Daily News on the Southeast Asian Region
4 March 2015 (pm) - 5 March 2015 (am) |
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| 4. |
Malaysia PM calls in auditor-general to verify 1MDB accounts: The fund, which bills itself as a "development fund" in the national interest, has racked up debts of more than Rm42bn in questionable deals, opposition politicians and foreign media reports have claimed. Mr Najib's office said on Wednesday that "following recent media reports on 1MDB", the prime minister had called 1MDB and its auditors, Deloitte, before the cabinet. Deloitte had provided an overview of its engagement with 1MDB and confirmed that the firm had "audited and verified the company's accounts". Jeremy Grant
Financial Times, 4 March 2015
http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/0/670fd7a4-c264-11e4-ad89-00144feab7de.html - axzz3TTEN5kzY
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| 5. |
Malaysian families joining IS on the rise: Special Branch's Counter-Terrorism Division (SB-CTD) principal assistant director Senior Assistant Commissioner Datuk Ayob Khan Mydin Pitchay said five children aged between one and 12 years were also brought by their parents to Syria. Ayob Khan said so far at least 500 Facebook accounts were identified as carrying out activities to promote, recruit and attempt to encourage Malaysians to fight in Syria. He said there was no benchmark to indicate that the involvement of Malaysian nationals with the IS was declining although many arrests and operations had been carried out with the involvement of youths in their 20's being the highest. New Straits Times, 4 March 2015
http://www.nst.com.my/node/75053
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| 6. |
State govt to control house price through new policy: Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan said this was one of the essence contained in the new state housing policy that would be finalised soon. He said developers were also required to allocate 50 per cent for the Bumiputera quota in any housing scheme, compared to 30 per cent previously. "I do not want to see a housing area inhabited mostly by one race and we want to create a system or policy that brings more harmony," he said. New Straits Times, 4 March 2015
http://www.nst.com.my/node/75061
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| 7. |
IMF Executive Board Concludes Article IV Consultation with Malaysia: Growth accelerated to 5.9 percent, aided by robust domestic private demand and a recovery in exports. Lower energy costs helped contain inflation to 3.1 percent despite the removal of fuel subsidies and increase in electricity tariffs. Investment sustained its rising trend, reaching 26.8 percent of GDP in 2014, fueled by accommodative financial conditions and continued public spending on infrastructure. [The full report "2014 Article IV Consultation-Staff Report; Press Release; and Statement by the Executive Director for Malaysia" will be included in next issue of Weekly Articles Alert]
IMF, 3 March 2015
http://www.imf.org/external/np/sec/pr/2015/pr1588.htm
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Indonesia
| 8. |
Capital punishment - Jokowi's twin policy positions: Regardless, Jokowi's strategy seems to be a successful one - at least on a domestic level - aided perhaps by a perception that perpetrators of drug trafficking are largely foreigners. Jokowi has also gained significant traction from appearing to be unswayed by international pressure; shaping the issue into one of national identity and suggesting (inaccurately, as it happens) that any and all appeals constitute an affront to Indonesia's sovereignty. Sarah Gill, Perth
Jakarta Post, 5 March 2015
http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2015/03/05/capital-punishment-jokowi-s-twin-policy-positions.html
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| 9. |
Wanted: More politicians: Jokowi could use many more friends and a new potential one is the Golkar Party under Agung Laksono, the camp recognized by part of the party's committee tasked to resolve the party's leadership dispute. Despite the committee chairman's ruling announced Tuesday, the two other committee members said any settlement should wait for a Supreme Court ruling on the petition of the rival camp under Aburizal Bakrie. As the leadership conflict in the United Development Party (PPP) is also hinging on a Supreme Court ruling, only the medium-size National Mandate Party (PAN) has peacefully changed guard. These squabbles impress nobody, worsening already low confidence in graft-tainted political parties. Yet we need many more and better politicians to improve and establish new parties if necessary, so we can move further away from the remnants of the New Order. Jakarta Post, 5 March 2015
http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2015/03/05/wanted-more-politicians.html
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| 10. |
Indonesia's GDP Revision: A Crisper Snapshot: Thanks to the new methodology, more detailed sectoral data are now available, while the historically large discrepancy between production- and expenditure-side GDP shrinks. Economists and policymakers will be chewing over the new data and teasing out their additional implications, including for GDP forecasts, for some time to come. Alex Sienaert, World Bank Jakarta
The Establishment Post, 5 March 2015
