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GATHERINGS:
An informed
guide to happenings throughout the region.
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Thai
senate seeks
referendum on
new constitution: Lese Majeste law
From News
Reports:
Bangkok, February 12: The
Senate is seeking a referendum on the
drafting of a new constitution as dictated by the
Referendum Act after the House of Representatives
voted for an opposition-sponsored
motion on November 3, 2022 to seek a
referendum, reports the Bangkok Post.
Senators voted 151 for, 26 against, and 15 abstentions
to form a panel to study a motion to
organise a referendum that would pave
the way for a rewrite of the constitution
that includes the Lese Majeste law.
The Senate called on the government to hold a referendum
on whether a new constitution should be
drawn up by a charter drafting
assembly made up of elected representatives,
saying "the referendum should be arranged on the
same day as the next general election that has
tentatively been set for May 7 by the
Election Commission (EC).
Senators
were critical of voting for the formation of
a panel to study a motion to organise a referendum,
saying "It is a tactic to stall the
referendum"
Sen Kittisak
Rattanawaraha said he supported a referendum
on the drafting of a new constitution, saying he
disagreed with organising the
referendum on the same day as the
general election,
"This could
confuse voters," he said.
The Southeast Asian
Times
China calls emergency
COVID-19 meeting with ASEAN in Laos
From News
Reports:
Beijing, February 19: An
emergency meeting of foreign ministers
from China and the 10 Association of South East
Asian Nations (ASEAN) that was proposed by China is
to be held in Vientiane, Laos on
Thursday and Friday to discuss the
COVID-19 virus epidemic.
The
COVID-19 virus has so far killed 1,869 and infected
73,336 in China and has spread to the 10 ASEAN
member states.
The
meeting that was proposed by China is reportedly
intended to share information and to
improve coordination between China and the 10 ASEAN
member states in order to combat the
COVID-19 virus.
China Foreign
Affairs Minister Wang Yi is reportedly to
discuss China's measures in countering the COVID-19 virus
epidemic at the meeting in Laos, with
focus on strengthening joint
prevention and control measures against the virus.
The meeting is also to explore the idea of
establishing a long term and effective
collaboration mechanism on public
health to safeguard the region, with China Foreign Affairs
Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang saying "
China and Asean countries have been in
close communication since the outbreak
of the Covid-19 virus.
Cambodia's
Foreign Minister Prak Sokhonn, who will be
attending the emergency COVID-19 virus epidemic meeting,
said that the meeting will be an
opportunity for the foreign ministers
to discuss measures to prevent the spread of
the coronavirus.
"The meeting
will help strengthen cooperation between
ASEAN member states in the midst of this global health
threat," he said.
His said that Cambodia's participation in the emergency
meeting that was proposed by China will
demonstrate Cambodia’s support of
China and confidence in the measures taken
by the China government to address the coronavirus
outbreak.
The Southeast Asian
Times
Vietnam opens consulate
in Macau
From
News Reports:
Hanoi, January 9: Vietnam's Hong Kong Consulate General
launched a consulate office in the Macau
Special Administrative Region of China
on Friday, reports the Vietnam News Service.
Consulate General of Hong Kong, Tran Than Huan, said
at the launching ceremony that the
office aims to better ensure the
rights of Vietnamese citizens and tourists
in the region.
He said that the
consulate office in Macau will provide
easier access to information about Vietnam, saying that
it would boost
friendship and co-operation between Vietnam
and Macau.
The Consulate
General said that the office expected to
recieve support from local organisations including the
Vietnam Fellow Countrymen Friendship
Association in Macau.
More than
20,000 Vietnamse are employed as domestic workers,
in the service industry at Macau's casino's.
Vietnamese also operate tourist and
services companies.
The Southeast Asian
Times
US invites
Vietnam Communist Party General Secretary to
the White House
From News Reports:
Hanoi, July 6, 2015: The General Secretary
of the Central Committee of the
Communist Party of Vietnam will visit
the United States from July 6 to July 10 at the invitiation
of the United States State Department in
a "landmark" visit, Rueters
reports.
General Secretary of the
Central Committee of the Communist
Party Nguyen Phu Trong will meet United States President
Barack Obama at the White House on
Tuesday.
Rueters quotes a
senior state department official
saying that the meeting between the General Secretary
of the Central Committee of the Communist Party
and the President of the United States
"would skirt protocol" because the
General Secretary is "not part of a government".
"Obama saw the visit as crucial", Rueters reports
the senior state department official
as saying.
Rueters also quotes the
senior state department official
saying that "there was a broad agreement that it
made sense to treat General
Secretary of the Central Committee of
the Communist Party Nguyen Phu Trong
as the visit of "the top leader
of the country".
"It's a pretty big
event," Rueters quotes the state
department official as saying.
The Southeast Asian
Times France agrees
to return Aboriginal remains home to
Australia
From News
Reports:
Canberra, November 25:
French president Francois Hollande and
Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott have agreed
to work together to return Aboriginal remains to
Australia during the first official
visit by a French head of state to
Australia last week, reports Australian Associated
Press.
The French head
of state and the Australian prime minister
said that a joint expert committee is to be established
to help identify the origin of the
Aboriginal remains held in France.
The head of state and prime minister
said in a joint statement that the
identification process would respect the sensitivities
and values of the two countries and consider
the requests of Aboriginal and Torres
Strait Islander communities including
the French legal system.
"The
French government will examine possible solutions
to enable the return of the Aboriginal human
remains to their community of origin."
the statement said.
Australia
believes the remains of Aboriginal and Torres
Strait Islanders are being held in Museum collections
around the world including in Europe and
the
United States.
In 2010 a British museum agreed to return 138 sets
of Aboriginal skeletal remains to
Australia including the severed head
of Australian Aboriginal warrior, Yagan,
to the Noongar of South West Western Australia after being
missing in action for about 177 years.
Yagan was shot dead for his resistance
to British settlement on the Swan
river.
The Southeast Asian
Times
"No " to proposal to delete religion from Indonesian
national identity card
From
News Reports:
Jakarta, November
10: Islamic-based political party politicians
oppose the proposal put by the newly selected Home
Minister Tjahjo Kumolo, that national
identity cards (KTP) do not include
the religion of the car holder.
Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) politician Aboebakar Al
Habsy said that not to include the religion of
the card holder on national identity
cards (KTP)
contradicted the
country’s founding philosophy of
Pancasila
“If we believe that Pancasila is our state
ideology and our national identity,
then why should we be ashamed of
including our religion on our national identity card,"
he said
Home
Minister Tjahjo Kumolo also proposed that the regious
beliefs of Indonesian citizens be omitted from
official government documents.
He said that the religion of Indonesian
citizens on national identity cards
(KTP) or in official government documents
should not be imposed.
"It's up
to the people", he said.
The Souheast Asian
Times
The
Wolf bridge: An insult to Thai
monarchy
From News Reports:
Bangkok, October 31: Thai University students,
Patiwat Saraiyaem, 23, and Pornthip
Mankong, 26, were charged in the
Ratrachada Court on Monday, with defamation of
the Thai monarchy in a play titled "The Wolf Bridge"
performed at the Thammasat university in
October 2013, reports the Bangkok
Post.
The students were charged
with insulting the Royal Thai family
in the fictional depiction of the monarchy in a
play performed in commemoration of the 37th and 40th
anniversaries of the October 6, 1976
and October 14, 1973 pro-democracy
student uprisings at Thammasat University.
The prosecution cites nine passages from the plays's
script, a work of fiction that depicts
a fictional monarch, that allegedly
insults the monarchy and as such is in violation
of the lese majeste law.
Patiwat Saraiyaem, actor and Pornthip Mankong, producer
of the play, in detention since arrested on
13 August, have been refused bail are
scheduled to appear in court to enter
pleas on December 29.
The Southeast Asian
Times
World
including
Asean PM's and Presidents
to attend inauguaration of Indonesian
president
From News Reports:
Jakarta, October 18: World Prime ministers,
Presidents and State representatives
including US Secretary of State, John
Kerry and Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott will
attend the inauguaration of Joko “Jokowi” Widodo
as President of Indonesiaon on
Monday.
The speaker of the People's
Consultative Assembly (MPR) Zulkifli
Hasan said that representatives from the ten
Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) member
nations have also been invited to attend
the swearing in of the former governor
of Jakarta, Joko “Jokowi” Widodo as
president of Indonesia.
"The Prime
Ministers and Presidents of Malaysia,
Singapore, Japan and South Korea are also expected to
attend", he said.
He
said that the Indonesian People's Consultative Assembly
(MPR) has also invited "domestic VIP's"
including former Presidents and
Vice-Presidents.
“All chairpersons of political parties
have also be invited,” said the
speaker.
The Southeast Asian
Times
Banned ISIS
flag found flying in Aceh
From News Reports:
Jakarta, September 12: The Islamic State of
Iraq and Syria (ISIS) flag found
flying from a coconut tree in Aceh on
Sunday has been torn down, reports the Jakarta Post.
The discovery of the banned ISIS flag was
reportedly the first in Aceh.
Police chief First Inspecter Azwan said
that the flag of the nationally banned
movement was discovered by chess
players sitting at a food stall near the coconut tree
in the Sungai Raya district of East Aceh
regency in Aceh.
He said that a
bomb disposal team inspected the area before
the flag was taken down.
President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono announced Indonesia's
rejection of the State of Iraq and the
Levant (ISIL) and banned the teaching
of ISIL ideology in Indonesia last
month at his parliamentary state-of-the-nation address
and ahead of the 69th anniversary of
Indonesias Independence.
The Southeast Asian
Times
Singapore
passes Trans- boundary Haze Pollution
Act
From News Reports:
Singapore, August, 18: The passing of the 2014
Trans-boundary Haze Pollution Act by
the Singapore parliament last week
will enable Singapore regulators to sue individuals or
companies in neighbouring countries for
causing severe air pollution in
Singapore.
The Act that was first
proposed in 2013 would enable Singapore
to impose fines of up to S$2 million on companies that
cause or contribute to transboundary haze
pollution in Singapore.
Environment and Water Resources Minister Vivian
Balakrishnan said that under the Act,
Singapore will have the legal right
under the Objective Territorial Principle to take
legal action against air polluters.
"While neighbouring countries have the sovereign
right to exploit their natural resources
in accordance with their policies they
also have a responsibility to ensure
that "slash and burn" agricultural practices
do not cause damage to Singapore", he said.
The passing of the 2014 Trans-boundary Haze
Pollution Act gives Singapore the
legal power to serve notices on those
that do not have assets or a presence in Singapore.
Indonesia is yet to
ratify an Agreement on Transboundary
Haze Pollution that was signed by ASEAN member counries
in November 2003 in order to
address haze pollution arising from land and forest
fires.
A bill passed in the
Indonesian House of Representatives in
July 2013 gave the Indonesian goverment the power to
seize assetts gained from illegal logging and
illegal clearing of forests for palm
oil plantations.
The new bill,
designed to protect more than 13 million
hectres from deforestation, gave the Indonesian government
a mandate to establish a task force
including police to monitor the
prevention and eradication of deforestation.
The Southeast Asian
Times
Papua
Biak massacre remembered in Sydney
with 136 white carnations
From News Reports:
Sydney, July 5: A ceremony to mark the 16th
anniversary of the Biak Massacre in
West Papua ua on 6 July 1998 will be
held at the Waverley Cliffs cemetery in Sydney on Sunday.
The Waverley
Cliffs community will throw 136 white carnations
from the waverley cliffs into the Pacific Ocean in
memory of the Biak massacre.
A citizens tribunal, hosted by the Centre
for Peace and Conflict Studies (CPACS)
at the University of Sydney last year
on the 15th anniversary of the Biak massacre found
that 136 West Papuan protesters were thrown into
the sea by Indonesian security
forces.
The tribunal heard eye
witness testimony that the West Papuan
demand for the right to vote for independence from
Indonesia was met with gunfire by Indonesian
security forces.
Survivors of the massacre told the international team
of jurists that the unarmed West Papuan
protesters were surrounded and shot by
Indonesian security forces and that
survivors were thrown into the sea on 6 July
1998.
The Southeast Asian
Times
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Mastermind
responsible for the
pork barrelling of
Philippine government
funds from 2007 to
2010 found guilty
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The
Sandiganbayan anti-graft
and corruption court
convicted Janet Lim-Napoles,
62, and 10 accomplices
for the misappropriation
of funds, known as
pork barrelling, from
the Priority Development
Assistance Funds (PDAF)
on Friday 5 Dec 2025
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From
News Reports:
Manila, December 10: The mastermind
responsible for the misappropriation
of funds, known as pork barrelling,
from the Philippine Government's
Priority Development Assistance
Funds (PDAF), was found guilty on
six charges for the misappropriation
of P92.103 million from 2007 to
2010 through bogus development organisations,
reports the Philippine Inquirer.
The Sandiganbayan anti-graft and
corruption court convicted Janet
Lim-Napoles, 63, and 10 accomplices
for the misappropriation of funds,
known as pork barrelling, from the
Priority Development Assistance
Funds (PDAF), that were allocated
to farmer-beneficiaries who were
affected by cyclones "Ondoy"
and "Pepeng" in 2009.
An audit of the Priority Development
Assistance Funds (PDAF) between
2007 and 2009 show that 82 Non Government
Organizations (NGOs) received P6.165
billion from allocations made by12
senators and 180 members of the
House of Representatives through
the Department of Agrarian Reform
(DAR) program.
The Priority Development Assistance
Fund (PDAF) was reportedly a discretionary
fund available to members of Congress
that was publicly criticised following
abuses of the fund by members of
Congress
The Sandiganbayan anti-graft and
corruption court found Janet Lim-Napoles,
63, misappropriated funds from the
Priority Development Assistance
Funds (PDAF) to bogus development
organisations including the Countrywide
Agri and Rural Economic Development
Foundation, Inc. (CARED), Peoples
Organization for Progress and Development
Foundation, Inc. (POPDFI), Social
Development Program for Farmers
Foundation, Inc. (SDPFFI).
Janet Lim-Napoles, 63, who was first
accused of the misappropriation
of funds, known as pork barrelling,
from the Government Priority Development
Assistance Funds (PDAF) in 2013,
was convicted by the Sandiganbayan
anti-corruption court on six charges,
carrying the maximum penalty of
life in prison on Monday.
Evidence provided by the National
Bureau of Investigation (NBI) in
2013 showed that Janet Lim-Napoles
had prepared manufactured documents
for submission to the Department
of Agrarian Reform (DAR) including
fraudulent letters of request from
mayors for funds for farmers affected
by the typhoons in July 2009 two
months before Executive Order (EO)
848 that released the funds to implementing
agencies was issued.
The National Bureau of Investigation
(NBI) showed that fraudulent memoranda
of agreement (MoA) was entered into
between the bogus nongovernment
organizations (NGOs), government
departments and the Department of
Agrarian Reform (DAR).
The signatures were reportedly ''always
forged".
Janet Lim Napoles, 63, allegedly
purchased properties in the United
States with pesos exchanged for
dollars with local money changers.
The US dollar notes were carried
in hand luggage and cleared at United
States airports by Filipino accomplices
Janet Lim-Napoles surrendered to
police in August 2013 after a reward
of P10-million was offered by then
Philippine president Aquino for
her arrest.
The
Southeast Asian Times
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Myanmar
ruling military urges
government employees
to vote for military
aligned candidates
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Armed
Forces (Tatmadaw)
of Myanmar Senior
General, State Administration
Council (SAC), Min
Aung Hlaing, urged
Mynamar's government
workers to vote for
the Myanmar military
aligned candidates,
Monday December 1,
2025
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From News Reports:
Naypyitaw, December 9: The ruling
Armed Forces (Tatmadaw) of Myanmar
that forcibly took over the elected
League for Democracy (NLD) government
on February 1, 2021, urged Myanmar's
900,000 government employees to
vote for the Armed Forces (Tatmadaw)
of Myanmar's political party, the
Union Solidarity and Development
Party (USDP), one of 57 parties
contesting the upcoming elections
on December 28, reports the Irrawaddy.
Armed Forces (Tatmadaw) of Myanmar
Senior General, State Administration
Council (SAC), Min Aung Hlaing,
called on the Civil Service Academy,
Police Officer Training Depot, and
Central Firefighting Training School
in Pyin Oo Lwin, Mandalay Region
on Monday, to support politicians
aligned with the Armed Forces (Tatmadaw)
of Myanmar in the elections.
