum Act after the House of Representatives
voted for an opposition-sponsored
motion on November 3, 2022 to seek a
referendum, reports the Bangkok Post.
Senators voted 151 for, 26 against, and 15 abstentions
to form a panel to study a motion to
organise a referendum that would pave
the way for a rewrite of the constitution
that includes the Lese Majeste law.
The Senate called on the government to hold a referendum
on whether a new constitution should be
drawn up by a charter drafting
assembly made up of elected representatives,
saying "the referendum should be arranged on the
same day as the next general election that has
tentatively been set for May 7 by the
Election Commission (EC).
Senators
were critical of voting for the formation of
a panel to study a motion to organise a referendum,
saying "It is a tactic to stall the
referendum"
Sen Kittisak
Rattanawaraha said he supported a referendum
on the drafting of a new constitution, saying he
disagreed with organising the
referendum on the same day as the
general election,
"This could
confuse voters," he said.
The Southeast Asian
Times
China calls emergency
COVID-19 meeting with ASEAN in Laos
From News
Reports:
Beijing, February 19: An
emergency meeting of foreign ministers
from China and the 10 Association of South East
Asian Nations (ASEAN) that was proposed by China is
to be held in Vientiane, Laos on
Thursday and Friday to discuss the
COVID-19 virus epidemic.
The
COVID-19 virus has so far killed 1,869 and infected
73,336 in China and has spread to the 10 ASEAN
member states.
The
meeting that was proposed by China is reportedly
intended to share information and to
improve coordination between China and the 10 ASEAN
member states in order to combat the
COVID-19 virus.
China Foreign
Affairs Minister Wang Yi is reportedly to
discuss China's measures in countering the COVID-19 virus
epidemic at the meeting in Laos, with
focus on strengthening joint
prevention and control measures against the virus.
The meeting is also to explore the idea of
establishing a long term and effective
collaboration mechanism on public
health to safeguard the region, with China Foreign Affairs
Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang saying "
China and Asean countries have been in
close communication since the outbreak
of the Covid-19 virus.
Cambodia's
Foreign Minister Prak Sokhonn, who will be
attending the emergency COVID-19 virus epidemic meeting,
said that the meeting will be an
opportunity for the foreign ministers
to discuss measures to prevent the spread of
the coronavirus.
"The meeting
will help strengthen cooperation between
ASEAN member states in the midst of this global health
threat," he said.
His said that Cambodia's participation in the emergency
meeting that was proposed by China will
demonstrate Cambodia’s support of
China and confidence in the measures taken
by the China government to address the coronavirus
outbreak.
The Southeast Asian
Times
Vietnam opens consulate
in Macau
From
News Reports:
Hanoi, January 9: Vietnam's Hong Kong Consulate General
launched a consulate office in the Macau
Special Administrative Region of China
on Friday, reports the Vietnam News Service.
Consulate General of Hong Kong, Tran Than Huan, said
at the launching ceremony that the
office aims to better ensure the
rights of Vietnamese citizens and tourists
in the region.
He said that the
consulate office in Macau will provide
easier access to information about Vietnam, saying that
it would boost
friendship and co-operation between Vietnam
and Macau.
The Consulate
General said that the office expected to
recieve support from local organisations including the
Vietnam Fellow Countrymen Friendship
Association in Macau.
More than
20,000 Vietnamse are employed as domestic workers,
in the service industry at Macau's casino's.
Vietnamese also operate tourist and
services companies.
The Southeast Asian
Times
US invites
Vietnam Communist Party General Secretary to
the White House
From News Reports:
Hanoi, July 6, 2015: The General Secretary
of the Central Committee of the
Communist Party of Vietnam will visit
the United States from July 6 to July 10 at the invitiation
of the United States State Department in
a "landmark" visit, Rueters
reports.
General Secretary of the
Central Committee of the Communist
Party Nguyen Phu Trong will meet United States President
Barack Obama at the White House on
Tuesday.
Rueters quotes a
senior state department official
saying that the meeting between the General Secretary
of the Central Committee of the Communist Party
and the President of the United States
"would skirt protocol" because the
General Secretary is "not part of a government".
"Obama saw the visit as crucial", Rueters reports
the senior state department official
as saying.
Rueters also quotes the
senior state department official
saying that "there was a broad agreement that it
made sense to treat General
Secretary of the Central Committee of
the Communist Party Nguyen Phu Trong
as the visit of "the top leader
of the country".
"It's a pretty big
event," Rueters quotes the state
department official as saying.
The Southeast Asian
Times France agrees
to return Aboriginal remains home to
Australia
From News
Reports:
Canberra, November 25:
French president Francois Hollande and
Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott have agreed
to work together to return Aboriginal remains to
Australia during the first official
visit by a French head of state to
Australia last week, reports Australian Associated
Press.
The French head
of state and the Australian prime minister
said that a joint expert committee is to be established
to help identify the origin of the
Aboriginal remains held in France.
The head of state and prime minister
said in a joint statement that the
identification process would respect the sensitivities
and values of the two countries and consider
the requests of Aboriginal and Torres
Strait Islander communities including
the French legal system.
"The
French government will examine possible solutions
to enable the return of the Aboriginal human
remains to their community of origin."
the statement said.
Australia
believes the remains of Aboriginal and Torres
Strait Islanders are being held in Museum collections
around the world including in Europe and
the
United States.
In 2010 a British museum agreed to return 138 sets
of Aboriginal skeletal remains to
Australia including the severed head
of Australian Aboriginal warrior, Yagan,
to the Noongar of South West Western Australia after being
missing in action for about 177 years.
Yagan was shot dead for his resistance
to British settlement on the Swan
river.
The Southeast Asian
Times
"No " to proposal to delete religion from Indonesian
national identity card
From
News Reports:
Jakarta, November
10: Islamic-based political party politicians
oppose the proposal put by the newly selected Home
Minister Tjahjo Kumolo, that national
identity cards (KTP) do not include
the religion of the car holder.
Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) politician Aboebakar Al
Habsy said that not to include the religion of
the card holder on national identity
cards (KTP)
contradicted the
country’s founding philosophy of
Pancasila
“If we believe that Pancasila is our state
ideology and our national identity,
then why should we be ashamed of
including our religion on our national identity card,"
he said
Home
Minister Tjahjo Kumolo also proposed that the regious
beliefs of Indonesian citizens be omitted from
official government documents.
He said that the religion of Indonesian
citizens on national identity cards
(KTP) or in official government documents
should not be imposed.
"It's up
to the people", he said.
The Souheast Asian
Times
The
Wolf bridge: An insult to Thai
monarchy
From News Reports:
Bangkok, October 31: Thai University students,
Patiwat Saraiyaem, 23, and Pornthip
Mankong, 26, were charged in the
Ratrachada Court on Monday, with defamation of
the Thai monarchy in a play titled "The Wolf Bridge"
performed at the Thammasat university in
October 2013, reports the Bangkok
Post.
The students were charged
with insulting the Royal Thai family
in the fictional depiction of the monarchy in a
play performed in commemoration of the 37th and 40th
anniversaries of the October 6, 1976
and October 14, 1973 pro-democracy
student uprisings at Thammasat University.
The prosecution cites nine passages from the plays's
script, a work of fiction that depicts
a fictional monarch, that allegedly
insults the monarchy and as such is in violation
of the lese majeste law.
Patiwat Saraiyaem, actor and Pornthip Mankong, producer
of the play, in detention since arrested on
13 August, have been refused bail are
scheduled to appear in court to enter
pleas on December 29.
The Southeast Asian
Times
World
including
Asean PM's and Presidents
to attend inauguaration of Indonesian
president
From News Reports:
Jakarta, October 18: World Prime ministers,
Presidents and State representatives
including US Secretary of State, John
Kerry and Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott will
attend the inauguaration of Joko “Jokowi” Widodo
as President of Indonesiaon on
Monday.
The speaker of the People's
Consultative Assembly (MPR) Zulkifli
Hasan said that representatives from the ten
Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) member
nations have also been invited to attend
the swearing in of the former governor
of Jakarta, Joko “Jokowi” Widodo as
president of Indonesia.
"The Prime
Ministers and Presidents of Malaysia,
Singapore, Japan and South Korea are also expected to
attend", he said.
He
said that the Indonesian People's Consultative Assembly
(MPR) has also invited "domestic VIP's"
including former Presidents and
Vice-Presidents.
“All chairpersons of political parties
have also be invited,” said the
speaker.
The Southeast Asian
Times
Banned ISIS
flag found flying in Aceh
From News Reports:
Jakarta, September 12: The Islamic State of
Iraq and Syria (ISIS) flag found
flying from a coconut tree in Aceh on
Sunday has been torn down, reports the Jakarta Post.
The discovery of the banned ISIS flag was
reportedly the first in Aceh.
Police chief First Inspecter Azwan said
that the flag of the nationally banned
movement was discovered by chess
players sitting at a food stall near the coconut tree
in the Sungai Raya district of East Aceh
regency in Aceh.
He said that a
bomb disposal team inspected the area before
the flag was taken down.
President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono announced Indonesia's
rejection of the State of Iraq and the
Levant (ISIL) and banned the teaching
of ISIL ideology in Indonesia last
month at his parliamentary state-of-the-nation address
and ahead of the 69th anniversary of
Indonesias Independence.
The Southeast Asian
Times
Singapore
passes Trans- boundary Haze Pollution
Act
From News Reports:
Singapore, August, 18: The passing of the 2014
Trans-boundary Haze Pollution Act by
the Singapore parliament last week
will enable Singapore regulators to sue individuals or
companies in neighbouring countries for
causing severe air pollution in
Singapore.
The Act that was first
proposed in 2013 would enable Singapore
to impose fines of up to S$2 million on companies that
cause or contribute to transboundary haze
pollution in Singapore.
Environment and Water Resources Minister Vivian
Balakrishnan said that under the Act,
Singapore will have the legal right
under the Objective Territorial Principle to take
legal action against air polluters.
"While neighbouring countries have the sovereign
right to exploit their natural resources
in accordance with their policies they
also have a responsibility to ensure
that "slash and burn" agricultural practices
do not cause damage to Singapore", he said.
The passing of the 2014 Trans-boundary Haze
Pollution Act gives Singapore the
legal power to serve notices on those
that do not have assets or a presence in Singapore.
Indonesia is yet to
ratify an Agreement on Transboundary
Haze Pollution that was signed by ASEAN member counries
in November 2003 in order to
address haze pollution arising from land and forest
fires.
A bill passed in the
Indonesian House of Representatives in
July 2013 gave the Indonesian goverment the power to
seize assetts gained from illegal logging and
illegal clearing of forests for palm
oil plantations.
The new bill,
designed to protect more than 13 million
hectres from deforestation, gave the Indonesian government
a mandate to establish a task force
including police to monitor the
prevention and eradication of deforestation.
The Southeast Asian
Times
Papua
Biak massacre remembered in Sydney
with 136 white carnations
From News Reports:
Sydney, July 5: A ceremony to mark the 16th
anniversary of the Biak Massacre in
West Papua ua on 6 July 1998 will be
held at the Waverley Cliffs cemetery in Sydney on Sunday.
The Waverley
Cliffs community will throw 136 white carnations
from the waverley cliffs into the Pacific Ocean in
memory of the Biak massacre.
A citizens tribunal, hosted by the Centre
for Peace and Conflict Studies (CPACS)
at the University of Sydney last year
on the 15th anniversary of the Biak massacre found
that 136 West Papuan protesters were thrown into
the sea by Indonesian security
forces.
The tribunal heard eye
witness testimony that the West Papuan
demand for the right to vote for independence from
Indonesia was met with gunfire by Indonesian
security forces.
Survivors of the massacre told the international team
of jurists that the unarmed West Papuan
protesters were surrounded and shot by
Indonesian security forces and that
survivors were thrown into the sea on 6 July
1998.
The Southeast Asian
Times
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China
urges Cambodia to
oppose US hegemony
and trade tariffs
on state visit to
Cambodia
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Cambodian
King Norodom Sihamoni,
left, welcomes Chinese
President Xi Jinping,
right, on arrival
in Phnom Penh, Cambodia
on Thursday April
17, 2025 for a two
day state visit
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From
News Reports:
Phnom Penh, April 19: The President
of the People's Republic of China,
Xi Jinping, arrived in the Association
of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN)
member country, Cambodia on Thursday
''urging Cambodia to oppose United
States hegemony and trade protection,
repeating the China messages to
Vietnam and Malaysia during the
state visit to the ASEAN member
countries, with Cambodia saying
''we expect more cooperation including
on infrastructure development,''
reports Reuters.
Cambodia Ministry of Economy and
Finance spokesman, Meas Soksensan,
said Cambodia expected China President
Xi Jinping to announce financial
support for the 180 km Funan Techo
Canal, saying ''the canal is Cambodia's
most ambitious infrastructure development.''
''Cambodia and China signed 37 documents
during Xi Jinping's state visit
including on investment, trade and
finance,'' he said.
He said that China would fund the
construction of the Funan Techo
Canal under the Belt and Road Initiative
(BRI), saying ''the Funan Techo
Canal would run from the Mekong
River near Phnom Penh to the coast
on the Gulf of Thailand.
China Ambassador, Wang Wenbin, said
that China remains Cambodia's top
invester in infrastructure and energy
with China-built power plants now
supplying over 60 percent of Cambodia's
electricity.
''Belt and Road Initiative (BRI)
investment projects include Phnom
Penh-Sihanoukville Expressway and
Siem Reap Angkor International Airport,''
he said.
China President Xi Jinping said
during the two day state visit to
Cambodia that ''China and Cambodia
took the lead in building a community
with a shared future at the bilateral
level in cooperation with the Belt
and Road Initiative (BRI).''
President Xi Jinping said that China
and Cambodia have supported each
other in maintaining national stability
and promoting development and prosperity,
saying ''China and Cambodia have
worked side by side to stand up
for fairness and justice in international
affairs.''
''China will unswervingly support
Cambodia in upholding strategic
autonomy and in pursuing a development
path suited to its national conditions,''
he said.
Cambodia Prime Minister Hun Manet,
who succeeded his father former
Prime Minister Hun Sen announced
in Beijing said at the celebration
of the 65th anniversary of Cambodia-China
diplomatic relations in September
2023 that ''Cambodia adheres to
the "One China Policy,"
saying that his visit to Bejing
clarifies the position of Cambodia's
new government to President of China
Xi Jinping "on Cambodia's stance
on national independence, sovereignty,
territorial integrity and neutrality."
Cambodia Prime Minister Hun Manet,
said ahead of his visit to China
that Article 53 that was newly included
in the Consitution stated that the
policy of Cambodia is not to align
with China, nor to anyone else."
"Cambodia enjoys close ties
with China, the US, Japan and many
other countries, regardless of their
relations between each other, under
Cambodia's present foreign policy,"
he said.
"The present foreign policy
of Cambodia in not one that shows
favouritism towards China or any
other country," he said.
He said that the new Article 53
included in the Constitution makes
it clear that our foreign policy
is one of non-alignment, saying
"the new policy was one introduced
by the Cambodian People’s Party
(CPP)."
The
Southeast Asian Times
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China
tells Malaysia that
China is a
more reliable trading
partner than US
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President
of the People's Republic
of China, Xi Jinping,
left, Malaysia King
Sultan Ibrahim Iskandar,
centre, and Malaysia
Prime Minister Anwar
Ibrahim, right, in
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia,
Thursday April 17,
2025
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From
News Reports:
Kuala Lumpur, April 18: The President
of the People's Republic of China,
Xi Jinping, arrived in the Association
of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN)
member country, Malaysia, on Tuesday
for a three day state visit at the
invitation of the King of Malaysia,
Sultan Ibrahim, with former Malaysian
ambassador to the United States
and minister of legal affairs, saying
''China is telling us they are a
reliable trading partner, more so
than the US,'' reports Reuters.
Former Malaysian ambassador and
minister of legal affairs, Abdul
Aziz, said ''Under PM Anwar, Malaysia
is getting very much closer to China.''
''In the long run Washington’s
influence will be reduced,'' he
said.
He said China's trade relation and
diplomatic ties are getting stronger
and both countries are benefitting,
saying ''Malaysia is very focused
on China, that's our mentality.''
Malaysia Asia Group Advisor in Southeast
Asia, Kamles Kumar, said ''for Beijing
the visit to Malaysia is a clear
push to shore up reliable partnerships
in Southeast Asia to re route supply
chains, maintain market access to
global markets, and reinforce China's
Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) footprint.''
''Malaysia’s position as ASEAN
chair for 2025 is an ideal staging
ground for China to demonstrate
regional relevance,'' he said.
Malaysia Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim
said during the state visit of the
President of the People's Republic
of China, Xi Jinping to Malaysia
''Malaysia stands with China on
trade,'' on China's broadcaster
CGTN on Wednesday.