http://www.establishmentpost.com/indonesias-gdp-revision-crisper-snapshot/
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| 11. |
Indonesians in UK donate 20 kilograms of coins to Australia: A group of Indonesians residing in London donated 20 kilograms of coins packed in a luggage to the Australian High Commissioner, here Tuesday, as part of the Coins for Australia campaign. The campaign was organized in response to Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott's recent statement linking his country's funds for assisting the tsunami victims in Aceh in 2004 with the case of the two convicted drug smugglers due to be executed. Antara News, 4 March 2015
http://www.antaranews.com/en/news/97967/indonesians-in-uk-donate-20-kilograms-of-coins-to-australia
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| 12. |
National scene: IS recruiting through tour programs: The government has acknowledged that the Islamic State (IS) militant group has a new way of recruiting people: tourism activities. "There is a new mode of IS member recruitment through tour activities," Coordinating Political, Legal and Security Affairs Minister Tedjo Edhy Purdijatno said on Tuesday. He said that the National Police and the National Intelligence Agency (BIN) had gathered data on the new mode of recruitment. Jakarta Post, 4 March 2015
http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2015/03/04/national-scene-is-recruiting-through-tour-programs-minister.html
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| 13. |
Indonesian Drug Business Generates Rp 13 T: Troels Vester, manager of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), said that drug abuse cases in Indonesia have increased over the past five to 10 years. Vester warned that drug dealing have becoming an organized crime in Indonesia. "We estimate that Indonesia has a methamphetamine production worth more than US$1 billion," he said. "This is a very profitable business for these illegal goods producers." Bali Moniaga, expert staff of legal and international division at the National Narcotics Agency (BNN), confirmed that Indonesia is currently experiencing a drug emergency. In order to solve the problem, Vester said the Indonesian government must implement a balanced solution, meaning that the battle against drugs must come from all elements. On one hand, drug users must not be directly put to jail, but should be rehabilitated. On the other hand, Indonesia needs to have better records of intelligence and profiles of port containers. Tempo, 4 March 2015
http://en.tempo.co/read/news/2015/03/04/055647091/Indonesian-Drug-Business-Generates-Rp-13-T
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| 14. |
Indonesia foresees diplomatic strain as Bali Nine pair arrive on execution island: Indonesia's ambassador to Australia, Nadjib Riphat Kesoema, said he expected the executions would strain diplomatic relations between the two countries, but added, "our relations [are] far beyond the interests of the two people". The Indonesian president, Joko Widodo, reportedly told a cabinet meeting to take the Australian government's concerns seriously and monitor its reaction. "We realise it creates a kind of tension between Indonesia and Australia," the cabinet secretary, Andi Widjajanto, said. "We had the same tension before with the Netherlands' government ... And so we take the concerns from our friendly neighbours seriously." The Guardian, 4 March 2015
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/mar/04/indonesia-foresees-diplomatic-strain-as-bali-nine-pair-arrive-on-execution-island
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| 15. |
Editorial: Sunshine Needed on Sweetheart Deals: The government needs to explain clearly and honestly why it wants to allow miners to renew contracts more than two years before they expire. Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Sudirman Said's recent suggestion that contracts ought to be extended up to 10 years before their expiry makes little sense. The Jakarta Globe, 4 March 2015
http://thejakartaglobe.beritasatu.com/opinion/editorial-sunshine-needed-sweetheart-deals/
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| 16. |
Indonesian Soldiers Ordered to Watch 'The Look of Silence': Hundreds of members of the military command in Central Java's capital, Semarang, attended the screening of "Senyap" ("The Look of Silence") last week by award-winning American director Joshua Oppenheimer - a documentary movie on Indonesia's bloody past of anti-communist purge, which has often been blamed on the Indonesian Military. The Jakarta Globe, 4 March 2015
http://thejakartaglobe.beritasatu.com/news/indonesian-soldiers-ordered-watch-look-silence/
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| 17. |
Jokowi Pleads for 'Harmony' Between KPK, Police: Speaking in an exclusive interview with BeritaSatu TV aired late on Tuesday, Joko said it was important for the antigraft agency, known as the KPK, to cooperate with the National Police and the Attorney General's Office. "They must go hand in hand, help each other. They must create a synergy in the fight against corruption. This must be the focus," he said. "If these cooperations are established ... there are a lot of things we can do to combat corruption. But if [each institution] follows its own ego, working alone, not sharing information, then this is what happens." The Jakarta Globe, 4 March 2015
