Aung
San Sui Kyi's trial and imprisonment
Is political persecution pure and simple
The
Southeast Asian Times, Friday August 19, 2022
|
Aung San Sui Kyi s trial and imprisonment is
political persecution pure and simple. No two ways about it.
Aung San Sui Kyi sentenced to a further six years in prison by Myanmars
armed forces military court ( Southeast Asian Times 17 August, 2022
).
Is any body anywhere surprised by it?
That was expected from day one after the power grab by the Myanmar
military. The trial by the kangaroo court under the political sway
of the rogue rulers of Myanmar is just a farcical sideshow.
It was always the intention of the power grabbers to put the iconic
pro-democracy leader the Nobel Laureate Aung San Sui Kyi away for
good so that she no longer posed a threat to their hold on power.
The inaction by the international community only emboldened them
to go ahead with their intended Machiavellian plan.
What a shame! A respected leader of the Myanmar people who won the
right to govern following her partys convincing election victory
is put away in jail and the international community watches this
gross injustice as impotent bystanders.
Shame, shame, shame!
Rajend Naidu,
Sydney,
Australia
Malaysia
Federal Court rules road accidents victims
To be automatically compensated
The
Southeast Asian Times, Thursday August 18, 2022
First published in the Star, Thursday August 11, 2022
|
I was totally surprised by the recent Malaysia Federal
Court ruling that road accident victims should be automatically
compensated without having to sue insurance companies, as published
in a news portal on August 9.
The landmark ruling was delivered last week in a 140-page judgment
that allowed appeals by eight different motorists, seven of whom
were injured in crashes.
Insurance coverage and compensation is one of the topics in the
Travel and Tours Enhancement Course (TTEC) module Preparing
for future shocks, which is compulsory for travel and
tour operators to attend if they intend to renew their company licence.
Industry players ought to be well-versed in motor insurance as their
customers travel in tour buses, vans or cars.
Many operate their own fleet of tour vehicles, while others also
offer cars for rent.
But many are clueless about vehicle insurance, particularly the
terms and conditions stipulated in the policy.
I once challenged a major operator, who has been providing tour
bus services for more than three decades, to name the insurance
cover for passengers.
When he named legal liability to passenger (LLTP), I pointed out
that this covers the drivers liability, not the passengers.
In this case, injured passengers could only expect the insurance
company to compensate for medical expenses, loss of income and other
claims if the driver was found to be at fault.
Unlike personal accident insurance, which covers a specific sum
for loss of life, limb, disablement and limited medical expenses
caused by accidents without having to establish who was responsible,
the legal liability to passenger (LLTP) kicks in only when the driver
was at fault.
When it comes to claims for loss of income, the amount varies greatly,
depending on the potential earnings of each victim until he/she
reaches retirement age.
Hence, I was bewildered by the decision of the court that road accident
victims should be automatically compensated by insurance companies.
It is not the practice of insurance companies to pay out more than
necessary or hurriedly, particularly in accidents where the victims
may be at fault.
Therefore, victims would have to sue and file a claim for the amount
sought although it usually takes several years for a court to finally
award compensation, compelling insurance companies to pay.
But insurance companies could appeal to a higher court, and some
have successfully done so in the past.
But after this landmark decision, accident victims are more likely
to be compensated even though some of the terms and conditions may
be breached.
I certainly hope the legal fraternity, insurance companies or the
General Insurance Association of Malaysia could clear the air for
me and other interested members of the public.
YS Chan,
Kuala Lumpur,
Malaysia
Fire at pub in Pattaya
Result of rampant corruption
The
Southeast Asian Times, Wednesday August 17, 2022
First published in the Bangkok Post, Thursday August 11, 2022
|
Re: "Don't skimp on pub safety",
in Bangkok Post, Saturday August 6, 2022
Having lived in Thailand for almost 30 years now, based in Pattaya
for the
last four, the latest fire at Mountain B pub in the province is,
in my opinion, once again the result of rampant corruption by the
authorities.
When I see discotheques in Walking Street, some accommodating 500
guests per night, one I know of with an entrance "tunnel"
hardly two
metres wide, a disaster is looming.
In case of an accident, everyone would storm towards this entrance,
the main fire exit probably 35m on the other end. I suspect such
places are only able to operate, as someone in the administration
(or many) is, "on the take", to let them operate
under such hazardous conditions.
If I am correct, the law now would require them to close at 2am.
Most of them don't close before 5am.
Very popular ones outside of this area operate until 8am.
Guests at the wee hours are heavily intoxicated and are hardly able
to move in disaster conditions.
Peter,
Bangkok,
Thailand
83 Bangkok pubs closed
For not meeting safety standards
The
Southeast Asian Times, Tuesday August 16, 2022
First published in the Bangkok Post, Thursday August 11, 2022
|
Re: "83 city pubs closed as fire toll hits
15", in Bangkok Post, August 7, 2022
To give credit where credit is due, my heartiest congratulations
to Bangkok mayor Chadchart for rapidly working with local city police
and temporarily closing 83 of the city's 400 pubs which didn't meet
safety standards.
That's light years better than the normal government knee-jerk of
giving orders for inspection, etc, but not informing us of results.
But what do Chadchart's closures mean?
Do those left open comply with all safety standards, including building
codes, usage of fire-retardant materials, fire control systems,
insurance coverage, etc?
If not, when will they fully comply?
How will patrons know which pubs are in full compliance and which
are not?
Pol Maj Gen Atthasit Kitchalan, chief of Chon Buri police, is also
to be
praised for quickly transferring senior cops pending investigation
of why
Mountain B could operate without proper licences.
But were the moves just to move rogue cops out of the public eye?
For example, were any cops moved after the 2009 Santika pub fire,
where 66 died, found guilty?
Why weren't effective steps taken to prevent a recurrence, like
what happened
at Mountain B?
The Interior Ministry ordered provincial governors to regularly
inspect
pubs and related businesses and report back monthly.
Given that the Bangkok Metrololitan Administration (BMA) inspected
400 pubs over the weekend, why the delay in reporting how safe the
provincial pubs are?
Burin Kantabutra,
Bangkok
Thailand
Call
to prepare Philipines young for peacebuilding
Not war like preparations via military
The
Southeast Asian Times, Monday August 15, 2022
First pblished Philippine Inquirer, August 8, 2022
|
It is disturbing that one of the priorities of the
new administration is the mandatory Reserve Officers Training
Corps (ROTC) and National Service Training Program (NSTP).
It rationalizes that the intention is to train the young for national
defense, including disaster preparedness.
Loving our country and defending its sovereignty are both necessary
and important. But is it not better to prepare our young for peacebuilding
than conditioning them to warlike preparations via military methods?
The best defense we can secure for our country is to have healthy
people: well-fed, well-housed, and well-educated. We must build
a society where the dignity of work has a place in every heart of
the populace, and where a living wage is provided to all workers.
If people are provided with social and basic services, they will
pay these services back to our country and people.
Prepare our youth to love justice, do mercy, and walk humbly with
God (Micah 6:8).
The state should provide opportunities and conditions that would
enable the youth to respect others and defend democracy.
They must be equipped with rationality and good governance-driven
articulation for fighting corruption.
If the government wants the citizens to be prepared in times of
disaster, the best solution it can provide is to reduce vulnerability
and increase the capacity of the people.
Sound policies that are science-based, compassionate, humane, and
pro-people must be imposed.
The program must include care for the environment and repeal laws
that become instruments of natures destruction.
We only need to provide a sound economic system as a framework of
social justice to prepare ourselves for disaster.
The government must address the issue of climate change by reducing
its impact on communities.
Foremost, it must review corporate and business practices that plunder
our natural resources for massive profit, leaving our natural resources
in desolate condition.
Our youth must be oriented on studying history and society, including
the roots of armed conflict.
Our primary goal must be geared toward peacebuilding based on justice.
It is fundamental for our youth to learn the ways of justice and
unlearn the ways of quick-and-easysolutions to our problems.
We must aim to nourish our youths patience and objectivity
when it comes to addressing the roots of conflict.
The state must provide opportunities and conditions that would help
them serve the people and love our country. A good government can
serve as a good example, so the peoples loyalty is assured
in the defense of our territories and sovereignty.
Repeat: Let us prepare our youth for peace based on justice and
disabuse them of unjust war mentalities.
Norma P. Dollaga,
Manila,
Philippines
Papua
New Guinea election related
Court
cases piling up
The
Southeast Asian Times, Saturday August 14, 2022
First published in the National, Monday August 8, 2022
|
Papua New Guinea just experienced an election like
no other.
Democracy was not upheld nor was there respect for the laws that
hold this nation together.
All in the name of power, people were killed, properties were destroyed
and so many other election-related incidents were happening nationwide.
And now as we near the end, election-related court cases are now
piling in.
As such, it would be sensible for court cases related to the election
are published and made public.
No-one is above the law and a publication of the list of election-related
court cases would be welcome.
This information, if made public, would relieve tension and the
fear gripping people who are affected.
Affected Voter,
Goroka,
Papua New Guinea
All right thinking Australians
agree with
Recognition
of First Nation people in constitution
The
Southeast Asian Times, Saturday August 13, 2022
|
Australia's new Prime Minister Anthony Albanese conceptualised
it so succinctly when he said the recognition of the First Nation
people in the constitution and giving them a voice in parliament
would overcome the tyranny of powerlessness
that they have historically felt.
All right thinking Australians would agree with that.
Rajend Naidu,
Sydney,
Australia
Nuclear
has been in global decline
Longer than coal
The
Southeast Asian Times, Friday August 12, 2022
First published in the Philippine Inquirer, Friday August
5, 2022
|
Ms. Moira Gallagas letter extolling nuclear
energy Going nuclear: A sensible and practical option for
the Philippines, July 29, 2022 failed to provide any data
to support her unrealistic claims.
Nuclear is neither sensible nor practical for any country even more
so for the Philippines.
Nuclear power is not a climate solution.
A study in 2021 shows that the contribution of nuclear power to
mitigate climate change remains and is projected to be very limited.
Current nuclear plans would only avoid at most 2-3 percent of global
emissions, and this contribution is seen to decrease further by
2040.
In contrast, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change the worlds
foremost authority on climate science says that wind and solar power
can potentially deliver over 33 percent of the total emissions reductions
necessary by 2030.
Nuclear will not give us energy security and will not provide adequate
and reliable power for the Philippines.
Nuclear proponents consistently fail to mention the fact that the
Philippines does not produce nuclear fuel.
We will still be subject to global supply shortages and price fluctuations
of nuclear fuel and at a worse scale than coal, since only four
companies in the world manufacture nuclear fuel.
Nuclear powers inflexibility has also been cited by experts
as incompatible with the Philippines energy profile, and will
be even more incompatible as the country ramps up its renewable
energy (RE) portfolio.
Nuclear power will not lower electricity prices for consumers.
In fact, it is the most expensive way to produce electricity.
Among all types of power plants, it is the most expensive to build
and maintain. Slovakias Mochovce 3 and 4 nuclear power plants,
at 470 megawatts each, cost a whopping 5.4 billion euros (or around
P288 billion).
Meanwhile, the International Energy Association found that in 2020,
renewables, particularly solar, were the worlds cheapest energy
source.
The price of nuclear energy becomes even more unimaginably expensive
when you include the costs for radioactive spent fuel storage, as
well as nuclear accidents. The cost of clean up for Fukushima is
estimated at 21.5 trillion yen (or around P9 trillion).
The recent earthquakes in Abra and Ilocos provinces, and the scale
of destruction caused, should make nuclear proponents rethink what
they are peddling.
If those provinces had nuclear plants, imagine how much worse the
situation would have been given the lax regulatory culture in the
Philippines where building construction is not adequately monitored,
and where we cant even effectively monitor air pollution from
coal plants.
Nuclear is a sunset industry and has been in global decline longer
than coal.
It is unfortunate and outrageous how the industry continues to find
willing proponents in the Philippines who would put fanatical claims
over fact, at the expense of climate action and human safety. The
era of nuclear power is long gone, and RE is answering the call
of the times.
The Philippine government should disassociate itself from all these
false nuclear myths and carve out a safer, better path with renewables.
Khevin Yu,
Energy transition campaigner,
Greenpeace Philippines,
Manila,
Philippines
Who will Thailand stand
with
China or Taiwan
The
Southeast Asian Times, Thursday August 11, 2022
First published in the Bangkok Post, Monday August 8, 2022
|
Re: "Air
force insists on jet cash", in Bangkok
Post, Monday August 1, 2022.
The Royal Thailand Air Force (RTAF) insists we include two F-35A
fighters as part of replacing three decommissioned fleets.
Yes, "If you want peace, prepare for war" (Latin
adage) but who should we
prepare to fight?
As Sun Tzu said in The Art of War, "Water shapes its course
according to the nature of the ground over which it flows; the soldier
works out his victory in relation to the foe whom he is facing."
Who would we be facing?
Our forces should be arrayed in relation to those opposing us.
What is our long-term defence strategy?
All of our major military purchases should fit into that strategy
but do we have one, or are we again muddling through?
I suggest that over the next decade our most likely flashpoint of
armed conflict
will not be with our adjacent neighbours, like Myanmar or Malaysia,
but with
southern terrorists and smugglers, including human traffickers.
If so, F-35As may not be as effective as slower-flying aircraft
and drones.
In the region, the most dangerous flashpoint is the conflict between
China and
Taiwan.
If push comes to shove, who will we stand with: China or Taiwan?
If the former, why buy US arms, as the US will side with Taiwan?
If the latter, why are we buying Chinese subs?
First things first, Royal Thailand Air Force (RTAF).
Who are we preparing to fight?
Burin Kantabutra,
Bangkok,
Thailand
Support for Cardinal Sir
John Ribat statement
General Election 2022 worst in Papua New
Guinea
The
Southeast Asian Times, Wednesday August 10, 2022
First published in the National, Monday August 8, 2022
|
I support the statement by Cardinal Sir John Ribat
that the General Election 2022 (GE22) is the worst election ever
in Papua New Guinea.
And the blame should be laid squarely on whoever was in charge of
GE22 preparations.
The Electoral Commission had almost three years to plan the implementation
of GE22.
However, it takes money to run this national activity.
The futile effort to update the common roll (wards, local level
governments, districts and provinces) was a ridiculous political
statement.
Not all wards were covered and even for those that were covered,
not every citizen was enrolled.
This showed the incompetency of those in charge.
Papua New Guinea must ask itself how most current Members of Parliament
(MPs) were re-elected.
This election is marred with allegations of corruption, bribery,
ballot box tampering, intimidation and other factors.
The country should not be blind by political propaganda and gimmicks.
Losing candidates are resorting to violence because something has
forced them to act in this manner.
The security forces are alleged to be on the payroll of sitting
MPs, EC officials (returning officers and assistant returning officers)
are ardent supporters of sitting MPs and the court system is influenced
by the Government.
Therefore, we can summarise that losing candidates are acting in
this way because they and the people are feeling suppressed and
have no where to facilitate their grievances.
This frustration may have compelled them to take the law into their
own hands.
I do not support violence but Im just pointing out a probable
cause.
We have to reflect on economic facts to substantiate the performances
of prime ministers.
Performances of the prime minister should be analysed through economic
indicators such as the foreign exchange rate, import-export ratio,
employment rate, inflation rate and the external balance deficit.
We must not be blindsided by political propaganda.
For the last three years, the FX rate is on a continuous decline,
employment rate is at an all-time low and inflation is on the rise.
We, the ordinary citizens, are feeling the pinch.
Inflation will occur when we have external balance deficits.
When imports are more than exports, then we have more outflows of
money and less inflows of money.
This will stimulate the increase in domestic prices of goods and
services.
This is happening now.
Papua New Guinea , therefore, urgently needs someone like the late
Sir Mekere Morauta to bail us out of this economic turmoil.
Charlie Ben,
Port Moresby,
Papua New Guinea
Call to put in place regulatory
framework to ensure
Safety and security in use of nuclear energy
in Philippines
The
Southeast Asian Times, Tuesday August 9, 2022
First published in the Philippine Inquirer, Thursday July
28, 2022
|
Energy is a vital resource of any country.
Just as the human body needs the energy to function and get things
done, it is essential in the functioning and growth of the countrys
economy.
Its reliability, accessibility, and sufficiency can have direct
effects on ones quality of life.
The pressing need to address climate change and meet commitments
made to reduce our carbon footprint, the war in Ukraine, and the
pandemic, among other factors affecting the global economy, have
all combined to create a multitude of issues, such as inflation
and high gas prices, that have made life quite difficult for ordinary
folk.
It also bears mentioning that even before the pandemic and the war
in Ukraine, energy prices in the Philippines were already among
the highest in the region.
In view of the multifaceted challenges faced by the Philippine energy
sector, adding nuclear power to the countrys energy mix is
a sensible and practical option. Nuclear energy provides a solution
to meet commitments to reduce carbon emissions, as well as adequate
and reliable power for development needs.
It also lowers electricity prices for consumers and enhances the
countrys energy security by reducing its reliance on third
parties and external factors.
In his first State of the Nation Address this week, President Marcos
Jr. cited the need to reexamine the countrys strategy for
utilizing nuclear power and adding it to the mix of energy sources
needed to spur economic development while adhering to climate change
commitments.
He also assured the International Atomic Energy Agency that the
Philippines will observe pertinent regulations for the safe and
secure use of nuclear energy.
With the Presidents pronouncement, going nuclear is now definitely
part of our countrys energy policy.
As for implementation, Executive Order No. 164 signed by former
president Duterte can be viewed as a starting point, as it provides
a national policy position from which the strategy of building nuclear
power plants can be reexamined by relevant agencies.
There will be other key steps necessary to move forward with this
policy, such as establishing an independent regulatory body, ratifying
key global nuclear safety and security conventions and treaties,
and passing legislation to update nuclear regulatory laws.
This means that the participation and support of both houses of
Congress will be crucial.
The involvement of the legislative branch of government in this
process will provide ample opportunity to put into place a robust
legal and regulatory framework to ensure safety and security in
the use of nuclear energy.
Given there will be resistance to the use of nuclear power from
some sectors of society, the legislative arena provides ample opportunity
for robust debate on the issue.
Mr. Marcos has yet to appoint an energy secretary, but whoever gets
entrusted with that role will be crucial in putting everything together
to enable the country to reap the benefits of nuclear energy.
This person should be able to work closely with other key agencies
such as the Departments of Environment and Natural Resources, Trade
and Industry, and Science and Technology. Hopefully, the right person
would soon be chosen for the job.
This is an opportunity to get things done right for the benefit
of all.
The success of advanced economies may be traced in part to their
use of nuclear energy.
The Philippines is no longer a Third World country and is now a
fast-rising, dynamic economy on the verge of achieving upper-middle
income status. Lets not fail to seize the moment.
Moira G. Gallaga,
Manila,
Philippines
Call for Philippines legislators
to pass
Poverty
Reduction Through Social Entrepreneurship bill
The
Southeast Asian Times, Monday July 8, 2022
First published in the Philippine Inquirer, Thursday July
28, 2022
|
We are calling on legislators to prioritize the passage
of the Poverty Reduction Through Social Entrepreneurship (PRESENT)
bill to help more Filipinos recover faster from the COVID-19 pandemic.
The present Coalition, which is supported by Oxfam Pilipinas through
the Gender Transformative and Responsible Agribusiness
Investments in South-East Asia program, said the proposed
policy measure aims to promote social entrepreneurship as a strategy
for poverty reduction.
If passed, it will enable the creation and strengthening of social
enterprises as transformational partners of the poor and marginalized.
Despite the comprehensive assistance given by social enterprises
to the communities that they serve from training and jobs creation
to entrepreneurship support and market intermediation they still
face many challenges with the current policy environment.
In Mindanao, for example, the social enterprise Coffee for Peace
has helped farmers, many of them from indigenous groups, develop
high-quality coffee (through local innovations) that are not only
export quality but have also gained a local following.
Through such intervention, more local farmers have entered entrepreneurship
and are now sought after by different markets.
Before the previous Congress ended, the Senate committee on trade,
commerce, and entrepreneurship had already directed the creation
of a technical working group to reconcile the various versions of
the proposed bill filed in the Senate.
A study by the Philippine Social Enterprise Network and the British
Council, supported by the United Nations Economic and Social Commission
for Asia and the Pacific, showed that there were around 164,000
social enterprises more than 15 percent of all businesses in the
country before the pandemic.
In 2020, a succeeding study by the Institute for Social Entrepreneurship
in Asia showed that 55 percent of social enterprises experienced
major downturns; 41 percent experienced some setbacks, and only
4 percent reported any positive impact.
Besides urging the deliberation of the social entrepreneurship bill
in Congress, the PRESENT Coalition will also be working with the
executive branch to mainstream provisions of the bill in government
programs, even while the bill is being deliberated in Congress and
local government units to develop localized social enterprise programs
to assist the sector recover and build back fairer.
Poverty Reduction through Social Entrepreneurship
Coalition,
Manila,
Philippines
Career of Japan Prime
Minister Shinzo Abe
Ended by Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force
member
The
Southeast Asian Times, Sunday August 7, 2022
First published in the Philippine Inquirer, Tuesday July 26,
2022
|
When Japans prime minister Shinzo Abe was recently
assassinated, world leaders were quick to laud him as a great statesman,
echoing Japanese conservative and right-wing parties.
Indeed, Abe tried to revive Japanese militarism and to make
Japan great again, starting with Abenomics to
revitalize the Japanese economy.
But in doing so, Abe tried to distort his nations imperialist
history by denying the atrocities committed by militarists against
other countries.
Thus, he is also remembered for his historical denialism, in his
controversial actions, policies, writing, and speeches that refused
to acknowledge Japanese atrocities during World War II.
Since the end of World War II, a defeated Japan made amends to its
former occupied nations in Asia through reparations, and various
Japanese administrations have officially apologized for the horrific
atrocities not just against captured soldiers as in the Bataan Death
March, but especially against the millions of civilians in Japanese-occupied
territories in China and Southeast Asia.
Who can forget the 1937 Nanjing Massacre as documented by Iris Changs
Rape of Nanking, or Japans bloody Rampage
in Manila, as described by American historian James
Scott.
In both instances, hundreds of thousands of Chinese residents in
Nanjing and Manila were massacred mercilessly including infants,
while tens of thousands of women were raped.
Despite his own partys official apology to all World War II
victims in its 1993 Kono Statement, Abe as prime minister tried
to whitewash these atrocities which he labeled as fabrications.
Instead, he attempted to portray an era of a glorious imperial past
under the wartime emperor of Japan.
To us Filipinos, this already sounds all too familiar.
First, he made an effort to pressure textbook publishers in Japan
to remove passages about Japanese army atrocities in China, Korea,
and other parts of Asia during World War II.
As soon as he became a politician, he tried to exonerate the name
of his maternal grandfather, Nobusuke Kishi, who was imprisoned
as a Class-A war criminal by American forces for three years, but
who would later even become a post-war prime minister.
Rewriting Japanese history with a legacy of a glorious past was
a means for him to allow Japan to remilitarize and take offensive
military action abroad.
His highly publicized visit to the Yasukuni Shrine cemetery for
war criminals was an attempt to exonerate them and cleanse Japanese
historical atrocities, an act to deny that they ever happened.
Thus, he tried but failed to revise Article 9 of the Japanese constitution
that would have remilitarized Japan, a move strongly resisted by
the Japanese people.
Second, Abes denial of Japans World War II record included
his refusal to acknowledge the existence of sex slavery the comfort
women system by the Japanese army in occupied countries
despite archival evidence by Japanese, American, and Asian scholars.
As a result, the Japanese government even put pressure on the Philippines
so that a comfort woman statue put up in their memory was removed
in Manila under the guise of a public works project.
Third, wanting to taunt China, Abe posed in a vintage fighter plane
with numbers 731, the notorious secret unit of the Japanese
imperial army in Manchuria that conducted lethal chemical and biological
warfare experiments on mostly Chinese and Russian prisoners.
The 731 ringleaders were later pardoned and absorbed in the US
own postwar chemical and biological weapons program.
Japans wartime actions and atrocities are historical facts
and justly demand atonement and historical accountability.
They cannot be denied or glamorized. They cannot be forgotten in
the name of anti-communism as when Japanese war criminals were pardoned
after show trials by the US.
This issue still divides Japan, but it also affects its foreign
relations as it antagonizes its neighbors who were victims of Japans
militaristic past.
Abe is credited for his Indo-Pacific strategy with the United States,
Australia, and India, which committed Japan to a more aggressive
role in the united front against China.
The irony of it all is that, even though he tried to remilitarize
Japanese foreign policy, his career as a modern leader of Japan
was ended by an ex-member of Japans Maritime Self-Defense
Force.
Roland Simbulan,
Vice chair,
Center for People Empowerment in Governance,
Manila,
Philippines
Internet banking facilties
in Thailand
For Thai's only
The
Southeast Asian Times, Saturday August 6, 2022
First published in the Bangkok Post, Saturday August 1, 2022
|
Re: "Not well saved," in PostBag,
Saturday July 30, 2022.
In a letter to the Bangkok Post, Peter Jeffreys wrote about his
experience with the Government Savings Bank.
After opening his account, he was told that internet banking facilities
are for Thais only and are not allowed for foreign account holders.
Soon, PayPal Thailand will exclude all foreign account holders as
well. This is a worrying trend and seems unfair to all the expats
who live here for decades on proper visas and contribute to the
economy.
What is next? Will we be excluded from all forms of electronic payments
and ATM machines as well?
As Peter Jeffreys asked: What are they afraid of?
Bangkok,
Thailand
Thailand
Has thermal energy potential.
The
Southeast Asian Times, Thursday August 4, 2022
First published in the Bangkok Post, Friday July 29, 2022
|
Re: "Governor sows seeds for a green future",
in Bangkok Post, Monday July 11, 2022.
A research group at Stanford University, California, USA did a recent
study of data from 145 countries.
It found that 7 million people currently die annually from air pollution-related
issues. They found that overall energy demands go down by 56 percent
with all-electric systems powered by clean, renewable sources such
as solar, wind and thermal. Note: Thailand has thermal energy potential.
Are there any hot springs in your region?
If so, that's indicative of thermal.
A switch from polluting fossil fuels to clean/renewable energy reduces
the cost per unit of energy by 12 percent on average over fossils.
It wouldn't be cheap.
The study found that the overall upfront cost to replace all energy
in the 145 countries, which emit 99.7 percent of world's smog, would
be about $62 trillion. However, due to the $11 trillion annual energy
cost savings, the payback time for the new system would be less
than six years.
The new system could also create roughly 28 million more long-term,
full-time jobs than jobs lost, worldwide.
Imagine you have a house with a leaky roof or an overflowing cesspool.
Of course it would cost a bundle to fix such major problems, but
sometimes, one needs to make a large investment in order to save
much more dollars or baht, in the long run.
What's more valuable than a clean and healthy environment and lifestyle?
It's more conducive to spirituality, also.
Which would you rather see: monks meditating in smog-filled temples
or monks meditating in gardens with clean air?
Ken Albertsen,
Bangkok,
Thailand
Geopolitics
in the South China Sea
By marker pen
The
Southeast Asian Times, Thursday August 4, 2022
First published in the Bangkok Post, Monday August 1, 2022
|
Re: "US carrier strike group returns to South
China Sea," in Bangkok Post, July 29, 2022
For 500 years, from 1350 until 1850, maps of the world became more
detailed, as more areas were "discovered".
Nearly all those world map improvements were drawn by European explorers.
Granted, there was the great Chinese admiral He, who purportedly
explored as far as the upper-east-African coast. Yet as far as we
know, Admiral He didn't leave any maps of his "discoveries."
However, a rare Chinese map of the world survives from the 16th
century.
It was drawn by a Chinese person, with the able assistance of a
Portuguese mariner.
The framed map, with its Chinese lettering, hangs in a museum in
Milan, Italy.
It is the first known/extant world map drawn by an Asian.
Oddly, the map does not show any Philippine islands.
That region, on the Chinese map, is shown as empty sea.
One would think that a Chinese map of the world would show large
islands which are not far from China itself.
This is further proof of how the contemporary "Nine Dash
Line" map is questionable too.
A Chinese man, in the late 1940s, took a marker pen or brush and
drew nine dashes around a sea in Southeast Asia, shown on a contemporary
map - and declared all that territory as belonging to China.
It brings to mind how ex-president Donald Trump used a fat marker
pen to draw a big loop on a map - signifying the route of a hurricane
- despite no one at the US National Weather Service concurring.
Geopolitics by marker pen. Perhaps I'll get a paper map and draw
a thick black line around it, and claim it as mine.
Wow, that would be a quick and easy way to gain real estate.
Ken Albertsen,
Bangkok,
Thailand
What
Thailand needs is not short-term foreign capital
But long-term investment
The
Southeast Asian Times, Wednesday August 3, 2022
First published in Bangkok Post, Monday August 1, 2022
|
Re: "Foreign ownership conundrum",
Bangkok Post, July 29, 2022.
The responses to the Interior Ministry's proposal to let foreigners
own one rai of land if they invest 40 million baht in Thailand reveal
there are more important factors to consider than just land ownership.
Most important is the proposed solution doesn't address the problem.
Nipon Poapongsakorn of the Thailand Development Research Institute
suggests foreigners would buy land mainly for short-term gain, yet
"What Thailand needs ... is not short-term foreign capital,
but long-term investment, startups, and service development to support
the country's development in the long run."
Our competitors, like Vietnam, have comprehensive incentive packages,
whereas we don't.
As Mr Nipon noted, "Our Eastern Economic Corridor scheme
is the only selling point to draw Foreign Direct Investment (FDI),
unlike Vietnam which boasts much clearer investment stimulus strategies
and promotes overseas investment in several areas nationwide."
Lastly, he notes that our costs of doing business are higher and
our provinces lack infrastructure.
Thailand needs a holistic approach with clear objectives.
Burin Kantabutra.
Bangkok,
Thailand
Obviously political if
Philippine President
Sugarcoated the real state of the nation
The
Southeast Asian Times, Tuesday August 2, 2022
First published in the Philippine Inquirer, Sunday July 28,
2022
|
There are two parts in a speech: what was said, and
what was not.
The first State of the Nation Address (Sona) of President Marcos
Jr. took a detailed and provocative look at the ills of our society.
It was peppered with complex policy points which, I fear, may be
beyond the comprehension of the average Filipino.
I cannot, however, blame the President, who himself, as claimed,
prepared a complex speech simply because our problems are complex
as well.
It would be obviously political if the President
had sugarcoated the real state of our nation.
The speech was, indeed, meticulously prepared, like strong black
coffee with no pretentious additives.
Beyond the complexity of the speech are stuff that were not said.
There may be reasons for this omission, and they may be deliberate
or unintentional.
In any case, things unsaid in this weeks Sona may be considered
uncomfortable truths that, when mentioned, would make the state
of the nation unsound.
Allow me to mention a few:
Amendment of Republic Act No. 7160 known as the Local Government
Code of 1991, to meet the challenging roles of local officials during
the COVID-19 pandemic;
Effective and coordinated policies against graft and corruption;
Job security and putting an end to contractualization;
Better pay for teachers;
Solving drug use and addiction;
Poverty alleviation, and;
Addressing transportation and traffic issues.
Be that as it may, the Presidents Staten of the Union Address
(Sona) was well-written and well-delivered with a strong content.
I hope all the policies and strategies he mentioned are doable to
ensure better living conditions in our country.
Let us help the President get things done. It is time to deliver.
Reginald B. Tamayo,
Marikina City,
Philippines
What's happening in Sri
Lanka and Pakistan
Is no different from what's happening in
ASEAN
The
Southeast Asian Times, Monday August 1, 2022
First published in the Bangkok Post, Friday July 29, 2022
|
Re: "No more money politics",
in Bangkok Post Editorial, Tuesday July 26, 2022.
This timely editorial about dirty money in Thai politics can't be
taken lightly.
The role of money in politics is on the rise in every system of
governance.
Fund-raising machines are diluting democracy; elections are dominated
by fake news, and the media blitz costing millions.
In some countries in the EU, corrupt practices have turned governance
into Russian roulette.
To stay in power, many undemocratic regimes rely on abuse of power,
such as a new constitution, manipulation, suppression, coercion,
and rampant corruption.
The current sagas in Sri Lanka, Pakistan and many other countries
are no different from what is happening in parts of Asean.
Any system of governance where leaders are bought and sold as cattle
in an auction or are lured with a sack of green bananas to remain
in power will only lead to becoming a banana republic, plain and
simple.
Kuldeep Nagi,
Bangkok,
Thailand
Call for Philippines government
to continue efforts
To end communist armed conflict
The
Southeast Asian Times, Sunday July 31, 2022
First published in the Philippine Inquirer, Friday July 22.
2022
|
This is in relation to an article about stopping the
practice of exposing the communist-front organizations (CFOs).
Why would someone do such when it is a way to uncover the deceptions
and lies of the Communist Party of the Philippines-New Peoples
Army-National Democratic Front (CPP-NPA-NDF)?
Why would you stop exposing those who would only want to overthrow
the government and have their selfish motives be effected?
The insurgency remains a serious national security concern.
But with the sustained peace and security activities in line with
the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflicts
efforts, the level of insurgency has been significantly reduced
and its program objectives have gained headway since it was launched
and embraced by the communities.
And one of its activities is debunking the lies of the Communist
Party of the Philippines-New Peoples Army-National Democratic
Front (CPP-NPA-NDF) by exposing the communist-front organizations
(CFOs) and how they operate and recruit their members using these
organizations.
By exposing who they really are, we get to know what they are up
to.
For the last five decades, they are still existing because of these
deceptive recruitments that they are doing for all of the vulnerable
sectors, especially the youth.
If these efforts will not be continued, then we will be again facing
a big problem. Its like we were already almost finished with
winning the race but, all of a sudden, we stopped our cause because
someone suggested stopping exposing those who would want to hurt
and manipulate the lives of our fellow Filipinos.
I hope that all of the efforts in ending the insurgency will not
simply be put to waste because of such a move.
I wish that both the national and local government authorities would
continue their efforts in finally ending the local communist armed
conflict.
I also enjoin everyone to stop supporting the lawless elements of
our society.
Its time to unite as one in our pursuit of freedom, peace,
and stability.
Robert M. Marquez,
Lagangilang,
Abra,
Philippines
Call for Thailand to follow
Singapore
Lee Kuan Yew allowed prostitution to be
a profession
The
Southeast Asian Times, Saturday July 30, 2022
First published in the Bangkok Post, Monday July 25, 2022
|
Re: "No better, No worse,"
Bangkok Post, PostBag, Saturday July 23, 2022.
Felix makes excellent points in his letter.
Prostitution, sex, gambling, drinking and other vices are older
than any religion or other institution on this planet.
The biggest hypocrisy is that outside its borders, Thailand is known
as a popular destination for indulging in these vices.
There is another strange social anomaly in Thailand. Polygamy is
not seen as a vice or considered immoral, sinful, criminal, degrading
or a sign of deviant behaviour.
Until the end of the last century, Amsterdam, London and Paris were
famous for their red-light districts.
Those with money would travel there for some fun and frolicking.
In the past two decades, Thailand has replaced them as a place for
cheap thrills.
It is no accident the Bollywood biopic Gangubai Kathiawadi has inspired
oppressed sex workers in Thailand.
This movie touches on the fabric of our society where hollow morals
are used by the religious mafia, priests, pundits, police and politicians
to subjugate people.
Thailand must follow the Singapore model, where Lee Kuan Yew allowed
prostitution like any other profession.
We all know that criminalising consensual sex only leads to illegal
drugs, gambling, money laundering and many other crimes.
Only good policies with checks and balances should go ahead. Criminalising
human vices can go only so far. Felix, please note that many foreign
tourists flocking to Thailand are looking for their favourite Gangubai.
Where there is a will, there is a way!
Kuldeep Nagi,
Bangkok,
Thailand
Stealing ballot boxes,
buying votes, bribing election officials
Has not been reported in Papua News Guinea
The
Southeast Asian Times, Friday July 29, 2022
First published in the National, Monday July 25, 2022
|
The latest criticism of the handling of security in
the country came from an influential and populace citizen who lashed
at the Marape-led government for its failure to tackle the worsening
security situation and incessant killings in Enga and elsewhere
around the country.
It is embarrassing that the Government is idly watching the terror
unfold.
This is the characteristics of a leader that they have boasted about
have run out of steam.
For the past two weeks, there has been tension over threats of protest
in the province.
People have been observing the security challenge that has engulfed
Kompiam-Ambum and Laigaip- Porgera.
People said Enga is drenched in blood and lately, it has turned
into an human abattoir.
They say public infrastructure has been destroyed and that theres
a spike in crime.
This has all been followed by government and responsible authorities
decrying the deteriorating state of affairs in the country.
Excessive measures were not imposed to restore any type of normalcy.
Electoral Commission and Police Department incited the course of
a failed election and which compromised the entire process.
This is believed to be strategic corruption.
The Government and responsible authorities are to be blamed for
the killings and displacement of thousands and destruction of millions
of Kina worth of public facilities.
Corruption stealing ballot boxes, buying votes, bribing election
officials and security personnel and an increase of ill practices
during the election period have not been reported.
But the horror of these killings, and the frequency in which they
occur, has.
And behind this chaos in the state of affairs is the Marape-led
government.
So far, the Government failed to address many more official corruptions
within the its circle in their last three years in office.
Citizens and the international community noted that our country
is poorly managed life has lost its value.
The Electoral Commission and police were suspected of bribery and
our governing body watched idly without condemning the problems
they have instigated.
Apparently, these law and order issues are surging under this present
administration due to the absence of political will to combat corruption.
People will support those who come with the initiative to procure
arms because residents need to complement the efforts of security
agencies.
Marape even tried increasing the number of our security personnel
but its still inadequate.
You can do the math yourself (how many police officer/soldiers do
we have?).
It will still not be enough.
So, if we fold our arms and decide to do nothing, well be
the ones to suffer most.
These are indeed trying times for the nation and for the Marape-led
government, this is a time for deep reflection, given the groundswell
of opposition against the administration, especially over worsening
security issues in the country.
It has gotten so bad that there have been reports of intermittent
cases of killing in Papua New Guinea.
In the last two weeks, in the Enga alone according to police report,
dozens of people were killed and many more were badly injured.
It is frustrating, sad and disappointing to realise these people
lost their lives all because someone wants power.
As a nation, we are at the crossroads.
If we dont face our issues and tackle them head on, we are
in for a far more dire future one of uncontrolled lawlessness,
violence, misery, anger, poverty and pain.
The apprehension of law breakers is crucial in the governments
efforts to end the reign of terror experience in Enga and the entire
country these days.
As it is now, the country is morphing into an ungovernable state.
Nelson Wandi (yuu-yan),
Port Moresby,
Papua New Guinea
Scrapping
China loans for Philippines infrastructure projects
Was
not initiated by China
The
Southeast Asian Times, Thursday July 28, 2022
First published in the Philippine Inquirer, Tuesday July 26,
2022
|
The scrapping of the China loans
for three infrastructure projects was not initiated by China, but
by structural constraints.
Many critics forget that it is the Philippines that proposed and
approved the projects.
The viability is our responsibility. China is not forcing us to
borrow.
The Department of Finance (DOF) under then Secretary Carlos Dominguez
III informed China Eximbank that the submitted loan applications
for the three railway projects would be automatically withdrawn
if not approved by May 31, 2022. Undersecretary Cesar Chavez also
said, DOTr understands that this is in light of the upcoming
transition of government.
The three projects were only approved by the Philippines in 2021-2022.
How many billion-dollar projects with other foreign lenders were
funded that quickly?
Could it be that the provision inserted by the Department of Finance
DOF was a practical move given that the Philippines shifts priorities
between administrations?
To recall, the anti-Duterte, anti-China camps threw a continuous
series of fake news and misinformation at China-funded projects,
causing several years of delay. The debt trap narrative dominated
the airwaves for years.
After several major projects by China were completed like the donated
Binondo-Intramuros and Estrella-Pantaleon bridges or underway like
the Kaliwa Dam and Chico River Pump Irrigation Project, the expert-critics
then invented a new term pledge-trap to accuse
China of falling short of delivery, without giving context that
much of the delays can consider the Philippines own processing
absorptive capacity as constraints (estimated 1 million shortage
of labor in 2019), bureaucratic red tape, and right of way issues.
