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GATHERINGS:
An informed guide to happenings throughout the region.
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Vietnam
opens consulate in Macau
From
News Reports:
Hanoi, January 9: Vietnam's Hong Kong Consulate General
launched a consulate office in the Macau Special Administrative
Region of China on Friday, reports the Vietnam News Service.
Consulate General of Hong Kong, Tran Than Huan, said at
the launching ceremony that the office aims to better
ensure the rights of Vietnamese citizens and tourists
in the region.
He said that the consulate office in Macau will provide
easier access to information about Vietnam, saying that
it would boost friendship and co-operation between Vietnam
and Macau.
The Consulate General said that the office expected to
recieve support from local organisations including the
Vietnam Fellow Countrymen Friendship Association in Macau.
More than 20,000 Vietnamse are employed as domestic workers,
in the service industry at Macau's casino's.
Vietnamese also operate tourist and services companies.
The
Southeast Asian Times
US invites Vietnam Communist Party General Secretary to
the White House
From News
Reports:
Hanoi, July 6, 2015: The General Secretary of the Central
Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam will visit
the United States from July 6 to July 10 at the invitiation
of the United States State Department in a "landmark"
visit, Rueters reports.
General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist
Party Nguyen Phu Trong will meet United States President
Barack Obama at the White House on Tuesday.
Rueters quotes a senior state department official
saying that the meeting between the General Secretary
of the Central Committee of the Communist Party and the
President of the United States "would skirt protocol"
because the General Secretary is "not part of a government".
"Obama saw the visit as crucial", Rueters reports
the senior state department official as saying.
Rueters also quotes the senior state department official
saying that "there was a broad agreement that it
made sense to treat General
Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party
Nguyen Phu Trong as the visit of "the top
leader of the country".
"It's a pretty big event," Rueters quotes the
state department official as saying.
The
Southeast Asian Times
France
agrees to return Aboriginal remains home to Australia
From
News Reports:
Canberra, November 25: French president Francois Hollande
and Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott have agreed
to work together to return Aboriginal remains to Australia
during the first official visit by a French head of state
to Australia last week, reports Australian Associated
Press.
The French head of state and the Australian prime minister
said that a joint expert committee is to be established
to help identify the origin of the Aboriginal remains
held in France.
The head of state and prime minister said in a joint statement
that the identification process would respect the sensitivities
and values of the two countries and consider the requests
of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities including
the French legal system.
"The French government will examine possible solutions
to enable the return of the Aboriginal human remains to
their community of origin." the statement said.
Australia believes the remains of Aboriginal and Torres
Strait Islanders are being held in Museum collections
around the world including in Europe and the
United States.
In 2010 a British museum agreed to return 138 sets of
Aboriginal skeletal remains to Australia including the
severed head of Australian Aboriginal warrior, Yagan,
to the Noongar of South West Western Australia after being
missing in action for about 177 years. Yagan was shot
dead for his resistance to British settlement on the Swan
river.
The
Southeast Asian Times
"No " to proposal to delete religion from Indonesian
national identity card
From News Reports:
Jakarta, November 10: Islamic-based political party politicians
oppose the proposal put by the newly selected Home Minister
Tjahjo Kumolo, that national identity cards (KTP) do not
include the religion of the car holder.
Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) politician Aboebakar Al
Habsy said that not to include the religion of the card
holder on national identity cards (KTP)
contradicted the country’s founding philosophy of
Pancasila
“If we believe that Pancasila is our state ideology
and our national identity, then why should we be ashamed
of including our religion on our national identity card,"
he said
Home Minister Tjahjo Kumolo also proposed that the regious
beliefs of Indonesian citizens be omitted from official
government documents.
He said that the religion of Indonesian citizens on national
identity cards (KTP) or in official government documents
should not be imposed.
"It's up to the people", he said.
The
Souheast Asian Times
The
Wolf bridge: An insult to Thai monarchy
From News Reports:
Bangkok, October 31: Thai University students, Patiwat
Saraiyaem, 23, and Pornthip Mankong, 26, were charged
in the Ratrachada Court on Monday, with defamation of
the Thai monarchy in a play titled "The Wolf Bridge"
performed at the Thammasat university in October 2013,
reports the Bangkok Post.
The students were charged with insulting the Royal Thai
family in the fictional depiction of the monarchy in a
play performed in commemoration of the 37th and 40th anniversaries
of the October 6, 1976 and October 14, 1973 pro-democracy
student uprisings at Thammasat University.
The prosecution cites nine passages from the plays's script,
a work of fiction that depicts a fictional monarch, that
allegedly insults the monarchy and as such is in violation
of the lese majeste law.
Patiwat Saraiyaem, actor and Pornthip Mankong, producer
of the play, in detention since arrested on 13 August,
have been refused bail are scheduled to appear in court
to enter pleas on December 29.
The
Southeast Asian Times
World
including
Asean PM's and Presidents to attend inauguaration of Indonesian
president
From News Reports:
Jakarta, October 18: World Prime ministers, Presidents
and State representatives including US Secretary of State,
John Kerry and Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott will
attend the inauguaration of Joko “Jokowi” Widodo
as President of Indonesiaon on Monday.
The speaker of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR)
Zulkifli Hasan said that representatives from the ten
Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) member
nations have also been invited to attend the swearing
in of the former governor of Jakarta, Joko “Jokowi”
Widodo as president of Indonesia.
"The Prime Ministers and Presidents of Malaysia,
Singapore, Japan and South Korea are also expected to
attend", he said.
He said that the Indonesian People's Consultative Assembly
(MPR) has also invited "domestic VIP's" including
former Presidents and Vice-Presidents.
“All chairpersons of political parties have also
be invited,” said the speaker.
The
Southeast Asian Times
Banned ISIS flag found flying in Aceh
From
News Reports:
Jakarta, September 12: The Islamic State of Iraq and Syria
(ISIS) flag found flying from a coconut tree in Aceh on
Sunday has been torn down, reports the Jakarta Post.
The discovery of the banned ISIS flag was reportedly the
first in Aceh.
Police chief First Inspecter Azwan said that the flag
of the nationally banned movement was discovered by chess
players sitting at a food stall near the coconut tree
in the Sungai Raya district of East Aceh regency in Aceh.
He said that a bomb disposal team inspected the area before
the flag was taken down.
President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono announced Indonesia's
rejection of the State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) and
banned the teaching of ISIL ideology in Indonesia last
month at his parliamentary state-of-the-nation address
and ahead of the 69th anniversary of Indonesias Independence.
The
Southeast Asian Times
Singapore passes Trans- boundary Haze Pollution Act
From News Reports:
Singapore, August, 18: The passing of the 2014 Trans-boundary
Haze Pollution Act by the Singapore parliament last week
will enable Singapore regulators to sue individuals or
companies in neighbouring countries for causing severe
air pollution in Singapore.
The Act that was first proposed in 2013 would enable Singapore
to impose fines of up to S$2 million on companies that
cause or contribute to transboundary haze pollution in
Singapore.
Environment and Water Resources Minister Vivian Balakrishnan
said that under the Act, Singapore will have the legal
right under the Objective Territorial Principle to take
legal action against air polluters.
"While neighbouring countries have the sovereign
right to exploit their natural resources in accordance
with their policies they also have a responsibility to
ensure that "slash and burn" agricultural practices
do not cause damage to Singapore", he said.
The passing of the 2014 Trans-boundary Haze Pollution
Act gives Singapore the legal power to serve notices on
those that do not have assets or a presence in Singapore.
Indonesia is yet to ratify an Agreement on Transboundary
Haze Pollution that was signed by ASEAN member counries
in November 2003 in order to
address haze pollution arising from land and forest fires.
A bill passed in the Indonesian House of Representatives
in July 2013 gave the Indonesian goverment the power to
seize assetts gained from illegal logging and illegal
clearing of forests for palm oil plantations.
The new bill, designed to protect more than 13 million
hectres from deforestation, gave the Indonesian government
a mandate to establish a task force including police to
monitor the prevention and eradication of deforestation.
The
Southeast Asian Times
Papua
Biak massacre remembered in Sydney
with 136 white carnations
From
News Reports:
Sydney, July 5: A ceremony to mark the 16th anniversary
of the Biak Massacre in West Papua ua on 6 July 1998 will
be held at the Waverley Cliffs cemetery in Sydney on Sunday.
The Waverley Cliffs community will throw 136 white carnations
from the waverley cliffs into the Pacific Ocean in memory
of the Biak massacre.
A citizens tribunal, hosted by the Centre for Peace and
Conflict Studies (CPACS) at the University of Sydney last
year on the 15th anniversary of the Biak massacre found
that 136 West Papuan protesters were thrown into the sea
by Indonesian security forces.
The tribunal heard eye witness testimony that the West
Papuan demand for the right to vote for independence from
Indonesia was met with gunfire by Indonesian security
forces.
Survivors of the massacre told the international team
of jurists that the unarmed West Papuan protesters were
surrounded and shot by Indonesian security forces and
that survivors were thrown into the sea on 6 July 1998.