''We stand with the Chinese government,
for the well-being of our people
and for our national economic interests,
as well as the overall development
and stability of our country,''
he said.
In February Malaysia and Thailand
pledged ''to clamp down on Chinese
companies trans shipping goods through
their territories to dodge United
States tariffs,'' after the United
States imposed the first round of
tariffs on imports from Mexico,
Canada and China and ASEAN member
countries.
ASEAN member Malaysia deputy trade
minister Liew Chin Tong called on
China ''to avoid using Malaysia
as a base to rebadge products to
avoid being slapped with a made-in-China
label and avoid paying tariffs on
imports to the United States.''
Thailand Customs Department director
general, Theeraj Athanavanich, said
'' Chinese goods would flow into
Thailand after President Donald
Trump steps up the trade war with
China.''
''Thai customs have been instructed
to monitor checkpoints for illegal
imports,'' he said.
Singapore economist, Rajiv Biswas,
said ''U.S. policymakers already
worry about the extent of evasive
trans shipments by Chinese companies
through ASEAN member countries,''
saying the US views Thailand, Malaysia
and Vietnam as key sources of Chinese
trans shipments.
China President Xi Jinping said
that China is willing to maintain
close high-level exchange with Malaysia
during the state visit of Malaysian
King Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar
to Beijing in September 2024, saying
''China is ready to carry out high-quality
Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) cooperation,
to implememt the key projects "Two
Countries, Twin Parks" and
the East Coast Rail Link
''China and Malaysia should deepen
mutual learning between the Chinese
and Islamic civilizations, strengthen
cooperation in higher education,
joint scientific research and other
fields, and enhance mutual understanding
and affinity between the two peoples,''
he said.
Malaysia King Sultan Ibrahim said
he was honoured to pay his first
state visit to China as Malaysia's
head of state and hailed China's
development achievements, saying
''Malaysia supports China's Global
Development Initiative, the Global
Security Initiative and the Global
Civilization Initiative proposed
by President Xi Jinping, saying
''Malaysia regards China as a reliable
partner, and is committed to developing
a strong partnership with China.''
The
Southeast Asian Times
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China
urges Vietnam to resist
bullying from the
US and uphold free
trade
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China
President, Xi Jinping,
general secretary
of the Communist Party
of China Central Committee,
left, and Chairman
of the National Assembly
of Vietnam, Tran Thanh
Man, at the Communist
Party of Vietnam (CPV)
Central Committee
headquarters in Hanoi,
Monday April 14, 2025
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Hanoi,
April 17: China urged Vietnam to
resist unilateral bullying from
the United States and uphold trade
without tariffs at a meeting with
the chairman of Vietnam's National
Assembly in Hanoi on Monday during
a state visit to Association of
Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)
member countries, Vietnam, Malaysia,
and Cambodia, with chairman of Vietnam's
National Assembly, Tran Thanh Man,
saying ''the state visit of President
Xi Jinping to Vietnam begins a new
phase of comradeship and brotherhood
in the Vietnam China relationship,''
reports the Vietnam News.
President of China, Xi Jinping,
General Secretary of the Chinese
Communist Party (CCP) Central Committee
said,
''China’s mega market is always
open to Vietnam,'' at a meeting
with Communist Party of Vietnam
(CPV) Vietnam National Assembly
chairman, Tran Thanh Man.
''Vietnam and China should work
together to maintain the stability
of free trade market and industrial
and supply chains,'' said President
of China, Xi Jinping.
Vietnam National Assembly chairman,
Tran Thanh Man, said ''the president
of China, Xi Jinping's visit to
Vietnam as leader of the Chinese
Communist Party (CCP) reinforces
the importance of China and Vietnam's
cooperation, saying ''the visit
of President Xi Jinping marks a
turning point in the development
of the bilateral relationship.''
''The state visit of President Xi
Jinping to Vietnam opens up a new
phase of comradeship and brotherhood
in the Vietnam China relationship,''
said Vietnam National Assembly chairman,
Tran Thanh Man,
President of China, Xi Jinping,
General Secretary of the Chinese
Communist Party (CCP) Central Committee,
also met with Vietnam Prime Minister,
Pham Minh Chinh, and To Lam, General
Secretary of the Communist Party
of Vietnam (CPV) Central Committee,
saying ''Vietnam has made progress
in the Doi Moi process towards Vietnam's
reforms and national development.''
Doi Moi, renovation or renewal process,
that was initiated in Vietnam in
1986, was a series of economic and
political reforms aimed at transition
from a centrally planned economy
to a socialist-oriented market economy,
that included opening up Vietnam
to international trade and investment
and promoting market-based mechanisms
including human right.
Vietnam Ministry of Foreign Affairs,
spokewoman, Pham Thu Hang, said
in March 2023 at a press briefing
in Hanoi that "fundamental
human rights and freedoms are recognized
in the Vietnam Constitution, saying
"human rights are protected
and promoted by legal documents."
'She said that Vietnam sees human
rights as the driving force of the
Doi Moi process towards Vietnam's
reforms and national development,
saying "Vietnam has made great
efforts to improve the lives and
rights of Vietnamese."
In May 2024 Human Rights Watch (HRW)
Southeast Asia claimed that Vietnam
provides false or misleading information
to the United States and other economic
partners to secure or maintain preferential
trade preferences, saying after
a public hearing on Vietnam's trade
status held by the US Department
of Commerce in Washington that ''Vietnam
does not satisfy basic labour rights
standards.''
Human Rights Watch (HRW) Southeast
Asia, advocacy director, John Sifton,
said then that the US Department
of Commerce is considering a reclassification
of Vietnam under the US Tariff Law
as a market economy, saying ''the
reclassification would provide Vietnam
major economic benefits.''
He said that Vietnam argues that
its labour law standards are in
line with international standards
and that wages in Vietnam are determined
by free bargaining between labor
and management as called for under
the US Tariff Law.
''It’s patently false to claim
that Vietnamese workers can organize
unions or that their wages are the
result of free bargaining between
labour and management,'' he said.
''Not a single independent union
exists in Vietnam and no working
legal frameworks exist for unions
to be created or for workers to
enforce labour rights,'' he said.
''Human Rights Watch (HRW) takes
no position on Vietnam's economic
status but the re designation of
Vietnam to a market economy under
the US Tariff Law is legally contingent
on basic labour rights protections
and stated US policy on promoting
labor rights,'' he said.
The
Southeast Asian Times
|
Australian
Hong Kong justice
is sixth judge to
resign from Hong Kong
Court of Final Appeal
in six months
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Australian,
Hong Kong Justice,
Robert French, 77,
became the sixth foreign
judge to resigns from
the Hong Kong Court
of Final Appeal in
six months on Friday
April 11, 2025
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From
News Reports:
Hong Kong, April 16: Ausralian,
Hong Kong Justice, Robert French,
77, a former Chief Justice of the
Australian High Court, sent a letter
of resignation to Hong Kong Chief
Executive, John Lee Ka-chiu, becoming
the sixth foreign judge to resign
from the Hong Kong Court of Final
Appeal in six months, reports Reuters..
Hong Kong Justice, Robert French,
said he respected Hong Kong and
the integrity and independence of
the remaining foreign judges, saying
''the role of the non permanent
justices on the Court of Final Appeal
has become increasingly anachronistic
and arguably cosmetic.''
Hong Kong Justice, Robert French,
who was originally admitted to practice
in Western Australia in 1972, was
appointed a visiting judge on Hong
Kong's Court of Final Appeal in
2017, with a 2023 extention to 2026.
''I reject the proposition that
visiting judges on the appeal court
panel are somehow complicit in the
application by Hong Kong Executive,
John Lee Ka-chiu, of the Basic Law
on Safeguarding National Security
in the Hong Kong Special Administrative
Region (HKSAR) or somehow confer
on the Hong Kong administration
a spurious legitimacy,'' he said.
He said that he would not be making
any statement about the Basic Law
on Safeguarding National Security
laws and associated practices, saying
''there will no doubt be future
cases in which the administrations
interpretation and application will
come before the court.''
''I believe the role of foreign
judges had become increasingly anachronistic
and arguably cosmetic,'' he said.
The resignation of Hong Kong Justice,
Robert French, has left the Hong
Kong's Court of Final Appeal with
five foreign judges including British
justices, Leonard Hoffmann and David
Neuberger and three Australian justices,
William Gummow, Patrick Keane, and
James Allsop.
In June 2024 British, Hong Kong
Judge, Jonathan Sumption, 75, resigned
from the Hong Kong Court of Final
Appeal, saying judges freedom has
been severely limited in the city,
warning that ''Hong Kong is beginning
to resemble a totalitarian state,''
with Hong Kong Chief Executive John
Lee Ka-chiu, 66, saying ''the judges’
expertise lay in the law, not politics.''
''Judges were having to operate
in an almost impossible political
environment created by China and
the city’s atmosphere was oppressive,''
he said.
Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee
Ka-chiu who was appointed the 6th
Chief Executive of the Hong Kong
Special Administrative Region (HKSAR)
by the President of China, Xi Jinping,
in Hong Kong on July 1, 2022, said
then ''the duty of a judge was to
interpret the law in accordance
with the legal principles and evidence,
whether he likes that law or not.''
He said that Judge Jonathan Sumption
is entitled to his personal politics
preferences, saying ''but personal
political preferences is not a judge's
area of professional expertise.''
On March 19, 2024 the Hong Kong
Legislative Council passed laws
to prohibit treason, secession,
sedition and subversion against
the Central People's Government
of the People's Republic of China,
in Article 23 of the Basic Law on
Safeguarding National Security in
the Hong Kong Special Administrative
Region (HKSAR) in a unanimous vote
on the 26th anniversary of the British
handover of Hong Kong to China with
the Hong Kong Special Administrative
Region (HKSAR) Chief Executive John
Lee Ka-chiu, 66, saying ''the passing
of the law is a historical achievement
that is overdue by 26 years, eight
months and nine days.''
The
Southeast Asian Times
|
Legislation
to revoke Thailand
Martial Law orders
to be tabled in parliament
|
|
 |
|
Pheu
Thai Party list-Member
of Parliament, Chaturon
Chaisang, and chairman
of the parliamentary
committee tasked with
reviewing defunct
Martial Law directives
Thursday April 10,
2025
|
|
From News Reports:
Bangkok, April 15: Proposed legislation
in Thailand to revoke directives
issued by the now-defunct National
Council for Peace and Order (NCPO),
established on declaration of Martial
law under the 1914 Martial Law Act
on May 22, 2014 is to be tabled
in the next Thailand parliamentary
session, with ruling Pheu Thai Party
saying ''the parliamentary committee
has finalised its review of 23 orders,''
reports the Bangkok Post.
Pheu Thai Party list-Member of Parliament
and chairman of the parliamentary
committee tasked with reviewing
the NCPO defunct directives, Chaturon
Chaisang, said on Thursday "the
Bill is now ready for its second
and third readings in the next session."
''I am confident that the proposed
Bill will win approval from both
the House of Representatives and
the Senate,'' he said.
He said the Bill is ready for its
second and third readings in the
next session, saying ''the parliamentary
committee is preparing to repeal
a total of 55 National Council for
Peace and Order (NCPO) directives.''
''An additional 22 defunct directives
are still under review.''
He said that the remaining orders
are being address through ongoing
collaboration with various government
agencies and civil society organisations.
''Continued cooperation among the
government, relevant agencies, and
parliament is necessary to fully
dismantle the legacy of the
NCPO,'' he said.
On March 18, 2021, the then opposition
Move Forward Party (MFP) and coalition
opposition parties called for the
amendment of Section 279 of the
renewed 2017 Constitution that had
legitimises all orders and announcements
of the Commander of the National
Council for Peace (NCPO) Prime Minister
Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha.
On July 11, 2019 then Thailand Prime
Minister Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha dissolved
the National Council for Peace and
Order (NCPO) repealing 66 of the
more than 200 orders issued under
the National Council for Peace and
Order (NCPO) over the five years
of martial law that overruled all
civil laws.
On May 22, 2014 the National Council
for Peace and Order (NCPO) gave
the Commander, former Prime Minister
Gen Prayuth Prayuth Chan-ocha control
of all security operations including
the Internal Security Operation
Command (Isoc), Royal Thai Police
Office army, navy, air force, Interior
Ministry and relevant government
agencies on declaration of Martial
law under the 1914 Martial Law Act.
The
Southeast Asian Times
|
Mocking Malaysian
PM distracts from
US tariff war, says
Democratic Action
Party
|
|
 |
|
Caricatures
of Malaysian Prime
Minister, Anwar Ibrahim,
left, and Democratic
Action Party (DAP)
secretary-general
Loke Siew Fook, right,
at nominations for
by-election at Ayer
Kuning in Perak State
on Saturday April
12, 2025
|
|
From
News Reports:
Kuala Lumpur, April 14: Malaysia's
Democratic Action Party (DAP), deputy
chair, Nga Kor Minghas, claims that
satirical caricatures mocking the
Prime Minister and Democratic Action
Party (DAP) secretary-general ''attempt
to distract from the real issues
we need to tackle together, such
as US president Donald Trump’s
tariff war,'' reports the Star.
Democratic Action Party (DAP) deputy
chair, Nga Kor Minghas, claims that
the satirical caricatures mocking
Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Abram
and Democratic Action Party (DAP)
secretary-general Anthony Loke,
''reflect the political immaturity
and an unhelpful distraction from
serious national discourse.''
He said that the satirical caricatures
of the Prime Minister and the secretary-general
of the Democratic Action Party (DAP)
was inappropriate and immature,
saying the caricatures did nothing
to contribute to nation building
and instead served to divert attention
from more pressing national issues.
Posters featuring Prime Minister
Anwar Abram with a distressed expression,
surrounded by posters saying 'tax
hikes,'' ''subsidy removal'', ''medical
insurance cost hike'' and ''ringgit
depreciation'' in the Malay, English
and Chinese language were held by
Perikatan Nasional (PN) party supporters
during nominations for the Ayer
Kuning by-election in Perak State
on Saturday.
Malaysia's Democratic Action Party
(DAP), deputy chair, Nga Kor Minghas,
said the Anwar Abram government
has been phasing out subsidies,
particularly for electricity and
diesel, saying ''responsible debate
should focus on policy ideas, development
plans and reform proposals.''
''Malicious depictions of Prime
Minister Anwar Abram and Democratic
Action Party (DAP) secretary-general
Anthony Loke, did nothing to contribute
to national progress and instead
served only to distract from pressing
issues that should be addressed
collectively such as the impact
of Donald Trump's tariff war,''
he said.
''This kind of behaviour does not
contribute to Malaysia's progress,''
he said.
Malaysia's Democratic Action Party
(DAP), deputy chair, Nga Kor Minghas,
called for a higher standard of
political engagement, saying ''Malaysia
must strive for a political culture
that elevates debate and drives
development not one that descends
into personal mockery.''
In May 2021 Malaysian political
cartoonist, Zulkiflee Anwar Alhaque
was summoned by the Kedah police
to answer charges of public mischief
with intent to incite brought by
the Malaysian Islamic Party (PAS),
Deputy Commissioner I of Kedah,
Muhammad Sanusi bin Md Nor, claiming
that the cartoon was slanderous.
Zulkiflee Anwar Alhaque said that
his caricature of Deputy Commissioner
I of Kedah, Muhammad Sanusi bin
Md Nor, was open to interpretation,
saying "people are free to
analyse my caricatures but they
should not proclaim their views
to be the law."
The Cartoon depicting the Deputy
Commissioner I of Kedah, Muhammad
Sanusi bin Md Nor, as heavy handed
and divisive, is accompanied with
the words "Kedahans lived peacefully
before Sanusi came."
Cartoonist, Zulkiflee Anwar Alhaque,
said that he stood by his cartoon
that responded to the cancellation
of the Thaipusam annual Indian Hindu
festival in Kedah in January, saying
"this is the first time in
Kedah's history that the Hindu festival
was not held."
The Malaysian Bar called for the
repeal of the Printing Presses and
Publications Act 1984 saying that
the Malaysian Bar position is premised
on the right to freedom of speech
and expression as stated in in Part
II under ''Fundamental Liberties''
in Article 10(1)(a) of the Federal
Constitution.
The Bar proposed the establishment
of an independent Media Commission
by an Act of Parliament to regulate
the media industry.
The
Southeast Asian Times
|
Thailand
to monitor false Certificate
of Origin on goods
for export to US
|
|
 |
|
Department
of Foreign Trade (DFT)
director general,
Arada Fuangtong, is
to monitor foreign
businesses that use
Thailand nominees
to circumvent US tariffs,
Bangkok Thursday April
10, 2025
|
|
From News Reports:
Bangkok Post, April 13: Thailand's
Department of Foreign Trade, that
is the sole authority to issue
a Certificate of Origin for goods
for export to the United States,
is to monitor foreign businesses
that use Thailand nominees to
circumvent US tariffs by claiming
false Certificate of Origin in
Thailand for export to the US,
reports Bangkok Post.