http://thejakartaglobe.beritasatu.com/news/jokowi-pleads-harmony-kpk-police/
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| 18. |
Ministry Indicates Change in Regulation for Miners: The government plans to revise a regulation to allow miners to submit their request to renew contracts 10-years before the contracts' expiry date, an official at the Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry said on Wednesday. He said if the government stick to the old regulation, which current requires miners to submit renewal requests at the fastest two years before the contract expire, then "nobody would want to invest." The Jakarta Globe, 4 March 2015
http://thejakartaglobe.beritasatu.com/business/ministry-indicates-change-regulation-miners/
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| 19. |
THE SHORT ANSWER: Death Row Diplomacy in Indonesia: Indonesia is preparing to execute nine foreigners convicted of drug crimes following executions in January of five such convicts and one Indonesian. The executions have strained relations with several countries that have nationals on death row, including Australia. Brazil and the Netherlands have both withdrawn their ambassadors. President Joko Widodo says he's combatting a "drug emergency" and has denied clemency requests. More than 130 people are currently on death row in Indonesia; around 30% come from other countries. Sara Schonhardt
Wall Street Journal, 4 March 2015
http://blogs.wsj.com/briefly/2015/03/04/death-row-diplomacy-in-indonesia-the-short-answer/
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Singapore
| 20. |
50 years to get rich, now let's get wealthy': What was also relevant was Nominated MP Tan Tai Yong's sober reminder that perhaps Singapore isn't so resilient after all.The history professor identifies two types of resilience. The first, alleviation, refers to the ability to carry on "business as usual". He calls this R1.This means, for example, building the future to continuously improve the infrastructure so that Singaporeans are spared discomfort. Not enough trains? Build more. Water shortage? Have enough in reservoirs to avoid having to ration water.The other type of resilience, which Professor Tan dubs R2, refers to adaptation: recognising new realities and adapting. Straits Times, 5 March 2015
http://www.straitstimes.com/premium/singapore/story/50-years-get-rich-now-lets-get-wealthy-20150305
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| 21. |
Calls by several MPs for Govt to be prudent in spending: Mr Ong Teng Koon (Sembawang GRC) supported the Government's move to include Temasek Holdings in the NIR framework, a step that will allow the Government to spend up to 50 per cent of Temasek's long-term expected returns to the service of the nation. But he urged the Government to be "prudent" in spending down its "critical mass of reserves".Mr Ong Teng Koon also called for the Government to establish a "robust" framework to determine the value of its expected long-term returns from Temasek, GIC and the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS). Straits Times, 5 March 2015
http://www.straitstimes.com/premium/singapore/story/calls-several-mps-govt-be-prudent-spending-20150305
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| 23. |
Silver Support 'must not replace family support': Family is still a key pillar of social support, and the duty to care for seniors should not fall solely on the Government, said Mr David Ong (Jurong GRC) and Mr Alex Yam (Chua Chu Kang GRC).Mr Ong said: "It will go against the spirit and intent of this meaningful scheme if children take a step back, reduce or stop their support for their elderly parents who now have help from the Silver Support Scheme. Straits Times, 5 March 2015
http://www.straitstimes.com/premium/singapore/story/silver-support-must-not-replace-family-support-20150305
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| 28. |
NLB saga: Author defends controversial book: The grandmother of six travelled here with her husband at the invitation of Yale-NUS College's Professor Robin Hemley, the event's organiser. Prof Hemley said the event was inspired by last year's book controversy, where at least six titles were removed by the NLB. Two were reinstated: The White Swan Express and And Tango Makes Three, which features two male penguins who raise a chick. Straits Times, 4 March 2015
http://www.straitstimes.com/premium/singapore/story/nlb-saga-author-defends-controversial-book-20150304
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| 29. |
Singapore and the Worldview of Lee Kuan Yew: I believe it is not out of place to approach the study of Singapore's foreign policy through the perspective of Lee Kuan Yew. According to S. Rajaratnam, the first and longest serving foreign minister of Singapore, Singapore's foreign policy was shaped principally by him and Lee Kuan Yew, with contributions from Dr. Goh Keng Swee (the first defence and finance minister) when there were economic implications. Indeed, historians who have perused the archival documents, both in Singapore and abroad, would attest that it is impossible to re-construct the history of Singapore's foreign policy without constant reference to Lee because he figures so prominently in most of the documents. Ang Cheng Guan, Head of Graduate Studies at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies Nanyang Technological University, Singapore.