The
Southeast Asian Times
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Tear
gas fired on protesters against
re election of Indonesian
president
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Anti-Riot
Police fire tear gas to disperse
protesters in support of losing
presidential Muslim candidate
Prabowo Subianto at the General
Elections Commission (KPU)
office in central Jakarta
on Wednesday
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From News Reports:
Jakarta, May 23: Anti-Riot Police fired
tear gas on protesters at the General Elections
Commission (KPU) headquarters in central
Jakarta on Wednesday after the announcement
that Christian presidential candidate incumbent
President Joko Widodo, had won the elections
held on April 17, reports the Jakarta Post.
Supporters of losing Muslim presidential
candidate Prabowo Subianto who has refused
to concede defeat, had reportedly planned
to protest aganst the
General Elections Commission (KPU) announcement
on Wednesday.
National Police spokesman Insp. Gen M.
Iqbal claimed ahead of the anouncement
on Wednesday that members of the Jamah
Ansharut Daulah (JAD), planned to detonate
bombs by remote control at the General
Elections Commission (KPU) office in central
Jakarta.
He said that the National Police elite
anti-terrorism unit, Detachment 88, had
reportedly arrested 29 Jamah Ansharut
Daulah (JAD) suspected terrorists in raids
in West Java, Central Java, East Java
and Lampung ahead of the General Elections
Commission (KPU) announcement.
Central Jakarta deputy police chief Dep.
Comr. Arie Ardian said that he had ordered
the protesters who had started gathering
at General Elections Commission (KPU) office
in central Jakarta at mid day on Tuesday
to "go home" three times before
the Anti-Riot Police fired tear gas into
the crowd just after midnight.
"The majority of protesters had gone
home by 9.00pm," he said.
He said that the Anti-Riot Police fired
tear gas into the more than two hundred
protesters who had refused to disperse,
saying that "the remaining protesters
had provoked police by throwing rocks,
glass bottles and firecrackers."
"The protesters had tried to enter
the General Elections Commission (KPU)
office but failed," he said.
Anti-Riot Police warned residents in the
area surrounding the General Elections Commission
(KPU) office to stay inside their houses,
saying that the protesters had barricaded
themselves in alleys in the residental area.
The Mosque Management Organization of the
Jakarta Nahdlatul Ulama (LTM PWNU) called
on all mosques in Jakarta to deny accommodation
to those protesting against the result of
the presidential elections that showed that
Christian incumbent president Joko Widodo
and his running mate Muslim Ma'ruf Amin
secured 85 million of the 154.26 million
valid votes cast or 55.5 percent, with former
Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI) General,
Prabowo Subianto and his running mate deputy
Governor of Jakarta, Sandiaga Uno securing
68 million votes or 44.5 percent.
Husni Muhsin, chairman of Jakarta Nahdlatul
Ulama (LTM PWNU) that manages about 7,000
mosques in Jakarta said the organization
has called on mosque organizers under its
supervision not to accommodate participants
of the planned mass protest.
"All mosque managers are instructed
to reject protesters wanting to stay overnight",
he said.
The
Southeast Asian Times
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Joko
Widodo re elected president
of Indonesia for five years
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General
Elections Commission (KPU)
declared incumbent president
Joko Widodo lefet, and his
running mate Ma'ruf Amin,
right, the winners of the
presidential and legislative
elections held April 17
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From
News Reports:
Jakarta, May 22: The General Elections Commission
(KPU) has officially declared incumbent
President Joko Widodo the winner of the
presidential and legislative elections held
last month with losing presidential candidate
Prabowo Subianto rejecting the results claiming
vote-rigging, reports the Jakarta Post.
General Elections Commission (KPU) chairman
Arief Budiman said that the final tally
showed that incumbent president Joko Widodo
and his running mate Ma'ruf Amin secured
85 million of the 154.26 million valid votes
cast or 55.5 percent, with former Indonesian
National Armed Forces (TNI) General, Prabowo
Subianto and his running mate deputy Governor
of Jakarta, Sandiaga Uno securing 68 million
votes or 44.5 percent.
He said that losing presidential candidate
Prabowo Subianto can challenge the election
results at the Constitutional Court within
three days of the official announcement
of the election results.
"The General Elections Commission (KPU)
will officially name Jokowi and Ma’ruf
duly elected as president and vice president
for the 2019-2024 period on Friday if there
is no legal challenge, " he said.
Supporters of losing presidential candidates
former Indonesian National Armed Forces
(TNI) General, Prabowo Subianto and his
running mate deputy Governor of Jakarta,
Sandiaga Uno say they will not accept the
election results claiming structural, systemic
and massive vote rigging.
But the Election Supervisory Agency (Bawaslu)
has rejected the claim of election fraud,
saying that presidential candidate Prabowo
Subianto had failed to provide evidence.
General Elections Commission (KPU) chairman
Arief Budiman said that votes from 34 provinces
including votes from overseas Indonesians
have been counted saying that President
Joko Widodo won in Gorontalo, Central Kalimantan,
North Kalimantan, West Kalimantan, Bangka
Belitung, Bali, West Sulawesi, Yogyakarta,
East Kalimantan, Lampung, North Sulawesi,
Central Sulawesi, East Java, East Nusa Tenggara,
Central Java, Riau Islands, West Papua,
Jakarta, North Sumatra, Maluku and Papua.
Prabowo Subianto won in Bengkulu, South
Kalimantan, North Maluku, Jambi, South Sumatra,
Banten, Southeast Sulawesi, Aceh, West Nusa
Tenggara, West Sumatra, West Java, Riau
and South Sulawesi.
East Java Police spokesman Chief Comr. Frans
Barung Mangera said on Monday that more
than a thousand supporters of losing presidential
candidate Prabowo Subianto from Aceh, Riau,
Riau Islands, West Sumatra, Lampung and
East Kalimantan were stopped from travelling
to Jakarta ahead of the General Elections
Commission (KPU) scheduled announcement.
Prabowo Subianto supporters were planning
to join a mass protest rally against the
election results outside the offices of
the General Elections Commission (KPU) in
Central Jakarta on Wednesday.
The
Souteast Asian Times
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Police
warn against protests on results
of Indonesian presidential
elections
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National
Police spokesman Insp. Gen.
M. Iqbal, center, at a press
conference in Jakarta on Friday,
announced the discovery of
an alleged plot by Jamah Ansharut
Daulah (JAD) to detonate bombs
at the General Elections Commission
(KPU) office in Central Jakarta
on May 22
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From
News Reports:
Jakarta, May 21: National Police have warned
the public to avoid
the General Elections Commission (KPU) office
in central Jakarta on Wednesday for the
announcement of the results of the presidential
elections held last month, following the
discovery of an alleged plot by an Islamic
State-affiliated group to detonate bombs,
reports the Jakarta Globe.
National Police spokesman Insp. Gen M.
Iqbal said that militants, believed to
be members of the Jamah Ansharut Daulah
(JAD), planned to detonate several bombs
by remote control at the General Elections
Commission (KPU) office in central Jakarta
tomorrow.
He said that a mass protest by supporters
of losing presidential candidate Prabowo
Subianto and his running mate Sandiaga Uno
was planned at the General Elections Commission
(KPU) tomorrow.
"I urge members of the public to
avoid the area", he said.
The National Police elite anti-terrorism
unit, Detachment 88, reportedly arrested
29 Jamah Ansharut Daulah (JAD) suspected
terrorists in raids in West Java, Central
Java, East Java and Lampung this month,
saying that seven of those arrested were
returnees from Syria.
National Police spokesman Insp. Gen M. Iqbal
said that police do not want a crowd outside
the General Elections Commission (KPU) office
in central Jakarta tomorrow for the announcement
of the winner of the presidential elections.
He said that police cannot give an assurance
that all Jamah Ansharut Daulah (JAD) members
have been arrested, saying that "Detachment
88, is continuing its work."
"I urge the public not to stage the
planned protest rally on May 22,"
he said.
About 32,000 Indonesian National Police
and Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI)
have been deployed to secure the area surrounding
the General Elections Commission (KPU) office
in central Jakarta following the planned
protest of supporters of presidential candidate
Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI) General,
Prabowo Subianto and deputy Governor of
Jakarta, Sandiaga Uno.
The General Elections Commission (KPU) commissioner
Viryan Aziz reported in the week after the
elections that incumbent president Joko
'Jokowi' Widodo and his running mate Ma'ruf
Amin were ahead in the polls with 54.87
percent of the vote against former Indonesian
National Armed Forces (TNI) General, Prabowo
Subianto and deputy Governor of Jakarta,
Sandiaga Uno with 45.13 percent of the popular
vote.
The
Southeast Asian Times
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Australia's
conservative Liberal party
miraculously wins over Labor
centre-left
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Australia's
Prime Minister Scott Morrison
said the election victory
was not about him, or even
the Liberal Party, but every
single Australian who depends
on their government to put
them first
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From
News reports:
Sydney, May 20: Australia's conservative
coalition government, the Liberal Party
of Australia and the National Party of Australia,
have claimed victory in the Australian federal
elections held on Saturday, over the Australian
Labor Party in what the leader of the Liberal
Party, Prime Minister of Australia, Scott
Morrision, described as a "miracle."
"I have always believed in miracles,"
said Prime Minister Scott Morrision after
the leader of Australian Labor Party, Bill
Shorten, conceded defeat.
Pre-election opinion polls had leader
of centre-left opposion Australian Labor
Party, Bill Shorten ahead in the polls
over the conservative coalition government,
the Liberal Party of Australia and the
National Party of Australia in the days
before the elections held on Saturday.