Have the other countries, especially the loudest critics, offered
alternative funding sources?
The Kaliwa Dam has been in the planning stages for decades.
Before Rodrigo Duterte, the majority of billion-peso projects took
10 to 20 years to even get done, if at all.
Prime projects were given to Japan.
Did the critics compare the cost per kilometer of Japan vs. China?
Another China-funded Angat Dam, touted by P-Noy and the Metropolitan
Waterworks and Sewerage System in 2012, was finished eight
months ahead of schedule resulting from efficient project management
and advanced construction methodology of the China contractor.
Debt-trap proponents do not compare the sorry
record of the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund loans
in the Philippines, Latin America, etc., or that US banks brought
the world to collapse in 2008, crushing several countries. On the
so-called Sri Lanka debt trap, over 80 percent of its loans are
from Japan, the US, and market borrowings; only 10 percent are from
China.
Critics dont point to the successful projects like the Piraeus
port, now rising to be a top port in Europe, after being rejected
by countries due to the warnings of the China debt trap.
On the interest on the loans, the Department of Defence (DOF) in
2019 released comparative data that showed Japans equivalent
US dollar rate is actually 2.7 percent, higher than Chinas
2 percent, debunking the oppositions fearmongering that China
was imposing onerous loans. Did the experts compare cost-per-unit,
maintenance, consultant costs?
On China asking for 3 percent interest, where are the comparative
interest rates of the other foreign lenders? How many are complaining
about Filipinos being charged 10 to 20 percent per month on their
micro-loans or the 3 to 5 percent monthly on credit cards?
Can the US or Europe banks also lend billions for our infrastructure
needs at 3 percent?
Is it better to save 1 percent a year on interest or save 30 to
40 percent on project cost?
Negotiations are time-sensitive.
The rising cost of money, raw materials, inflation, global instability,
and risks have changed the calculations.
Fake news makers and fake experts are the obstacles to our Philippines
recovery and development.
Given the myriad of problems and our neighbors also speeding ahead
by working with all countries including the US and China, we need
to focus on the real challenges, not on bogeymen.
We should get the best deals for our country. Instead of being obstructionists,
the critics can help by presenting better overall packages and showing
some successful project propositions.
Austin Ong,
Integrated Development Studies Institute,
Manila,
Philippines
Call to limit term of
sitting PNG candidate
To three consecutive terms
The
Southeast Asian Times, Wednesday July 17, 2022
First published in the National Tuesday, July 25, 2022
|
The General Election 2022 is not getting any better,
its getting worse.
In past elections, international observers made numerous recommendations
for improvement, but the outcome in all elections demonstrates that
these recommendations are collecting dust on the shelves of Waigani.
The Electoral Office and the Government of the day are accountable
for not fulfilling their constitutional duty which has deprived
its citizens democratic rights to elect their representatives.
These recommendations are fundamental for improvement and should
have been addressed from day one.
If this had happened, it would have not lead GE22 to become the
catalyst for breaking apart this nation that prides itself of its
banner of unity in diversity.
A key contributing factor is the unintended negative outcome of
the preferential voting system.
This system is supposed to reduce violence through the provision
of making three choices instead of just one in the first past the
post system.
The underlying features of this system is to elect the most popular
person.
Naturally, the system favours the sitting candidate who is already
the most popular person and with access to public funds, they can
lure voters at all cost to remain in power.
As a result, more and more sitting candidates are beginning to be
re-elected for more than three terms.
The net effect of this system does not provide opportunity for fair
and equal distribution of leadership and power in each electorate.
As a consequence, we have election-related violence by supporters.
A proposed solution is to through constitutional reform, limit the
terms of the sitting candidate to three consecutive terms.
In this way, when leadership and development opportunities are equally
shared in the electorate, this may minimise chances of election
violence.
Kelvin Waukave,
Port Moresby,
Papua New Guinea
Australia
and New Zealand fail to question
Pacific
Island Forum meeting on human rights
The
Southeast Asian Times, Tuesday July 26, 2022
|
In his illuminating and insightful article
Australia and NZs silence : Democracy and human rights
in the Pacific ( The Fiji Times 23/7/22 ) Professor
Biman Prasad highlights the failure of the two leaders from the
Western world in the region to ask the hard questions at the recent
Pacific Island Forum leaders meeting on the human rights,
media freedom and democratic rights situation prevailing in the
region in general and the host nation Fiji in particular given its
unilateral decision to without grants to the premier regional university,
USP.
Will leaders in Australia and NZ heed Professor Prasads caution
to move away from a self-centred approach and adopt a
more conscientious, long-term outlook in the region ?
Or, will they continue to act the ostrich on the status of governance,
human rights and free speech - the building blocks of
democracy in the region for fear of pushing the island countries
further into the arms of China ?
Rajend Naidu,
Sydney,
Australia
Negative impact of censure
debate
Will be forgotten in 7 days
The
Southeast Asian Times, Monday July 25, 2022
First published in the Bangkok Post, Tuesday July 19, 2022
|
Re: "People will forget in 7 days,"
Bangkok Post, InQuote, July 19, 2022
DPM Wissanu spoke the truth when he said that "People will
forget within 7 days" about the negative impact of the
censure debate on targeted ministers.
We knew full well when they stood for office that they were corrupt
and incompetent, and the election was rigged with senators who owed
their posts to a candidate, yet we choose them - so we're not surprised
when the opposition shows us their corruption.
Voters should take their task seriously and vote only for those
with integrity, vision and the ability to serve us.
Burin Kantabutra,
Bangkok,
Thailand
Under
capitalist system
Businesses get bigger
The
Southeast Asian Times, Sunday, July 24, 2022
First published in the Bangkok Post, Friday July 15, 2022
|
Re: "At one's convenience", in Bangkok
Post, PostBag, July 11, 2022 and "It's all about profit",
Bangkok Post, PostBag, July 8, 2022.
Like the letter writer Bruno Sapienza, I go by instinct as a consumer
and respond to convenience and competitive price. Sometimes I even
exclaim, "Thank heaven for 7-Eleven!"
Under our capitalist system, inevitably businesses get bigger.
But there are rules governing when being bigger is against the public
interest as Burin Kantabutr is well aware.
No one is allowed to corner a specific market by 50 percent or three
top people by 75 percent .
With plenty of checks from people like Burin, that seems to be good
enough, though enough is always in the eye of the beholder.
Songdej Praditsmanont,
Bangkok,
Thailand
President
Ferdinand R. Marcose Jr. selection
Of administration got off to a good start
The
Southeast Asian Times, Saturday July 23, 2022
First published in the Philipppine Inquirer, Friday July 15,
2022
|
I share Peter Wallaces view that the Cabinet
selection by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has been impeccable
A positive first step, Bangkok Post,
July 11, 2022.
On the one hand, Article VII, Section 16 of the 1987 Constitution
says that the President shall nominate and, with the consent
of the Commission on Appointments, appoint the heads of the executive
departments, ambassadors, other public ministers and consuls, or
officers of the armed forces from the rank of colonel or naval captain,
and other officers whose appointments are vested in him in this
Constitution.
On the other hand, Book IV, Chapter 10, Section 44 of Executive
Order No. 292, otherwise known as the Administrative Code of 1987,
stipulates that secretaries of departments shall be appointed
by the President with the consent of the Commission on Appointments,
at the beginning of his term of office, and shall hold office, unless
sooner removed, until the expiration of his term of office, or until
their successors shall have been appointed and qualified.
Having said this, President Marcos Jr.s right to choose who
gets to join him in his Cabinet and serve at his pleasure.
Certainly, he only entrusts these Cabinet posts to those fittest
and worthy to hold public office in his administration.
The President named probably the best and the brightest technocrats,
with their immense knowledge and proven performance in bureaucracy
and governance, to form and constitute the Cabinet of the executive
department of his administration.
Indeed, the selection of the Cabinet of the Presidents administration
got off to a good start.
Reginald B, Tamayo,
Marinjina City,
Philippines
Call
to reduce paper shuffling time in government
To contribute to Philippines debt repayment
The
Southeast Asian Times, Friday July 22, 2022
First published in the Philippine Inquirer, Friday July 15,
2022
|
The proposal of the Department of Budget and Management
Secretary Amenah Pangandaman to reduce government bureaucracy and
save P14.8-billion outlay in manpower budget is one urgent task
for the new government to undertake, which we cannot disagree with.
The facts are that government dealings are subjected to one huge
inefficient bureaucracy.
There were 1,862,543 permanent government positions for 2021.
Salaries range from P25,900 (lowest average) to P76,300
(highest average, actual maximum salary is higher).
The average monthly salary includes housing, transport, and other
benefits. P48,800 per month average per worker totals a compensation
outlay of P1.09 trillion annually.
There are several caveats, though, in retrenching employees:
It will add to the unemployment problem of 6-8 percent, which the
government is already confronted with right now;
The mass poverty index of 23 percent could worsen if the micro,
small, and medium enterprises cannot operate in full swing, post-COVID,
to generate employment;
The shortage in basic staple food supplies of rice and meat, and
the pressure of 6 percent general inflation, will be very social
serious concerns, similar to Sri Lankas;
Depreciation of the peso and our trade imbalance will find the government
groping for dollar funds to import oil and other vital industrial
needs.
Assuming 20 percent of the bureaucracy is wasteful paper-shuffling
time that can be reduced or removed from the budget, the savings
could even be P218 billion annuall, quite a hefty contribution to
debt repayment.
A 20-percent reduction or more, however, can be achieved without
retrenching people at this time of great hardship to find work,
but by merely reducing the workdays of the nonessential workforce
by one or two days a week.
Moreover, the savings on the daily expenses of reporting to work
will be substantial in family savings.
More scientific review, however, needs to be done with bureaucracy-wide
time and motion studies that will confirm the redundancies.
Marvel K. Tan,
CPA,
Manila,
Philippines
Thailand
aspires to the soft power eminence
Of South Korea
The
Southeast Asian Times, Thursday July 21, 2022
First published in the bangkok Post, Friday July 15, 2022
|
Re: "Prayut focuses on 'prosperity'",
in Bangkok Post, July 9, 2022.
A wise man once said, "For a good tree does not bear bad
fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit. For every tree is known
by its own fruit. For men do not gather figs from thorns, nor do
they gather grapes from a bramble bush" (Luke, 6:43-44,
KJV).
These words spoken 2,000 years ago are worth bearing in mind as
we yet again hear Prime Minister Prayut Chan-cha preaching of "his
administration's ambitious plan to drive Thailand into the heart
of the 21st century" as he yet again "urged Thais
to unite as one".
Both the claim and the call are contradicted by the odour of fruits
never edible, now seriously beyond ripe.
Thailand aspires to the soft power eminence of South Korea, whose
achievements are the outcome of liberal democracy.
The country in 1980 chose liberal democracy as replacement of a
traditional uniformity that held back the nation's development.
Before 1980, Thailand and South Korea had much in common.
Both were developing slowly, wracked by political setbacks.
Thanks to the sacrifice of protesters now honoured as true patriots
of the nation, South Korea, in contrast, took the opportunity to
rid itself of retarding traditions in 1980.
South Korea has since had no shortage of rotten politicians of remarkable
corruption, as every democracy must, but in South Korea, the old
ways did not use that deceitful excuse to stamp out democracy itself.
Rather, democracy was permitted to meet the challenge, and South
Korea grew into the modern cultural and economic powerhouse that
it is today.
Such are the fruits of liberal democracy.
Felix Qui,
Bangkok,
Thailand
Philippines
New polymer banknotes
Not
as tough as current paper bills
The
Southeast Asian Times, Wednesday July 20, 2022
First published in the Philippine Inquirer, Friday July 15,
2022
|
What the heck is wrong with the highest-paid public
servants of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP)?
Why do they keep screwing things up, despite the millions in salaries,
perks, and privileges they get paid every month for their much-vaunted
expertise where money is concerned?
Not content with messing up coins that almost look the same despite
their different denominations, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipina (BSP)
has now messed up the paper bills!
The editorial "Furor over polymer, July 14, 2022
noted: The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) did say
that these polymer banknotes were tough, but
even then, they should still be valued and handled with
care.
Thus, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) enjoined Filipinos to
not excessively fold, crease, or crumple the banknotes
as doing so could leave permanent fold marks. Users
were also told not to staple the notes or use rubber bands to keep
them together instead of paper bands.
When is the folding of those polymer banknotes
excessive?
To what degree of folding is the Philippine National
Police authorized to arrest violators with fines of up to P20,000
and jail time of up to five years?
Why do law enforcers appear so trigger-happy with their handcuffs
on the ready to terrorize the people into complying with rules that
make no sense?
And why, for crying out loud, are rubber bands a big no-no to keep
those new bills together?
Who keeps paper bands in wet market places?
So, actually, they are not as tough as the current
paper bills they are supposed to replace!
Sen. Koko Pimentel said: Parang gusto pa yata nila ilagay
sa frame yung bills para kunwari matibay!
The new Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) governor, Felipe Medalla,
himself made an absurd suggestion that Filipinos adjust
to the new polymer banknotes by getting longer wallets. Dapat
ang wallet, singhaba ng pera para hindi i-fold.
Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) officials should be paid no more
than P1 per month for all the crazy ideas they are ramming down
the throats of Filipino taxpayers and consumers!
Rogelio S. Candelario,
Manila,
Philippines
Peoples
power movement rids Sri Lankan of president
Same as president Marcos in the Philippines
The
Southeast Asian Times, Tuesday July 19, 2022
|
History repeats itself when as Irish statesman Edmund
Burke said Those who dont know history are destined
to repeat it .
That is what happened with Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa
.
He made the same mistake Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos made
by hanging onto power when the people wanted him gone .
He then had to flee when the people stormed his opulent palace in
1986.
A peoples power movement has done the same to get rid of the Sri
Lankan President whose rule was characterised by authoritarianism
and corruption same as Marcos reign of power.
Leaders should remember when the people no longer want them to rule
its time to leave gracefully rather then wait to flee disgracefully.
Rajend Naidu,
Sydney,
Australia
MV Papua New Guinea
Is on the verge of sinking
The Southeast Asian Times, Monday July 18, 2022
First published in the Nationa, Mondayl July 11, 2022
|
Our development aspirations in a world driven by capitalism
is only a pipe dream.
Some say we are only chasing the wind.
Why are we continuously bothered with economic growth and development
in a district, province and nation ridden by corruption?
Simply because the gap between rich and poor will be widened and
politician and people will forever be held at ransom.
Maybe the status quo will be improved or worsened every five years
but the realities remain unchanged.
MV Papua New Guinea is on the verge of sinking writings are
on the wall for us all to read and comprehend.
If change was to be emanated, then views and approaches towards
development has to be more holistic and sustainable.
With you all the great minds here, we can raise the bar in every
province to invest in strategic assets; unique flora and fauna,
landscapes, fast flowing rivers, rich cultural heritages and others.
We can add value to those assets by tapping into eco-tourism
a very lucrative industry.
The monetary returns will be far more exceeding than total revenues
of all sectors put together.
Locally customised development index can be developed to measure
all aspects of development than the traditional GDP which only measures
economic growth.
Charting a new way forward amidst a very busy world is quite a tremendous
task but we are also trying to internalise global externalities
such as climate change.
For those provinces preparing to go into polls must look out for
politicians with policies geared towards all aspects of development
rather than conventional old school politicians with policies and
campaign strategies around economic and infrastructural development.
Lets be innovatively smart and think national, global and
act local.
One way to do just that is divorcing your power at the polling booth.
Vote for service delivery and our children.
Alexander Kaupa,
Port Moresby,
Papua New Gunea
Japan has remained in
the shadow of the USA
Since the end of World War II
The
Southeast Asian Times, Sunday July 17, 2022
First published in the Bangkok Post, Friday July 15, 2022
|
Re: "Remembering Abe and Japan's rise",
in Bangkok Post Opinion, July 12, 2022.
Yes, Abe should be remembered and given credit for keeping Japan
safe and overseeing a prosperous economy.
But Mr Kavi ignores the fact that Japan was the No 2 economy for
decades before China took over. Since the end of World War II, Japan
has remained in the shadow of the USA.
Besides its economic ties and investments, it never exerted itself
as a world power player or global power broker the way China is.
In my view, China will also end up the way of Japan.
Its leaders lack the abilities, trust and credibility of scale required
to be world leaders.
It is clear that just being a military power or a strong economy
is not enough to turn a nation into a superpower.
Now governments need charismatic leaders who can influence global
policies for the greater good of humanity.
Kuldeep Nagi,
Bangkok,
Thailand
Bureaucratic
bandwagon. WHO, are a tool
Of the New Word Order brigade a la Mr Orwell
The
Southeast Asian Times, Saturday July 16, 2022
First published in the Bangkok Post, Mponday July 11, 2022
|
Re: "No laughing matter",
in Bangkok Post, July 10, 2022.
In his letter Khun Nagi states twice that over 6 million people
died of (from) Covid-19 during the worldwide pandemic.
I would make an educated guess that the figures he quotes are those
provided by the World Health Organization (WHO).
I would remind Khun Nagi that those figures are intentionally inflated
by the WHO's own directive on how data must be collected on deaths
during the period from April 2020 to the latest figures released.
The WHO insisted that every death where the patient had tested positive
for Covid-19 from 28 days before death must be included, be it the
cause of death or a small contributing (or irrelevant) factor, and
went on to use all deaths recorded "with" Covid as if
it had been the cause.
Given the fact that the vast majority of casualties were older citizens,
many of whom were already suffering from other life-threatening
maladies, the figures are vastly inflated, thus enhancing the WHO's
self esteem and, they believe, their right to pronounce worldwide
edicts on health in the future.
In fact they have been trying to do just that this year by getting
agreement from world governments to gain the authority to overrule
all other bodies in dealing with pandemics in future.
Bureaucratic bandwagons like the WHO are a tool of the New Word
Order brigade a la Mr Orwell.
Big executive salaries and expense accounts with plenty of backslapping
junkets to go to, while Khun Somchai, you and I are expected to
pay our taxes and obey without question.
Fear not the messenger, but be wary of the message and from whence
it came.
Fireman Sam,
Bangkok,
Thailand
In
a democracy satirist have the freedom
To mock the government
The
Southeast Asian Times, Friday July 15, 2022
|
State reaction to political satire comes with the
territory.
In a democracy satirist have the freedom to mock the government
and political leaders and the Establishment without fear of political
persecution.
So in America we have Jon Stewart doing that virtually full time.
By contrast in Egypt satirist Bassem Youssef was persecuted and
put in detention for more than two years.
Authoritarian regimes are intolerant of satirists poking fun at
the existing order and the leadership .
So what kind of political order does Fiji have 16 years after the
2006 military coup if it is terrifying that a bit of good
humour ends up in court these days ? ( Kiran Khatri
Freedom of speech letter FT 5/7 )
Your guess is as good as mine on this.
Rajend Naidu,
Sydney,
Australia
Corruption
Is part of everyday Papua New Guinea
The Southeast Asian Times, Thursday July 14, 2022
Frist published in the National, Monday July 11, 2022
|
Citizens of this beautiful and resource-rich country
are now going into the polls to elect their political leaders for
the 11th parliament, some 45 years after independence in 1975.
When I sit down and reflect and closely observe the start of the
General Election 2022, I personally assume that at the end of this
process, Papua New Guinea will achieve nothing but a failed election.
We must say that corruption is part of everyday Papua New Guinea.
In recent social media news, many serious allegations of election-related
corruption was reported to have happened everywhere.
This is a clear sign of a failed election when a political office-holder
or other government employees knowingly act in an official capacity
to acquire illicit benefits or abuse power for personal gain, which
is political corruption.
Many strategies have been undertaken by most experienced and learned
elites and leaders in past governments in order to counter corruption
but to no avail, because there is a systematic organised crime body
in all our localities.
Anti-corruption agencies have not been given the full respect by
ruling governments to date because those in power often make laws
for their protection.
The endemic social and political corruption occur on different scales
from petty corruption to corruption that affects the government
on a very large scale which is happening regularly in virtually
all places in Papua New Guinea from the villages up to the parliament.
In Papua New Guinea we are experiencing issues such as unemployment,
political instability, greed for money, smuggling, fraud, squandering
of public money, illegal business transactions, deception, poverty,
gender inequality, ethnic fights and divisions, inefficient administrative
structures, low political transparency, low economic freedom and
high inflation, low levels of education, lack of commitment to our
country which are factors attributed to corruption.
Papua New Guinea is at a crossroad.
The first President of United States of America, George Washington
once said human happiness and moral duty of every person
on earth are inseparably connected.
Lets fight corruption.
Mike J Lucien,
Port Moresby,
Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea voter
names
Not registered on Electoral Commission roll
The
Southeast Asian Times, Wednesday July 13, 2022
First published in the Nationa,l Monday July 11, 2022
|
The General Election 2022 is by far the most chaotic.
Whatever that has transpired is enough for any interested citizens
and corporate bodies to take the Electoral Commission, the National
Executive Council (NEC) and National Statistical Office to court
for failing to update citizens names in the common roll.
They must be answerable to the court as to what they were doing
in the last five years.
Now, the citizens right to vote has been denied.
This is injustice caused by the above authorities who have failed
miserably to fund, register and update the names in the common roll.
This is a call to take the Electoral Commission, the NEC, Census
and National Statistical Office to court.
They have failed the citizens.
Many citizens stood in the queue to cast their vote only to find
their names not there.
If a voter says he/she has voted in 2017, then the name should still
be there, but this is not the case as voters find their names not
in the common roll.
So, this is an appeal to citizens to take this matter to court.
Frustrated Voter,
Port Moresby,
Papua New Guinea
Developing
national parks preferable
To buying tanks and subs
The
Southeast Asian Times, Tuesday July 12, 2022
First published in the Bangkok Post, Thursday July 7, 2022
|
Re: "True conservation", in
Bangkok Post, PostBag, July 4.
ML Saksiri Kridakorn's letter was okay for the most part, but he
closed it with this paragraph, "It is clear that the world
domination policy of the USA and Nato through the use of arms has
a much higher priority than building a greener world".
Huh? The USA and Nato are not trying to "dominate the world
through use of arms".
In case you haven't noticed, it was Putin who mobilised Russian
armed forces to go charging into a neighbouring country, with all
guns blazing.
Does ML Kridakorn advise that Ukrainians should just lay on the
ground in submission?
It's people like Putin who compel other countries to arm so heavily.
Without such mass and sudden aggressions, countries could dial it
back and instead fund things like alternative energy and environmental
husbandry.
Surely, developing national parks would be preferable to buying
tanks and subs.
But humans are no more advanced, in dispelling aggressive tendencies,
than army ants.
As a species, we're developed technologically, but are so undeveloped
in curbing aggression, as to make a troop of baboons blush.
Even Buddhist monks (who are supposed to be the most peaceful folks
among us) can erupt in sudden anger, with fists raised.
Ken Albertsen,
Bangkok,
Thaiand
No subsidies should be
expected in Thailand
In losses incurred by private enterprise
The
Southeast Asian Times, Monday July11, 2022
First published in the Bangkok Post, Thursday July 7, 2022
|
Re: "Cuts both ways", in Bangkok
Post, PostBag, July 4, 2022.
Strangely, Burin Kantabutra, a prolific PostBag writer, has missed
my main point that it is not normal for a government to ask companies
for "co-operation" in giving up their profits of
hefty billions.
The appropriate way is to tax their windfall profits and not "bully"
the enterprises to help its role in managing the nation's economy.
They are not asking for charity contributions for temples or hospitals.
Secondly, it is common knowledge that the losses incurred by private
enterprises are their own making, and no subsidies can be expected
from anyone in our capitalist world.
Thirdly, the phrase "too big to fail" was coined
during the US financial crisis in 2008 when one large financial
corporation was assisted by a somewhat biased treasury to avoid
widespread contagion.
Despite facing a chorus of criticism that the repercussions could
not be that wide-ranging, the after-events proved this to be the
case.
Songdej Praditsmanont,
Bangkok,
Thailand
A warmer CO2 rich atmosphere
Makes life easier on earth
The
Southeast Asian Times, Sunday July 10, 2022
First Published in the Bangkok Post, Wednesday July 6, 2022
|
Re: "True conservation", in
Bangkok Post, PostBag, Monday July 4, 2022
"The increase in carbon emissions stemming directly from
the decision to escalate the war is accelerating humanity and the
world to an irreversible point of no return for the greenhouse effect",
parrots ML Saksiri Kridakorn. Unfortunately he is neither a climate
scientist nor someone who has looked deeply into the so-called greenhouse
effect.
Just as in the pandemic fraud germs are vilified when actually they
are good for us, CO2 is also good for us - it is essential for life.
If one simply removes the politics and monied interests from these
two hoaxes the truth is easy to discern. CO2 is not a pollutant.
A warmer CO2 rich atmosphere makes life easier on earth, just so,
regular exposure to germs builds our immune systems.
Michael Setter,
Bangkok,
Thailand
Vice
President and Education Secretary Sara Duterte
Suggests
mandatory military training in the Philippines
The
Southeast Asian Times, Saturday July 9, 2022
First published in the Philippine Inquirer, Thursday July
7, 2022
|
The article on Life skills for young Filipinos
in Second Opinion, Philippine Inquirer June 6, 2022
was very enlightening as to what young Filipinos must learn instead
of or in addition to the suggested mandatory military training of
Vice President and Education Secretary Sara Duterte. Dr. Gideon
Lasco enumerated these life skills from first aid, self-defense,
biking, swimming, disaster preparedness, wellness and nutrition,
basic psychosocial skills, sexual education, financial health, and
digital literacy.
He ended it with a question about how the Department of Education
will help bring about the acquisitions of these vital skills.
We should start with the basic Rs: reading, riting,
and rithmetic, starting from grade school with good
teachers, therefore, excellent teacher education. Emphasize especially
to the young kids that teaching is a very noble, honorable, and
rewarding profession so that these kids will be encouraged to be
teachers themselves.
Improve teaching education by competitive entrance examinations,
scholarships, and, of course, good stable salaries and benefits,
and after graduation, a lot of free, good, and required continuing
education series.
Foremost of all, make teaching a very honorable profession that
the best students would aim to be educators themselves.
Once we have assumed the basic skills, then it will be easier to
teach those other skills suggested by Dr. Lasco to the young Filipinos.
Good teachers first, then good students will follow.
Ida M. Tiongco,
New York,
USA
Spaces granted for approved
protests in Bangkok
Is
a small step in the right direction
The
Southeast Asian Times, Friday July 8, 2022
First published in the Bangkok Post, Wednesday July 6, 2022
|
Re: "City protest plan needs a few tweaks",
in Bangkok Post Opinion, Monday July 4, 2022.
So indisputably true is it, Paritta Wangkiat's observation that
the central government's "ongoing crackdown on protest leaders
and participants as well as the use of excessive force to disperse
street protests do not encourage public debates" seems
a bit of an understatement.
The grant by Bangkok governor Chadchart Sittipunt of somewhat sequestered
spaces for only approved protest is a small step in the right direction,
but what Thailand more desperately needs if the alternating excesses
of the likes of Thaksin and coup committers is to be consigned to
history is just law. Law, that is, that rather than suppressing
democratic principle enshrines it in the place of highest honour,
as justice and democratic principle should be, over all other things
in the political realm.
Felix Qui,
Bangkok,
Thailand
Nepotism is practiced
in Papua New Guinea
In the public and private sector
The
Southeast Asian Times, Thursday July 7, 2022
First published in the National, Tuesday July 5, 2022
|
Let me say this without fear and favour for the sake
of mindset transformation.
Following up to the memorable day of the granting of independence
for Papua New Guinea, Papua New Guineans prepared tirelessly for
that great day.
On that day, September 16, 1975, the Australian flag was lowered
and the colourfully designed flag of the to be an
independent nation of diverse cultures was raised peacefully.
Papua New Guinea was declared an independent nation on that very
day.
Papua New Guineans celebrated the day of independence with tears
of joy, marches, traditional dances and singings, and many other
celebrations.
Papua New Guineans were very happy because colonial rule has finally
ended.
No more sugarcane and coconut labourers for colonial masters.
No more yes masta and yes misis.
No more cargo boys and men.
No more racial discrimination on our own land.
It is sad to learn that the citizens of the nation that its people
were very joyful on their day of independence are now dividing the
nation through provincialism, regionalism, and tribalism.
Corruption such as nepotism is being continuously practiced in both
the public and private sector.
It is sad to see that jealousy and pride is dictating the lives
of many Papua New Guineans.
The mentality that your tribesman/woman or your wantok must be given
the first priority is not a uniting factor for our culturally diverse
nation.
We are dividing the nation that has been united by our founders.
Indifferences created through provincialism, tribalism, and nepotism
should be halted.
Diversity and inclusion should be promoted in both the public and
private sector based on merit.
The true unification of the nation should be seen through diversity
and inclusion in both the public and private sector.
Indifferences has slowed the progress of our nation lack
of teamwork.
Indifferences created among ourselves could create more political,
economic, and social problems.
Indifferences cannot produce anything good for our nations
growth and modernisation.
We have to do away with it.
This is a call to all those who are working in both the public and
private sector.
Do away with indifferences and corruption and let us build our nation
together.
Cast away all forms of jealousy and pride.
Youths in all provinces, students in all schools and in higher institutions,
let us stand together and build our nation Papua New Guinea.
Abel ToPidik Rudolf
DWU,
Papua New Guinea
Thailand
running back to tourism
As fast as an acoholic runs to next bottle
The
Southeast Asian Times, Wednesday July 8, 2022
First published in the Bangkok Post, Thursday June 30, 2022
|
Re: "Young oppose elitist rule: Somkid,"
in Bangkok Post, June 28, 2022.
Somkid Jatusripitak is quite correct in his analysis of the political
changes that our youth want. I wish him all the best. However, having
lived here nine years, I know that it is very unlikely those changes
will happen in my lifetime.
Folks, talk is cheap.
Actions, however, are very costly and freedom is paid for only with
things we hold very dear. In Thailand, I think it would be fair
to say that I hear nearly every younger Thai under about 45 years
old talk about change and complain about how things are, but I see
very few of them lift a meaningful finger to invoke change. Aside
from an occasional rally, the action from society as a whole is
usually to stand by silently as young people expressing alternate
ideas are arrested, threatened, hit by their teachers or carted
off to jail and all for just asking a question or expressing a new
idea.
Moreover, rather than retool during the Covid years and broadly
acquire new skills, I see the public preparing to run right back
to tourism about as fast as an alcoholic can run to the next bottle
of booze.
So, I wish Somkid all the best, but he needs to understand that
as long as the public largely favours talk over action, nothing
meaningful will change and Thailand's best days really are little
more than nice memories and pretty songs. So, play it again Somkid.
Jason A Jellison,
Bangkok,
Thailand
Any weapons given to the
Ukraine forces
Must be ones they know how to use
The
Southeast Asian Times, Tuesday July 5, 2022
Frirst published in the Bangkok Post, Friday June 22, 2022
|
Re: "Arms for Ukraine", in
Bangkok Post PostBag, June 18, 2022
I read with interest the letter of June 18 by ML Saksiri Kridakorn.
The first thing that came to my mind was "I wonder if he
has any military experience and advanced weapons training?"
From his letter it seems he has no idea about weapons use.
Any weapons given to the Ukraine forces must be ones they know how
to use.
I understand that, with some of the more complicated weapons so
far delivered by the US, Ukrainians have come to the US to be trained
in their use.
The more advanced the weapon the more careful training is needed.
This is true of weapons from the US or other Nato nations.
This is a time-consuming process.
The US policy is to give the Ukrainians weapons they know how to
use!
ML Saksiri's comments on US policy are not in line with reality.
He needs to learn about the complications of very modern weaponry.
Braveda,
Bangkok,
Thailand
Covid-19
vaccines and mitigation measures
Do
not work on the Public Health Minister of Thailand
The
Southeast Asian Times, Monday July 3, 2022
First published in the Bangkok Post, Thursday June 30, 2022
|
Re: "Anutin
has Covid, absent from cabinet meeting", Bangkok
Post , June 28, 2022.
Public Health Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul,
despite having been "vaccinated six times", has
caught Covid.
In numerous previous letters to this forum, I have explained that
the vaccines and mitigation measures do not work.
Many have criticised my efforts to counter the wholly unscientific
narrative which attempts to legitimise experimental vaccines and
the futility of wearing masks all day every day.
I predict that more and more evidence which proves my warnings to
be true will surface in the days ahead.
Michael Setter,
Bangkok,
Thailand
Give Ferdinand Marcos,
Jr. a chance to prove
To Filipinos that their votes for him are
worth it
The
Southeast Asian Times, Sunday July 3, 2022
|
The recently concluded National and Local Elections
(NLE) 2022 last May 9 have resulted in the elected leaders for each
place and the country as a whole based on the majority of votes
from the Filipino citizens.
With due respect to how democracy works, it is with high hopes that
we all come to respect the result of the election and start our
effort as citizens.
Now that majority of the Filipino people have already decided who
they want to lead them for the next six years, I hope that the rest
will also support the next administration because after all, we
are all Filipinos who want the Philippines to become a better country.
Plans and platforms are starting to be laid down as the government
changes its leaders and had the transformation for the coming months.
With this, it is but right that the incoming administration shall
continue those programs and legislations that have been started
and were proven to be helpful and effective for the people.
There are so many programs that should or must be continued as it
was seen that they became effective measures in resolving problems
or in promoting unity in diversity in the grassroots areas.
Now more than ever, we must all need to set aside our political
differences and do something that will be of help to our fellow
countrymen and in the recovery of our country.
Given that we have been and are still in a health crisis due to
the COVID-19 pandemic, our country needs a lot of help from every
one of us.
Let us unite and help in any ways that we know and not be part of
the problems.
It is with a positive belief that we support the new elected leaders
especially the incoming new leader of our country- President Ferdinand
Marcos, Jr.
Lets give him a chance to prove to the Filipinos that their
votes for him are worth it and will make the Philippines rise again.
Lets be part of their plans and support their new and continuing
programs or activities for working together is best towards sustainable
development and faster recovery of our economy in this country as
a whole.
Enrico S Dulay,
Norzagaray,
Bulacan,
Philippines
Weakening of currencies
in the region
Consistent with policy normalization in
US economy
The
Southeast Asian Times, Saturday July 2, 2022
First published in the Philippine Inquirer, Thursday June
30, 2022
|
In the June 27 Bangkok Post editorial Brace
for the worst, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) was said
to be not worried about the peso-dollar exchange
rate of P54.98 to $1, the lowest in 17 years.
BSP Deputy Governor Francisco Dakila Jr. explained: We
can see that the recent weakening of the peso along with other currencies
in the region is consistent with more aggressive monetary policy
normalization in advanced economies, particularly the US Fed.
So, for instance, does the BSP worry about the unprecedented spike
in oil products?
Of course not.
Its officials use service vehicles, charging all expenses for gas
and maintenance to us, the taxpayers!
It is nothing short of scandalous that former BSP governor Benjamin
Diokno earned more than P41 million in 2021, or almost P3.5 million
per month, for his public service.
Dakilas own monthly paycheck was about P1.5 million.
He and his super-rich BSP colleagues have no problem coping with
the astronomical rise in the prices of practically everything in
the market.
The editorial aptly pointed out the elephant in the room: Ordinary
mortals can only brace themselves from the impact of a
weakening peso and surging fuel prices as there is very little the
government can do to address their underlying external causes. Preparing
for the worst is the call of the times.
So, how about BSP officials and other public servants
paid more than P1 million per month moderate their greed
in times like this?
Most Filipinos can survive with just a fifth of what they rake in
every month.
And isnt the government practically bankrupt already?
How come megatons of money are always available to squander on bureaucrats
who have not made life for Filipinos any better?
Saan ka pa makakakita ng public servants (mga
utusan kuno) na sumusweldo ng ganoon kalaki habang ang
mga boss kuno nila ay halos mamamatay na sa gutom dahil
sa kakulangan ng perang pambili ng makakain?
Where else can you find so-called public servants earning so much
while their bosses, the public, are almost dying from hunger?
Carmela N. Noblejas,
Manila,
Philippines
China bullies fishers
in Philippines waters
Under
guise of sustainable fishing
The
Southeast Asian Times, Friday July 1, 2022
First published in the Bangkok Post, Monday June 13, 2022
|
Re: "Washington backs Manila in fishing
ban" in Bangkok Post June 4, 2022
It's the height of irony and hypocrisy that China issues unilateral
bans on fishing in the South China Sea, purportedly to give marine
resources an opportunity to recover from overfishing.
Considering that China has one of the world's most aggressive fishing
fleets, regularly encroaches on the exclusive economic zones of
other sovereign nations, and is widely recognised for overfishing
in its own waters and around the world, it is rather disingenuous
for China to bully small-scale Filipino fishers in their own waters
under the guise of "sustainable fishing" regulations.
Bangkok,
Thailand
Philippines
Jose P. Rizal
Perfect model for a life well-lived
The
Southeast Asian Times, Wednesday June 30, 2022
First published in the Philippine Inquirer, Tuesday June 21,
2022
|
Jose P. Rizal, born on June 19, 1861, in Calamba,
Laguna, is one great Filipino who exemplifies the ideal man with
a sense of purpose and meaning.
With great multitudes of his achievements in life, he serves as
a perfect model for a life well-lived, not just for Filipinos but
for all nationalities.
The Filipino race must be so proud of producing a man like Rizal
when the country was oppressed and abused by colonizer Spain.
His life reminds us of how we should live as Filipinos.
His death reminds us of how our country was born out of love and
sacrifices.
When I gaze at his statues, I look at his eyes and wonder:
Is he happy now?
Is he happy about what is happening to our country?
Does he still believe that the youth is the hope of our motherland?
Does he think he died in vain?
I look at my country and fellowmen and see Rizal in every Filipino
who was abused and put to death.
I see him in every poor people because of corruption from our leaders.
I see his eyes in every youth wanting change for our country.
I see him in every Filipino who moves to another country looking
for a better future and opportunity.
I see him in all the anguishes and fears of our people.
But, ultimately, I wish to see him in every Filipino who wants to
dedicate their life to our country.
Rizal has lived a life worth remembering because he lived not just
for himself but others and for our country.
And that made him different from the rest of us because he lived
and died for this great idea called love.
And because of this love, a Filipino was born, a country was born.
Rado
Gatchalian,
Sydney,
Australia
Lack of signatures in
Senate Blue Ribbon Committee report
That accuses President Duterte of complicity
in plunder
The
Southeast Asian Times, Wednesday June 29, 2022
First published in the Philippine Inquirer, Wednesday June
8, 2022
|
The Pharmally Pharmaceutical Corp. report in which
President Rodrigo Duterte is accused of "complicity in plunder
" by the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee following a senate inquiry
report into the Department of Health (DOH) expenditure of P72.5
billion, was not presented in plenary because it lacked the required
number of signatures.
At least 11 signatures of the committee members were needed so that
the committee chairman could sponsor it.
It is a generally accepted principle in a parliamentary procedure
that a member who refuses to sign a committee report simply disagrees
with its content, especially the committees conclusion and
recommendation.
If this is the case, the members dissenting view should have
been formalized in another written report known as dissenting or
minority report.
I am in a quandary why members who refused to sign the committee
report only made known at the 11th hour their dissenting view.
Section 22 of the Senate Rules of Procedure Governing Inquiries
in Aid of Legislation says that within fifteen (15) days
after the conclusion of the inquiry, the Committee shall meet to
begin the consideration of its Report.
They had all the ample time to prepare the minority report from
the time the panel draft was prepared up to the day of its presentation
and approval by a majority vote of all the senators.
The report should have been approved en banc, I suppose, last June
1. Senate rules say that within 72 hours after the approval of the
committee report, the dissenting report should have been made by
the members who refuse to sign it.
Did we not just waste peoples money on this Senate investigation
since we are deprived to know the content of the report of the blue
ribbon committee?
Reginald B. Tamayo,
Manila,
Philippines
Are the EU and the West
pressuring Thailand
To
pick a side on Russia and the Ukraine?