Department of Foreign Trade (DFT)
director-general, Arada Fuangtong,
said that foreign businesses that
use Thailand nominees to export
goods to the United States are on
a watchlist, saying ''the Thailand
nominee is required to undergo verification
before a Certificate of Origin is
issued by the Department of Foreign
Trade (DFT) for export of goods
to the United States.
''The Federation of Thai Industries
(FTI) and the Chamber of Commerce
and Board of Trade of Thailand
are not authorised to issue Certificate
of Origin for exporters of the
goods on the watchlist'' she said.
She said that steel, copper wire
and aluminium products require
a Certificate of Origin, saying
''the Department of Foreign Trade
(DFT) plans to add 49 products
to the Certificate of Origin watchlist,''
She said that the Department of
Foreign Trade (DFT) has identified
nine groups of products in Thailand
that are at a high risk of claiming
a false Certificate of Origin
for export to the United States.
''Monitoring the issue of the Certificate
of Origin watchlist will address
the US Customs and Border Protection
(CBP) concern with enforcing US
trade Laws,'' she said.
US Customs and Border Protection
(CBP) prevents the movement of
prohibited goods including those
related to forced labour and sanctions,
with Thailand's Department of
Foreign Trade (DFT), saying ''heightened
surveillance will help minimise
the impact on Thailand businesses.
A survey of Thailand businesses
released on Wednesday showed that
almost 71 percent of Thailand
businesses were affected by cheap
Chinese goods flooding the Thailand
market resulting in less production
and factory closures.
Thailand's Intelligent Research
Consultant (IRC) economic advisor,
Ath Pisalvanich, warned ahead
of U.S. President Donald Trump
executive order on February 1,
that was designed to increase
tariffs and relocate production
to the U.S., saying ''two centuries
of diplomatic friendship with
the U.S. will not protect Thailand
from the U.S. increased trade
tariffs,'' saying ''Thailand should
aim for partnerships that attract
US investment and integrate Thailand
into the U.S. supply chain.''
Thailand should position itself
as a supply hub for agricultural
product as the U.S. reduces agricultural
imports from China,'' he said.
The
Southeast Asia Times
|
ASEAN
economic ministers
unite against retaliation
of US tariffs
|
|
 |
|
ASEAN
member states and
Timor Leste at the
Special ASEAN Economic
Ministers’ (AEM)
Meeting in Kuala Lumpur
on Thursday April
10, 2025
|
|
From
News Reports:
Kuala Lumpur, April 12: Association
of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN)
and Timor Leste economic ministers
agreed ''to stand against any
retaliatory response to the United
States imposition of reciprocal
tariffs'' at the Special ASEAN
Economic Ministers’ (AEM)
Meeting in Kuala Lumpur on Thursday,
reports the Star.
''ASEAN prefers a constructive,
non-retaliatory and forward looking
engagement with the United States,''
said the ASEAN member states in
a statement.
ASEAN and Timor-Leste’s ministers
criticised the basis used by the
United States to justify the tariffs,
saying the ASEAN ministers rejected
the United States tariff policy
as flawed and arbitrary.
''Such protectionist measures
could derail ASEAN’s decades-long
pursuit of regional economic integration
underpinned by a rules-based system,''
said the statement.
ASEAN ministers said the 90-day
pause on 10 percent tariff for imports
of Malaysian goods to the United
States could provide ''a window
of opportunity to find a pragmatic
and mutually advantageous solution
for ASEAN in a strategic and tactful
manner.''
ASEAN ministers referred to the
World Trade Organization (WTO)
warning that ''the trade dispute
between the United States and
China could damage the global
economy.''
The World Trade Organization (WTO)
warned that a rift between the
United States and China could
result in a long-term reduction
of global Gross Domestic Product
(GDP) by almost 7 percent.
ASEAN ministers reaffirmed the
region's commitment to an ''open
and inclusive economic cooperation
framework, with the World Trade
Organization (WTO).
ASEAN ministers agreed to form
an ASEAN Geoeconomics Task Force
comprising of regional experts
to develop forwarding looking
policy responses to global economic
and geopolitical shifts.
In February Malaysia and Thailand
pledged ''to clamp down on Chinese
companies transshipping goods
through their territories to dodge
United States tariffs,'' after
the United States imposed the
first tariffs on imports from
Mexico, Canada and China and ASEAN
member countries.
ASEAN member Malaysia deputy trade
minister Liew Chin Tong called
on China ''to avoid using Malaysia
as a base to rebadge products
to avoid being slapped with a
made-in-China label and avoid
paying tariffs on imports to the
United States.''
Thailand Customs Department director
general, Theeraj Athanavanich,
said '' Chinese goods would flow
into Thailand after President
Donald Trump steps up the trade
war with China.''
''Thai customs have been instructed
to monitor checkpoints for illegal
imports,'' he said.
Singapore economist, Rajiv Biswas,
said ''U.S. policymakers already
worry about the extent of evasive
transshipments by Chinese companies
through ASEAN member countries,''
saying the US views Thailand,
Malaysia and Vietnam as key sources
of Chinese transshipments.
The
Southeast Asian Times
|
United
States warns China
not to retaliate to
tariffs: China to
ban Hollywood movies
|
|
 |
|
China
Foreign Ministry spokesperson,
Lin Jian, said at
press conference in
Beijing on Wednesday
April 9, 2025 ''We
don't comment on what's
been said on the internet''
|
|
From
News Reports:
Washington, April 11: United States
raised tariffs against China to
125 percent on Wednesday with all
other US trading partners, except
for Canada and Mexico, paused on
10 percent tariff warning China
not to retaliate, with China saying
in a press conference in Beijing
that ''China could not comment on
proposed levies on the United States
including banning Hollywood films,
reports Reuters.
China Foreign Ministry spokesperson
Lin Jian said at a press conference
in Beijing on Wednesday that ''We
don't comment on what's been said
on the internet,'' in response to
a question from Bloomberg reporter
on ''measures the China Communist
Party (CCP) authorities were taking
to hit back at the latest tariff
threat from Trump.''
Bloomberg said that senior editor,
Liu Hong, of the online Xinhuanet,
the website of Xinhua News Agency,
the official news agency of China
Communist Party (CCP) had listed
the measures the China Communist
Party (CCP) authorities were taking
against the tariff imposed by the
United States on Wednesday.
Xinhuanet senior editor, Liu Hong,
listed the measures against the
latest tariff imposed against the
United States after China Foreign
Ministry spokesperson, Lin Jian,
said ''China would fight to the
end,'' in reference to the latest
rise in tariffs by the United States.
Xinhuanet senior editor, Liu Hong,
said that the ruling China Communist
Party (CCP) authorities would suspend
China-US cooperation with the United
states to counter the flow of fentanyl
and other synthetic opioids and
their precursors into the United
States in the online Xinhuanet.
He said that the China Communist
Party (CCP) planned to ''significantly
increase tariffs on US agricultural
products including soybeans and
sorghum.
''The China Communist Party (CCP)
planned to ban the imports of US
poultry,'' he said.
He said that the China Communist
Party (CCP) planned to impose restrictions
on the supply of services to the
United States Defence
The China Communist Party (CCP)
planned to reducing or ban the import
of United States films from Hollywood.
Xinhuanet senior editor, Liu Hong,
said that the ruling China Communist
Party (CCP planned to investigate
the intellectual property benefits
of US companies operating in China.
United States President Donald Trump
warned China not to retaliate saying
"don't retaliate and you will
be rewarded'' after raising tariffs
to 125 percent on Wednesday up from
previous tariff of 104 percent on
China after China had retaliated
with 84 percent tariff on United
States imports
President Donald Trump said that
a resolution with China was possible,
saying "China wants to make
a deal.''
"They just don't know how quite
to go about it."
The
Southeast Asian Times
|
Free
Papua Organisation
claims responsibility
for deadly attack
on Catholic school
teachers in Papua
|
|
 |
|
Catholic
school teacher, Rosalia
Rerek Sogen, 30, killed
by National Liberation
Army of the Free Papua
Organization (TPN-OPM),
drapped in the Indonesia
flag at her funeral
on Wednesday March
26, 2025
|
|
From
News Reports:
Indonesia April 10: The National
Liberation Army of the Free Papua
Organization (TPN-OPM), that was
declared a terrorist group by
former Indonesian President Joko
Widodo, claimed responsibility
for a deadly attack on Catholic
school teachers and health workers
in Anggruk district, Yahukimo
Regency, in Papua that left a
teacher dead and 8 injured, reports
the Jakarta Post.
National Liberation Army of the
Free Papua Organization (TPN-OPM)
gunmen stormed the Catholic teachers
dormitory and school on March
23, killing teacher, Rosalia Rerek
Sogen, 30, and seriously injuring
other teachers and a health worker
before setting the dormitory and
school on fire.
''The killing was carried out
by our forces under my orders,”
said the National Liberation Army
of the Free Papua Organization
(TPN-OPM), Regional Defense Command
XVI in Yahukimo, Elkius Kobak.
''The teachers were Indonesian
National Armed Forces Strategic
Intelligence Agency operatives
operating under cover,'' he said.
He called on Papuans in conflict
zones ''to kill Indonesian migrants,''
describing ''Indonesian migrants''
as ''Indonesian military and police
working as teachers and health
workers.''
Indonesian National Armed Forces
(TNI) Colonel Infantry Candra Kurniawan,
Head of Information for the XVII/Cendrawasih
Military Command denied the accusation
made by the National Liberation
Army of the Free Papua Organization
(TPN-OPM) that the teachers and
health workers in Yahukimo were
spies.
''The victims were teachers and
health workers not spies,'' he
said.
''TPN-OPM is a criminal organisation,''
he said.
Catholic bishop-elect of Timika
diocese, rights campaigner, Bernardus
Bowitwos Baru said that the shooting
of the school teachers and health
workers requires immediate action
, saying ''the shooting of the teachers
is just the latest.''
''Don't forget that many other civilians
have been victims of either pro-independence
groups or Indonesian security forces,''
he said.
It’s unfortunate that there
is no attempt to stop this humanitarian
crisis,'' he said.
''For the Catholic church there
is no other way but to have a
dialogue involving all,'' he said.
In January 2019 the Indonesian Military
(TNI) and National Police seized
the West Papua National Committee
(KNPB) headquarters that sought
independence from Indonesia, in
Timika, Mimika Baru district, Papua
for use as a joint military-police
post, prohibiting the West Papua
National Committee (KNPB) from operating
in Timika.
Indonesian Military (TNI) and
National Police officers were
instructed to remove all Free
Papua Movement (OPM) insignia
including the banned West Papua
separatists flag, the Morning
Star or Bintang Kejora.
Indonesian Military (TNI) and
National Police officers were
instructed to paint the Indonesian
flag on the wall the West Papua
National Committee (KNPB) headquarters
in Timika, Mimika Baru district
and Papua.
Papuans are prohibited from using
any Free Papua Movement (OPM)
insignia and symbols including
the separatists Morning Star or
Bintang Kejora flag.
The
Southeast Asian Times
|
Papua
New Guinea accepts
US tariff on exports
without tariff retaliation
|
|
 |
|
Papua
New Guinea Prime Minister
James Marape accepts
the United States
decision to impose
a 10 percent tariff
on all Papua New Guinea
exports into the United
State market Monday
7 April 2025
|
|
From
News Reports:
Port Moresby, April 9: Papua New
Guinea accepts the United States
decision to impose 10 percent tariff
on all Papua New Guinea exports
into the United State market, says
Prime Minister James Marape, saying
''we have no issue with this development
and do not intend to retaliate with
counter tariffs.''
''If the U.S. market becomes more
difficult due to this tariff, we
will simply redirect our goods to
other markets,'' he said.
He said that Papua New Guinea continues
to strengthen trade relations including
with China, Indonesia, Malaysia
and the Philippines, saying ''where
our produce is welcomed.''
The United States imposed tariffs
on Association of South East Asian
(ASEAN) member nations including
46 percent on Vietnam, 49 percent
on Cambodia, 48 percent on Laos,
49 percent on Thailand, Indonesia
and Malaysia, 44 percent on Myanmar,
17 percent on the Philippines, and
10 percent on Timor-Leste.
''As a sovereign nation, we respect
the right of the United States Government
to make trade policy decisions in
accordance with its national interest,''
he said.
He said that Papua New Guinea values
its bilateral relationship with
the United States, saying ''Papua
New Guinea shares many of the same
principles of democracy and open
markets with the United States.''
“We are a democratic nation
that believes in rules-based international
trade,” he said.
He said that Papua New Guinea reserves
the right to protect domestic industries
when necessary, saying ''in this
instance we will not respond with
hostility or punitive measures.''
''Our trading partners including
China, Indonesia, Malaysia, the
Philippines, have treated Papua
New Guinea with respect, honour
and fairness,'' he said.
He said that Papua New Guinea was
open to all partners, including
the United States, but would act
in its best interests without compromising
its values.
''If the United States market becomes
more difficult due to this tariff,
we will simply redirect our goods
to markets where there is mutual
respect and no artificial barriers,''
he said.
The
Southeast Asian Times
|
Myanmar
earthquake destroys
prisons killing and
injuring political
prisoners
|
|
 |
|
Former
National League for
Democracy (NLD) State
councillor, Aung San
Suu Kyi, who was arrested
by the Armed Forces
(Tatmadaw) of Myanmar
on February 1, 2021,
was transferred from
the Naypyidaw prison
to house arrest in
an undisclosed location
on April 17, 2024
|
|
From
News Reports:
Naypyitaw, April 8: The death toll
from the 7.7. magnitude earthquake
that struck Myanmar on March 28
reached 3,354, with 4,850 injured
and 220 missing according to the
ruling Armed Forces (Tatmadaw) of
Myanmar, including the death of
political prisoners at the Mandalay
Central Prison (Obo Prison) that
holds at least 5,000 prisoners,
reports the Irrawaddy.
The Political Prisoners Network
Myanmar ((PPNM) director, Thaik
Tun Oo, said ''the earthquake destroyed
two womens wards at the Mandalay
Central Prison (Obo Prison), killing
at least six female political prisoners
''
He said that at lease 12 prisoners
were killed in the prison including
six political prisoners, Ma Moe
Thuzar Khaing, Daw Lae Lae Soe,
Daw Khin Ohn Shwe, Ma Kay Kay
Win, Ma Pa Pa Win and Ma Phyu
Wai Wai, saying ''the other six
female prisoners have not been
named.''
He said that 40 prisoners were
injured, nine seriously at the
Obo Prison, saying ''the ruling
Armed Forces (Tatmadaw) of Myanmar
denied hospital treatment at outside
hospitals.''
He said that five prisons including
Mandalay Central Prison (Obo Prison),
Monywa, Myingyan, Meiktila and
Yemaethin are near the earthquake
epiccenter.
''The Meiktila prison reportedly
sustained no damage but Yemaethin,
Mandalay Central Prison (Obo Prison)
and Monywa prisons were affected
with no details about the Monywa
or Yemaethin prisons,'' he said.
He said that prisoners who were
confined to their cells, were unable
to escape the earthquake’s
impact, saying ''many were killed
because they were locked in their
cells.''
''We urge the authorities to ensure
the safety of prisoners, provide
medical treatment and properly
inform the families of the dead,''
he said.
He said the walls and roofs of
Mandalay Central Prison (Obo Prison)
including the workshop collapsed
during the earthquake, saying
''the Women’s wards one and
two, the women’s hospital
ward, the men’s workshop
and surrounding walls collapsed.''
The Political Prisoners Network
Myanmar ((PPNM) director Thaik Tun
Oo, said 'the network feared further
deaths with nine prisoners in critical
condition and over 40 prisoners
requiring hospital treatment, saying
''hospital treatment outside the
prison has been denied by the ruling
Armed Forces (Tatmadaw) of Myanmar.''
''Family members are not allowed
to visit the wounded and the prison
is short of antiseptic, bandages
and other medicines,'' he said.
The
Southeast Asian Times
|
Royal
Thai Army charges
U.S. political science
academic for lecture
on Thailand's military
influence in Thailand's
politics
|
|
 |
|
U.S.
political science
academic, Paul Chambers,
57, under house arrest
for violation of Lese
Majeste Law under
Section 112 of the
Criminal Code and
the Computor Crimes
Act for lecture on
Thailand's military
influence in Thailand's
politics
|
|
From
News Reports:
Bangkok, April 7: U.S. political
science academic, Paul Chambers,
57, is under house arrest after
he was served with an arrest warrant
at the Naresuan University in Thailand's
Phitsanulok Province on Friday 4
on charges against the Lese Majeste
Law under Section 112 of the Criminal
Code and the Computor Crimes Act
by the 3rd Royal Thai Army (RTA)
that covers Thailands Phitsanulok
Province, reports Reuters.