Exit polls conducted as more that 20 million
voters left the polls on Saturday reportedly
showed that the Australian Labor Party
was ahead of the Liberal Party of Australia
and the National Party of Australia coalition.
But the Australian Election Commision (AEC)
delivered an election night result including
pre-poll votes showing that the incumbent
conservative coalition government, the Liberal
Party of Australia and the National Party
of Australia, had won at least 74 seats
and the centre-left opposion Australian
Labor Party at least 65 seats of the 151
seats in the House of Representatives.
Pre-election opinion pollsters said before
the elections that the Liberal Party of
Australia and the National Party of Australia
coalition government would lose its bid
for a third three-year term and that incumbent
Prime Minister Scott Morrision would have
"one of the shortest tenures as prime
minister in the 118 year history of the
Australian federation.
Public confidence on an Australian Labor
Party victory was shown in the payout by
Australian online bookmaker Sportsbet of
A$1.3 million (US$900,000) yesterday on
bets made ahead of the federal elections
on a Labor party win, with Sportsbet saying
that "70 percent of wagers had been
placed on Labor at odds of $1.16."
Australian Labor Party, leader, Bill Shorten,
52, a former Australian Workers' Union (AWU)
leader campaigned on reducing greenhouse
gas emissions, expanding medicare to include
dental and cancer treatment, increasing
school funding and tax reforms that would
increase taxes for the "top end of
town" or 10 percent of Australian taxpayers
including shareholders and property investors
who would pay $32 billion over the next
four years.
Liberal Party of Australia, leader Scott
Morrison, 51, a former tourism marketer,
promised lower taxes and argued that the
Liberal Party of Australia and the National
Party of Australia, coalition would better
manage the economy.
Opposion Australian Labor Party leader
Bill Shorten conceded the election to
Liberal Party of Australia leader, Scott
Morrision at about 11.30pm on the night
of the elections following the Australian
Election Commision (AEC) results, saying
that he would step down from the Labor
leadership.
The
Southeast Asian Times
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Call
for President Duterte to declare
Muslim Mindanao
elections
a failure
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Filipinos
rally at the coordinated "Black
Friday protests" in Legazpi
City at the Pinaglabanan Monument
against alleged election fraud
including red-tagging of candidates
in the mid term elections
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From News Reports:
Manila, May 19: Filipino's rallied on Friday
in coordinated "Black Friday protests"
in cities across the Philippines demanding
an independent investigation into election
fraud in the mid-term elections held on
Monday, with protesters in Muslim Mindanao
in the southern Philippines calling on President
Duterte to declare the elections a failure,
reports the Philippine Inquirer.
Non-government organisations including youth
organisations together with opposition candidates
and allies of the former Aquino administration
denounced the credibility of the elections
in what they decribed as "one of the
country's dirtiest elections ever"
The protesters claim that vote buying and
the massive number of vote counting machines
that malfunctioned in the May 13 mid-term
elections had allowed the pro-President
Rodrigo Duterte administration senatorial
candidates to shut out the opposition.
About 1000 protesters in Marawi City, Lanao
del Sur province in the Bangsamoro Autonomous
Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) in the
southern Philippines gathered at Friday
prayers to condemn alleged fraud in the
elections, calling on President Duerte to
intervene and declare the elections in the
province including Marawi City a failure.
Losing Marawi City mayoral candidate, lawyer
Ramayan Basman, said that her party, the
Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan,
had witnesses who have signed affidavits
saying they saw "vote manipulations
at the Barangay level."
"We have videos showing that Board
of Election Inspectors (BEI) themselves
were manipulating votes and also videos
showing vote buying,” she said.
Commission on Elections (Comelec) spokesman,
James Jimenez, urged those with evidence
showing vote manipulatons to file a complaint
with the commission, saying that "we
encourage whoever has information on video
to come forward and file a complaint.”
But the Commission on Elections (Comelec)
rejected calls to suspend the proclamation
of the winning senatorial candidates until
allegations of vote counting fraud and vote
buying in the mid-term elections have been
resolved with spokesman James Jimenez claiming
that only 400 to 600 vote counting machines
out of 85,000 vote counting machines had
malfunctioned during the mid-term elections.
"That number of malfunctioning vote
counting machines falls within the acceptable
range," he said.
The Philippine Department of Education undersecretary,
Alain del Pascua, claims that the department
had received reports from polling precincts
that 1,333 vote counting machines had malfunctioned
on the day of the mid-term elections.
"The number of malfunctioning vote
counting machines came from consolidated
reports from teachers who served as Board
of Election Inspectors (BEI) at polling
precincts that included schools throughout
the Philippines," he said.
The Philippine National Police (PNP) reported
that hundreds of Filipinos were arrested
for buying and selling votes, with spokesman
Col. Bernard Banac saying that those arrested
in cities throughout the Philippines including
metro Manila, Cavite, Laguna, Batangas,
Rizal and Quezon were either caught red-handed
accepting money in exchange for their votes
or handing out cash to voters.
The
Southeast Asian Times
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Bob
Hawke,
former
Prime Minister of Australia,
dies in Sydney age 89
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"Bob
Hawke was a great Australian
who led and served our country
with passion, courage, and
an intellectual horsepower
that made our country stronger,"
said current Prime Minister
of Australia and leader of
the Liberal Party of Australia,
Scott Morrison
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From
News Reports:
Canberra, May 18: Flags flew at half mast
in Australia on Thursday to mourn the death
of former Prime Minister Bob Hawke, the
23rd Prime Minister of Australia, who died
at age 89 at his home in Sydney.
Former Prime Minister Bob Hawke who led
the Australian Labor Party to four consecutive
election victories, served as Australia's
Prime Minister from 1983-1991, was responsible
for the introduction of a new national anthem
"Advance Australia Fair" replacing
the British national anthem "God Save
the Queen".
Current Prime Minister of Australia and
leader of the Liberal Party of Australia,
Scott Morrison paid tribute to former Prime
Minister Bob Hawke saying, "profoundly
Australian, Bob Hawke was a conviction politician
who became a political legend.”
He was true to his beliefs in the Labor
tradition and defined the politics of his
generation and beyond.
We remember him for his unique capacity
to speak to all Australians as one - from
everyday battlers to business leaders.
“His popularity, coupled with his strong
intellect and discipline, achieved many
important reforms in the national interest,
strongly supported by the Liberal Party
of Australia and the National Party of Australia
in opposition at the time.”
Prime Minister Scott Morrision said that
former Prime Minister Bob Hawke led one
of the most significant governments in Australia's
history.
"He modernised Australia’s economy,
deregulated the financial system, brokered
landmark agreements with the trade unions
and implemented Medicare as we know it today,"
he said.
Former Prime Minister Bob Hawke served as
president of the Australian Council of Trade
Unions (ACTU) from 1969 to 1980 before becoming
prime minister.
Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU)
secretary Sally McManus and president Michele
O'Neil described former Prime Minister Bob
Hawke as "a hero of the working people",
saying that "millions of working people
owe their health, prosperity and dignity
in retirement to Prime Minister Bob Hawke."
Current leader of the in opposition Australian
Labor Party, Bill Shorten, said that as
President of the Australian Council of Trade
Unions (ACTU) Bob Hawke was the champion
of unpopular causes including the right
of unions to organise and bargain.
He said that Prime Minister Bob Hawke opposed
French nuclear testing in the Pacific, the
war in Vietnam, Apartheid and defended Nelson
Mandela when conservatives branded him a
terrorist.
"Bob Hawke was a leader of conviction
and a builder of consensus", he said.
The
Southeast Asian Times
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Philippines
to go ahead with proclaimation
of senatorial candidates
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%20Caritas%20Philippines%20executive%20secretary%20Fr%20Edwin%20Gariguez.jpg) |
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The
Philippines Catholic National
Secretariat for Social Action
(NASSA) Caritas Philippines
executive secretary Fr. Edwin
Gariguez has called for an
independent and impartial
investigation into allegations
of fraud in the mid term elections
held on Monday
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From
News Reports:
Manila, May 17: The Philippine Commission
on Elections (Comelec) has rejected calls
to suspend the proclamation of the winning
senatorial candidates until the conflicting
number of malfunctioning vote counting machines
and allegations of vote buying in the mid-term
elections held on Monday are resolved, reports
the Philippine Inquirer.
The Catholic National Secretariat for Social
Action (NASSA) Caritas Philippines, executive
secretary, Fr. Edwin Gariguez, urged the
Commission on Elections (Comelec) to call
off the upcoming proclamation of senatorial
candidates, saying that "Caritas Philippines
are calling on the Commission on Elections
to suspend the proclamation of winning senatorial
candidates until the allegations of fraud
are resolved."
"We demand an independent and impartial
investigation into the allegations,"
he said.
The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has
ruled out the possibility of postponing
the proclamation of the winning senatorial
candidates, saying that "the allegations
are unsubstantiated."
The Commission on Elections (Comelec) spokesman
James Jimenez said that 400 to 600 vote
counting machines out of 85,000 vote counting
machines had malfunctioned during the mid-term
elections held on Monday, saying that "the
number of malfunctioning vote counting machines
falls within the acceptable range",
he said.