The
Southeast Asian Times, Tuesday June 28, 2022
First published in the Bangkok Post, Wednesday June 22, 2022
|
Re: "Three myths that justify what cannot
be justified", in Bangkok Post Opinion, June
17, 2022.
Just a few thoughts on Mr David Daly's piece on geopolitics.
Very interesting "myths" indeed that actually look
like truth.
Is Ukraine being used as a proxy by the West to subdue Russia?
It is!
The article hasn't a single word about Nato and its role in igniting
the conflict.
Why?
Are the EU and Western sanctions contributing to the rise of food
prices?
Of course, they are!
If the EU cuts imports of oil, gas and fertilisers, introduces sanctions
and disrupts payment schemes the prices will inevitably go up.
Are the EU and the West pressuring Thailand to pick a side on Russia?
This is exactly what the EU does here when it calls on Thailand
to support the expulsion of Russia from different international
organisations.
The UN, which Mr Daly cites often, warned about the risk of a global
food crisis two years ago due to the pandemic, global supply chain
disruption as well as short-sighted economic policies.
It's easy to accuse Russia of world problems simultaneously pushing
"rules-based order".
Why not the UN Charter?
Who wrote the rules?
The EU?
Maybe the time has come to recognise EU mistakes?
No?
And who is waging an aggressive disinformation campaign then?
Pyotr Ivanovich,
Bangkok,
Thailand
Ukrainian military complaining
about outdated weapons
From
United States and Nato
The
Southeast Asian Times, Monday June 27, 2022
First published in the Bangkok Post, Sunday June 19, 2022
|
Vital and timely information gained through espionage
and interception of communications in warfare is well-documented
and has decided the outcomes of many battles.
Having cracked the encryption code for both Germany and Japan in
WWII, America enjoyed an immense informational superiority that,
in the end, proved decisive.
This elementary warfare principle cannot be lost on America's military
institution that has waged countless wars in the last century.
Today in Ukraine, over 25 percent of the population is ethnic Russian
and some percentage is likely to be sympathetic towards the Russian
cause.
Even if only a few percent, Russia is probably well informed about
all of Ukraine's military movements at all levels.
This means that the transportation and deployment of any and all
weapons sent to Ukraine by the United States and Nato have been
easy targets for Russian missiles. Thus we see the quick destruction
of these weapons as they arrived or as deployed.
Despite these well-known facts, "game-changing" weapons
keep being sent to Ukraine.
It is a little late, but not surprising, that the Ukrainian military
is just now complaining about how outdated these weapons are and
that they are no match for Russian weapons.
With each new weapon shipment, it's becoming more clear that the
USA has been using Ukraine just as an excuse to clear out its cache
of old weapons and field test a few new ones just to keep Ukrainian
fighting a lost cause. Other Nato countries have also offered or
already sent WWII relics.
The USA's strategy was clear from the very beginning; make Ukrainians
think that they would be welcomed into the EU and Nato; make them
proxies in a war with Russia; make them believe that they can win;
sanction Russia into oblivion, and run a disinformation campaign
the likes of which has never been seen.
It's as though the USA's foreign policy and thinking are still stuck
in the 1990s.
And it is especially mordant that it's the USA and Europe's economies
that are now tanking, not Russia.
ML Saksiri Kridakorn,
Bangkok,
Thailand
Two
Vice Presidents
In Philippines for 11 days
The
Southeast Asian Times, Sunday June 26, 2022
First published in the Philippine Inquirer, Wednesday June
24, 2022
|
Nobody but nobody ever takes an oath for the office
of a President-elect or Vice President-elect!
Anyone in his/her right mind would typically wait until the post
is vacant before taking an oath to embark upon the duties of such
office.
So what was Sara Duterte-Carpio, a lawyer, thinking?
And for that matter, what the heck were President Duterte, another
lawyer, and Supreme Court Associate Justice Ramon Paul Hernando
thinking?
Duterte-Carpio drum beaters insist it was just theater as she is
still really just a Vice President-elect, not vice president yet,
a post Leni Robredo will continue to hold until noon of June 30.
But the story running in all newspaper reports says it all: Sara
took her oath on June 19 as the 15th Philippine vice president,
11 days before she can actually call herself that!
The oath itself speaks of the office of the vice president, whose
function she is supposedly duty-bound to discharge immediately after
taking such an oath.
So, two vice presidents for 11 days?
The title of another news report nailed it: Queer
coincidence?
Duterte jokes two Dutertes to sit as president,
VP for 11 days in Philippine Inquirer News, June 6, 2022.
We are unsure whether to laugh over this flippancy or cry over the
mockery of what we hold dear in this country.
But, no matter how anyone may look at it, that oath-taking amounted
to a usurpation of a public office, a crime involving aberrant behavior,
if not moral turpitude!
Yvette San Luis-Petrocelli,
Manila,
Philippines
Singapore pensions for
civil servants includimg PM's
Same as private-sector counterparts
The
Southeast Asian Times, Saturday, June 25, 2022
First published in the Bangkok Post, Sunday June 19, 2022
|
Re: "MPs cause of pension bloat,"
in Bangkok Post, June 8, 2022.
I fully agree with this Bangkok Post editorial that Members of Parliament
shouldn't get a generous pension especially if they win their seat
just once or perform poorly.
But even if Members of Parliament were paid the pittance that most
deserve, that wouldn't begin to solve the problem of pension payments
due to hard-working civil servants.
As the editorial recognises, our entire civil service needed top-to-bottom
reform decades ago.
I like the Singapore model, where civil servants including the prime
minister were paid what their private-sector counterparts would
have earned and had to deliver accordingly.
And, even a whiff of corruption wasn't tolerated!
The Bangkok mayoral elections have shown that driving for reform
pays.
The provinces should similarly demand change and elect those who
deliver including reform of the civil service.
Burin Kantabutra,
Bangkok,
Thailand
Will
new Philippine leaders
Follow ill-advised pivot to China?
The
Southeast Asian Times, Friday June 24, 2022
First published in the Philippine Inquirer, Wednesday June
22, 2022
|
Good news?
Yes, it is because we played the game fairly and bravely resolved
to move it forward.
The bad news is that wicked politicians, coddlers, vulnerable victims,
and complicit voters won by foul means.
Unsurprisingly, this was one of the hardest battles and most serious,
intractable challenges weve had to face.
Unfortunately, this country has long been tolerant of abusive oligarch
politicians (the likes of the Arroyos, Estradas, Villars, Dutertes,
and Marcoses), whod move heaven and earth to get elected.
We were appalled at their untouchability and by the excuses that
saved them from jail despite their high-profile corruption, plunder,
and tax evasion conviction, the years of cyberbullying, mudslinging,
and deception on social media, and now this: high-scale vote-buying,
mind-conditioning survey firms, and a poll body packed with political
appointees.
Compare that to the cases of indigent suspects who are herded straight
to miserable congested cells, often without being given access to
a lawyer and their day in court.
While other countries like France vigilantly guard their sovereignty
and repel any intrusion or foreign influence even on their culture,
our leaders sell us down the river for billions of pesos in unfulfilled
promises of loans and investments.
Instead of using our arbitral win in our territorial claim over
the South China Sea, President Duterte maintained a defeatist stance
that has led to hundreds of Chinese military vessels occupying our
reefs and shoals, while aggressively keeping Filipino fishermen
out of their traditional fishing ground in the West Philippine Sea.
In a bid for continuity and stability, will our new leaders follow
this ill-advised pivot to China?
Unfortunately, the incoming Presidents overtures to our superpower
neighbor are hardly reassuring.
But resist we did, even as social media trolls and rabble-rousers
bullied us, peddled fake news, and revised history.
Before the May 9 elections, the number of enlightened professionals,
workers, and committed youth had ballooned to millions, loudly proclaiming
their newfound truths.
They also rallied around the candidate they perceived as standing
up for their rights, a sincere, hardworking leader with a heart
for the poor, and a record of can-do initiatives.
Sadly enough, she lost.
Her supporters would now have to trek a long and treacherous road
to follow her lead of using this crushing loss not only to demand
answers but also to raise questions when the new government fails
to live up to its promises.
Tolerating treachery, incompetence, and opportunism may have gotten
us to where we are now, but rest assured, we will not allow it to
inhabit our future.
Who are we, what are we, why are we are all the
questions we should ask ourselves, said Shakespeare.
Though the answer is far from celebratory at the moment, a look
backward might yet define our way forward.
Pit M. Maliksi,
Manila,
Philippines
China fails to provide
key data
Into
WHO investigation of origins of Covid-19
The
Southeast Asian Times, Thursday 23 June 2022
|
A new investigation from the World Health Organisation
has determined that the origins of Covid-19, a virus which has killed
more than six million people since 2020, is inconclusive because
China failed to provide key data.
A number of top WHO insiders were upset that China sought
to clamp down on research into the origins of Covid-19
( Yahoo News 10/6 ).
Is anybody really surprised by the Chinese State behaviour?
We shouldnt be because secrecy has always been the modus operandi
of such a totalitarian state.
We need to remember that and not put our expectations on an unrealistic
plane when dealing with the totalitarian Chinese State.
Rajend Naidu,
Sydney,
New South Wales
Thai Buddhism is touted
as a pillar of the nation
Nothing
could be more explicitly political
The
Southeast Asian Times, Wednesday June 22, 2022
First published in the Bangkok Post, Monday June 20, 2022
|
Re: "Respect the robe," in
Bangkok Post, ThinkBox, June 13, 2022.
Patcharawalai Sanyanusin is doubtless sincere in that perfect faith
she has in Thailand's National Office of Buddhism (NOB).
The problem is that the very existence of such an state institution
as a the National Office of Buddhism (NOB) betrays the true nature
of the religion known as Thai Buddhism: it is not Buddhism, but
Thai Buddhism.
A religion that operates under the auspices of politicians to serve
political purposes, as Thai Buddhism always has in exchange for
grand temples and other gorgeous gifts, constitutes itself as a
political tool wielded for political purposes by political players.
Indeed, Thai Buddhism is openly touted as a "pillar of the
nation"; as a claim, nothing could be more explicitly political.
No less political are those who most sedulously push that un-Buddhist
"pillar of the nation" narrative about the religion.
If Buddhism in Thailand wishes to be respected as a religion that
teaches and practises spiritual principles of worth, it needs to
free itself from the tradition going back many generations of loyally
serving political players who find it a most useful tool for achieving
their purposes, which too often have nothing to do with the Buddha's
wisdom. Are the gilded temples luring in tourists worth the spiritual
cost?
Felix Qui,
Bangkok,
Thailand
Thailand is not a pioneer
In making cannabis legal
The
Southeast Asian Times, Tuesday June 21, 2022
First published in the Bangkok Post, Sunday June 19, 2022
|
Re: "Let's clear up ganja haze," in
Bangkok Post, Friday June 17, 2022
Are efforts really being made in Thailand to make the cannabis issue
clear?
Thailand is not a pioneer in making cannabis legal.
If Thailand wants, it can benefit from the experiences of other
countries with years of legalised cannabis.
No one reinvents the wheel.
Why do it with marijuana?
All the research necessary has been done and it's accessible.
Secondly, marijuana became illegal in Thailand in 1935.
But it's been a part of Thai culture for centuries and people in
rural areas have continued to grow and use it, despite the prohibition.
Is the present debate a misinformation campaign from the alcoholic
beverage industry or other interests?
Misinformation is often used to make people afraid.
Cannabis, like alcohol, needs to be regulated and those regulations
enforced.
The recent incident at the TV station is a case in point.
Employees are not allowed to come to work drunk and the same should
apply to cannabis.
However, the "staggering" part of the report is
very dubious; it is, however, characteristic of cannabis-laced with
other illegal substances such as "angel dust" (phencyclidine).
Alcohol, too, can and is adulterated with date rape drugs and with
scopolamine in South America.
How many more countries need to legalise cannabis before the "haze
gets cleared" in Thailand?
Walking along the riverfront in Phnom Penh, I've seen restaurants
serving "happy pizzas".
It's illegal in Cambodia but apparently the law isn't enforced.
Bruno Sapienza,
Bangkok,
Thailand
Militarization of Mindanao
makes it impossible
For
indigenous peoples to return to ancestral land
The
Southeast Asian Times, Monday June 20, 2022
First published in the Philippine Inquirer, Thursday June
16, 2022
|
The Promotion of Church Peoples Response denounces
the Duterte administrations malicious red-tagging
attacks against Church leaders for their ministries with the indigenous
peoples of Mindanao at the United Church of Christ in the
Philippines (UCCP) Haran in Davao City.
This Church property has been a refuge for internally displaced
lumad many times in past decades. However, in the last
few years, militarization in the countryside and martial law in
Mindanao have made it nearly impossible for many indigenous peoples
to return to their ancestral lands.
As the United Church of Christ in the Philippines (UCCP) Harans
ministries were attacked in Red-tagging operations, fabricated and
spurious charges were also lodged against Church leaders and human
rights defenders who have responded to the urgent needs and safety
of the lumad refugees.
We are glad to learn that the two counts of child abuse filed against
Bishop Hamuel Tequis, Bishop Daniel Palicte, and other human rights
defenders have been dismissed due to lack of evidence.
Since other cases filed against those involved in the United Church
of Christ in the Philippines (UCCP) Haran ministries are similarly
fabricated and without basis, we continue to appeal for all cases
against these leaders to be expediently dismissed.
The disease of red-tagging and warmongering in the Philippines seeks
to rob our marginalized lumad kababayan of much-needed services
as well as undermine their collective right to self-determination.
Given the reality that state human rights violations forcibly displaced
indigenous communities and sent them toward the city center, the
Church must continue to assert our right to religious freedom and
engage in the task of providing a safe haven to those under threat.
We are not surprised that these same forces that attack the lumad
also attack the Church that cares for them.
Fr. Rolly De Leon,|
Rev. Mary Grace Masegman,
Chairpersons
Promotion of Church Peoples Response
Manila,
Philippines
Imperative that Members
of Parliament be shown
To be
squeaky clean in land ownership investigation
The
Southeast Asian Times. Sunday June 19, 2022
First published in the Bangkok Post, Thursday June 16, 2022
|
Re: "Bhumjaithai bigwig in hot water over
Khao Yai plot," in Bangkok Post, Friday June
10, 2022.
Khun Kanokwan Vilawan, Bhumjaithai deputy secretary-general, and
her father illegally own land in Khao Yai National Park, says the
National Anti-Corruption Commission.
Members of Parliament must be role models and comply with the law.
Khun Kanokwan being in the cabinet makes it even more imperative
that she and her fellow defendants be shown to be squeaky-clean.
The investigation must be undertaken by those free of conflicts
of interest unlike the probe of Deputy Prime Minister Prawit's watches.
In that case, the investigation was personally directed by General
Watchman's former direct report, who had been appointed to his present
post by General Watchman.
Burin Kantabutra,
Bangkok,
Thailand
Royal Thai Police take
more than a year
To report Iran spy incident in Indonesia
The
Southeast Asian Times, Saturday June 17, 2022
First published in the Bangkok Post, Thursday June 16, 2022
|
Re: "Iran spy puts cops on alert",
in Bangkok Post, June 6, 2022.
It doesn't seem very clever to issue a "secret"
order to police nationwide and then discuss it openly in the media.
One also has to wonder why it has taken the Royal Thai Police more
than a year from the May 2021 reported spying incident in Indonesia
before putting Thai police on specific alert.
Assuming that Thailand and Indonesia regularly share sensitive security
information, it is almost certain that Thai authorities were aware
of potential concerning Iranian-supported activities long ago.
Even without such specific warnings, Thailand should be ever-vigilant
to avoid repeats of past terrorist bombings and other extremist
activities emanating from any source.
Samanea Saman,
Bangkok,
Thailand
Imperative that Members
of Parliament be shown
To be squeaky clean in illegal land ownership
investigation
The
Southeast Asian Times. Friday June 17, 2022
First published in the Bangkok Post, Thursday June 16, 2022
|
Re: "Bhumjaithai bigwig in hot water over Khao
Yai plot," in Bangkok Post, Friday June 10, 2022
Khun Kanokwan Vilawan, Bhumjaithai deputy secretary-general, and
her father illegally own land in Khao Yai National Park, says the
National Anti-Corruption Commission.
Members of Parliament must be role models and comply with the law.
Khun Kanokwan being in the cabinet makes it even more imperative
that she and her fellow defendants be shown to be squeaky-clean.
The investigation must be undertaken by those free of conflicts
of interest unlike the probe of Deputy Prime Minister Prawit's watches.
In that case, the investigation was personally directed by General
Watchman's former direct report, who had been appointed to his present
post by General Watchman.
Burin Kantabutra,
Bangkok,
Thailand
No
mention of dangerous adverse effects
Of Covid-19 vaccines in Thailand
The
Southeast Asian Times, Thursday June 16, 2022
First published in the Bangkok Post, Monday June 13, 2022
|
Re: "Ministry set to ask for end to mask
rule", in Bangkok
Post, June 10, 2022.
Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, a former businessman,
is keen to downgrade Covid-19 from its emergency status as a dangerous
communicable disease to reduce the economic burden on the government
in caring for the people of Thailand.
Unfortunately, no mention of the dangerous adverse effects of the
vaccines is made. According to recent studies of data collected
on vaccinated populations of Western nations, at least 2-3 percent
of those vaccinated will have severe adverse events in their lifetimes
which bear a causal relationship to being vaccinated.
Furthermore, data also reveals that in the UK which maintains a
relatively reliable database nine out of 10 people who die of Covid
have been vaccinated.
The Public Health Ministry told everyone to get vaccinated and a
compliant Thai citizenry did exactly that.
Of the approximately 70 million Thais, at least 1.4 to 2.1 million
will suffer serious consequences.
These include myocarditis, pericarditis, heart inflammation which
can have lifelong and severe health implications, neurological disorders
including Guillain-Barre Syndrome which causes paralysis and can
be life threatening, blindness, Bell's palsy, shingles, thrombocytopenia,
brain disorders, a wide variety of unusual cancers, reproductive
disorders, and a further list of acknowledged problems too long
for this forum.
One must ask the Health Ministry an important question: Who will
pay?
Mr Anutin is already tip-toeing around this issue.
We can presume he will continue to do so until his two lips form
the word tulips so many times that people will imagine everything
is just flowers and fairy tales.
Of course, the primary qualification for Thai and all politicians
is the skill of avoiding being held accountable for one's actions;
nevertheless, the Bangkok landslide election gives us hope that
voters will remove their failed national government soon.
Michael
Setter,
Bangkok,
Thailand
Thai
lawmaking process
Is barely fit for purpose
The
Southeast Asian Times, Wednesday June 15, 2022
First published in the Bangkok Post, Monday June 13, 2022
|
Re: "Don't post crime pics, warns govt",
in Bangkok Post, Saturday June 11, 2022.
Not for the first time do we see the hastily made, careless, partisan
and vested-interest-driven Thai lawmaking process at work.
With the new Personal Data Protection Act, would-be Joe Ferraris
can suffocate and murder prisoners safe in the knowledge that any
social media whistleblower who dares to post a video of the crime
will himself be guilty of a criminal act.
The abuses of personal freedom which will inevitably follow from
this legislation are as predictable as the tsunami of abusive cases
which followed that earlier lamentable act of political repression,
the Computer Crimes Act.
The Thai lawmaking process, with its lack of transparency, virtual
absence of any public consultation or participation, partisan committee
structures and total absence of any effective checks and balances
as we know it, is barely fit for purpose.
Ludwig,
Bangkok,
Thailand
Complete break-down in
law and order
During past three elections in Papua New
Guinea
The
Southeast Asian Times, Tuesday June 14, 2022
First published in the National, Friday June 10, 2022
|
Democratic process in the voting of candidates to
becoming members of parliament is a thing of the past.
In the past, when the country was not largely exposed to the outside
world with minimal usage and penetration of social media and related
news feed outlets, democratic election processes were observed.
The rule of law was existent and people had the freedom to decide
whom to vote.
The people voted freely and openly and the winners of the respective
seats entered parliament with satisfaction.
In the past three general elections, we have seen electing and voting
a member of parliament like a goldmine.
The past three general elections with the current one in progress
could become demonic considering the recent events reported all
around the country.
For the past 11 days of the total 49 days of the campaign period
May 12 to July 1, we have witnessed and read Okapa MP Saki Soloma
attacked at Okapa Station, former MP Philemon Embel escaping an
assassination attempt in Southern Highlands and the cancellation
of flights into the Kagamuga International Airport due to oil spill
on the runaway.
From my understanding, the 11 days ordeal is the tip of an
iceberg considering the enormity of tribal allegiance throughout
the Highlands resorting to arms use and violence.
We are witnessing the continuous road blocks by people who live
along the national highways, sea pirating continues without reporting,
houses and properties burnt by drug addicts and homebrew consumers.
What we have now is a complete break-down in law and order during
the elections, counting and declaration of candidates in the past
three elections and something has to be done about it.
The Government through the leadership of Prime Minister James Marape
has tabled the Firearms Amendment Bill 2022, which was unanimously
endorsed by all MPs.
This significant piece of legislature provides a roadmap for development
of Papua New Guinea.
The core breathtaking and of course an essential element of satisfaction
from the law-abiding citizens is the call for a life imprisonment
for those in possession of firearms.
The enforcement agencies are police and army and they must develop
some solutions to minimise the use and also capture those in possession
of those illegal and unlicensed firearms.
Some of us wanted a pretrial rescue mission whereby the uniformed
men and women could go out in the communities during campaign trail
warning people about the legal consequences of the possession of
firearms.
It is very important that police and army must have effective ground
intelligence to apprehend people suspected of in possession of firearms
or based on sufficient evidence arrest those people.
Christopher Papiali,
Port Moresby,
Papua New Guinea
Singapore with no natural
resources
Has one of the world's highest standard
of living
The
Southeast Asian Times, Monday June 13, 2022
First published in the National, Friday June 10, 2022
|
The Ambassador for the European Union Delegation AMD
Jernej Videtic is spot on with his analysis of the failure by prime
ministers, ministers, politicians, and department heads in managing
the countrys finances prudently and honestly.
Our next door neighbour Singapore has no oil, gas, coffee, copra,
timber and other resources taken for granted in Papua New Guinea.
However, it was able to acquire one of the worlds highest
living standard and enviable employment stats after 45 years of
independence.
After 45 plus years of independence, Papua New Guinea is in dire
poverty despite the abundance of natural resources.
The problem is obviously dishonest and corrupt leadership.
I urge the country to vote for a new a prime minister who can prudently
manage the countrys finances.
This can only happen if the leadership of the country is overhauled
in the General Election 2022.
There is a vast pool of candidates with credible competencies in
this election which gives hope to Papua New Guinea.
Lets not shrug off this golden opportunity to decide individually
and collectively on a new leadership for Papua New Guinea.
Concerned, Morata II,
National Capital District,
Port Moresby,
Papua New Guinea
Call for PNG parliamentarians
To say no to foreign sugar daddies
The
Southeast Asian Times, Sunday June 12, 2022
First published in the National, Friday June 10, 2022
|
The vast majority of parliament leaders are without
advice and have already sold the birthright of this nation and its
decision-making in economic prosperity to the foreigners just for
the greed of personal interest.
The leaders should take a firm stand and say no to foreign sugar
daddies.
I support the letter by Voice of Wilderness in The National on Tuesday,
June 7.
Transparent Advocate
Gregory Mitihata,
Port Moresby,
Papua New Guinea
Russian
President Putin
Invited to attend G-20 in Indonesia
The
Southeast Asian Times, Saturday June 11, 2022
|
So Russian President Putin is deemed to have committed
war crimes and crimes against humanity arising from the atrocities
committed in Russias war of invasion in Ukraine and he is
invited to attend the G-20 meet in Indonesia ( Southeast
Asian Times 8 June ).
What a weird world order we live in?
I wonder if that would have been the case if it was an African rogue
leader?
Or, would an international arrest warrant issued for the African
rogue leader to be hauled before the ICC to answer relevant charges
?
Why the double standard ?
Why the hypocrisy?
Rajend Naidu,
Sydney,
Australia
Ukrain president Volodymyr
Zelensky
Begs for rocket system that could hit targets
in Russia
The
Southeast Asian Times, Friday June 10, 2022
First published in the Bangkok Post, Thursday June 9, 2022
|
Re: "US to send advanced rocket systems",
in Bangkok Post, Thursday June 2, 2022.
"We will provide the Ukrainians with more advanced rocket systems
and munitions that will enable them to more precisely strike key
targets on the battlefield in Ukraine," says Joe Biden.
Last time I looked, Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky was begging
for a rocket system that could hit targets on Russian territory.
By downsizing the type of system he is willing to provide, Mr Biden
has doomed Ukraine to defeat.
Mr Zelensky will be able to defend his own territory, but will be
unable to attack the territory of his enemy.
Essentially he will be fighting with one arm tied behind his back.
Biden's pusillanimity on this issue is yet another reason for Americans
to feel ashamed.
First he turns the Afghans over to the tender mercies of the Taliban,
then he pulls the rug out from under the feet of the Ukrainians.
Ashamed to be an American,
Bangkok,
Thailand
Birds of a feather
Flock together in Fiji
The
Southeast Asian Times, Thursday June 9, 2022
|
With regard to Chinese foreign affairs minister Wang
Yis recent Fiji visit,
the news report Restrictions on journalists a joint decision
between the Chinese and Fijian governments ( The Fiji Times
7/6/22 ) sounds like a case of birds of the same ideological feather
flocking together.
Rajend Naidu
Sydney,
Australia
School children with high
grades
Stay at home in Papua New Guinea
The
Southeast Asian Times, Wednesday June 8, 2022
First published in the National, Thursday May 31, 2022
|
The education system of Papua New Guinea is designed
to fail a lot of students.
I know this opening line is a shock to a lot of readers but let
me get this straight.
When we have less universities and colleges than high schools and
secondary schools and also primary schools, what is that implying?
It simply means that whether we like it or not, we are already establishing
the fact that we want more students at home than in school.
I have travelled enough countries to realise that what makes them
great is their education system.
They have a lot of higher institutions to cater for their students.
Papua New Guinea, we have the potential to increase higher institutions
if we set our priorities right.
I dont know other leaders but for me, seeing a child at home
with good grades as high as 3.0 GPA or even 3.4 GPA because of lack
of space is not normal.
When I speak in schools, I ask grade eights if in primary school
to put their hands up.
If there are 74 grade eights, I tell them my concern is not 74 grade
eights starting off, but will they all pass grade 12 or better still
secure spaces in higher institutions?
If we continue to ignore this issue of less higher institutions
to cater for our students, we will send more students home who will
create more nuisance for the country.
Glen Burua,
Port Moresby
Papua New Guinea
Tragic if the Philippines
election celebrations of the victorious
Are overturned by Supreme Court disqualification
verdict
The
Southeast Asian Times, Tuesday June 7, 2022
First published in Philippine Inquirer, Thursday June 2, 2022
|
Regardless of whether or not the verdict in the last
elections was fair is now water under the bridge.
Nevertheless, there remains yet a glimpse of faint hope regarding
the issue of the disqualification of the forerunner in the said
elections.
The case that the Commission on Elections decided under unacceptable
and suspicious circumstances has finally reached the Supreme Court,
the ultimate bulwark of justice.
The honorable members of the high court now face a stark challenge
of weighing the mandate of clear applicable laws against some probable
political constraints. But we may anticipate a correct verdict with
optimism, considering the high esteem and regard that we hold for
the integrity and uprightness of justices.
And to consider further that at stake is the welfare of the state.
It is, indeed, tragic if the celebrations of the victorious are
overturned by a disqualification verdict.
But the law is the law, and justice must always be upheld. Judiciousness
should allay the fears of bitterness and chaos.
For after all, right is might.
Gerry Maglaya,
Lawyer,
Pasig City,
Philippines
Myanmar
military rulers categorically reject
Any interference from unfriendly countries
The
Southeast Asian Times, Monday June 6, 2022
First published in the Bangkok Post, Sunday June 5, 2022
|
Re: "Will Myanmar's fate rely on Asean?",
in Bangkok Post Opinion, May 27, 2022.
Marzuki Darusman, a former chair of the UN fact-finding mission
on Myanmar, tries to describe Myanmar through one-sided information
and unreliable facts and data.
We do accept that Myanmar people are encountering multiple challenges
in their livelihood during the pandemic combined with the impact
of conflict between the government and unlawful groups and some
ethnic armed organisations.
In reality, the followers of unlawful associations named National
Unity Government (NUG) and People's Defence Force (PDF) are extorting,
threatening, killing local peoples including Buddhist monks, school
teachers, villagers, administrative officers and innocent civilians
if they do not support or cooperate with their brutality.
In Myanmar, the terrorists, the followers of People's Defence Force
(PDF) and National Unitity Government (NUG), destroyed villages
with the idea that the villagers were against them; they also set
fire to the schools.
You absolutely disregarded on-the-ground evidence and actual facts.
You should look at the information from both sides precisely.
Some media are broadcasting one-sided views, propaganda for unlawful
groups, and also disseminating fake news and disinformation as a
destructive tool in their various sabotage attempts.
If you want to see peace and harmony in Myanmar, you have to develop
a right perception on current issues.
Without this, can you make constructive suggestions and actions
for Myanmar?
I don't know how much you know about the complexity of Myanmar,
such as issues on insurgency, ethnicity, religion, the economy and
society.
Being an outsider, how can you address those issues?
Under a pretext of democracy and human rights, the West is always
disrupting Myanmar.
And nowadays some belligerent countries, with little knowledge of
Myanmar, are attempting to interfere in the country's domestic affairs.
Myanmar categorically rejects any interference from unfriendly countries.
If you want to see peace and development in Myanmar, please extend
your helping hand, but do not make belligerent acts.
You know what happens in countries after being invaded by the West.
I believe that if you are a good friend of Myanmar, you will give
constructive support to Myanmar.
Otherwise, you will make problems for Myanmar as always.
Any support of so-called National Unity Government (NUG) and People's
Defence Force (PDF) will lead to more trouble, more chaos and more
fighting in Myanmar. Day by day, minute by minute, the innocent
people of Myanmar are being shot dead by the followers of People's
Defence Force (PDF).
As long as a country gets along with the West, the West always supports
them regardless of whether it is a democracy, monarchy or an authoritarian
state.
No country is perfect.
That is why the international order is shifting further.
However, I will draw your attention to a current endeavour of Myanmar.
The government is extending an invitation to all ethnic armed groups
to engage in dialogue for long-lasting peace in Myanmar.
Please stop disturbing our peace efforts.
Chit Swe,
Bangkok,
Thailand
Papua New Guinea's urban
growth rate
Is
higher than its population growth rate
The
Southeast Asian Times, Sunday June 5, 2022
First published in the National, Tues May 31, 2022
|
The following discussion evaluates managing
urban growth.
The letter stresses on the need for preparation of development plans
to manage urban growth in the districts and provinces of Papua New
Guinea.
Uncertainty remains on the exact rate at which the current population
of Papua New Guinea is growing in-spite the fact that a national
census was conducted in 2011.
Current research show that Papua New Guinea's urban growth rate
is higher than its population growth rate at three per cent National
Population Policy (NPP) 2015.
Urban growth is a core focus of the Government under polices such
as, the Papua New Guinea National Urbanisation Policy and the National
Population Policy.
Managing urban growth is a multi-cross cutting issue and includes
a range of disciplines to define the specific challenges, roles
and functions in planning with pragmatic approaches and solutions
(Campbell and Fainstein, 2003).
This brings me to the last point, a way forward.
To achieve a more appropriate balance between urban and rural development
and to promote a spatial distribution of population, economic growth
and sustainable development, we need to integrate urban development
plans with district economic plans of the towns and cities.
According to the Physical Planning Act (1989) a development plan
is a written and illustrated policy statement and proposal for development
over an area including the use of land.
Contents of the development plan are to improve the zoning of the
development plan area.
By law four types of development plan are prepared in Papua New
Guinea: a provincial development plan, urban development plan, local
development plan and subject development plan.
Having an urban development plan in the planning and allocation
of resources for service improvement grants or district services
improvement grants enables greater transparency and accountability
for the use of grants into priority areas of the districts.
Urban Development Plan is an important strategic planning and design
policy statement for the districts to apply down to the local and
ward level government.
It ensures economic growth of our townships, including all other
forms of development runs parallel with detail forward land use
planning.
The challenge is whether development plans can be successfully applied
into smaller but rapidly changing rural and regional centres of
Papua New Guinea.
A concern is whether or not members of parliament can see its importance
and support preparations of development plans for improving towns
and cities.
More research is required for new models that can be adopted and
applied specifically to the different declared physical planning
areas of Papua New Guinea.
Edward Pulagis (MPIA)
Urban and regional planner with
a Post Graduate Degree from the
University of Sydney, Australia
Port Moresby,
Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea students
call on PM
For return to China to complete studies
The
Southeast Asian Times, Saturday June 4, 2022
First published in the National, Tuesday May 31, 2022
|
We, Papua New Guinea students, who were studying in
China but came back home because of the Coronavirus (Covid-19) outbreak
in early 2020 are calling upon our good prime minister and Government
to arrange for our return to China to complete our studies.
We heard that the Chinas Foreign Minister, Wang Yi will be
visiting Papua New Guinea on Thursday.
We were happy and excited to study in China.
It was our lifetime opportunity to study in a big and modern nation
like China.
Unfortunately, we were forced to return home because of Covid-19
outbreak in early 2020.
We spent two years at home doing nothing.
This is the third year waiting.
We really dont want to spend another year at home.
Most countries have started opening up international borders and
governments have supported and facilitated on sending their students
back to China since early last year 2021.
On March 21, Fiji and Solomon Islands students had returned to China.
This happened when their governments have met with Minister Wang
Yi and arranged for their return.
This is an opportunity for the Government to negotiate our return
to China to resume our studies.
Please, note that we do not want to wait for another two years or
even another year waiting while governments from other countries
are negotiating with minister Wang to send their students back to
China.
We understand that our government is busy at this time when the
country is going for the 2022 general election but we urgently call
upon the government to arrange for us to return to China immediately
to resume our studies.
Luand
Nicodemus
On behalf of Papua New Guinea students waiting to return for studies
Port Moresby,
Papua New Guinea
Call for media access
to China foreign minister's
Visit to Papua New Guinea
The
Southeast Asian Times, Friday June 3, 2022
First published in the National, Tuesday May 31, 2022
|
The Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi is expected to
visit Papua New Guinea on June 2-3.
Wang is visiting the Pacific on a 10-day trip.
Wangs tour began last Thursday in the Solomon Islands.
He already visited Kiribati, Samoa and Fiji and will visit Tonga,
Vanuatu, Papua New Guinea and East Timor next week, according to
Chinas foreign ministry.
Prime Minister James Marape confirmed last Monday that the Chinese
embassy in Port Moresby had advised the Government of the foreign
ministers visit to Papua New Guinea this week.
The concern here is for the Papua New Guinea media to have full
access to the meeting(s) that would be held during the visit.
When Wang visited the Solomon Islands last week, both the local
and international media were given restricted access to him.
Journalists seeking to cover the Solomon Islands leg of the tour
for international outlets said they were blocked from attending
press events, while those journalists allowed access were extremely
limited in their ability to ask questions.
In a democratic country like Papua New Guinea, media freedom should
not be dictated on another governments terms.
It would be a hindrance to our democratic principles.
I hope the media is not restricted when Wang visits Papua New Guinea.
For media freedom,
Port Moresby,
Papua New Guinea
We
dont want that authoritarian State tendency
In
the Pacific island democracies
The
Southeast Asian Times Thursday June 2, 2022
|
We learn from the news that ten Pacific island countries
have rejected Chinas trade and security pact ( SBS News 31/5,
6.30pm).
Thats probably a good thing .
If state officials stopping the media from taking photos during
Chinese foreign affairs minister Wang Yis Fiji visit ( The
Fiji Times 31/5 ) is anything to by, we are likely to witness more
of that kind of State control should China penetrate Pacific island
governance.
We dont want that authoritarian State tendency in the Pacific
island democracies.
Rajend Naidu,
Sydney,
Australia
Decades
of disinformation made possible
The
restoration of the Marcos family
The
Southeast Asian Times, Wednesday June 1, 2022
First Published in the Philippine Inquiry, Monday May 30,
2022
|
The events of the past weeks were shocking, and thats
an underestimation.
The years of disinformation have become ingrained in this countrys
soul that it brought back a rule that we once deposed.
It was a victory for all we protested against, and all the Bible
told us not to do.
Its beyond my imagination and beyond my grasp.
There is consolation in knowing many I know continue to put up a
good fighta fight that I believed in for a long time.
I refused to believe this is our end, or that whatever hope we left
is gone.
The moral arc of the universe got longer.
The day of reckoning was not yesterday, but will surely come.
But thats all behind us now.
This will be a circuitous and rollercoaster ride from here on.
Maybe we maintain our silent mourning or persist in our loud protestations.
We could write essays and still feel at a loss for words. We want
to cry but tears have become wanting.
We could feel the hatred that no clenched fist could sum up.
We could hug each other and say our prayers and still find no peace
in our hearts the questions that linger and the anger that does
not die.
As much as possible, I always relate how topics in our field would
be perceived by the layman the common tao.
To us scholars, its easy to understand.
But to people outside our profession, their perception is based
on what they are accustomed to.
In all we do, we remember the people who made our education possible.
And so, when decades of disinformation made possible the restoration
of the family the Filipino people ousted 36 years ago, we face an
existential crisis: what is the point of years of education when
it can be falsely claimed?
What is the point of exams, of toiling day and night when the rich
and powerful can easily breeze through the upper echelons of power?
Its maddening.
I cannot claim to know what my students feel now but they are not
the only ones who lost.
There is solidarity in knowing that no matter how deep our sorrow
is, we are not alone.
But I do beg that they stay the course.
Make the events of the past weeks a reminder that resting on laurels
is not an option. Sure, rest if we must, feel tired, feel the loss
of hope.
May we find our way through the long fight greater than ourselves.
Its always about standing and believing in the collective
good over and above our individual whims.
As we usually say: Padayon.
Edward Joseph H. Maguindayao,
University of the Philippines,
Manila,
Phiippines
Humans
are traficked
In
and through Thailand
The
Southeast Asian Times, Tuesday May 31, 2022
First publshed in the Bangkok Post, Wednesday May 25 2022
|
Re: "Human trafficking a 'regional issue'",
in Bangkok Post, Wednesday May 24, 2022.
As the deluded Thai delegation to the US is pleading for an amendment
of the forthcoming Trafficking In Person (TIP) report and blaming
human trafficking as a regional problem, not as a fault of any individual
state, one has to consider it as a big joke.
Also propagated by the real "Big Joke" aka Police
General Surachate Hakparn.
Would he therefore please explain whose fault, hence which state
is responsible for the sad and well documented fact that humans
are trafficked in and through Thailand in such large numbers?
That is not a joke!
Miro King,
Confused,
Bangkok,
Thailand
The
path to Nibbana is now filled with
Potholes
of blind faith, empty rituals, rampant corruption
The
Southeast Asian Times, Monday 30, 2022
First published in the Bangkok Post, Wednesday May 18, 2022
|
Re: "Beliefs are no excuse to damage our
health", Bangkok Post ThinkBox, Monday April 18, 2022.
I hope the authorities in the National Office of Buddhism (NOB),
the monks, and the patrons of Thai temples will pay attention to
the issues raised by columnist/writer Patcharawalai Sanyanusin.
Buddha's teachings are exact.
He emphasised that we should make truth our refuge.
He taught against rites, rituals, and pilgrimages.
Instead of cultivating mindfulness, Thai people are subjected to
empty rituals, buying and selling amulets, lotteries, caged birds,
and offering material things in merit-making.
The monks even engage in lofty rituals to please the spirits of
the dead and promise a place in heaven.
In many temples, the devotees are brainwashed and taken on a spin,
ride, or trance, reincarnating into Garuda, Naga, and other creatures
which have become part of the fable of Buddhism.
The path to "Nibbana", as taught by Buddha, is
now filled with potholes of blind faith, empty rituals, and rampant
corruption.