The Diplomat, 4 March 2015
http://thediplomat.com/2015/03/singapore-and-the-worldview-of-lee-kuan-yew/
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| 32. |
WP Sylvia Lim's budget speech - 'Left is Right': As I listened to the Deputy Prime Minister deliver Budget 2015, I noted some difference in tone and approach from the past. From a traditional stance of emphasizing individual responsibility and treating cross-subsidies with disdain, we see the language of "collective responsibility", giving Singaporeans "greater assurance at each stage of life", "strengthening our social security system" and using not just "hard heads" but "warm hearts". Sylvia Lim, MP for Aljunied GRC
TR Emeritus, 4 March 2015
http://www.tremeritus.com/2015/03/04/wp-sylvia-lims-budget-speech-left-is-right/
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| 34. |
Letpadan tension sparks return to nationwide education protests: Protesting students and their supporters in Letpadan awoke on Wednesday to a reinforced police blockade.Barbed wire fences cut a rift between demonstrators and police, where the night before officers and students had ended a nervous day by chatting and sharing snacks. [news contains 3-minute video clip]
Democratic Voice of Burma, 4 March 2015
http://www.dvb.no/dvb-video/letpadan-tension-sparks-return-nationwide-education-protests/48943
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| 36. |
Kokang commander says KIA helping in the fight: The head of Kokang rebel forces in Myanmar has implicated a neighbouring armed ethnic group as helping in its struggle against the army, according to Voice of America on March 3. In an exclusive interview in Mandarin with Peng Daren, the commander of Kokang rebels, the Kachin Independence Army was fingered as one of the groups who are fighting alongside his forces in northern Shan State. Mizzima, 4 March 2015
http://www.mizzima.com/mizzima-news/myanmar/item/18370-kokang-commander-says-kia-helping-in-the-fight
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| 37. |
China Forces Thousands of Kokang Refugees Back to Myanmar: Tens of thousands of refugees from fighting in the northern Myanmar region of Kokang near the border with China are being evicted from at least two camps in China, refugees and aid workers said on Wednesday. Radio Free Asia, 4 March 2015
http://www.rfa.org/english/news/myanmar/forces-03042015105029.html
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| 38. |
Students Leaders Blocked From Parliamentary Hearing on National Education Law: Six student leaders from a protest group calling for educational reform in Myanmar will not be able to join a parliamentary hearing on amendments to the nation's controversial education law on Thursday, while a regional police chief has pledged not to violently crack down on the protestors. Radio Free Asia, 4 March 2015
http://www.rfa.org/english/news/myanmar/student-protestors-in-letpadan-03042015154435.html
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| 40. |
How China Fuels Myanmar's Wars: China has publicly distanced itself from the Kokang conflict and maintained neutrality. But Chinese-led development projects have long stoked the ethnic tensions and military conflicts in Myanmar, particularly in recent years. The fighting between the Myanmar military and another ethnic armed group, the Kachin Independence Army, is a prime example of how China's business interests have inflamed the wars. Deadly clashes between the Myanmar military and the K.I.A. reignited in 2011 near the Taping hydropower dam - a project operated by China Datang Corporation, a state-owned firm. Matthew Smith
The New York Times, 4 March 2015
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/03/05/opinion/how-china-fuels-myanmars-wars.html?_r=0
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Vietnam
| 41. |
Gov't plans to extend health cover to 75 per cent. The Vietnamese Government hopes to achieve 75 per cent health insurance coverage this year and 80 per cent by 2020, Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung said yesterday. The Ministry of Health reported that in 2014, health insurance covered 71.6 per cent of the population, realising the target of more than over 70 per cent set in the blueprint, but falling short of the 75 per cent mandated by the National Assembly. Viet Nam News, 5 March 2015
http://vietnamnews.vn/politics-laws/267092/govt-plans-to-extend-health-cover-to-75.html
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| 43. |
VN declares role on human rights: Head of the Vietnamese delegation, Deputy Foreign Minister Nguyen Quoc Cuong, said his nation supported dialogues and co-operation, upheld international law, promoted consensus, and worked to reduce confrontation and impositions of opinions in discussions at council. Viet Nam News, 5 March 2015
http://vietnamnews.vn/politics-laws/267089/vn-declares-role-on-human-rights.html
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| 44. |
Focus on Market Economy Could Spur Recognition of Vietnam's NGOs: A recent proposal by Vietnam's ruling Communist Party to update the definition of the country's economic policy will likely force official recognition of independent civil society groups to bridge the gap between the government and the people, according to economists, activists and lawyers. Hanoi-based economist Ngo Tri Long told RFA's Vietnamese Service that the new policy definition will require the government to recognize independent civil society groups, in addition to those already operating under state sanction, in order to legitimize its embrace of a market-based economy. Radio Free Asia, 4 March 2015
http://www.rfa.org/english/news/vietnam/ngos-03042015150620.html
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| 45. |