He called for support for the Armed
Forces (Tatmadaw) of Myanmar in
''three main causes including non-disintegration
of the Union, non-disintegration
of national solidarity, and perpetuation
of sovereignty.''
The Armed Forces (Tatmadaw) of Myanmar
political party, the Union Solidarity
and Development Party (USDP), is
reportedly fielding almost twice
as many candidates as its competitors
including the National Unity Party
(NUP), People’s Pioneer Party
(PPP), People’s Party, the
Shan Nationalities Democratic Party
(SNDP) and the Nationalities Democratic
Party.
The Union Solidarity and Development
Party (USDP), that was formed by
the Armed Forces (Tatmadaw) of Myanmar
in 2010 to maintain power in civil
life, reportedly emphasised race,
religion and military loyalty in
the political campaign.
The ruling Armed Forces (Tatmadaw)
of Myanmar that has delayed elections
since the takeover of the elected
League for Democracy (NLD) government
on February 1, 2021, after the declaration
of a State of Emergency, introduced
a new law ahead of the December
2025 elections.
The ruling Armed Forces (Tatmadaw)
of Myanmar, State Administration
Council (SAC) chairman, Senior General
Min Aung Hlaing, introduced a new
law, ''Protection of Multiparty
Democratic Elections from Obstruction,
Disruption and Destruction,'' saying
''anyone who orates, speaks, organizes,
incites, protests or distributes
letters to disrupt any part of the
electoral process shall be punished
with three years to 10 years in
prison including a fine.''
'Anyone who threatens, obstructs,
abuses or severely hurts any personnel
of the election commission, candidates
or voters could be sentenced to
three years to life in prison,''
states the new law.
''Whoever destroys or damages any
equipment or materials used in elections,
including ballot papers, or any
related building or structure, could
get five years to life in prison,''
states the new law.
''If the action results in the death
of a person, each person involved
shall be sentenced to death,'' states
the new law.
''A security committees will be
formed to monitor the activities
of internal and international organizations
that may threaten security during
the election period,'' states the
new law.
The
Southeast Asian Times
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Vietnam
issues arrest warrant
for journalist and
lawyer for alleged
crimes against the
state
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Vietnam's
Ministry of Public
Security issued arrest
warrants for Vietnamese
Journalist, Le Trung
Khoa, 44, left, and
Vietnamese lawyer,
Nguyen Van Dai, 56,
right, on Friday 5
December 2025
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From
News Reports:
Hanoi, December 8: An arrest warrant
was issued against two Vietnamese
accused of "making, storing,
distributing or disseminating information,
documents and items against the
Socialist Republic of Vietnam"
on Friday, by the Investigation
Security Agency at the Ministry
of Public Security (MPS) calling
on Vietnamese lawyer, Nguyen Van
Dai, 56, and Vietnamese journalist,
Le Trung Khoa, 44, to surrender,
reports the Vietnam News.
Lawyer, Nguyen Van Dai, 56, and
journalist Le Trung Khoa, 44, were
charged under Article 117 of the
Penal Code on November 18 for making,
storing, distributing or disseminating
information, documents and items
against the Socialist Republic of
Vietnam, after initiating an investigation
on November 11.
The Ministry of Public Security
(MPS) called on lawyer, Nguyen Van
Dai, 56, and journalist Le Trung
Khoa, 44, to surrender, saying ''to
assist with investigation, prosecution,
and trial procedures.''
''By doing so, they would be eligible
for leniency as provided by law,''
said the Ministry of Public Security.
The Investigation Security Agency
at the Ministry of Public Security
(MPS) said ''the public has the
legal right to apprehend lawyer,
Nguyen Van Dai, 56, and journalist
Le Trung Khoa, 44, and deliver them
to the nearest police station or
the Peoples's Committee.
''Officials are instructed to notify
the Investigation Security Agency
at the Ministry of Public Security
in Hanoi,'' said the Ministry of
Public Security.
Lawyer, Nguyen Van Dai, 56, co-founder
the ''Brotherhood for Democracy'',
called for political reform and
expresseds views critical of the
Communist Party's rule and policies
that were interpreted by the Ministry
of Public Security (MPS) as undermining
national security and public order
leading to charges under Article
117 of the Penal Code.
Journalist, Le Trung Khoa, 44, founder
and editor of the Viet Times, Thoibao.de,
reported on corruption, internal
disputes within the Communist Party
of Vietnam (CPV) including the state
support of Vingroup Joint Stock
Company.
On January 5, 2021, Le Huu Minh
Tuan, 35, founding member of the
Independent Journalists Association
of Vietnam (IJAV), was sentenced
to 11 years in prison by the People's
Court in Ho Chi Minh City for reporting
the mass pro-democracy student protests
in Hong Kong.
He was arrested in Vietnam on June
12, 2020 and reportedly held in
solitary confinement for five months
and denied legal representation
and family visits.
Vietnamese journalist Pham Chi Dung,
58, also a founding member of the
Independent Journalists Association
of Vietnam (IJAV), was sentenced
to 15 years in prison by the People's
Court in Ho Chi Minh City on January
5, 2021 for signing a joint letter
that was published in Voice of America
urging the European Union to delay
the approval of the EU-Vietnam Free
Trade Agreement until Vietnam improved
its human rights record.
He was also involved in anti-China
demonstrations and in campaigns
in support of human rights.
Former Vietnam army veteran, journalist
Nguyen Tuong Thuy, 73, also a foundin
member of the Independent Journalists
Association of Vietnam (IJAV), who
was arrested in May 2020 for assisting
political prisoners and land rights
protesters, was sentenced to 11
years in prison also by the People's
Court in Ho Chi Minh city on January
5, 2021.
He reportedly smashed his mobile
phone on the floor rather than reveal
the password to Vietnam People's
Public Security.
The Vietnam journalists were charged
under Article 117 of the revised
2018 Criminal Code that criminalises
making, storing, distributing or
disseminating information, documents
and items against the Socialist
Republic of Vietnam.
The
Southeast Asian Times
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Myanmar
military announce
mass amnesty for political
prisoners ahead of
first elections since
coup in 2021
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U
Kyi Toe, National
League for Democracy
(NLD) Central Information
Committee, released
from the Insein Prison
in Yangon on Thursday
November 27, 2025
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From
News Reports:
Naypyitaw, December 7: The Armed
Forces (Tatmadaw) of Myanmar that
forcibly took over the elected civilian
National League for Democracy (NLD)
government on February 1, 2021,
arresting party leader Aung San
Suu Kyi, announced mass amnesty
for thousands of political prisoners
on November 27 including U Kyi Toe
but excluding Aung San Suu Kyi,
reports Irrawaddy.
Armed Forces (Tatmadaw) of Myanmar
spokesman, Zaw Min Tun, announced
amnesty and sentence reductions
for 8,665 arrested, imprisoned,
or charged under Penal Code Section
505(a) and 505(b) that criminalizes
speech deemed by the Armed Forces
(Tatmadaw) of Myanmar to incite
public unrest since the Armed Forces
(Tatmadaw) of Myanmar take over
of the elected National League for
Democracy (NLD) government in February
2021.
''Amnesty for political prisoners
is meant to ensure that all eligible
voters cast their votes freely and
fairly on December 28,'' said Armed
Forces (Tatmadaw) of Myanmar spokesman
Zaw Min Tun.
Former National League for Democracy
(NLD) Central Information Committee,
U Kyi Toe, who was released from
the Insein Prison in Yangon on November
27, was arrested under Section 505(a)
and 505(b) of the Penal Code that
criminalizes speech deemed by the
Armed Forces (Tatmadaw) of Myanmar
to incite public unrest at his home
in Yangon after the Armed Forces
(Tatmadaw) of Myanmar forcibly took
over the elected civilian National
League for Democracy (NLD) government
on February 1, 2021.
''I am determined to work with Aunty
until I am 90 years old,'' former
National League for Democracy (NLD)
Central Information Committee, U
Kyi Toe, told reports on release
from the Insein Prison in Yangon
November 27.
The Armed Forces (Tatmadaw) of Myanmar
have delayed general elections in
Myanmar since the Armed Forces (Tatmadaw)
of Myanmar Declaration of Marshal
Law after the take over of the legitimate
National League for Democracy (NLD)
elected government on February 1,
2021.
Former National League for Democracy
(NLD) State Councillor Daw Aung
San Suu Kyi, who was arrested by
the Armed Forces (Tatmadaw) of Myanmar
after the military takeover of the
legitimate civilian National League
for Democracy (NLD) government faces
a combined prison term of 33 years
for treason and corruption charges
brought by the Armed Forces (Tatmadaw)
of Myanmar, beginning with a two
year prison sentence in December
2021 for incitement under Section
505(b) and 505(b) that criminalizes
speech deemed by the Armed Forces
(Tatmadaw) of Myanmar to incite
public unrest.
The Armed Forces (Tatmadaw) of Myanmar,
Sr Gen Min Aung Hlaing declared
Marshal Law after takeover of the
legitimate National League for Democracy
(NLD) government on February 1,
2021 after the November 8, 2020
elections held by the civilian National
League for Democracy (NLD) legitimate
government had left the military
Union Solidarity and Development
Party (USDP) with only 21 seats
of the 440 seats in the parliament.
The
Southeast Asian Times
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Warden
of North Sulawesi
prison dismissed for
serving dog meat to
Muslim inmates
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From
News Reports:
Jakarta, December
6: Warden of
the Enemawira
Correctional
Institution
(Lapas), north
Sulawesi, Indonesia,
Chandra Sudarto,
was dismissed
for serving
Muslim inmates
dog meat, after
the Indonesian
House of Representatives
(DPR) member
Mafirion said
on November
27 ''serving
Muslim inmates
dog meat is
an act of discrimination
and religious
blasphemy,''
reports Antara.
''Muslims are
forbidden from
consuming dog
meat,'' he said.
''Indonesian
Criminal Code
Articles 156,
156a, 335, and
351 clearly
regulates the
prohibition
of religious
discrimination
and blasphemy,''
he said.
He said the
Enemawira Correctional
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Chandra
Sudarto,
warden
of the
Enemawira
Correctional
Institution,
north
Sulawesi,
Indonesia,
dismissed
for serving
Muslim
inmates
dog meat
on Thursday
November
27, 2025
|
|
|
|
Institution
(Lapas) also violated Law Number
39 of 1999 on Human Rights, saying
''the law guarantees the freedom
of religion and to carry out beliefs
without coercion.''
He said serving inmates dog meat
is a violation of Human dignity
because it forces someone to do
something that is contrary to their
moral and religious beliefs.
Indonesian House of Representatives
(DPR) member, Mafirion, said ''the
prison must not be a place for arbitrary
oppression and action, saying ''for
this reason, I ask the Ministry
of Immigration and Corrections to
act quickly and decisively.''
Indonesia's Ministry of Immigration
and Corrections Minister, Agus Andrianto,
confirmed the dismissals of the
Head of the Enemawira Correctional
Institution (Lapas), saying ''an
ethics hearing has been held.''
The Ministry Immigration and Corrections
is questioning Chandra Sudarto,
warden of the Enemawira Correctional
Institution (Lapas), saying ''preliminary
information suggests the alleged
abuse of Law No 39 of 1999 on Human
Rights occurred during a celebratory
event at the Enemawira Correctional
Institution (Lapas).''
''Inmates were allegedly forced
to eat dog meat during a birthday
party,''
''We give zero tolerance to such
conduct,'' said Ministry of Immigration
and Corrections Minister, Agus Andrianto.
The
Southeast Asian Times
|
All
201 males including
Muslims released without
charge for homosexual
activities under Malaysian
Civil Law
|
|
 |
|
Royal
Malaysian Police and
Federal Territories
Islamic Religious
Department arrest
201 males including
103 Muslims and 15
foreign nationals
aged between 19 and
60 years at the Wellness
centre in Chow Kit
district Kuala Lumpur,
Malaysia on Friday
November 28, 2025
|
|
From News Reports:
Kuala Lumpur, Friday 4: All 201
males including 103 Muslims and
15 foreign nationals, who were arrested
at the Wellness centre in the Chow
Kit district Kuala Lumpur in a raid
by the Royal Malaysian Police and
Federal Territories Islamic Religious
Department (JAWI) on suspected homosexual
activity, that are criminal acts
under both Civil and Sharia Islamic
Law, were released without charge,
with the Royal Malaysian Police
Commissioner, saying ''not a single
one of them admitted to being a
victim of unnatural sexual activity
or to exploitation, so the case
is gone,'' and with Malaysia's Islamic
Religious Affairs, saying ''the
homosexual acts are a very serious
moral offence,'' reports the Malay
Mail.
The arrest of 201 males at the Wellness
centre gymnasium, spa and sauna,
includes 103 Muslims and 15 foreign
nationals aged 19 to 60 years
including 7 civil officers, a deputy
public prosecutor, an administrative
and diplomatic officer, a teacher
and several Royal Malaysian Police
officers.
Royal Malaysian Police Commissioner,
Fadil Marsus, said ''the 201 males
arrested were investigated under
Sections 377 and 372 of the Penal
Code, but there was no evidence
for the police to pursue the case
in that direction. ''
''The males were investigated under
Sections 377 of the Penal Code that
criminalises unnatural sexual activity
and section 372 that criminalises
prostitution exploitation that includes
the act of procuring or exploiting
for prostitution ,'' he said.
''There must be a victim in criminal
unnatural sexual activity and in
the procurement or exploitation
for prostitution, but none of the
patrons arrested admitted to being
a victim.''
''So, the case is gone,'' he said.
Royal Malaysian Police Commissioner
Fadil Marsus said the Royal Malaysian
Police are exploring Sharia Islamic
Law enforcement and counselling
measures, saying ''unless we amend
or change the Civil Law, it’s
gone.
Federal Territories Islamic Religious
Department (JAWI) Minister, Na’im
Mokhtar, said ''the homosexual acts
at the wellness centre are a very
serious moral offence, not only
from the legal perspective by also
from the religious perspective,
it is unacceptable.''
''Sharia Islamic Law could be applied
to the 103 Muslim males that were
released without charge under Civil
Law,'' he said.
The
Southeast Asian Times
|
U.S.
sends 4000 Temporary
Protected Status Myanmar
nationals home: UN
Human Rights says
U.S. ignores Myanmar's
spiralling crisis
|
|
 |
|
Tom
Andrews, United Nations
Special Rapporteur
United Nations Human
Rights Council (UNHRC),
rejects United States
termination of 4,000
Temporary Protected
Status (TPS) of Myanmar
nationals in the United
States announced Monday
December 1, 2025
|
|
From
News Reports:
Naypyitaw, December 4: The United
States announced the termination
of 4,000 Temporary Protected Status
(TPS) of Myanmar nationals in
the United States on Monday effective
January 26, 2026, with the United
States Homeland Security Secretary,
saying ''this decision restores
(TPS) to its original status as
temporary,'' and United Nations
Special Rapporteur saying ''defying
reality, this decision puts thousands
at extreme risk while legitimising
a brutal regime that continues
to use weapons of war to attack
civilians,'' report the Irrawaddy.
The United States Homeland Security
Secretary, Kristi Noem, said ''the
situation in Burma has improved
enough that it is safe for Burmese
citizens to return home, so we
are terminating the Temporary
Protected Status.''
''Burma has made notable progress
in governance and stability, including
the end of its state of emergency,
plans for free and fair elections,
successful ceasefire agreements,
and improved local governance
contributing to enhanced public
service delivery and national
reconciliation,'' said Homeland
Security Secretary Kristi Noem.
United Nations Special Rapporteur
United Nations Human Rights Council
(UNHRC), Tom Andrews, said ''the
United States decision to terminate
Temporary Protected Status (TPS)
for people fleeing Myanmar is
an assault on human rights and
human decency based on a cruel
fiction that ignores overwhelming
evidence of Myanmar’s spiralling
crisis.''
''Defying reality, this decision
puts thousands at extreme risk
while legitimising a brutal regime
that continues to use weapons
of war to attack civilians,''
he said.
''The sham polls being staged
by the junta are nothing more
than a charade to entrench military
dominance,” he said.
He said Myanmar cannot have free
and fair elections when credible
candidates are jailed, opposition
parties banned, independent journalists
arrested, and the electorate terrorised
into submission, saying ''No credible
observer disputes these facts.''