Ms Patcharawalai is correct that the enlightened one who taught
us against rituals is now suffocated with the stench and smell of
incense, candles, rotting flowers, garlands, and food.
Thai monks have also become experts in botoxing rituals for those
who can pay.
In addition, there are scores of criminal cases against Thai Buddhist
monks.
There is no doubt that costly rituals, the flow of easy cash, and
corruption are correlated.
Above all, the lack of education and poor training of monks is mainly
responsible for distorting the teachings of Buddha and the reputation
of Thailand as a Buddhist country.
Kuldeep Nagi,
Bangkok,
Thailand
"Politicians
promise to build bridges
Even when there are no rivers"
The
Southeast Asian Times, Sunday May 29, 2022
First published in the Bangkok Post, Monday May 23, 2022
|
Re: "Job vacancy: Must be good at promises",
in Bangkok Post PostScript, Sunday May 15, 2022
Yes, indeed.
You always wonder what the governor of Bangkok will concentrate
on after winning the election.
Every 100 metres, you can see posters of smiling and grinning candidates.
One must wonder how many millions of baht is spent hanging these
banners and posters on lampposts and ageing trees in every soi.
All those in this rat race have to think about their return on investment.
What comes to your mind?
Sure, corruption, contracts, hush money, kickbacks, and scandals.
Is there any other way to recoup this massive investment in electioneering
madness?
Nikita Khrushchev of the old Soviet Union aptly said, "Politicians
are the same all over. They promise to build bridges even when there
are no rivers."
Kuldeep Nagi,
Bangkok,
Thailand
Thailands Suspreme Court
should take
India's sedition law as a model
The
Southeast Asian Times, Saturday May 28, 2022
First published in the Bangkok Post, Monday May 16, 2022
|
Re: "India: Top court suspends sedition
law", in Bangkok Post, Friday May 13, 2022.
India's sedition law has been often misused to suppress government
critics, much like Thailands Lese Majeste S112 law.
The Indian court found that "The rigours of the law in question
are not in tune with the current social milieu."
Precisely the way that Thai governments have applied the Lese Majeste
S112 law.
Thailands Lese Majeste S112 law can stay on the book.
But those in power use it mainly to protect personal interests.
Thailands Supreme Court should take its Indian counterpart as a
model and refuse to advance cases based on the Lese Majeste S112
law
By so doing, we will be following our beloved national father's
advice that using les majeste laws "ultimately harms the
monarchy".
Burin Kantabutra,
Bangkok,
Thailand
The West should make all
diplomatic efforts
For
Russia to give up rather than keep fighting
The
Southeast Asian Times, Friday May 27, 2022
First published in the Bangkok Post, Monday May 16, 2022
|
Re: "The West has got its Russian sanctions
all wrong", in Bangkok Post Opinion, May 14,
2022.
Thanks for this timely analysis of the tug of war between the West
and Russia.
It is now proven that unjustified sanctions on countries only lead
to more hostilities.
It also damages the reputation of the West and sanctions on Iran,
North Korea, China and Russia have only created resentment.
The same thing happened in the 1990s when the USA sanctioned India
for testing nuclear weapons.
They did not work against India, Pakistan, Iran or North Korea,
nor will they deter China or Russia.
Pouring money and weapons into Ukraine will only lead to more deaths
and destruction.
The West should make all diplomatic efforts for Russia to give up
rather than keep fighting.
While millions of innocent people were killed in Iraq and Afghanistan,
no country shouted about taking the USA to the International Criminal
Court for genocide and war crimes.
Neither Hamid Karzai nor Saddam Hussain was given TV time on Western
media to explain their stance.
Hence, all the noise about atrocities in Ukraine and war crimes
against Russia further erodes the respect for Western nations and
their media.
This blatant hypocrisy has further eroded faith in Western democratic
principles and human rights. Sadly, the ongoing Western sanctions
have made diplomacy more ineffective.
Kuldeep Nagi,
Bangkok,
Thailand
Claim that Chinese Embassy
exploits and corrupts PNG media
Has implications for media in the region
The
Southeast Asian Times, Thursday May 26, 2022
|
As someone who has always supported free press I am
deeply disturbed to read that a Papua New Guinea Post Courier reporter
has claimed that Chinese Embassy are exploiting and corrupting
our media. I have evidence . Money has spoken and there is now no
independence and integrity in Papua New Guinea media .
He states further I have witnessed many journalists at the
Post Courier and The National accept large sums of Kina, new phones,
laptops and luxury trips to China, all off the books and in secret.
The Chinese are willing to go to any length to corrupt us and buy
our loyalty, more and more with success ( source : Fijileaks
23/5/2022 ).)
Now this is a very damning indictment of the media in Papua New
Guinea.
Can someone from the media council in Papua New Guinea tell us whether
the reporters claim is true or false?
It has implications for the media elsewhere in the region.
Rajend Naidu,
Sydney,
Australia
Night shift differential
pay for government workers
Is welcome legislation in the Philippines
The
Southeast Asian Times, WednesdayMay 25, 2022
First published in the Philippine Inquirer, Monday May 23,
2022
|
The recent signing of Republic Act No. 11701, which
provides night shift differential pay for government workers, is
a welcome development.
This legislation is a positive way of compensating public employees
for being made to work at inconvenient times and acts as a deterrent
against long or abnormal hours imposed by national government agencies,
local government units, and government-owned corporations.
This pay also provides a mechanism for employers to provide a service
or continue operation outside normal business hours where it is
either profitable to do so or required due to a public service obligation.
Certainly, many employees would choose not to work long or unsociable
hours if they were not adequately compensated, for example, those
in Salary Grade 10 and below who could be left financially vulnerable
if that extra pay is not available. These low-paid workers are extremely
dependent on minimum pay rates but with differential may be able
to top up their wages to a reasonable level.
Differential pay offers an economic incentive for people to work
unsociable hours (i.e., evening shifts, early morning shifts, rotating
shifts), which is considered intrinsic to the nursing profession.
Whether patients get sick at 9 a.m. on a Monday or 9 p.m. on a Saturday,
they expect and need the best possible care from the health system.
While this new law is a boon to civil service, as well as the uniformed
service personnel, the private sector is being set aside.
Despite the collective industrial strength of nurses in the private
hospital sector, they continue to languish on low pay and unfavorable
conditions of employment in their workplaces.
Jerome Babate,
Beta Nu Delta Nursing Society,
Manila,
Philippines
To serve is what the 31st
Australian Prime Minister
Is
meant to do in a democracy
The
Southeast Asian Times, Tuesday April 24, 2022
|
In his victory speech Australias new prime minister
Anthony Albanese said Tonight the Australian people have
voted for change. I am humbled by this victory and Im honoured
to be given the opportunity to serve as the 31st Prime Minister
( Yahoo news 21/5 10.23 pm ).
It good to hear the new leader say he is honoured to be
given the opportunity to serve .
That is what a leader is meant to do in a democracy and not act
as if he has the right to rule roughshod over the people.
It seems the Australian people have voted for a change for a better
future for the country.
Rajend
Naidu,
Sydney,
Australia
Climate
change has not been
Philippines utmost priority
The
Southeast Asian Times, Monday May 23, 2022
First published by the Philippine Inquirer, Wednesday May
18, 2022
|
The world faces an urgent battle against climate change
that ultimately reveals the foolish desire of humanity to call for
accountability instead of action.
Its not a question of who did what? or
who should do what? but more of what
should we do?
This global issue is of the essence, and a call for action should
be expedient as the damage to the atmospheric spheres of the earth
is seemingly irreversible.
Since 2007, human activities have elevated atmospheric carbon dioxide
(CO2) concentrations by 50 percent due to coal, oil, and gas production,
emitting billions of tons of CO2 into the atmosphere every year.
Its impact means a startling decline in our environment and many
other sectors of our society.
Thus, with our so-called leaders choosing resiliency as a response,
more climate change-related implications will continue to intensify
in the following decades.
The climate crisis has not been our utmost priority.
In the Philippines, for example, platforms of aspiring presidential
candidates in the recently concluded elections were more focused
on the economic and agricultural sectors, unemployment, housing,
and trade, to name a few.
Although these concerns are highly relevant, we cannot deny that
most of these are also highly dependent on the countrys environmental
state.
On the other hand, while government responsiveness and support are
crucial factors in a climate movement, it is still highly expected
from the public sector to initiate practical actions.
After all, our choice to help aid our environment does not lie within
the approval of anyone.
We can do this by simply switching to renewable energy sources,
planting more trees, and reducing energy use in our homes.
Being informed of the potential impacts alone and not creating feasible
and relevant solutions is not far different from holding a loaded
gun but not using it to fight in the battle.
Awareness, resiliency, and accountability are not enough. Its
high time that we promote a sense of urgency among others and join
forces in taking immediate measures to make the world a safe place
to live in. By the end of the day, our actions toward this matter
say a lot about how we envision the future we want to have.
Let us save the earth not because we want tobut because we
need to.
Anne
Normane Pia G. Revita,
Manila,
Philippines
Only
Marcos wealth can bring down the
price
Of
rice to P20 per kilo in Philippines
The
Southeast Asian Times, Sunday May 22, 2022
First Published in the Philippine Inquirer, Tuesday May 17,
2022
|
More than 30 million voters must have thought Ferdinand
Marcos Jr. could bring prosperity to this nation with all the obscenely
mind-boggling wealth estimated to be in the tens of billions of
dollars his family has been hiding in secret domestic and foreign
bank accounts all these years.
Ill-gotten or not, they really couldnt care less as long as
all that money is finally put to good use by Marcos Jr. whether
in atonement for the sins of his father or for
his own love for country.
For example, they probably sensed where he was coming from when
he promised to bring down the price of rice to P20 per kilo, something
economists decry as a blatant lie.
That can only happen through massive government subsidy.
But given the fact that the government has been practically bankrupted
by the debts wantonly incurred by the Duterte administration, it
has become wishful thinking. Only the Marcos wealth can make that
happen.
But little known is the fact that Marcos Jr. had nothing to do with
the Bangui Wind Farm, the first power-generating windmill
farm in Southeast Asia, contrary to his claims.
Not a single centavo came from the Marcos family to fund that project
as already fact-checked by several reports.
How then could Marcos Jr. have the gall to grab credit for that
project and use it as a major part of his election campaign?
But then again, as his running mate, Sara Duterte, used to say,
all politicians lie.
If you thought that Marcos wealth would come pouring down like the
Niagara Falls once he got elected president, dont hold your
breath!
Chin Chin Katigbak,
Manila,
Philippines
Taiwan calls on WHO to
repudiate
Inappropriate political interference
The
Southeast Asian Times, Saturday May 2, 2022
First published in the Philippine Inquirer, Wednesday May
18, 2022
|
The COVID-19 pandemic has wreaked havoc across the
globe since it began in 2020.
It is very encouraging to learn that the Philippines is in full
swing of economic recovery as nearly all indicators point to higher
growth for the Philippines this year and in 2023.
The number of new COVID-19 cases also continues to decline nationwide,
and we sincerely hope this trend can sustain its stability.
The COVID-19 pandemic has reminded the world that disease knows
no borders. Having been left isolated and unsupported during previous
epidemics, Taiwan deeply understands the importance of mutual assistance
and strengthening resilience to creatively meet challenges.
Taiwan emerges as an indispensable partner on the path to global
post-pandemic recovery and hopes to work with the World Health Organization
(WHO) and nations worldwide to jointly overcome this crisis.
In line with this, Taiwan has been standing with the Philippines
since the onset of the pandemic.
In July 2021, the Republic of China (Taiwan) donated 200 oxygen
concentrators to help local hospitals in the Philippines enhance
their capacity to treat COVID-19 patients.
In March 2022, Taiwan and the Philippines agreed to recognize each
others vaccination certificates, which will certainly stimulate
economic growth in the post-pandemic era.
These efforts exemplify Taiwans unwavering commitment to working
with international partners in addressing public health threats
while safeguarding our shared values of freedom, democracy, and
rules-based international order.
However, due to political considerations, the WHO has been unable
to uphold professionalism and neutrality.
By continuing to exclude Taiwan, WHO is severely jeopardizing global
health. Taiwan stands firm in its commitment to engage in international
health care cooperation and calls on the WHO to maintain a professional
and neutral stance, and repudiate inappropriate political interference.
Only the popularly elected government of Taiwan can represent its
23.5 million people at WHO and protect their right to health.
While we congratulate the people in the Philippines on successfully
holding the 2022 general elections, we sincerely hope that our Filipino
brothers and sisters could also voice out their support for a beacon
of democracy, Taiwan, to be invited to the 75th World Health Assembly
and institutionalized, as well as regular participation in all WHO
meetings, mechanisms, and activities.
Peiyung Hsu,
Representative,
Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in the Philippines,
Manila,
Philippines
Call for Papua New Guinea
state ministers
To stay away from meddling with public services
functions
The
Southeast Asian Times, Friday May 20, 2022
First published in the National, Monday May 16, 2022
|
All state ministers including the Prime Minister must
not direct, command, threaten and abuse their department secretaries
and chief executive officers/managing directors of state-owned entities
or the top public servants.
Papua New Guinea continues to watch ministers playing the roles
of their departmental heads and stooping low in making decisions
which are not in their mandate as policy and lawmakers in Papua
New Guinea.
Corruption commences at the stage where ministers confuse their
roles deliberately and intentionally with those of government departmental
heads of the public service machinery which is supposed to deliver
efficiently services to our people funded from annual national budgets.
In the new Government, please we appeal to state ministers to stay
away from meddling with public services functions.
Otherwise, we are crushing the public services system with ad hoc
decision making and screw ups which will yield to decay in the foundation
of the running this beautiful country of ours.
Samson
Komati Yuimb,
Port Moresby,
Papua New Guinea
Pending
court cases against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr
Yet to reach the Philippines Supreme Court
The
Southeast Asian Times, Thursday May 19, 2022
First published in the Philippine Inquirer, Monday May 16,
2022
|
A few days ago, we held crucial elections in the country
and until now we are counting the results, not without recriminations
and eyebrows raised on certain aspects of the electoral process.
But setting reservations aside, the reported commanding lead of
presidential candidate Ferdinand Marcos Jr. over his rivals should
not detract from the fact that there are pending cases to disqualify
him, which may now reach the Supreme Court.
In the interest of the rule of law and the conduct of future elections,
the Supreme Court should rule on this game-changing issue of eligibility
and qualification of a candidate for president.
Its enthusiasm and mandate to confront the issue head-on should
not be dampened by the reported huge popular vote of the challenged
candidate, because the Court has said in 1989 in G.R. No. 87193
involving Sorsogon governor Juan Frivaldo on the issue of his citizenship:
The qualifications prescribed for public office cannot
be erased by the electorate alone. The will of the people as expressed
through the ballot cannot cure the vice of ineligibility.
It is hoped that the petitioners whose cases were dismissed by the
Commission on Elections only last May 10 will appeal to the Supreme
Court.
What is at stake is the imperative of upholding the supremacy of
the law on the eligibility of a candidate even over an electoral
mandate.
Otherwise, in the future, through manipulation and duplicity, a
popular but unquestionably ineligible candidate may be allowed to
run in an election and, if victorious, will plead that we have to
bow to the will of the people.
Ancheta K. Tan,
Lawyer,
Makati City,
Philippines
Let the truth be told
Let the publishers publish
The
Southeast Asian Times, Wednesday May 18, 2022
First published in the Philippine Inquirer, Monday May 16,
2022
|
The Manila Critics Circle, in no uncertain terms,
condemns the Red-tagging of the respected publisher Adarna House
by the National Intelligence Coordinating Agency (Nica) and the
National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-Elcac).
Not only is Adarna House an award-winning publisher known to produce
only quality material, it is also a publisher devoted to the truth.
It is a disservice to our young readers to assume that they should
be exempted from learning about important events in Philippine history
like the imposition of martial law.
The truth does not plant hate and lies in the tender hearts
of our children, as Lorraine Badoy, spokesperson for NTF-Elcac,
has said. The truth does not subtly radicalize as
Alex Paul Monteagudo, the director-general of Nica, has stated.
Monteagudo said that the very issue of presenting martial law in
childrens books plants dissent and hatred in their minds.
Martial law is part of our history, as are its victims.
Like all true things, it is something they should learn from books
and make up their own minds about.
Furthermore, Adarna House is an innovative, privately owned, educational
publisher that should be encouraged to continue publishing such
excellent material and commended for its devotion to telling the
Philippine story to young children.
Let the truth be told. Let the publishers publish.
The Manila Critics Circle,
Manila,
Philippines
Yes,
Money
should not be part of rituals
The
Southeast Asian Times, Tuesday May 17, 2022
First published in the Bangkok Post, Sunday May 8, 2022
|
Re: "Alpha-male idols," Bangkok
Post PostBag, April 29, 2022, "Never mind Nirvana,"
Bangkok Post PostBag, April 28, 2022 and "Fake
faith," in Bangkok Post PostBag, April 27, 2022.
Many comments made to Bangkok Post about my submissions about Thai
temples have been positive.
Yes, Ken Albertsen, we engage in rituals.
Rituals are mainly dedicated to the gods, goddesses and deities
we've created. They usually require money.
And Ye Olde Theologian, my friend, the rebirth is just a notion.
The reality is that we will not know anything after we are dead.
Consciousness is part of being alive.
My thanks to Millie Tan for pointing to S N Goenka's teachings.
I had the good fortune of attending a 10-day retreat with him in
Igatpuri, India, and also in the USA.
Yes, money should not be part of rituals.
Mr Goenka fully understood the path pointed by the Enlightened One.
Sadly, every religion now thrives on rituals and money is the driving
force.
Therefore people keep visiting temples and so-called holy shrines
just like they go to hospitals.
Spirituality has turned into a costly prescription given by monks,
priests and pundits.
As Buddha said, this is the main cause of human suffering.
We do not spend time cultivating mindfulness and living in harmony
with nature.
We need to learn the ways of Buddha to find our bliss ourselves,
not by running around to seek happiness.
Kuldeep Nagi,
Bangkok.
Thailand
Education
has lost it's way
In Thailand
The
Southeast Asian Times, Monday May 16, 2022
First published in the Bangkok Post, Wednesday May 11, 2022
|
Re: "Mental health guidance amid Covid",
in Bangkok Post Opinion, May 6, 2022 and "Semen
hazing will be probed", in Bangkok Post April
30, 2022.
I find it interesting to see the topic of education being brought
up again and again in recent weeks.
Thai youth are thought to be frustrated at the "traditional"
methods of education they are currently exposed to.
During this time there has been a report of a naval officer who
forced conscripts to drink his semen, a cult leader who preached
eating faeces and drinking urine and phlegm as a cure to various
illnesses and a monk involved in a sex and payoff scandal.
There certainly does appear to be some trouble over what certain
people consider to be correct and normal.
All this makes the upcoming ceremony where chosen cows will forecast
this year's level of agricultural yield and rain to be rather benign
but it does seem that education has somehow lost its way.
Lungstib,
Bangkok,
Thailand
Open letter to retiring Philippines
Senator Ping Lacson
Saying "the Philippines needs a son
like you"
The
Southeast Asian Times, Sunday May 15, 2022
First published in the Philippine Inquirer, Friday May 13,
2022
|
Dear Sen. Ping Lacson:
I understand that now that the elections are over, you expressed
your desire to spend time with your family.
That you should. Life is too short, and it should be spent with
your loved ones.
But I hope, in time, you would reconsider and not retire from politics.
Based on your long career as a public servant, I dont see
you as one who would even consider fading into the sunset.
When you ran in the national elections, you committed to serving
the Filipino people for six years.
I hope that even without the title of president, you can still serve.
It seems to me the title of leader may not be one for you to hold.
But the title of patriot is one for you to keep.
I believe you can be a voice for those who have none.
I believe you can be an influence for those who have no power.
I believe you can stand up for those who may be too scared to speak.
I did not vote for you, Senator Lacson, and perhaps I have no right
to send this letter.
But I hope you think of the one million men and women who did vote
for you.
And, difficult as it is, think of the voters you were not able to
convince but still need you.
And isnt that what a great patriot is all about?
While I feel we are facing one of our darkest hours, it will be
of some comfort knowing that you will not throw in the towel and
raise the white flag.
The Philippines needs a son like you.
Danielle Marie S. Lizares,
Makati City,
Philippines
Pulling the plug means
letting the water flow
Freely out of the tank
The
Southeast Asian Times, Saturday May 14, 2022
First published in the Bangkok Post, Sunday May 8, 2022
|
Re: "Plug pulled on diesel cap,"
in Bangkok Post, Wednesday April 27, 2022.
As a non-native English speaker who had heard before what was going
on in this country, the headline looked alright at first glance.
But after more thought, it looked wrong.
So I chatted with my English friend living in Thailand who also
reads the Bangkok Post daily.
His response is that "pulling the plug" means letting
the water flow freely out of a tank.
His first impression was that the price of diesel would be reduced;
with the plug removed at the pump much more diesel would flow into
your motorcar tank for your money than before.
You cannot pull the plug on a cap!
He went on to say that "too many journalists try to show
they are cleverer than the readers by using big uncommon words."
"I have to use a dictionary to read the Bangkok Post sometimes!"
I would go for some simpler headline like "Cap on diesel
price lifted".
Thanin Bumrungsap,
Bangkok.
Thailand
Religion should not be
a litmus test
For living on this planet
The
Southeast Asian Times, Friday May 13, 2022
First published in the Bangkok Post, Wednesday May 11, 2022
|
Re: "No state business", in
Bangkok Post, PostBag, May 10, 2022.
Thanks, Burin Kantabutra for your defence of monks.
There is no concept of "expulsion" in Hinduism or any
other religion in India.
You may choose to belong to a religion and you can leave and join
some other. The same is the practice in the US.
True freedom of choice!
In the very first place, the whole concept of monks being celibate,
or unmarried is against the law of nature.
Sex is a natural function of the human body.
Forced celibacy is the root cause of all sex scandals involving
priests, monks, and pundits.
I had two very close Muslim friends in the US who frequented a bar
after work. They did not feel guilty about doing what a mainstream
American would do.
And they did not attend Friday prayers.
It was their personal choice.
Buddhists may choose to remain celibate when ordained as monks.
But there is nothing against getting married or having sex with
consenting adults. Religion should not be a litmus test for living
on this planet.
Kuldeep Nagi,
Bangkok,
Thailand
Bloomed branches of eternal
Thainess criminalise any
Expression
of less than perfect faith in Royal Thai Police
The
Southeast Asian Times, Thursday May 12, 2022
First published in the Bangkok Post, Tuesday May 3, 2022
|
Re: "Police fail Tangmo test", in
Bangkok Post, Editorial, April 29, 2022.
If the efforts of the officers of the Royal Thai Police, whose selfless
service to the nation reliably doing whatever it took to eradicate
the baddies, is suffering the casting of wicked aspersions and downright
insinuation of truths, mere business as usual may not be enough.
Happily, the bloomed branches of eternal Thainess offer a more efficacious
solution.
Impossible though it be to credit anyone seriously entertaining
such a notion, should there indeed be as alleged some faintest sliver
of "distrust in the police" the solution is simple:
criminalise any expression of less than perfect faith in the Royal
Thai Police.
That will immediately make them a perfectly revered Thai institution
universally trusted, respected and loved by all for generations
past.
Job done.
Joe Ferrari and his mentors would be proud, and that most impertinently
inconvenient video would never dare have come to light.
Feliz Qui,
Bangkok,
Thailand
Call
for jail term for non-compliance of
Personal
Data Protection Act
The
Southeast Asian Times, Wednesday May 11, 2022
First published in the Bangkok Post, Sunday May 8, 2022
|
Re: "Panel seeks delay of Personal Data
Protection Act (PDPA) enforcement," in Bangkok,
Thursday May 5, 2022.
We shouldn't apply the "mai pen rai" attitude to
enforcing the Personal Data Protection Act (PDPA), which will protect
the confidentiality of your name, address, transactions, and so
on when it comes into force.
As Personal Data Protection Act (PDPA) committee chairman Thienchai
Na Nakorn notes, "The PDPA will create confidence among
foreign business operators conducting business in Thailand."
Singapore and the Philippines already have Personal Data Protection
Act (PDPA) counterparts that have jail terms for non-compliance.
Let's allow the Personal Data Protection Act (PDPA) to go into force
on June 1 as planned but suspend punishment for two years.
If by June 1, 2024 a given firm was still in violation, the punishment
would take effect in full.
Burin Kantabutra,
Bangkok,
Thailand
Call for Thailand to shine
a light on
Sex trafficking of children
First
published in the Bangkok Post, Sunday May 8, 2022
|
Re:
"Dept fails noble task," in Bangkok Post,
Editorial, May 6, 2022.
It is a sad state of affairs when government officials and those
with trusted positions within society are all implicated in the
sex trafficking of children.
Who are children to turn to when they are in trouble or traumatised
when this type of situation is common?
Ever wonder why Thailand is on the ''Tier 2 Watchlist"?
What about going after the people who paid for sex with the children?
Should they also be charged?
After all, it is their actions that support such activity.
In my country, it is common for police to post images of people
charged with paying for sex - and this is with adults.
In order to get rid of such a scourge you need "shine light
on it" and use it as a disinfectant.
It seems this is another example of the government's promise to
end corruption falling flat.
We need to do much better for the children since they are the future.
If you cannot rely on the government to protect you as a child,
why would you expect them to be supportive of society as an adult?
Darius Hober,
Bangkok,
Thailand
No
surprise to learn failure of Myanmar military
To implement Five Point Consensus
The
Southeast Asian Times, Monday May 9, 2022
|
It comes as no surprise to learn of the
failure of the Armed Forces ( Tatmadaw ) of Myanmar, Commander-in-Chief
Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, to implement the Five Point Consensus
( Southeast Asian
Parliamentarians for Human Rights call on Myanmar military to implement
Five Point Consensus The Southeast Asian Times 6 May
) which ASEAN Leaders Meeting in Jakarta on 24 April 2021 had adopted
as a way forward following the brutal military coup .
I had predicted at the time that the rogue military rulers had no
genuine commitment to it.
We learn from the article that National Unity Government
( NUG ) deputy foreign minister Moe Zaw Oo said then we have
little confidence in ASEANs efforts .
He was right.
They knew the rogue military rulers of Myanmar a whole lot better
than the ASEAN mob.
One year later the rogue military rulers have become more entrenched
in power.
I doubt they will pay any heed to what the Southeast Asian Parliamentarians
say.
Mark my word on this.
Rajend Naidu,
Sydney,
Australia
Philippine elections are
much more
Than placing bets on the winning cock
The
Southeast Asian Times, Sunday April 8, 2022
First published in the Philippine Inquirer, Wednesday April
4, 2022
|
Elections are not your typical cockfighting sport
where you place your bets on the winning cock and that is all that
matters.
Elections are much more than that as it is a manifestation of our
democracy.
Hence, for elections to work properly in a democracy, every citizen
should be rightly informed.
Election debates are supposed to serve this purpose.
It is proven in the literature that debates have served as information
tools for the electorate.
They can also spark interest among citizens to engage in civic activities
and discuss issues.
Lastly, election debates can increase rational voting, which by
definition is a vote that is based on issue positions.
Relevant studies show how debates can persuade voters to consider
and acquire issue positions from their preferred candidate.
In other words, debates increase voters rationality.
This factor is crucial in a country considered rife with personality
politics.
These benefits tell us that debates are more than just strategic
tools for political campaigns.
It is used to bolster democracy by empowering the people.
Therefore, strategic withdrawals from debates can be seen as a deliberate
rejection of collective welfare in exchange for strategic, selfish
interests.
Given these things, Ferdinand Bongbong Marcos
Jr.s deliberate aversion to election debates is telling of
two things - his intention and character.
His intention is no doubt aimed at winning the presidential election
at all costs.
He wants to win no matter what, even if it means trading off his
integrity and being branded as a coward.
He wants to win even if the collective welfare is at stake.
For him, his familys return to power is of utmost priority.
More importantly, this speaks of his character.
His aversion to debates is by no mistake a sign of weakness.
He cant handle the heat.
Many netizens would point out how Marcos Sr., in comparison, was
eloquent and quick-witted.
Marcos Jr., on the other hand, does not seem eager to prove that
he can hold a candle to his father.
This could only mean two things. he is not his father or he simply
has no backbone.
Disturbingly, his current attitude also seems to imply that any
critical discourse or forms of dissenting opinion would not be welcomed
in a potential Marcos Jr. administration.
The narrative of positive campaigning, although it sounds
good, is no more than a façade - a veil that hides a fraudulent
attempt to undermine critics and create an image of an unquestionable,
benevolent dictator in the making.
John Jared Garcia,
Quezon City,
Philippines
Call for Philippines to
vote regionally
Just
like in the United States
The
Southeast Asian Times, Friday May 7, 2022
First published in the Philippine Inquirer, Tuesday May 3,
2022
|
Randy Davids Why Filipinos vote the
way they do, May 1, 2022 is another excellent article
dissecting all the reasons and manner of the Filipino voters.
We, Filipinos, are very tribal, not just in voting, but most will
not admit it since the word tribal connotes something low
class like the indigenous people and African tribes.
When we meet Filipinos for the first time, we always ask where they
are from and what language they speak, and sometimes ethnic groups
they belong to like Kapampangan, Bisaya, Ilocano, etc.
Of course, this is true too in the West like when they describe
themselves as southerner, midwesterner, etc. but not as empathic
as Filipinos do.
They will vote for an Ilocano because his father is Ilocano even
if he does not speak Ilocano.
They will vote for a Bicolano because she/he is from that region,
so on and on.
Regarding the local government units, I personally think that the
system of the barangay, which I think is very similar to the community
boards we have in New York, is prone to abuse especially when money
is involved especially with ayuda (aid) during
the COVID pandemic. Some of the aid extended is blatant vote-buying
for this election.
I am sure that there is also some form of corruption in the community
boards but as a rule, there is really no money involved, maybe just
some form of minor lobbying.
Regarding the senatorial selection/voting, we have been voting for
eight senators for years.
Why dont we consider just voting regionally, i.e., two to
four senators per region just like in the United States, two senators
per state?
That way, the representation will be just and practical.
I enjoy reading Randy Davids articles about politics since
they make me think and because he gives a sociological, historical,
and psychological background.
Unlike other columnists, he is not endorsing any candidate.I hope
that the Filipino people will be guided in their choices on May
9 since this is the only country we know and love.
Ida M. Tiongco,
New York, NY
It aint over until
it is over
Still
hope for candidates at the bottom of the poll
The
Southeast Asian Times, Friday May 6, 2022
First published in the Philippine Inquirer, Wednesday May
4, 2022
|
Chess players know that a winning position and a huge
material advantage are no guarantees of winning the game.
Every endgame in chess is crucial.
A strong chess player may get the biggest surprise of his life when
he loses because he made a terrible game-losing move during the
endgame.
I remember my chess coach telling me not to give up even when I
face an imminent checkmate.
Why?
Because my opponent might commit a blunder in his moves during our
endgame that may open an opportunity for me to win the game.
Whenever I play chess, I always keep in mind the saying It
aint over until it is over.
It is also uncalled for and rude in chess to tell your opponent
to resign.
Such call is annoying and childish.
Quitting is a personal decision.
The universally recognized manner of expressing resignation in chess
is to tip the King on its side.
Similarly in our present situation, the final index of winning are
not poll surveys and huge political rallies.
There is still hope for candidates at the bottom of the poll. Remember,
the election isnt over until every vote is counted.
Reginald
B. Tamayo,
Marikina City,
Philippines
United
States hypocritical to ask International Criminal Court
To investigate Russian war crimes
The
Southeast Asian Times, Thursday May 5, 2022
First published in the Bangkok Post Tuesday May 3, 2022
|
Re: "Investigation due", Bangkok
Post PostBag, April 28, 2022 and "US hypocrisy,"
Bangkok Post PostBag, April 26, 2022.
As usual my critics distort what I wrote on April 28.
The reason it is hypocritical for America to ask the International
Criminal Court (ICC) to investigate Russian war crimes is because
America took action against the International Criminal Court (ICC)
when they tried to investigate American war crimes in Afghanistan.
America also opposed the International Criminal Court (ICC) efforts
to investigate Israel's war crimes. I want the International Criminal
Court (I CC) o be allowed to investigate all war crimes and atrocities
whether committed by America, Russia or any other country in the
world.
Get it?
Eric Bahrt,
Bangkok,
Thailand
Call
for investment in a solar park
In Papua New Guinea
The
Southeast Asian Times, Wednesday April 4, 2022
First published in the National, Friday April 22, 2022
|
The Government and 21 provincial governments should
invest in a solar park to harness the vast sun power that is abundant
in Papua New Guinea.
One of the worlds best solar parks is the Mohammed Bin Rashid
Al Maltoum Solar Park in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, which covers
an area size of 77km.
This solar park has the capacity to supply 5,000 megawatts of electricity
which can supply electricity to a lot of provinces in Papua New
Guinea.
Papua New Guinea has a massive land mass for developers to select
a suitable site for such a renewable and sustainable project.
John Samar,
Port Moresby,
Papua New Guinea
It
is political persecution to prevent Aung San Suu Kyi
From
returning to an active role in politics
The
Southeast Asian Times, Tuesday May 3, 2022
|
The military regime stole power from the democratically
elected, legitimate government of Myanmar in a brutal military takeover
in 2021 has through its kangaroo court convicted former
leader Aung San Suu Kyi of corruption and sentenced her to five
years in prison ( The Fiji Times 29/4 p. 41).
Independent legal experts and human rights groups have called her
trial on trumped up charges a farce .
It is political persecution pure and simple to discredit
the long time pro- democracy leader and Nobel Laureate
and legitimize the militarys seizure of power while
preventing Aung San Suu Kyi from returning to an active role in
politics .
Her persecution has all the hallmarks of the modus operandi of a
rogue military regime.
Only the intellectually challenged can fail to see that.
Rajend Naidu,
Sydney
Australia
Former Papua News Guinea
PM Peter O'Neill
To be prosecuted over K3 billion loan
The
Southeast Asian Times, Monday May 2, 2022
First published in the National, Friday April 22, 2022
|
I refer to the article in The National accusing former
Prime Minister Peter ONeill obout the UBS transactions and
that he be referred to the leadership tribunal and the Independent
Commission Against Corruption (Icac).
The former prime minister, I believe had followed procedures and
proper channels and did not in any way involve in corrupt deals.
ONeill has done no wrongdoing in the K3 billion UBS loan.
The commission of inquiry (COI) report also points out weaknesses
in our system of government.
The UBS report tabled in parliament is astonishing due to the fact
that it is ten days away for the issuing of writs.
The governments survival tactics is now a subject of critics
and discussions as of the moment ONeills name made headlines.
At this moment onwards, our leaders are at a juncture of political
pressure and avenues are sought to survive the coming election.
Let me tell us that nature is watching and a sheep in the skin and
wolf inwardly are traits that is bad.
ONeill will still survive political accusations as he is innocent
and the commission of inquiry has found nothing wrong of him.
It is very surprising that ten days before issuing of writs, the
UBS results mentioned that ONeill be prosecuted.
This is a highly politised move and I believe it is not in the best
interest of Papua New Guinea.
Let us all wait and see what Icac has to say.
Justin Max Undi,
Port Moresby,
Papua New Guinea
Ukraine
must realise
That
it has to live with Russia
The
Southeast Asian Times, Sunday May 1, 2022
First published in the Bangkok Post, Wednesday April 27, 2022
|
Re: "Ukraine Russia war becoming a nuclear
end-game", in Bangkok Post, Opinion, April 22,
2022.
Before the war escalates into becoming a nuclear end-game, four
things will happen to the detriment of the European Union.
First, a few million more Ukrainians will immigrate to the European
Union; second, there will be more deaths and destruction; third,
the United States and European Union policies will have a crippling
effect on the economies directly involved in this conflict; and
fourth, this crisis may lead to a direct Russian conflict.
All efforts to liberate Ukraine and prepare it to join the European
Union are insignificant.
Ukraine must realise that it has to live with Russia, its immediate
neighbour.
The United States and European Union must instead mediate peace
talks rather than supply more arms.
Ukraine is not Afghanistan or Iraq.
There is still time for Ukraine to learn from Brexit.
Joining the European Union will not turn it into a free and prosperous
nation.
It can be a free nation with its rich resources.
The option of a nuclear end-game will be devastating.
Kuldeep Nagi,
Bangkok,
Thailand
The
rescue of road accident victims
Should be a free public service in Thailand
The
Southeast Asian Times, Saturday April 30, 2022
First published in the Bangkok Post, Friday April 22, 2022
|
Re: "One killed as rival rescue services
clash", in Bangkok Post, April 19, 2022.
Two rival emergency rescue foundations fought over market territory,
killing one worker.
But accident victims are helpless and should not be in a market
to be monopolised and delivered to the place paying the highest
fees - which would be private hospitals.
Rescuing road accident victims should be a free public service,
just like the police or fire-fighters.
Victims should be delivered to the nearest hospital - public or
private - able to treat them, perhaps as a Universal Coverage for
Emergency Patients (UCEP) emergency service.
Burin Kantabutra,
Bangkok,
Thailand
Pride and vanity keeping
unwinnable candidates
In the Presidential elections in the Philippines
The
Southeast Asian Times, Friday April 29, 2022
First published in the Bangkok Post, Wednesday April 27, 2022
|
Re: "4 runners in presidential race refuse
to drop out", in Bangkok Post, April 19, 2022
Due to the poorly structured presidential election process in the
Philippines, the winning candidate only needs to obtain more votes
than each of the other candidates.
There is no run-off election between the two highest vote-getters.
Thus, a candidate can be declared president without a majority of
the electorate supporting him or her.
In the last election, Rodrigo Duterte won the election with less
than 40 percent of the votes cast, meaning more than 60 percent
of the voters preferred someone other than him to be the president.
By refusing to drop out of the upcoming May 9 election, the four
minor candidates, none of whom have a realistic chance of winning,
are essentially handing the election to frontrunner Ferdinand Marcos
Jr.
If they would withdraw from the race in favour of the only viable
challenger to Mr Marcos, current Vice President Leni Robredo, there
would be a reasonable prospect of defeating the scion of the former
Philippine dictator.
Unfortunately, pride and vanity are keeping unwinnable candidates
in the contest, with the likely result being another period of dubious
and shady government controlled by the corrupt Marcos clan.
Samanea Saman,
Bangkok,
Thailand
Travel to and from Thailand
deferred
Until
re-entry is made simpler
The
Southeast Asian Times, Thursday April 28, 2022
First published in the Bangkok Post, Monday April 25, 2022
|
Re: "Tourists delay foreign trips"
in Bangkok Post, Business, April 18, 2022 and "Rules,
costs deter outbound travel" Bangkok Post, Business,
April 14, 2022
Analysts cited in these articles have failed to highlight what is
undoubtedly the biggest hurdle constraining outbound travel from
Thailand.
It is not the costs and rules imposed by other countries that discourages
Thai travellers from taking trips abroad.
Nor is it concerns over health and safety in other countries.
By far the biggest deterrent to outbound travel - and inbound travel
as well - is the uncertainty over regulations and the hassles involved
with returning to Thailand.
I know many Thais and foreign residents who are eager to return
to their pre-Covid travel habits of making multiple trips from Thailand
each year.
However, they are still deferring travel until re-entry to Thailand
is made simpler and less uncertain.
Samanea Saman,
Bangkok,
Thailand
Solomon Island PM Manasseh
Sogavare
Wants a stronger hold on power
The
Southeast Asian Times, Wednesday April 27, 2022
|
When I read in Terence Woods article
Solomons security shambles:What it says about us ( The
Fiji Times 26/4 ) that Solomon Islands prime minister Manasseh Sogavare
who wants a stronger hold on power is
Seen as the embodiment of a corrupt elite who is
unpopular in Honiara I knew the research fellow at the
Development Policy Centre at the Australian National University
had a good handle on the politics and geo-politics in the region.
His analysis cuts through the noise from the western media mob and
politicians regarding the Solomons-China security pact and gets
to what really matters for the people in the region.
His is a valuable contribution to the discourse.