Nghe An to develop key economic areas. The central Nghe An province will build three key economic zones that are expected to accelerate the local socio-economic development, according to the provincial department of planning and investment. Accordingly, these economic areas will comprise Vinh City, Cua Lo Town and the southeastern districts along with the southern area of Nghe An and the neighbouring Ha Tinh Province's northern area; the Hoang Mai-Quynh Luu area, the southern area of Thanh Hoa Province and the northern area of Nghe An; and western Nghe An, with the centre being Nghia Dan District-Thai Hoa Town-Quy Hop District. Viet Nam News, 4 March 2015
http://vietnamnews.vn/society/267076/nghe-an-to-develop-key-economic-areas.html
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| 47. |
Vietnam to bid low for rice-export contract with Philippines: Vietnamese rice exporters are expected to offer low prices in an aim to win a contract to sell 500,000 tons of rice to the Philippines. Their major competitor in the bidding war is Thailand.The National Food Authority (NFA) of the Philippines has invited bids, with rice deliveries required before April 30. The agency plans to choose suppliers and sign contracts before March 10. Several local newspapers have quoted NFA as saying that Thailand will sell 100,000 tons of 15 percent broken white rice and 100,000 tons of 25 percent broken rice at $369 and $421 per ton, respectively. VietNamNet Bridge, 4 March 2015
http://english.vietnamnet.vn/fms/business/124488/vietnam-to-bid-low-for-rice-export-contract-with-philippines.html
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| 48. |
HCM City ups the ante on FDI: HCM City has cumulatively attracted 5,300 foreign direct investment (FDI) projects and US$36 billion in pledged investment, city leaders announced at a March 4 meeting with foreign investors. Last year investment in the city hit a record high US$2.88 billion, triple the amount in 2013 and the city led the nation in FDI attraction. In the first two months of this year alone, the city has issued investment certificates totalling US$500 million, an on-year increase of 170%. Voice of Vietnam, 4 March 2015
http://english.vov.vn/Economy/HCM-City-ups-the-ante-on-FDI/288428.vov
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| 49. |
Vietnam Economy: Q&A With the IMF's Sanjay Kalra: Progress is being made in the structural reforms, but the pace needs to accelerate and much remains to be done to reform the banking sector and SOEs. Vu Throng Khanh (Journalist), Nguyen Anh Thu (Journalist) & Sanjay Kalra (Interviewee, International Monetary Fund's resident representative for Vietnam)
Wall Street Journal, 4 March 2015
http://blogs.wsj.com/economics/2015/03/04/vietnam-economy-qa-with-the-imfs-sanjay-kalra/
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| 50. |
Russia's First Deputy Foreign Minister visits Vietnam: Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh held a reception in Hanoi on March 3 for Russia's First Deputy Foreign Minister Vladimir Titov during his working visit to Vietnam. Minh spoke highly of the results of cooperation between the countries, particularly in politics-diplomacy, economics-trade, security-defence and interpersonal exchange. He affirmed the maintenance of the two ministries' political consultation mechanism has contributed significantly to the efficiency of cooperative programmes. Voice of Vietnam, 3 March 2015
http://english.vov.vn/Politics/Russias-First-Deputy-Foreign-Minister-visits-Vietnam/288387.vov
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Thailand
| 51. |
4% floor seen for H1 GDP growth. Economic growth of at least 4% is expected in the first half, underpinned by a low base effect from the year-before period, improving domestic consumption and speedier budget disbursement, say economists. Growth is estimated at 4.4% in the first quarter and 3.8% in the second quarter, said Kampon Adireksombat, chief economist at Tisco Financial Group. Pathom Sangwongwanich
Bangkok Post, 5 March 2015
http://www.bangkokpost.com/business/news/489542/4-floor-seen-for-h1-gdp-growth
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| 52. |
Charter draft needs fixing. Constitution Drafting Committee (CDC) chairman Borwornsak Uwanno pins high hopes on the constitution which is currently being drafted by a panel under his supervision. He said he hopes it would be the last for Thailand. Many Thais also share his wish to see the new constitution as a permanent one without the risk of it meeting an abrupt end by a coup d'etat. What they also wish to see is a charter that responds to their democratic aspirations. If the political history of this country is anything to go by, however, the longevity of any charter does not depend on whether it is a good or bad one. Bangkok Post, 5 March 2015
http://www.bangkokpost.com/opinion/opinion/489182/charter-draft-needs-fixing
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| 53. |
Freedom without responsibility can divide societies. Human rights are integral to our lives. They belong to each and every one of us. Respect for human rights must begin at home, in school, in the workplace, in the community, in public spaces, in fact, everywhere. What we must take into account, however, is that each society has its own contexts, ones which are not easy for insiders to untangle, nor for outsiders to understand. Therefore, we must be careful not to take human rights for granted. Tanasak Patimapragorn
Bangkok Post, 5 March 2015
http://www.bangkokpost.com/opinion/opinion/489222/freedom-without-responsibility-can-divide-societies
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| 54. |
Junta faces two-year ban from politics. The "Five Rivers" to true democracy may run dry for at least two years after the new constitution takes effect to cut short the possible perpetuation of political power. The Five Rivers refer to the key elements to realising true democracy portrayed by junta leader Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha shortly after the May 22, 2014 coup. They are the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO), the National Legislative Assembly (NLA), the National Reform Council (NRC), the CDC and the cabinet. Aekarach Sattaburuth