The ruling Armed Forces (Tatmadaw)
of Myanmar that forcibly took
over the elected League for Democracy
(NLD) government on February 1,
2021, spokesperson Major General
Zaw Min Tun claims ''the returnees
would be treated with special
leniency unless guilty of serious
crimes.''
''Come back and vote in the December-January
election and take part in building
a modern developed nation,'' he
said.
On July 29, 2025 the ruling Armed
Forces (Tatmadaw) of Myanmar,
State Administration Council (SAC)
chairman, Senior General Min Aung
Hlaing, signed the new ''Law on
the Protection of Multiparty Democratic
Elections from Obstruction, Disruption
and Destruction,'' in Naypyitaw,
saying ''anyone who orates, speaks,
organizes, incites, protests or
distributes letters to disrupt
any part of the electoral process
shall be punished with three years
to 10 years in prison including
a fine.''
''Anyone who threatens, obstructs,
abuses or severely hurts any personnel
of the election commission, candidates
or voters could be sentenced to
three years to life in prison,''
states the new law.
''Whoever destroys or damages
any equipment or materials used
in elections, including ballot
papers, or any related building
or structure, could get five years
to life in prison,'' states the
new law.
''If the action results in the
death of a person, each person
involved shall be sentenced to
death,'' states the new law.
''A security committees will be
formed to monitor the activities
of internal and international
organizations that may threaten
security during the election period,''
states the new law.
On July 31, 2025 the ruling Armed
Forces (Tatmadaw) of Myanmar,
engaged the Defence Conseil International
(DCI) Group under the US Foreign
Agents Registration Act (FARA)
to rebuild the Myanmar relationship
with the U.S. after the transfer
of military power to a civilian
interim government ahead of the
general elections scheduled for
December 2025.
the US Foreign Agents Registration
Act (FARA signed the agreement
with Myanmar Ministry of Information
(MOI) effective July 31 for one
year for a total payment of US$3
million by the ruling Armed Forces
(Tatmadaw) of Myanmar to transfer
military power to a civilian-led
interim government ahead of the
scheduled elections that have
been delayed since the 2021 coup
d'état.
The
Southeast Asian Times
|
Mother
Nature Cambodia lose
appeal
for plotting against
Cambodian government
and insulting the
King
|
|
 |
|
Mother
Nature Cambodia environmentalists,
left to right, Ly
Chandaravuth, 24,
Long Kunthea,26, Phuon
Keoreaksmey, 23, Thon
Ratha, 23, and Yim
Leanghy, 35, at the
Phnom Penh Municipal
Court hearing Wed
29 May 2024
|
|
From
News Reports:
Phnom Penh, December 3: The Phnom
Penh Court of Appeal upheld the
Phnom Penh Municipal Court conviction
of 10 environmentals known as Mother
Nature Cambodia, who were sentenced
to prison for plotting an attack
against the government and insulting
the King in 2021, with presiding
Judge Ith Sothea finding the July
2, 2024 verdict lawful and appropriate,
reports the Phnom Penh Post.
''After examining all evidence and
conducting a thorough review, the
Phnom Penh Appeal Court finds that
the July 2, 2024, ruling of the
Phnom Penh Municipal Court was lawful
and appropriate,'' said Judge Ith
Sothea
''Therefore, the court upholds the
previous decision and denies bail,''
said Judge Ith Sothea
On July 2, 2024 Phnom Penh Municipal
Court sentenced Law student Ly Chandaravuth,
24, Phuon Keorasmey, 23, Long Kunthea.
26, and Thon Ratha, 32, each to
six years in prison for conspiring
against the state and insulting
the King.
Yim Leanghy, 35, was sentenced to
eight years in prison in absentia,
and ordered to pay a fine of 10
million riel (US$2,500).
Founder of Mother Nature Cambodia,
Spanish national, Gonzalez-Davidson,
who was deported from Cambodia in
2015 was sentenced in absentia to
eight years in prison and ordered
to pay 10 million riel (US$2,500).
Minh Piseth, Pok Khoeuy and Rai
Raksa were sentenced to six years
in prison also in absentia for conspiring
against the state and insulting
the King.
Mother Nature Cambodia environmentalists
reportedly worked to expose corruption
and document environmental destruction,
including widespread illegal logging
and including the filming of sewage
draining into the Tonle Sap river
from the Phnom Penh Royal Palace
in 2021.
Mother Nature Cambodia environmentalists,
law student Ly Chandaravuth, 24,
was arrested while testing pollution
in the Tonle Sap river and charged
with conspiring against the state
and insulting the king said that
questions asked by the judge on
the third hearing on June 11, 2024
did not seem relevant to the charges
of conspiring against the state
and insulting the King.''
He said the court seemed focused
on establishing the source of funds
and training for Mother Nature Cambodia
environmentalists, saying ''it seemed
the court wanted the Mother Nature
Cambodia environmentalists to be
seen as a foreign-funded and internationally
trained organization.''
''The allegation that Mother Nature
Cambodia is foreign funded has been
repeatedly pushed by pro-government
media,'' he said.
Mother Nature Cambodia was registered
in Cambodia as a None-Government
organisation (NGO) in 2013 reportedly
working to protect Cambodia's environment,
exposing irregularities in development
and construction projects and helping
villagers organize to protect their
land.
Founder of Mother Nature Cambodia,
Spanish national, Gonzalez-Davidson,
was deported from Cambodia in 2015
after the new Cambodian Peoples
Party (CPP) government lead by new
Prime Minister Hun Sen refused to
renew his visa.
Cambodian opposition parties and
None-Government organisation (NGO)
claimed that Gonzalez-Davidson was
deported to prevent him from organising
against the planned Chinese invested
hydropower dam in southwestern Koh
Kong province that borders Thailand.
The
Southeast Asian Times
|
Thailand
accused of transnational
repression for arrest
of Australian for
''criminal defamation
by publication'' in
Malaysia
|
|
 |
|
Australian,
Murray Hunter, had
his passport confiscated
to prevent his departure
from Thailand before
he was released on
bail after he was
detained for 24 hours
on his arrest at the
Suvarnabhumi airport
in Samut Prakan province
on Monday September
29, 2025
|
|
From
News Reports:
Bangkok, Tuesday 2: Australian,
Murray Hunter, former associate
professor at Universiti Malaysia
in Perlis state, who published On
Substack, was arrested at Thailand's
Suvarnabhumi airport for ''criminal
defamation by publication'' before
departing for Hong Kong on September
29, with Human Rights Watch (HRW)
Australia accusing Thailand of transnational
repression, reports the Bangkok
Post.
Thailand's Office of the Attorney
General (OAG) charged Murray Hunter
for alleged ''criminal defamation
by publication'' under section 328
of the Thailand criminal code for
his critiques of the Malaysian Communications
and Multimedia Commission (MCMC)
published On Substack in April 2024.
The Malaysian Communications and
Multimedia Commission (MCMC) was
established under the Malaysian
Communications and Multimedia Commission
Act 1998 (MCMCA) to implement and
promote the Malaysian Government
national policy for communications
and the multimedia sector.
Murray Hunter posted four articles
On Substack accusing the Malaysian
Communications and Multimedia Commission
(MCMC) of abusing its power, censoring
and blocking websites critical of
the Malaysian government, and alleged
the chair of the Malaysian Communications
and Multimedia Commission (MCMC)
held a conflict of interest.
Murray Hunter was reportedly known
in Malaysia as a critic of the Anwar
Ibrahim government.
Human Rights Watch (HRW) Australia
director, Daniela Gavshon, called
on Thailand ''to immediately drop
the charges against Murray Hunter,''
saying Thailand's arrest of Murray
Hunter demonstrates how the Malaysian
government can extent its transnational
repression beyond its own borders.
''The arrest of Murray Hunter for
''criminal defamation by publication''
is an alarming example of cross
border efforts to suppress critical
voices and media freedoms,'' said
Human Rights Watch (HRW) Australia
director, Daniela Gavshon,
''The Murray Hunter arrest for ''criminal
defamation by publication'' underscores
the Thailand government willingness
to violate free expression rights
on behalf of a foreign government,''
she said .
''Thailand's agreement to the removal
of artworks on Hong Kong, Tibet,
and Xinjiang from an exhibition
at the Bangkok Arts and Cultural
Centre at the request of the Chinese
Embassy in Bangkok in April demonstrates
a willingness to violate free expression
rights on behalf of China,'' she
said
Australian, Murray Hunter, was released
on bail after he was detained for
24 hours on his arrest at the Suvarnabhumi
airport in Samut Prakan province
on September 29.
His passport was confiscated to
prevent his departure from Thailand.
He was charged on November 17 on
four counts of ''criminal defamation
by publication'' under section 328
of the Thailand criminal code.
Each charges carries a maximum prison
term of two years and a fine of
up to 200,000 baht (US$6,175).
The trial is scheduled for December
22 at the Bangkok South Criminal
Court.
The Southeast Asian Times
|
ICC
rejects former Philippine
President Duterte
appeal for interim
release from detention
in The Hague
|
|
 |
|
Former
Philippine President
Rodrigo Duterte before
the International
Criminal Court (ICC)
in The Hague, Netherlands
on Friday March 14,
2025
|
|
From
News Reports:
Manila, December 1: The Appeals
Chamber of the International Criminal
Court (ICC) in The Hague upheld
the Pre-Trial Chamber 1 decision
of September 26 that denied the
request by former Philippine President
Rodrigo Duterte for interim release
saying that ''former President Rodrigo
Duterte continued detention was
necessary,'' reports Philippine
Inquirer.
The International Criminal Court
ruled that continued detention in
The Hague was necessary, saying
the proposed three ground put by
defence lawyer, Nicholas Kaufman,
for the release of former President
Rodrigo Duterte ''were not sufficient
to mitigate the risks it found in
relation to Mr Duterte’s interim
release.''
Appeals Chamber of the International
Criminal Court (ICC) Judge Luz del
Carmen Ibáñez Carranza,
Presiding Judge in this appeal,
Judge Tomoko Akane, Judge Solomy
Balungi Bossa, Judge Gocha Lordkipanidze
and Judge Erdenebalsuren Damdin,
rejected all three grounds of appeal
put by the Defence.
Defence lawyer, Nicholas Kaufman,
argued that the Pre-Trial Chamber
1 erroneously found that former
President Rodrigo Duterte poses
a risk under article 58(1)(b) of
the Rome Statute in the appeal to
the International Criminal Court
(ICC)
The Defence argued in its appeal
to the International Criminal Court
(ICC) that the Pre-Trial Chamber
erred in its rejection of the guarantees
proposed by the State willing to
receive him.
The Defence argued that the Pre-Trial
Chamber erred in law by failing
to take into account humanitarian
considerations in assessing the
right to interim release for former
President Rodrigo Duterte in its
appeal to the International Criminal
Court (ICC)
The Appeals Chamber said that the
Pre-Trial Chamber reached its conclusions
in relation to the risks enumerated
in article 58(1)(b) of the Statute
on the basis of a comprehensive
assessment of the information before
it.
After examining the arguments raised
in the appeal brief, the Appeals
Chamber found that the Defence failed
to identify errors in the Pre-Trial
Chamber’s reasoning or to demonstrate
that the Pre-Trial Chamber’s
conclusions were unreasonable.
''The Appeals Chamber thus unanimously
confirmed the Pre-Trial Chamber’s
decision of 26 September 2025,''
said the Judges
in the Appeals Chamber of the International
Criminal Court (ICC).
On March 17, 2019 former President
Rodrigo Duterte withdrew the Philippines
from the International Criminal
Court (ICC) Rome Statute on March
17, 2019, a year after International
Criminal Court (ICC) prosecutor,
Fatou Bensouda, opened a preliminary
investigation in the Philippines
into alleged crimes against humanity
committed during Philippine President
Rodrigo Duterte's "war on drugs"
campaign.
In March 2018 International Criminal
Court (ICC) chief prosecutor, Fatou
Bensouda, said that she has determined
that there is reasonable basis to
believe that crimes against humanity
had been committed in the Philippines
between 1 July 2016 and 16 March
2019, saying "a preliminary
examination suggests that vigilante-style
killings were perpetrated by Philippine
National Police (PNP) officers themselves,
or other private individuals hired
by authorities, leading to a death
toll of between 12,000 to 30,000
civilians," she said.
She said that extrajudicial killings
perpetrated across the Philippines
appear to have been committed pursuant
to an official State policy of the
Philippine government, saying "
police and other government officials
planned, ordered, and sometimes
directly perpetrated extrajudicial
killings."
The
Southeast Asian Times
|
Senator
suspended from Australian
parliament for wearing
Muslim burqa says
"if they don't
want me wearing
it - ban the burqa"
|
|
 |
|
Australia's
Queensland independent
One Nation Party Senator,
Pauline Hanson, wears
the Muslim burqa in
the Australian Parliament.
Canberra Monday November
24, 2025
|
|
From
News Report:
Canberra, November 30: Australia's
Queensland independent One Nation
Party Senator, Pauline Hanson, was
suspended from the Australian Parliament
on Tuesday for one week for wearing
a burqa to protest her failure to
introduce a bill that would ban
wearing the burqa, an outer garment
worn by women of Muslim faith to
cover their body and face, reports
Reuters.
"If they don't want me wearing
it - ban the burqa," said Senator
Pauline Hanson.
Australian Labor Party (ALP) Foreign
Minister Penny Wong who served as
leader of the Australian Labor Party
(ALP) in the Senate on Monday, moved
a motion to censure Senator Pauline
Hanson, saying ''Senator Hanson
has been parading prejudice as protest
for decades.''
''Senator Pauline Hanson's actions
were intended to vilify and mock
people on the basis of their religion
and were disrespectful to Muslim
Australians,'' said Foreign Minister
Penny Wong.
''Senator Pauline Hanson is not
worthy to be a member of the Australian
Senate,'' said Foreign Minister
Penny Wong.
The motion to suspend One Nation
Party, Senator Pauline Hanson, was
passed 55 votes to five on Monday
suspending the Senator for one week.
Greens Senator, Mehreen Faruqi,
of Muslim faith who claims that
she was a victim of racial discrimination
by Senator Pauline Hanson said "this
is a racist senator, displaying
blatant racism," in response
to the Senator wearing the Muslim
burqa in Parliament on Monday.
Senator Pauline Hanson is appealing
a Federal Court ruling after Senator
Mehreen Faruqi successfully argued
that Senator Pauline Hanson's social
media posting had violated the Australian
Racial Discrimination Act 1975 with
the Federal Court finding the social
media posting amounted to a ''racist
attack unprotected by free speech
claims.''
Senator Pauline Hanson said on the
social media posting in response
to Greens senator, Mehreen Faruqi's
post on X on 9 September 2022 following
the death of Queen Elizabeth II
: ''Your attitude appals and disgusts
me. When you immigrated to Australia
you took every advantage of this
country. You took citizenship, bought
multiple homes, and a job in a parliament.
It’s clear you’re not
happy, so pack your bags and piss
off back to Pakistan.''
Greens senator, Mehreen Faruqi's
had posted on X on 9 September 2022
following death of Queen Elizabeth
II:
''Condolences to those who mourn
the Queen. I cannot mourn the leader
of a racist empire built on stolen
lives, land and wealth of colonized
people. We are reminded of the urgency
of Treaty with First Nations, justice
and reparations for British colonies
and becoming a republic,'' said
Greens Senator, Mehreen Faruqi.
The
Southeast Asian Times
|
Australia
PM defends $2.5 billion
payment to Nauru for
transfer of would-be
refugees from Australia
|
|
 |
|
Nauru
President David Adeang,
left, Australia PM
Anthony Albanese,
right, sign Nauru-Australia
Treaty to intergrate
economic social and
security partnership
in Canberra, Australia
Monday December 9,
2024
|
|
From
News Reports:
Canberra, November 29: The Prime
Minister of Australia defended a
$2.5bn payment to Nauru for the
transfer of would-be refugee's for
detention in Nauru after the Australian
parliament disclosure of the Australian
Transaction Reports and Analysis
Centre (Austrac) report showing
that Australian Prime Minister Anthony
Albanese knew of corruption allegations
against Nauru President David Adeang
ahead of the signing of the detention
agreement in September, reports
Guradian.