“If an allegation of fraud was enough
to suspend a proclamation by the Commission
on Elections (Comelec) there would never
be any proclamations", he said.
He said that if he were losing the elections
all he would have to do is to allege fraud
"and everything would come to a standstill."
The Philippine Department of Education undersecretary,
Alain del Pascua, claims that the department
had received reports from polling precincts
that 1,333 vote counting machines had malfunctioned
on the day of the mid-term elections.
"The number of malfunctioning vote
counting machines came from consolidated
reports from teachers who served as Board
of Election Inspectors (BEI) at polling
precincts that included schools throughout
the Philippines.
The Philippine National Police (PNP) reported
that hundreds of Filipinos were arrested
for buying and selling votes, the day after
the elections with
spokesman Col. Bernard Banac saying that
those arrested in cities throughout the
Philippines including metro Manila, Cavite,
Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon were
either caught red-handed accepting money
in exchange for their votes or handing out
cash to voters in favor of a candidate.
The
Southeast Asian Times
|
President
Duterte declared winner in
mid term elections
|
|
 |
|
Philippine
President Rodrigo Duterte said
on Monday after casting his
vote in his hometown of Davao
City in Mindanao in the southern
Philippines that "vote
buying has been an "integral
part" of elections in the
Philippines |
|
From News Reports:
Manila, Philippines, May 15: The Commission
on Elections (Comelec) has declared President
Rodrigo Duterte's Philippine Democratic
Party-People's Power (PDP-Laban) as the
dominant majority party and the Nacionalista
Party as the dominant minority party in
the May 13 mid-term elections, reports the
Philippine Inquirer.
The Commission on Elections (Comelec) also
accredited the Liberal Party, Nationalist
People’s Coalition, United Nationalist
Alliance, Lakas-CMD, Workers and Peasants
Party, Laban ng Demokratikong Pilipino,
National Unity Party and Aksyong Demokratiko
as major political parties.
The political party of presidential daughter
Sara Duterte’s Hugpong ng Pagbabago
and 10 other local political parties have
been declared sole major local parties in
their respective regions.
The sole major local parties are ARANGKADA
in Bulacan, Asenso Manileño Movement
in Manila, Bileg Party in Ilocos Sur, Hugpong
sa Tawong Lungsod in Davao City, KABAKA
for National Capital Region, MAKIMAZA in
Zambales, Partido Abe Kapampangan in Pampanga,
Partido Navoteno, Serbisyo sa Bayan Party
in Quezon City and Unang Sigaw in Nueva
Ecija.
The Commission on Elections (Comelec) reports
that several criteria including the ability
to field candidates from municipal level
to senatorial positions and the number of
incumbent elected officials belonging to
a particular party were considered in its
classification.
The Commission on Elections (Comelec) reports
that from 94.26 percent of the votes counted
from the 61 million eligible voters on Tuesday,
nine of the 12 candidates with the most
votes were allied with President Rodrigo
Duterte's PDP-Laban party or with a coalition
supportive of his adminstration.
The
Southeast Asian Times
|
Candidate
for mayor in Quezon City arrested
for vote buying
|
|
 |
|
Quezon
City represenative, Vincent
Crisologo and his son lawyer,
Frederick William, at the Criminal
Investigation and Detection
Unit (CIDU) in Quezon City
|
|
From
News Reports:
Manila, May 15: Candidate for mayor in Quezon
City and his son were arrested ahead of
the mid term senatorial and mayoral elections
held in the Philipines on Monday for their
alleged involement in vote-buying, reports
the Philippine Inquirer.
Quezon City represenative, Vincent Crisologo
and his son, lawyer Frederick William, were
arrested following the arrest of a campaigne
poll watcher in a raid by Philippine National
Police (PNP) Barangay Tor in Quezon City.
Candidate for mayor in Quezon City, Vincent
Crisologo, who is running for mayor under
Philippine Democratic Party-People's Power
(PDP-Laban), the party of President Rodrigo
Duterte, against incumbent Vice Mayor Joy
Belmonte, claims wongful arrest.
He claims that he was arrested as he arrived
at Aqueda Street, Road 20 in Barangay Tor
in Quezon City after receiving a report
that police had raided the premises of his
campaigne poll watchers for alleged vote-buying.
"Our rights were not read to us and
we were not informed of the nature of the
arrest", he said.
The Philippine National Police (PNP) reports
that hundreds of Filipinos were arrested
for buying and selling votes ahead of the
mid-term elections with
60 campaigne poll watchers suspected of
vote buying or selling votes arrested in
Makati City and a further 52 including senior
citizens under investigation at the National
Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) office
of special operations.
Philippine National Police (PNP) in Makati
City raided the San Isidro barangay hall
ahead of the elections after receiving a
tip that vote buying and vote selling activities
were in progress. Police seized seized 820
P500 bills, 19 identification cards, 10
cell phones, lists of voters with addresses
and precinct numbers and campaigne leaflets
accusing incumbent Makati Mayor Abigail
Binay of corruption.
The Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible
Voting (PPCRV) reports that nine President
Rodrigo Duterte allies were poised to win
seats in the Senate from intial results
taken from 330 of the 85,769 voting precincts
nationwide.
The
Southeast Asian Times
|
Hundreds
arrested for vote buying
in Philippines mid term elections
|
|
|
|
|
Filipinos
at the Bautista Elementary
School in Dasmarinas City,
Cavite, vote to select senators
and local officials in the
mid term election that is
seen as a referendum on President
Rodrigo Duterte
|
|
From
News Reports:
Manila, May 14: The Philippine National
Police (PNP) reports that hundreds of Filipinos
were arrested for buying and selling votes
despite the deployment of 150,000 Philippine
National Police (PNP) and Armed Forces of
the Philippines (AFP) throughout the Philippines
to secure the mid term elections held yesterday,
reports the Philippines Inquirer.
The Philippine National Police (PNP) spokesman
Col. Bernard Banac said that those arrested
in metro Manila, Calabarzon, Cavite, Laguna,
Batangas, Rizal and Quezon and other cities
in the Philippines were either caught red-handed
accepting money in exchange for their votes
or handing out cash to voters in favor of
a candidate.
The Philippine Department of the Interior
and local government secretary, Eduardo
Ano, said that Commission on Election (Comelec)
would ensure that 61 million Filipinos were
free to exercise their right to vote, saying
that thousands of Philippine National Police
(PNP) were trained to serve as
Board of Election Inspectors (BEI) at polling
precincts throughou the Philippines.
He said that thousands of police trained
to serve as Board of Election Inspectors
(BEI) were deputised by the Commission on
Election (Comelec) for poll duty at polling
precincts at the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region
in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), saying that
“we do not want to take any chances
during the elections on Mindanao."
"The Abu Sayyaf, the Bangsamoro Islamic
Freedom Fighters and other factions still
remain a peace and order issue in Bangsamoro
Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM),”
he said.
Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) spokesman,
Brig. Gen. Edgard Arevalo, said that the
military was prepared and ready for the
polls, saying that the Armed Forces of the
Philippines (AFP) was tasked with supporting
the Philippine National Police (PNP) in
securing the polls and to ensure the delivery
of election paraphernalia nationwide.
He said that voters in the farthest islands
in the country would be able to cast their
votes, saying that "the military used
ships and aircraft to transport poll paraphernalia"
"Groups that may try to sabotage the
democratic exercise will not succeed,”
he said.
The
Southeast Asian Times
|
Communist
Party of the Philippines urge
President Duterte to resume
peace talks
|
|
|
|
|
Philippine
President Rodrigo Duterte
with Philippine Democratic
Party (PDP) senatorial candidates
for May13 midterm elections
at Philippine Sports Arena
in Pasig City on Saturday
said that "both he and
Communist Party of the Philippines
(CPP) founder and chairman,
Jose Maria Sison, had nowhere
else to go but hell"
|
|
From
News Reports:
Manila, May 13: Communist Party of the
Philippines (CPP) founder and chairman,
Jose Maria Sison, urged Philippine President
Duterte to resume peace negotiations between
the government and the Communist Party
of the Philippines (CPP) umbrella organisation
the National Democratic Front of the Philippines
(NDFP) on Sunday in order to "escape
the wrath of hell," reports the Philippine
Inquirer.
Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP)
founder and chairman, Jose Maria Sison,
called on President Duterte to work with
Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP)
and its armed wing the New Peoples Army
(NPA) in order to respond to the demands
of the Filipino people for social, economic
and political reforms.
Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP)
founder and chairman, Jose Maria Sison,
said from the Netherlands where he has
been in self-exile for more than three
decades that he had "absolutely no
intention of accompanying President Duterte
to hell" in reponse to President
Duterte saying that "both he and
Sison had nowhere else to go but hell."
"We won’t be going to heaven"
said President Duterte at a Philippine
Democratic Party (PDP) meeting in Pasig
City on Saturday
"It's really hell for us", he
said.
Jose Maria Sison, reportedly said that
President Duterte "is destined for
historical damnation for treason, tyranny,
murder, corruption and swindling."
He said that Presdient Duterte could still
save himself from eternal dammnation by
reopening the stalled peace talks with
the communist rebels.
“I invite Duterte to change course
from the direction of hell, mend his ways
and resume serious and sincere peace negotiations
with the National Democratic Front of
the Philippines (NDFP) through duly-authorized
negotiating panels within the framework
of The Hague Joint Declaration,”
he said.