U.S. political science lecturer,
Paul Chambers, 57 said he believed
that the charges against the Lese
Majeste Law and the Computor Crimes
Act, are related to a webinar lecture
in October 2024, saying he spoke
about ''Thailand's military influence
in Thailand's politics.''
The 3rd Royal Thai Army (RTA)
that covers Thailands Phitsanulok
Province charged Paul Chambers,
57, with violation of the
Lese Majeste Law and the Computor
Crimes Act that prohibits defaming,
insulting or threatening the Thailand
monarchy.
U.S. political science lecturer,
Paul Chambers, 57, will be formally
charged at the Phitsanulok Province
court on Tuesday, saying ''I’m
basically in limbo because I can’t
go anywhere.''
''I don't know what's to happen,
but I’m kind of nervous,''
he said.
U.S. political science lecturer,
Paul Chambers, 57, was served with
an arrest warrant approved by the
Phitsanulok Provincial Court on
Monday March 31 for violating the
Lese Majeste Law and the Computor
Crimes Act, in a webinar lecture
in October.2024.
He is to appear in the Phitsanulok
Provincial Court to be formally
charged on Tuesday April 8.
Asia Human Rights and Labour Advocates
(AHRLA) Bangkok director, Phil Robertson,
said the arrest of U.S. political
science lecturer, Paul Chambers,
57 ''is an astonishing and outrageous
assault on academic freedom that
will have a serious chilling effect
on international studies in Thailand.''
"The Thai government claims
it wants to be a regional leader
in education, but then it takes
this kind of ill-advised step
that will drive away international
researchers and lecturers,"
he said.
Southeast Asian Human Rights and
Peace Studies Network (SEAHRN)
demands that Thai authorities
withdraw the charges against U.S.
political science lecturer, Paul
Chambers, 57.
“The use of criminal law
under any circumstances against
scholars, researchers and students,
directly undermines the dignity
and integrity of both social and
educational institutions”,
said SEAHRN.
The
Southeast Asian Times
|
Australia
wants to buy back
Darwin harbour in
Australia's Northern
Territory sold to
China in 2015
|
|
 |
|
Shandong
Landbridge Group Co.,
Ltd. , from Shandong
province in China
chairman, Ye Cheng,
left, and Adam Giles,
former Chief Minister
of the Australia's
Northern Territory,
right, after the signing
of the 99-year lease
of the East Arm Wharf
in Darwin harbour
on Tuesday October
13, 2015
|
|
From
News Reports:
Darwin, April 6: Prime Minister,
Anthony Albanese, said his government,
the Australian Labor Party (ALP),
wants to buy back the East Arm
Wharf in Darwin harbour in Australia's
Northern Territory from Shandong
Landbridge Group Co., Ltd. from
Shandong province in China, that
was granted a 99 year lease in
2015, saying "we want Darwin
harbour to be in Australian hands,"
reports Reuters.
Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese,
said in Darwin on Friday while
campaigning for the Australian
federal elections in May that
the government wants the Shandong
Landbridge Group Co., Ltd. from
Shandong province in China ''to
be in Australian hands.''
He said that if the return of
the East Arm Wharf in Darwin harbour
to Australia reaches a point where
the Commonwealth
is required to intervene ''then
the Australian government would
be prepared to do that.''
Opposition coalition party Peter
Dutton said in Darwin on Thursday
also campaigning for the Australian
federal elections in May that
a Liberal Party coalition government
would take back control of the
East Arm Wharf in Darwin harbour
from Shandong Landbridge Group
Co., Ltd. from Shandong province
in China, saying ''the Liberal
Party coalition would give Shandong
Landbridge Group Co., Ltd. six
months to sell out voluntarily,
or it would be forced out.''
''Under a Liberal Party coalition
the Chinese-owned Landbridge Group
will cease to own the Port in
Darwin,'' he said.
Shandong Landbridge Group Co.,
Ltd. non-executive director in
Australia, Terry O'Conner, who
served as CEO during the Port
Darwin's transition from the Northern
Territory Government to its operation
under the Shandong Landbridge
Group Co., from Shandong province
in China, said on Friday ''the
port is not for sale."
''Shandong Landbridge Group Co
and the Northern Territory government
have not been involved in any
discussions with the Australian
federal government concerning
our lease arrangements,"
he said.
On November 27, 2024 the Northern
Territory, Country Liberal Party
(CLP) in Darwin Treasurer, Bill
Yan, said that
''the federal government has been
made aware of concerns surrounding
the financial status of foreign
investor, Shandong Landbridge
Group Co., Ltd. from Shandong
province in China, saying ''the
Northern Territory will meet with
the federal government’s
Minister for Infrastructure, Transport
and Regional Development to discuss
the debt in Canberra.''
He said that the Northern Territory
government has communicated with
Shandong Landbridge Group Co.,
Ltd. seeking further information
about the foreign invester's financial
status and ability to meet their
payment obligations.
''This additional information
will guide the Territory Government's
next steps regarding operations
at the East Arm Wharf in Darwin
harbour,'' he said.
Shandong Landbridge Group Co.,
Ltd. non-executive director, Terry
O'Conner, said then ''Port Darwin
lost $34.362m in 2024 as the Shandong
Landbridge Group Co., Ltd. chairman,
Ye Cheng, moved to refinance a
$107 million bond debt,'
He said that Shandong Landbridge
Group Co., is considering selling
assets in China to pay the debt,
saying ''Landbridge in China has
a portfolio of large infrastructure
assets.''
''Shandong Landbridge Group Co.in
China is looking to moderate its
debt, which will likely see the
sale of some assets across the
group,'' he said.
The 2015 lease agreement between
Shandong Landbridge Group Co.,
Ltd. chairman, Ye Cheng, who was
the winning bidder for the Darwin
harbour land deal worth A$506
million, and then leader of the
Country Liberal Party of the Northern
Territoy, chief minister, Adam
Giles gave the Shandong Landbridge
Group Co., Ltd. operational control
of the East Arm Wharf in Darwin
harbour in Australia's Northern
Territory including 80 percent
ownership of the land and facilities.
In 2020 Amendements to the Foreign
investment laws, that were made
by the Australian Parliament under
Prime Minister Scott Morrison,
gave the Australian Federal Government
the power to impose conditions
that include forced divestment
of previously approved foreign
investment deals, with then Prime
Minister Scott Morrison saying
"the new foreign investment
laws focus on protecting Australia's
national security."
"The new foreign investment
laws give the Australian Federal
Government the retrospective power
to review the port lease agreement
between the Northern Territory
government and China's Landbridge
Group Co., Ltd. in northern Australia
from a national security perspective,"
he said.
The
Southeast Asian Times
|
United
Nations claims Indonesia
has returned to Suharto
New Order era
|
|
 |
|
Protesters
against the revision
of the Indonesian
Defense Forces (TNI)
(RUU TNI) that would
restore the TNI's
dwi-fungsi or dual
function in Indonesia
set fire to an Indonesian
national police (POLRI)
motorcycle at the
House of Representatives
(DPI) in Jakarta on
Thursday March 27,
2025
|
|
From
News Reports:
Jakarta, April 5: Office of the
United Nations High Commissioner
(OHCHR) Special Rapporteur for Human
Rights Defenders (HRDs) claims that
the ratification of the Indonesian
Defence Forces (TNI) (RUU TNI) law
would restore the TNI's dwi-fungsi
or dual function to the New Order
era of former president Suharto,
reports Office of the United Nations
High Commissioner (OHCHR).
"Indonesia must ensure that
civil society and human rights defenders
can voice their concerns without
being prohibited", said Office
of the United Nations High Commissioner
(OHCHR) Special Rapporteur for Human
Rights Defenders (HRDs), Mary Lawlor.
"Human Rights Defenders (HRDs)
are hearing disturbing news about
the harassment of the NGO (non-government
organisation) Commission for Missing
Persons and Victims of Violence
(Kontras) for their advocacy against
legislative reforms that expand
the Indonesian Defense Forces (TNI)
role in civilian affairs,'' she
said.
"Indonesia must ensure that
civil society and human rights
defenders can voice their concerns
without being prohibited",
she said.
Student protesters in Jakarta, Sukabumi,
Surabaya, Palangka Raya, Lumajang,
and Malang rejected the revision
of the abolished 2004 Defense Forces
(TNI) Law that permits active military
personnel to hold civilian positions
in 14 ministerial and agency, including
the Supreme Court and the Attorney
General’s Office.
Indonesia President Prabowo Subianto,
a former commander in the Special
Detachment 88 anti-terror squad
in the New Order regime of former
president Suharto, revived the
authoritarianism of the New Order
regime under outgoing President
Joko Widodo administration, with
the Special Detachment 88 anti-terror
squad proposal in 2023 that Indonesian
National Armed Forces (TNI) officers
hold positions in state ministries
and institutions under the Reserve
Component (Komcad) program for
state civil servants (ASN).
University of Indonesia (Puskapol
UI) Deputy Executive Director
Hurriyah of the Center for Political
Studies, warned in 2023 that "the
New Order regime of government
by President Suharto was "mono-loyalty"
in character with the weapon being
the mobilisation of the state
apparatus," saying "the
mobilisation of the state apparatus
does not just include the security
forces."
He said that the Reserve Component
(Komcad) program for state civil
servants (ASN) that was practiced
by the New Order regime of former
president Suharto includes ''the
mobilisation of village officials
for political support in the 2024
presidential elections.''
"The biggest loss in efforts
to mobilise village officials
for political support in general
elections is the erosion of our
democracy," she said.
She said that village officials
at grassroot level should not
be underestimated, saying "village
officials are important in the
mobilisation of state apparatus."
"The New Order regime could
perpetuate its power with impunity
with hands that reach down to
the grassroot level of government,"
she said.
She said that "the New Order
regime of former president Suharto
had a serious impact on the centralisation
of power, it had become hegomonic,"
saying "the New Order regime
of former president Suharto could
perpetuate its power with impunity."
"The New Order regime of
former president Suharto could
influence, reach into almost all
political and government institutions,"
she said.
The
Southeast Asian Times
|
Thailand
investigates shareholders
in China Railway Engineering
Group after collapse
of State Audit Office
in Bangkok
|
|
 |
|
The
Ministry of Industry,
head, Thitipas Choddaechachainun,
third from right,
National Metal and
Materials Technology
Centre, and the Engineering
Institute of Thailand
test steel rods on
Monday March 31, 2025
recovered from the
State Audit Office
(SAO) that collapsed
in the earthquake
in Bangkok on Friday
|
|
From
News Reports:
Bangkok, April 4: Thailand's Department
of Special Investigation (DSI) is
investigating shareholders in the
China state-owned China Railway
No.10 Engineering Co (CREC), developers
of Thailand's State Audit Office
(SAO) that collapsed following tremors
at the earthquakes epicentre in
Myanmar, reports the Bangkok Post.
Thailand Prime Minister Paetongtarn
Shinawatra instructed the Department
of Special Investigation (DSI) under
Thailand's Ministry of Justice (MOJ)
that operates independently from
the Royal Thai Police (RTP) to investigate
all construction projects awarded
to China state-owned China Railway
No.10 Engineering Co (CREC) in Thailand
after the 33 floor State Audit Office
(SAO) in Bangkok collapsed on Friday.
Thailand's Department of Special
Investigation (DSI) is investigating
the shareholders in the China state-owned
China Railway No.10 Engineering
Co (CREC) over the alleged use of
substandard steel rods in the construction
of the 33 floor State Audit Office
(SAO).
The State Audit Office (SAO) was
reportedly the sole building in
Bangkok to collapse while surrounding
high rise buildings remained standing,
despite swaying with rooftop pools
spilling into the streets below.
Thailand Ministry of Industry head,
Thitipas Choddaechachainun, said
steel rods used in the construction
of the 33 floor State Audit Office
(SAO) failed quality tests conducted
by the National Metal and Materials
Technology Centre.
China state-owned China Railway
No.10 Engineering Co (CREC)
subsidiary, Italian-Thai Development
(ITD), that began construction of
the 33 floor State Audit Office
(SAO) in 2020 has been awarded 13
Thailand government projects since
2018.
The 2.1 billion baht (US$61.4 million)
State Audit Office (SAO) project
was reportedly ''China's state-owned
China Railway No.10 Engineering
Group (CREC) highest-profile project
in Thailand to date.''
Thailand Prime Minister Paetongtarn
Shinawatra instructed Thailand's
Department of Special Investigation
(DSI) to investigate the shareholders
in all construction projects awarded
to China state-owned China Railway
No.10 Engineering Group (CREC subsidiary
Thailand developer, Italian-Thai
Development (ITD) that reportedly
includes sections of the Bangkok
high-speed rail and the construction
of the Office of the National Water
Resources (ONWR).
The
Southeast Asian Times
| Papua
New Guinea lawyers march
against legislative
shifts towards authoritarianism
|
|
 |
|
Papua
New Guinea La Society
marches in protest
against proposed legislative
laws saying ''together
these legislative
shifts signal a dangerous
drift toward authoritarianism,''
in Port Moresby Monday
March 31, 2025
|
|
From
News Reports:
Port Moresby, April 3: The Papua
New Guinea Law Society marched in
protest on Monday against three
new legislative laws proposed by
the National Parliament of Papua
New Guinea, saying ''together these
legislative shifts signal a dangerous
drift toward authoritarianism,''
reports the National.
Papua New Guinea Law Society president,
Hubert Namani, said that the proposed
passing of the Counter-Terrorism
Act 2024, the National Executive
Council Act 2025, and the Constitutional
Amendment No 48 (Motion of No Confidence)
Law 2025, ''threaten the checks
and balances that upholds Papua
New Guinea democracy.''
''Democracy thrives on the ability
to question authority and challenge
decisions affecting our lives,''
he said.
He said laws that once ensured transparency,
scrutiny and judicial oversight
were being replaced by measures
that consolidate power and limited
legal challenge, saying that the
proposed new Counter-Terrorism Act
2024 extended beyond its purpose,''
''The proposed Counter-Terrorism
Act 2024 has granted police immunity
to criminal and civil liability,''
he said.
He said that legislative laws were
meant to be instruments of justice
and not weapons of oppression, saying
''the Counter-Terrorism Act 2024
could be used to stifle freedom
of speech, association and the press.''
He said that the National Executive
Council (NEC) Act 2025 that saw
its second reading in Parliament
would render National Executive
Council (NEC) decisions non-justiciable,
saying ''if passed the National
Executive Council (NEC) Act 2025
would sideline the judiciary and
make decisions immune to legal scrutiny.''
On April 1 the appeal of Constitutional
Amendment No 48 (Motion of No Confidence)
Law 2025 was upheld by the Papua
New Guinea Supreme Court with the
Supreme Court ordering the Parliament
recalled to deliberate Vote of No
Confidence motion, saying ''the
decision to reject the November
27, 2024, (Motion of No Confidence)
Law 2025 was invalid.''
The Papua New Guinea Supreme Court
ruled that the Speaker recall Parliament
by April 8, 2025 to deliberate the
November 27, 2024 motion.
Papua New Guinea Law Society president,
Hubert Namani, said the legislative
laws were meant to be instrumental
of justice and not weapons of oppression,
and that the Counter-Terrorism Act
2024 could be used to stifle freedom
of speech, association and the press.
The
Southeast Asian Times
|
China
threatens retaliation
after US sanctions
Hong Kong officials
for eroding Hong Kong
autonomy
|
|
 |
|
Commissioner
of the Ministry of
Foreign Affairs of
the People's Republic
of China (PRC) in
the Hong Kong Special
Administrative Region
(HKSAR), Cui Jianchun,
said ''China must
take effective measures
to resolutely retaliate,''
over U.S. sanctions
on Monday March 31,
2025
|
|
From
News Reports:
Hong Kong, April 2: The U.S. Department
of State san ctioned Hong Kong officials
on Monday for using the law adopted
by National Peoples Congress of
the People's Republic of China (PRC)
on Safeguarding of National Security
in the Hong Kong Special Administrative
Region (HKSAR) to coerce, arrest,
detain and imprison protesters against
China rule over Hong Kong, with
U.S. Secretary of State saying,
''the sanctioned officials threaten
to further erode the autonomy of
Hong Kong,'' and with China threatening
to retaliate, reports South China
Morning Post.
Commissioner of the Ministry of
Foreign Affairs of the People's
Republic of China (PRC) in the
Hong Kong Special Administrative
Region (HKSAR), Cui Jianchun,
condemned the U.S. sanctions,
threatening to retaliate over
US sanctions of Hong Kong officials.
''The so-called sanctions from
the US have once again exposed
the U.S. ulterior motive to damage
Hong Kong’s prosperity and
stability and suppress China’s
development,'' he said.
He defended the Safeguarding of
National Security in the Hong Kong
Special Administrative Region (HKSAR)
to pursue protesters against China
rule over Hong Kong who have fled
Hong Kong for the U.S.