Greens senator David Shoebridge
read sections of the Australian
Transaction Reports and Analysis
Centre (Austrac) report based on
disclosures made by banks on Nauru
in the Senate on Tuesday
The Austrac report alleges that
Nauru President David Adeang,
Nauru Foreign Affairs Minister
Lionel Aingimea and former President
Sprent Dabwido, who died in Australia
in 2019, and other politicians
are involved in transactions ''indicative
of money laundering and corruption.''
The Austrac report showed transactions
made by Nauru President David
Adeang, including 15 Osko payments,
three from the Aingimea, named
after the President's wife, Ingrid
Aingimea, the 1402 LRC Car Rentals
and Construction Group that was
subcontracted by Canstruct International,
an Australian firm that managed
offshore would-be migrant processing
in Nauru totalling $113,797; 462
transactions associated with building
and construction reference of
payment totalling $248,888; 140
ATM withdrawals totalling $68,840;
and one branch withdrawal of $700.
The Bendigo and Adelaide Bank
Limited customer service agency
in Nauru reported suspicious financial
transactions by the president
of Nauru David Adeang his family
and associates, with Greens senator
David Shoebridge saying in the
Senate ''these transactions involve
the movement of funds between
personal and business accounts,
transactions on behalf of others
and activity indicative of money
laundering and corruption.''
''These suspicious transactions
occurred over a nine-month period
from January to September 2020
in Nauru totalling over $2m in
combined credits and over $1m
in combined debits,'' he said.
''Nauru President David Adeang
was investigated in 2015 by Australian
Federal Police for alleged bribery
in relation to phosphate mining
in Nauru,'' states the Austrac
report.
Australia Prime Minister Anthony
Albanese defended a $2.5bn payment
to Nauru for the transfer of illegal
migrants and refugees in Australia
for resettlement to Nauru in the
Senate on Thursday when asked
if he was concerned by the Australian
Transaction Reports and Analysis
Centre (Austrac) findings ''that
put into question the integrity
of the $2.5bn payment to Nauru''
''The Australian Transaction Reports
and Analysis Centre (Austrac)
referenced issues that happened
under a former Coalition government,''
said Australia Prime Minister
Anthony Albanese.
''I’m happy to answer questions
and be accountable for what we’ve
done in office, and what we’ve
done in office is entirely appropriate,''
he said.
The
Southeast Asian Times
|
Bangkok
Court of Appeal upholds
2024 ruling that approves
extradition of Montagnard
activist to Vietnam
|
|
 |
|
Vietnamese
Y Quynh Bdap, 32,
Montagnard and Ede
Indigenous human rights
activist speaks on
video from Bangkok
remand prison on Thursday
August 1, 2024 to
the Bangkok court
hearing for overstaying
visa
|
|
From
News Reports:
Bangkok, November 28: The Bangkok
Court of Appeal upheld a 2024 Bangkok
Criminal Court ruling on Wednesday
that approved the extradition of
Vietnamese, Y Quynh Bdap, 35, Montagnard
and Ede Indigenous human rights
activist, co-founder of the Montagnards
Stand for Justice (MSFJ), after
the ruling Communist Party of Vietnam
(CPV) convicted him in absentia
in Hanoi for terrorism offences
in Dak Lak province, Vietnam "
reports the Bangkok Post.
Vietnamese, Y Quynh Bdap, 35, denied
the charges brought against him
by the Vietnam Ministry of Public
Security spokesman, Lieutenant General
To An Xo, at the Dak Lak People’s
Court in the Central Highlands of
Vietnam on June, 7, 2024.
Vietnamese, Y Quynh Bdap, 35, claimed
via video from the Bangkok Remand
Prison that he could not have committed
the terrorism offences on June 1,
2023, saying he has been in Thailand
since 2018, saying he was arrested
in Bangkok on June 11, 2024 for
overstaying his visa.
Vietnam Ministry of Public Security
spokesman, Lieutenant General To
An Xo, claimed that "a group
of motorcyclists with guns and other
dangerous weapons attacked the police
stations in the communes of Ea Tieu
and Ea Ktur in Cu Kuin district
in Dak Lak province on the morning
of Sunday 11 June 2023."
Five Vietnamese were sentenced to
20 years in prison, two to 19 years
in prison and the remaining 75 including
six in absentia recieved 9 months
to 18 years for involvement in "terrorism
against the government of the Communist
Party of Vietnam (CPV) , engaging
in terrorist activities, illegal
immigration, and concealing criminals."
The Dak Lak People’s Court
ordered all 92 charged to pay compensation
to agencies, organisations and individuals
suffering material and psychological
damage.
On Wednesday the Bangkok Court of
Appeal upheld the Bangkok Criminal
Court decision that approved the
extradition of Vietnamese, Y Quynh
Bdap, 35, saying 'the court found
insufficient evidence to support
the claim put by Amnesty International
Thailand Researcher, Chanatip Tatiyakaroonwong.''
''The Vietnamese authorities have
a long history of violent and racist
persecution against Montagnard Indigenous
peoples,'' said researcher Chanatip
Tatiyakaroonwong, in 2024 at the
Bangkok Criminal Court ruling.
''Thailand would be in breach of
its non-refoulement obligations
if it were to accept the Vietname
farcical extradition request,''
he said
He said that Viet Nam’s courts
are not independent, saying ''Y
Quynh Bdap, was tried and found
guilty of terrorism charges in absentia
in a clear violation of his right
to a fair trial.'
In 2024 the National Human Rights
Commission (NHRC) urged the Thailand
government not to deport Y Quynh
Bdap, 32, out of fear for his safety,
with Human Rights Watch (HRW) also
demanding that Thailand not deport
the human rights activist, saying
''Thailand is currently bidding
for the third time for a seat on
the UN Human Rights Council.''
''The election for a three-year
term for 2025-27 will be held at
United Nations headquarters in New
York this month,'' said Human Rights
Watch (HRW)
United Nations Special Rapporteur
on Human Rights Defenders, Mary
Lawlor, said '' if Y Quynh Bdap,
32 is deported, Thailand would not
be fit to be elected to the UN Human
Rights Council.''
The
Southeast Asian Times
|
Former
PM Mahathir says political
directives should
not be imposed on
Malaysia's state-owned
Petronas
|
|
 |
|
Former
Malaysian Prime Minister
Mahathir Mohamad,
who celebrated his
100th birthday on
July 10, 2025, says
the state-owned Petroliam
Nasional Berhad (Petronas),
Malaysia's national
oil and gas company
should be above political
bargainingon Tuesday
November 25, 2025
|
|
From
News Reports:
Kuala Lumpur, Thursday 27: Former
Prime Minister of Malaysia, Mahathir
Mohamad, former advisor to state-owned
Petroliam Nasional Berhad (Petronas),
Malaysia's national oil and gas
company, Petronas, until his resignation
in 2016 from the United Malays National
Organisation (UMNO) party, the largest
political party in Malaysia, says
political directives should not
be imposed on Petronas after the
government directed Petronas to
purchase liquefied natural gas (LNG)
from the United States, reports
the Star.
Former Prime Minister, Mahathir
Mohamad, said political directives
rather than commercial directives
were imposed on the state-owned
Petroliam Nasional Berhad (Petronas),
Malaysia national oil and gas company
Petronas in the purchase of liquefied
natural gas (LNG) from America.
''The government directed Petronas
to purchase gas from America, a
very big amount of gas from America,''
he said.
“We don’t need to import
from America. We can get the gas
from Sarawak and Sabah, but the
government has directed that we
buy gas from America.''
''Such a directive distorts the
state-owned Petroliam Nasional Berhad
(Petronas) ability to make rational
business decisions,'' he said.
Former Prime Minister of Malaysia,
Mahathir Mohamad, said that state-owned
Petroliam Nasional Berhad (Petronas),
''should not be blocked from responding
to actual market demand and must
not be forced into purchases from
America it may not need.''
''The Federal government must distinguish
between fair negotiations and interference
in its decision to purchase gas
from the United States,'' said former
Prime Minister of Malaysia, Mahathir
Mohamad on Wednesday.
He said the Malaysian Federal government
must review how revenue derived
from natural resources in Sabah
and Sarawak is shared after the
Sabah United Progressive Kinabalu
Organisation (Upko) President, Ewon
Benedick, resigned his position
as Minister for Entrepreneur and
Cooperatives Development from the
Pakatan Harapan (PH) government
led by Prime Minister, Anwar Ibrahim,
on November 8.
Former Minister for Entrepreneur
and Cooperatives Development, Ewon
Benedick, said he could not remain
in the Federal Cabinet after the
Attorney General Chambers (AGC)
dismissed Sabah's claim to 40 percent
share of federal revenue derived
from Sabah's natural resources.
He said the Attorney General's Chambers
(AGC) dismissed the Sabah Kota Kinabalu
High Court ruling on October 17,
saying that the Malaysian Federal
government had acted unlawfully
over shared revenue with Sabah and
autonomy under the Malaysia Agreement
of 1963.
''The Malaysian Federal government
had acted unlawfully by failing
to pay Sabah 40 per cent of federal
revenue derived from Sabah's natural
resources for each financial year
from 1974 to 2021,'' said former
Minister for Entrepreneur and Cooperatives
Development, Ewon Benedick
Former Prime Minister, Mahathir
Mohamad, said that Sabah and Sarawak
want to be free to exploit their
natural resources without having
to refer to the Federal government,
saying ''Sabah and Sarawak claim
the federal government is a hindrance
to their economic development.''
''Sabah and Sarawak want more than
the previously agreed five percent
for their natural resources,'' he
said.
The
Southeast Asian Times
| Petition
seeks investigation
into assets and finances
of former warden of
Bangkok Remand Prison
|
|
 |
|
Petition
seeks investigation
into assets and finances
of former Bangkok
Remand Prison warden,
Manop Chomchuen, on
Tuesday Novemeber
25, 2025
|
|
From
News Reports:
Bangkok, Wednesday 26: A petition
seeking an investigation into the
assets and finances of the former
warden of the Bangkok Remand Prison
and corrections officers involved
in allegations that Chinese inmates
received VIP privileges was submitted
to the Anti-Money Laundering Office
(AMLO) on Monday, reports the Bangkok
Post.
Sonthiya Sawasdee, submitted the
petition seeking an investigation
into the assets and finances of
the former warden of the Bangkok
Remand Prison, Manop Chomchuen,
to the Anti-Money Laundering Office
(AMLO) claiming ''the warden demanded
payment of up to 15 million baht
from Chinese inmates.
''Former Bangkok Remand Prison warden,
Manop Chomchuen, transferred payments
received from the Chinese inmates
abroad through third-party accounts,''
said petitioner Sonthiya Sawasdee.
He said the suspected wrongdoing
could violate multiple sections
of the Anti-Money Laundering Act,
saying ''violation of the Anti-Money
Laundering Act might involve members
of the former warden's family.''
Anti-Money Laundering Office (AMLO)
director Sutthisak Sumon, said
the agency would determine whether
the allegations fall under its
jurisdiction before initiating
a financial investigation or imposing
asset freezes.
Last week Prime Minister, Anutin
Charnvirakul, instructed the Justice
Minister to enforce regulations
at the Bangkok Remand Prison after
allegations that illegal privileges
were granted to Chinese detainees
involved in transnational crime
including scam syndicates.
Justice Ministry permanent secretary,
Pongsawat Neelayothin, ordered
the Corrections Department of
Thailand to re assign Bangkok
Remand Prison warden, Manop Chomchuen,
and 14 prison officials pending
an investigation into allegations
of illegal privileges granted
to Chinese detainees including
payment for women to entertaining
Chinese inmates.
Corrections Department of Thailand
deputy commissioner spokesman,
Yutthana Nakrueangsr, led a raid
on the Bangkok Remand Prison on
November 16, saying ''numerous
banned items were found in the
remand prison.''
He said banned items including
electrical appliances, portable
air-conditioning units, lighters,
special bedding and other amenities
were found, saying ''premium food,
cigars and expensive drinks including
wine were regularly sent to the
Bangkok Remand Prison through
corrupt prison officers.''
''Inmates dined on special dishes.
listened to music, smoked cigars
and gambled daily,'' he said.
He said that Chinese inmates paid
to have Chinese women sent to
the prison to entertain them.
He said that privileged treatment
was not reserved exclusively to
Chinese inmates saying, ''major
drug traffickers also enjoyed
privileged treatment.''
The
Southeast Asian Times
|
Second
wave of politicians
defect to
pro-monarchy Bhumjaithai
Party since winning
elections in September
|
|
 |
|
Bhumjaithai
Party Prime Minister
Anutin Charnvirakul,
seated second from
left, welcomes defecting
politicians to the
Bhumjaithai Party
and establishes a
new MP candidate recruitment
committee at the Bhumjaithai
Party Bangkok headquarters
on Sunday November
23, 2025
|
|
From
News Reports:
Bangkok, November 25: : The pro-monarchy
Bhumjaithai Party leader, Anutin
Charnvirakul, voted the 32nd Prime
Minister of Thailand on September
5, welcomed the second wave of defecting
politicians to the party on Sunday,
with the newly elected Prime Minister
saying ''the Bhumjaithai Party is
becoming the largest party in Thailand,''
reports the Bangkok Post.
Thailand Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul
said the alignment of 14 defectors
from political parties including
the Chartthaipattana Party with
the Bhumjaithai Party would align
support for the royal institution
ahead of the general elections.
''The Bhumjaithai Party is accelerating
preparations for the election expected
next year,'' he said.
Bhumjaithai Party leader, Anutin
Charnvirakul, welcomed the 14 defecting
politicians to the Bhumjaithai Party
that included 10 Members of Parliament
from the Chartthaipattana Party
including party leader Varawut Silpa-archa.
Chartthaipattana party leader, Nikorn
Chamnong, said ten Members of Parliament
from his party joined the Bhumjaithai
Party, saying ''the Chartthaipattana
Party is a small party, struggled
to advance legislation and address
public issues.''
''The Chartthaipattana Party hopes
to better support the royal institution
and move towards a people's constitution,''
he said.
Thailand Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul
also welcomed two Members of Parliament
for Khon Kaen and Ubon Ratchathani
from the Shinawatra Pheu Thai Party
that lost the election to the Bhumjaithai
Party in September 2025.
Two Phetchaburi Members of Parliaments
formerly with the United Thai Nation
Party also defected to the Bhumjaithai
Party on September 17, 2025 about
50 politicians from the southern
province of Chumphon defected from
the United Thai Nation Party (UTN)
to the Bhumjaithai Party after the
pro-monarchy Bhumjaithai Party was
elected on September 5, 2025.
The defectors included two United
Thai Nation Party (UTN) Members
of Parliament for Chumphon, Chumpol
Chulasai and Wichai Sudsawat, and
Nopporn Usit, president of the Chumphon
provincial administration organisation.
The United Thai Nation Party (UTN)
Members of Parliament for Chumphon,
Chumpol Chulasai, said he defected
to the Bhumjaithai Party after his
faction disagreed with the United
Thai Nation Party (UTN) decision
not to support Bhumjaithai Party
leader Anutin Charnvirakul as prime
minister, saying then he expected
many more United Thai Nation Party
(UTN) members would follow.
On September 22, 2020 the Thailand
Internet Law Reform Dialogue (iLaw)
submitted a draft proposal for amendments
to the constitution known as the
peoples constitution to the Parliament.
The draft peoples constitution follows
the submission of a 10 point manifesto
by student organisation United Front
of Thammasat and Demonstration and
the Free Youth Movement to he parliament
in August 10, 2020.
The 10 point manifesto called for
reform of the monarchy but stated
that demand for amendments to the
constitution did not include a proposal
to abolish the monarchy but a proposal
for the monarchy to continue in
a democracy.
The 10 point manifesto called for
repeal of the criminalisation of
criticism of the Thai King under
the Lese Majeste law, repeal of
the order that transferred army
units to new King Maha Vajiralongkorn
personal command, repeal of the
law that gave the new King full
control of the crown's reportedly
extensive property holdings and
repeal of the monarchy empowerment
to endorse a military coup.
The
Southeast Asian Times
|
Philippines
House Appropriations
Committee chairman
arrested for misappropriation
of public funds f
|
|
 |
|
Former
Ako Bicol party-list
representative and
House Appropriations
Committee chairman,
Zaldy Co, under arrest
in Fort Bonifacio,
Taguig City, Philippines
on Sunday 22 November
2025
|
|
From
News Reports:
Manila, November 24: A warrants
for the arrest of former Ako-Bicol
Partylist representative, House
Appropriations Committee chairman,
Zaldy Co, who fled the Philippines
for Japan in September, and 17
others was issued for the misappropriation
of public funds in the construction
of a substandard river dyke in
Oriental Mindoro, with the Department
of the Interior and Local Government
(DILG) Secretary, Jonvic Remulla
saying on Friday ''they have until
Monday November 24 to surrender
themselves to law enforcement
agencies,'' reports the Philippine
Inquirer.