Rajend Naidu,
Sydney
Australia
Lack
of education and training of Thai monks
Responsible for distorting teachings of
Buddha in Thaland
The
Southeast Asian Times, Tuesday April 26, 2022
First published in the Bangkok Post, Monday April 25, 2022
|
Re: "Beliefs are no excuse to damage our
health", in Bangkok Post, ThinkBox, April 18,
2022.
I hope the authorities of the National Office of Buddhism (NOB),
monks, and the patrons of temples will pay attention to the issues
raised by Ms Sanyanusin.
Buddha's teachings are exact.
He emphasised that we should make truth our refuge.
We should use our minds to direct our behaviour and actions. Instead
of cultivating mindfulness, temples are embroiled in empty rituals,
buying and selling amulets, lotteries, caged birds, and accepting
material things, including hard cash in merit-making.
In many temples, the devotees are brainwashed and taken on a spin,
ride, or trance, reincarnating into Garuda, Naga, and other creatures
which have become part of the fable of Thai Buddhism.
Ms Sanyanusin is correct that the enlightened one who taught us
against rituals is now suffocated with the stench and smell of burning
incense, candles, rotting flowers, garlands, and food. Some monks
have also become experts in botoxing rituals for those who can pay.
In addition, there are scores of criminal cases against Thai monks.
The lack of education and proper training of monks is mainly responsible
for distorting the teachings of Buddha and harming the reputation
of Thailand as a Buddhist country.
Kuldeep Nagi,
Bangkok,
Thailand
Thai version of #MeToo
Has
arrived
The
Southeast Asian Times, Monday April 25, 2022
First published in the Bangkok Post, Wednesday April 20, 2022
|
Re: "Prinn's case, party's fault,"
Bangkok Post, Editorial, April 19.
Your editorial was spot-on in saying that the Thai version of #MeToo,
the global campaign to seek justice for victims of sexual assault,
has arrived and is in full swing when one of the country's prime
minister hopefuls has been accused of sexual harassment and multiple
rapes.
As a long-time supporter of the Democrat Party, I am ashame, no,
disgusted is a better word, to learn that the party leader and party
executives refuse to recognise the mistake they have made and take
proper responsibility, because they are the ones who appointed this
person as party executive and deputy party leader.
A close aide to the party leader, a lady whose name is too stomach-churning
to mention here, has asked whether party executives should be investigated
for an individual's personal conduct.
What a shame and what irresponsibility for her to say such a thing.
That said, all party executives should resign en masse.
Vint Chavala,
Bangkok,
Thailand
ASEAN cities have some
of the worst
Air pollution in the world
The
Southeast Asian Times, Sunday April 24, 2022
First published in the Bangkok Post Friday April 22, 2022
|
Re: "Pondering Asean's future beyond 2025",
Bangkok Post Opinion, April 12, 2022
It is disheartening that Kavi Chongkittavorn's vision for Asean's
future fails to once mention environmental improvement and protection.
This reflects Asean's track record on the environment, which has
been anything but inspiring.
Major Asean cities have some of the worst air pollution in the world.
Asean countries count among the biggest contributors to global plastic
waste.
Waterways are clogged with debris and chemical discharge. Biodiversity
is under threat across Asean.
The region lacks ambition in committing to reducing greenhouse gas
emissions and has been slow to sign on to the Glasgow Leaders' Declaration
on Forests and Land Use.
Asean's main environmental thrust of the past two decades was the
Asean Agreement on Transboundary Haze Pollution, intended to reduce
forest fires and cut related transboundary haze pollution. Yet the
agreement has been a dismal failure.
Hopefully, Asean officials will include environmental elements into
their vision for the future.
Samanea Saman,
Bangkok,
Thailand
Former Prime Minister
Peter ONeill
Sets
a bad precedent for the highest office
The
Southeast Asian Times, Saturday April 23, 2022
First published in the National, Friday April 22, 2022
|
The most corrupt and obvious unlawful act of former
prime minister Peter ONeill in rushing the controversial K3
billion UBS loan is criminal in nature as it bypassed certain processes
and procedures.
The manner in which ONeill acted is a form of dictatorship
leadership.
He acted as if there were no other senior ministers available to
approach for a collective view and discussions.
This is something sinister and sets a bad precedent for the highest
office on this land.
What he did was a serious crime and he should pay the price that
serves as a lesson for future leaders.
Why are the law enforcing agencies such as the Attorney Generals
office, Ombudsman Commission, fraud squad and others not active
in prosecuting high profile culprits?
Set Example,
Port Moresby,
Papua New Guinea
Justice system in Thailand
Can
be relied on for former Democrat Party leader
The
Southeast Asian Times, Friday April 22, 2022
First published in the Bangkok Post, Wednesday April 20, 2022
|
Re: "Have faith in the justice system,"
InQuote, April 18, 2022
Prinn Panichapakdi, ex-Democrat Party leader charged with sexual
assault by many women wants us to believe that our justice system
can be relied upon.
But let's look at the record. The colonels and generals responsible
for Tak Bai (83 bodies) and Nong Chik (4 bodies) haven't even been
identified, let alone court-martialled. Praewa Thephasadin Na Ayudhya
(aka Rawinpirom Arunvongse) accidentally killed nine, yet served
not one day in jail. Red Bull heir Vorayuth "Boss" Yoovidhaya
has run free for a full decade. PM Prayut has swept under the rug
the report of ex-NACC commissioner Vicha Mahakun on reforming the
police and prosecutors with no apparent intention of resurrection.
When a hi-so, highly influential defendant tells us to have faith
in our justice system, that should add to our worries that justice
will not be done.
Burin Kantabutra,
Bangkok,
Thailand
Thai Airways secures credit
for leases
While in bankruptcy
The
Southeast Asian Times, Thursday April 21, 2022
First published in the Bangkok Post, Wednesday April 20, 2022
|
Re: "Leased 777-300ERs to join Thai's fleet",
Bangkok Post, April 8, 2022.
Thai Airways just announced the lease of three new planes each with
a three-class configuration, including First Class which is currently
unavailable on any routes serviced.
This acquisition begs questions:
While in bankruptcy, how can they secure credit for the leases?
What kind of fiscal shenanigans are at work here?
Undoubtedly theses planes have a state-of-the-art First Class at
the behest of those "senior people" who bemoan
the loss of their comforts and rarely pay for their seats.
The article in the Bangkok Post said that Thai Airways International
Public Company Limited (TG) is in the process of selling or has
sold 45 planes from the fleet
Hogwash!!!
They have not sold a single one.
Why not retrofit some of the existing planes, as there are still
some in the fleet with many years left on the clock.
Surely a cheaper option.
The soap opera never ends and once again the taxpayer who owns a
substantial share is being abused.
Will it never end?
Rev Michael Palmer,
Bangkok,
Thailand
Much
remains to be done by each one of us
Beyond the Philippines elections
The
Southeast Asian Times, Monday April 18, 2022
First published in the Philippine Inquirer, Monday April 18,
2022
|
Amongst those who support ABBB (Anyone but Bongbong),
there are two prevalent themes of lament.
First is the depiction of the vote as an existential struggle between
good, largely symbolized by the pink campaign, against evil, led
by a son whose campaign is based on the revisionist recounting of
his antecedents destructive corruption as a golden age for
the country.
The problem with the first is that the reality is not a simple binary
contest. Inequality, corruption, and patronage in our culture are
now so deeply ingrained over centuries and generations and in our
daily lives, that these forces have overcome and colored all of
us to some degree or another.
Leni Robredo, try as she will, will struggle against these forces.
There is more to our problem than a change in the government will
fix.
The most encouraging development in this election has been to witness
the rising tide of volunteerism that is now powering Leni Robredos
campaign.
A rising tide of truth and holding leaders to account is a necessary
condition to our country rising from poverty and haplessness.
We need a change in culture as much as we need a better president.
The presidency is an opportunity to effect change, without which
victory is meaningless.
In the corporate world, there is the aphorism that culture beats
strategy.
A leader embodies culture.
Our countrys culture is only the sum of how each one of us
behaves and what values we hold and live to.
A pervasive subservience to wealth and power is a national trait
inhibiting thoughtful discourse and accountability.
We all have a part in consciously deciding to make this change and
changing our behaviors to be more inclusive and equal, and demanding
the same from others, in our daily lives.
We should be always striving to move from a society of haves and
have-nots, to a community of inclusiveness, equality of opportunity,
and equality before the law.
The second theme is how lamentably ignorant the unenlightened masses
are that they know no better, that they fall so easily for the revisionism.
For all of us who are in a position to effect systemic change, the
question is, have we done enough that people can see the fruit of
good government?
In the absence of substantive differences in outcomes, why should
the polity prefer one fable over another?
This is not to diminish the case for clean government, but those
in our country who have no other recourse than to rely on the machinery
of the government, to even the odds for them in the struggle for
a better life, maybe have not seen sustained evidence that voting
for the good guy actually works.
Rather than call out ignorance, are we reflecting enough on the
failure to improve at a systemic level, the health, education, and
opportunity of the masses, and take it as a rebuke that we and the
system have not done better for those who number the most?
Nation-building is not done in six years, or every six years.
It is an ongoing work in progress of steadfast self-sacrifice, all
too sadly lacking if you examine our nations history of party
affiliation and the level of our political discourse, as well as
involvement and inclusiveness over history.
It starts with our vote, with our engagement, but can only be meaningful
if we appreciate that we cant just leave it to the winner
of the contest to make our life and our national communitys
life better.
Whatever the outcome, much remains to be done by each one of us,
beyond the elections.
Jay Mendoza,
Sydney,
Australia
Sanctioned
Russian oligarch
Docks
superyacht in Fiji
The
Southeast Asian Times, Tuesday April 19, 2022
|
We learn from The Fiji Times report
Amadea is here - Russian billionaires yacht in Fiji
( 13 April ) that Putin supporter Suleiman Kerimov,
a Russian oligarch who is currently sanctioned over Russias
invasion of Ukraine has docked his super yacht in Fijis
second port city Lautoka.
How has this been possible when one, such superyachts owned Russian
oligarchs who are big time Putin backers, have been sanctioned by
the USA, UK and Europe; and two, Fiji just voted in the UN for Russias
suspension from the Human Rights Council?
Could that be because of a perception on the part of the Russian
billionaire that Fiji being a coup country is a third world banana
republic where there is no solid democratic accountability, transparency
and public scrutiny of State action so he could get away with sailing
smartly into Fiji?
Rajend Naidu
Sydney,
Australia
The
National Office of Buddhism shows that
Thai Buddhism's primary function is political
The
Southeast Asian Times, Monday April 18, 2022
First published in the Bangkok Post, Tuesday April 12, 2022
|
Re: "Men
of cloth, not paper", Bangkok Post Editorial,
April 9, 2022
When has the nationalistic religion known as Thai Buddhism, created
by and for powerful political players, ever been primarily about
the teachings of the Buddha, rather than the pursuit of power, property
and prestige in line with its political origins?
Why else would the original example of gifting literally gilded
temples and images to monks have been set, except to serve the very
secular goals of using the religion so endowed as a means to keep
the masses passive and peaceful underfoot as they contributed to
the coffers?
Why else would Thai Buddhism have political protection and control
at the highest level?
The very existence of such a thing as the National Office of Buddhism
shows that Thai Buddhism's primary function is political.
If Thai Buddhism is to move from worldly concerns towards following
the wise teachings of the Buddha, an essential reform is to free
it from state management. Annul the National Office of Buddhism
and other political control of the religion that it may independently
pursue and preach the wisdom of the Buddha to the great benefit
of those who will listen.
Felix Qui,
Bangkok,
Thailand
Leave
the fight for Philippines President
To Marcos vs. Leni
The
Southeast Asian Times, Sunday April 17, 2022
First published in the Philippine Inquirer, Thursday April
14, 2022
|
In my commentary, United we stand remembering
a hero March 26, 2022, I gave a subtle hint to the
presidential candidates not named Marcos.
I recalled the sacrifice of Salvador H. Laurel who gave up his ambition,
so Cory Aquino could become president in 1986.
Laurel was more qualified to become president then, a veteran lawyer,
honest politician, experienced public servant, and freedom fighter,
versus Tita Cory, a simple housewife.
Initially, Cory Aquino endorsed Laurel but later public clamor persuaded
her to run, putting Laurel in a dilemma.
Run and both of them would lose.
Laurel gave way to Tita Cory and sacrificed his ambition to become
a true hero.
Fast forward to today, and this time I will not be subtle.
It seems that the candidates against Marcos are dense and ambitious.
Masyadong bilib sa sarili. Sen.
Manny Pacquiao is raw and does not have enough experience in public
service.
He needs ajinomoto seasoning.
Same with Isko Moreno.
He just started as mayor of Manila and should finish his first term
before aspiring for higher office.
Too ambitious. Sen. Panfilo Lacson is not corrupt and has more experience,
but he does not have public support.
The other candidates, whose names I refuse to recal, are just nuisance
candidates.
As a senior citizen who has voted in 10 previous presidential elections,
I urge these three candidates to withdraw now and leave the fight
to Marcos vs. Leni, si Magnanakaw versus si Maganda.
This is the best chance for Leni to win.
Crispin C. Maslog,
Manila,
Philippine
Noise levels at Royal
Thai Air Force airbase in Udon Thani
No louder than singers in bars and karaoke
clubs
The
Southeast Asian Times, Saturday April 16, 2022
First published in the Bangkok Post, Tuesday April 12, 2022
|
Re: "Jet blues in Udon Thani",
in Bangkok Post , April 4, 2022
Either there are flaws in the assessment of the noise levels generated
by fighter jets in neighbourhoods surrounding the Royal Thai Air
Force airbase in Udon Thani, or local people have no legitimate
cause for complaints.
According to the World Health Organization, sound levels less than
70 decibels are not damaging to living organisms, regardless of
how long or consistent the exposure.
Thus, the reported noise levels of 64.8-65.2 decibels are in no
way "too loud" or dangerous for local residents.
The noise levels measured in Udon Thani are essentially the same
intensity as a normal conversational voice, which measures about
60 decibels. Other common sources of noise are far greater.
Hairdryers, lawnmowers, motorcycles, and most power tools, for example,
register around 90 decibels. Music concerts and sporting events
clock in at about 110 decibels.
I'd venture to speculate that the acoustic assaults of promo girls
in department stores, amplified entertainment of singers in bars
and karaoke clubs, and the loudspeaker campaigning in support of
politicians that Thais seem to tolerate without complaint run far
in excess of 100 decibels.
I personally lived in an area used in training jet fighter pilots,
back in the days when such training regularly involved planes breaking
the sound barrier. The sonic booms and screeching of jets overhead
can indeed be very disturbing.
But if the noise levels in Udon Thani are no more than those being
reported, locals have nothing to whine about.
Samanea Saman,
Bangkok,
Thailand
Don't preach to others
Those who have blood on your hands
The
Southeast Asian Times, Friday April 15, 2022
First published in the Bangkok Post Thursday April 14, 2022
|
Re: "Asean tally", in Bangkok
Post, PostBag, April 11, 2022 and "Thais abstain
in UNHRC vote on Russia", in Bangkok Post,
April 9, 2022.
Korean War: 2.5 million civilian casualties Vietnam War: 2 million
civilian casualties Gulf War: 200,000 civilian casualties Afghanistan
War: 70,000 civilian casualties Iraq War: 66,000 civilian casualties.
Above are the civilian casualties from some of the recent wars that
America and Nato have fought.
Those who have blood on their own hands don't preach to others.
Since the start of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, the US and its European
Nato allies have only stepped up their purchase of oil and gas from
Russia, while preaching to the rest of the world as to what it should
do. Ken Albersten is even willing to hug the military dictatorship
of Myanmar simply because they voted how he wanted?
VB,
Bangkok,
Thailand
Change in Pakistan happened
Without military playing any part
The
Southeast Asia Times, Thursday April 14, 2022
|
The popular Pakistani prime minister former legendary
cricketer Imran Khan was ousted in a no-confidence vote
in parliament .
Its a reminder that in politics fortunes can change rather
suddenly.
In the Pakistan context its good to know the change has happened
without the military playing any part in it as has often been the
case historically since the countrys formation ( for further
illumination see renown author and academic Tariq Alis book
Pakistan : military rule or peoples power ? )
Rajend Naidu,
Sydney,
Australia
Thai temple funds should
adhere to legal obligations
Applicable to bona fide businesses
The
Southeast Asian Times, Wednesday April 13, 2022
First published in the Bangkok Post, Friday April 8, 2022
|
Re: "'Temple swindler' assets to be investigated",
in Bangkok Post April 6, 2022.
If a close acquaintance of a temple's abbot can embezzle 190 million
baht from the temple's funds in less than four months, isn't it
time that these entities are subject to some sort of oversight?
They should be registered as a legal business/charity and thereby
obliged to adhere to all legal obligations applicable to bona fide
businesses.
Misappropriating funds intended for temple or school improvements
is simply depraved.
I cannot see anyone arguing against introducing equitable regulations
in this area unless those making the argument have ulterior motives.
Shane Simpson,
Bangkok,
Thailand
ASEAN members Laos and
Vietnam voted
To let Russia stay on the UNHRC
The
Southeast Asian Times, Tuesday April 12, 2022
First published in the Bangkok Post, Saturday April 12, 2022
|
Re: "Thai's abstain in United Nations Human
Rights Council (UNHRC) vote on Russia", in Bangkok Post
April 9, 2022.
Regarding Thursday's vote in the United Nations General Assembly
(UNGA) on whether to kick Russia off the United Nations Human Rights
Council (UNHRC), of the 11 countries within Asean, only Laos and
Vietnam voted to let Russia stay on the United Nations Human Rights
Council (UNHRC).
Six countries abstained, including Thailand, indicating they were
too cowed to vote for freedom
Three countries had the cojones to do what was right and vote in
favour of kicking Russia off the the United Nations Human Rights
Council (UNHRC), Myanmar, East Timor and the Philippines.
Those of us who watch these sorts of things were not surprised that
China voted to keep Russia on the United Nations Human Rights Council
(UNHRC), while India abstained.
We expected better from India, and were pleasantly surprised that
Myanmar voted for freedom for Ukrainians.
Ken Albertsen,
Bangkok,
Thailand
The global response to
Covid was tyranny
Plain and simple.
The
Southeast Asian Times, Monday April 11, 2022
First published in the Bangkok Post Friday April 8, 2022
|
Re: "Covid-19's lessons for democracies",
in Bangkok Post, Opinion, April 5, 2022.
The global response to Covid was tyranny, plain and simple.
People were forced by threat of violence to comply with draconian
measures such as loss of economic liberty, being imprisoned at home
through curfews, and forced to be "research monkeys"
by coercing people to take untested medicine.
The government responses were motivated by political concerns of
exercising power and social control, not by scientific information
and standards.
Even the WHO admits lockdowns, masks and jabs were ineffective against
a virus with less than a 1 percent rate of mortality.
More so if there are not any co-morbidities health issues present
with the infected.
An easy way to see this is with the government response to the one
of the major mortality factors, that is cancer!
There are more deaths every year from cancer than Covid can ever
cause.
Yet the collective global governance does not ban the usage of carcinogens
or declare "lockdowns" for commercial activity
that are carcinogenic.
Darius Hober,
Bangkok,
Thailand
Property seizures carried
out in Myanmar by military
Before accused found guilty in court
The
Southeast Asian Times, Sunday April 10, 2022
|
It is patently clear from The Southeast Asian Times
report Myanmar military held accountable for illegal
seizure of property ( 7 April 2023 ) Myanmar has fallen
into rogue rule under the military regime that grabbed power from
the democratically elected government.
How else is one to describe a regime that has seized more
than 54 homes and other properties belonging to civilians opposed
to the Armed Forces
( Tatmadaw ), the power grabbers when the Seizures
were carried out before the accused were found guilty in court?
?
This modus operandi of the Myanmar military junta is reminiscent
of the disgraceful confiscation and thieving done by the Nazi regime.
Rajend Naidu,
Sydney,
Australia
February 1986 revolution
cause for missing aplication
For Nobel Peace Prize for President Cory
Aquino in 1987
The
Southeast Asian Times, Saturday April 9, 2022
First published in the Philippine Inquirer, Monday April 4,
2022
|
We appreciate the commentary of Oscar Arias, the former
president of Costa Rica and Nobel Peace Prize laureate, which came
out on March 30, 2022.
But you may not be aware that it was his peace plan concerning three
countries that made us miss the Nobel award for Philippines President
Cory Aquino in 1987.
The February 1986 peaceful revolution made us miss the application
with the February. 28, 1986 deadline, and postpone our candidacy
to 1987.
The undersigned spent one year preparing the file, which was quite
substantial.
First, we had the backing of many previous awardees, Lech Walesa,
Desmond Tutu, Irish, Catholic, Protestant girls, whom we had difficulty
tracing in the US.
Backing of parliaments, we got Mrs. Simone Veil for the European
Parliament, and universities, historical and cultural departments,
Notre Dame, the US, etc.
In the end, when Mrs. Aquino was informed, she asked our friend
Raul Manglapus, who was secretary of foreign affairs, to assist.
We had an impressive file, but came out second to President Arias,
with a very slim backing, but his peace plan concerned three Central
American countries, while we were concerned with one country - the
reason why we lost.
As far as we know unofficially, we came out second; there are some
300 candidates yearly.
It is too bad nobody took up the case to try the following year,
possibly with a better chance. We certainly had solid grounds as
Mrs. Aung San Suu Kyi.
W A Mialhe De Burgh,
Manila,
Philippines
Things
will only get worse
Until we start reducing greenhouse gases
The
Southeast Asian Tmes, Friday April 8, 2022
First published in the Bangkok Post, April 7, 2022
|
Re: "Chilly rain forecast for much of country",
Bangkok Post April 3, 2022.
The news mentioned that it would be up to 4C cooler and rainy in
most areas of Thailand until at least Monday of this week.
It should also be mentioned that it was up to 7C cooler and rainy
in some northern regions of the nation during the weekend.
I believe that this unusual weather pattern is more than just a
coincidence and is consistent with global warming, wherein extreme
weather patterns are expected to occur with greater frequency in
the future.
Things will only get worse unless we start reducing greenhouse gases
now.
The just-released Intergovernmental Panel on Climate change (IPCC)
makes this clear.
If we want to reduce global temperature increases to 2C, global
greenhouse gas emissions must peak by 2025, and be reduced by a
quarter in 2030.
There will be net-zero greenhouse gas emitted by 2070 under this
scenario.
In order to have a global temperature increase of only 1.5C, greenhouse
gas emissions must reach zero by 2050.
Paul,
Bangkok,
Thailand
Royal
Thai Navy needs no engines in submarines
As showpiece on Children's Day
The
Southeast Asian Times, Thursday April 7, 2022
First published in the Bangkok Post. Wendnesday April 6, 2022
|
Re: "Subs deal at risk: PM",
in Bangkok Post, April 5, 2022.
I don't understand why the prime minister and assorted lads are
so fussed about whether their desperately impressive subs have engines
or not.
The Royal Thai Navy's aircraft carrier needs no engine to passively
sit serving its purpose as a showpiece.
Why would their subs need engines at all to perform at the same
sub standard expected? They will look every bit as impressive for
Children's Day without.
Felix Qui,
Bangkok,
Thailand
Estate tax on Marcos inherited
assests
Is six percent of P388.2 billion
The
Southeast Asian Times, Wednesday April 6, 2022
First published in the Philippine Inquirer, Tuesday March
29, 2022
|
Theres no doubt that one of the most serious
issues against the Marcoses in this election season is their unpaid
estate tax.
Originally amounting to P23.29 billion, it has now ballooned to
P203.82 billion, inclusive of interests and penalties.
The Marcos camp argues that there is nothing final on this issue,
while Marcos critics insist that the Supreme Court ruling on it
has long been final and executory.
It appears, then, that the high tribunal should be able to resolve
this controversy. But only at first glance.
Because, fortunately or unfortunately, under our system of government,
the Supreme Court is not like the legendary Muhammad who can go
down the mountain anytime to resolve a problem below.
There is reason to believe that the primary bone of contention here
is whether the controversial P23.29 billion estate tax was assessed
based on the value of assets and real properties that the Marcos
heirs had actually inherited from the elder Marcos, or whether the
tax base used was inclusive of the so-called ill-gotten wealth already
sequestered and eventually forfeited in favor of the government.
That said, may I offer a simple way to determine the truth behind
this issue?
Consider this: the estate tax, also called inheritance tax, is six
percent of the value of the inherited assets and payable to the
Bureau of Internal Revenue.
Simple arithmetic easily tells us that the Marcos heirs had inherited
some P388.2 billion worth of assets which, needless to say, must
now be under their possession. On the other hand, there is another
kind of estate tax, otherwise called real property tax.
This is payable to the municipality, city, or province where the
assets or real properties are located.
Plain common sense should tell us that though computed at different
tax rates and certain other considerations, the estate or inheritance
tax and the estate or real property tax must be based essentially
on the same list of assets and properties. (Essentially because
the taxpayer may have assets other than those inherited). Otherwise,
something must be wrong, In turn, this clarification should be enough
to enlighten the electorate on the truth or myth behind this issue.
Rodolfo L. Coronel,
Manila,
Philippines
If Thailand wants to retain
US billion-dollar market
Would
be prudent to assuage the concerns of the buyer
The
Southeast Asian Times, Tuesday April 5, 2022
First published in the Bangkok Post, Monday April 4, 2022
|
Re: "US solar panel probe draws protest
from ministry", Bangkok Post, Business, April 2, 2022.
The reaction by the government concerning the United States wanting
to ensure that China is not dumping solar panel-related technology
and parts does not look good.
When someone is "not" breaking rules, offering
transparency is a great way to disprove an allegation of cheating
or malfeasance.
To protest the inquiry or probe itself gives the impression that
something is being hidden or that the allegation is based in truth.
If Thailand really wants to retain a US billion-dollar market, they
would be prudent to assuage the concerns of the buyer rather than
protest a legitimate concern of a customer.
When your position is "to prepare a defence" rather
than proving through transparency, it makes one believe that there
is something off. I would like to see the Thai economy retain this
export potential but in order to do this I feel the government's
actions need to change.
Darius Hober,
Bangkok,
Thailand
China's
Shanghai lockdown policy
Is
swatting at flies
The
Southeast Asian Times, Monday March 4, 2022
First published in the Bangkok Post, Thursday March 31, 2022
|
Re: "Half of Shanghai in lockdown to curb
Covid-19 outbreak," in Bangkok Post March 28, 2022.
While I wish the Chinese government all the best in their efforts
to manage Covid-19, I must say that I do not think a zero-Covid
approach really is in China's best interests anymore.
Frankly, much of the world is starting to move on now and has grown
accustomed to simply living with a manageable chronic illness.
The illness is simply here to stay until we develop a new generation
of vaccines and, as Covid-19 has a very low mortality rate, the
time has come to largely reopen and move on.
Our economies cannot sustain endless lockdowns.
I wish China well, but this policy is swatting at flies.
It discourages international travel on their airlines and will do
few people much good.
Jason A Jellison,
Bangkok,
Thailand
Call for United Nations
military adviser to advise
Role of the military in a democracy
The
Southeast Asian Times, Sunday April 3, 2022
|
After his courtesy visit to the Black Rock military
facility in Fiji ( UN Military Adviser pays a courtesy visit
to Black Rock The Fiji Times 28/3 ), can the United Nations
military adviser visit Myanmar to advice the military general who
grabbed power in a military coup from the democratically elected
government of Aung San Sui Kyi what the role of the military is
in a democracy?
That would be a very worthwhile visit for the United Nations military
adviser to make to have a military man to military man talk with
the rogue military ruler of Myanmar who has been engaged in terrorising
the people of Myanmar since his takeover.
Rajend Naidu,
Sydney,
Australia
How stupid are humans?
They destroy cities and cultures
The
Southeast Asian Times, Saturday April 2, 2022
First published in the Bangkok Post, Thursday April 31, 2022
|
Re: "Odessa and Ukraine that was,"
in Bangkok Post, Opinion, March 29, 2022.
Alas, before Odessa, many other famous cities became the victims
of wars. Warmongers have destroyed the beautiful culture and heritage
of Beirut, Damascus and Baghdad.
A little search on Google will show that many other cities have
been damaged or destroyed by evil wars.
Old City of Dubrovnik, Croatia; Vijecnica (City Hall) of Sarajevo,
Bosnia; the Buddhas of Bamiyan, Afghanistan; Djinguereber Mosque
of Timbuktu, Mali; and the Great Mosque of Aleppo, Syria are a few
examples.
These sites became targets of unnecessary devastation and destruction
brought by ill-conceived wars.
And let us not forget Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
How stupid are humans?
They destroy cities and cultures which took a millennium to establish.
Do our ancestors, the chimpanzees and apes, have a better understanding
of the world?
Kuldeep Nagi
Bangkok,
Thailand
Why is Julian Assange
Being persecuted?
The
Southeast Asian Times, Friday April 1, 2022
|
It is true that with his war of invasion in Ukraine
and the atrocities committed against the people of Ukraine Putin
undermines an international system which gives us all
an equal voice in the world and an ability to defend our own sovereign
interests ( Putins threat to the Pacific,
and our defence Advertisement, The Fiji Times 28/3 ).
Did Julian Assange not reveal a serious breach of the rules-based
international order in Iraq?
Why is he being persecuted for doing that?
Why the selective condemnation?
Rajend Naidu,
Sydney,
Australia
Mind your own business
In order to be civilized in Papua New Guinea
The
Southeast Asian Times, Thursday March 31, 2022
First published in the National, Thursday March 31, 2022
|
MYOB
(mind your own business) is an abbreviation used by old civilisations
that usually bears fruitful impacts in life.
It is a reminder that drives one to divert their attention and concentrate
on self-matters.
The multicultural societies like the US and Brazil are occupied
by individuals of diverse walks of life.
Although there are homosexuals, transgender and bestiality, to state
a few, they interact respectably together.
There are thousands of religious groups from Christianity to Muslim
and Scientology to Satanism.
Since they are civilised, they tolerate and participate collectively
as part of the society.
In 2015, the US president Barrack Obama spoke in the Rose Garden
of Whitehouse after the US supreme court declared that same-sex
couples have the right to marry anywhere in the US.
While commemorating the event, the president told the overwhelming
crowd that the nation was founded on a bedrock principle
that we are created equal.
After a few congratulatory statements, the president embraced the
then secretary of state and kissed him on stage to mark an exemplary
day.
The boiling celebration was sparked by the aid of rainbow-coloured
fireworks that dyed the murky space, alongside an overflow of warm
individuals of various genders.
Another occasion erupted in 2017 when the Christians celebrated
Christmas Eve in the Whitehouse.
While encircling and devoting a holy-cross with a statue of Saint
Mary, the followers of Satanism also held their ritual, having worshipped
a gold-carved sculpture of a black-coloured snake that coiled around
an apple made of pure bronze.
Christians stormed out with frustrations as they approached the
group.
They informed Satanism that they were celebrating the birth of Christ
and insisted on knowing the purpose of the ritual.
The Christians were told that if Satan did not intervene at the
beginning, life would not have come that far.
Others added that they havent recognised under the constitution
which forbids the free will of religions.
The responses defeated the Christians as they dissolved unnoticeably.
To cut a long story short, they presume that only God is righteous
to judge, otherwise it would be a breach of privacy and self-determination
if sued.
But not in PNG society.
We are experts at privatising other peoples affairs.
This uncivilised personality enables one to consider what others
might think, which leads to exhaust both time and resources to please
others.
It accumulates in breeding countless hypocrites, which handicaps
our progress at large.
In order to be a civilised and successful person, one must terminate
the trend to judge others and step on their own path to positively
head out.
Life is too short to be wasted on another life.
Petrus
Gand,
Social-Justice-Advocate,
Port Moresby,
Papua New Guinea
Call for Commander-in-chief
of Myanmar military
To
be hauled before the International Criminal Court
The
Southeast Asian Times, Wednesday March 30, 2022
|
We read in The Southeast Asian Times 27 March that
the Commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces ( Tatmadaw ) of Myanmar,
Sr Gen Min Aung Hlaing, said the National Unity Government ( NUG
), the Peoples Defence Force ( PDF ) and the Civil Disobedience
Movement ( CDM ) were terrorist groups.
But if you ask the people of Myanmar they will tell you its
the Myanmar military that has become a terrorist outfit under the
rogue ruler Sr Gen Min Aung Hlaing who grabbed power in a military
coup from the democratically elected government of Aung San Sui
Kyi.
The rogue military general should be hauled before the International
Criminal Court (ICC) for the killings and atrocities committed by
his military thugs against the people of Myanmar.
A Red Notice should be issued on him.
Rajend Naidu.
Sydney,
Australia
Now the EU and USA have
no choice
But to work with China and India
The
Southeast Asian Times, Tuesday March 29, 2022
First published in the Bangkok Post, Friday March 25, 2022
|
Re: "Sanctions aren't new, ask the Romans",
in Bangkok Post, Opinion, March 19, 2022.
Yes, it is indeed true that sanctions do not work. Cuba, Iran, N
Korea, and many other countries face sanctions imposed by Western
powers. In 1970 when India started to become a nuclear power, it
faced the same situation.
Mr Trump tried to impose sanctions on China during his tenure, but
it quickly backfired.
In all the cases cited above, the economic disruptions caused by
sanctions have prompted these countries to fight harder to defend
themselves.
There is no doubt that the anger and anxiety brought by economic
disruptions can accelerate rather than conclude wars.
Unjust sanctions also generate long-term hatred towards countries
that create hardships for ordinary citizens.
We can clearly see that countries that were sanctioned have come
out stronger. Now the EU and USA have no choice but to work with
China and India.
They will have to get back to work with Russia to end the devastating
war in Ukraine.
The time has come for Western countries to stop abusing sanctions
and punishing countries that do not bow to their powers.
It is just a matter of time before they will be forced to work with
Afghanistan, Iran, Russia, N Korea and Cuba. Alas, these days, sanctions
are as useless as nuclear weapons that were one time signs of supremacy.
Kuldeep Nagi,
Bangkok,
Thailand
Call for new Commission
on Elections (Comelec)
To
decide Marcos Jr. disqualifications immediately
The
Southeast Asian Times, Monday March 28, 2022
First published in the Philippine Inquirer, Monday March 21,
2022
|
The reorganized Commission on Elections (Comelec),
with the recent appointment of its chair and two new commissioners,
seems to have a less than auspicious start, and still much less
of an assurance of a honeymoon period to prove itself trustworthy
and credible.
Aside from the alarm raised by netizens regarding the lack of transparency
in the printing of the official ballots, which the commission later
rectified with a walk through, an exposé by a senator that
a commissioner was involved in a case of bribery, is not making
it easy for the new Comelec to prove its worth - if it is minded
to.
Yet, it can redeem itself simply by acting swiftly and reasonably
in the promulgation of election rules and in the resolution of cases.
We saw the rules on the posting of election materials, and other
related issues, caused an uproar that prompted a court in Baguio
City to restrain their implementation.
And this came after the questionable act of a commissioner, who
delayed the issuance of the decision in one of the Marcos Jr. disqualification
cases in order to marginalize a colleague.
It could only have been done for a fiendish objective, because simple
courtesy would have moved one to do everything to make sure that
colleague is heard, not silenced.
At the moment, the final decision on one pending Marcos Jr. disqualification
case, and on motions for reconsideration in the others, is a challenge
to Chairman Pangarungan and a litmus test of his political will.
The disqualification cases should have been decided weeks ago so
that the aggrieved parties could have sought final relief from the
Supreme Court to settle all issues of eligibility and qualification
of a candidate before election day.
It should not be left undecided after election day, as this will
potentially cause a political crisis.
That there is silence on this subject at the moment reminds us of
the Ferolino playbook of delaying action for questionable reasons.
The new commission can stop this by deciding the Marcos Jr. disqualification
cases immediately.
Will Chairman Pangarungan rise to the challenge?
Ancheta K. Tan,
Makati City
Philippines
Call for environmental
policies to be on agenda
For
next president of the Philippines
The
Southeast Asian Times, Sunday March 27, 2022
First published in the Philippine Inquirer, Saturday March
25, 2022
|
We seldom hear politicians outrightly campaign for
environmental policies.
In the recently concluded Philippines presidential debates at our
university, the University of Santo Tomas, I cannot help but be
alarmed that the questions posed to the candidates did not even
touch on environment-related platforms.
On top of this, green policies are not reflected in the candidates
major campaigns.
It is high time that environmental policies should be part of the
mainstream agenda for the next president of the Philippines.
The absence of green policies has ramifications on ordinary peoples
lives. Although not seen in plain sight, the change in climate contributes
to armed conflicts across the world as states vie for limited resources.
The Philippines is ravaged by typhoons, earthquakes, and landslides
every year. People living in poverty are the most vulnerable and
bear the disastrous impacts of these catastrophes.
Yet, every year, its always the same news - deaths, destroyed
houses, damage to agriculture, crowded evacuation centers. Should
this always be the fate of the Filipino people?
What is toxic about this is that survivors of disasters are always
praised for their resilience when the government could have put
in place safeguards that protect and prepare them for such calamities.
This is why its crucial that the countrys next president
should have unwavering support and participation in green policies,
and honor commitments to international treaties.
As the Latin legal maxim says: salus populi est suprema lex, the
welfare of the people is the supreme law.
A president for the environment is a president for the people.
Eduardo Fajermo,
Manila,
Philippines
Philippine Society of
International Law
Calls
for withdrawal of Russian military from Ukraine
The
Southeast Asian Times, Saturday Match 26, 2022
First published in the Philippine Inquirer, Thursday March
25, 2022
|
The Philippine Society of International Law (PSIL)
joins the call of the United Nations and the Philippine government
in demanding the immediate, complete, and unconditional withdrawal
of Russian military forces from Ukraine.
Article 2(4) of the UN Charter prohibits states from using armed
force against the territorial integrity or political independence
of other states.
Russias act of invading and bombing, and maintaining armed
forces within Ukraine violates this prohibition.
Calling it special military operations or any
other term does not change the character of Russias actions
as a full-scale invasion and an unlawful use of force.
Moreover, international humanitarian law, including the Geneva Conventions,
directs the parties to an armed conflict to limit hostilities solely
against military objectives and not against civilians, and to minimize
incidental injuries against civilians.
The invasion of Ukraine has exacted grave human suffering among
innocent civilians, including children. Homes, hospitals, and schools
have been indiscriminately razed and destroyed by the hostilities.
Over three million Ukrainians have been displaced and have sought
refuge in neighboring states, and the prosecutor of the International
Criminal Court has opened an investigation on war crimes and crimes
against humanity.
The Russian invasion of Ukraine is the most brazen challenge to
the international legal order in recent history.
This is not to say that the UN Charter has not been stretched and
strained to legitimize the recourse to armed aggression in the past.
But the aggression against Ukraine, that is to say, the full-scale
armed invasion by one sovereign state against another state, without
the thinnest legal veneer, if allowed, will embolden future acts
of aggression by other states similarly disinclined to respect the
international rule of law, especially in the territorial and maritime
disputes in Asia.
With the fast escalating conflict in Ukraine, once again, the world
community finds itself on the precipice of a cataclysmic war.
The Philippine Society of International Law (PSIL) joins the international
community in calling for a return to the paths of diplomacy in order
to resolve soonest these disputes through peaceful means, and the
immediate cessation of hostilities and violations of human rights
and other acts that could amount to international crimes.
Philippine Society of International Law,
Manila,
Philippines
Ban
on alcohol sales on Buddhist holy days
Exposes
authoritarian despotism in Thailand
The
Southeast Asian Times, Friday March 25, 2022
First published in the Bangkok Post, Monday March 21, 2022
|
Re: "Regulate in moderation",
in Bangkok Post, Life, March 14, 2022
A personal devotion to the teachings of a religion is an excellent
reason for those so devoted to follow when making personal decisions
as to how they live their own lives.
Devout Buddhists might, for example, choose to abstain from drinking
alcohol on the holy days of Buddhism, just as they similarly abstain
from paying others to kill sentient beings on their orders merely
to enjoy some tasty animal flesh.
However, neither the personal religious beliefs of some, not even
of a majority, nor the teachings of any religion, are relevant to
forming public policy and law.