In February the Manila Regional Trial
Court ordered the the Department of Justice
(DOJ) to issue a summons on Communist
Party of the Philippines (CPP) founder
and chairman, Jose Maria Sison, in the
government's effort to officially declare
the Communist Party of the Philippines
(CPP) armed wing The New People's Army
(NPA) a terrorist group.
In December 2018 Philippine president
Rodrigo Duterte signed the proclaimation
that classifies the Communist Party of
the Philippines (CPP) and its armed wing
the New People's Army as terrorists under
the Republic Act 10168 and the Terrorism
Financing Prevention and Suppression Act
of 2012.
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte called
for the implementation of tactics used
by President Suharto in 1965-66 to eliminate
communists in Indonesia in eliminating
the Communist Party of the Philippines
(CPP), New Peoples Army (NPA) in a speech
to the 10th Infantry Division Headquarters
at Camp General Manuel T. Yan Sr. in Mawab,
Compostela Valley Province in Mindanao
in the southern Philippines in December.
The President said that he would adopt
the late President Suharto's campaign
against communism that led to the killing
of up to two million Indonesian Communist
Party (PKI) members and supporters.
The
Southeast Asian Times
|
Cambodia
bids for observer status in
the Organisation of Islamic
Cooperation
|
|
|
|
|
Prime
Minister of Cambodia Hun Sen
shakes hands with members
of the Organisation of Islamic
Cooperation (OIC) at the Koh
Pich Exhibition Centre in
Phnom Penh on Tuesday
|
|
From
News Reports:
Phnom Penh, May 12: Cambodia made a bid
for observer status in the Organisation
of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) formerly
the Organisation of Islamic Conference
(OIC) at Ramadan celebrations held in
Cambodia on Tuesday, attended by the secretary
general of the Organisation of Islamic
Cooperation (OIC), Dr. Yousef bin Ahmed
Al-Othaimeen, reports the Khmer Times.
Prime Minister Hun Sen reportedly said
at the Ramadan celebrations held at the
Koh Pich Exhibition Centre in Phnom Penh
that he wants observer status in the Organisation
of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), in order
to enhance human resources training and
open new economic opportunities.
The Prime Minister told more than 4000
members of the Organisation of Islamic
Cooperation (OIC) including representatives
of non-government organisation and members
of the diplomatic corp that he would appoint
senior minister Othsman Hassan as a special
envoy to apply to the Organisation of
Islamic Cooperation (OIC) for observer
status.
The Prime Minister said that the Organisation
of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) member states
can help Cambodia by purchasing local
products, providing scholarships to students
of religion and providing jobs for migrant
workers.
He called on the Organisation of Islamic
Cooperation (OIC) secretary general, Dr.
Yousef bin Ahmed Al-Othaimeen, to urge
member states to buy rice and other goods
from Cambodia.
The secretary general, Dr. Yousef bin
Ahmed Al-Othaimeen, said at the Ramadan
celebrations hosted by Prime Minister
Hun Sen that "the general secretariat
will continue to work with the Royal Government
of Cambodia to facilitate the application
for observer membership in the OIC.”
"The OIC commends the successful
Cambodian model of diversity, multiculturalism
and coexistence between Muslims and Buddhists
in the region," he said.
The
Southeast Asian Times
|
Indonesian
parliament calls for investigation
into deaths of election officials
|
|
|
|
|
Almost
500 polling station officials
reportedly died from exhaustion
or injuries from a traffic
accident during the general
elections held throughout
Indonesia on 17 April
|
|
From
News Reports:
Jakarta, May 11: The deputy speaker of the
Indonesian Parliament has called for a parliamentary
inquiry into the deaths of almost 500 polling
station officials who reportedly died from
exhaustion or injuries from a traffic accident
during the general elections held throughout
Indonesia last month, calling for the establishment
of an investigative team, reports Reuters.
Deputy speaker of parliament, Fahri Hamzah,
called for the parliamentary committee on
domestic affairs to form an investigate
team in order to investigate the deaths
of the polling station officials who manned
the 800,000 polling stations during the
Indonesian 17 April elections.
"There has never been this kind of
precedent in election history anywhere in
the world," he said.
Indonesia's General Elections Committee
(KPU) reports that about 7 million polling
station officials manned the about 800,000
polling stations in Indonesia's 25 provinces
on election day.
Masnun Binti Abdul Hamid, reportedly said
that her husband died after working long
hours at a polling station at Bekasi in
West Java, saying that he worked all day
on election day.
She said that her husband, Abdul Rochim,
40, who had no history of heart disease
or high blood pressure, started feeling
weak and short of breath two days later,
and was taken to hospital but died in intensive
care.
Indonesia's General Elections Committee
(KPU) commissioner Viryan Aziz announced
this week that 456 polling station working
committee (KPPS) officers, 91 Elections
Supervisory Committee (Bawasu) members,
22 Indonesian National Police and Indonesian
National Armed Forces (TNI) died during
the elections, with 4,310 reportedly falling
ill.
Commissioner Viryan Aziz announced 10 days
after the elections that 230 polling station
working committee (KPPS) officers died from
exhauston or injuries from traffic accidents
with 1,671 reportly falling ill.
Commissioner Viryan Aziz announced at the
electorial office in Menteng, Central Jakarta,
on the day following the elections , that
“54 people have died and 32 have fallen
ill,
He said that the General Election Commission
(KPU) together with the Finance Ministry
has agree to pay compensation to the families
of the polling station working committees
(KPPS) officers including Indonesian National
Police and the Indonesian National Armed
Forces.
The
Southeast Asian Times
|
Cambodian
farmers ordered to prove ownership
of land
|
|
|
|
|
Community
representatives from Koh Kong
province arrive in Phnom Penh
on Tuesday to prove ownership
of their land at the Ministry
of Land Management Urban Planing
and Construction
|
|
From
News Reports:
Phnom Penh, May 10: Cambodia's Ministry
of Land Management Urban Planning and Construction
have called on families in Koh Kong province
who have been in a decade long land dispute
with China company Union Development Group
(UDG) to prove ownership of their land,
reports Phnom Penh Post.
Saing Puy, one of 24 community representatives
of 77 farmer families from Koh Sdech and
Samrong Takeo communities who claim ownership
of their land, said that the ministry wants
the families to provide proof of ownership
of their plots of land.
She claims that the 77 families have been
living on plots of land covering almost
150ha in Koh Sdech and Samrong Takeo communities
in Kiri Sakor and Botum Sakor districts
in Cambodia's Koh Kong province since 1980.
"The ministry has asked me to identify
the location of my land and the number of
years that I have lived there," she
said.
She disputes the Ministry of Land Management
Urban Planning and Construction claim that
she and other families have counterfeit
land title documents or have grabbed other
people’s or state land, saying that
she has worked honestly with the ministry.
"I am not a fraud," she said.
In April 2018 Chinese company, Development
Group (UDG), warned Cambodian farmers to
vacate their land within seven days in order
to begin construction of a $3.8 billion
tourist complex on Cambodia's south west
coast.
The warning by the Development Group (UDG)
followed the company's destruction of crops
on seven farms in Koh Kong province in Cambodia's
Kiri Sakor District on April 3, 2018.
Development Group (UDG) representative,
Chieng Lan, reportedly led 20 security and
armed personnel with batons and guns including
two excavators to destroy farm land in order
to begin construction of the tourist complex.
Kiri Sakor District authorities reportedly
said then that farmers whose land had been
cleared by the Development Group (UDG) had
accepted compensation.
But farmer, Peurng Loun, 45, refused compensation
for her 2.5 hectares of land in Koh Sdach
commune in Kiri Sakor district, saying the
the compensation offered by the Development
Group (UDG) that had destroyed hundreds
of coconuts, mangoes and cashews was not
enough.
The Cambodian League for the Promotion and
Defense of Human Rights (Lcadho) in Phnom
Penh, coordinator, Hour In, said then that
the China Company Union Development Group
(UDG) was granted about 45,000 hectares
of land by the Cambodian government for
the development of a toursit complex.
"The land that spans over Kiri Sakor
and Botum Sakor districts effects thousands
of families," he said.
He said that while some farmers have relocated,
others are fighting for fair compensation,
saying that "some families who are
relatives of the authorities have received
compensation of up to $100,000.”
"Compensation offered by the government
inter-ministerial committee, led by the
Environment Ministry is not tranparent at
all," he said.
The
Southeast Asian Times
Reporters
released from Myanmar
prison
on presidential pardon |
|
 |
| Myanmar
reporters employed by Rueters,
Wa Lone, 32 and Kyaw Soe Oo,
28 were released from Insein
prison on Tuesday |
|
From
News Reports:
Yangon, May 9: Two Myanmar reporters employed
by Rueters, who were found guilty of breaching
the Burma Official Secrets Act, have been
released on a presdential pardon from
the Insein prison in Yangon where they
have been held in detention since their
arrest in December 2017, reports Rueters.
Reporters Wa Lone, 32, and Kyaw Soe Oo,
28, were two of thousands of prisoners
who were released from prison last month
on a presidential pardon issued by Myanmar
President Win Myint in celebration of
the Myanmar traditional New Year held
in April.