''China must take effective measures
to resolutely retaliate,'' he
said.
U.S. Secretary of State secretary
general, Marco Rubio, said the United
States is sanctioning six Hong Kong
official who have engaged in actions
or policies that threaten to further
erode the autonomy of Hong Kong,
saying ''the sanctioed Hong Kong
officials have been involved, directly
or indirectly, in coercing, arresting,
detaining, or imprisoning individuals
under the authority of, or to be
or have been responsible for or
involved in developing, adopting,
or implementing, the Law of the
People’s Republic of China
(PRC) on Safeguarding National Security
in the Hong Kong Administrative
Region (HKSAR).''
The U.S. Department of State sanctioned
six Hong Kong officials including,
Sonny Chi Kwong Au, Secretary-General
for the Committee for Safeguarding
of National Security in the Hong
Kong Special Administrative Region
(HKSAR); Dong Jingwei, Senior
Civil Servant Regional Government,
director for the Office Safeguarding
of National Security in the Hong
Kong Special Administrative Region
(HKSAR); Dick Chung Chun Wong,
Assistant Commissioner of the
Police, National Security Department
and former Director of the Hong
Kong Police Force (HKPF) College;
Margaret Wing Lan Chiu, Assistant
Commissioner of the Hong Kong
Police Force (HKPF), Assistant
Commissioner of the Police, National
Security Department, former Chief
Superintendent; Raymond Chak Yee,
Police Commissioner of Hong Kong
Police Force (HKPF); Paul Timg
Kwok Lam, Secretary for Justice,
Hong Kong, Regional Government
Ministers category, responsible
for or involved in developing,
adopting, or implementing, the
Safeguarding of National Security
in the Hong Kong Special Administrative
Region (HKSAR).
''All property and interests in
property of the sanctioned persons
described above that are in the
United States or in possession
or control of U.S. persons are
blocked and must be reported to
the Department of Treasury’s
Office of Foreign Assets Control
(OFAC),'' states U.S. Department
of State.
The
Southeast Asian Times
|
Poll
finds active military
personnel working
in civilian institutions
against democratic
principles
|
|
 |
|
House
of Representatives
speaker, Puan Maharani,
of the opposition
Indonesian Democratic
Party of Struggle
(PDI-P), tapping the
gavel twice indicating
the approva of the
legislation to the
amendments of the
Indonesian Defense
Forces (TNI) Law on
Thursday 13 March,
2025
|
|
From
News Reports:
Jakarta, April 1: Amendments to
the Defense Forces (TNI) Law that
revised the abolished 2004 Defense
Forces (TNI) Law that permits
active military personnel to hold
14 civilian institutional positions,
was rejected by respondents with
an understanding of the principles
of democracy in a poll conducted
by Kompas Research and Development
(Litbang Kompas) after the passing
of the amendments on March 13,
reports Antara.
House of Representatives speaker,
Puan Maharani, of the opposition
Indonesian Democratic Party of
Struggle (PDI-P), said on the
passing of the amendments to the
Indonesian Defense Forces (TNI)
Law that ''the revised law remains
based on democratic principles,
civilian supremacy and human rights,
in line with national and international
law.''
The poll conducted by Kompas Research
and Development (Litbang Kompas)
showed that ''respondents with
a high level of education with
an understanding of the principles
of democracy resisted amendments
to the Defense Forces (TNI) Law
that allows active military personnel
to work in civilian institutional
positions.
''This group believe that the
admittance of military personnel
into civilian institutional positions
will have a negative impact on
democracy,'' said the Kompas Research
and Development pollsters.
The Kompas Research and Development
(Litbang Kompas) poll said that
''a high level of concern about
military personnel holding civilian
institutional positions was noted
among highly educated respondents,''
saying the highly educated respondents
considered the revived the 2004
Defense Forces (TNI) law that
permitted military personnel to
hold civilian institutional positions
unreasonable.''
''This group has wider access
to information and an in-depth
understanding of the issues surrounding
the ratification of the law,''
said the Kompas Research and Development
(Litbang Kompas) poll.
The Kompas Research and Development
(Litbang Kompas) poll said that
''historically, the concern about
the dual function of the
Indonesian Defense Forces is associated
with the experience of the Suharto
military-dominated New Order government
in Indonesia from 1966 to 1998,
with a military approach widely
applied in civilian government.''
The Association of South East
Asian Parliamentarians for Human
Rights (APHR) denounced the passing
of the House of Representatives
(DPR) revision of the Indonesian
Defense Forces (TNI) law on March
13, that grants expanded powers
to the Indonesian National Armed
Forces (TNI) Law and permits military
personnel to assume 14 civilian
posts.
Under Article 47 of (1) of the
revised National Armed Forces
(TNI) Law permits active soldiers
to take ministerial and agency
posts, including: Coordinating
Ministry for Political and Security
Affairs, Ministry of Defense,
including the National Defense
Council, State Secretariat which
handles presidential secretariat
affairs and the presidential military
secretariat, State Intelligence
Agency (5) State Cyber and/or
Crypto Agency, National Resilience
Institute National Search and
Rescue (SAR) Agency, National
Narcotics Agency, Supreme Court,
National Border Management Agency
(BNPP), Disaster Management Agency
Counterterrorism Agency, Maritime
Security Agency and Attorney General’s
Office of the Republic of Indonesia
Junior Attorney General for Military
Crime.
The
Southeast Asian Times
|
United
States vows to provide
USAID
to Myanmar after earthquake
|
|
 |
|
The
Maha Myat Muni Buddhist
pagoda after the earthquake
in Mandalay, Myanmar
on Friday March 28,
2025
|
|
From
News Reports:
Naypyitaw, March 30: The commander-in-chief
of the Armed Forces (Tatmadaw) of
Myanmar, who first declared a state
of emergency on February 1, 2021,
cancelling the elected League for
Democracy (NLD) dominated session
of parliament, called for the international
community to provide aid and relief
after Myanmar was hit by a 7.7.
magnitude earthquake, killing up
to 2,000 in falling buildings, downed
bridges and cracked roads, with
the United States vowing to help,
reports Agence France Presse.
The commander-in-chief of the Armed
Forces (Tatmadaw) of Myanmar, Sr
Gen Min Aung Hlaing, who has extended
the state of emergency, delaying
the general elections with the last
extention in January, 2025, said
after the earthquake on Friday "I
would like to invite any country,
any organisation, or anyone in Myanmar
to come and help. Thank you."
''I have opened all ways for foreign
aid,'' he said.
Aid from Brazil Russia India China
(BRIC) including new BRICS Partner
Country members Belarus, Bolivia,
Cuba, Kazakhstan, Nigeria, Uganda,
Uzbekistan, and new BRIC members,
ASEAN member nations, Malaysia,
Thailand, Indonesia and Vietnam,
with members China, India and Russia
being the first to deliver aid to
the Armed Forces (Tatmadaw) of Myanmar
military.
Aid to the Armed Forces (Tatmadaw)
of Myanmar was followed by recently
joined BRIC member Malaysia, member
of the Association of Southeast
Asian Nations (ASEAN) member Singapore,
with United States President Donald
Trump vowing that the United States
would assist Myanmar.
''It’s terrible,'' U.S. President
Donald Trump told reporters in the
Oval Office about the quake when
asked if he would respond to the
appeal by the Armed Forces (Tatmadaw)
of Myanmar.
''It’s a real bad one, and
we will be helping. We’ve already
spoken with the country,'' said
U.S. President Donald Trump.
Former U.S. Agency for International
Development (USAID) official, Sarah
Charles, under former President
Joe Biden administration, who oversaw
disaster-response teams and overall
humanitarian work, said ''USAID
was now in shambles,'' saying ''USAID
was without the people or resources
to move quickly to pull out survivor
from collapsed building and otherwise
save lives.''
US State Department spokesperson
Tammy Bruce said that despite cuts
to USAID there has been no impact
on the new administration under
President Donald Trump's ability
to perform the duties of USAID.
She said that USAID has maintained
a team of disaster experts with
the capacity to respond if disaster
strikes, saying
''these expert teams provide immediate
assistance, including food and safe
drinking water, needed to save lives
in the aftermath of a disaster.''
On Friday United States Secretary
of State Marco Rubio notified USAID
workers and Congress that ''most
remaining USAID workers were fired
and moving surviving USAID agency
programs under the State Department.
The
Southeast Asian Times
|
Bangkok
declared disaster
zone following earthquake
in Myanmar
|
|
 |
|
The
33 floor State Audit
Office building collapses
in the 8.2 magnitude
Bangkok earthquake
on Friday March 28,
2025
|
|
From
News Reports:
Bangkok, March 30: Thailand's National
Command Center for Disaster Prevention
and Mitigation declared Bangkok
a disaster zone following the 8.2
magnitude earthquake in neighbouring
Myanmar on Friday, that caused the
collapse of a 33 floor building
in Bangkok's Chatuchak district
that had been under construction
for the State Audit Office since
2020, killing at least 30 workers,
trapping over 50 workers and with
over 80 workers missing, reports
the Bangkok Post.
The construction of the 33 floor
new headquarters for the State Audit
Office in Bangkok collapsed at 1:20pm
on Thursday with TTSW Engineering
Limited foreman, Somsak Sadkaew,
67, saying he heard the concrete
floor making a cracking sound but
could not identify which floor it
was coming from.
He said he ran outside and looked
up to see the crane on the roof
swaying, saying ''the crane swaying
on the roof of the building confirmed
my suspicion that it was an earthquake.''
''Ten minutes later the building
collapsed,'' he said.
He said that usually about 170
workers from various companies
worked inside the building, saying
''it was fortunate that the earthquake
occurred when it did at 1:20pm.''
''If the earthquake had happened
at 4:00pm during shift change
with double the workers on site,
the casualties could have been
much higher,'' he said.
State Audit Office, deputy auditor
general, Sutthipong Boonnithi,
confirmed that the 8.2 magnitude
earthquake centred in Myanmar
caused the structure of the State
Audit Office building to collapse.
The collapse of the State Audit
Office building has reportedly
raised safety concerns and scrutiny
of the project contractors ITD-CREC,
a joint venture between Italian-Thai
Development Plc and China Railway
No 1 (Thailand) and supervised
by PKW joint venture.
Authorities are investigating
the construction quality, materials
used, and whether building codes
for earthquake resilience were
adequately followed for the $63
State Audit Office building project.
The
Southeast Asian Times
|
Thailand
delegation visiting
deported Uyghurs in
China dismiss allegation
that visit was staged
|
|
 |
|
Deputy
Prime Minister Phumtham
Wechayachai and Justice
Minister Tawee Sodsong
meet Imam of the Id
Kah Mosque in Kashgar,
during visit to the
Xinjiang region of
China to follow up
on well-being of Uyghurs
on Thursday March
20, 2025
|
|
From
News Reports:
Bangkok, March 28: Thailand Deputy
Prime Minister and Justice Minister
lead a delegation to visit the alleged
forced deported 45 male Uyghurs
from Thailand to the Xinjiang region
of China on February 27, dismissing
allegations that the visit was staged,
reports the Bangkok Post.
Thailand Deputy Prime Minister,
Phumtham Wechayacha, and Justice
Minister, Tawee Sodsong, dismissed
allegations that the visit to the
alleged deported Uyghur families
was stage, saying ''each family
participated voluntarily.''
China invited Thailand Deputy Prime
Minister Phumtham Wechayachai and
journalists on a three-day visit
to Kashgar, Xinjiang, aimed at showcasing
the well-being of the 40 Uyghurs
deportees of February 27 and the
Uyghurs who were deported in 2015.
Thailand language daily, Thairath
, news director, Pranot Vilapasuwan,
said on Facebook ''Thai journalists
were escorted by China's security
personnel, saying ''the security
guards vetted the images before
allowing them to be sent back
to Thailand.''
''The journalists were asked to
blur the faces of Uyghurs and
their families as well as Chinese
officials or to avoid taking pictures
of Chinese officials at all,''
he said.
He said that journalists were
vetted in Thailand before the
trip in interviews with Thailand
authorities, saying ''this means
that China's security agencies
were filtering the media.''
China vice Minister for Public
Security, Qi Yanjun, called the
cooperation between Thailand and
China ''normal''
Qi Yanjun, China’s vice minister
for public security, said ''the
U.S. and European Union claim that
the treatment of Uyghurs in China
is inappropriate is not true,''
saying ''truth is truth and everyone
will see it.''
“Therefore, both countries,
Thailand and China, must strongly
oppose this criticism,” he
said.
Thailand Justice Minister, Tawee
Sodsong, said that Thailand's
decision to deport Uyghurs was
made on Beijing's promise they
would not be tortured
''Today, the U.S. and European
countries that are large nations
can say whatever they want, but
we prefer to rely on the truth,''
he said.
He said that Thailand and China
believe that both governments
are sincere, saying ''we saw that
the Uyghur living with his family
expressed gratitude to both governments
for taking care of him.''
Human Rights Watch (HRW) senior
researcher, Sunai Phasuk, said
''everything about the Thai government’s
Xinjiang visit was staged and
managed by China.''
''Thailand is parroting China’s
propaganda and collaborating in
the crimes against Uyghurs,''
he said.
Human Rights Watch (HRW) Asia
director, Elaine Pearson, said
''the Thai delegation visiting
Xinjiang shouldn’t take part
in Chinese government choreography
and image laundering, but instead
report on how Uyghurs are really
being treated.''
''The Thai government needs to
start repairing its damaged reputation
on rights for forcibly sending
the Uyghur men back to China by
insisting on unfettered access
to and publicly reporting on the
condition of the 40 Uyghur men.''
She said that the Thailand and
Chinese government have portrayed
the deportation of the 40 Uyghur
men as a benevolent act to reunite
them with their families, saying
''Thailand Prime Minister Paetongtarn
Shinawatra has repeatedly said
that China had assured her that
the Uyghurs would not be punished
or mistreated.''
The
Southeast Asian Times
|
Thailand
revokes voting rights
of pro-monarchy Bhumjaithai
Party MP for vote
buying in 2023 election
|
|
 |
| The
Bhumjaithai pro-monarchy
party member of parliament
for Nakhon Si province,
Mukdawan Luengsinil,
63, accused of vote-buying
in Thailand general
elections Sunday May
14, 2024
|
|
From News Reports:
Bangkok, March 28: The Supreme Court
Criminal Division for Political
Office Holders revoked the voting
rights of pro-monarchy Bhumjaithai
Party member of parliament, Mukdawan
Luangseenil, 63, after finding the
member guilty of vote buying in
the 2023 election, reports the Bangkok
Post.
The Supreme Court Criminal Division
for Political Office Holders ordered
Bhumjaithai Party member of parliament
for Nakhon Si Thammarat Province,
Mukdawan Luangseenil, 63, to pay
Baht eight million in compensation
to cover election expenses for a
new election in Constituency 8,
in Nakhon Si Thammarat Province.
On July 11, 2024 the pro-monarchy
Bhumjaithai Party member of parliament
Mukdawan Leungsinil, 63, was suspended
from Parliament after the Supreme
Court accepted vote-buyer findings
by the Election Commission, with
the House Speaker saying ''Member
of Parliament, Mukdawan Leungsinil,
is suspended until court proceedings
are finalised.''
The Election Commission in Nakhon
Si Thammarat Province ruled to disqualify
the Bhumjaithai member of parliament,
Mukdawan Leungsinil after the Member
of Parliament was accused of offering
money in exchange for votes and
to attend May 14, 2023 election
campaign rallies for the Bhumjaithai
Party.
In March, 2024 the Election Commission
filed a case with the Supreme
Court, petitioning the court to
revoke the right of the Bhumjaithai
member of parliament for Nakhon
Si Thammarat, Mukdawan Leungsinil,
to contest elections and to order
a new election in Constituency
8, with expenses to be met by
the candidate.
On January 19, 2024 Lawyer Patrapong
Supaksorn petitioned the Constitutional
Court to dissolve the Bhumjaithai
Party led by defacto secretary-general
Newin Chidchob, who is brother
of former secretary-general of
the Bhumjaithai Party.
Former secretary-general of the
Bhumjaithai Party, former Minister
of Transport, Saksayam Chidchob,
resigned as Bhumjaithai secretary-general
and a member of parliament after
accusations of conspiring to illegally
gain billions of baht.
Lawyer Patrapong Supaksorn accused
Bhumjaithai Party, Minister of
Transport, Saksayam Chidchob,
of conspiring to illegally gain
billions of baht via the Buri
Charoen Construction Ltd.
Lawyer Patrapong Supaksorn said
the Buri Charoen Construction
Ltd. won government construction
contracts, saying ''former secretary-general
of the Bhumjaithai Party, former
Minister of Transport, Saksayam
Chidchob, allegedly handed some
of the illegally gained funds
to Bhumjaithai Party members of
parliament during last year’s
electoral campaigns."