For the state to be persuaded by some group to force their personal
religious doctrines on all is to expose that religion as an authoritarian
despotism, something I do not think that the Buddha set out to create.
The ban on alcohol sales on Buddhist holy days is every bit as rationally
defensible as a universal ban on the sale and consumption of meat
on those days.
The retailers and restaurant owners petitioning for reform of the
laws regarding the sale and also advertising of alcohol are doubtless
acting from the capitalist profit motive, but that does not reduce
the cogency of their call for law reform.
Felix Qui,
Bangkok,
Thailand
Responsible mining accomodates
open-pit mining
Open-pit
mining alters ecosystems irreversibly
The
Southeast Asian Times, Thursday March 24, 2022
First published in the Philippine Inquirer, Friday March 18,
2022
|
"Responsible mining" is an umbrella
term under which questionable features take shelter.
For example, the term accommodates the open-pit mining method, which,
no matter how responsibly it is carried out, alters an ecosystem
irreversibly; this is elementary science.
In fact, built into the DNA of mining is the risk of a host of potential
impacts, according to the World Resources Institute: habitat loss/fragmentation,
disturbance to wildlife, chemical contamination of surface and groundwater,
declining species populations, toxicity impacts to organisms, loss
of original vegetation/biodiversity, among others.
While mining companies can try to mitigate these scenarios, we must
calculate if they are worth the trouble.
The term also covers mining primarily for export.
Data from the Mines and Geoscience Bureau finds that almost all
of the minerals extracted in the Philippines are exported, thereby
using national patrimony to benefit not the Philippines but foreign
nations.
Mining also does not preclude social impacts. Mining in environmental
areas affects ecosystem services - potable water, protection from
storms, food - on which communities depend.
All this falls under the narrative arc of responsible mining, and
all sanctioned by law, through the Philippine Mining Act of 1995.
Thus, while we recognize the role of mining in modern life, we cant
rely on responsible mining to administer such an invasive undertaking.
Alternative minerals management (AMM), which views mining from a
whole-of-life approach, is a proposed framework for mining governance
in the Philippines. Alternative minerals management (AMM) is encapsulated
in a proposed bill filed in the 18th Congress by Senators Risa Hontiveros
and Grace Poe and Rep. Lawrence Fortun.
In Alternative minerals management (AMM), only so-called strategic
minerals, or minerals needed for national development, including
national industrialization, shall be marshaled. Mining that does
not serve this goal shall be disallowed. Strategic minerals shall
also be processed domestically, so they rise in value, bolstering
the GDP.
Crucially, Alternative minerals management (AMM), fills the void
left by the 1995 Mining Act in protecting the environment.
In Alternative minerals management (AMM),, the open-pit method is
prohibited, and mining in key biodiversity areas, critical watersheds,
critical habitats, and other such areas is forbidden.
Alternative minerals management (AMM), is also anchored in the climate
discourse.
A mining project which is powered by a coal plant flies in the face
of the proposed moratorium on coal by the Department of Energy.
Mining must not slow down the Philippines shift to a low-carbon
development pathway.
Some believe mining is atavistic; a post-extractive future is gaining
traction in light of the oncoming climate catastrophe.
Its proponents argue:
How can mining be endorsed when every effort must be made to conserve
the environment and not destroy it?
A just minerals transition must thus be conceived to interrogate
the role of mining in the shift to renewable energy for the production
of solar panels, for example.
Every care must be taken not to inadvertently allow renewable energy
to destroy the environment it avows to conserve in the first place.
Alternative minerals management (AMM) then is a compromise.
Its a solution that allows mining but only under stringent
conditions, which the environment, as the source of our nourishment,
must deserve.
Responsible mining, which rolls off the tongue, is admittedly popular.
However, in alternative minerals management, the language for the
primacy of the planet and people over profit is clearly articulated
where in responsible mining, it has been lost in translation.
Maya Quirino,
Advocacy coordinator,
Legal Rights and Natural Resources Center,
Manila
Philippines
Many ways that the Russian
Ukraine war
Can become far more catastrophic
The
Southeast Asuan Times, Wednesday March 23, 2022
First published in the Philippine Inquirer, Monday March 21,
2022
|
In February.24, 2022, Russia invaded Ukraine.
A titanic struggle started which for now is confined within Ukraine
itself.
But the danger of a wider and far more destructive war is very real.
What if Russia, caught in a quagmire and reeling from the severest
sanctions in living memory, lashes out in an unexpected way - such
as by using chemical or even nuclear weapons in Ukraine, or by striking
at the three Baltic states?
What if Nato pushes its assistance to Ukraine too far and inadvertently
clashes with Russian forces?
There are many ways this war can become far more catastrophic.
All thats needed is a proverbial spark.
History is full of such sparks -sudden and momentous events that
have profound consequences for humanity.
The assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, heir to the Austro-Hungarian
empire, on June 28, 1914, set off the powder keg of World War I.
The invasion of Poland by Germany on September 1, 1939, triggered
the even greater horrors of World War II.
The bombing of Pearl Harbor in Hawaii by Japan on December 7, 1941,
pulled the United States into that same war.
More recently, the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, caused
a wounded and enraged the United States, together with its allies,
to attack Afghanistan and commence the so-called war on
terror.
Oftentimes, the belligerents do not even wish or intend to escalate
tensions, but they are somehow swept into a conflict that spirals
out of control.
Miscalculation by either side provides the spark which distinguishes
these armed conflicts from near misses like the 1962 Cuban missile
crisis.
If the world is to avoid yet another devastating global conflict,
Russia and Ukraine, as well as the countries that support them,
need to be very mindful of what these potential sparks might be.
Dennis Joseph D. Judan,
Manila,
Philippines
Call for Thailand to propose
Eco-Peace
In
the framework of Asean and Indo-Pacific strategy
The
Southeast Asian Times, Tuesday March 22, 2022
First published in the Bangkok Post, Sunday March 20, 2022
|
Re: "Thailand must take stand on Ukraine",
in Bangkok Post, Opinion, March 1, 2022.
I was so happy to see two former ambassadors saving the honour of
Thai diplomacy, which as a Dutch citizen living in Thailand I admire
so much. Indeed, neutrality, a status the Netherlands observed during
WWI, is often merely based on opportunism and lack of courage, unless
it produces initiatives like the International Committee of the
Red Cross (ICRC) based in Switzerland.
What I would understand is if Thailand wanted to be independent.
This does not only allow a country to take sides with the vulnerable
and support international law, as Thailand has done already in the
UN General Assembly.
An independent position would go much further than neutrality. Independence
needs inner strength and free, mutual collaboration.
The latter, although difficult in the domestic arena, Thai diplomacy
excels in.
But since Dr Puey Ungphakorn's vision of the "Cradle to
Grave" welfare state and Dr Surin Pitsuwan's pioneering
advocacy of human security, it seems there has been little civic
inspiration toward common purpose but "security"
and "stability" in defence of the status quo.
Could Thailand propose the concept of "Eco-Peace" in
the framework of Asean and its Indo-Pacific strategy, as a counterforce
to rivalling dominant powers?
"Eco-Peace", based on global citizenship and common
care for ecology and in line with the UN secretary-general's Our
Common Agenda, a possible rationale for re-purposing the Trusteeship
Council could equally become a leading security concept for an emerging
Eastern European coalition, forming a buffer zone between Russia
and Western-Europe-cum-US-driven Nato.
Hans Van Willenswaard,
Bangkok,
Thailand
Russia's 19th century
actions
Must be resisted
The
Southeast Asian Times, Monday March 21, 2022
First published in the Bangkok Post, Saturday March 19, 2022
|
One half-baked theory put forward by certain people
regarding the current Ukraine crisis is that Western democracies
are somehow responsible for the invasion.
Nato is a defensive alliance.
The states of the former Soviet Union would not have wished to join
this alliance if they had not felt threatened by Russia, and we
are now seeing the perfect illustration of why that feeling of threat
was not misplaced.
Vladimir Putin did not invade Ukraine because of the various sins,
some real and some imagined, of America and the West.
He invaded Ukraine because he is a sociopathic and an increasingly
deranged despot sitting on top of a pile of rusting nuclear missiles
in a crumbling kleptocracy, with delusions that he might soon be
crowned the new Tsar of a Russian empire.Putin is responsible for
Putin's actions, and his rapacious, 19th-century tendency to devour
smaller nations must be resisted.
Nigel Woodward,
Bangkok,
Thailand
Papua
New Guinea calls for liquor ban
In
this year's election
The
Southeast Asian Times, Sunday March 20, 2022
|
Papuan New Guineas deputy Police Commissioner
has called for a total liquor ban during this years election
polling and counting period ( The Fiji Times 11/3 p. 36 ).
This is to ensure the election is safe and peaceful.
And, it will no doubt help if voters voted with a clear head !
The deputy Police Commissioners Call has received widespread
support for good reasons in the Papua New Guinea election context.
Wonder if we can use the Papua New Guinea model to ban somethings
in our election context like for instance big business political
party donations?
Rajend Naidu
Sydney,
Australia
Call for Philippines to
respond to Sino-Russo effort
To destabilize United States hegemony
The
Southeast Asian Times, Saturday March 19, 2022
First published in the Philippine Inquirer, Sunday March 13,
2022
|
As the 2022 Philippine presidential race gets underway,
the respective foreign policy agendas of the presidentiables must
receive closer scrutiny.
This national electoral issue is a highly critical policy area of
concern for the Philippine state.
In fact, Manila is by now urgently compelled to respond to the new
global strategic shift commenced by the latest China-Russia summit
in Beijing last February. 4.
In particular, the Sino-Russo bloc has just vowed to jointly confront
the destabilizing hegemony of the United States in both Europe and
East Asia.
Indeed, Chinese leader Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir
Putin strongly proclaimed their joint opposition to Americas
growing regional security threats threatening
international strategic stability.
Thus, given the direct security implications for Southeast Asia,
the Filipino electorate must already know and grasp how their next
head of state aims to effectively protect Philippine independence
and sovereignty in the years ahead.
Manila vitally strives to safeguard the countrys archipelagic
sovereignty within maritime Southeast Asia.
But geopolitical impacts, linked to the rising great-power competition
between America and China, are perilously roiling the vast realm
of the Southeast Asian Sea (aka the South China Sea).
This maritime areas strategically decisive environment is
also undermined by a host of bilateral and multilateral territorial
disputes involving the Southeast Asian Seas littoral states.
So, from Manilas outlook, the regional security environments
overall stability is largely viewed through the lens of the countrys
maritime zone, known as the West Philippine Sea.
Yet it is against this volatile external backdrop that certain presidential
candidates have brashly declared their plans to further militarize
Southeast Asia.
Their bellicose external affairs stances were expressed during recently
aired interviews.
Chiefly set through the international question of the Southeast
Asian Sea, these alarming foreign policy views are narrowly framed
within the reactionary limits of national-chauvinist and militarist
courses of action.
As such, these prospective Malacañang tenants intend to further
violate the peaceful, independent, and non-aligned foreign policy
provisions of the 1987 Philippine Constitution - by either commission
or omission.
For instance, both Vice President Leni Robredo and Sen. Ping Lacson
assert the need for the Philippines to bolster its longtime military
alliance with America. Likewise, former senator Bongbong Marcos
Jr., Sen. Manny Pacquiao, and Manila Mayor Isko Moreno merely cite
generalities for regional peace - yet they loudly remain silent
on the presence of US military forces posturing against China from
Philippine soil.
So clearly, they all seek to preserve the Philippines as US imperialisms
premier tripwire-state in Southeast Asia today.
Therefore, given the same old, same old, an alternatively
progressive foreign policy path is crucially needed.
Rasti Delizo,
Manila,
Philippines
Thailands vote at UN against
the war in Ukraine
Nothing to lose but a small market of Russian
tourists
The
Southeast Asian Times, Friday March 18, 2022
First published in the Bangkok Post, Thursday 17, 2022
|
Re: "Not our fault," Bangkok
Post, PostBag, March 15, 2022 and "Stuck in neutral,"
in Bangkok Post, March 13, 2022.
In the Russian-Ukraine war, Thailand can afford to take sides.
By its United Nations vote against war, it does not have anything
to lose but a small market of Russian tourists.
On the other hand, India has been a close Soviet ally since its
independence from the British empire.
During the 1970s, when India was developing its nuclear arsenal,
the US kept it out of its markets.
After Bill Clinton became president in 1992, India and China have
become strong economies, and therefore they no longer have to take
sides.
For Thailand, taking sides is a matter of convenience.
It has nothing to do with taking a high moral ground against the
war in Ukraine.
Just look at its stance regarding Myanmar.
As they say, "all politics is local".
After the fiasco in Iraq and Afghanistan, the UN has also lost its
role.
Kuldeep Nagi,
Bangkok,
Thailand
Russia's special
military operation in Ukraine
Bears hallmarks of war crimes
The
Southeast Asian Times, Thursday March 17, 2022
|
Wow!
What a euphemism calling Russias war of invasion in Ukraine
a special military operation ( The Southeast
Asian Times 15/3 ) when it bears all the hallmarks of war crimes
and crimes against humanity that we associate with fascist regimes?
Shame on those who describe the Russian war of invasion in that
manner.
Rajend Naidu,
Sydney
Australia
Papua New Guinea calls
for a direct voice
In Parliament for direct influence
The
Southeast Asian times, Wednesday 16, 2022
First published in the National, Monday March 14, 2022
|
Papua New Guineas copy-paste constitution adopted
from the British and Australians is still in its colonial form,
wielding more powers to the rulers.
Whatever those in power prefer becomes the final solution and answer
to questions.
The prime ministers post is typically occupied by a leading
party in Parliament, whereby ministry portfolios are shared among
affiliated party leaders under a common understanding.
So, when the Prime Minister wants to ensure its demands are met,
a direct call is made to the respective ministries to carry out
its missions.
The prime minister remains the chairman to the National Executive
Council (NEC) and calls the shots in any situation.
The prime minister, through procedural-protocols, reserves the right
to hire and fire whoever works under him.
This system has made our prime minister's become systematic dictators.
Ministers, commissioners, managing directors, chief executive officers
and vice-chancellors have all been entangled by a strain of string
attached to the ruling government.
The National Executive Council (NEC) has the final say.
How can Papua New Guinea rely on the Ombudsman Commission when the
commissioner is selected and appointed by the National Executive
Council (NEC)?
People under the National Executive Council's (NEC) reliance-sphere
are frequently engaged to uphold the highly-sensitive offices.
When functional, they honour and do what the National Executive
Council (NEC) says.
Failure to follow orders would lead to removal of powers and a new
official is substituted with the aim to do things according to the
National Executive Council's (NEC) liking.
This process is evident in every prestigious institution that provide
standardised operations for our nation.
For instance, the recent University of Papua New Guinea (UPNG) students
protest that erupted against former Prime Minister Peter ONeill
was a dead-end.
As in the case of the students unrest, the Prime Minister gave directives
to the Police minister to contain it.
The command was then conveyed to the police commissioner and an
order was passed down to the National Capital District metropolitan
superintendent to quell the unrest.
The citys police commander mobilised his men and dispersed
the peaceful protest and labelled it an unofficial turmoil.
Although the protest was legal under the Constitution, the University
of Papua New Guinea (UPNG) vice-chancellor advised the students
to leave the agendas to the parliamentarians and concentrate on
studies.
This reflects how those in key positions always submit to the Prime
Minister.
The structure of our systems is constrained under the knot tied
by our laws, which allows the Prime Minister to use our mandated
leaders as puppets.
Therefore, we need a direct voice in Parliament to guide our welfare.
Papua New Guinea should establish a mechanism such as the citizens
initiative, which will consist of voters who will have direct influence
in Parliament.
Petrus Gand,
Anticorruption Advocate,
Port Moresby,
Papua New Guinea
Build Build Build program
effective method
To address insurgency NTF-Elcac
The
Southeast Asian Times, Tuesday March 15, 2022
First published in the Philippine Inquirer, Friday March 11,
2022
|
Im still undecided about who I should vote for
as president because their platforms arent clear to me.
To be honest, I dont care about the notions of dilawan
or Diehard Duterte Supporters (DDS).
What I am looking for in a presidential candidate is someone who
will continue the Build, build, build program
and the fight against insurgency (NTF-Elcac), because I believe
that development cannot flourish while we are still in a state of
long-raging chaos.
I am a firm believer of the NTF-Elcac; I have not seen a more effective
method to address insurgency than a national unity in addressing
the root cause of insurgency, which is poverty and a lack of access
to government services.Build, build, build complements
the objective of NTF-Elcac, by hastening the development of public
services and creating additional job opportunities for former rebels.
Im also looking for someone who has plans to make the Philippines
a self-sufficient country, by which I mean having a cheap and adequate
supply of power and food.
For this reason, I am in favor of reopening the nuclear power plant
and prioritizing agriculture in rural areas so that we do not have
to face a shortage of rice and import food.
This development in agriculture will not only improve the lives
of our fishermen and farmers, but this will also have a negative
effect in the recruitment of the CPP-NPA.
I strongly believe that the Philippines is endowed with resources,
and that Filipinos are capable of utilizing them for the benefit
of all.
I understand that education and political experience are important
factors to consider when electing a leader.
However, I have seen far too many educated people in management
and executive positions who fail because they lack a strong vision
of making the world a better place.
John Paul B. Sandoval,
Manila,a
Philippines
High hopes for Filipinos
to choose a president
With clean and pure intentions to serve
Philippines
The
Southeast Asian Times, Monday March 14, 2022
First published in the Philippine Inquirer, Friday March 4,
2022
|
It is heartbreaking and disappointing to see people
still supporting the Marcoses at this point, knowing the crimes
their family did to this country and to our countrymen.
But our approach should always root from understanding.
Why do they still support them?
Is it out of necessity?
On the other hand, I still have high hopes that Filipinos will keep
their dignity and choose a leader who has a clean and pure intention
to serve the country, most especially the marginalized ones.
Let us not sacrifice our future and our country from having a good,
clean, and honest government by voting for robbers instead of a
leader who has served the marginalized, and genuinely and passionately
works for the country.
Doon tayo sa ipaglalaban tayo hanggang dulo.
Prynces Therese L. Lacdang,
Philippine Normal University,
Manila,
Phiippines
Dutch
dredging company contradicts recommendations
For sustainable development of
Manila Bay.
The
Southeast Asian Times, Sunday March 13, 2022
First published in the Philippine Inquirer, Thursday March
10, 2022
|
In 2021, the Dutch dredging firm Royal Boskalis Westminster
announced that it had won a $1.5 billion project in Manila Bay.
Boskalis intends to reclaim an area of 2,565 hectares of land on
the coast of Bulacan province - equivalent to more than 3,500 football
fields - upon which the Duterte administration is planning to build
the New Manila International Airport (NMIA).
Because it is such a high-risk project, Boskalis has applied for
a so-called export credit insurance from the Dutch State through
the export credit agency Atradius DSB.
Atradius decision regarding Boskalis request is expected
to be made soon and for this reason, we, a coalition of Philippine
and Dutch civil society organizations and scientists, call on the
Dutch government and Boskalis to withdraw from this controversial
project.
The New Manila International Airport (NMIA) project is completely
at odds with the Netherlands climate ambitions.
What is particularly striking about Boskalis planned land
reclamation activities is that they completely contradict recent
recommendations from the Manila Bay Sustainable Development Master
Plan, which was recently developed by Dutch water engineers in collaboration
with the Philippine government.
The master plan, which was also funded by the Netherlands, provides
concrete recommendations for the sustainable development of Manila
Bay.
With regard to the New Manila International Airport (NMIA) location,
the master plan states that it should in fact be designated as a
strict protection zone due to the areas vulnerable wetlands
and high biodiversity value.
The master plan advises against the construction of the New Manila
International Airport (NMIA) in that area.
Should the Dutch State decide to insure the Boskalis, it will effectively
be using Dutch public resources to undermine the master plan, which
was also funded with Dutch public resources, thus serving as a salient
and shocking example of policy incoherence.
Manila Bay is extremely vulnerable to climate change and is routinely
faced with floods brought on by land subsistence, sea-level rise,
storm surges, and hurricanes. The New Manila International Airport
(NMIA) project exacerbates these vulnerabilities with disastrous
implications for communities and ecosystems.
So far, hundreds of fishing families have been forced to make way
for the project, many of whom have been pressured to self-demolish
their own homes.
In addition, thousands of fishermen have been cut off from their
fishing grounds, upon which they depend for their livelihoods.
The planned land reclamation will also cause irreplaceable wetlands
to be wiped out, such as mudflats and mangroves that play a vital
role in carbon sequestration. The area is currently an important
spawning ground for various fish species such as sardines, and it
also serves as a refuge for protected migratory bird species within
the East Asian-Australasian Flyway, one of the worlds largest
flyways.
Moreover, the New Manila International Airport (NMIA) development
will likely accelerate land subsidence in the region, which will
in turn exacerbate flooding in a much larger area.
Sand mining for land reclamation is also expected to have a disastrous
effect on marine life and fisheries elsewhere in the bay.
In recent years, the Netherlands has marketed itself as a world
leader in the field of climate adaptation.
The Dutch water sector, which Boskalis is part of, plays a key role
in this strategy. But climate adaptation means that communities
and ecosystems are made more resilient to the effects of climate
change, while projects like the New Manila International Airport
(NMIA) do the exact opposite.
We are calling on Boskalis and Atradius DSB to withdraw from this
project. Instead, the Netherlands should refocus its climate ambitions
toward policies that support sustainable, inclusive, and locally-driven
adaptation initiatives.
AGHAM Advocates of Science and Technology for the People,
AKAP KA M
anila Bay,
Both ENDS,
CARE Philippines,
Devralin Lagos-University of the Philippines,
IUCN NL,
Kalikasan Peoples Network for the Environment,
Oceana International Philippines,
Wild Bird Club of the Philippines
Malaysia calls for international
community to unite
In
affirming anti-war stance and safeguarding world peace
The
Southeast Asian Times, Saturday March 12, 2022
First published in Malaysiakini, Friday March 4, 2022
|
We, the undersigned Civil Society Organisations (CSOs),
hereby strongly condemn Russias aggression and stand in solidarity
with Ukrainians as a sovereign and independent nation.
We also condemn the Russian government for their action and brutality,
including arresting protesters against the war.
Russia's use of armed forces is an act of aggression and is against
peace and security, as enshrined under the fundamental principles
of the United Nations Charter, and may amount to a war crime and
a crime against humanity.
It has infringed the fundamental human rights of all Ukrainians
and endangered the safety of humans all over the world.
This crisis will render many Ukrainians as refugees, including women
and children, and trigger a humanitarian crisis in Europe and the
neighbouring region.
We urge Russia to immediately withdraw its troops from Ukraine.
The international community must unite in affirming its anti-war
stance and safeguarding world peace.
Genuine efforts and serious commitments must be made by all sides,
including Russia, Ukraine, the United States, the European Union
and Nato to achieve a successful peace talk and immediate ceasefire.
We also urge the international community to deliver humanitarian
aid to Ukraine to prevent more casualties immediately.
Suara Rakyat Malaysia (Suaram); KLSCAH Youth; Undi
18; University of Malaya Association of New Youth (UMANY)
Malaysian Action for Justice and Unity (MAJU); Kolektif Iklim; Dewan
Belia India Malaysia; Student Progressive Front UUM; People Like
Us Support Ourselves (PLUsos); Architects of Diversity Malaysia;
Centre for Independent Journalism; Pertubuhan Solidaritas; New Student
Movement Alliance of Malaysia; ENGAGE NETWORK; UTM - MJIIT Voices;
Voices of Youtharian; Demokrat Kebangsaan; Tunku Abdul Rahman Association
of New Youth; Citizen Lab; Unit Pendidikan Angkatan Muda Keadilan
Malaysia; Malaysians Stand with Ukrainians; Pertubuhan Serikat Rakyat
Malaysia; Democratic Action Party Socialist Youth Kota Kinabalu
(DAPSY Kota Kinabalu); Lyceum Society; Angkatan Mahasiswa UM; and
University of Malaya Student Union.
Thai national father HM
King Rama IX
Wants Lese Majeste law to be reformed
The
Southeast Asian Times, Friday March 11, 2022
First published in the Bangkok Post Wednesday March 9, 2022
|
Re: "Ex-PM offers views on lese majeste
law", in Bangkok Post, March 7, 2022.
In responding to calls to amend our lese majeste law, we should
first consider the careful conclusions of he who was our foremost
expert on the Thai monarchy - our beloved national father, HM King
Rama IX.
Our national father clearly wants these laws to be reformed, for
Thailand's law of lèse-majesté has one very prominent
critic: King Bhumibol.
who used his birthday address to convey
three concerns:
The king is a human being and as such should be subject to criticism..
Charges against those accused of lèse-majesté should
be dropped, and those held in jail for lèse-majesté
should be released...
The use of the lèse-majesté law ultimately damages
the monarchy' he said" Grossman and Faulder, King Bhumibol
Adulyadej: A Life's Work
Even today, we, led by politicians, constantly and deliberately
go counter to the late king's clear wishes.
We have allowed any of the 54.1 million adult Thais to lodge a Section
112 complaint.
It's no wonder that Section 112 has often been weaponized for political
ends. Given King Rama IX's considered opinion above, I suggest that
this law cries out for thorough-going reform lest we "ultimately
damage the monarchy" further.
Burin Kantabutra,
Bangkok,
Thailand
Call
for ASEAN to join in global action to punish
Russia's
military aggression against Ukraine
The
Southeast Asian Times, Thursday March 10, 2022
First published in the Bangkok Post, Monday March 7, 2022
|
Re: "Might doesn't make right, unjust wars
will fail", Bangkok Post, Opinion, March 3,
2022.
We would certainly wish that "unjust wars will fail";
the ugly reality is that they have often succeeded.
It is not yet certain that Putin's war will not succeed.
It certainly seems, to cite another current example, that the war
against the Myanmar people that began a year ago with the military
coup has not failed.
In that pursuit of unjust gain by violence, both coup committers
and war wagers also wage a disinformation war by suppressing free
speech.
On a more optimistic note, the global response that seeks to non-violently
punish Putin's aggression is appropriate.
Let us hope it will prove victorious.
It is encouraging to see so many nations, organisations and even
international businesses unite in working to deny the aggressors
the economic fruits so dear to them.
Under Putin's repressive rule, the Russian people have been subjected
to financial inequality, as gross as that which has also come to
exist in Thailand; with the spoils going, no surprise, to those
close to and supportive of Putin.
As Mr Borrell explains, Thailand should join in the actions to punish
those using violence and intimidation to force their personal agenda
on entire nations.
If Asean and its individual member nations hold to any decent values
such as respect for democracy founded on just law or respect for
human rights protected by just law, it would unequivocally join
in the global actions to punish Russia's military aggression against
Ukraine.
Even traditionally neutral Switzerland has joined in the non-violent
confounding of Putin's aggression.
But then, had Asean any commitment to such values, it would also
act to isolate and economically punish those who commit coups against
the people of Asean member nations.
Felix
Qui,
Bangkok,
Thailand
Pronouncement
of Catholic Bishops is unprecedented
Underscores
perilous state of sociopolitics in Philippines
The
Southeast Asian Times, Wednesday March 9, 2022
First published in the Philippine Inquirer, Monday March 7,
2022
|
The Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines
(CBCP) pastoral letter on the May elections Radical
distortions of Edsa 1 alarm CBCP, News, February
26, 2022 is a loud wake-up call for Catholics and Filipinos as we
elect our national leaders this May.
To quote the bishops statement: We are appalled by
the blatant and subtle distortion, manipulation, cover-up, repression
and abuse of the truth, like: historical revisionism the
distortion of history or its denial; the proliferation of fake news
and false stories; disinformationthe seeding of false information
and narratives to influence the opinion of people [and] hide the
truth to malign and blackmail people.
Compared to their previous pastoral letters that simply reiterated
long-standing moral guidelines in electing the countrys political
leaders, this pronouncement by our Church leaders is unprecedented
and underscores the perilous state of the current sociopolitical
situation.
The Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP)
statement is the result of intensive communal discernment but still
begs the question: who is the source of the massive disinformation
campaign?
People exercising their better judgment during this electoral season
would easily know which presidential campaign is engaged in this
wicked enterprise.
But many rabid supporters of the leading candidate have become so
falsely indoctrinated by social media and oblivious to historical
facts that they easily fall for the pandemic of lies
generated by the camp of their beloved candidate. They are even
viciously purveying these lies.
Our good bishops have shown their firm resolve to exercise their
role as spiritual and moral guides to their flock, given the methodical
fabrication of lies and half-truths in social media and organized
attempts to obliterate the gains of the Edsa People Power Revolution.
But by directly naming the insidious forces behind the fake news
about martial law and the black propaganda directed at political
rivals, Church members would be even more confident of their moral
choice when they vote.
Many priests, religious and Catholic lay groups have endorsed Vice
President Leni Robredo in their individual capacities after assessing
the relative qualities of the leading candidates and weighing the
likely adverse impact of a Marcos victory.
Donato Soliven,
Manila,
Philippines
Humanitarian crisis in
Ukraine
Is
no differenct from Myanmar
The
Southeast Asian Times, Tuesday March 8, 2022
First published in the Bangkok Post, March 6, 2022
|
Re: "EU
to grant blanket protection to refugees", Bangkok
Post, March 4, 2022 and "Early implications
of Russian invasion", Bangkok Post, Opinion,
March 4, 2022.
European countries and Nato are still recovering from the hangover
of the old Soviet empire. It is wishful thinking that the EU and
the US will be able to save Ukraine. The rise of the far right in
France, Germany and other EU countries against immigration from
Asia, Africa and the Middle East exposes the hypocrisy of human
rights. The hostile and racist policies against immigrants and refugees
from these regions are now out the window to make way for allowing
millions of Ukrainians to settle in the EU unconditionally.
The humanitarian crisis in Ukraine is no different from what we
see in Myanmar, Palestine or Afghanistan. Sadly, Putin will still
be there. He has fans and friends like Mr Trump and many others
in Asia, including India and China. Yes, I agree that this time
the EU and the US will do lasting damage to the Russian economy.
But make no mistake, Mr Putin and his powerful clique are still
here.
Kuldeep Nagi,
Bangkok,
Thailand
More
than 650,000 Russians have signed
A petition against the war in Ukraine
The
Southeast Asian Times, Monday March 7, 2022
|
To my foreign friends.
Russias war against Ukraine is not my war.
This is the war of an insane Russian leader whom we cannot stop.
This war is a real horror, and pain, and tears, and shame for me
and hundreds of my friends.
Almost all of us have relatives and friends in Ukraine.
My whole family is from Ukraine, and all my childhood was spent
in Ukraine.
I am writing this so that you do not equate this war with the Russian
people.
All the best Russian people are against this war and are horrified
by it.
More than 650,000 Russians have already signed a petition against
the war.
The letter of Russian scientists against the war was signed by more
than 2,000 scientists.
More than 60 groups have signed a letter from Russian charitable
organisations to end the war.
There are petitions against the war by Russian teachers and cultural
figures.
The number of signatures for each such petition grows every second.
This war has broken the lives of all of us.
This war is not only killing Ukraine; it is also killing Russia.
I just wanted to tell you about it.
Alexandra Goryashko,
Russian Writers Union,
Russian academic,
Specializing in Nature, Biology and Ethology
Moscow
Russia
Hundreds of Thai's support
Russia's right
To protect security against threat of aggression
The
Southeast Asian Times, Sunday 6 March 2022
First published in the Bangkok Post, Thursday 3 March 2022
|
Re: "Ultra-royalist pro-Putin stance a worrying
sign," Opinion, March 1..
This article is illogical, in some extent. In my humble opinion,
the number "hundreds" may be over-exaggerated or
over-extrapolated from the few such supporting messages seen by
the writer.
The fact that there are a few or tens or even hundreds of "royalists"
coming out in support of Putin is no reason to conclude that all
or most of the "royalists" support Putin.
On the other hand, there are certainly hundreds of "royalists"
who do not agree with the move by Russia.
And there are hundreds who support Russia's right to protect its
security against the threat of aggression from over the fence, but
who are not royalists per se, like me and scores of my friends.
The fact that there are some Thais supporting the Russian move has
nothing to do with the fact that they happen to be perceived by
the writer as "far-right ultra-royalists".
Thus the "pro-Putin stance" is nothing to worry
about.
Thanin Bumrungsap,
Bangkok,
Thailand
Thailand remains neutral
In Russia-Ukraine conflict
The
Southeast Asian Times. Saturday March 5, 2022
First published in the Bangkok Post, Thursday March 3, 2022
|
Re: "Neutral on Russia-Ukraine: PM,"
Bangkok Post March 2, 2022
The prime minister's insistence on maintaining neutrality in the
Russia-Ukraine conflict is no surprise given Asean's stance of neutrality
about Myanmar.
Meanwhile, two shining lights of democracy, the US and the EU, also
have no problems doing business with communist China or selling
weapons to rich Middle Eastern regimes.
France recently sold billions of dollars' worth of war machines
to Saudi Arabia. Where are the big drums of freedom and democracy?
In 1987, Turkey applied to join what was then the European Economic
Community, and in 1999 it was declared eligible to join the EU.
It's worth mentioning that Turkey's membership came with many conditions
because it is a Muslim country.
On the other hand, Poland and Hungary joined the EU in 2004 without
any preconditions.
Even today, some of these Eastern bloc countries that are members
of the EU have little to do with freedom and democracy.
For decades, we have witnessed similar crises between Israel and
Palestine, Indian Kashmir, and the deep south of Thailand. Despite
decades of efforts, there is no peace in these conflict zones.
Thanks to the EU, Ukraine will now face the same fate.
It may become a proxy for the Russian regime resulting in unnecessary
deaths and destruction.
With its utter failures in Vietnam, the Korean peninsula, Iraq and
Afghanistan, the US should keep out of the Ukrainian conflict.
Kuldeep Nagi,
Bangkok,
Thailand
War between Russia and
Ukraine
Huge
impact on price of crude oil for Philippines
The
Southeast Asian Times, Friday March 4, 2022
First published in the Philippine Inquirer, Thursday March
3, 2022
|
I worked in the fuel industry for almost four years
as a sales representative and managed the smooth process of the
distribution from bulk plant to dealers to end-users.
Before I started working in the field, we had trainings to understand
the oil and gas industry and for us to be equipped in the business.
I was not the best student in our class but I have better understanding
of how oil and gas affect our lives.
Factors affecting the prices of crude oil was one
of the major topics.
We need crude oil to transport food from farm to market to your
houses and to your tables and to power our electric generators:
gasoline, diesel, LPG, asphalt, and lubricants.
The many lists of the factors include geopolitics.
The war between Russia and Ukraine will have a huge impact on the
prices of crude oil in the world market.
This means that the P60-P65 per liter diesel in Mindanao will increase.
This means that the electricity and transport costs will increase.
This basically means that the ordinary Filipino can hardly afford
food.
I interact with farmers in my present job.
Last January, the cost of a live pig was P140 per kilo; a week ago,
it was P185 to almost P200.
If not mistaken, the price of the meat in meat shops has an almost
50-percent gross profit margin.
Thats P300 to P400 per kilo.
I hope its not too late for our government to strengthen the
agriculture sector so that we can have affordable food and we can
produce what we consume.
Joesam Bag De Quia,
Manila,
Philippines
Russian Federation points
finger at West
On expansion of Nato eastward
The
Southeast Asian Times, Thursday March 3, 2022
First published in the Bangkok Post, Monday Febriary 28, 2022
|
Re: "West's unkept promises the problem,
not Russia", Bangkok Post, Opinion, February 26, 2022
and "US, Nato no bystanders", Bangkok
Post, Opinion, February 25, 2022.
The ambassador of the Russian Federation is right when pointing
a finger to the West, on the expansion of Nato eastward after the
end of the Cold War.
This point was well mentioned by Western media including the New
York Time's, Thomas Friedman.
However, the rest of his reasoning largely reflects what his president
has offered to sell the invasion, ie the purported "genocide"
of Russians in the eastern provinces of Ukraine.
Missing in the good ambassador's litany was the "de-nazification"
that his president and other government dignitaries have peddled,
apparently overlooking the irony of "de-nazifying" a country
whose president is a Jew.
Peter Hegenbarth,
Bangkok,
Thailand
Call for Ukraine
To
observe Minsk ll agreement
The
Southeast Asian Times, Wednesday March 2, 2022
First published in the Bangkok Post, Monday February 28, 2022
|
Re: "Maximum impact sanctions" and
"Kremlin wants whole of Ukraine but army failing, Britain
says", in Bangkok Post, February 26, 2022.
As the conflict in Ukraine enters a new phase, Western politicians
are busy making up stories to fit their eternal narrative "it's
all Putin's fault".
Casualties on both sides could easily have been avoided if Ukraine
had observed its responsibility under the Minsk II agreement and
if the West had understood and taken seriously Russia's concerns
about their relatives in Eastern Donbass and their own safety.
Instead, Western politicians and media have encouraged Ukraine's
aggressive stance against Russia and have turned a blind eye to
the atrocities committed against the Russian-speaking minority in
Luhansk/Donetsk committed by the neo-Nazi militias of the Right
Sektor and the Azov Battalion.
British media even went as far as to laud sniper Olena Bilozerska
as a heroic freedom fighter despite her having killed both armed
and unarmed people in the area which the Minsk II agreement covers,
and being well known in European neo-Nazi circles.
Meanwhile, the West has continued to supply money, weapons to these
militias which are part of the Ukrainian army.
Recently the President Zelensky suggested Ukraine should start developing
nuclear weapons.
Putin previously has been begging for negotiations and some form
of agreement which all signatories would adhere strictly to.
But no.
If the West had intelligent leaders who acted in the best interests
of the people, not in best interest of the military industry and
global corporations, this could have been easily avoided.
Jensen. K.
Bangkok,
Thailand
Aaron Kauma Ariku, remembered
for his contibution
To Papua New Guineas independence
The
Southeast Asian Times, Tuesday March 1, 2022
First published in the National, Thursday February 24, 2022
|
When it comes to understanding Papua New Guineas
political history, particularly the events that occurred somewhere
in Sydney, Australia, that resulted in the granting of independence
to Papua New Guinea, very little is known about a man from the Autonomous
Region of Bougainville who negotiated for Papua New Guineas
independence while studying in Australia.
Aaron Kauma Ariku, a former Papua New Guinea unionist in the early
1970s, was sent to Sydney on a short-term study programme by the
then chief minister, the late Grand Chief Sir Michael Somare.
However, before his studies in Australia, he was already in close
contact with Gough Whitlam, his fellow Australian unionist of Australias
labour party, who was also aspiring for the Australias prime
ministers seat.
Sir Michael was close to Ariku since both of them started the Pangu
Patis Madang branch in the late 1960s when Sir Michael was
teaching at Tusbab in Madang.
Before Ariku departed, Sir Michael, knowing well that Arikus
fellow unionist was contesting Australias prime ministers
seat, whispered to Ariku and told him to use his union ties with
Whitlam to secure Papua New Guineas independence if Whitlam
became the prime minister of Australia.
All went well.
Young Airiku departed for Sydney.
He met Whitlam.
Ariku, who was outspoken, played a part by campaigning for his fellow
friend, Whitlam, among the students at university.
Whitlam then became the prime minister of Australia from 1972 to
1975.
He called Ariku and asked what he would prefer as a present for
supporting him.
It was that very moment that Airiku told him: I would like
Papua and New Guinea to be given independence.
Back home in Port Moresby, Sir Michael already knew that things
were looking good for Papua New Guinea when Arikus close friend
became the prime minister.
This is how Ariku played a significant role towards Papaua New Guineas
independence from Australia.
Last week in Madang, Ariku was buried at his wifes Furan village
outside of Madang town.
He died at 90 years and is survived by five children and his grandchildren
and great grandchildren.
Ariku, the man from Tonu village in Siwai, Bougainville, spent much
of his life as a senior public servant and a unionist.
In recognition of his service to Papua New Guinea, Bougainville
and Madang, Madang Governor Peter Yama and Madang Member of Parliament
Bryan Kramer provided financial support for funeral expenses for
Ariku.