Bangkok Post, 5 March 2015
http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/politics/488841/junta-faces-two-year-ban-from-politics
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| 55. |
Political model faces testing times ahead. The Charter Drafting Committee (CDC) has announced the new charter's four main objectives. All are high-minded goals. The question is whether the new charter can attain them. The committee's goals are: Citizen power, clean politics, a just society, and national prosperity. The charter drafters say more civic rights and participation, effective anti-corruption measures, and a balanced political system with checks and balances are needed to achieve them. Nattaya Chetchotiros
Bangkok Post, 5 March 2015
http://www.bangkokpost.com/opinion/opinion/489324/political-model-faces-testing-times-ahead
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| 56. |
Thai Economy Limps into 2015: A little more than three weeks after proclaiming that a second round of economic stimulus measures was unnecessary Thailand's military-led junta has been forced to introduce additional economy stoking measures in the wake of disastrous January financial figures and an announcement by GM that it will be scaling back production at its Rayong factory as part of a global company realignment. John Le Fevre
The Establishment Post, 5 March 2015
http://www.establishmentpost.com/thai-economy-limps-2015/
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| 57. |
US-Thai relations strained as Washington scorns Bangkok military rulers. Thailand is a major US ally in Asia. However, compared with the alliances with Japan, South Korea, the Philippines and Australia, the US alliance with Thailand has been rockier. Song Qingrun
Bangkok Post, 4 March 2015
http://www.globaltimes.cn/content/910232.shtml
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| 58. |
A battle we must all wage: The fight for women's equality requires collective efforts to eliminate the prejudice and hypocrisy that are prevalent at all levels of society. Sexual harassment and domestic violence against women and girls are still common in Thailand, as are forms of inequality in the workplace. And the struggle against such discrimination belongs to every one of us, not just to feminists and rights advocates. To win this fight in Thailand, we require collective efforts to eliminate the prejudice and hypocrisy that are prevalent at all levels of society. The Nation, 4 March 2015
http://www.nationmultimedia.com/opinion/A-battle-we-must-all-wage-30255303.html
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Philippines
| 60. |
DOJ asks MILF for copy of its Mamasapano probe report: In an effort to balance its investigation of the Jan. 25 Mamasapano clash, the Department of Justice (DOJ) is reaching out to the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) anew and asking the group for a copy of its own probe of the incident, Justice Secretary Leila de Lima said on Wednesday. De Lima also called on Congress to resume deliberations on the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL), saying legislative work on the bill should not be affected by the clash that took the lives of 44 Philippine National Police Special Action Force (SAF) commandos. Nancy C. Carvajal, Tarra Quismundo
Philippine Daily Inquirer, 5 March 2015
http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/676952/doj-asks-milf-for-copy-of-its-mamasapano-probe-report
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| 61. |
Palace to critics: Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. noted that the law Congress would pass would be based on the draft submitted by the Palace. "Expressing doubts (over the BBL) is part of the democratic dialogue and understanding comes once questions are clarified," Coloma told reporters. "Let's also ask those expressing these views, 'Have they read the (draft) law?'" Christian V. Esguerra, Leila B. Salaverria
Philippine Daily Inquirer, 5 March 2015
http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/676943/palace-to-critics-read-the-122-page-bbl-first
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| 62. |
Take 2 for Aquino: SAF troopers open up.They opened up to their Commander in Chief the second time around, some speaking out their minds that their daring effort that got a Malaysian terrorist at the heavy cost of 44 lives was under appreciated. Nikko Dizon
Philippine Daily Inquirer, 5 March 2015
http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/676938/take-2-for-aquino-saf-troopers-open-up
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| 63. |
The next president. Every time the country faces a crisis, we tend to go back to the question that has obsessed us since independence-what kind of president can best lead us? Randy David
Philippine Daily Inquirer, 5 March 2015
http://opinion.inquirer.net/83072/the-next-president-2
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| 64. |
Thousands flee as Philippines military hunts Muslim rebels: About 45,000 people have fled their homes in the impoverished southern Philippines as the military hunts Islamic militants, including a top terror suspect wanted by the United States, authorities said Wednesday.Soldiers have killed dozens of members of the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF), a rebel group fighting for an independent Muslim homeland in the south, since the operation began last month, the military said. Straits Times, 4 March 2015
http://www.straitstimes.com/news/asia/south-east-asia/story/thousands-flee-philippines-military-hunts-muslim-rebels-20150304
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Brunei Darussalam
| 65. |
BEDB works on industrial parks to woo foreign firms. THE Brunei Economic Development Board is planning and developing a number of industrial parks with necessary infrastructure and utilities to draw foreign investors to Brunei. This facilitation and support for foreign direct investments is part of BEDB's efforts to grow and diversify Brunei's economy, said the economic development body in a press statement issued yesterday. Koo Jin Shen