''We are giving Ako Bicol Rep.
Zaldy Co and 17 others from the
Department of Public Works and
Highways (DPWH) and Sunwest Corporation
until Monday to surrender to the
nearest government agency,'' he
said.
'Otherwise, we will hunt them
down. We will do everything we
can for them to face the law,''
he said.
Department of the Interior and Local
Government (DILG), Jonvic Remulla,
said that Ako Bicol Rep, Ako-Bicol
Partylist representative, Zaldy
Co was in Japan on Monday November
17, saying ''later he travelled
to China and to Spain, France and
Portugal on.''
He said the Department of the
Interior and Local Government
(DILG) did not discount the possibility
that former Ako Bicol Rep, Ako-Bicol
Partylist representative, Zaldy
Co, ''may have returned to the
Philippines through the back door.''
''A red notice issued by the International
Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL)
for the arrest of Zaldy Co will
be requested if he is not in the
Philippines,'' he said
Ako-Bicol Partylist representative,
Zaldy Co resigned his position as
House Appropriations Committee chairman,
on September 29, 2025 after he was
accused of the misappropriation
of P35 billion in public funds in
the construction of a substandard
river dyke in Oriental Mindoro,
saying ''on account of the real,
direct, grave and imminent threat
to the lives of my family members
and me, and the evident denial of
my right to due process of law,
I am constrained to tender with
immediate effect my irrevocable
resignation as House Appropriations
Committee chairman.''
On September 21, 2025 hundreds
of thousands of Filipino's took
to the streets in metro Manila
in the 'Trillion Peso March' demanding
prosecution for those involved
in the embezzlement of three trillion
peso's in government funds for
ghost flood projects, with Mamamayang
Liberal (ML) party-list representative,
Leila de Lima, saying ''anything
less than prosecuting and jailing
the corrupt will not satisfy the
people.''
The ''Trillion Peso March'' demanded
imprisonment and the death penalty
for those in both the government
and the private sector who embezzled
trillions of peso's in public
funds meant for flood control
projects.
The
Southeast Asian Times
|
Thai
PM wants enforcement
of regulations at
Bangkok Remand Prison
after privileges granted
to Chinese
|
|
 |
|
Thailand
Prime Minister Anutin
Charnvirakul, right,
instructs Justice
Minister to enforce
regulations at Bangkok
Remand Prison after
allegations of illegal
privileges granted
to Chinese detainees,
Bangkok Wednesday
November 19, 2025
|
|
From
News Reports:
Bangkok, November: Newly elected
Thailand Prime Minister, Anutin
Charnvirakul, has instructed the
Justice Minister to enforce regulations
at the Bangkok Remand Prison after
allegations that illegal privileges
were granted to Chinese detainees
involved in transnational crime
including scam syndicates, with
the Prime Minister saying ''anyone
found to have violated the rules
would face legal consequences,''
reports the Bangkok Post.
''We will wait for the results
of the investigation, but whoever
is guilty will not be spared,''
he said.
Justice Ministry permanent secretary,
Pongsawat Neelayothin, ordered the
Corrections Department of Thailand
to re assign the Bangkok Remand
Prison director, Manop Chomchuen,
and 14 prison officials pending
an investigation into allegations
of illegal privileges granted to
Chinese detainees including payment
for women to entertaining Chinese
inmates.
Corrections Department of Thailand
deputy commissioner spokesman, Yutthana
Nakrueangsr, led a raid on the Bangkok
Remand Prison on November 16, saying
that numerous banned items were
found in the remand prison that
houses about 900 inmates.
He said banned items including
electrical appliances, portable
air-conditioning units, lighters,
special bedding and other amenities
were found, saying ''these items
cannot lawfully be brought into
prison except as a donation or
in possession of a prison official.''
''Donations must be registered
as shared communal property under
the prison's control,'' he said.
''Items in possession of a prison
official can be brought into prison
under the pretext of personal
use but diverted to serve selected
inmates,'' he said.
He said that premium food, cigars
and expensive drinks including wine
were regularly sent to the Bangkok
Remand Prison through corrupt prison
officers.
''Inmates dined on special dishes.
listened to music, smoked cigars
and gambled daily,'' he said.
He said that Chinese inmates paid
to have Chinese women sent to the
prison to entertain them.
He said that privileged treatment
was not reserved exclusively to
Chinese inmates saying, ''major
drug traffickers also enjoyed
privileged treatment.''
He said that an investigation into
allegations that the Bangkok Remand
Prison director, Manop Chomchuen,
and prison officials had granted
special privileges to Chinese detainees
prompted complaints from Thai prisoners
and other inmates.
Corrections Department of Thailand
deputy director spokesman, Yutthana
Nakrueangsr, said that inmates
claimed that Chinese inmates exerted
influence over other inmates.
''Thai inmates claimed that they
received insufficient meals compared
with Chinese detainees,'' he said.
The
Southeast Asian Times
|
Chinese
national conviction
in the Philippines
for human trafficking
sets judicial precedent
|
|
 |
|
China
national Guo Hua Ping,
alias Alice Guo, at
a Senate Committee
hearing in Manila,
on Monday September
9, 2025 after deportation
from Jakarta and arrest
in the Philippines
|
|
From
News Reports:
Manila, November 22: Chinese national
Guo Hua Ping, alias Alice Guo, who
was suspended as Mayor of Bamban
in Tarlac Province in the Philippines
in August 2024, was found guilty
and sentenced to life in prison
for human trafficking in her involvement
in crimes committed by Chinese illegal
Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators
(POGOs) on Thursday, with Justice
Undersecretary Nicholas Ty saying
the conviction has set a judicial
precedent in the Philippines, reports
the Philippine Inquirer.
The Pasig City Regional Trial Court
found Chinese national Guo Hua Ping,
alias Alice Guo, guilty beyond reasonable
doubt of human trafficking, ordering
her and 15 co-accused to pay a P2-million
fine each and to pay compensation
to trafficked victims, who had filed
complaints against her.
Justice Undersecretary Nicholas
Ty said finding Chinese national
Guo Hua Ping, alias Alice Guo, guilty
of human trafficking was a landmark
decision in the Philippines, saying
''the court decision was the Philippines
first conviction under the expanded
anti-trafficking law provision on
organizing and directing others
to commit human trafficking.''
Justice Undersecretary Nicholas
Ty said the judicial decision could
be used in other pending Chinese
illegal Philippine Offshore Gaming
Operators (POGOs) cases involving
human trafficking.
Suspended Mayor, China national
Guo Hua Ping, alias Alice Guo, was
convicted of human trafficking in
her associaton with two Chinese
illegal Philippine offshore gaming
operator (POGO) locations including
in Bamban in Tarlac Province that
was raided by the Philippine National
Police on March 13, 2025
The Philippine National Police found
295 foreign workers at the Chinese
illegal offshore gaming operator
(POGO) location in Bamban in Tarlac
Province in the Philippines including
computor workstations, instructional
guides and scripts used to conduct
love scams and crypto schemes, rows
of iPhones and Android smartphones
and numerous SIM cards, used by
the illegal Philippine offshore
gaming operator (POGO) to execute
fraudulent transactions.
Chinese national Guo Hua Ping, alias
Alice Guo was arrested in Jakarta
on September 4, 2024 after fleeing
the Chinese illegal offshore gaming
operator (POGO) location in Bamban
in Tarlac Province in the Philippines
to avoid arrest that was ordered
by the Philippine Senate Committee
on July, 2024
Philippine Senate Committee ordered
the Philippines Office Senate Sergeant
at Arms (OSAA) to execute an arrest
warrant for suspended Mayor, Alice
Guo, and five family members and
two officials, ''for unduly refusing
to appear before the Senate, despite
due notices'' at the Senate committee
hearing on reports on human trafficking,
torture, serious illegal detention
and other serious crimes committed
at Philippine offshore gaming operator
(POGO) locations.
The
Southeast Asian Times
|
Two
Singaporeans charged
with security fraud
and money laundering
in global insider
trading scheme
|
|
 |
|
Ge
Zhi, 34, who was provisionally
arrested in 2024 in
Singapore and is subject
to extradition proceedings
for securities fraud
and money laundering
in a global insider
trading scheme from
2016 to 2024, was
charged on Tuesday
November 18, 2025
|
|
From
News Reports:
Singapore, November 21: The United
States Federal Bureau of Investigation
(FBI) has charged eight foreign
nationals including two Singaporeans
with securities fraud and money
laundering in a global insider
trading scheme from 2016 to 2024
with Special Agent Ted E. Docks
saying ''the eight foreign nationals
charged are from Singapore, Hong
Kong, France, Germany and the
United Arab Emirates, reports
Reuters.
Federal Bureau of Investigation
(FBI) Special Agent Ted E. Docks
said that the arrests are part
of a major federal measure against
a sophisticated international
network, saying ''the international
network generated tens of millions
of dollars in illicit profits
by trading on stolen, non-public
corporate information.''
''They allegedly used a complex
network of shell companies, sham
loans, and cash transfers across
the U.S., Europe, the Middle East,
and Asia to hide their illegal
proceeds,'' he said.
Singaporean nationals, Zhi Ge
and Eamma Safi allegedly recruited
investment bankers and other corporate
insiders who had access to non-public
corporate information about the
financial performance and merger-and-acquisition
activity of publicly traded companies.
Zhi Ge and Eamma Safi, obtainted
non-public information from the
insiders by paying the insiders
for the information.
The two Singaporeans Zhi Ge and
Eamma Safi traded on non-public
corporate information, recruiting
a network of traders in the United
States, Europe, the Middle East
and Asia to trade on the non-public
corporate information.
Traders Dong, Liu, Chou, Lee,
Khouadja, and Durai from Hong
Kong, France, Germany and United
Arab Emirates, were also charged
with insider trading for access
to non-public information about
the financial performance and
merger-and-acquisition activity
of publicly traded companies.
The defendants used a complex
network of shell companies, sham
loans, and cash transfers across
the U.S., Europe, the Middle East,
and Asia to generating tens of
millions of dollars in illicit
profits.
The United States Federal Bureau
of Investigation (FBI) Special
Agent Ted E. Docks said "we
believe everything these men did,
including their alleged attempts
to conceal their crimes, show
a wilful disregard for the law.''
He said that Protecting companies
from theft and maintaining a level
playing field for investors is
critical to the financial markets,
saying ''for that reason the FBI
takes responsibility to in investigate
insider trading and other complex
financial crimes seriously.''
The
Southeast Asian Times
|
Thailand
threatenes protest
at U.S. and Malaysia
embassy in Bangkok
after U.S. suspends
trade negotiations
|
|
 |
|
Political
activist Jatuporn
Prompan threatens
to stage protest at
United States
and Malaysian embassies
in Bangkok after the
United State suspends
trade negotiations
with Thailand on Monday
November 17, 2025
|
|
From
News Reports:
Bangkok, November 20: Thailand Political
activist, Jatuporn Prompan, leader
of the United Land Power to Protect
Sovereignty group, threatens to
protest at the United States and
Malaysian embassy in Bangkok against
foreign interference in Thailand
sovereignty after the United States
suspended trade negotiations with
Thailand, reports the Bangkok Post.
''The rally is to protest the
involvement by US President Donald
Trump and Malaysian Prime Minister
Anwar Ibrahim in Thailand's handling
of the Thailand Cambodian border
conflict,'' said political activist,
Jatuporn Prompan, on Monday.
He threatened to protest at the
United States and the Malaysian
embassy in Bangkok after Thailand
Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman,
Nikorndej Balankura, received
notification from the Deputy United
States Trade Representative that
the United States was seeking
a temporary suspension the Reciprocal
Trade Agreement.
''The United States Trade Representative
suspended trade negotiations with
Thailand after Thailand halted
all work on a peace agreement
signed with Cambodia,'' he said.
Thailand Ministry of Foreign Affairs
spokesman, Nikorndej Balankura,
said negotiations on trade negotiation
could resume once Cambodia commits
to complying with the Kuala Lumpur
Peace Accord signed on 26 October
2025 in Kuala Lumpur on the sidelines
of the 47th ASEAN summit.
Political activist, Jatuporn Prompan,
said the suspension of trade negotiation
between Thailand and the United
States
comes after the Thailand government
suspended the Kuala Lumpur Peace
Accord wit Cambodia after a landmine
explosion that injured several
Thailand soldiers.
''Thailand has the right to demonstrate
national strength in response
to United States tariff threats
and United States Interference
in Thailand's affairs,'' he said.
Political activist, Jatuporn Prompan,
leader of the United Land Power
to Protect Sovereignty group,
said he disagreed with the parliamentary
opposition Peoples Party leader,
Natthaphong Ruengpanyawut, for
suggesting ''the government should
not take an aggressive approach
towards the United States as it
could cause an economic backlash.''
"We believe that only a nation
with dignity can negotiate with
dignity,'' said political activist,
Jatuporn Prompan.
He said that Thailand must not
fear tariff threats, saying ''we
can't allow Thailand to become
anyone's easy target, to be bullied
or pushed around."
The
Southeast Asian Times
|
Newly
appointed Thai Attorney-General
orders appeal of Thaksin
Sinawatra acquittal
of Lese Majeste charge
in 2015
|
|
 |
|
Thaksin
Shinawatra former
wife, Khunying Potjaman
Damapong, left, daughters
Pintongta Kunakornwong,
centre, and former
Prime Minister Paetongtarn
Shinawatra, right,
visit former Prime
Minister Thaksin Shinawatra
at the Klongprem Central
Prison in Bangkok,
Monday September 15,
2025
|
|
From
News Reports:
Bangkok, November 19: The newly
appointed Attorney-General, Ittiporn
Kaewthip, by newly elected pro-monarchy
Bhumjaithai Party, has ordered
prosecutors to appeal the Bangkok
Criminal Court acquittal of former
Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra
for violation of the Lese Majeste
Law and the Computor Crime Act
allegedly committed in an interview
in South Korea in 2015, reports
the Bangkok Post.
The newly appointed Attorney-General,
Ittiporn Kaewthip, ordered prosecutors
to appeal the Criminal Court acquittal
of former Prime Minister Thaksin
Shinawatra at the Appeals Court
by the November 21st deadline.
On August 22, 2025 former Prime
Minister Thaksin was acquitted
of defaming the monarchy under
the Lese Majeste Law and computer
crime law of Section 112 of the
Criminal Code after the Attorney-General
had received advice from the Royal
Thai Police (RTP) at the Technology
Crime Suppression Division on
a complaint from the Privy Council
of Thailand that Thaksin Shinawatra
had allegedly defamed the monarchy
in a foreign media interview in
Seoul, South Korea on May 21,
2015.
The Bangkok Criminal Court ruled
on August 22, 2025 under former
Prime Minister, Paetongtarn Shinawatra,
daughter of former Prime Minister
Thaksin Shinawatra, that ''the
charges against Thaksin Shinawatra
lacked sufficient evidence to
prove that the former Prime Minister
had insulted the monarchy.''
The Criminal Court ruled in favour
of former Prime Minister Thaksin
Shinawatra saying ''the video
clip submitted by prosecutors
of the Office of the Attorney-General
as evidence of the alleged violation
of the Lese Majeste Law and the
Computor Crime Act contained limited
excerpts of the full media interview.''
The Criminal Court ruled that
the Office of the Attorney-General
prosecution did not prove whether
the media interview in Seoul,
South Korea had been edited or
not, saying ''Thaksin Shinawatra
had not directly defamed then
King Bhumibol Adulyadej in the
video clip submitted by the Office
of the Attorney-General prosecutors.''
The Criminal Court ruled that
testimony given by prosecution
witnesses indicated that the witnesses
had a political bias against Thaksin
Shinawatra, saying ''evidence
from the plaintiff showed the
interview by the defendant did
not defame, insult or threaten
Thailand King Bhumibol Adulyade,
therefore the defendant is not
guilty.''
Former Prime Minister, Thaskin
Shinawatra, faced Lese Majeste
charges on his return to Thailand
in August 2022 after fleeing
Thailand in 2008 to avoid trial
for nonfeasance and malfeasance,
on a complaint lodged by the Privy
Council on February 16, 2016.