Joel Minsipi,
Port Moresby (Pom),
Papua New Guinea
No
one should turn a blind eye to the atrocities committed
During
Marcos martial law years in Philippines
The
Southeast Asian Times, Monday February 28, 2022
First published in the Philippine Inquirer, Thursday February
24, 2022
|
My 65-year-old aunt, who witnessed the martial law
era, argued that the martial law years were the golden
era since there was peace and order in the country, and
Filipinos were disciplined at the time.
She added that, in Naga City, there were no human rights violations
as far as her memory could recall.
There are still Filipinos, including seniors from my own family,
who have romanticized the martial law years orderliness
and believe that Marcos was a great leader - totally disregarding
the human rights violations committed during the darkest era in
the countrys history.
What golden age when there is a lot of evidence
documenting the abuses, extrajudicial killings, corruption, and
violations of human rights during Marcos rule? The numbers
speak for themselves: 70,000 incarcerated, 77 disappeared, 3,257
extrajudicial killings, and 35,000 tortured, according to Amnesty
International.
These atrocities were further corroborated by Primitivo Mijares,
media man of Ferdinand Marcos and author of The Conjugal
Dictatorship of Ferdinand and Imelda Marcos.
Mijares youngest son disappeared, was tortured, and eventually
found dead due to his fathers revelations in the said book.
This horrific tragedy that happened to Mijares and his son manifests
the brutal rule of Marcos.
The Martial Law Museum reported that the debt of the Philippines
skyrocketed to $28.26 billion in 1986 from $0.36 billion in 1961.
In addition, the infrastructures that Imelda Marcos bragged about
were funded by foreign loans that the present and future generations
have the burden of paying.
With these historical facts and data, no one should turn a blind
eye to the atrocities committed during the martial law years.
Now more than ever, it has become even more crucial for students
to seek historical truths about this period.
Students are now being targeted to believe in the lies of the Marcos
family through historical revisionism in our textbooks.
The youth who were not yet born at that time are likely to be susceptible
to such lies, while privileged adults can easily dismiss history
because they never experienced the cruelty and hardships under the
Marcos administration.
It is high time for all of us to be united on what is right. Filipinos
should dispel lies and apathy if we want justice to prevail, especially
now that the dictators son and namesake, Ferdinand Bongbong
Marcos Jr., aspires to be the president.
We, the students, must ensure that our educators preserve the historical
facts about martial law in our textbooks.
This is our responsibility: to preserve history, protect historical
truth, and advance Filipinos interest first.
Paolo Gabriel D. Jamer
Manila,
Philippines
The more we test for Covid-19
The
more Covid-19 infections we will find
The
Southeast Asian Times, Sunday February 27, 2022
First published in the Bangkok Post, Wednesday February 23,
2022
|
Re: "Antigen Test Kits (ATK) answer,"
in Bangkok Post, PostBag, February 23, 2022.
Khun Burin Kantabutra has always proposed many novel ideas in the
Post. However, I beg to politely differ with his suggestion in "Antigen
Test Kits (ATK) answer" for a disease which is already
basically everywhere in the kingdom.
In reality, due to previous limits on testing which all governments
have faced, we really have only detected a moderate, if not very
small percentage of the population which is Covid positive.
Having spent 25 years dealing with HIV/Aids as a volunteer nurse
(granted, a disease with different transmission methodology), one
of the lessons we learned in the Aids years was that for every positive
result we got, we had to assume that there was at least one other
positive result we often did not yet have.
As a rule of thumb, we often simply assumed that actual transmission
rates were three to four times higher than we recorded, because
testing then had limits, just as Covid testing today has.
Readers need to live with harsh reality that the more we can test,
the more Covid-19 cases we will find.
The number of cases might be far more that Thai public can probably
even imagine. The dream of massive Antigen Test Kits (ATK) testing
is at this time neither workable, nor a solution and is blinded
by a two-week incubation period.
Until we have a cure, the best we can do is simply manage cases
based on severity, expand access to food and medicine for the poor
and move on with life.
The mortality rate on Covid-19 is very low, and while anyone of
us could be a victim, most of us are far more at risk when we get
in a taxi or on a motorbike.
Jason A Jellison,
Bangkok,
Thailand
Chickens
no longer boiled alive after 2024
At McDonald's Thailand
The
Southeast Asian Times, Saturday February 26, 2022
First published in the Bangkok Post, Monday February 21, 2022
|
Re: "Billionaire Icahn blasts McDonald's
on animal welfare", in Bangkok Post, February 18, 2022.
While it's noted how horribly the pigs that Mcdonald's uses for
food are treated, their chickens don't have it any better.
McDonald's agreed to use suppliers who use a more humane method
of slaughtering the chickens so that they will no longer be boiled
alive in scalding water.
But that's not until 2024 and it will only involve 70 percent of
their chickens. People always tell me it's okay to kill animals
for food as long as they don't suffer.
Would it be okay to kill humans for food as long as they're not
tortured?
Even while eating at places such as McDonald's and Kentucky Fried
Chicken where the animals killed for food suffer terribly.
What hypocrisy!
Eric
Bahrt,
Bangkok,
Thailand
Corruption has become
a swaggering Goliath
In
Philippines political culture
The
Southeast Asian Times, Friday February 25, 2022
First published in the Philippine Inquirer, Wednesday February
23, 2022
|
It would be an invaluable public service in the encircling
gloom of disinformation and political dirty tricks - when even the
convicteds delusions of greatness are accepted - if the Inquirer
could be persuaded to publish a summary table of pandemic funding.
Perhaps an ongoing reporting?
We are in dire need of facts, particularly as the elections approach.
Thinking has to be fed, judgment improved, and, as someone said,
in a democracy people have a right to change their minds.
And without accountability, there can be no good governance.
I am reminded of Robert Sarnoffs definition of finance: It
is the art of passing currency from hand to hand until it finally
disappears.
Let us at least be allowed to watch the trick.
Some basic questions to consider:
How much has come from the public purse?
What has been donated from other governments which ones, how much?
What has been contributed by international agencies which ones,
how much?
Which local corporations have contributed cash kind both and how
much?
How much has been borrowed from banks give details?
Which government agencies have received funding and to which undertakings
have these been appropriated?
What balance remains and what are the projected uses for this?
I am sure there are other noteworthy points of reference that could
be raised by expertise. Bernard Levin writes passionately that
the terrible truth is that evil, when it is in arms, can be defeated
only by arming good.
Perhaps the Inquirer can assist with the latter.
Corruption has become such a swaggering Goliath in our political
culture that one almost gives up hope.
However, a few well-aimed stones might still do the trick.
A David could do it.
Virginia
Calpotura,
Religious of the Sacred Heart (RSCJ),
Manila,
Philippines
Parliamentry sessions
in Asian Countries has degenerated
Into
dog fights, fistfights, hurtling chairs, brawls, beatings
The
Southeast Asian Times Thursday February 24, 2022
First published in the Bangkok Post, Sunday February 13, 2022
|
Re: "Can't beat question time," Bangkok
Post, Post, Script, February 7, 2022
Qestion time Q&A in British Parliament is the most significant
evidence of the merits and the purpose of a democracy.
It is also a sign of a civic society where leaders are held accountable
to their party and the constituents who elect them.
The British Q&A sessions must be added to one of the world's
wonders because it keeps our faith in democracy.
Sadly, there is no Q&A session in US institutions, but there
are intense partisan debates in the conference or committee hearings.
So far, the American House and Senate have maintained their grace
by calling the opposition members "My honourable friend"
during debates.
However, the Senate filibuster in the United States of America has
become a spectacle designed to prolong the discussion and delay
or prevent a vote on a bill, resolution, amendment or other debatable
issues.
Usually, a filibuster session is amusing because the Senate hall
looks empty, and there is no one to listen to the chosen ones.
So much American democracy?
Democracy in many Asian countries has degenerated into dog fights,
fistfights, hurtling chairs, brawls, and beatings during elections
and in parliament sessions.
Some find it exciting to see a bloodbath in the halls of Asian parliaments.
Forget about Q&A sessions; Thai parliamentarians even do not
show up.
Fortunately, Thais need not worry when the government is a coalition
of the unwilling?
I must say that British democracy is the only hope that still kindles
and excites the minds and soothes the human spirit.
Kuldeep Nagi,
Bangkok,
Thailand
Thailand
statesman Nai Pridi
Had rare and tremendous courage
The
Southeast Asian Times, Wednesday 23, February 2022
First published in the Bangkok Post, Monday 21, February 2022
|
Michael Jackson's song, Who's loving you starts like
this:
"When I had you
I treated you bad and wrong my dear
And girl, since you went away
Don't you know, I sit around with my head hanging down
And I wonder who's loving you".
In Thailand, a statesman who is known simply as "Nai Pridi"
made a statement just before he died:
"When I had power, I had no experience; when I had experience,
I had no power".
The words from these two late gentlemen show us they had rare and
tremendous courage - to display to the world the mistakes they had
made in the past.
That's something most people of today don't care about.
Vint Chavala,
Bangkok,
Thailand
Despite promises of unity
and democracy
Philippines has become more divided
The Southeast Asian Times, Tuesday February 22, 2022
First published in the Philippine Inquirer, Monday February
21, 2022
|
This February marks the 36th anniversary of the 1986
Edsa People Power Revolution.
It has been perceived as a national victory and reconciliation in
the face of adversity, struggle, and crisis.
The reconciliation for unity proved to be a key factor in restoring
our democracy and gaining our freedom, as well as bringing about
the change we desired in our society.
However, as time passes, our yearning for national unity is still
far from reality. Despite Edsas promises of unity and democracy,
we appear to have become much more divided.
It is not unity that has dominated, but animosity toward fellow
Filipinos that obviously threatens peace and stability.
Some continue to use the issues of the past as fuel to discredit
fellow Filipinos.
Isnt it better to just learn to forgive in order to strengthen
the call for reconciliation we forged and shared during Edsa while
recapturing and cultivating the sense of oneness in confronting
todays issues?
Reconciliation for unity and democracy is the true spirit of Edsa.
May it remain with us, keeping us awake and vigilant, especially
during this election season, to choose a leader who will strengthen
our nationalism and our anti-terrorism campaigns, as well as address
the nations ills, to ensure that the loss of freedom and democracy
will not be repeated.
In protecting our democracy and promoting sustainable peace and
development, there is no one to depend on but us Filipinos in unity,
along with our responsibility, regardless of the challenges confronting
our country, our differences of opinion and political colors.
So, as Filipinos, let there be dissenting social and political biases
among us, but let us be inspired and united by the spirit of democracy
and live in peace and harmony.
Erica T. Maniago,
Central Luzon,
Philippines
Reforestation cannot replace
ecological values
Of fertile forests in Thailand lost to reservoirs
The
Southeast Asian Times, Monday February 21, 2022
First published in the Bangkok Post, Sunday February 13, 2022
|
Re: "Dam plans threaten forests,"
in Bangkok Post, February 2, 2022.
We must not allow Royal Irrigation Department (RID) officials to
fool the public by touting claims that they will "reforest
an area at least twice the size of the forest lost to reservoirs".
Even if this were true, a highly dubious claim in light of past
reforestation failures, people need to recognise that tree plantations
are no substitute for destroyed rich natural forests.
It doesn't matter if Royal Irrigation Department (RID) plants twice
the area of forests they flood or 20 times the area, it is virtually
impossible to replace the ecological values of the fertile forests
that would be lost to reservoirs.
The promised planted forests will not contain the plant diversity
and habitats needed to sustain tigers, leopards, pangolins, hornbills,
elephants, gaur, civet cats, gibbons, binturong and the myriad of
other threatened species that depend on healthy native forests for
survival.
It should also be questioned why Royal Irrigation Department (RID)
wants to bring yet more agricultural land under irrigation.
Does the country really need to produce yet more rice that rots
in warehouses or is sold for low prices in international markets?
Samanea Saman,
Bangkok,
Thailand
Thai PM accuses Thammasat
University in Bangkok
Of teaching courses that distort history
The
Southeast Asian Times, Sunday February 20, 2022
First published in the Bangkok Post, Sunday February 13, 2022
|
Re: "Don't believe all you read,"
in Bangkok Post Editorial, February 9, 2022
The Bangkok Post accurately outlines Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha's
failures to respect basic principles of truth seeking and recklessly
accused the demonstration school of Thammasat University of teaching
courses that distorted history.
But the failure is a tad more profound.
The students and teachers at Thammasat demonstration school clearly
understand the importance of a critical review of current beliefs
in protecting us from retaining false beliefs.
Honest people who value truth and who do not wish to propagate fake
beliefs insist on a healthy discussion that considers other possibilities.
Unless intellectual and moral honesty are deemed by unjust law and
deluded social mores to be bad, Thammasat demonstration school,
following the sound example of historians who actively review Thai
history and society to better avoid mindlessly repeating fake claims,
is entirely in the right.
Felix Qui,
Bangkok,
Thailand
Philippines, Lebanon and
North Korea only three
World countries with ultra-strict bank secrecy
laws
The
Southeast Asian Times, Saturday February 19, 2022
First published in the Philippine Inquirer, Monday February,
2022
|
Dindo Manhit in an article published last February
12 said: Everyone must fight corruption. It starts by electing
leaders who wont tolerate it at all.
Simply put, good leaders produce good results.
But given our chronicled and worsening corruption, the same conclusion
may also suggest that we have always been wrong in electing leaders,
through nearly two generations since the Edsa revolution.
Maraming korap kaya maraming mahirap.
In this month of hearts and flowers and lovers of every kind, it
is fitting yet relevant to revisit a piece of examination by Anna
Cristina Tuazon Love and elections, Safe Space,
February 2, 22 When choosing a life partner, youd want
someone who can dream - and know how to actualize that dream.
In politics, youd want a candidate who carries ambitious ideals
because this means they wont be too cynical to attempt to
change the current system that has preserved our inequalities.
At the same time, you would want someone who actually has a credible
plan. Wanting to change the system is simply not enough; they need
to understand deeply how the system works, appreciate its complexity,
and offer a systemic solution. Simple solutions like imposing bans
and taxes are not likely to solve anything in the long term.
We all want a corruption-free nation.
Every candidate promises the same. Ambitious ideal? Yes.
But have we been told by any candidate of a radical, credible plan
to root out this evil of dishonesty and deceit?
No. This should make us wary.
How can anyone realistically commit to financing or aiding basic
needs of the great many on food, shelter, education, health care,
jobs if 40 percent of peoples money is lost annually to corruption?
How can anyone attract the private sector, local and international,
to invest and create jobs if we are to remain a corrupt nation?
How can anyone put behind bar grafters in government, rent-seekers
in business, and elements of criminal syndicates if our laws of
today shield and favor them?
Is anyone, imbued not with self-interest or obligation to return
a favor, prepared and equipped to repeal the nearly century-old,
obsolete Republic Act No. 1405 or the bank secrecy law?
The law was enacted in 1955 to encourage individuals to deposit
their money in banks instead of hoarding them.
It declared banking a private matter.
Put simply, no one can go to your bank and ask for your bank balance.
While there are exceptions, securing them is not an easy task.
The easiest way is to waive the secrecy in writing, but its
not that simple.
As a matter of practice, banks will require the depositor to state
in his waiver the specific bank account, bank branch, name of depositor,
period covered by the transactions, and the name of the person authorized
to access the bank account. The only other option is to secure a
court order.
Imagine, then, the difficulty in going after persons suspected or
accused of corruption without any money trail.
The Philippines is among only three countries in the world Lebanon
and North Korea are the other two that have ultra-strict bank secrecy
laws.
There are stories affixed to banking transactions.
They are not just empty figures.
So, unless our next president and Congress realize and act on the
need to repeal this age-old law, no end to corruption will ever
be in sight.
This is the golden time to challenge candidates and to get commitment,
not after elections.
Else, we can all just end up fighting the same endless corruption.
Norman Cabrera,
President,
Kapatiran Party,
Manila,
Philippines
Education
system in Thailand needs review
Not school uniforms
The
Southeast Asian Times, Friday February 18, 2022
First published in the Bangkok Post,Wednesday February 16,
2022
|
Re: "Uniform rule needs review",
Bangkok Post Editorial, February 11, 2022
Our education system's among the bottom 13 in the world.
But what upsets us most?
Not its poor quality but the appearances of our students.
Our priorities are upside-down and we think things can't change.
But as Kenan Foundation Asia found, "countries as diverse
as Poland and Malaysia made significant jumps between 2015 to 2018,
dispelling the sticky myth that education systems cannot change.
With smarter investments, a focus on developing quality teachers,
and encouragement for students, education in Thailand can indeed
improve".
I suggest that half of the compensation for education staff, all
the way up to the education minister, depend on gains in average
scores from Pisa and other international tests of students under
that person's charge other things being equal.
If his students have gone from 300 to 400 points, for example, he's
accomplished more than if they've gone from 450 to 500 points.
This will motivate the best teachers to focus on the underprivileged
masses, for their low base means it's easier to make big gains.
It'll make the rural millions more productive and help close our
massive rich-poor gap.
Ministry of Education expenditures to schools prioritise those making
the highest average score gains, other things being equal, to motivate
them.
For example, a school whose students have gone from 200 to 300 points
would get more per student than one whose scores have risen from
400 to 450.
Schools charge what the market will bear -with full scholarships
available for half of each class, fully merit-based and gender-blind.
This will greatly aid the disadvantaged and raise their education
ambitions.
Average test scores for Pisa etc be posted on the internet by school,
teacher and subject area but not by student, to aid parents' decision-making.
How do we improve on the above - and get Prayut to fulfil his seven-year-old
promise to fully reform education?
Burin Kantabutra,
Bangkok,
Thailand
ASEAN prone to follow
Chinese model
Of stability based on purge, pride and progress
The
Southeast Asian Times, Thursday February 17, 2022
First published in the Bangkok Post, February 16, 2022
|
Re: "Myanmar poses Asian quandary",
in Bangkok Post, Editorial, February 13, 2022
Well, it has been a year and so far, Asean has nothing to show for
in ending the crisis in Myanmar.
We need to keep in mind that Myanmar and its immediate neighbours
have a common history of being ruled by coups, authoritarian regimes,
despots, and dictators.
Hence, I do not see that Cambodia, or for that matter, any of its
neighbours has any urgency or moral strength to restore democracy.
Democracy in Asean is like a balloon, it is easily burst with an
instant coup, arrests and imprisonments of elected officials.
As long as the military remains above the law, there is very little
hope of creating a civic society in Asean.
The region is prone to following the Chinese model of stability
based on purge, pride and progress.
Kuldeep Nagi,
Bangkok,
Thailand
Philippines Catholic church
no longer accepts
Donations destructive to environment
The
Southeast Asian Times, Wednesday February 15, 2022
First published in the Philippine Inquirer, Thursday February
10, 2022
|
It is indeed a cause to celebrate and commend the
Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) bold and maybe
long-overdue decision to stop accepting donations from businesses
that are proven destructive to the environment in The bishops
bold move, Editorial, February 5, 2022.
It also urged other church organizations to withdraw not later than
2025 their resources from banks and other financial institutions,
which are without clear commitment to divest from fossil fuels.
In turn, Filipino Catholics are called to stand with their pastors
and assist them in this fight to save our common home.
While it is easier said than done, its expected impact on the financial
resources of the whole Church and the individual dioceses still
reeling from the significant drop in collections due to suspended
public Mass must have weighed heavily on them.
The Church mainly depends on in-person, pass the basket donations,
and the arancel system or fixed rates for baptisms, confirmations,
weddings, funerals, and offering of Mass intentions.
It must be noted that the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines
(CBCP) also gradually seeks to abolish the system as it can hinder
the poor from receiving Gods grace and blessings.
Regardless, the Church depends on divine providence and the generosity
of its members to meet its financial needs.
As Bishop Broderick Pabillo bravely said, The Church survives
on faith, not fees.
Be that as it may, it remains to be seen how the individual bishops
will walk this talk in their own dioceses.
In the exercise of its apostolic and pastoral role, the Catholic
Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) does not encroach on
the autonomy of the individual bishops whether to implement this
policy statement in the varying context and needs of their dioceses.
In this regard, we can only pray and hope that at least most if
not all the bishops shall find the courage and wisdom to change
the things that they can to promote that greater good which
the Church offers to humankind, especially through forms and programs
of the apostolate which are fittingly adapted to the circumstances
of the time and place (CIC, c. 447).
In a world where people listen to witnesses more than teachers,
the bishops cannot but lead by example!
Carmelo Pablo,
Manila,
Philippines
Families in Thailand grieving
loss
On Thaksin's war on drugs
The
Southeast Asian Times, Tuesday February 15, 2022
First published in the Bangkok Post, Sunday February 13, 2022
|
Re: "Expansive gestures from hopeful leaders,"
in Opinion, January 10, 2022 and "Thaksin's war
on drugs a crime against humanity," in Opinion, December
13, 2013.
I follow Khun Veera Prateepchaikul's column with much interest,
and been wondering if ever Thaksin's drug war can be tried by the
International Criminal Court.
The International Court of Arbitration (ICC) announced last year
their investigation into Duterte's deadly drug war, which he fashioned
from Thaksin's drug war.
I remember reading that a human rights group petitioned United Nations
High Commissioner for Refugees (UNCHR) to investigate Thaksin, along
with the late senator Kraisak Choonhavan writing this related piece
for the Bangkok Post.
I hope the Post can explore this issue with the International Court
of Arbitration (ICC).
So many families in Thailand are still grieving their loss.
Sukanya Malcott,
Bangkok,
Thailand
Call
for daily publication
Of Air Quality Index for Bangkok
The
Southeast Asian Times, Monday February 14, 2022
First published in the Bangkok Post February 10, 2022
|
I suggest you publish the Air Quality Index numbers
every day for Bangkok and other cities.
One thing we should realise is there's nothing more effective and
fearful than seeing facts in numbers every day.
Hopefully, if they see it every day the government and public will
be forced to do something.
This is an urgent matter: no matter how developed you get or how
big your GDP, if basic air quality isn't good enough, we will only
become weaker as a human race.
As with Covid, we will have to live inside with masks and air purifiers
- a future no one wants for our children.
It should be your duty as journalists to inform people daily with
numbers and colour warnings, which is way more informative than
editorials and opinions.
Rishi
Jain,
Bangkok,
Thailand
Only two ASEAN states
are parties to International Convention
On Protection of the Rights of All Migrant
Workers
The
Southeast Asian Times , Sunday February 13, 2022
First published in the Bangkok Post, Thursday February 10,
2022
|
Re "Migrant workers get a raw deal,"
Bangkok Post, Opinion, February 7, 2022.
Fairness by host nations' legal systems is indeed crucial while
dealing with migrant workers.
From this perspective, it seems unacceptable to ignore the existence
of a comprehensive International Convention on the Protection of
the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of their Families
(1990) which has been in force since 2003.
In accordance with this convention, state parties undertake to respect
and ensure all migrant workers and members of their families within
their territory, or subject to their jurisdiction, receive the rights
provided for.
Regrettably, this convention was ratified by only 56 out of 193
UN member states. Only two Asean members (Indonesia and the Philippines)
are parties to this multilateral legal instrument.
It is only when this convention is taken seriously by all states
can it be asserted that real legal progress will have been achieved
in solving a crucial human rights problems.
Ioan Voicu,
Bangkok,
Thailand
Call for US to impress
on Fiji the importance
Of safeguarding democratic governance
The
Southeast Asian Times, Saturday February 12, 2022
|
My prayer for Fiji is that after the very serious
threat to its democracy, that America experienced in the post election
January 6 insurrection, the visiting US Secretary of State Anthony
Blinkin will impress on the leaders in Fiji and the region the critical
importance of safeguarding the integrity of the institutions of
good democratic governance.
The well-being of the people depend on that above all else.
We lose that we lose all else.
Rajend Naidu,
Sydney,
Australia
Unless justice is done
here and now
Many will go to their death underservedly
rich
The
Southeast Asian Times, Friday February 11, 2022
First published in the Bangkok Post, Thursday February 3,
2022
|
Re: "Do not mistake ritual for repentance"
in Bangkok Post, Opinion, January 31, 2022.
Whilst true as Paritta Wangkiat writes that "taking a genuine
responsibility for our actions would be a good way to start atoning",
it is false to say that "at the end of the day, we all,
Pol L/C Norawich and his ilk included, will pay for our sins in
one way or another."
And that falsehood is a dangerous one.
The blunt reality is that unless it be done here on Earth by their
fellow human beings, justice will not be done.
Unless their fellow humans insist on justice in the here and now,
many bad people will prosper mightily, and will go to death undeservedly
rich, at ease, and respected by all.
At best, an improved historical awareness allows some material justice
to be done among the generations now living.
Their children cannot be guilty of the sins of the mother or father.
However, if a fortune was, for example, acquired unjustly, such
as by conquest or corruption, then that unjust initial acquisition,
like the fruits of the harms inflicted on those from whom it was
unjustly taken, does continue to affect later generations, and for
those very real present consequences of past injustice, reparations
can and should be made, especially by a due redistribution of wealth,
preferably by voluntary acts of those holding it, to better serve
distributive justice in the here and now by correcting the baleful
influences of historical wrongs.
This is why some narrowly defined forms of affirmative action can
also be just.
It is also held by those who value truth seeking and speaking that
the impartial quest for right understanding of history and its figures
is a good thing in itself, a value that, while often unkind to myth,
comports perfectly with justice as with truth.
Felix Qui,
Bangkok,
Thailand
Philippines vice-presidential
candidate
To lobby Congress to approve military conscription
The
Southeast Asian Times, Thursday February 10, 2022
|
Vice-presidential aspirant Sara Duterte stated that
if elected, she will continue to lobby for a program that her father
struggled to implement as president, and that she will continue
to press for mandatory military service for young people.
Sara Duterte, the daughter of President Rodrigo Duterte and a reservist
in the Army, has stated that she intends to utilize the vice president's
office to lobby Congress to approve a military conscription law.
She wants all citizens over the age of 18 to be required to serve
in the military, which should include humanitarian assistance and
disaster preparedness training. Her proposal gathers different sentiments
on social media, including those netizens asking why the government
is anticipating war.
We need to be prepared, in my opinion, because we don't know when
or where an invasion will occur.
We lack the required credibility in defense, and we are unable to
protect our country effectively if we lack soldiers.
We can't let our country's defense go unnoticed. Filipinos must
also keep in mind that without a guarantee of security in our country,
we cannot have a stable economy with booming industries.
Amid security challenges such as China's presence in the South China
Sea, we may need to develop a reserve force to supplement the military.
Ann R. Aquino.
Cavite State University,
Philippines
China
is a signatory to 1982 UNCLOS
UNCLOS provides regulations for South China
Sea
The
Southeast Asian Times, Wednesday February 9, 2022
First published in the Philippine Inquirer, Tuesday February
8, 2022
|
The stand of Ferdinand Bongbong
Marcos Jr. over the West Philippine Sea issue, particularly on the
Permanent Court of Arbitrations (PCA) 2016 ruling in The Hague
in favor of the Philippines that invalidated Chinas sweeping
claims over almost the entire South China Sea, is vague and truly
disturbing.
Asked on the issue by host Boy Abunda during The 2022 Presidential
One-On-One Interviews with Boy Abunda recently, Marcos
Jr. effectively dismissed the arbitral decision, claiming that arbitration
is no longer available to us and that the only option
left to us is to continue to engage the Chinese through
bilateral agreement.
He further asserted that superpowers such as the United States and
the Soviet Union must not be involved in the dispute, saying that
the problem is between China and us.
In effectively asserting that the arbitral ruling could not be enforced,
he claimed that China was not a signatory to that arbitration
agreement, arguing that in arbitration there must be an
agreement between the two opposing parties agreement of
the two different parties were his exact words."
In fine, he sided with Chinas stubborn position that it was
not bound by the PCAs questioned ruling in that it was not
a party to the arbitration proceedings.
Marcos argument is misplaced.
In arbitration, there are at least three parties, the third or independent
party being called the judge or arbitrator. In simple terms, arbitration
is a way of settling disputes between parties who agree to submit
such disputes for resolution by their chosen judges or arbitrators.
The 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea or UNCLOS
came into force on November 16, 1994, an international law that
provides a regulatory framework for the use of the worlds
seas and oceans, among others, to ensure the conservation and equitable
usage of resources and the marine environment and to ensure the
protection and preservation of the living resources of the sea.
It also addresses such other matters as sovereignty, rights of usage
in maritime zones, and navigational rights.
Article 287(3) of the law provides a procedure for the settlement
of the maritime dispute if, for instance, a member-state has not
expressed any preference with respect to the means of dispute resolution
under Article 287(1) thereof, or otherwise fails or refuses to cooperate.
The Peoples Republic of China signed and ratified the UNCLOS,
and therefore it cannot legally and rightly disclaim not to be a
party to the questioned case arbitrated and decided by the UN-backed
PCA pursuant to the provisions of this international law.
Diosdado "Dads" Calonge,
Manila,
Philippines
Call for all food factories
in Thailand
To be inspected
The
Southeast Asian Times, Tuesday February 8, 2022
First published in the Bangkok Post, Friday February 4, 2022
|
Re: "Cops raid sausage factory as kids
fall ill", Bangkok Post, Friday February 4, 2022.
Nine kids have developed a blood disorder after eating sausages
from an unnamed Chon Buri factory.
The factory owner admitted to making products without the required
permits for five years.
He didn't observe good manufacturing procedures, and displayed false
product labels.
The case reeks of corruption, for how could the owner get away with
breaking the law for so long?
For starters, the head of the government's factory permit division
and his subordinate responsible for Chon Buri should be fired for
incompetence and investigated for corruption.
All food factories nationwide also should be checked to see if they
are qualified to make the products they sell.
Burin Kantabutra,
Bangkok,
Thailand
China
and Thailand to face labour shortages
Declining
populations and ageing societies
The
Southeast Asian Times, Monday February 7, 2022
First published in the Bangkok Post, Friday February 4, 2022
|
Re: "Worker shortages a 'new normal,'"
Bangkok Post, January 26 and "Shrinking Asia changing
global demographics," Bangkok Post Opinion,
January 26.
Japan, Korea and many European countries are facing critical shortages
of labour as a result of stagnant or declining populations and ageing
societies.
China and Thailand are about to follow suit.
At the same time, population growth in many African countries and
the Philippines outstrips the ability of those countries to create
jobs.
The win-win solution is for countries with labour shortages to relax
immigration to allow more foreign migrant workers from countries
with an excess of working-age individuals.
This should be an especially promising proposition for more developed
countries that currently have high labour costs.
Workers from less advanced economies would undoubtedly be willing
to work for far lower wages, filling vacant worker positions and
bringing down overall labour costs in the process.
Samanea Saman,
Bangkok,
Thailand
Call for Papua New Guinea
Criminal Investigator Division
and
Office of the Public Prosecutor to be honest
The
Southeast Asian Times, Sunday February 6, 2022
First published in the National, Thursday February 3, 2022
|
There should be a stronger working relationship between
the criminal investigation division (CID) and police prosecution.
It is vital for these two sections in the Royal Papua New Guinea
Constabulary to work together to ensure better outcomes are achieved,
especially in courts.
Both CID and prosecution need to work closely to ensure good reports
are filed and presented in courts within the three months
timeframe that courts usually give.
The three months timeframe that the courts give is not a law
but it is the common practice.
From my experience, there have been times when serious cases are
thrown out of courts and this is all because police hand-up-briefs
are not ready for court within three months.
If investigators need more time to complete their investigations,
it is advisable to approach the prosecutors and inform them so that
they can then be in a better position to inform the court and ask
for adjournment.
Prosecution and CID should discuss regularly and identify failures
and come up with solutions to move forward.
I am making my exit from the force as a prosecutor as well others
from different sections and we will be watching as citizens.
You have to move forward.
At the moment, there are corrupt practices creeping in.
Go very careful and avoid getting involved in such practices.
I encourage CIDs and prosecutors to be honest in their jobs in order
to get good results in court.
Hove Genderiso.
Port Moresby,
Papua New Guinea
Call
for next Philippine administration
To
shy away from stereotypes in drug use policy
The
Southeast Asian Times, Saturday February 5, 2022
First published in the Philippine Inquirer, Wednesday February
2, 2022
|
In a recent interview that was published in Inquirer.nets
Facebook page, presidential aspirant Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said he
cannot engage in drug use because that kind of lifestyle,
para lang yan sa mga walang ginagawa, walang trabaho.
He added that if you expect to produce good work, hindi ka
pwede sumailalim sa ganyang bisyo.
Nonetheless, he said he is in favor of legalizing marijuana for
medical purposes, citing several studies.
I recommend that he read the 2018 study of Prof. Regina M. Hechanova
Alampay of the Ateneo De Manila University.
The study, The Development of a Community-Based Drug Intervention
for Filipino Drug Users, was published by the Journal
of Pacific Rim Psychology.
Lets check his stereotypes:
That kind of lifestyle, para lang yan sa mga walang
ginagawa, walang trabaho.
In the study of Alampay, about half of the participants were
employed in manual and contractual work, such as construction, electrical,
and street-sweeping.
Their primary reason for using drugs?
Work-related, i.e., Gives me more energy, I
can work better.
These individuals are gainfully employed.
They use drugs not for recreational purposes, like what Marcos implied.
Instead, they use drugs to keep their energy levels high at work.
This is understandable given that they are involved in manual labor.
If you expect to produce good work, hindi ka pwede sumailalim
sa ganyang bisyo.
In the same study, the oft-cited benefit of drug use was increased
energy and productivity.
Her study participants talked about energy trip that allowed them
to work longer and harder.
On bisyo, only 14 percent of participants had
scores indicative of full dependency and 39 percent had some symptoms.
Close to half had even no symptoms of drug dependence.
This shows that drug use per se will not lead to drug dependence.
Let us move beyond these stereotypes about persons who use psychoactive
drugs. It is unfortunate that the current drug war is built around
these stereotypes.
It has since led to the deaths of thousands of individuals without
due process of law.
The next administration should already shy away from these stereotypes
as bases for its drug use policy, and, instead, embrace community-based
programs that are based on sound research evidence.
Rejinel Camboa Valencia
Manila,
Philippines
Philippino's dream of
social change
Despite
failures of Duterte administration
The
Southeast Asian Times, Friday February 4, 2022
First published in the Philippine Inquirer, Thursday February
3, 2022
|
The first sentence in Prof. Randy Davids column
last Sunday went: At least once every six years, we are invited
to dream that enduring social change, is at last, within sight.
As Filipinos, I think that we had been dreaming about this since
the revolutionary days up to now.
Except for a few years just before Commonwealth status was given
to us by the United States up to the pre-martial law days, we were
able to have parts of our dreams fulfilled.
We were led by politicians who as a rule were nationalistic, ethical,
educated, and cultured.
If you remember, when Rogelio dela Rosa first ran for senator, most
voters questioned his qualifications, being a movie star.
Right now, if you are an actor, TV or radio personality, or an athlete
like a boxer or a basketball player, you have an advantage over
the other candidates.
Our presidents then acted presidential in public, i.e., no swearing,
no bad words, no misogyny or sexism, and polished
in dress and attitude since he is the father or she is the mother
of the country.
Without endorsing anybody, he just dissected why the public voted
for Mr. Duterte who to the regular voters acted like a regular person
or common tao who will solve our everyday problems:
People just saw in him someone who could jolt the post-Edsa
ruling elites out of their smugness.
He also discussed the causes why Mr. Duterte has hardly
made a dent on the problems that he himself set out to solve.
I just wished that this time, Filipino voters will start to use
their minds since the future of the Philippines depends on them
who will elect our future leaders.
In spite of the Duterte administration failing the Filipino people,
I think that I can still dream, cant I?
Puwede pa ring managinip o mangarap.
Ida M. Tiongco,
New York,
NY
Call for National Economic
and Development Authority (Neda)
To be raised in presidential candidate campaigne
The
Southeast Asian Times, Thursday February 3, 2022
First published in the Philippine Inquirer, Tuesday February
1, 2022
|
The series of presidential interviews
on TV, radio, and social media lacks serious discussions on
the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals or SDGs.
The term of the next administration, 2022-2028, is critical to the
achievement of the goals by 2030, the year the United Nations General
Assembly has targeted when it launched the SDGs in 2015.
According to the UN, the SDGs are the blueprint to achieve a better
and more sustainable future for all.
The goals address global challenges such as poverty, inequality,
climate change, environmental degradation, peace, and justice.
Actually, the Philippines through the National Economic and Development
Authority (Neda) has integrated the SDGs in the Philippine Development
Plan 2017-2022.
The attainment of the SDGs supposedly in 2030 should pave the way
for the achievement of AmBisyon Natin 2040 per Neda. Ironically,
there is no legitimate administration presidential candidate so
this Neda plan will never be raised in the campaign.
The candidates have to promote most of the 17 goals or even half.
Vice President Leni Robredo is pushing for womens empowerment,
obviously; while Manila Mayor Isko Moreno earlier announced to create
more open and green spaces in Manila. The others are silent.
Maybe their campaigns do not see the SDGs as essential in the future
of the country.
This is to challenge the media, the Inquirer, and other groups which
will organize debates to choose several SDGs as talking points for
the candidates.
The more goals the candidates promote the better for the Philippines
in terms of compelling the government, private sector, and civil
society to take action.
Art Popoy Los Banos,
Dubai,
UAE
UN
wants more sanctions against
The
Armed Forces (Tatmadaw) of Myanmar
The
Southeast Asian Times, Wednesday February 2, 2022
|
I was not surprised to hear the UN Secretary General
Antonio Gutteres say on the eve of the one year anniversary of the
military takeover of the democratically elected civilian government
in Myanmar that there was almost universal international condemnation
of the coup but apart from that the international response was
" weak ".
This follows an all too familiar pattern . Gutteres said a lot more
needed to be done to sanction the Myanmar military's unlawful takeover
of power and its continue violent crackdown on pro-democracy protesters.
The big question is will that happen? Australian State is one of
those whose response has been weak.
And that damages Australia's international standing in upholding
democracy.
But Australia's reputation has been somewhat salvaged by several
major corporations including Woodside mining no longer wishing to
do business with the Myanmar military junta.
That must become the norm to make it abundantly clear to the rogue
rulers of Myanmar that their power grab is totally unacceptable.
Rajend Naidu,
Sydney,
Australia
Japan is uniquely empowered
To rekindle pacifist non-alignment
The Southeast Asian Times, Tuesday February
1, 2022
First published in the Bangkok Post, Sunday January 23, 2022
|
Re: "Japan's post-Covid regional dilemma",
in Bangkok Post, Opinion, January 2, 2022.
As a member in good standing of Dr Thitinan's fan club, being always
appreciative of his trenchant rejection of our ruling elite's authoritarian
attempts to deny the Thai people's democratic aspirations, I hesitate
to question his analysis of Japan's role in our post-Covid world.
However, in answering his own question about what kind of great
power Japan wants to be, Dr Thititnan trudges down the same old
familiar Big Power, Big Stick path that has led the world to its
current near hopeless dead-end.
He bemoans Japan's lack of military might and veers toward favouring
the abrogation of Article 9 in Japan's so-called pacifist constitution.
But what if Japan were to choose a path to peace?
The words of Article 9 are spine-tinglingly inspirational: "...the
Japanese people forever renounce war as a sovereign right of the
nation and the threat or use of force as a means of settling international
disputes...The right of belligerency of the state will not be recognised."
What if Japan were to reinvigorate its geostrategic role in the
world by reclaiming Article 9 in its foundational sense and offering
the nations of the world an alternative to Big Power rivalries and
trillions in wasteful military expenditures?
As the only country to suffer the horrors of atomic bombs, Japan
is uniquely empowered with the moral authority required to rekindle
pacifist non-alignment as the only sustainable model for international
relations.
And mighty Indonesia, with a history deeply rooted in non-alignment,
might be a willing partner on this journey. If only...
Julian Spindler.
Bangkok,
Thailand
Electric vehicles
Need alot of electricity
The
Southeast Asian Times, Monday January 31, 2022
First published in the Bangkok Post, Friday January 28, 2022
|
Re: "Clear as air," in Bangkok
Post, PostBag, January 26, 2022.