Brunei Times, 5 March 2015
http://www.bt.com.bn/business-national/2015/03/05/bedb-works-industrial-parks-woo-foreign-firms
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Cambodia
| 66. |
Khmer Rouge Tribunal: Two more charged, but not indicted: It appears Prime Minister Hun Sen had at least an inkling that Judge Harmon was about to act, since he delivered a familiar warning against further cases being heard at the ECCC last week. He claimed that if further cases went before the tribunal there was a risk of war breaking out. So, not for the first time, Hun Sen has shown his deep displeasure at the role played by international elements within the ECCC. For Judge You to now go ahead and endorse his international colleague's decision against the Prime Minister's wishes seems unlikely. Interpreter, 5 March 2015
http://www.lowyinterpreter.org/post/2015/03/05/Khmer-Rouge-Tribunal-Two-more-charged-but-not-indicted.aspx?COLLCC=4274280636&
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| 68. |
Cambodian casinos look to win from China anti-graft crackdown: Cambodia has long drawn tourists to sights ranging from the Khmer Rouge killing fields to the magnificent temples of Angkor. Now the country is looking to a new market: Chinese gamblers who are deserting Macau, the region's traditional casino hub.'If you are Chinese, you go to Macau and what's there? Michael Peel
Financial Times, 4 March 2015
http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/0/53452978-bd9f-11e4-9d09-00144feab7de.html
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ASEAN/Southeast Asia
| 69. |
How Southeast Asia is responding to ISIS: The horrors of ISIS have reverberated across Southeast Asia. Buddhist extremists in Myanmar are using the barbarism of the group to justify its Islamaphobia, as are some Thais in that country's long running conflict against Muslim insurgents in the south. But the biggest impact, and where concern is understandably deepest, is in Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines, where jihadi groups have long had a foothold. Some of these groups have declared bai'at (allegiance) to ISIS, including Abu Sayyaf in the Philippines and Mujahidin Indonesia Timor and Jamaah Anshorul Tauhid in Indonesia (causing a split in the latter group, explained here and here). Elliot Brennan Interpreter, 5 March 2015
http://www.lowyinterpreter.org/post/2015/03/05/How-should-we-respond-to-ISIS-in-Southeast-Asia.aspx?COLLCC=383911860&
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| 70. |
Asean's missing links need to be bridged: Three emerging trends highlight the importance of addressing these challenges. First, with greater exchanges and cheaper modes of travel, people-to-people, business-to-business and government-to-government links are stronger than in the past. Moe Thuzar is a lead researcher for socio-cultural affairs at the Asean Studies Centre, the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies
Straits Times, 5 March 2015
http://www.straitstimes.com/premium/opinion/story/aseans-missing-links-need-be-bridged-20150305
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| 71. |
A diverse workforce critical in driving growth: There has been increasing discussion in recent times around the importance of building talent diversity and inclusiveness in the workplace. Diversity typically means ensuring employees better reflect the company's or brand's customer base in categories such as gender, generation, ethnicity and (dis)ability (inherent diversity); and recruiting people with a wide range of skills, experiences and industry backgrounds (acquired diversity). Of the 76 South-east Asian CEOs polled, 95 per cent believe their current or future strategy to promote diversity has or will enhance business performance, while 93 per cent agree that being diverse will strengthen their reputation and attract talent. Karen Loon is a Partner and PwC Singapore's Diversity Leader. Lim Maan Huey is a financial services tax partner at PwC.
Today, 5 March 2015
http://www.todayonline.com/commentary/diverse-workforce-critical-driving-growth
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Asia Pacific
| 72. |
Defense budget rise echoes nation's growth: Fu Ying, spokeswoman for China's National People's Congress told reporters on Wednesday that China's defense budget will increase by roughly 10 percent. China's defense budget in 2014 is 808.2 billion yuan, and another rise of 10 percent will see the budget go beyond $140 billion in 2015. Ranking second after the US on the list of countries by military expenditure, China's defense budget is approximately the sum of the third and the fourth's budgets, but still way behind the US. The US spends more on defense than the next 14 countries combined. Fu said the Chinese, from lawmakers to ordinary people, are in favor of the military budget rise. Global Times, 5 March 2015
http://www.globaltimes.cn/content/910283.shtml
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| 73. |
China's military budget to increase 'about 10 per cent', lowest rise in five years: Fu Ying, the plenum spokeswoman for the National People's Congress, said this year's defence budget rise would be on par with spending growth of the central government. Beijing officially increased its military budget by 12.2 per cent last year to 808 billion yuan, though overseas analysts believe the real figure may be much higher than that. Still, that figure is about a quarter of the US defence budget, a proposed US$534 billion this year in addition to US$51 billion for the conflicts in Afghanistan, Iraq and Syria. Teddy Ng and Minnie Chan in Beijing
South China Morning Post, 5 March 2015
http://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/1729201/china-increase-spending-military-10-cent-year-says-npc-spokeswoman?