The
Southeast Asian Times
|
Vietnam
political reporter
sent to prison ''for
abusing democratic
freedoms to infringe
upon the interests
of the state''
|
|
 |
| The
Hanoi People's Court
sentenced Ho Chi Minh
City political reporter,
Truong Huy San, 64,
to prison for ''abusing
democratic freedoms
to infringe upon the
interests of the state''
on Thursday February
27, 2025 |
|
From
News Reports:
Hanoi, March 19: The Hanoi People's
Court sentenced Ho Chi Minh City
political reporter, Truong Huy San,
64, also known as Huy Duc or Osin
Huy Duc, to 30 months in prison
for ''abusing democratic freedoms
to infringe upon the interests of
the state, organizations, and individuals,'
on February 17, reports Human Rights
Watch (HRW).
The Office of Investigation Police
Agency (OIPA) under the Ministry
of Public Security (MPS) under the
ruling Communist Party of Vietnam
(CPV), arrested Truong Huy San,
64, on June 8, 2024 under Clause
2, Article 331 of the 2015 Criminal
Code that was amended in 2017.
''Political reporter, Truong Huy
San, 64, war a political reporter
at the Vietnam Youth Newspaper in
the 1980's and 1990's earning a
reputation as a dogged reporter
covering the country's politics,''
reports Human Rights Watch (HRW).
Human Rights Watch (HRW) reports
that political reporter Truong
Huy San, 64, received a Hubert
H. Humphrey Fellowship to study
at the University of Maryland
in the United States, saying ''he
returned to Vietnam in 2006 where
he started a popular blog.''
''He continued to publish commentary
on pressing social and political
issues,'' said Human Rights Watch
(HRW).
The Office of Investigation Police
Agency (OIPA) under the Ministry
of Public Security (MPS) under
the ruling Communist Party of
Vietnam reportedly closed the
blog in 2010.
''In 2012 reporter, Truong Huy
San, 64, spent a year at Harvard
University on a Nieman Fellowship,''
said the Human Rights Watch (HRW).
Human Rights Watch (HRW) said
that Truong Huy San, 64, has continued
to report on Vietnam's social
and political problems, saying
''he had more than 350,000 Facebook
followers and was one of the most
influencial Vietnam political
commentators before his arrest.''
''He posted articles about the dangers
posed by concentrating power in
Vietnam's highly repressive Ministry
of Public Security under the Communist
Party of Vietnam (CPV),'' said the
Human Rights Watch (HRW) On June
8, 2024 Vietnam's Supreme People’s
Procuracy indicted reporter, Truong
Huy San, 64, for gathering information
and documents and for drafting and
posting numerouse articles on his
personal Facebook page between 2015
and 2024 .
Vietnam's Supreme People’s
Procuracy charged Truong Huy San,
64, with 'abusing democratic freedoms
to infringe upon the interests of
the state, organizations, and individuals''
for posting thirteen articles on
his personnel Facebook page.
The Vietnam Supreme People's Procuracy
claims that ''the Facebook posts
attracted significant interaction,
comments, and shares, negatively
impacting public security and
social order,'' necessitating
legal action in accordance with
the law.
''The Facebook posts necessitated
legal action in accordance with
the law,'' claims the Vietnam
Supreme People's Procuracy.
Truong Huy San, 64, confessed
that he had gathered and assessed
the information himself, ''saying
''the contents of the 13 articles
affected State interests and the
rights and legitimate interests
of certain organisations and individuals.''
Truong Huy San, 64 denied any
intention to oppose the Communist
Party of Vietnam (CPV) or the
States but acknowledged that some
content in the 13 Facebook posts
infringed upon the rights and
interests of the State, organizations
and individuals.
The
Southeast Asian Times
|
BRICS
member, United Arab
Emirate, invests trillions
in United States
|
|
 |
| United
States President Donald
Trump, left, and United
Arab Emirates national
security advisor Sheikh
Tahnoon bin Zayed Al
Nahyanm, right, United
Arab Emirates investment
of 1.4 trillion dollars
in United States ''to
reconfigures power dynamics
in the technology and
energy sectors'' at
White House in Washington
Tuesday March 1, 2025
|
|
From
News Reports:
Washington, March 26: The United
Arab Emirates, a new member of Brazil,
Russia, India, China and South Africa
(BRICS) joining BRICS on January
1, 2024 together with Belarus, Bolivia,
Cuba, Kazakhstan, Nigeria, Uganda,
Uzbekistan, and ASEAN member nations,
Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia and
Vietnam's joining BRICS on January
1, 2025, has invested 1.4 trillion
dollars in the United States over
the next ten years, reports Reuters.
United Arab Emirates delegation
including the United Arab Emirates
National Security Advisor, HH Sheikh
Tahnoon bin Zayed and heads of major
United Arab Emirates Sovereign Wealth
Funds and corporations committed
to $1.4 trillion dollar investment
in a new investment framework over
ten years after a meeting hosted
by United States President Donald
Trump in Washington on 21 March.
The new framework will reportedly
increase the United Arab Emirates
existing investments in the United
States economy in AI infrastructure,
semiconductors, energy, and American
manufacturing including Abu Dhabi
Developmental Holding Company (ADQ)
and Orion Resource Partners (USA),
L.P's. investment of $1.2 billion
in a mining partnership to secure
supplies of critical minerals.
The United Arab Emirates investment
commitments in the United States
including Abu Dhabi-based MGX,
BlackRock, Microsoft, and Global
Infrastructure Partners (GIP)
have reportedly ''welcomed NVIDIA
and xAI to the AI Infrastructure
Partnership (AIP), which will
seek to mobilize up to $100 billion
in total investment to enable
next-generation data center and
energy infrastructure build out
in support of US AI leadership.''
The United Arab Emirates investment
in the United States reportedly
''reconfigures power dynamics
in the technology and energy sectors.''
with ''the United Arab Emirates
betting on a deep anchorage in
the American economy by increasing
their influence in structuring
fields.''
The success of the United Arab
Emirates investments in the United
States could reportedly ''encourage
other countries to intensify their
investments in the United States
creating a new form of diplomatic
and industrial competition with
the Brazil, Russia, India, China
and South Africa (BRICS) that
as of January 1, 2025 includes
five of ten member countries of
the Association of South East
Asian Nations (ASEAN).
On February 13, 2025 United States
President Donald Trump declared
'BRICS is dead, at the prospect
of BRICS establishing its own
currency, saying "there is
no chance that BRICS will replace
the U.S. Dollar in International
Trade, or anywhere else, and any
country that tries should say
hello to tariffs, and goodbye
to America!''
''We are going to require a commitment
from these seemingly hostile Countries
that they will neither create
a new BRICS Currency, nor back
any other Currency to replace
the mighty U.S. Dollar or, they
will face 100 percent Tariffs,"
he said.
On October 22, 2024 Malaysia Minister
for Economics, Rafizi Ramli, said
at the BRICS Summit held in Kazan,
Russia in October 22-October 24.
2024, ''we see tremendous synergies
between ASEAN and BRICS.''
He said that barriers to obtaining
development finances and a growing
global debt as reasons for joining
the intergovernmental grouping
BRICS, saying ''for Malaysia,
BRICS is not just a rejection
of these constraints, but it is
also a solution.''
''Malaysia’s decision to
join BRICS was not meant to reject
American currency but instead
aimed at reducing the risk of
Malaysian ringgit instability,''
he said.
The
Southeast Asian Times
|
Indonesia
wants police to reveal
identity of terrorists
who sent severed pigs
head and decapitate
rats to catholic reporter
|
|
 |
| Catholic,
Francis Christy Rosana,
political journalist
Tempo Magazine Jakarta
and Pope Francis in
Indonesia on Tuesday
September 1, 2024 on
the first leg of the
14 day Apostolic visit
to Southeast Asia |
|
From
News Reports:
Jakarta, March 25: The Indonesian
Deputy Minister of Manpower wants
the Indonesian National Police to
reveal the identity of the terrorists
who sent a severed pig's head and
six decapitated rats to the Tempo
Magazine in Jakarta on Sunday, saying
''the terror attack on the Tempo
Magazine was an attack on democracy,''
reports the Jakarta Post.
Indonesian Deputy Minister of Manpower,
Immanuel Ebenezer, said that the
public wants the National Police
to reveal the identity of the mastermind
behind the terror attack designed
to intimidate Tempo Magazine political
reporter, Francisca Christy Rosana,
a catholic.
Catholic Tempo Magazine political
reporter, Francisca Christy Rosana,
received the first gift wrapped
package containing the severed pigs
head, that is considered non-halal
to muslims, on Wednesday afternoon.
Political journalist Francisca Christy
Rosana received the second gift
wrapped package containing six decapitated
rats, that is considered a bad omen
in the Chinese horoscope, on Saturday.
Indonesian Deputy Minister of
Manpower said that the terror
attack that was designed to intimidate
the Tempo Magazine reporter was
an attack on democracy, saying
''the act of terror and intimidation
against Tempo was an attack on
Indonesian democracy.''
He said Indonesia's national press
''has struggled to participate
in building democracy in Indonesia,''
saying ''the press as the Fourth
Pillar of Democracy has always
been a catalyst.''
''Terror and intimidation against
Tempo Magazine is a barbaric act,"
he said.
Tempo Editor-in-Chief Setri Yasra
said that he suspected that the
act of terror was aimed at the work
of the Tempo Magazine political
desk reporter, Francisca Christy
Rosana, saying ''we believe that
it is an attempt to intimidate and
obstruct journalism.''
Francisca Christy Rosana, the Tempo
Magazine political reporter, received
the gift wrapped packages containing
a severed pig's head and decapitated
rats after she had returned from
covering a story with Hussein Abri
Yusuf Muda Dongoran, a fellow political
reporter and co-host of Bocor Alus.
The weekly podcast Bocor Alus
that is posted on the Tempo YouTube
channed and Spotify focuses on
politics and is critical of the
Indonesian government led by President
Prabowo Subianto.
Indonesia’s Minister of Communication
and Digital Affairs, Meutya Hafid,
said that press freedom is a fundamental
pillar of democracy that must
not be compromised.
She said President Prabowo Subianto’s
administration was committed to
protecting freedom of expression
and ensuring that public criticism
remains part of government policy,
saying ''we fully support the
investigation of the delivery
of the severed pig's head and
six decapitated rats to Tempo
Magazine by the police.''
In 2024 Tifa Foundation in collaboration
with the Indonesian Media Development
Association (PPMN), the Human Rights
Working Group (HRWG), and research
partner Populix, surveyed 760 journalists
across Indonesia in
The findings revealed that 24
per cent of journalists experienced
terror and intimidation, 23 per
cent received direct threats,
26 per cent faced bans on news
reporting and 44 per cent encountered
reporting restrictions.
The
Southeast Asian Times
|
Cambodia's
opposition party officials
arrested for comparing
former PM Hun Sen
to former President
Rodrigo Duterte
|
|
 |
| Senior
officials of the Cambodia's
opposition Candlelight
Party (CP) Muth Rinl,
left, Mao Heng, right
arrested at Kampong
Cham province on Sunday
March 16 Kan Kun, centre
arrested Monday March
17, 2025 |
|
From
News Reports:
Phnom Penh, March 24: Senior officials
of the Cambodia's opposition Candlelight
Party (CP) were arrested for alleged
incitement on social media by the
Cambodian National Police last week
after an investigation by the Interior's
Anti-Cybercrime Department, reports
the Khmer Times.
The Cambodian National Police arrested
three senior officials of Cambodia's
opposition Candlelight Party (CP)
for spreading defamatory comments
about the ruling Cambodian People's
Party (CPP including comparing the
former Cambodian Prime Minister
Hun Sen with former President of
the Philipines, Rodrigo Duterte,
who was arrested by the Internation
Criminal Court (ICC) on March 11.
Opposition Candlelight Party (CP)
senior officials Muth Rin, of
the Chamkar Loeu District Executive
Council, Mao Heng, second deputy
chief of the Cheyou commune were
arrested on March 16 and Kan Kun,
the second deputy chief of Ta
Bruk commune was arrested on March
17, all at their homes in Chamkar
Loeu district of Kampong Cham
for incitement to commit a felony
or disturbing social security
under Articles 494 and 495 of
the Criminal Code.
The senior officials of the Cambodia's
opposition Candlelight Party (CP)
were arrested for allegedly spreading
defamatory comments on social
media that included comparing
the former Cambodian Prime Minister
Hun Sen with the former President
of the Philipines, Rodrigo Duterte,
who was arrested on a warrant
issued by the International Criminal
Court (ICC) on March 11, charged
with crimes against humanity committed
during the Philippines war on
drugs campaign that allegedly
killed thousands of Filipinos.
Cambodian National Police Lt Col
Piseth said that the senior officials
of the opposition Candlelight Party
(CP) were arrested with a warrant
of arrest issued by a deputy prosecutor
at the Phnom Penh Municipal Court,
saying ''The three were accused
of committing incitement via social
media.''
He said that the senior officials
were sent to the Phnom Penh Municipal
Court for questioning after their
arrest, saying ''the suspects
are now in pre-trial detention.''
Candlelight Party (CP) secretary-general,
Lee Sothearayuth, said the party
was unaware of the allegations against
the three opposition Candlelight
Party (CP) officials or their whereabouts,
saying ''we don’t know what
the allegations are or what they
are related to.''
''We believe that the arrests
of opposition party members and
activists constitute political
persecution and intimidation,''
he said.
''These continued arrests are
demoralising and hinder participation
in political activities by opposition
parties,'' he said.
Former Cambodia's People's Party
(CPP) Prime Minister, Hun Sen,
warned opposition political parties
ahead of the 7th National Assembly
elections in June 23, 2023, of
associating with founder of the
opposition Candlelight Party (CP),
in exile in France, Sam Rainsy,
who is the former president of
the Supreme Court-dissolved Cambodia
National Rescue Party (CNRP),
saying he would dissolve political
party's that associated with Sam
Rainsy.
The Candlelight Party (CP), formerly
known as the Sam Rainsy Party
and the Khmer Nation Party, was
founded in 1995 and merged with
other opposition forces to form
the Cambodia National Rescue Party
(CNRP) in 2012 that was dissolved
in a Supreme court ruling in 2017
ahead of the elections in 2018.
Sam Rainsy, went into exile in
Paris in 2015 fearing arrest by
the Hun Sen Cambodia's People's
Party (CPP) after parliamentary
immunity was removed and he faced
multiple criminal defamation charges
for his accusation of corruption
against the Hun Sen Cambodia's
People's Party (CPP).
The
Southeast Asian Times
|
Indonesia
passes revised abolished
Indonesian Defense
Forces law allowing
return to dual function
|
|
 |
| Protesters
nurn tyres against the
revision of the Indonesian
Defense Forces (TNI)
law at the House of
Representatives (DPR)
in Jakarta on Thursday
March 20, 2025 |
|
From
News Reports:
Jakarta, March 23: The House of
Representatives (DPR) passed the
revised abolished Indonesian Defense
Forces (TNI) law that allows the
military to hold both military and
civilian roles by restoring the
dual function of the Defense Forces
(TNI) law (Dwifungs ABRI) on Thursday,
with House of Representatives speaker,
tapping the gavel twice indicating
the legislators approval of the
revised law, reports the Jakarta
Post.
House of Reprentatives speaker,
Puan Maharani, of the opposition
Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle
(PDI-P), said ''We, along with the
government, stress that the revised
law remains based on democratic
principles, civilian supremacy and
human rights, in line with national
and international law.''
In May 2024 the Civil Society
Coalition for Security Sector
Reform that includes Indonesia's
National Commission on Human Rights
(Komnas HAM), the Indonesian Legal
Aid Foundation (YLBHI), the Indonesian
Forum for the Environment (Walhi),
the Commission for Missing Persons
and Victims of Violence (Kontras),
the Setara Institute for Peace
and Democracy, the Jakarta Alliance
of Independent Journalists (AJI)
and the All Indonesia Student
Executive Council (BEM SI) called
on the
House of Representatives (DPR) to
cancel the proposed revision of
the Indonesian Defense Forces (TNI)
law that was abolished in 2004.
Civil Society Coalition for Security
Sector Reform, Central Initiative
chair, Al A'raf, said that ''changes
proposed by the new Prabowo Subianto
government for the Indonesian
Defense Forces (TNI) law will
not strengthen the TNI's reform
agenda.''
He said that the Civil Society
Coalition for Security Sector
Reform sees crucal areas in the
April 2023 draft revision of the
Indonesian Defense Forces (TNI)
that should not be revised including
the proposed expansion of civilian
positions that can be held by
active Indonesian Defense Forces
(TNI) officers.
He said that the revision of the
Indonesian Defense Forces (TNI)
law could see the return of Dwifungsi
ABRI doctrine or dual-function
that was implemented by the Suharto
military-dominated New Order government
in Indonesia from 1966 to 1998.