The two reporters were sentenced to seven
years in prison in September 2018 with
Yangon district judge Ye Lwin, saying
that "the court had taken into account
the time served since their detention."
Last month the Supreme Court rejected
the second and final appeal for the release
of the two Myanmar reporters.
The reporters
pleaded not guilty to breaching the Burma
Official Secrets Act of 1923, with lawyer
for the reporters, Khin Maung Zaw, saying
"Our hopes now turn to a presidential
pardon."
In January the Supreme Court of Myanmar
rejected the first appeal for the release
of the reporters with Supreme Court Judge
Aung Naing saying that the burden of proof
of innocence was on the Myanmar reporters,
calling for evidence of their claim of
"police-set-up."
The reporters claim they were investigating
alleged abuses by Myanmar government security
forces against the Muslim Rohingya's in
Myanmar's Rakhine State when arrested.
Laywer for the reporters, Khin Maung Zaw,
claimed at the trial in April last year
that the arrest of the reporters "amounted
to entrapment by police."
He said that the reporters had been arrested
immediately after they had been handed
documents, believed to contain information
about "the situation in northern
Rakhine" at a meeting in Yangon that
was arranged by two police officers.
Myanmar Police Captain, Moe Yan Naing
reportedly told the Yangon court during
the trial in April that a high ranking
police officer had ordered two policemen
to meet the Myanmar reporters who were
employed by the international news agency,
Rueters, and hand over documents believed
to contain information that reportedly
contravened the Burma Official Secrets
Act of 1923.
He told the court that the order to entrap
the two Reuters reporters who were found
with documents that contained "details
of police strength and weapons and the
position of security forces in northern
Rakhin State", was given by Brig
Gen Tin Ko Ko.
"Brig Gen Tin Ko Ko ordered two police
officers to hand over secret documents
to the two reporters", he said.
He claimed that the meeting between the
two Rueters reporters and the two police
officers was arranged at a restuarant
outside Yangon, saying that a police team
intercepted, arresting the reporters with
the documents.
The
Southeast Asian Times
| MEDIA
CHECK |
| Cambodia-China
Journalist Association
(CCJA) launched in Phnom
Penh
...open
here |
|
|
|
Newly crowned
Thai King to endorse senators
selected under Article 44
|
|
|
|
|
Newly
crowned King Maha Vajiralongkorn
is to endorse senators selected
under Article 44 of the interim
constitution on Friday |
|
From
News Reports:
Bangkok, May 8: A list of 250 senators selected
by the National Council for Peace and Order
(NCPO), that has absolute power over executive
legislative and judicial decisions under
Article 44 of the interim constitution,
is to be presented to Thailand's newly crowned
King Maha Vajiralongkorn for endorsement
on Friday.
Deputy Prmie Minister Wissanu Kreangam said
that the National Council for Peace and
Order (NCPO) has selected 50 senators from
the list of candidates in an intra-group
selection process, asking the senators to
accept the job.
"Some have declined the offers and
the National Council for Peace and Order
(NCPO) is considering those on the reserve
list," he said.
He said that those who accept the job of
senator must meet constitutional and legal
requirements including rules regarding qualifications.
"Senators must not own shares in media
organisations or companies that are granted
state concessions," he said.
The senators appointed by the National Council
for Peace and Order (NCPO) and who will
reportedly be endorsed by King Maha Vajiralongkorn
on Friday will serve a five year term.
"The senators first task is to join
the House of Representatives in voting to
select the Prime Minister," he said.
The senators must reportedly be appointed
within three days of the endorsement of
the results of the March 24 elections by
the Election Commsiion (EC) that are expected
to be announced today.
"Aspiring senators are required to
resign from their current jobs in the government
and the National Council for Peace and Order
(NCPO) before the names can be incuded in
the list submitted to King Maha Vajiralongkorn
for endorsement on Friday.
Preliminary results from the March 24 elections,
the first elections held since 2011 and
the first since the last military coup in
May 2014, reportedly show that the pro-
Royal Thai Armed Forces party, the Palang
Pracharath Party (PPRP) that nominated current
Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, are
ahead in the polls.
In May 2014 the Royal Thai Army declared
martial law under the 1914 Martial Law Act
on the grounds that ongoing protests between
political rivals were a threat to Thailands
security and to the safety of life and property.
Current Prime minister Gen Prayuth Chan-ocha
was officially appointed commander of the
National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO)
by the late Thai King Bhumibol Adulyadej
following the declaration of Martial law
under the 1914 Martial Law Act at Bangkok
military headquarters on 22 May 2014.
The
Southeast Asian Times
|
Memorials
held worldwide for Vietnam's
General Le Ðuc Anh
|
|
|
|
|
Former
Vietnam President and General
Le Ðuc Anh returns to HCMCity
for burial at the the Martyrs’
Cemetery
after a memorial ceremony in
Hanoi |
|
From News Reports:
Hanoi, May 7: Memorial ceremonies were held
in Vietnam with the flying of the flag at
half mast at Ba Dinh Square in Hanoi and
at Vietnamese embassies in ASEAN member
countries, Vietnamese embassies in Australia
in Britian, France, Saudi Arabia and Morocco
on Friday to pay tribute to former Vietnam
President and General Le Ðuc Anh who
died at age 99 in HCMCity on April 22, reports
the Vietnam News.
Prime Minister of Vietnam Nguyen Xuan Phuc
said in Hanoi that Vietnam President and
General Le Ðuc Anh has made a great
contribution to the cause of national liberation
and reunification including national construction
and defence including in Cambodia.
"We will forever remember him as a
close comrade, a talented general, an outstanding
leader and a person of righteousness and
generosity," he said.
In HCMCity Politburo and Secretary of the
municipal Party Committee Nguyen Thien Nhan
said on behalf of the HCMCity Party Committee,
People’s Council, People’s Committee,
Vietnam Fatherland Front and retired senior
Party and State officials that "Vietnam
President and General Le Ðuc Anh has
left important imprints in the revolutionaly
cause of the Communist Party of Vietnam
(CPV) and the Vietnamese nation including
the historic HCMCity campaign in 1975".
"Vietnam President and General Le Ðuc
Anh will be remembered as an excellent leader
with great vision in strategic matters who
made major contributions to the cause of
Ðoi Moi Reform, national development
and international relations, he said.
Delegates and representatives from international
organisations paid their respects at Vietnamese
embassies worldwide including in ASEAN member
countries Indonesia, Singapore, laos, Cambodia
and Myanmar with the ASEAN Secretariat flying
the flag at half-mast at its headquarters
in Jakarta.
In Tokyo, former Japanese Ambassador to
Viet Nam and Friendship Exchange Council
(FEC) Senior Managing Director Hiroyuki
Yushita Viroth Sundara visited the embassy
to express this condolences.
"The death of former Vietnam President
and General Le Ðuc Anh is a great loss
to the Vietnamese government and Vietnamese
people at home and abroad," said Viroth
Sundara.
Representatives from India also paid their
respects to the late president.
Representatives from the Philippines, Cuba,
Austria, Libya, Ethiopia, Bangladesh, Singapore
and other diplomatic agencies attended Vietnamese
embassies located in Australia in Canberra,
Sydney and Perth to pay tribute to Vietnam
President and General Le Ðuc Anh.
Vietnamese embassies in Europe including
Britain, France, Germany and Switzerland,
were also attended by delegates and represenatives
who paid tribute to former Vietnam President
and General Le Ðuc Anh.
Former Vietnam President and General Le
Ðuc Anh who died at age 99 in HCMCity
on April 22 is to be buried at the Martyrs
Cemetery in HCMCity.
The
Southeast Asian Times
|
Vietnamese
pleads guilty to lesser charge
in murder of North Korean
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Vietnamese
national, Doan Thi Huong, 30,
released from prison in Malaysia
after pleading guilty to the
lesser charge of "causing
injury" in the the murder
of North Korean Kim Jong Nam
at the Kuala Lumpur airport
February 13, 2017 |
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From
News Reports:
Kuala Lumpur, May 6: Vietnamese national,
Doan Thi Huong, 30, was released from prison
in Malaysia on Friday after pleading guilty
to the lesser charge of "causing injury"
in the murder of half brother of Democratic
People’s Republic of North Korea Chairman,
Kim Jong Nam, reports the Star.
Vietnamese national Doan Thi Huong was charged
together with Indonesian national, Siti
Aisyah, 25, with the murder of Kim Jong
Nam in Kuala Lumpur in February 2017.
Murder charges against Indonesian national,
Siti Aisyah were withdrawn during her trial
that ended in March, reportedly without
grounds given by the prosecution for the
withdrawal.
Both women were accused of applying the
banned VX deadly nerve agent to Kim Jong
Nam's face at the crowded Kuala Lumpur International
airport where the half brother of Democratic
People’s Republic of North Korea Chairman,
Kim Jong Nam, was found dead on February,
13 2017,
The trial of Vietnamese national Doan Thi
Huong, that began in Kuala Lumpur in March,
ended on Friday with the Kuala Lumpur Supreme
Court handing down a two year jail term
for "causing injury" that was
cut due to sentence remissions
The trial of Vietnamese national Doan Thi
Huong followed the trial of Indonesian national
Siti Aisyah, despite the withdrawal of charges
against Indonesian national Siti Aisyah
and her subsequent release from prison and
return to Indonesia.