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| 74. |
Did Japan Just Change Its Attitude Toward South Korea? On the MOFA's website, Japan used to describe South Korea as "an important neighboring country that shares basic values with Japan such as freedom, democracy, and a market economy." However, as of March 4, the description had changed to simply call South Korea Japan's "most important neighboring country." Yuki Asaba, associate professor of political science at the the Policy Research Center of the University of Niigata Prefecture, explained in an interview with Asahi that deteriorating South Korea-Japan relations mean "it is becoming difficult for politicians to call for sharing a sense of values." But, Asaba added, "it is a signal toward the improvement of relations that [Japan] maintained the expression 'important neighboring country.'" Tae-jun Kang
The Diplomat, 5 March 2015
http://thediplomat.com/2015/03/did-japan-just-change-its-attitude-toward-south-korea/
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| 75. |
The Target China Should Have Set: If Chinese leaders are serious about shifting to a growth model driven by consumer demand, they need to focus on raising incomes as broadly as possible. As I pointed out in a Feb. 13 column, China's 7 to 8 percent growth in recent years isn't padding middle-class incomes as much as those of poor families. In addition to its revised GDP target, China should announce a new mission to expand and lift the middle class and empower tens of millions more to leave poverty behind and join their wealthier comrades. Transparency must be a key part of the process. There's no reliable data series on median Chinese wages. William Pesek
Bloomberg, 4 March 2015
http://www.bloombergview.com/articles/2015-03-05/lower-china-gdp-target-isn-t-right-metric-wages-are
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| 76. |
The myth of China's overseas energy investment: The interests of China's resource companies and associations do not always accord with those of the government and are sometimes in direct conflict with them. Just as Eric Downs points out that, one of the primary complaints Chinese policymakers and pundits make about the overseas investment of Chinese SOEs is that 'each soldier is fighting his own war', with each company placing their corporate interests above national ones. Zhao Hongtu is Research Professor, Institute for World Economic Studies, China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations (CICIR).
East Asia Forum, 4 March 2015
http://www.eastasiaforum.org/2015/03/04/the-myth-of-chinas-overseas-energy-investment/
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| 77. |
Why Is Michelle Obama Visiting Asia? Japan and Cambodia are both seen as important countries in furthering Let Girls Learn, and the two visits are significant for different reasons. In Japan, where she will be from March 18-20, the First Lady said in her remarks Tuesday that she will be meeting the wife of Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Akie Abe, who she says "shares her passions and is eager to partner" in the initiative. She will also meet the current U.S. Ambassador Caroline Kennedy, daughter of former U.S. President John F. Kennedy who founded the Peace Corps. She will reportedly highlight plans to increase cooperation between the U.S. Peace Corps and Japan's Overseas Cooperation Volunteers. Prashanth Parameswaran
The Diplomat, 4 March 2015
http://thediplomat.com/2015/03/why-michelle-obama-is-visiting-asia/
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East/South China Sea
| 78. |
???????????????????????: ?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????4????????????????????????????????????????"???????????????"?"??????????????"???????????????????????????????????????????????????????4?????????????????????????? ???, 5 March 2015
http://world.huanqiu.com/exclusive/2015-03/5820327.html
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| 79. |
Chinese Land Reclamation Pushes Boundaries: Dramatic new satellite imagery demonstrating China's efforts to reclaim land and construct facilities in the South China Sea has prompted concern among policy makers in Washington. Beijing's military strides and diplomatic coercion have combined to prompt nearly every country in the region to increase its defense investments and deepen security ties with its neighbors and the U.S. And China's recent conduct has undermined a charm offensive that includes pledges of large-scale Chinese investment in regional infrastructure. Richard Fontaine
Wall Street Journal, 3 March 2015
http://www.wsj.com/articles/richard-fontaine-chinese-land-reclamation-pushes-boundaries-1425405550
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Climate Change
| 80. |
The "Pause" in Global Warming Is Finally Explained: Let's be clear: The planet is still getting hotter. The so-called pause, or hiatus, in global warming means the rate of temperature rise has slowed. The average global temperature is still going up, but in the past 10 to 15 years it hasn't been going up as quickly as it was in the decades before. Although the ongoing increase is trouble, a slower rate is preferable. The question is: Why did the slowdown occur-and how long will it last? Mark Fischetti
Scientific American, 26 February 2015
http://blogs.scientificamerican.com/observations/2015/02/26/the-pause-in-global-warming-is-finally-explained/
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