He said that Article 47 of the Indonesian
Defense Forces (TNI) law provides
opportunities for the Indonesian
Defense Forces (TNI) to occupy civilian
positions saying ''during the New
Order under the Dwifungsi ABRI doctrine
or dual-function, the military was
involved in practical politics,
including the occupation of civilian
position in ministries, state institutions,
the House of Representatives (DPR),
as regional heads and other positions"
The
Southeast Asian Times
|
Cambodia
rejects comparison
between Cambodia PM
Hun Sen and former
Philippine President
Rodrigo Duterte
|
|
 |
| Former
Cambodia President Hun
Sen said at the Families
of the Cambodian Tycoon
(Oknha) Association
said ''the private sector
is the engine of economic
growth, with the state
serving as an economist
and manager'' on Friday
March 14, 2025 |
|
From
News Reports:
Phnom Penh Post March 21: Senator
President and former Cambodia President,
Hun Sen, rejected former opposition
party president, Sam Ramsay, of
the court-dissolved Cambodia National
Rescue Party (CNRP), comment that
compared the future of the former
president to former Philippine President,
who was arrested under a International
Criminal Court (ICC) warrant,, reports
the Khmer Times.
''The propaganda used by in-exile
former opposition party president,
Sam Ramsay, and former in-exile
members that I should suffer the
same fate as the former president
of the Philippines, Rodrigo Duterte,
is irrelevant and senseless,'' said
Senator President Hun Sen at the
Families of the Cambodian Tycoon
(Oknha) Association dinner last
week.
He said that the comments made
by in-exile former opposition
party president, Sam Ramsay, of
the court-dissolved Cambodia National
Rescue Party (CNRP) ''is irrelevant
and senseless considering what
I have done for Cambodia for half
of my life.''
He said that associating him to
former country leaders who were
arrested or ousted from power
has always been a propaganda tactic
used by in-exile Sam Ramsay and
other in-exile former members
of the court-dissolved Cambodia
National Rescue Party (CNRP).
Senator president Hun Sen indirectly
addressed in-exile, Sam Ramsay,
at the Families of the Cambodian
Tycoon (Oknha) Association dinner,
saying ''when Muammar Gaddafi
was killed, you compared me to
Gaddafi, but when Aung San Suu
Kyi won the election in Myanmar,
you compared yourself with her
and compared me to the junta leader.''
''But that made you unable to
return to your home country,''
he said.
He said that the in-exile opposition
defunct Cambodia National Rescue
Party (CNRP) has compared the
Cambodian People's Party (CPP)-led
government to Sheikh Hasina’s
Bangladesh government and Bashar
al-Assad’s Syrian government,
saying ''both governments were
overthrown by their people.''
''Now, when Duterte was arrested,
you compared me to Duterte,''
he said indirectly to former Philippine
President Rodrigo Duterte,
''the Duterte story is the Duterte
story, but Hun Sen is not Duterte.''
On March 14, 2025 former Philippines
President Rodrigo Duterte was arrested
on an International Criminal Court
(ICC) warrant in the Philippines
charged with crimes against humanity
committed during the war on drugs
campaign between 1 November 2011
and 16 March 2019 that allegedly
killed thousands of Filipinos.
The Office of the Prosecutor of
the International Criminal Court
(ICC) applied for an arrest warrant
against former President Rodrigo
Duterte for the crimes against
humanity of murder, torture and
rape with judges Reine Alapini-Gansou,
Iulia Antoanella Motoc and Socorro
Flores Liera of the ICC Pre-Trial
Chamber 1 finding from the material
submitted by the Prosecution that
there was reasonable grounds to
believe that former President
Rodrigo Duterte is individually
responsible as an indirect co-perpetrator
for the crime against humanity
of murder, allegedly committed
in the Philippines between 1 November
2011 and 16 March 2019.
The
Southeast Asian Times
|
US
cuts millions of dollars
in research funds
for AI and medical
research at Australian
Universities
|
|
 |
| Vicki
Thomson, chief executive
of Group of Eight (Go8)
coalition of Australia's
leading research-intensive
universities says Australian
universities receive
about 80 percent funding
from the US |
|
From
News Reports:
Sydney, March 21: The United States
paused or cancelled funding for
research projects for at least six
Australian universities in an Executive
Order issued last month, with the
Group of Eight (Go8) a coalition
of Australia's leading research-intensive
universities including the Australian
National University in Canberra,
saying ''we receive about 80 percent
of funding from various government
agencies in the U.S. reports the
Australian Broadcasting Commission
(ABC).
Group of Eight (Go8) chief executive
officer Vicki Thomson, said the
Australian National University in
Canberra was the first
Australian university to acknowledge
termination of research funding,
saying ''80 percent funding for
research is a significant amount
of money for our universities at
a time when research funding is
hard to come by.''
''The termination of funding for
Australia's most research-intensive
universities could jeopardise crucial
medical and defence research in
Australia,'' she said.
She said that the United States
sent questionaires to Australian
researchers asking 30 questions
including ''Can you confirm that
your organization has not received
ANY funding from the People's Republic
of China (PRC) including Confucius
Institutes and or partnered with
Chinese state or non-state actors,
Russia, Cuba, or Iran?'' saying
"if this was any other country
other than the U.S, it would verge
on foreign interference."
''Is was concerning that the Group
of Eight (Go8) coalition of Australia's
leading research-intensive universities
are not just affected by grants
from the US Agency for International
Development (USAID) but also grants
from the U.S. National Science Foundation
(NSF) and the Australian Government
through the Commonwealth Scientific
and Industrial Research Organisation
CSIRO,'' she said.
Funding from the U.S. National Science
Foundation (NSF) that partnered
with the Australian Government through
the Commonwealth Scientific and
Industrial Research Organisation
(CSIRO) for research in Artificial
Intelligence (AI) low-emission technologies
and sustainability at the Group
of Eight (Go8) Australian universities
has been paused or cancelled.
Funding for research projects at
Australian universities by the U.S.
National Institutes of Health (NIH)
medical research agency within the
U.S. Department of Health and Human
Services, the largest public funder
of biomedical research globally
was also paused or cancelled by
the U.S Executive Order.
Group of Eight (Go8) chief executive
officer Vicki Thomson said that
''grants to Australian Universities
is hugely significant for
every single one of the eight universities
that I represent,'' saying ''the
US is our largest research partner."
The Group of Eight (Go8) universities
that represents 70 percent of all
university-based research in Australia
collectively receives over 7.2 billion
annually in research and development,
with a significant portion of funding
from both the Australian and United
States.
The
Southeast Asian Times
|
Vietnam
to fast-track US The
Trump Organisation
development of APEC
multi-functional complex
|
|
 |
| US
The Trump Organisation
project director Charles
James Boyd Bowman, left,
and Vietnam Prime Minister
Pham Minh Chinh, left,
in Hanoi on Tues 18
Mar 2025 |
|
From
News Reports:
Hanoi, March 20: Prime Minister
Pham Minh Chính said that
Vietnam will fast-track the proposed
US$1.5 billion The Trump Organisation
project, at a reception for the
director of The Trump Organisation
project including an Asia-Pacific
Economic Cooperation (APEC) multi-functional
complex in Hung Yen Province on
Phu Quoc Island, saying ''Vietnam
will ensure legal compliance and
protection of all stakeholders,''
reports the Vietnam News.
Charles James Boyd Bowman, director
of The Trump Organisation project
in Vietnam's northern province of
Hung Yen on Phu Quoc Island, said
''the proposed joint venture project
between Vietnam's Develop Group
Joint Stock Company (JSC) and the
International Data Group (IDG) Capital
that represents The Trump Organisation,
privately owned by Donald Trump,
who was inaugurated 47th president
of the United States on January
20, 2025, aims to deliver a hi-end
urban, eco-tourism, sport, and a
premium golf complex in Vietnam.
Vietnam Prime Minister Pham Minh
Chính said that 'Vietnamese
agencies will fast-track The Trump
Organisation Vietnam project, saying
''Vietnam will ensure legal compliance
and protection of all stakeholders.
''Vietnam’s ongoing administrative
reforms aimed at speeding up decision-making
with a focus on efficiency, innovation,
and measurable results,'' he said.
Charles James Boyd Bowman General
Director of The Trump Organisation
project in Vietnam said that The
Trump Organisation has received
strong support from Vietnamese ministries
and sectors in Hung Yen province,
saying ''The Trump Organisation
project is targeted for completion
for the March 2027 Asia-Pacific
Economic Cooperation (APEC) Economic
Leaders’ Meeting in Hung Yen
Province on Phu Quoc Island.
''The Trump Organisation project
in Vietnam includes the development
of a world-class golfing destination,''
he said.
On October 8, 2024 Vietnam's Develop
Group Joint Stock Company (JSC)
and the International Data Group
(IDG) Capital that represents United
States The Trump Organisation privately
owned by Donald Trump signed a memorandum
of Understanding (MoU) in New York
to jointly develop hi-end urban,
eco-tourism, sport, and a premium
54-hole golf course complex in Hung
Yen Province on Phu Quoc Island.
The
Southeast Asian Times
|
Newly
elected US Democrat
congressman sponsors
Vietnam journalist
release from prison
of
|
|
 |
| Vietnam
Journalists Nguyen Tuong
Thuy, left, Nguyen Tuong
Thuy, centre, Le Huu
Minh Tuan, right, sentence
to prison at People's
Court in Ho Chi Minh
city on Tuesday January
5, 2021 |
|
From
News Reports:
Hanoi, March 19: Newly elected US
Democrat congressman, Derek Tran,
representative for California, agreed
to sponsor the release of Vietnamese
Le Huu Minh Tuan, 35, a founding
member of the Independent Journalists
Association of Vietnam (IJAV), from
prison in Vietnam through the Defending
Freedoms Project (DFP), reports
The Vietnamese.
Vietnam journalist, Le Huu Minh
Tuan, 35, was arrested in Vietnam
on June 12, 2020, and sentenced
to 11 years in prison by the People's
Court in Ho Chi Minh city for
reporting the mass pro-democracy
student protests in Hong Kong.
He was reportedly held in solitary
confinement for five months and
denied legal representation and
family visits.
He was sentenced to prison on
January 5, 2021 together with
Vietnam journalist Pham Chi Dung,
58, and journalist Nguyen Tuong
Thuy, 73, under Article 117 of
Vietnam's Penal Code, that criminalises
making, storing, distributing
or disseminating information,
documents and items against the
Socialist Republic of Vietnam.
Vietnamese journalist Pham Chi
Dung, 58, who was arrested in
November 2019 was sentented to
prison for 15 years for signing
a joint letter that was published
in Voice of America urging the
European Union to delay the approval
of the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement
until Vietnam improved its human
rights record.
He was also involved in anti-China
demonstrations and in campaigns
in support of human rights.
Former Vietnam army veteran, journalist
Nguyen Tuong Thuy, 73, who was
arrested in May 2020 for assisting
political prisoners and land rights
protesters, was sentenced to 11
years in prison by the People's
Court in Ho Chi Minh city.
He reportedly smashed his mobile
phone on the floor rather than reveal
the password to the Vietnam People's
Public Security.
The three imprisoned Vietnam journalists
who were founding members of the
the Independent Journalists Association
of Vietnam (IJVAN) were charged
under Article 117 of the revised
2018 Criminal Code that criminalises
making, storing, distributing
or disseminating information,
documents and items against the
Socialist Republic of Vietnam.
Newly elected US Democrat Congressman,
Derek Tran, representing California's
45th district agreed to sponsor
the release of Le Huu Minh Tuan,
35, through the Defending Freedoms
Project.
DFP aims to increase attention
to human rights abuses by encouraging
Members of Congress to advocate
on behalf of prisoners of conscience.
The
Southeast Asian Times
|
US
calls on Vietnam to
improve trade balance
and a stronger solution
to open market economy
under US Tariff Law
|
|
%20Vietnam%20Nguyen%20Hong%20Dien%20%20Washington%20Thurs%2013%20Mar%202025.jpg) |
| US
Trade Representative
(USTR) Jamieson L. Greer,
left, and Vietnam Minister
of Industry and Trade
Nguyen Hong Dien, right,
in Washington D.C. on
Thursday March 13, 2025 |
|
From
News Reports:
Washington, March 18: US Trade Representative
(USTR), Jamieson L. Greer told the
Vietnam Minister of Industry and
Trade ''to improve the trade balance
with the United States and have
stronger solutions to open up its
market economy,'' with Vietnam Minister
of Industry and Trade reiterating
Vietnam’s request to be recognized
as a market economy under the US
Tariff Law, reports Reuters.
''Vietnam must have stronger solutions
to open up its market economy and
improve the trade balance with the
United States,'' said US Trade Representative
(USTR) Jamieson L. Greer in Washington
D.C. on Wednesday.
''The US ran a US$123.5 billion
trade deficit with Vietnam in 2024,
the third highest deficit after
China and Mexico,'' he said.
Vietnam Minister of Industry and
Trade, Nguyen Hong Dien, said that
the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam's
one party state, the Communist Party
of Vietnam (CPV) ''is implementing
various solutions to boost trade
and investment ties with the United
States'' and reiterated Vietnam's
request to be recognised as a market
economy.
''US recognition of Vietnam as a
market economy would support Vietnam's
exports to enter the United States,''
he said.
On August 3, 2024 the US Department
of Commerce rejected the Vietnam
request to be designated a market
economy under the US Tariff Law
following the Vietnam Minister of
Industry and Trade, Nguyen Hong
Dien's, request ''to consider the
removal of Vietnam from the list
of countries with non-market economies.''
Vietnam is on the list of 12 nations
identified by the US Department
of Commerce as non-market economies
including China and Russia that
reportedly have a strong state intervention
in their economies.
The US has labelled Vietnam a non-market
economy since 2002 due to state
interventions in trade, pricing
and currency, the EU has also designating
Vietnam a non-market economy.
On May 7, 2024 Human Rights Watch
(HRW) Southeast Asia, advocacy director,
John Sifton, said at the UN Human
Rights Council, Geneva, Switzerland,
that ''Human Rights Watch (HRW)
takes no position on Vietnam's economic
status but the redesignation of
Vietnam to a market economy under
the US Tariff Law is legally contingent
on basic labor rights protections
and the US stated policy on promoting
labor rights.''
''Vietnam’s claims to respect
labor rights relies on empty words
and promises, laws and regulations
that have no connection to the realities
of the county’s actual labor
rights situation,'' he said.
He said that the Vietnam government
continues to call the government-led
Vietnam General Confederation of
Labor (VGCL) a labor confederation
of enterprise-level labor federations
but the VGGL is led by the Communist
Party of Vietnam (CPV) appointees.
''The unions and federations that
exist under the VGCL are almost
all led by people appointed by management
at the enterprise level,'' he said.
He said that workers or labor leaders
do not choose leaders or representatives
who can bargain to set wages on
their behalf, saying ''Communist
Party of Vietnam (CPV)-led Vietnam
General Confederation of Labor (VGCL)
bargains with management or at the
state-wide level in the interests
of the government and the Vietnamese
Communist Party, not on behalf of
workers and in a representative
capacity.''
''State control of the Vietnam General
Confederation of Labor (VGCL) is
demonstrated by Directive 24 issued
by the Communist Party of Vietnam
that orders enhanced scrutiny of
labor groups, civil society, and
foreign organizations, specifically
in the context of Vietnam’s
implementation of new trade agreements
with other countries and with the
International Labour Organization
(ILO).
Directive 24 reportedly ''shares
a striking similarity with Document
9, a Chinese Communist Party (CCP)
directive introduced in April 2013
that enumerated a list of seven
trends and activities that according
to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP)
posed a threat to the party.''
China's Document 9 reportedly made
it clear that ''the one party-state
would exert control over all expression
in the country and limit the ability
of civil society in China to operate.''
The
Southeast Asian Times
|
US
imposes visa restrictions
on Thailand officials
involved in deportation
of Uyghurs assylum
seekers to China
|
|
 |
| China
Southern Airlines arrives
in Kashgar, Xinjiang
Uyghur Autonomous Region,
China with the Public
Security Ministry (MPS)
of China confirming
that, ''40 Chinese nationals
who illegally left the
country and were detained
in Thailand were returned
to China'' on Thursday
February 27, 2025 |
|
From
News Reports:
Bangkok, March 17: United States
Secretary of State, Marco Rubio,
said on Friday that he was "immediately
moving to impose visa restrictions
on Thailand officials involved
in the forced deportation of 45
male Uyghurs assylum seekers from
Thailand to China on February
27, after detention in Thailand
for two decades, with the Foreign
Affairs of the People's Republic
of China, condemning the United
States visa restrictions ''as
meddling in China's internal affairs
under the guise of human rights,''
reports Reuters.