The
Southeast Asian Times
|
Philippines
President Marcos says
those involved in
ghost flood projects
would be in jail by
Christmas
|
|
 |
|
More
than 600,000 members
of the Iglesia ni
Cristo or Church of
Christ, at a three-day
rally dubbed ''Rally
for Transparency and
a Better Democracy''
at Rizal Park in Manila,
Saturday, November
16, 2025
|
|
From
News Reports:
Manila, November 18: More than 600,000
Filippino's gathered in Manila's
Rizal Park on Sunday to begin a
three day rally, dubbed 'Rally for
Transparency and a Better Democracy,''
organised by the Iglesia Ni Cristo,
or Church of Christ, demanding prosecution
for those involved in the embezzlement
of than three trillion peso's in
government funds for ghost flood
projects, with Philippine President
Ferdinand Marcos Jr, saying ''many
senators, members of Congress and
business leaders involved in the
embezzlement would be in jail by
Christmas,'' reports the Philippine
Inquirer.
National police Commission Lt. Gen
Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. ordered
law enforcement to exercise maximum
tolerance at the rally, ordering
the deployment of thousands of Philippine
National Police and the Armed Forces
of the Philippines to secure the
members of the Iglesia Ni Cristo,
or Church of Christ, at the three
day rally in Manila's Rizal Park.
The Presidential Palace is on security
lockdown during the three day rally,
with major access roads barricaded
by anti-riot police forces, cargo
containers and barbed wire.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr, said
that many senators, members of Congress
and business leader involved in
the embezzlement of government funds
would be in jail by Christmas, saying
''an independent fact-finding commission
has already filed criminal complaints
for graft and corruption and plunder
against 37 suspects.''
''Criminal complaints have been
filed against 86 construction company
executives and nine government officials
for evading almost 9 billion pesos
($152 million) in taxes,'' he said.
On September 21, Thousands of Filipino's
took to the streets in metro Manila
in the 'Trillion Peso March' demanding
prosecution for those involved in
the embezzlement of three trillion
peso's in government funds for ghost
flood projects, with Mamamayang
Liberal (ML) party-list representative,
Leila de Lima, saying ''anything
less than prosecuting and jailing
the corrupt will not satisfy the
people.''
Thousands of Filipino's in the Visayan
cities of Cebu, Bacolod, Iloilo,
Tagbilaran and Tacloban, also took
to the streets in a local version
of the ''Trillion Peso March'' demanding
accountability and punishment for
those involved in the embezzlement
of more than three trillion peso's
in government funds for ghost flood
control projects.
Participants in the ''Trillion Peso
March'' demanded imprisonment and
the death penalty for those in both
the government and the private sector
who have embezzled trillions of
peso's in public funds meant for
flood control projects.
The
Southeast Asian Times
|
Indonesian
Constitutional Court
rules active Police
cannot hold civilian
positions: House of
Representatives says,
not so fast
|
|
 |
|
Rudianto
Lallo, member of Indonesian
House of Representatives
Commission III on
law, human rights,
and national security,
said that he respects
the Constitutional
Court decision but
requests that its
implementation not
be rushed, Thursday
November 13, 2025
|
|
From News Reports:
Jakarta, November 17:The Indonesian
Constitutional Court, in a 7-2 ruling
on Thursday, removed the loophole
for active Indonesian National Police
(POLRI) officers to hold civilian
positions without resigning from
the National Police (POLRI) force
, with Indonesian House of Representatives
Commission III on law, human rights,
and national security, Rudianto
Lallo, saying that implementation
of the ruling should not be rushed,
reports Voice of Indonesia.
"We respect the Constitutional
Court's decision. But it can't be
implemented immediately. We must
first consider the norms contained
in other laws," said Rudianto
Lallo.
The Constitutional Court decision
removed the loophole for active
Indonesian National Police (POLRI)
officers to hold civilian positions
by removing the phrase "or
not based on an assignment from
the Chief of Police" from the
Explanation of Article 28 paragraph
(3) of the National Police Law.
The Constitutional Court decision
on Thursday effectively confirms
that active police officers holding
civilian positions are required
to resign from the Indonesian National
Police (POLRI).
Rudianto Lallo claims that the Constitutional
Court has removed the Explanation
of Article 28 paragraph (3) of the
National Police Law, but Law number
2 of 2002 of the National Police
Law legitimises the placement of
high-ranking Polri officers in civilian
institutions.
"This means, based on contrario
legal reasoning, if the position
is related to the duties and functions
of the police and is held upon assignment
from the Chief of Police, it is
possible for active high-ranking
officers to hold that a civilian
position," he said.
''The assignment of National Police
(POLRI) officers to civilian institutions
is part of the spirit of synergy
between institutions mandated by
Article 30 Paragraph (4) of the
1945 Constitution, he said.
Kompas Research and Development
(Litbang Kompas) that conducted
a poll after the passing of amendments
to the Defense Forces (TNI) Law
in the House of Representatives
(DPR) on March 13, 2025, found that
respondents with an understanding
of the principles of democracy rejected
the passing of the amendements.
The Defense Forces (TNI) Law had
revised the abolished 2004 Defense
Forces (TNI) Law that permits active
military personnel to hold 14 civilian
institutional positions.
The poll showed that respondents
with an understanding of the principles
of democracy resisted amendments
to the Defense Forces (TNI) Law
that allows active military personnel
to work in civilian institutional
positions.
''This group believe that the admittance
of military personnel into civilian
institutional positions will have
a negative impact on democracy,''
said the Kompas Research and Development
pollsters.
The Association of South East Asian
Parliamentarians for Human Rights
(APHR) denounced the revision of
the abolished 2004 Indonesian Defense
Forces (TNI) law on March 13, 2025
that granted expanded powers to
the Indonesian National Armed Forces
(TNI) Law and permits military personnel
to assume 14 civilian posts.
Article 47 of (1) of the revised
National Armed Forces (TNI) Law
permits active soldiers to take
ministerial and agency posts, including:
Coordinating Ministry for Political
and Security Affairs, Ministry of
Defense, including the National
Defense Council, State Secretariat
which handles presidential secretariat
affairs and the presidential military
secretariat, State Intelligence
Agency (5) State Cyber and/or Crypto
Agency, National Resilience Institute
National Search and Rescue (SAR)
Agency, National Narcotics Agency,
Supreme Court, National Border Management
Agency (BNPP), Disaster Management
Agency Counterterrorism Agency,
Maritime Security Agency and Attorney
General’s Office of the Republic
of Indonesia Junior Attorney General
for Military Crime.
The
Southeast Asian Times
|
Former
Thailand Senator to
appeal conviction
for leading siege
on temple to oust
acting Abott
|
|
 |
|
Former
Thailand Senator,
Kittisak Rattanawaraha,
at a parliamentary
session at the unveiling
of policies after
the newly elected
Move Forward Party
on Sunday May 14,
2023
|
|
From
News Reports:
Bangkok, November 16: Former Thailand
Senator, Kittisak Rattanawaraha,
was sentenced to nine months in
prison by the Court of Appeal
in Phichit province on Thursday,
increasing the sentence imposed
by the Prichit provincial court
by three months, for leading an
alleged seige on the Wat Luang
Phor Ngern Bangklan temple in
Phichit on October 2, 2018 reportedly
to oust the acting Abott, reports
the Bangkok Post.
The Phichit provincial court had
sentenced the Senator to six months
imprison and a fine of 16,500
baht in July 2024.
Former Senator, Kittisak Rattanawaraha,
has applied for bail pending an
appeal to the Supreme Court in
Bangkok, claiming he wasnot involved
in the alleged siege of the Wat
Luang Phor Ngern Bangklan that
left 13 monks injured with three
seriously injured.
Phichit Provincial Police Commander,
Kamthorn Jantee, summoned Senator,
Kittisak Rattanawaraha, for questioning
after the attack on the monks by
about 100 residents who demanded
the ouster of acting Abbot Phra
Pisutta Warakorn.
Phichit Provincial Police Commander,
Kamthorn Jantee, said after the
siege of the Bang Klan Temple
that 20 residents had been arrested.
Police Commander, Kamthorn Jantee,
said that two government officials
in the then pro-monarchy, pro-military
government administration of Commander-in-Chief
of the Royal Thai Army, Prime
Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, had
been issued with an arrest warrant.
The residents demanded that the
Sangha Supreme Council (SSC) dismiss
acting Abbot Phra Pisutta Warakorn
saying that the acting Abott was
unable to perform his duties without
the temple assets that had been
seized by the dismissed Abott
Phra Kru Wisit Silaporn.
The Sangha Supreme Council (SSC)
had dismissed the temple Abbot,
Phra Kru Wisit Silaporn and appointed
Abbot Phra Pisutta Warakorn as
acting Abott.
Acting Abott, Phra Pisutta Warakorn
, claimed he was unable to perform
his duties, saying dismissed Abott
Phra Kru Wisit Silaporn refused
to hand over the temple's assets.
The Phichit Provincial Court ordered
former Abbot, Phra Kru Wisit Silaporn
to return safe boxes, bank accounts
and other assets to acting Abbot
Phra Pisutta Warakorn.
Acting Abbot Phra Pisutta Warakorn
claimed the Wat Luang Phor Ngern
Bangklan in Phichit temple had
assets worth more than 100 million
baht including cash, antiques
and Buddha images.
Acting Abbot Phra Pisutta Warakorn
said that dismissed Abbot Phra
Kru Wisit Silaporn had refused
return the assets, saying
the Wat Luang Phor Ngern Bangklan
would apply for a court order
for the return of the assets after
a Sangha Supreme Council (SSC)
resolution.
The
Southeast Asian Times
|
Sabah
state election is
referendum for shared
revenue and autonomy
with Malaysian Federal
Government
|
|
 |
|
United
Progressive Kinabalu
Organisation (Upko)
President Ewon Benedick,
fourth from right,
raising the party
flag to division leaders
at the inaugural People’s
Convention in Kota
Kinabalu, Sabah on
Thursday November
13, 2025
|
|
From
News Reports:
Kuala Lumpur, November 15: The
Sabah state election should serve
as a referendum for whether local
political parties should lead
Malaysian states, said United
Progressive Kinabalu Organisation
(Upko) president Ewon Benedick
ahead of the 17th Sabah general
election on November 29, saying
''we must decide our own destiny,''
reports the Star.
Sabah United Progressive Kinabalu
Organisation (Upko) president,
Ewon Benedick, said the Sabah
state election would decide Sabah's
constitutional right to a share
of federal revenue derived from
Sabah's natural resources and
shared state autonomy at the Sabah
United Progressive Kinabalu Organisation
(Upko) first Konvensyen Rakyat
or Malaysian People's Convention
in Kampung Gawir, Sabah on Thursday.
The Sabah United Progressive Kinabalu
Organisation (Upko) president
Ewon Benedick resigned his position
as Minister for Entrepreneur and
Cooperatives Development from
Pakatan Harapan (PH) government
led by Prime Minister, Anwar Ibrahim,
on November 8, saying he could
not remain in the Federal Cabinet
after the Attorney General Chambers
(AGC) dismissed Sabah's claim
to 40 percent share of federal
revenue derived from Sabah's natural
resources.
He said the Attorney General's
Chambers (AGC) dismissed the Sabah
Kota Kinabalu High Court ruling
on October 17, that the Malaysian
Federal government had acted unlawfully
over shared revenue with Sabah
and autonomy under the Malaysia
Agreement of 1963.
''The Malaysian Federal government
had acted unlawfully by failing
to pay Sabah 40 per cent of federal
revenue derived from Sabah's natural
resources for each financial year
from 1974 to 2021,'' he said.
''It was time for Sabah to reclaim
control over their own administration
and ensure the state government
was formed primarily by homegrown
political parties,'' he said
''This election is about choosing
our own chief minister, our own
Cabinet and our own representatives,''
he said.
The
Southeast Asian Times
|
Vietnam
and China pave the
way
for global socialism
|
|
 |
|
Represenatives
of the ruling Communist
Party of Vietnam (CPV)
and the ruling Communist
Party of China (CPC)
at the 20th theory
seminar ''The path
and practice of socialism
in the 21st century,''
held in Vietnam's
Ninh Binh province
on Wednesday, December
12, 2025
|
|
From
News Reports:
Hanoi, November 14: The ruling Communist
Party of Vietnam (CPV) and the ruling
Communist Party of China (CPC) called
for strengthening theoretical and
pratical exchange to build socialism
in the 21st century at the 20th
theory seminar ''The path and practice
of socialism in the 21st century,''
held in Vietnam's Ninh Binh province
on Wednesday, with Vietnam saying
''the Communist Party of Vietnam
(CPV) had always been steadfast
and creative in applying Marxism–Leninism
and Ho Chi Minh Thought, reports
the Vietnam News Agency.
Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV)
Central Committee General Secretary
To Lam said ''the seminar aimed
to facilitate theoretical and practical
exchanges between the Communist
Party of Vietnam (CPV) and Communist
Party of China (CPC) on building
socialism in the 21st century amidst
a changing global landscape.''
''The Communist Party of Vietnam
(CPV) values the summary of practical
experience, theory study, and the
link between renewal of the theoretical
thinking and renewal of the growth
of the socialism model,'' he said.
He said that the Communist Party
of Vietnam (CPV) stands ready to
work with the Communist Party of
China (CPC) ''to further deepen
theory cooperation and share experiences
in Party building, national development,
and social governance.''
Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV)
Central Committee General Secretary
To Lam said that ''theory cooperation
with the Communist Party of China
(CPC) promotes the development of
socialist theory in globalisation
and the Fourth Industrial Revolution
(4IR) driven by technologies.''
Communist Party of China (CPC) General
Secretary President Xi Jinping said
that ''theory exchange between the
Communist Party of China (CPC) and
Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV)
contributes to the modernisation
of the socialist paths most suited
to each country.''
''The modernisation of the socialist
paths advances the development of
socialism globally,'' he said.
Communist Party of China (CPC) General
Secretary President Xi Jinping said
''China and Vietnam are good neighbours,
good friends, good comrades, and
good partners, forming a community
with a shared strategic future.''
''The Communist Party of China (CPC)
and the Communist Party of Vietnam
(CPV) uphold Marxism and unswervingly
follow the socialist path,'' he
said.
The Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV)
delegation was led by Nguyen Xuan
Thang, Politburo member, Chairman
of the Central Theory Council, and
President of the Ho Chi Minh National
Academy of Politics.
The Communist Party of China (CPC)
delegation was headed by Li Shulei,
Politburo member, Secretary of the
CPCCentral Committee’s Secretariat,
and head of the Publicity Department
of the CPC Central Committee.
Representatives of ministries, central
agencies, and localities, scientists,
experts, scholars from Vietnam and
China and the Chinese Ambassador
to Vietnam also attended the 20th
theory seminar ''The path and practice
of socialism in the 21st century.
The
Southeast Asian Times
|
Former
Police Commissioner
submits evidence against
police officers as
a Thailand citizen
|
|
 |
|
Former
Deputy Police Commission-
General, Surachate
Hakparn, right, submits
evidence against Royal
Thai Police officers
as a citizen of Thailand
at the House Committee
on State Security,
Border Affairs, National
Strategies and Reforms,
Bangkok, Thursday
November 6, 2025
|
|
From News Reports:
Bangkok, November 13: Former Deputy
Police Commission- General, Surachate
Hakparn, submitted evidence against
more than 30 Royal Thai Police (RTP)
officers as a Thailand citizen to
the House Committee on State Security,
Border Affairs, National Strategies
and Reforms, alleging that police
officers were on the payroll of
illegal online gambling operators,
reports the Nation.
''Since my dismissal from the Royal
Thai Police (RTP) force I have been
acting under my right as a Thai
citizen in submitting information
to the House Committee,'' said former
Deputy Police Commission- General,
Surachate Hakparn.
Former Deputy Police General, Surachate
Hakparn, who was the most senior
Deputy Police Commissioner in line
for promotion to the position of
Police Commissioner-General, before
he was removed for promotion under
the administration of Prime Minister
Srettha Thavisin in April, 2024,
said on Thursday that he submitted
the evidence against the Royal Thai
Police (RTP) officers as a Thai
citizen.
''Since my dismissal from the Royal
Thai Police (RTP) force I have been
acting within my right as a Thai
citizen in submitting information
to the House Committee,'' he said.