Vietnamese national Doan Thi Huong said
that she was surprised that the murder charge
against the Indonesian national was withdrawn,
with her lawyer Hisyam Teh Poh Teik saying
that "Huong is entitled to the same
kind of consideration as Aisyah.”
Indonesian national, Siti Aisyah, maintained
her innocence throughout her six month trial,
saying that she was recruited by a North
Korean at a Kuala Lumpur Hotel in January
2017 to star in a prank for a television
show, a month before Kim Jong Nam was found
dead after the application of the banned
VX deadly nerve agent to his face.
Lawyers for Indonesian national Siti Aisyah
and Vietnamese national Doan Thi Huong claim
that photographs and recordings on mobile
phones provide evidence that the women as
claimed, believed that they were acting
in a prank for a television show at the
Kuala Lumpur airport on the day that Kim
Jong-nam was found dead from the effects
of the banned VX deadly nerve agent, reportedly
within 20 minutes of the application of
the nerve agent.
The lawyers claim that the women were pawns
in a political assassination with clear
links to the North Korean Embassy in Kuala
Lumpur and that the prosecution failed to
show the women had any intention to kill.
The
Southeast Asian Times
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Court
orders protection of marine
environment in West Philippine
Sea
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Ayungin
Shoal in the West Philippine
Sea is guarded against China's
alleged incursion by a contingent
of Philippine marines onboard
the rusting Navy vessel BRP
Sierra Madre that was deliberately
run aground by the Philippine
Navy in 1999 to mark Philippine
territory in the South China
Sea |
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From
News Reports:
Manila, May 5: The Supreme Court has ordered
the protection and rehabilitation of destroyed
marine environment in the West Philippine
Sea, in areas that have allegedly been seized
by China or surrounded by Chinese vessels,
in the writ of Kalikasan that protects the
constitutional right to a healthy environment,
reports the Philippine Inquirer.
Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP)
president Abdiel Fajardo said the issuance
of the writ of Kalikasan by the Supreme
Court affirmed their position that the three
reefs that are all within the Philippines
370-kilometer Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ),
should be protected by Philippine authorities
from further environmental degradation.
"This affirms the Philippine position
made before the Permanent Court of Arbitration
in the Hague that the disputed islands fall
within the 370-kilometer Exclusive Economic
Zone (EEZ) of the Philippines and must therefore
be protected by Philippine authorities as
required by the Constitution and domestic
environmental law,” he said.
The Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP)
that represents Kalayaan Palawan Farmers
and Fisherfolk Association and residents
of Sitio Kinabukasan in Cawag Zambales,
said that "the Philippine government
inaction on the activities of Chinese fishermen
in contested areas in the South China Sea
violated the Convention on International
Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora
and Fauna, the Philippine Fisheries Code
and Presidential Decree No. 1586, which
established the Environmental Impact Statement
System."
In March this year allegations of crimes
against humanity reportedly committed in
the South China Sea by China were lodged
at the International Criminal Court (ICC)
in The Hague accusing China President Xi
Jinping of implementing a systematic plan
to control the South China Sea, undermining
food and energy security of a number of
nations, causing destruction of the environment
and depriving thousands of fishermen of
their livelihoods.
In 2013 the Philippines filed a complaint
with the Permanent Court of Arbitration
in the Hague against China asking the court
to intervene in the Philippine dispute with
China over the right to exploit natural
resources inluding fishing in the West Philippine
Sea (WPS), saying that China has violated
the United Nations Convention on the Law
of the Sea (UNCLOS) by invoking “historic
rights” in its claim over the West
Phillipine Sea.
In July 2016 the Arbitration Court in the
Hague ruled in favour of the Philippines
against China's claim of historic rights
over the South China Sea that includes the
West Philippine Sea (WPS).
The Court in the Hague ruled that Panganiban
Reef and Ayungin Shoal, that is guarded
by a small Philippine Marines contingent
aboard the rusting Navy vessel BRP Sierra
Madre and that is surrounded by Chinese
vessels, are within the Philippines 370-kilometer
Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).
The then United States Assistant Secretary
of State, Daniel Russel, reportedly said
in Washington that as both Beijing and Manila
are signatories to the United Nations Convention
on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), they are
legally bound to abide by the the Permanent
Court of Arbitration in the Hague decision.
China reportedly claimed that the Arbitration
tribunal made an illegal and invalid final
verdict on the South China Sea dispute with
China Foreign Ministry spokesman, Lu Kang
saying then that the dispute was not covered
by U.N. Convention on the Law of the Sea
(UNCLOS) because it was ultimately a matter
of sovereignty not exploitation rights.
"China's position of neither accepting
nor participating in the arbitration unilaterally
initiated by the Philippines remains unchanged,"
he said.
The
Southeast Asian Times
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Filipino's
call for regulations on employment
contracts on May Day
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Thousands
of Philippine workers marched
on the Malacanang Presidential
Palace in Manila on Wednesday
to celebrate Labor Day, torching
a giant effigy of President
Rodrigo Duterte |
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From
News Reports:
Manila, May 4: More than 8000 Filipino's
marched on the Malacanang Presidential Palace
on Labour Day calling on the government
to outlaw employers who misuse short-term
employment contracts, warning Philippine
President Duterte that workers would not
vote for candidates who did not support
regulations on contractualisation in the
May13 midterm elections, reporst Agence
France Presse.
Workers called for the regulation of contractual
employment saying that they recieved less
benefits and protection under endo or contractualisation,
saying that workers on the temporary work
contract are terminated before the contract
expires allowing the employer to avoid providing
the employee with permanant work and benefits
that include Social Security System (SSS),
Philhealth, Pagibig housing fund contribution,
unpaid leave and 13th Month Pay.
Presidential spokesman Salvador Panel said
that the Nagkaisa Labor Coalition that includes
over 40 of the largest labor unions in the
Philippines including May First Labor Movement
or the Kilusang Mayo Uno ((KMU) blamed Philippine
President Duterte for "various labor
problems."
He warned that nationwide protests organised
by the May First Labor Movement or the Kilusang
Mayo Uno ((KMU) "would scare off investors
and lead to job losses."
President Duterte reportedly said on Labor
Day that he had called on congress to implement
the existing constitutional and statutory
provisions against illegal contracting,
saying that the passing of the bill "would
protect workers rights in security of tenure
and self-orgainsation".
The Nagkaisa Labor Coalition official, Rene
Magtubo, said that the call on Labor Day
for congress to pass the regulation bill
on contractualisation was a ploy by President
Duterte to "protect his candidates
in the May 13 midterm elections from the
wrath of disappointed workers.
"The workers will get angry if congress
does not pass the bill," he said.
The Southeast Asian Times
|
Darwin
reporter John Loizou asks
a survivor of the 1965 killings
in Bali "why didn't you
try to stop them" in
"Remembering the slaughter
in Paradise"
........open
page here
|
|
| "Goodbye
America"
says B.A. Hamzah as he calls
for Asians to determine their
own political destiny in "Time
for Asia to set it's own course,
minus the U.S."...open
here |
|
| Is
prescribed burning of grasslands
in northern Australia out of
control? ......Chris
Ray reports ...
open page here |
|
| "Rockefeller
and the Demise of Ibu Pertiwi"
by Kerry B. Collison "is
undoubtedly fictional but by
no means improbable, "
says Johannes Nugroho ....open
page here |
|
Viet
Nam is planning to go nuclear
by the year 2020.reports
John Loizou in
"Calculating
the costs of nuclear energy
in Vietnam"
...open
page here |
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| Bombed
by the Americans for Christmas
in 1972, Ha Noi Bach Mai hospital
is still a war zone...Christina
Pas reports...Open
page here |
|
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The
founder of the Revolutionary
Front of Independent East
Timor (Fretilin), Mari Alkatiri,
the now former Prime Minister
of Timor Leste, after losing
the May 12, 2018 election
to the National Congress for
Timorese Reconstruction (CNRT)
party, led by Xanana Gusmao,
has accused the opposition
of a coup attempt.
Twelve years ago Mari Alkatiri
also accused the opposition
of a coup attemp claiming
then that the crises that
led to his resignation was
the result of a conspiracy.
"I have no doubt about
that" he told Darwin
reporter John Loizou in an
interview in Dili on 6 November
2006
......open
page here
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Cuba's
302 physicians in East Timor
work at five hospitals and
remote villages throughout
the republic...writes Darwin
reporter John Loizou ...open
page here
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| Benedict
Anderson, a man without a country,
dies in Indonesia Jeet Heer
reports.....open
page here |
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Thousands
of Northern Australia's indigenous
rock art sites are under threat
from buffalo, fire and feral
animals.
Tim Lee reports
........open page here
|
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| Copy
of letter 29 May 2012 from Vietnam
Womens Union to International
Olympic Committee...open
here |
|
| A
cartoon goes inside the tour
bus in Manila on the day that
ended with the slaying of eight
Hong Kong tourists
...Open
page here |
|
Published
by Pas Loizou Press Darwin Northern Territory
Australia
PASLOIZOUPRESSDARWIN@bigpond.com
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The
Southeast Asian Times cannot be
bought
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Oz $ buys
|
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Updated daily.