While I certainly agree that changes will need to be made to clean
up the air pollution, I am afraid I am going to politely beg to
differ with Kuldeep Nagi on the solutions being offered.
First of all, neither the affluent, nor the disabled, are giving
up their private gas-powered vehicles, and initiating such draconian
means might even initiate some kind of open revolt.
Electric vehicles seem like a nice solution, but a quick Google
search will show that many electric vehicles still need a lot of
electricity, and over the past decade, that has translated into
a global increase in coal-powered power plants and other polluting
forms of electricity.
While many of today's electric vehicles don't belch fumes, the eventual
rise in nuclear power to juice those vehicles up puts plenty of
pollution into the environment.
It just moves the pollution into someone else's backyard and increases
the chances of what would be the yet another major nuclear accident
in my remaining lifetime.
Perhaps what is best for Bangkok and many parts of Thailand with
high air pollution is a "mid-term" plan.
For example, we could do a lot by taking the diesel motors out of
Bangkok's red buses and simply replacing those motors with gasoline/natural-gas
powered motors until such time as we really do have better options.
We could also offer more financial incentives for car-pooling in
areas with consistently poor air quality.
We could use limited AI to improve the efficiency of our traffic
light system, and we could look at a long-term redesign of our roads
for young, healthy people who can bicycle rather than use electric
or gas-powered motorbikes.
However, with all due respect, if any reader thinks draconian measures
can be used to stop the sale and use of motorcycles and cars, they
are dreaming, and you'll still have even more pollution.
Finally, if Covid taught us one thing, it was not that there is
no time to waste, but rather that maybe it would be a good idea
to use common sense and not engage in risky experiments which have
been untried before.
Jason A Jellison,
Bangkok,
Thailand
Call for more information
On closure of Thailands insurance company
The
Southeast Asian Times, Sunday January 30, 2022
First published in Bangkok Post, January 28, 2022
|
Re: "TGH subsidiary ceases operation,"
in Bangkok Post, Business, January 27, 2022.
The Bangkok Post reports on the sudden closure of Southeast Insurance
company, owned by one of Thailand's richest families, apparently
due to concerns about paying out Covid claims.
But the article is rather thin on important details, such as: When
does this closure take effect - immediately?
Does this mean that existing insurance policies with Southeast Insurance
are null and void - leaving clients to scramble for new policies
elsewhere?
Will Southeast Insurance refund existing premiums to its customers,
or will these simply line the pockets of the owner estimated net
worth: US$10.5 billion?
How about a
more informative follow-up article.
Concerned Client,
Bangkok,
Thailand
Call for social media
platforms to discuss
Issues
faced by candidates in Philippines elections
The
Southeast Asian Times, Saturday January 29, 2022
First published in the Philippine Inquirer, Wednesday January
26, 2022
|
We are seeing a deluge of oftentimes uncouth exchanges
on Twitter, Instagram, and the other social media platforms between
and among the bunches of trolls favoring a candidate over another.
Some of the language used is even unprintable. But rarely do we
read from these exchanges a discussion on issues and the challenges
their candidates will have to face once elected.
What is their candidates platform of government for the next
six years on the following gut issues?
How will he/she solve unemployment the Philippine Statistics Authority
estimated it at 6.5 percent last November, or about 3.2 million
unemployed Filipinos?
What concrete measures will they undertake, if elected, to provide
more jobs and not see an average of 1 million Filipinos leaving
for abroad every year to look for greener pastures?
How will they bring down the mounting public debtP11.92 trillion
as of Sept. 30, 2021?
How will they accelerate our economic development and industrialization
in the countryside where land and sea resources are untapped?
How will they get rid of the systemic graft in government offices
where connivance happens in high places and in broad daylight as
Senate inquiries have unearthed?
We expect the young and educated voters to at least find time to
ferret out the truth amid the nearly pointless internet exchanges.
After all, its their future thats at stake. They should
make the right and enlightened choice for their president.
Marvel K. Tan,
Manila,
Philippines
Repealing
of death penalty in Papua New Guinea
In
line with 1977 UN General Assembly resolution
The
Southeast Asian Times, Friday January 28, 2022
First published in the National, Wednesday January 26, 2022
|
The Peoples Progress Party (PPP) has welcomed
the Parliaments decision to do away with penalty as a punishment
for serious crimes.
Death penalty was a draconian and primitive law that has not proven
to be a deterrent to serious crimes anywhere in the world.
Peoples Progress Party (PPP) has always opposed the death
penalty with one of its founding members of the party and former
Middle Fly Member of Parliament Warren Dutton who vehemently opposed
capital punishment in any form.
In the 21st Century, Papua New Guinea cannot be resorting to the
most primitive and barbaric act against Christian principles and
the belief that God is the giver and taker of life.
The repealing of death penalty in Papua New Guinea is in line with
the 1977 United Nations General Assembly resolution and desire to
progressively restrict the number of offences for which the death
penalty might be imposed, with a view to the desirability of abolishing
this form of punishment.
Sumasy Singin,
National President,
Peoples Progress Party
Australia wants Indo-Pacific
alliance
To
ensure peace
The
Southeast Asian Times, Thursday 27 January 2022
|
Australian Prime Minister, Scott Morrison, wants us
to believe the latest military alliance between Australia and UK
and US will ensure peace and security and all that in the Indo-Pacific
region, the new theatre of geo-politics.
I don't believe that.
But that's because I am a pacifist.
But has that kind of military mumbo-jumbo delivered peace and security
anywhere?
It has only profited the military-industrial complex.
It's a failed approach to world peace and what Morrison and like
minded leaders are advocating is more of the same failed approach.
It's irrational and a waste of valuable resources that should be
channeled to more important areas of human need.
Rajend Naidu,
Sydney
Australia
Mafia style modus operandi
Is not confined to authoritarian regimes
The
Southeast Asian Times, Wednesday January 26, 2022
|
When I read in The Southeast Asian Times
( Jan.24 ) article ' Whistleblower threatened after filing corruption
allegations against President Jokowi's sons with KPK ' that
Jakarta State University lecturer, Ubedilah Badrun, received threats
against his life I was not at all surprised.
This Mafia style modus operandi is not confined to authoritarian
regimes.
For an insight into that see Bill Browder's book Red Notice :
How I Became Putin's No.1 Enemy ( 2015 ) which is ' A True Story
of High Finance, Murder, and One Man's Fight for Justice'.
This is something that regrettably happens fairly frequently in
democratic countries as well damaging the democratic credentials
of these countries.
The good part in this sordid story of the persecution of the public
spirited Indonesian whistleblower is that the Corruption Eradication
Commission (KPK ) spokesman, Ali Fikri, said " all reports
received from the public will be examined ".
That is as should be in a good democracy.
Independent oversight bodies must do what they are meant to do to
uphold good governance with fear or favour.
Rajend Naidu,
Sydney,
Australia
Thais
unwilling to do work
That migrant workers have readily accepted
The
Southeast Asian Times, Tuesday January 25, 2022
First published in the Bangkok Post, Monday January 24, 2022
|
Re: "Demographic doomsday"
in Bangkok Post, Business, Monday January 17, 2022
There's more than a touch of irony evident in this article about
the impending demographic cliff that Thailand is approaching.
On one hand, employers are lamenting a lack of workers and some
factories have even closed due to the so-called "labour
shortage".
In the next breath, however, several economists are expressing concern
over what they perceive to be "soaring unemployment",
currently at a rate of 4.58 percent.
The reality, of course, is that many Thais are unwilling to do the
work that migrant labourers have readily accepted in the past.
Barring a greatly relaxed system easing labour mobility into Thailand,
the country will need to find ways to entice more Thais to accept
these jobs if some sectors of the economy are to survive.
To do that, however, requires employers to pay decent wages, provide
safe and comfortable working conditions and extend favourable benefits
to employees.
Even then, it is questionable whether many Thais can be convinced
to accept employment in jobs that they have come to believe are
beneath them.
Samanea Saman,
Bangkok,
Thailand
Thailand calls for qualified
foreigners
To
transform corporate culture
The
Southeast Asian Times, Monday January 24, 2022
First published in the Bangkok Post, Sunday January 23, 2022
|
Re: "Billionaire takes bold stance on racism",
in Bangkok Post, Spotlight, January 16, 2022.
The courage of Luiza Trajano is what is needed in the people leading
the public and private sectors in Thailand.
On the birthday of Martin Luther Jr, who sacrificed his life fighting
racism in American society, we must recognise that racial discrimination
and prejudice remain the most dangerous pandemic in every culture.
Like in the USA and Brazil, these problems also exist in Thailand.
It is the elephant in the room no one wants to talk about.
So, forget about immigrants from Laos, Cambodia, or Myanmar.
Even well-to-do expatriates funnelling millions into the Thai economy
face all kinds of issues: double pricing, immigration hassles, job
discrimination, and workplace exploitation.
You seldom see foreigners residing in Thailand being involved in
the upper echelons of decision-making.
I am still waiting to see qualified foreigners being part of any
government agency. Diversity in the workplace is seen as a threat
to people in authority.
Thailand needs CEOs like Luiza Trajano to transform its corporate
culture through education and training programmes.
Otherwise, the elephant in the room will trample the economy; it
is just a matter of time.
Kuldeep Nagi,
Bangkok.
Thailand
Let the private sector
Run the lotteries in Thailand
The
Southeast Asian Times, Sunday January 23, 2022
First published in the Bangkok Post Monday January 17, 2022
|
Re: "Panel set to probe high ticket prices",
in Bangkok Post, January 15, 2022.
The most effective way to control lottery ticket pricing is to move
sales online, as in the United States.
Thousands of e-commerce transactions are performed in Thailand every
day. Online ticket sales will be much simpler, more transparent
and easier to control.
In these countries, tickets could be purchased at any ATM or convenience
store.
What about the vendors, many of whom are handicapped?
They are talented in other ways; for example, the finalist in last
year's Plaeng Ake singing contest was blind but has a beautiful
voice.
The government should help them discover their potential so they
can live to their fullest.
Last but not least, the Lottery Office has no business being a government-run
agency.
Let the private sector run it, with government supervision.
Burin Kantabutra,
Bangkok,
Thailand
Call
for corrective action
For
fake vaccination certificates in Malaysia
The
Southeast Asian Times, Saturday January 22, 2022
First published in the Star, Tuesday January 18, 2022
|
With the latest arrest of six workers and the owner
of a private polyclinic in Gombak over the issuance of fake vaccination
certificates, it is apparent that corrective action needs to be
taken immediately.
Hence, here are two suggestions that can be implemented to prevent
such incidents in the future:
Review the existing vaccination standard operating proceedure (SOP)
adopted by private clinics, as well as the list of authorised clinics
by following certain criteria and;
Enhance the supervision mechanism for authorised private clinics
and impose harsher punishments to issuers and users of fake vaccination
certificates.
Within this month, there have been two arrests involving private
clinics for issuing fake vaccination certificates.
These 2 arrests are likely just the tip of the iceberg, causing
many to be worried that more may still be operating in the dark.
Therefore, the Health Ministry could review and tighten existing
regulations to filter the list of authorised private clinics based
on medical qualifications and their operating history, among other
factors.
Furthermore, to prevent the AntiVax group from gaining more traction,
all individuals involved in the issuance and usage of fake vaccination
certificates should be sentenced with harsher punishments to create
a deterrent effect.
The Covid-19 pandemic remains a real threat every day.
Thus, we urge all Antivaxxers to rethink their decision, get accurate
information on vaccinations and support the nations effort
to vaccinate the people and save lives.
Wong Siew Mun ,
Spokesperson,
Malaysian Chinese Association (MCA)
Kuala Lumpur,
Malaysia
Thai roads are the most
dangerous
In the world
The
Southeast Asian Times Friday January 20, 2022
First published in the Bangkok Post, Wednesday January 12,
2022
|
Re: "7 deadly days", in
Bangkok Post January 3, 2022
Time and again we are reminded that Thai roads are among the most
dangerous in the world.
Speeding, drunk driving and lack of common sense in general are
mostly responsible.
However, around 80 percent of all casualties are motorcycle riders.
It would be interesting to know how many accidents are caused by
careless motorists, and how many are due to irresponsible bike riding.
I suspect the latter account for many mishaps.
Wouldn't it be better to focus more on the reckless bike riders
in order to reduce casualties instead of running useless campaigns
during new year periods?
Helmets often seem unnecessary to these dimwits, and police seem
to regard them as a mere cash cow.
Why not introduce a more stringent motorcycle licence with appropriate
enforcement?
Seeing helmet-less 13-year-old children ride to school with three
piled on a bike is just asking for trouble.
All the while the police just look on.
The safety campaigns that are run now clearly aren't working. Time
to do better.
Tom Bundaberg,
Bangkok,
Thailand
Hope for the best
But prepare for the worst
The
Southeast Asian Times, Thursday January 20, 2022
First published in the Philippine Inquirer, Monday January
17, 2022
|
I have been living in the Philippines since 2004 and
I have come to love this country.
So I am concerned about who will lead the country after the May
2022 elections.
A change of direction is desirable.
The next president will face very big tasks that whoever wins is
not to be envied. The biggest challenge is likely to be the COVID-19
pandemic, whose impact will be with us for a long time to come.
It is not yet certain whether the pandemic will end in an endemic
situation after the mild Omicron variant, and whether the concerns
about it will be negligible.
By the time a disease becomes endemic, a relatively large number
of people have already contracted it or been vaccinated.
The number of people who become seriously ill is then significantly
reduced compared to the acute phase of the pandemic.
In addition, there are foreign policy issues with China.
These must be solved in a diplomatic, peaceful way and that requires
a thinking president, not one with a macho demeanor and muscular
strength.
As far as the endless fight against corruption in this country is
concerned, we have made very little progress in the last six years;
President Duterte himself personally confirmed this.
Even military conflicts are not excluded from the incoming presidents
concerns. What if the conflict in Europe between Ukraine and Russia
escalates militarily and, in the end, even gets NATO involved?
What if China simultaneously attacks Taiwan with military means
and thus initiates its reunification through an invasion?
In such situations, we need a president who can keep us away from
military adventures.
A country hit hard by the coronavirus like the Philippines cannot
race into a war. The priority of the president should therefore
be the pandemic.
Many people are suffering from depression (I pay for this myself
and freely admit it) and afraid of losing their livelihood.
Financial problems are no longer just exceptional cases but the
new normal.
It is about putting food on the table that counts.
During my internship as a scientific assistant in a biosafety laboratory
level 4, my professor said: Hope for the best, but prepare
for the worst.
There is nothing to add.
Dr. Jurgen Schofer,
Rizal
Philippines
Air
pollution in Bangkok kills
More
in a year than from Covid-19
The
Southeast Asian Times, Wednesday January 19, 2022
First published in the Bangkok Post, Monday January 17, 2022
|
Re: "Haze cannot be ignored",
Bangkok Post, Editorial, January 12, 2022
It's laudable that the Bangkok Post editorial team continues to
keep alive the concern over the choking air pollution in Bangkok.
Although the editorial pleads that the "haze cannot be ignored,"
of course we can expect that it will be ignored.
By now, we know the pattern very well.
According to the State of Global Air 2020 Report, around 32,000
premature deaths in Thailand are attributed to air pollution each
year. Thus, in the past two years, foul air has caused more than
twice the number of premature deaths than Covid-19 during the pandemic.
Many of these deaths could be averted if reasonable actions were
taken to reduce air pollution. Where is the outrage over these deaths?
While we're kept in a state of near-panic and endless mitigating
gyrations over Covid-19, no apparent action is taken to avert the
air-quality health threat that is killing more people than the coronavirus.
Samanea Saman,
Bangkok,
Thailand
High
political corruption underlies
Philippines
socio-economic syndromes
The Southeast Asian Times, Tuesday 18, 2022
First published in the Philippine Inquier, January 17, 2022
|
The article of columnist Solita Collas-Monsod, The
Buwaya Problem January 8, 2022 is a well-argued
and evidence-based diagnosis that high political corruption is the
main culprit underlying our countrys socioeconomic syndromes.
It gave me three insights.
First, using the crocodile as a metaphor is a compelling way to
depict the breadth and depth of greed for political gain.
On the one hand, it is a fact that there are many similarities between
politicians and animals, and thus we can compare their behaviors.
On the other hand, it seems not fair to the crocodiles, and for
that matter, to other animals, when we, without qualifying, compare
the politicians behavior to theirs. Because while the crocodile
is wholly driven by pure instincts to grab its prey for lunch, the
corrupt political dynasts are driven by unbridled greed for power
under the guise of altruistic intent.
In addition, aside from the fact that there are politicians who
would not hesitate to go down to the level of animals to perpetuate
themselves in power, there are others who would unconscionably do
things animals themselves cannot do, such as the intentional killing
of the weak and the innocent, for their political gain.
Second, the article should provoke anger against the systemic injustices
committed on the poorest and vulnerable.
Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274) wrote that he who is not angry
when there is a just cause for anger is immoral because anger looks
to the good of justice and if you can live amid injustice without
anger, you are immoral and unjust.
Moreover, the social injustice becomes more inexplicable because
we pride ourselves as the only Christian country in these parts
of the world.
Where have gone the values of social charity and justice that 500
years of Christianity taught and upheld as the way to genuine peace
and prosperity?
Third, in a democratic society like ours, elections are the most
effective way to boot corrupt politicians out of power.
This coming May 9, 2022 national elections, we can only hope that
many of us will elect as president the one candidate who has the
proven integrity, probity, and competence to lead our country from
darkness into light. Matauhan na po sana tayo!
Noel G. Asiones,
Manila,
Philippines
Thai
public is paranoid
Regarding Covid
The
Southeast Asian Times, Monday January 17, 2022
First published in the Bangkok Post, Wednesday 12, January
2022
|
Re: "Heedless manhunt, Omicron marches
on", in Bangkok Post PostBag, January 10, 2022.
As I read the Second Secretary to India's remarks concerning the
Bangkok Post's recent coverage of an allegedly Covid positive foreign
couple who were allegedly taken off-guard by a surprise positive
Covid result and/or alleged miscommunication, I could not help but
sympathise with the secretary because the recent debacle really
reveals just how paranoid much of the Thai public still is regarding
Covid.
The Bangkok Post's front page (online) article says that Thailand
had 7,926 known new cases yesterday.
As such, it was sad to watch this recent hysterical reaction to
this couple because there are almost certainly plenty of Thais and
local residents who are also Covid positive, asymptomatic and spreading
the disease without knowing it as I write this.
Getting two people into quarantine is probably not going to even
put a ping in Thailand's rising Covid numbers.
We are just going to have to accept that we have Covid throughout
most of the country.
It is here to stay, but the country's attitude towards Covid-positive
people presently gives potential foreign tourists and investors
every reason not to travel here.
Jason A Jellison,
Bangkok,
Thailand
Manhunt
for two law-abiding
Indian nationals in Bangkok
The
Southeast Asian Times, Sunday January 16, 2022
First published in the Bangkok Post, Monday January 10, 2022
|
Re: "Couple spark Covid alert",
in Bangkok Post January 5, 2022
The report quotes Dr Apirat Katanyutanont, chief of Chon Buri health
office, saying he was in contact with the Embassy of India to help
"locate them", which is incorrect.
The report also published the phone number of Vibharam Laemchabang
Hospital asking the public to report their whereabouts, which in
fact launched a manhunt for two innocent law-abiding Indian nationals
who were available on the phone and in contact with Vibharam Laemgchabang
Hospital.
They could also be located on the Mor Chana tracking app installed
on their phones.
You may also note that the Embassy of India put out a tweet at 7.35pm
on Jan 4 saying that two individuals were in touch with the embassy
and were trying to get admitted to a hospital in Bangkok.
It is brought to your notice that Mr Ankit Sejwal and his spouse
Mrs Preeti Panwar left Chon Buri for the airport in anticipation
of a negative RTPCR result.
They were in fact in regular touch with Vibharam Laemgchabang Hospital
as they could not have boarded the flight without a negative RTPCR.
They, like any responsible citizen, isolated themselves once they
come to know about the positive RTPCR test.
Mr Ankit did not want to travel back to Chon Buri as it would have
put at risk the taxi driver, and he wanted to be admitted in Bangkok.
All throughout, he was in touch with the embassy, members of the
diaspora and the hospital.
The embassy too was in touch with the hospital and the health office
of Chon Buri.
It is unfortunate that a reputable newspaper like the Bangkok Post
did not bother to check the embassy website, nor did it reach out
to the embassy for comment before launching a virtual manhunt for
two fully vaccinated individuals.
They had travelled to Thailand on Dec 28 to spend the New Year,
having taken a RTPRC test before departure and after arriving in
Thailand, and following all rules and regulations.
This kind of reporting has a tendency to harm the reputation of
individuals and the countries to which they belong and is unacceptable
from an organisation of your repute.
You are free to verify all the facts from the sources/individuals
concerned.
A Roy Chowdhury,
Second Secretary Embassy of India,
Bangkok,
Thailand
China trojan train
To Kunming
The
Southeast Asian Times Saturday January 15, 2022
First published in the Bangkok Post, January 13, 2022
|
Re: "Focus on Laos-China rail amid fruit
export hopes", Bangkok Post, Business, January
11, 2022.
Like a Trojan Horse, whilst the new express train to Kunming will
export Thai produce, it does nothing without putting China's national
interest first and foremost. I think they have already saddled the
country with a huge debt.
Tony Jackson,
Bangkok,
Thailand
Local elections in the
Philippines
Are as important as general elections
The
Southeast Asian Times, Friday 14 January 2022
First published in the Philippine Inquirer, Thursday 13 January
2022
|
While there is no lack of analysis at the national
level, the conversation on politics at the local level leaves much
to be desired.
One might be wont to think that voters hold the same standard for
elective positions at the national and local levels. But our experience
proves otherwise and may even surprise us.
We vote for a president, a vice president, a party list, and 12
senators at the national level.
At the local level, we vote for a district representative, governor,
vice governor, provincial board members, mayor vice mayor, and municipal
councilors.
In the last presidential election, debates were organized for presidential
and vice presidential candidates spearheaded by the Commission on
Elections.
Various media organizations dedicate segments to interview candidates
to know more about their platforms and to give them the equal airtime
that would otherwise be denied from them due mainly to the cost
of running advertisements.
But what about at the local level?
I hardly know of any organized debates that tackle platforms of
local candidates. The most that we can get are from social media
pages of individual candidates which have again become active after
the filing of certificates of candidacy.
Most recently, candidates have resorted to organizing online raffles
where participants watch a livestream.
Candidates giving tokens and dole-outs before an election have not
only had their stakes raised but have also morphed into new platforms
and methods adapting to technology and mobility restrictions.
As many scholars have pointed out, this is patronage politics.
Without actually devising plans that would address the problems
that have long beset their localities - housing, health care, employment,
public spaces, and many more - the people are kept begging in front
of local politicians.
Running for local elective positions has seemingly been reduced
to who can control the local coffers and give them away as if its
their own.
What is lamentable is that some politicians have created a cult
for themselves, thereby perpetuating themselves longer - in many
cases, literally carving out their names or initials on almost every
public infrastructure or dole-out possible.
By this, they not only remind voters of the current ruling politician
but also of family members who will soon enter the local political
arena to replace those whose term of office is ending.
What is more disheartening is that people have long been accustomed
to this practice and have come to accept this kind of reality of
dynastic politics.
This only shows why local elections are as important as national
polls, and should be given equal attention in the media because
politics at the local level shapes the kind of national leaders
we will have.
Edward Joseph Maguindayao,
Manila,
Phiippines
Refugees
in Australia's facilities
Locked up and languish in limbo
The
Southeast Asian Times, Thursday 13 January 2022
|
Novak Djokovic'c court victory in overturning the
Federal Government's decision to cancel his visa without giving
him " procedural fairness" exposes the arbitrary
exercise of State power by the mob in power in Australia.
Djokovic had the means and the international high profile to successfully
challenge the Australian government decision.
Many refugees locked up and languishing in limbo ( some for 8 or
9 years ) in Australia's detention facilities don't have Djokovic's
clout.
Their predicament is an indictment on the Australian State's cruel,
unfair and inhumane treatment of people who sought our protection
from the political persecution they suffered in their homecountry
forcing them to flee.
It's a crying shame.
Rajend Naidu,
Sydney,
Australia
Nothing honourable about
Cambodia's
Official visit to Myanmar
The
Southeast Asian Times, Wednesday 12 January 2022
|
We read in The Southeast Asian Times article '
Cambodia's official visit to Myanmar gives legitimacy to military
dictatorship says NUG ' ( 9 January ) that Cambodia's Prime
Minister Hun Sen was welcome on arrival in Myanmar on Friday 7 January
with " a guard of honour ".
What honour?
It's a disgrace.
Giving legitimacy to a brutal rogue military regime that has been
committing atrocities against its own people - men, women and children
- since day one of its violent takeover of the democratically elected
government and locking up Aung San Sui Kyi, the leader of the peoples'
free choice, is morally repugnant.
There is nothing honourable about the Cambodian PM's official visit.
It's more a case of birds of the same rogue feather flocking together!
Rajend Naidu,
Sydney
Australia
Call
for China to delay
Opening
of 2022 Winter Olympics
The
Southeast Asian Times, Tuesday 11 January 11, 2022
First published in the Bangkok Post Thursday January 6, 2022
|
Re: "Controversy greets countdown",
Bangkok Post Sports, January 4, 2022.
The National Hockey League (NHL) announced before recent Christmas
that its pulling out all of its players from participating in the
upcoming Winter Olympics in Beijing in early February of this year.
This is a huge blow, considering that men's Ice Hockey is the signature
event of the Winter Olympics.
The Canadian Mixed Curlers soon followed suit, withdrawing from
the games also, in what is sure to be the first of many other withdrawals
from the Winter Olympics.
Now the CEO of the Canadian Olympic Committee(COC), David Shoemaker,
told the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation(CBC), that he "is
worried whether the games can go ahead" as planned.
It should be noted that Canada was the first country to withdraw
from the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo.
So one would think that they would not be hesitant to withdraw also
from the upcoming games, and that nor would other Western European
nations be hesitant.
Being that the Omicron variant of Covid-19 has only recently cropped
up onto the scene and seems to be spreading quickly, and that the
Chinese government has already locked down entire cities in a bid
to control things, I think it is time for the Communist government
to seriously considering doing what Tokyo did at the 2020 Summer
Olympics, and delay the opening of the Winter games to later in
2022 or at another date.
If the Chinese government fails to do this, then there is a good
chance that some nations will voluntarily withdraw from the games.
Paul,
Bangkok,
Thailand
Call for examination of
Philippine politicians
Who
project themselves as would-be-messiahs
The
Southeast Asian Times, Monday January 10, 2022
First published in the Philippine Inquirer, Thursday January
6, 2022
|
I agree with columnist Randy Davids very interesting
analysis on the appropriation of the messianic motif in Philippine
politics The messianic motif in Philippine politics,
December 19, 2021.
More importantly, it provoked me to ask what must and can be done
to address the straightforward challenges we will face in the 2022
elections.
The least we can do when politicians project themselves as would-be
messiahs is to examine their previous performance and accomplishments
to ascertain their fitness for the public office they seek.
You will know them by their fruits, as Matthew
7:16 puts it.
But without fact-checking, it is most likely that ordinary voters
will be mesmerized by the highly questionable messianic narratives
that politicians brazenly peddle during election seasons.
Economic and moral factors would partly explain why people would
gravitate not toward those who are genuinely competent, experienced,
and accomplished, but more toward dysfunctional politicians who
sound like a broken record.
In light of the ills currently besetting our political landscape,
the usual questions How shall we vote? and How
can we help? have gained renewed traction and pertinence.
First, as many groups have already been voluntarily doing, let us
leave no stone unturned to unmask the false messiahs in our midst.
Second, let us actively campaign and fight for those candidates
who incarnate our shared dreams for a better future.
Third, since there is strength in numbers, let us set aside our
parochial divisions by joining groups and communities who share
the same advocacies and programs to turn the potentially catastrophic
political exercise in May 2022 into an opportunity to liberate our
country from its deep-seated economic, social, and political problems.
We owe these to our future generations.
Noel G. Asiones,
Manila,
Philippines
Covid-19 related law suits
against China
Have
so far been few
The
Southeast Asian Times, Sunday 9 January 2022
First published in the Philippine Inquirer, Thursday 6 January
2022
|
Everywhere around the globe, people are being punished
in varying degrees of severity or cruelty for breaches of public
safety and health protocols shoved down their throats on account
of COVID-19 and its seemingly never-ending mutations, the latest
of which being Omicron.
If that is not adding insult to injury, then what is?
But how come nobody is seriously thinking of punishing China for
being responsible for this pandemic in the first place?
As of December 2021, about 282,000,000 infections and about 5,500,000
deaths have been reported to the World Health Organization.
God knows how many more have not been reported.
China should be held to account for what now amounts to a crime
against humanity!
How many more millions have to die before the world starts kicking
Chinas ass?
COVID-19-related suits pending against China have so far been few
- all private initiatives with little or no leverage at all.
As their governments prefer to just sit this pandemic out, lawyers
and lawyers groups all over the world should unite and use
lawfare to thwart Chinas hegemonic intentions
which are bankrolled by its gazillions in wealth scattered around
the globe.
Lawyers worth their salt know that freezing those assets within
their courts respective jurisdictions is the best way to go.
But no one has seen that happening.
Has China got the whole world by its balls already?
Stephen L. Monsanto,
Manila,
Philippines
Big Mac Index
Measures purchasing power parity
The
Southeast Asian Times, Saturday January 8, 2022
First published in Bangkok Post, Friday January 7, 2022
|
Re: "Prizes for fries", in
Bangkok Post PostBag, January 4, 2022
S Tsow posits that economists might be able to forego actual research
and instead visit McDonald's and price the fries in order to determine
a nation's economic status.
The Economist magazine is way ahead of him having established the
Big Mac Index in 1986.
From the Wikipedia entry: The Big Mac Index is a price index published
by The Economist as an informal way of measuring the purchasing
power parity (PPP) between two currencies and provides a test of
the extent to which market exchange rates result in goods costing
the same in different countries.
It "seeks to make exchange-rate theory a bit more digestible".
Mike Newman,
Bangkok,
Thailand
Economic
growth in Thailand
Measured by size of McDonald's french Fries
The
Southeast Asian Times, Friday 7 January 2022
First published in the Bangkok Post, Wednesday 5 January 2022
|
Re: "Large-size fries back on the menu",
in Bangkok Post Business, Friday December 31, 2021.
This article gives us a new standard to measure the economic status
of any nation. No longer will economists have to analyse reams of
data to figure out where a nation stands in the world economy.
All they'll have to do is visit their nearest McDonald's outlet
and examine the size of its french fries.
"Show me the size of your fries."
It would make a great motto for economists.
S.Tsow,
Bangkok,
Thailand
Business
as usual for China
With
convicted former Malaysian PM
The Southeast Asian Times, Thursday January 6, 2022
|
We read in The Southeast Asian Times article
' China invites convicted felon former Malaysian PM Najib
Razak to World China Economic Forum ( WCEF ) ' ( 4 Jan.
2022) that the former rogue leader was " a guest speaker
" at that Forum held in Kuala Lumpur last week.
A former Malaysian diplomat described the invitation " an
insult to the nation ", saying " By giving him
an international platform China hopes to redeem the man and whitewash
his criminality".
The invitation is most certainly an insult to the nation when only
last month the Malaysian Court of Appeal upheld the High Court verdict
that found Razak guilty as charged of criminal breach of trust and
sentenced him to 12 years in prison.
But is anybody really surprised by China's action when it is a well
known fact that China has no qualms about embracing and doing business
as usual with fully fledged brutal dictators around the world ?
By contrast Najib Razak is just a big crook.
Rajend naidu,
Sydney,
Australia
National
Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict
Harrasses
libraries to withdraw subversive books
The
Southeast Asian Times, Wednesday January 5, 2021
First published in the Philippine Inquirer, Tuesday January
4, 2022
|
The removal of books with subversive content
from Philippines state university libraries confirms the nations
status as an underdeveloped country.
In fact, it lowers the level of our civilization.
These so-called subversive books, alongside books on anti-communism
and the local anti-communist movement in libraries, would have been
a good sign of cultural maturity.
University libraries must have an ample collection of books of various
persuasions and viewpoints for use by students and teachers for
their academic needs.
This will enrich the capability of our scholars to come out with
more objective, meaningful, and relevant research.
Reportedly, it was the National Task Force to End Local Communist
Armed Conflict (NTF-Elcac) through the military that harassed
library personnel to withdraw these subversive
materials more specifically, books authored by Jose Ma. Sison and
the National Democratic Front.
If the NTF-Elcac believes that the government has the right formula
for national development, it should not be afraid of books that
are accessible only to those in the academe being in university
libraries.
If these agents of the state and preservers of the status quo believe
that what they are doing is for the good of the country, then they
should not be threatened by documents that present alternative socio-political-economic
analyses and alternative programs for the peoples welfare
and the nations development.
In fact, these kinds of books should be read by more people outside
of the academe, especially the rabid anti-communists, so they will
know what communism is all about its history, meaning, and the personalities
behind it and they will have an educated understanding of why they
are against it.
The government should be happy that groups and individuals are condemning
the withdrawal of the subversive books. It means there
are still Filipinos who value culture and reading. Instead of withdrawing
books from state university libraries, the government should focus
on the more basic problem of improving literacy among our people.
Julie L. Po,
Linangan ng Kulturang Pilipino,
Manila,
Philippines
It
is not widely known that AsreaZeneca vaccine
Is
sold at cost US$4
The
Southeast Asian Times, Tuesday January 4, 2022
First published in the Bangkok Post, Monday January 3, 2022
|
Re: "Who Invented Covid-19 Vaccines? Drugmakers
Battle Over Patents", in Bangkok Post Business, December
31.
In the 1940s, the research team in Oxford that researched and produced
penicillin went against all advice and did not patent it, saying
it was "for the good of mankind".
Instead they gave it to five large US companies to work on; one
of these became Pfizer.
Later on these same companies would not pass on the production details
as they said it was proprietary commercial information.
Eighty years on, again at Oxford, AstraZeneca announced it would
not profit from a pandemic and all its Covid vaccines are, at present,
"at cost", about US$4 (132 baht).
This is not widely known.
All the other manufacturers are making huge profits, charging $20
up and squabbling among themselves about patents' worth, apparently
billions of dollars.
It saddens me that the profit motive still seems to be the only
consideration.
Profit is important, but not the only driver of progress.
Darhid Pattaya,
Bangkok,
Thailand
Papua New Guinea parliamentarians
Love money more than justice
The
Southeast Asian Times, Monday January 3, 2022
First published in the National, Thursday December 30, 2021
|
The people of Papua New Guinea have been longing and
looking for justice leadership for the last 40 years.
Only two or three leaders who truly love justice are struggling
to restore and protect justice, but to no avail.
Almost all parliamentarians love money more than justice.
They continue to lust after desires of the flesh and cannot lead
from the front.
We know that leaders are divinely assigned to be the shepherds of
their people.
Instead, they continue to abuse the peoples office and the
leadership roles bestowed upon them through the ballot papers every
five years.
They knowingly mislead their people to slavery and guide to live
in bondage.
Their primary role of serving the peoples basic needs disappears
when they enter the house of the people.
The law and the leadership code for the elected leaders is seen
to be shelved under the cupboard collecting dust.
Member's of Parliament first priority appears to be accumulating
wealth for themselves.
Where is justice?
The law enforcement agencies and the heads of statutory bodies are
either compromised or threatened to stand up against such wrongdoings.
These key sectors are very well aware of this corrupt strategy,
but they cannot come out and speak the truth because they are afraid
of losing their jobs.
The time to elect leaders to lead us for the next five years is
just around the corner, so the citizens of this country should stand
firm and elect leaders who love justice more than money.
Fight corruption.
JML,
Port Moresby,
Papua New Guinea
The
year 2021 has been a tumultuous one
Filled with challenges.
The
Southeast Asian Times, Tuesday January 2, 2022
First published in the New Straits Times, Friday December
31, 2021
|
The Spanish philosopher, George Santayana, famously
said: "Those who do not remember the past are condemned
to repeat it."
As we leave 2021, let us reflect on the disastrous events as a reminder
to increase our resolve for mitigation or prevention.
The year 2021 has been a tumultuous one filled with challenges.
Covid-19 continues to disrupt our daily lives as new variants manifest
themselves globally. It changed the way we live, it affects every
level of society and takes a toll on the economy.
Malaysia was initially commended for the steps she took to contain
the pandemic.
Treat each other well with humility and respect to reflect true
nobility
Unfortunately, for reasons best known to those in the corridors
of power, we let our guard down so much so that the pandemic reached
unprecedented levels, recording high death and infection rates.
Just as we grapple with the pandemic, extreme weather caused by
a tropical depression resulted in the flood disaster in several
states leading to a number of deaths.
To the families of the victims, Ikatan extends our heartfelt condolences.
We also extend our sympathies to the thousands of families that
have been displaced.
While the flood victims were seriously traumatised, the rakyat by
and large note with frustration that the action by the powers that
be fell short of expectations and rescue efforts had shortcomings.
The disaster in Taman Sri Muda in Shah Alam, Selangor, and elsewhere
showed rescue efforts were badly managed.
It has opened our eyes to agencies that were initially not fully
prepared in dealing with the floods.
The coordination effort could have been better.
Indeed, the impacts of climate change have been made worse when
coupled with disasters stemming from man-made actions such as indiscriminate
development, encroachment into environmentally sensitive areas and
overdevelopment that had benefited a few but had adversely impacted
the masses.
The government and development players must be fully committed to
a precautionary approach to development in order to protect and
cushion the impacts of disasters such as floods, landslides and
land subsidence upon our communities.
If there is one thing that reflects the true spirit of Malaysia,
it is the solidarity among the rakyat in times of crisis.
The front-liners of Covid-19, particularly healthcare staff and
the volunteers worked tirelessly round the clock.
Specific mention must be made of the numerous volunteers from non-governmental
organisations, or as individuals who braved the dangers to help
those affected by the Movement Control Order and also the flood
victims.
They are our unsung heroes.
The Fire and Rescue Department personnel, the armed forces and the
police also did their part.
The ordinary Malaysians have come together during the flood crisis
to help each other not blinded by race and religion.
It was so heartening to see Malaysians united to help fellow Malaysians
in the true spirit of voluntarism and "Keluarga Malaysia".
It shows that at heart, we are all Malaysians, caring, compassionate
and colour blind as we have strived to be.
The recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic and the floods will take
time before we resume our normal lives.
We have to be strong to wade the metaphoric tide.
Let us take this opportunity for our leaders and citizens to self-reflect.
We live to learn well, and learn to live well.
We shall never carry into 2022 the mistakes of the past.
Life can only be understood backwords; but it must be lived forwards.
With that let us usher in the new year.
Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye,
Chairman,
Alliance for Safe Community,
Kuala Lumpur,
Malaysia
Thai dreaming 2022
Marijuana-laced Covid-19 vaccine
The
Southeast Asian Times Saturday January 1, 2022
First published in the Bangkok Post, Friday December 31, 2021
|
Re: "There have probably been better years",
in Bangkok Post PostScript, December 26, 2021
I must add two more guffaws to Roger Crutchley's list.
First, the scientists at a prestigious Thai university will successfully
develop their world-famous marijuana-laced Covid vaccine.
They claim that a high dose of this revolutionary vaccine will do
what Astra, Pfizer, and Moderna, and other vaccines have failed
to do.
When the sky is clear for the arrival of accidental tourists and
the porous Thai border opens for rich infiltrators and legal immigrants
from Laos, Cambodia, Myanmar, and Vietnam, this vaccine will be
made available to the new arrivals for free.
Also, they will not be asked for any insurance or proof of money
in a bank account.
Secondly, a long-pending reform will happen.
The educational system will go on a new trajectory.
In the post-Covid era, schools, colleges, and universities will
not require uniforms. In addition, students will be allowed to bring
their portable devices and mobile phones into their classrooms.
They will be also be allowed to come to class twice a week. Thanks
to Covid, freedom at last. Happy New Year.
Kuldeep Nagi.
Bangkok,
Thailand