Former Deputy Police Commission-
General, Surachate Hakparn, said
he presented evidence of financial
transactions from illegal online
gambling operators to bank accounts
of more than 30 Royal Thai Police
(RTP) officers at the House Committee
on State Security, Border Affairs,
National Strategies and Reforms
on Thursday.
He said that he had previously submitted
the same evidence against the Royal
Thai Police (RTP) officers to current
commissioner-general of the Royal
Thai Police, Kitrat Phanphet who
was appointed Commissioner-General
of the Royal Thai Police under Prime
Minister Srettha Thavisin administration
in 2024.
In March 2025 Commissioner-General,
Kitrat Phanphet, signed an order
to dismiss former Deputy Police
Commission- General, Surachate Hakparn,
who had been removed from his position
as Deputy Police Commission- General,
in April 2024.
The Police Complaints Review Board
voted to dismiss the Deputy Police
Commission- General, Surachate Hakparn
for his involvement in illegal online
gambling operations.
The Police Complaints Review Board
accused former Deputy Police Commission-
General, Surachate Hakparn, of serious
misconduct for his alleged involvement
in the financial transactions of
Royal Thai Police (RTP) officer
in illegal gambling operations.
The
Southeast Asian Times
|
Suharto
awarded National Hero
status after numerous
rejections since his
death in 2008
|
|
 |
|
Indonesian
President Prabowo
Subianto, right, hands
the National Hero
award to Siti Hardijanti
Rukmana, left, daughter
of the former Indonesian
president Suharto,
at the Merdeka Palace
on National Heroes
Day in Jakarta on
Monday November 10,
2025
|
|
From
News Reports:
Jakarta, November 12: Indonesia
President, Prabowo Subianto, bestowed
the National Hero award on former
President Suharto on Monday, National
Heroes Day, after the Board of Titles,
Service and Honorary Medals (GTK
Board) had rejected the award numerous
times since his death in 2008 at
age 86, reports Jakarta Post.
Former President Suharto's daughter,
Hardijanti Rukmana, thanked current
President Prabowo Subianto, saying
''the decision to honour her father
was based on the aspiration of the
Indonesian people.''
“What’s important is that
we are seeing what my father had
done from his youth until his death,
his struggle for the nation, state
and the Indonesian people,'' she
said.
A petition against bestowing a National
Hero award on former President Suharto
was again submitted to the Board
of Titles, Service and Honorary
Medals (GTK Board) on October 21,
2025 by the Civil Society Movement
to Bring Suharto to Justice (GEMAS),
including individuals, civil society
organisations, victims and families
of victims of gross human rights
violations and other human rights
violations.
''We assess that Soeharto is not
worthy of being granted the title
of National Hero,'' said the petition.
In November 2024 after the election
of Indonesia President, Prabowo
Subianto, in February 2024, Indonesia's
People's Consultative Assembly (MPR)
speaker, Golkar Party Member of
Parliament, Bambang Soesatyo, called
on newly elected Indonesian President
Prabowo Subianto, a former commander
in the Special Detachment 88 anti-terror
squad in the New Order regime of
former president Suharto, to have
Suharto's name removed from commitment
to the People's Consultative Assembly
(MPR) Decree (TAP MPR) Number 11/1998
on Orders to Organise Clean Governance
without Corruption, Collusion and
Nepotism (KKN).
''There's no need for historical
revenge to be bequeathed to the
children of the nation,'' he said.
''The People's Consultative Assembly
(MPR) Decree is still legally valid
but in accordance with the articles
in the decree the legal process
against Suharto ended following
his death in 2008,'' he said.
In July 2016 the International People
s Tribunal (IPT) in the Hague found
that Indonesia is guilty of Crimes
Against Humanity under the 1948
International Genocide Convention
for the 1965 killings of Indonesian
Communist Party (PKI) members.
Presiding judge Zakeria Yacoob said
that "the facts brought before
the tribunal by the prosecution
include acts that fall within those
enumerated in the Genocide Convention,"
Murder Victims Research Foundation
(YPKP 65) who began compiling evidence
in 2000 of the killing of communists
in Indonesia reportedly found 122
mass graves in 12 provinces across
Java and Sumatra in July, with the
highest number of 50 graves in Central
Java, said then that the number
of mass graves are expected to increase.
The
Southeast Asian Times
|
Sabah
candidates in 17th
state election sign
loyality pledge to
Malaysia PM Anwar
Ibrahim
|
|
%20contest%20Saturday%20Sabah%20election%20Mon%2010%20Nov%202025%20copy.jpg) |
| All
10 Parti Keadilan
Rakyat (PKR) or People's
Justice Party selected
candidates in the Sabah
17th state election
on Wednesday 29 November
2025 signed a loyalty
pledge on Monday November
19, 2025 |
|
From
News Reports:
Kuala Lumpur, November 11: Malaysia
Prime Minister, Anwar Ibrahim, chairman
of the Pakatan Harapan (PH) or the
Alliance of Hope Party and also
President of the Parti Keadilan
Rakyat (PKR) or the People's Justice
Party, named ten People's Justice
Party candidates to contest the
Sabah 17th state election on Saturday,
with the People's Justice Party
secretary-general saying ''the 10
candidates have signed loyalty pledges
to the People's Justice Party,''
reports The Vibes.
Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) or the
People's Justice Party secretary-general,
Dr Fuziah Salleh, said that all
10 candidates contesting the Sabah
17th state election have signed
pledges of loyalty to the People's
Justice Party.
''The pledges are supported by
a RM10 million bonds paid by the
candidates including deputy ministers,
civil servants and professionals
should they betray the People's
Justice Party,'' said Dr Fuziah
Salleh
''The bond ensures a 100 per cent
commitment to the People's Justice
Party, voters and constituencies
to fulfil the duties entrusted
to candidates to form a new state
government'' said Dr Fuziah Salleh.
Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim chairman
of the Pakatan Harapan (PH) or
the Alliance of Hope Party said
on Monday that the Alliance of
Hope Party would contest 23 of
the 73 state seats in the 17th
Sabah state election on Saturday.
Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim urged
Sabah voters to scrutinise the
promises and rhetoric of political
candidates carefully, warning
against falling prey to false
pledges and political manipulation.
Pakatan Harapan (PH) Sabah chairman,
Ewon Benedick, resigned from the
Cabinet as Minister for Entrepreneur
and Cooperatives Development on
November 8, over the Attorney
General's Chambers (AGC) disregard
for Sabah's constitutional right
to 40 percent of federal revenue
derived from Sabah.
Ewon Benedick, who is the president
of the United Progressive Kinabalu
Organisation (UPKO), in Sabah,
said that it would not be right
for him to remain in the Cabinet
as Minister for Entrepreneur and
Cooperatives Development while
holding the opposite view taken
by the Attorney General's Chambers
(AGC), the legal advisor to Prime
Minister Anwar Ibrahim.
''The position and views expressed
by the Attorney General's Chambers
(AGC) disregarded the historical
foundation of Malaysia’s
formation, including the terms
and conditions under which Sabah
agreed to form the Federation
of Malaysia," he said.
The United Progressive Kinabalu
Organisation (UPKO) in Sabah president,
Ewon Benedick, said that the Attorney
General's Chambers (AGC) disregarded
the Kota Kinabalu High Court ruling
last month that the Malaysian
federal government had acted unlawfully
by failing to fulfil Sabah's 40
per cent entitlement for almost
50 years.
The Kota Kinabalu High Court issued
a nabdamus order to compel the federal
government to review the revenue
allocation with the Sabah government.
The Kota Kinabalu High Court also
ordered that an agreement be reached
on Sabah's 40 per cent share of
federal revenue for each financial
year from 1974 to 2021, with this
process to be completed within
180 days.
The
Southeast Asian Times
|
Fugitive
red shirt MP surrenders
to police for involvement
in the storming
of 14th Asean Summit
2009 in Pattaya
|
|
 |
| Former
Member of the House
of Representatives for
Roi Et Nisit Sindhuprai,
50, is questioned by
the Crime Suppression
Division's sub-division
3 in Bangkok on Friday
November 7, 2025 |
|
From
News Reports:
Bangkok, 10 November: The Bangkok
Criminal Court sentenced former
leaders of the defunct pro-Thaksin
Shinawarta, United Front for Democracy
against Dictatorship (UDD), known
as the red shirt movement, to prison
for their involvement in violent
protests against the Thailand government
under Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva,
known as the yellow shirts, between
January 31 and April 2009, ahead
of the surrender on Thursday of
fugitive Nisit Sindhuprai, 50, who
led the violent protest at 14th
ASEAN Summit in 2009, reports the
Bangkok Post.
The Bangkok Criminal Court sentenced
four former leaders including Veerakan
Musikapong, Jatuporn Promphan, Dr.
Weng Tochirakan, Adisorn Piengket
and Natthawut Saikua to four years
in prison on Friday
A further four including Sira Pimklang,
Viphuthalaeng Pattanapoomthai, Pipatchai
Paibul, Payab Punkate and Methee
Amornwutthikul were sentenced to
four months in prison.
Two including Narongsak Maee and
Pongphichet Sukchindathong were
acquitted.
One defendant, Phira Pringklang,
died during the trial.
Nisit Sindhuprai, 50, former Member
of Parliament for Pheu Thai Party,
Roi Et Province, and former leader
of the pro-Thaksin Shinawarta, United
Front for Democracy Against Dictatorship
(UDD), known as the red shirt movement
surrendered to the Sub-division
3, Crime Suppression Division (CSD)
at the Crime Suppression Division
Headquarters on Thursday.
Nisit Sindhuprai, 50, was wanted
on an arrest warrant issued by the
Pattaya Provincial Court on November
1, 2019, on charges of causing public
disorder, property damage and trespassing
at the Royal Cliff Beach Hotel in
Pattaya, the venue of the 14th ASEAN
Summit on 11 April 2009.
Nisit Sindhuprai, 50, was charged
with leading about 1,000 pro-Thaksin
Shinawarta, United Front for Democracy
against Dictatorship supporters
to the Royal Cliff Beach Hotel in
Pattaya, where the protesters smashed
wantedon an arrest warrant issued
by the Pattaya Provincial Court
on November 1, 2019, on charges
of causing public disorder, property
damage and trespassing at the Royal
Cliff Beach Hotel in Pattaya, the
venue of the 14th ASEAN Summit on
11 April 2009.
through the glass doors of the convention
centre at the hotel on 11 April
2009.
The pro-Thaksin Shinawarta, United
Front for Democracy against Dictatorship
supporters claimed that they were
not against
14th ASEAN Summit in Pattaya but
against Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva
and the top adviser to His Majesty
the King, General Prem Tinsulanonda,
who they said "had no legitimacy
to govern the country."
Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva
declared a state of emergency at
the beach resort of Royal Cliff
Beach Hotel in Pattaya and the surrounding
province of Chonburi following the
storming of the summit.
The 14th ASEAN Summit that was to
have discussed the global economic
contraction, food security and the
environment was cancelled, forcing
representatives of Asean, China,
South Korea and Japan to evacuate
by helicopter.
Arisman Pongruangrong, 61, a leader
of the defunct pro-Thaksin Shinawarta,
United Front for Democracy against
Dictatorship (UDD), known as the
red shirt movement who was involved
in the organised the protest at
the 14th ASEAN Summit in Pattaya,
is in exile in Cambodia.
The
Southeast Asian Times
|
China
reflagging ships under
Singapore flag to
avoid port fees in
the U.S.
|
|
 |
| Singapore's
Acting Minister for
Transport, Jeffrey Siow,
and China Minister for
transport, Liu Wei,
signed an MoU that aims
to ''elevate Singapore
and China’s Green
and Digital Shipping
Corridor (GDSC) cooperation
to the national level,''
in Singapore on Sunday
October 19, 2025 |
|
From
News Reports:
Singapore, November 9: The Singapore
Registry of Ships (SRS) has added
more ships to its fleet of about
4,000 ships registered under the
Singapore flag, as Chinese shipping
companies and vessels seek to avoid
United States port fees after the
Office of the United States Trade
Representative (USTR) imposed new
fees in February 2025, resulting
in Chinese ships ''reflagging''
in Singapore, reports the Straits
Times.
The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking
Corporation.(HSBC) reported in September
that China lines Cosco Shipping
Holdings and Orient Overseas (International)
Limited (OOIL) is subject to United
States port fees of more than US$2.1
billion in 2026.
The new fees imposed by the Office
of the United States Trade Representative
(USTR), that develops and coordinates
United States international trade,
commodity, investment policy, and
oversees the enforcement of United
States trade agreements with other
countries, has reportedly resulted
in ''reflagging.''
''The increase in the number of
ships on the Singapore Registry
of Ships (SRS) is the direct result
of Chinese shipping companies and
ships ''reflagging'' their vessels
under the Singapore flag to avoid
port fees in United States ports,''
reports the Straits Times.
China flagged ships are subject
to US$50 per tonne in fees at United
States Ports while China reflagged
ships under the Singapore flag are
subject to US$18 per net tonne.
The Singapore Registry of Ships
(SRS) added 94 ships to its fleet
of about 4,000 registered ships
sailing under the Singapore flag
in 2025 increasing the total tonnage
of more than 100 million gross tonnage
of that registered in 2024.
Linerlytica, maritime intelligence
analyst, Tan Hua Joo, said ''the
large increase in container ships
registered in Singapore from China
in 2025 comes from a single shipping
owner.''
''Shipowner Seaspan Corp has switched
over 120 ships from Hong Kong to
Singapore in the last three months,''
he said.
He said that Shipowner Seaspan Corp
relocated its headquarters from
Hong Kong to Singapore in October,
saying Seaspan Corp
has registered more than half its
fleet of 220 container ships from
the Hong Kong Shipping Registry
(HKSR) to the Singapore Registry
of Ships (SRS).
He said that Hong Kong-listed Pacific
Basin shippers plan to reflag half
its fleet of bulk carriers under
the Singapore flag to cut its exposure
to new United States port fees.
On October 19, 2025 the Ministry
of Transport of the Republic of
Singapore and the Ministry of Transport
of the People’s Republic of
China signed a Memorandum of Understanding
(MoU) to establish the Singapore–China
Green and Digital Shipping Corridor
(GDSC).
Singapore's Acting Minister for
Transport, Jeffrey Siow, and China
Minister for transport, Liu Wei,
signed the MoU that
aims to ''elevate Singapore and
China’s Green and Digital Shipping
Corridor (GDSC) cooperation to the
national level, building on the
earlier established municipality-level
and provincial-level Green and Digital
Shipping Corridor (GDSC)'s with
Tianjin and Shandong, established
in 2023 and 2024 respectively.''
The MoU seeks to strengthen digitalisation
in maritime transport operations,
by promoting the use of data-driven
systems to enhance efficiency, resilience,
and transparency across the maritime
value chain.
''The establishment of the Singapore
- China Green and Digital Shipping
Corridor ( GDSC) underscores both
countries’ shared commitment
to foster innovation, enhance maritime
connectivity, and support the global
transition towards a more efficient,
resilient, and sustainable maritime
sector,'' states the MoU.
The
Southeast Asian Times
|
Thailand
military has two options
to reclaim temple
in Thailand Cambodia
border dispute
|
|
 |
| Thailand
Deputy 2nd Army commander
Maj Gen Nutt at the
Faculty of Management
Sciences, Surindra Rajabhat
University on Monday
November 3, 2025 |
|
From
News Reports:
Bangkok, November 8: Thailand's
Deputy 2nd Army commander offered
two options to reclaim the Prasat
Ta Kwai temple, known as Ta Krabey
temple by Cambodia, n the Thailand
and Cambodia border, saying “Fast
but bloody, or slow but sure,''
reports the Nation.
Deputy 2nd Army commander Maj Gen
Nutt spoke of his experience as
a former ranger commander at the
Faculty of Management Sciences,
Surindra Rajabhat University on
Monday, saying that he had two options
to reclaim the Prasat Ta Kwai temple,
known as Ta Krabey temple to Cambodia,
located on the border between Thailand's
Surin Province and Cambodia's Oddar
Meanchey Province.
''The first option to reclaim Prasat
Ta Kwai temple includes an immediate
military recapture, a direct assault
would be fast but would risk heavy
casualties,'' he said.
''The second option includes a slower,
technology-led approach, using radar
and other survey technologies to
verify and document the territory,''
he said.