Prices indicative only
|
US...0.7582
Brunei...1.0310
Cambodia...3,115.36
China..Yuan..5,0710
East Timor...0.7582
Euro..0.6794
HongsKong...5.8808
Indonesia Rupiah.9,997.47
Japan..78.8528
Laos..6,140.58
Malaysia Ringgit.....3.0900
Myanmar..923.19
Viet
Nam Dong..16,849.44
Singapore
properties listed for sale in Myanmar
From News Reports:
Yangon, November 25: Singapore's largest property developer, the
Far East Organization, is to partner with Myanmar's local property
sales and marketing company, Min Zin Agency, in Yangon to sell
condos in Singapore.
Managing director of the Min Zin Agency in Yangon, Ko Kyaw Min
Zin, said that Singapore's Far East Organization has expanded
its sales and marketing efforts into Myanmar.
“The Far East Organisation has been selling their Singapore
properties to Myanmar buyers since 2009,” he said.
The Far East Organisation reportedly have over 750 properties
in Singapore’s residential, hospitality, retail, commercial
and industrial sectors,
including 45,500 or one in every six private homes in Singapore
listed with the Min Zin Agency in Yangon.
The
Southeast Asian Times
China to invest in rail and road construction
in Indonesia
From News Reports:
Jakarta, November 10: Indonesia's Railway
Corporation (PT KAI) and state construction company PT Jasa Marga
signed a memorandum of understanding
(MoU) with China Investment Fund (CIF) to develop indonesia's
railway services and toll road construction.
Witness to the signing, coordinating Minister for the Economy
Sofyan Djalil, said that the MoU will provide the groundwork for
further cooperation between China Railway and P KAI and China
Investment Fund (CIF).
"The MoU is the first step towards further development of
public services between China and Indonesia" he said.
Chinese Ambassador to Indonesia, Xie Feng said that the MoU would
spark more cooperations between China and Indonesia and would
bring about "real benefits to the public."
The Southeast Asian Times
Penang health department
shuts down soya bean factory
From News Reports:
Penang, October 19: Five Penang food factories including a 100
year old soya bean factory at Tanjong Bungah were ordered closed
by the state health department for failure to observe health standards.
State health, food safety and quality division, deputy director
Ku Nafishah Ku Ariffin said soya bean products were processed
in an unclean "rusty and moldy kitchen".
"Our inspectors found that wet products were left to dry
on "dirty" bamboo sticks along with bathing towels.
The bamboo sticks were also dirty and dusty," she said.
A "sweets" factory in Teluk Kumbar, a noodle factory
in Simpang Ampat and a sauce factory in Bukit Metajam were also
closed by the state health department
The
Southeast Asian Times
Fuel
smugglers including military personnel under arrest
From News Reports:
Jakarta, September 15: Riau Islands Police have arrested 30 suspects
including several Indonesian Military (TNI) personnel and seized
64 cars, two boats and 106 tons of fuel.
Riau Islands Police chief Brig. Gen. Arman Depary said in Batam
last week that the seized cars had been modified to hold 100 litres
of fuel.
"The Military (TNI) personnel are suspected of fuel smuggling
and have been handed over to the military base", he said.
TNI Commander Gen. Moeldoko said that the alleged suspected fuel
smugglers are honor-based service military personnel.
The
Southeast Asian Times
Thai
coup blammed for fall in tourist arrivals
From News
Reports:
Bangkok, August 18: The Thai tourism sector suffered its largest
fall in international visitors to Thailand in June, the first
month after the establishment of marshal law and the military
seizure of the Yingluck Shinawatra government.
Tourism reportedly accounts for 10 percent of the Thai economy.
Data from the Thai Department of Tourism shows that inernational
tourist arrival numbers in July fell by 10.9 percent compared
to the same time last year.
International arrivals in July totalled 1.91 million compared
to 2.15 million in July 2013.
Arrivals from China with a18 percent share of all visitors to
thailand and the largest group of visitors to Thailand, fell by
25.3 percent.
Arrivals from the United Kingdom with a 4 percent share of all
visitors to Thailand, was one of the few large markets to record
a gain, of 6.2 percent
The
Southeast Asian Times
US
Senate approves sales of nuclear equipment to Vietnam
From News Reports:
Hanoi, July 31: The US Senate Committee on Foreign Relations passed
legislation approving a 123 agreement on civil nuclear commerce
with Vietnam at a business meeting of the committee last week.
The 123 agreement under the US Atomic energy Act of 1954 establishes
a civil nuclear commerce agreement that allows the US to export
nuclear reactors, research information and equipment to Vietnam.
The civil nuclear commerce agreement between the US and Vietnam
is "part of Vietnam's effort to ease its shortage of energy
towards meeting over 10 percent of the domestic power demand by
2030", reports the Vietnam News Service
The
Southeast Asian Times
Court for construction
Industry
established
in Malaysia
From News Reports:
Kuala Lumpur, May 3: The first two Construction Courts for Malaysia
were opened by Chief Justice Tun Arifin Zakaria in Kuala Lumpur
and Shah Alam last week, reports the Star.
The courts will deal with disputes in the construction industry.
Works Minister Datuk Haji Fadillah bin Haji Yusof said that the
establishment of the courts will transform the way the construction
business in the country operates.
"The construction industry stakerholders can now have their
disputes resolved by judges with expert knowledge and experience
in construction industry disputes', he said.
The proposal by the Construction Industry Board (CIDB) for the
establishment of the construction courts was first put to the
Judiciary in January 2013.
Britain is the only other country that has a specially designated
court that deals with construction industry disputes.
The
Southeast Asian Times
Bali communities want larger share of tourism revenue
From News Reports:
Denpasar, April 14: Bali community-based tourism operators have
called for amendments to regulations that stipulate that the local
community pay the Bali regency administration 60 percent of their
total tourism revenue.
Penglipuran tourist village in Bangli, community-based tourism
manager, Nengah Moneng, said that he objected to the fact that
his community received only 40 percent of the total revenue.
"We want to have 60 percent share of the tourist revenue
to pay for operating costs", he said.
The Penglipuran tourism manager said that operating costs for
trekking, traditional dance, cultural shows including religious
rituals had increased.
The cost of operating lodges and community halls for tourism had
also increased.
"An increase in revenue for not only the Bangli community
but for tourism based communities across Bali would benefit tourism
island-wide" said the tourism manager.
The
Southeast Asian Times
Riau
forest fires force Chevron to shut down oil wells
From News Reports:
Jakarta, March 21: PT Chevron Pacific Indonesia (CPI), the Indonesian
subsidiary of US-based oil company Chevron has shut down 573 oil
wells in the Riau province of Sumatra.
The deteriorating quality of air due to forest fires that have
been raging for the last month has forced PT Chevron Pacific Indonesia
(CPI) to shut down its oil wells and evacuate workers and there
families.
Indonesia's upstream oil and gas regulator, SKK Migas, public
relations officer, Handoyo Budi Santoso, said that oil assets
in Riau province are important to national crude oil production.
"The biggest production loss came from the shutdown of Rokan
block, operated by Chevron Pacific Indonesia, the country's biggest
producer of crude oil production", he said
The Jakarta Posts reports that potential losses are estimated
at about 12,000 barrels of oil a day.
The Southeast Asian Times
Sabah caters to influx of tourists from China
From News Reports:
Kuala Lumpur, March 5:
The New Straits Times reports that there was an 86 percent increase
in tourist arrivals from China
to Sabah in the last two years.
Data from the Sabah Tourism Board reportedly shows that 193,010
tourist tourists arrived in Sabah from China in 2011 increasing
to 360,361 in 2013
Sabah West Coast Coffeeshop Association chairman, Yong Chee Yun,
said coffee shop operators were catering to the influx of tourists
from China.
"Coffee shops displayed tourist friendly signs in Chinese
saying 'how are you?' and menues included China's favourite foods",
he said.
Sabah and Labuan Chapter chairman of the Malaysian Association
of Hotels and general manager of the At Shangri-La's Tanjung Aru
Resort,
said that staff members are encouraged to learn Mandarin.
"So that they can converse better with guests" he said.
The
Southeast Asian Times
Pilots
strike forces Merpati to cancel
flights
From
News Reports:
Jakarta,January 29: A pilots strike forced State-owned PT Merpati
Nusantara Airlines to cancelled all scheduled flights to Surabaya,
Merauke and Timika on Saturday, reports The Jakarta Post.
Merpati corporate secretary Riswanto Chendra Putra said that the
airline had not paid salaries to pilots and cabin crew for two
months.
The Jakarta Post reports that PT Merpati Nusantara Airlines was
required to restructure its operations.
Merpati corporate secretary Riswanto Chendra Putra says that Merpati
has signed a memorndum of understanding (MoU) with PT Armagedon
Indonesia and PT Bentang Persada Gemilang to restructure the company.
The airline has debts of Rp 6.5 trillion (US$533 million) reports
the Jakarta Post.
"The management would pay the salaries around March or early
April, said the Merpati corporate secretary.
Merpati’s workers union advisory board official, Erry Wardhana,
said about 200 Merpati pilots planned to strike again next Saturday
for an indefinite period.
"The pilots would strike until 1,600 Merpati employees were
paid", he said.
The union advisory board official says that this is the first
time that Merpati workers have gone on strike over unpaid wages.
The pilots are owed wages for December and January reports the
Jakarta Post.
The
Southeast Asian Times
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