Foreign Affairs of the People's
Republic of China, Lin Jian, condemned
the United States imposition of
visa restrictions on officials
as ''hypocritical meddling in
China's internal affairs under
the guise of human rights,'' saying
''the United States visa restrictions
aims to undermine legitimate law
enforcement cooperation between
China and Thailand.''
The Office of the High Commissioner
for Human Rights (OHCHR) and the
United Nations High Commissioner
for Refugees (UNHCR) condemned
Thailand for the deportation of
45 male Uyghurs assylum seekers
to China, saying ''Thailand's
deportation of the Uyghurs is
a serious violation of international
law and the fundamental principle
of non-refoulement.''
OHCHR, High Commissioner, Volker
Turk, said the forced return of
the Uyghurs from Thailand to China
''is completely prohibited in
cases where there is a real risk
of torture, ill-treatment or other
irreparable harm on their return.''
''The right to seek asylum and
of non-refoulement are enshrined
in Article 13 of Thailand’s
Prevention and Suppression of
Torture and Enforced Disappearance
Act, and Article 16 of the ASEAN
Human Rights Declaration,'' he
said.
The 45 male Uyghurs assylum seekers
deported from Thailand on February
27 were among 300 Uyghurs who
were apprehended by Thailand authorities
on 13 March 2014 after the Uyghurs
fled China’s Xinjiang Uyghur
Autonomous Region.
Thailand Defence Minister and
Deputy Premier, Phumtham Wechayachai,
said that the deportation of the
remainder of the 300 Uyghurs held
in detention in Thailand ''is
done out of the goodwill of the
Thailand government and not ill
intent,'' saying ''it is a good
thing to get them out of detention
so they can return to their normal
lives with relatives, husbands,
wives and children."
He said that the Uyghurs returned
to China voluntarily, saying ''Thailand
had been assured by China they
would be cared for and not mistreated.''
United States Secretary of State,
Marco Rubio, issued a security
alert for United States citizens
in Thailand after the deportation
of the 45 male Uyghurs assylum
seekers from Thailand to China
on February 27, saying ''similar
deportations have prompted violent
retaliatory attacks in Thailand
in the past.''
The United States Embassy in Bangkok
states that ''violent retaliatory
attacks occurred in Thailand in
July 2015 in the wake of the deportation
of 109 Uyghurs from Thailand to
China,'' saying that explosive
devices were detonated at the
Erawan Shrine in Bangkok.''
''Improvised devices were detonated
at the Erawan Shrine that is heavily
visited by tourists from China
killing 20 and injuring 125,''
said the United States Embassy
in Bangkok.
The
Southeast Asian Times
| The
Southeast Asian Times
wishes its readers
a happy Christmas
and all the best for
the New Year with
a special thankyou
to its treasured letter
writers |
|
|
| MEDIA CHECK |
| Cambodia-China Journalist Association
(CCJA)
launched
in
Phnom
Penh ...open
here |
|
|
|
Darwin
reporter
John Loizou
asks a
survivor
of the
1965 killings
in Bali
"why didn't
you try
to stop
them"
in "Remembering
the slaughter
in Paradise"
........open page here
|
|
| Kang-Fu
the Red
Kangaroo
is relentless
in his fight
to
protect
Australia's
sovereignity...Open
page
here | |
| Bombed
by
the Americans
for Christmas
in 1972,
Ha Noi Bach
Mai hospital
is still
a war zone...Christina
Pas
reports...Open
page
here | |
| Indigenous
Australians
in the northern
Queensland
town of
East Trinity
aim for
economic
independence
from
eco-cultural
tourism,
reports
Christine
Howes in
"Australian
indigenous
eco-cultural
tourism
venture
wins best
small project
national
award
"
...open
here
| |
| Kavi
Chongkittavorn
talks about
the UK
application
to become
an ASEAN
dialogue
partner
in "New
dynamics
of Aseans
external
ties,"
with consensus
yet to be
reached
on admitting
a
former
colonial
master of
four
ASEAN
member countries
into the
Southeast
Asian bloc....open
| |
| Esther
Samboh talks
about
the
choise between
thousands
dying
of
Covid-19
or from
hunger in
densely
populated
Jakarta
in the new
normal in
"Medics
dying, infections
soaring
- it's still
the economy"
...open
page
here | |
| Australian
reporter,
Chris Ray,
investigates
why Australia
dropped
five spots
in the World
Press Freedom
Index...open | |
| Read
what Son
Nguyen has
to say about
the impact
of China's
virus on
Vietnam's
economy
in
"When
the
economy
gets sick"
open
here | |
| Has
the ancient
Syrian city
of
Palmyra
suffered
a fatal
blow, or
will it
rise again?
asks Australian
reporter
Chris Ray...
Open
page
here | |
|
Darwin
reporter
John Loizou
asks a
survivor
of the
1965 killings
in Bali
"why
didn't
you try
to
stop
them"
in "Remembering
the slaughter
in
Paradise"
........open
page here
| |
| "Goodbye
America"
says B.A.
Hamzah as
he calls
for Asians
to determine
their own
political
destiny
in "Time
for Asia
to
set it's
own course,
minus the
U.S."...open
here | |
| Is
prescribed
burning
of
grasslands
in northern
Australia
out of control?
......Chris
Ray reports
...
open page
here | |
| "Rockefeller
and the
Demise of
Ibu
Pertiwi"
by Kerry
B. Collison
"is
undoubtedly
fictional
but by no
means improbable,
"
says Johannes
Nugroho
....open
page
here | |
Viet
Nam is
planning
to go nuclear
by the year
2020.reports
John
Loizou
in
"Calculating
the costs
of nuclear
energy in
Vietnam"
...open
page here
| |
|
The
founder
of the
Revolutionary
Front
of Independent
East Timor
(Fretilin),
Mari
Alkatiri,
the now
former
Prime
Minister
of Timor
Leste,
after
losing
the May
12, 2018
election
to the
National
Congress
for Timorese
Reconstruction
(CNRT)
party,
led by
Xanana
Gusmao,
has accused
the opposition
of a coup
attempt.
Twelve
years
ago Mari
Alkatiri
also accused
the opposition
of a coup
attemp
claiming
then that
the
crises
that led
to his
resignation
was the
result
of a conspiracy.
"I
have no
doubt
about
that"
he told
Darwin
reporter
John Loizou
in an
interview
in Dili
on 6 November
2006
......open
page here
| |
|
Cuba's
302
physicians
in East
Timor
work at
five hospitals
and remote
villages
throughout
the republic...writes
Darwin
reporter
John Loizou
...open
page here
| |
| Benedict
Anderson,
a man
without
a country,
dies in
Indonesia
Jeet Heer
reports.....open
page
here | |
|
Thousands
of Northern
Australia's
indigenous
rock art
sites
are under
threat
from buffalo,
fire and
feral
animals.
Tim Lee
reports
........open
page here
| |
| Copy
of
letter
29 May 2012
from Vietnam
Womens Union
to
International
Olympic
Committee...open
here | |
| The
Southeast
Asian Times
wishes its
readers
a
happy
Christmas
and all
the best
for the
New Year
with a special
thankyou
to its treasured
letter
writers
| |
| The
Southeast
Asian
Times
wishes
its readers
a happy
Christmas
and all
the best
for the
New Year
with a
special
thankyou
to its
treasured
letter
writers
|
|
Published
by Pas Loizou Press
Darwin Northern
Territory
Australia
PASLOIZOUPRESSDARWIN@bigpond.com
|
The
Southeast
Asian
Times cannot
be
bought
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
Oz $ buys
|
|
Updated
daily.
Prices indicative only
|
US...0.7582
Brunei...1.0310
Cambodia...3,115.36
China..Yuan..5,0710
East Timor...0.7582
Euro..0.6794
HongsKong...5.8808
Indonesia Rupiah.9,997.47
Japan..78.8528
Laos..6,140.58
Malaysia Ringgit.....3.0900
Myanmar..923.19
Viet Nam Dong..16,849.44
Singapore
properties listed for sale in Myanmar
From News Reports:
Yangon, November 25: Singapore's largest property developer, the
Far East Organization, is to partner with Myanmar's property sales and marketing company, Min Zin Agency, in
Yangon to sell condos in Singapore.
Managing director of the Min Zin Agency in Yangon, Ko Kyaw Min
Zin, said that Singapore's Far East Organization has expanded
its sales and marketing efforts into Myanmar.
“The Far East Organisation has been selling their Singapore properties
to Myanmar buyers since 2009,” he said.
The Far East Organisation reportedly have over 750 properties
in Singapore’s residential, hospitality, retail, commercial and
industrial sectors,
including 45,500 or one in every six private homes in Singapore
listed with the Min Zin Agency in Yangon.
The Southeast
Asian Times
China to invest in rail and road construction
in Indonesia
From News Reports:
Jakarta, November 10: Indonesia's Railway
Corporation (PT KAI) and state construction company PT Jasa Marga
signed a memorandum of understanding
(MoU) with China Investment Fund (CIF) to develop indonesia's
railway services and toll road construction.
Witness to the signing, coordinating Minister for the Economy
Sofyan Djalil, said that the MoU will provide the groundwork for
further cooperation between China Railway and P KAI and China
Investment Fund (CIF).
"The MoU is the first step towards further development of public
services between China and Indonesia" he said.
Chinese Ambassador to Indonesia, Xie Feng said that the MoU would
spark more cooperations between China and Indonesia and would
bring about "real benefits to the public."
The Southeast Asian Times
Penang health department
shuts down soya bean factory
From News Reports:
Penang, October 19:
Five Penang food factories including a 100 year old
soya bean factory at Tanjong Bungah were ordered closed
by the state health department for failure to observe health
standards.
State health, food safety and quality
division, deputy director Ku Nafishah Ku Ariffin
said soya bean products were processed in an unclean
"rusty and moldy kitchen".
"Our inspectors found
that wet products were left to dry on "dirty" bamboo
sticks along with bathing towels. The bamboo sticks
were also dirty and dusty," she said.
A "sweets"
factory in Teluk Kumbar, a noodle factory in Simpang
Ampat and a sauce factory in Bukit Metajam were also
closed by the state health department
The Southeast Asian
Times
Fuel smugglers including military personnel
under arrest
From News Reports:
Jakarta, September 15: Riau Islands Police have arrested
30 suspects including several Indonesian Military
(TNI) personnel and seized 64 cars, two boats and
106 tons of fuel.
Riau Islands Police chief Brig.
Gen. Arman Depary said in Batam last week that the
seized cars had been modified to hold 100 litres of
fuel.
"The Military (TNI) personnel are suspected
of fuel smuggling and have been handed over to the
military base", he said.
TNI Commander Gen.
Moeldoko said that the alleged suspected fuel
smugglers are honor-based service military personnel.
The Southeast Asian
Times
Thai coup blammed for fall in tourist
arrivals
From News Reports:
Bangkok, August 18: The Thai tourism sector suffered its largest
fall in international visitors to Thailand in June, the
first month after the establishment of marshal law
and the military seizure of the Yingluck Shinawatra
government.
Tourism reportedly accounts for 10
percent of the Thai economy.
Data from the Thai
Department of Tourism shows that inernational
tourist arrival numbers in July fell by 10.9 percent compared
to the same time last year.
International arrivals in July totalled 1.91 million compared
to 2.15 million in July 2013.
Arrivals
from China with a18 percent share of all visitors to
thailand and the largest group of visitors to Thailand, fell by
25.3 percent.
Arrivals from the United
Kingdom with a 4 percent share of all visitors to
Thailand, was one of the few large markets to record
a gain, of 6.2 percent
The Southeast Asian
Times
US Senate approves sales of nuclear
equipment to Vietnam
From News Reports:
Hanoi, July 31: The US Senate Committee on Foreign Relations
passed legislation approving a 123 agreement on
civil nuclear commerce with Vietnam at a business
meeting of the committee last week.
The 123
agreement under the US Atomic energy Act of 1954 establishes
a civil nuclear commerce agreement that allows the US to
export nuclear reactors, research information and
equipment to Vietnam.
The civil nuclear commerce
agreement between the US and Vietnam is "part of
Vietnam's effort to ease its shortage of energy
towards meeting over 10 percent of the domestic power demand by
2030", reports the Vietnam News Service
The Southeast Asian
Times
Court for
construction
Industry
established
in Malaysia
From
News Reports:
Kuala Lumpur, May 3: The first two
Construction Courts for Malaysia were opened by
Chief Justice Tun Arifin Zakaria in Kuala Lumpur and
Shah Alam last week, reports the Star.
The courts
will deal with disputes in the construction industry.
Works Minister Datuk Haji Fadillah bin Haji Yusof said that the
establishment of the courts will transform the way
the construction business in the country
operates.
"The construction industry
stakerholders can now have their disputes resolved
by judges with expert knowledge and experience in
construction industry disputes', he said.
The
proposal by the Construction Industry Board (CIDB) for the
establishment of the construction courts was first put to the
Judiciary in January 2013.
Britain
is the only other country that has a specially designated
court that deals with construction industry disputes.
The
Southeast Asian Times
Bali communities want larger share of tourism revenue
From News Reports:
Denpasar, April 14: Bali
community-based tourism operators have called for
amendments to regulations that stipulate that the local
community pay the Bali regency administration 60 percent of their
total tourism revenue.
Penglipuran tourist village in Bangli, community-based tourism
manager, Nengah Moneng, said that he objected to the fact
that his community received only 40 percent of the
total revenue.
"We want to have 60 percent share
of the tourist revenue to pay for operating costs",
he said.
The Penglipuran tourism manager said
that operating costs for trekking, traditional
dance, cultural shows including religious rituals
had increased.
The cost of operating lodges and
community halls for tourism had also increased.
"An increase in revenue for not only the Bangli
community but for tourism based communities across
Bali would benefit tourism island-wide" said the
tourism manager.
The Southeast Asian
Times
Riau forest fires force
Chevron to shut down oil wells
From News Reports:
Jakarta, March 21: PT Chevron Pacific Indonesia (CPI), the
Indonesian subsidiary of US-based oil company
Chevron has shut down 573 oil wells in the Riau
province of Sumatra.
The deteriorating quality of
air due to forest fires that have been raging for
the last month has forced PT Chevron Pacific Indonesia
(CPI) to shut down its oil wells and evacuate workers and there
families.
Indonesia's upstream oil
and gas regulator, SKK Migas, public relations
officer, Handoyo Budi Santoso, said that oil assets
in Riau province are important to national crude oil production.
"The biggest production loss came from the shutdown
of Rokan block, operated by Chevron Pacific
Indonesia, the country's biggest producer of crude
oil production", he said
The Jakarta Posts
reports that potential losses are estimated at about
12,000 barrels of oil a day.
The Southeast Asian
Times
Sabah caters to influx of tourists from China
From News Reports:
Kuala Lumpur,
March 5:
The New Straits Times reports that there
was an 86 percent increase in tourist arrivals from
China
to Sabah in the last two years.
Data from the Sabah Tourism Board reportedly shows that
193,010 tourist tourists arrived in Sabah from China
in 2011 increasing to 360,361 in 2013
Sabah West Coast Coffeeshop Association chairman, Yong Chee Yun,
said coffee shop operators were catering to the
influx of tourists from China.
"Coffee shops displayed tourist friendly signs in Chinese
saying 'how are you?' and menues included China's favourite
foods", he said.
Sabah and Labuan
Chapter chairman of the Malaysian Association of
Hotels and general manager of the At Shangri-La's Tanjung Aru
Resort,
said that staff members are
encouraged to learn Mandarin.
"So that they can
converse better with guests" he said.
The Southeast Asian
Times
Pilots strike forces Merpati to cancel
flights
From News Reports:
Jakarta,January 29: A pilots strike forced State-owned PT Merpati
Nusantara Airlines to cancelled all scheduled flights
to Surabaya, Merauke and Timika on Saturday, reports
The Jakarta Post.
Merpati corporate secretary
Riswanto Chendra Putra said that the airline had not
paid salaries to pilots and cabin crew for two
months.
The Jakarta Post reports that PT Merpati
Nusantara Airlines was required to restructure its
operations.
Merpati corporate secretary Riswanto
Chendra Putra says that Merpati has signed a
memorndum of understanding (MoU) with PT Armagedon
Indonesia and PT Bentang Persada Gemilang to restructure the
company.
The airline has debts of Rp 6.5 trillion
(US$533 million) reports the Jakarta Post.
"The management would pay the salaries around March or
early April, said the Merpati corporate
secretary.
Merpati’s workers union advisory board
official, Erry Wardhana, said about 200 Merpati
pilots planned to strike again next Saturday for an
indefinite period.
"The pilots would strike until
1,600 Merpati employees were paid", he said.
The union advisory board official says that this is the
first time that Merpati workers have gone on strike
over unpaid wages.
The pilots are owed wages for
December and January reports the Jakarta
Post.
The
Southeast Asian Times
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