Deputy 2nd Army commander Maj Gen
Nutt defended new Prime Minister
of Thailand, Anutin Charnvirakul,
decision to sign the Kuala Lumpur
Peace Accord to de-escalate the
Thailand Cambodia border conflict.
The signing of the Kuala Lumpur
Peace Accord agreement was witnessed
by Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar
Ibrahim and U.S. President Donald
Trump on the sidelines of the 47th
ASEAN Summit in Kuala Lumpur on
October 26, 2025.
''No prime minister would knowingly
harm the country, they know their
record is on the line,'' he said.
''Cambodian officials and soldiers
fear me because they know that if
they break the agreement, they're
in big trouble,'' he said.
He said that he had seen many casualties
in past clashes and that he would
not hesitate to act, ''If you don’t
believe me, ‘I’ll take
you, you try me.''
He said he had been mistaken for
a soft officer but found otherwise
in a clash and bodies were returned,
saying ''a week later it was dead
quite.''
On June 16, 2025 Cambodia Prime
Minister Hun Manet officially requested
the International Court of Justice
(ICJ) tin the Hague to intervene
in the border dispute on the Cambodian
Thailand border in four disputed
areas including the Ta Krabey temple
knows as the Prasat Ta Kwai temple
in Thailand.
The International Court of Justice
(ICJ) has not yet delivered a ruling.
Cambodia has stated the dispute
on the Cambodian Thailand border
in four disputed areas including
the Ta Krabey temple will not be
on the agenda for bilateral talks
while the case is under ICJ review.
Thailand states that it does not
recognize the International Court
of Justice (ICJ) jurisdiction in
this particular land dispute and
continues to push for a resolution
through bilateral talks via the
existing Joint Boundary Commission
(JBC).
Thailand Ambassador to Cambodia,
Prasas Prasasvinitchai, rejected
Cambodia's proposal for the Thailand-
Cambodia border dispute to be settled
by the International Court of Justice
(ICJ) in The Hague, saying ''the
border dispute should be resolved
by the Joint Boundary Commission
(JBC).''
The
Southeast Asian Times
| The
Southeast Asian Times
wishes its readers
a happy Christmas
and all the best for
the New Year with
a special thankyou
to its treasured letter
writers |
|
|
| MEDIA CHECK |
| Cambodia-China Journalist Association
(CCJA)
launched
in
Phnom
Penh ...open
here |
|
|
|
Darwin
reporter
John Loizou
asks a
survivor
of the
1965 killings
in Bali
"why didn't
you try
to stop
them"
in "Remembering
the slaughter
in Paradise"
........open page here
|
|
| Kang-Fu
the Red
Kangaroo
is relentless
in his fight
to
protect
Australia's
sovereignity...Open
page
here | |
| Bombed
by
the Americans
for Christmas
in 1972,
Ha Noi Bach
Mai hospital
is still
a war zone...Christina
Pas
reports...Open
page
here | |
| Indigenous
Australians
in the northern
Queensland
town of
East Trinity
aim for
economic
independence
from
eco-cultural
tourism,
reports
Christine
Howes in
"Australian
indigenous
eco-cultural
tourism
venture
wins best
small project
national
award
"
...open
here
| |
| Kavi
Chongkittavorn
talks about
the UK
application
to become
an ASEAN
dialogue
partner
in "New
dynamics
of Aseans
external
ties,"
with consensus
yet to be
reached
on admitting
a
former
colonial
master of
four
ASEAN
member countries
into the
Southeast
Asian bloc....open
| |
| Esther
Samboh talks
about
the
choise between
thousands
dying
of
Covid-19
or from
hunger in
densely
populated
Jakarta
in the new
normal in
"Medics
dying, infections
soaring
- it's still
the economy"
...open
page
here | |
| Australian
reporter,
Chris Ray,
investigates
why Australia
dropped
five spots
in the World
Press Freedom
Index...open | |
| Read
what Son
Nguyen has
to say about
the impact
of China's
virus on
Vietnam's
economy
in
"When
the
economy
gets sick"
open
here | |
| Has
the ancient
Syrian city
of
Palmyra
suffered
a fatal
blow, or
will it
rise again?
asks Australian
reporter
Chris Ray...
Open
page
here | |
|
Darwin
reporter
John Loizou
asks a
survivor
of the
1965 killings
in Bali
"why
didn't
you try
to
stop
them"
in "Remembering
the slaughter
in
Paradise"
........open
page here
| |
| "Goodbye
America"
says B.A.
Hamzah as
he calls
for Asians
to determine
their own
political
destiny
in "Time
for Asia
to
set it's
own course,
minus the
U.S."...open
here | |
| Is
prescribed
burning
of
grasslands
in northern
Australia
out of control?
......Chris
Ray reports
...
open page
here | |
| "Rockefeller
and the
Demise of
Ibu
Pertiwi"
by Kerry
B. Collison
"is
undoubtedly
fictional
but by no
means improbable,
"
says Johannes
Nugroho
....open
page
here | |
Viet
Nam is
planning
to go nuclear
by the year
2020.reports
John
Loizou
in
"Calculating
the costs
of nuclear
energy in
Vietnam"
...open
page here
| |
|
The
founder
of the
Revolutionary
Front
of Independent
East Timor
(Fretilin),
Mari
Alkatiri,
the now
former
Prime
Minister
of Timor
Leste,
after
losing
the May
12, 2018
election
to the
National
Congress
for Timorese
Reconstruction
(CNRT)
party,
led by
Xanana
Gusmao,
has accused
the opposition
of a coup
attempt.
Twelve
years
ago Mari
Alkatiri
also accused
the opposition
of a coup
attemp
claiming
then that
the
crises
that led
to his
resignation
was the
result
of a conspiracy.
"I
have no
doubt
about
that"
he told
Darwin
reporter
John Loizou
in an
interview
in Dili
on 6 November
2006
......open
page here
| |
|
Cuba's
302
physicians
in East
Timor
work at
five hospitals
and remote
villages
throughout
the republic...writes
Darwin
reporter
John Loizou
...open
page here
| |
| Benedict
Anderson,
a man
without
a country,
dies in
Indonesia
Jeet Heer
reports.....open
page
here | |
|
Thousands
of Northern
Australia's
indigenous
rock art
sites
are under
threat
from buffalo,
fire and
feral
animals.
Tim Lee
reports
........open
page here
| |
| Copy
of
letter
29 May 2012
from Vietnam
Womens Union
to
International
Olympic
Committee...open
here | |
| The
Southeast
Asian Times
wishes its
readers
a
happy
Christmas
and all
the best
for the
New Year
with a special
thankyou
to its treasured
letter
writers
| |
| The
Southeast
Asian
Times
wishes
its readers
a happy
Christmas
and all
the best
for the
New Year
with a
special
thankyou
to its
treasured
letter
writers
|
|
Published
by Pas Loizou Press
Darwin Northern
Territory
Australia
PASLOIZOUPRESSDARWIN@bigpond.com
|
The
Southeast
Asian
Times cannot
be
bought
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
Oz $ buys
|
|
Updated
daily.
Prices indicative only
|
US...0.7582
Brunei...1.0310
Cambodia...3,115.36
China..Yuan..5,0710
East Timor...0.7582
Euro..0.6794
HongsKong...5.8808
Indonesia Rupiah.9,997.47
Japan..78.8528
Laos..6,140.58
Malaysia Ringgit.....3.0900
Myanmar..923.19
Viet Nam Dong..16,849.44
Singapore
properties listed for sale in Myanmar
From News Reports:
Yangon, November 25: Singapore's largest property developer, the
Far East Organization, is to partner with Myanmar's property sales and marketing company, Min Zin Agency, in
Yangon to sell condos in Singapore.
Managing director of the Min Zin Agency in Yangon, Ko Kyaw Min
Zin, said that Singapore's Far East Organization has expanded
its sales and marketing efforts into Myanmar.
“The Far East Organisation has been selling their Singapore properties
to Myanmar buyers since 2009,” he said.
The Far East Organisation reportedly have over 750 properties
in Singapore’s residential, hospitality, retail, commercial and
industrial sectors,
including 45,500 or one in every six private homes in Singapore
listed with the Min Zin Agency in Yangon.
The Southeast
Asian Times
China to invest in rail and road construction
in Indonesia
From News Reports:
Jakarta, November 10: Indonesia's Railway
Corporation (PT KAI) and state construction company PT Jasa Marga
signed a memorandum of understanding
(MoU) with China Investment Fund (CIF) to develop indonesia's
railway services and toll road construction.
Witness to the signing, coordinating Minister for the Economy
Sofyan Djalil, said that the MoU will provide the groundwork for
further cooperation between China Railway and P KAI and China
Investment Fund (CIF).
"The MoU is the first step towards further development of public
services between China and Indonesia" he said.
Chinese Ambassador to Indonesia, Xie Feng said that the MoU would
spark more cooperations between China and Indonesia and would
bring about "real benefits to the public."
The Southeast Asian Times
Penang health department
shuts down soya bean factory
From News Reports:
Penang, October 19:
Five Penang food factories including a 100 year old
soya bean factory at Tanjong Bungah were ordered closed
by the state health department for failure to observe health
standards.
State health, food safety and quality
division, deputy director Ku Nafishah Ku Ariffin
said soya bean products were processed in an unclean
"rusty and moldy kitchen".
"Our inspectors found
that wet products were left to dry on "dirty" bamboo
sticks along with bathing towels. The bamboo sticks
were also dirty and dusty," she said.
A "sweets"
factory in Teluk Kumbar, a noodle factory in Simpang
Ampat and a sauce factory in Bukit Metajam were also
closed by the state health department
The Southeast Asian
Times
Fuel smugglers including military personnel
under arrest
From News Reports:
Jakarta, September 15: Riau Islands Police have arrested
30 suspects including several Indonesian Military
(TNI) personnel and seized 64 cars, two boats and
106 tons of fuel.
Riau Islands Police chief Brig.
Gen. Arman Depary said in Batam last week that the
seized cars had been modified to hold 100 litres of
fuel.
"The Military (TNI) personnel are suspected
of fuel smuggling and have been handed over to the
military base", he said.
TNI Commander Gen.
Moeldoko said that the alleged suspected fuel
smugglers are honor-based service military personnel.
The Southeast Asian
Times
Thai coup blammed for fall in tourist
arrivals
From News Reports:
Bangkok, August 18: The Thai tourism sector suffered its largest
fall in international visitors to Thailand in June, the
first month after the establishment of marshal law
and the military seizure of the Yingluck Shinawatra
government.
Tourism reportedly accounts for 10
percent of the Thai economy.
Data from the Thai
Department of Tourism shows that inernational
tourist arrival numbers in July fell by 10.9 percent compared
to the same time last year.
International arrivals in July totalled 1.91 million compared
to 2.15 million in July 2013.
Arrivals
from China with a18 percent share of all visitors to
thailand and the largest group of visitors to Thailand, fell by
25.3 percent.
Arrivals from the United
Kingdom with a 4 percent share of all visitors to
Thailand, was one of the few large markets to record
a gain, of 6.2 percent
The Southeast Asian
Times
US Senate approves sales of nuclear
equipment to Vietnam
From News Reports:
Hanoi, July 31: The US Senate Committee on Foreign Relations
passed legislation approving a 123 agreement on
civil nuclear commerce with Vietnam at a business
meeting of the committee last week.
The 123
agreement under the US Atomic energy Act of 1954 establishes
a civil nuclear commerce agreement that allows the US to
export nuclear reactors, research information and
equipment to Vietnam.
The civil nuclear commerce
agreement between the US and Vietnam is "part of
Vietnam's effort to ease its shortage of energy
towards meeting over 10 percent of the domestic power demand by
2030", reports the Vietnam News Service
The Southeast Asian
Times
Court for
construction
Industry
established
in Malaysia
From
News Reports:
Kuala Lumpur, May 3: The first two
Construction Courts for Malaysia were opened by
Chief Justice Tun Arifin Zakaria in Kuala Lumpur and
Shah Alam last week, reports the Star.
The courts
will deal with disputes in the construction industry.
Works Minister Datuk Haji Fadillah bin Haji Yusof said that the
establishment of the courts will transform the way
the construction business in the country
operates.
"The construction industry
stakerholders can now have their disputes resolved
by judges with expert knowledge and experience in
construction industry disputes', he said.
The
proposal by the Construction Industry Board (CIDB) for the
establishment of the construction courts was first put to the
Judiciary in January 2013.
Britain
is the only other country that has a specially designated
court that deals with construction industry disputes.
The
Southeast Asian Times
Bali communities want larger share of tourism revenue
From News Reports:
Denpasar, April 14: Bali
community-based tourism operators have called for
amendments to regulations that stipulate that the local
community pay the Bali regency administration 60 percent of their
total tourism revenue.
Penglipuran tourist village in Bangli, community-based tourism
manager, Nengah Moneng, said that he objected to the fact
that his community received only 40 percent of the
total revenue.
"We want to have 60 percent share
of the tourist revenue to pay for operating costs",
he said.
The Penglipuran tourism manager said
that operating costs for trekking, traditional
dance, cultural shows including religious rituals
had increased.
The cost of operating lodges and
community halls for tourism had also increased.
"An increase in revenue for not only the Bangli
community but for tourism based communities across
Bali would benefit tourism island-wide" said the
tourism manager.
The Southeast Asian
Times
Riau forest fires force
Chevron to shut down oil wells
From News Reports:
Jakarta, March 21: PT Chevron Pacific Indonesia (CPI), the
Indonesian subsidiary of US-based oil company
Chevron has shut down 573 oil wells in the Riau
province of Sumatra.
The deteriorating quality of
air due to forest fires that have been raging for
the last month has forced PT Chevron Pacific Indonesia
(CPI) to shut down its oil wells and evacuate workers and there
families.
Indonesia's upstream oil
and gas regulator, SKK Migas, public relations
officer, Handoyo Budi Santoso, said that oil assets
in Riau province are important to national crude oil production.
"The biggest production loss came from the shutdown
of Rokan block, operated by Chevron Pacific
Indonesia, the country's biggest producer of crude
oil production", he said
The Jakarta Posts
reports that potential losses are estimated at about
12,000 barrels of oil a day.
The Southeast Asian
Times
Sabah caters to influx of tourists from China
From News Reports:
Kuala Lumpur,
March 5:
The New Straits Times reports that there
was an 86 percent increase in tourist arrivals from
China
to Sabah in the last two years.
Data from the Sabah Tourism Board reportedly shows that
193,010 tourist tourists arrived in Sabah from China
in 2011 increasing to 360,361 in 2013
Sabah West Coast Coffeeshop Association chairman, Yong Chee Yun,
said coffee shop operators were catering to the
influx of tourists from China.
"Coffee shops displayed tourist friendly signs in Chinese
saying 'how are you?' and menues included China's favourite
foods", he said.
Sabah and Labuan
Chapter chairman of the Malaysian Association of
Hotels and general manager of the At Shangri-La's Tanjung Aru
Resort,
said that staff members are
encouraged to learn Mandarin.
"So that they can
converse better with guests" he said.
The Southeast Asian
Times
Pilots strike forces Merpati to cancel
flights
From News Reports:
Jakarta,January 29: A pilots strike forced State-owned PT Merpati
Nusantara Airlines to cancelled all scheduled flights
to Surabaya, Merauke and Timika on Saturday, reports
The Jakarta Post.
Merpati corporate secretary
Riswanto Chendra Putra said that the airline had not
paid salaries to pilots and cabin crew for two
months.
The Jakarta Post reports that PT Merpati
Nusantara Airlines was required to restructure its
operations.
Merpati corporate secretary Riswanto
Chendra Putra says that Merpati has signed a
memorndum of understanding (MoU) with PT Armagedon
Indonesia and PT Bentang Persada Gemilang to restructure the
company.
The airline has debts of Rp 6.5 trillion
(US$533 million) reports the Jakarta Post.
"The management would pay the salaries around March or
early April, said the Merpati corporate
secretary.
Merpati’s workers union advisory board
official, Erry Wardhana, said about 200 Merpati
pilots planned to strike again next Saturday for an
indefinite period.
"The pilots would strike until
1,600 Merpati employees were paid", he said.
The union advisory board official says that this is the
first time that Merpati workers have gone on strike
over unpaid wages.
The pilots are owed wages for
December and January reports the Jakarta
Post.
The
Southeast Asian Times
| |
