1.

Stop the violence, don't limit freedom, activists tell Putrajaya after Paris killings: "People must also remember that freedom of speech means hearing things you don't like. So it's highly likely that someone somewhere is offended every day by something that is said," said Ambiga."I am of the view that even Perkasa is entitled to freedom of speech as long as there is no tendency to cause harm."The best way to respond to them is to either ignore them or present your argument against them," the activist added, referring to controversial Malay right-wing group Perkasa.Ambiga said in Malaysia, freedom of speech has been reduced to a "meaningless right", citing the government's plans to strengthen the Sedition Act 1948, which critics have denounced as a tool to quell dissent, and the investigation under the colonial-era law against lawyer Eric Paulsen last week.Paulsen, co-founder of human rights group Lawyers for Liberty (LFL), was recently arrested for sedition over his alleged tweet that accused the Malaysian Islamic Development Department (Jakim) of extremism.

The Malay Mail, 19 January 2015
http://www.themalaymailonline.com/malaysia/article/stop-the-violence-dont-limit-freedom-activists-tell-putrajaya-after-paris-k

2.

Dr Mahathir and Perkasa part ways, says source: The source, who is a Perkasa leader, told The Malaysian Insider that Dr Mahathir was unhappy over how Perkasa triggered and handled racially sensitive issues, including Datuk Ibrahim Ali's Bible-burning controversy, which had sparked outrage among the Christian community. The leader said that the group also did not want to be associated with Dr Mahathir, although it had great respect for the elder statesman. "We hope no one links Tun M's (Dr Mahathir's) opinions with Perkasa, and do not link Perkasa's actions with Tun M," the source added, speaking on condition of anonymity.

"Both parties have no ties with one another, although we respect Tun M and believe that he has supported much of what Perkasa has championed for." The last time Dr Mahathir met Perkasa was in November; Dr Mahathir failed to turn up for the group's 5th annual general assembly in December due to health reasons. However, the source said the real reason Dr Mahathir did not attend the assembly was because he was unhappy with the group, and had revealed his displeasure during the meeting in November.

Md Izwan
The Malaysian Insider, 19 January 2015
http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/dr-mahathir-and-perkasa-part-ways-says-source

3.

Najib tells Islamic authorities to counter IS ideology: He said this was needed in order for Muslims in Malaysia to understand the meaning of Islam in daily life, amid growing concerns that more followers of Islam here are leaving the country to join the IS campaign of violence. "The role of certain parties, like Jakim (Malaysian Islamic Development Department) is to provide an explanation on Islam, Islamic principles so that there is no misunderstanding as to what we have to do as Muslims," the prime minister said in his monthly address to civil servants here. The threat to safety, with regards to this, we have tabled a White Paper on IS. In March we will be outlining a new law on how to handle threats like this," Mr Najib added.

Putrajaya has proposed a new law to combat the rise of influence of terrorist outfits such as the IS as militant groups continue to gain ground globally. Hundreds of Malaysians have also reportedly left the country to join its fight to set up a worldwide "caliphate". In a 19-page White Paper document entitled "Addressing the threat of Islamic State", Mr Najib had outlined the history of IS, the threat the group poses and the impact it has on Malaysians as well as the danger in allowing its skewed Islamic teachings and practice of violence to spread in Malaysia. According to the White Paper sighted by Malay Mail Online, of the 39 Malaysians there, 17 were involved in IS while 22 joined Ajnad al-Sham.

Today, 19 January 2015
http://www.todayonline.com/world/asia/najib-tells-islamic-authorities-counter-ideology

4.

DIE IS CAST: Power shakeup in Umno unstoppable, Najib to be replaced - all eyes on WHO?: Beleaguered Malaysian prime minister, Najib Tun Razak, is facing mounting criticism to quit office and resign soon as more and more of the 'rakyat' feel he is doing very little to alleviate their increasing suffering and misery.

Since he has taken over the reins of power from Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, Najib is coming under closer scrutiny and what is being felt on the ground is that he has not only failed to live up to expectations but he has actually caused the country to regress.The fact that he was away in sunny Hawaii to play golf with the United States president and possibly suck up to Obama for endorsements while Malaysia was facing its most severe floods ever goes to show his apathetic and indifferent attitude.

Christopher Fernandez
Malaysia Chronicle, 18 January 2015
http://www.malaysia-chronicle.com/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=439871:najib%E2%80%99s-frustrating-tenure-of-being-pm&Itemid=2 - axzz3PEQOs7q9

5.

Anwar: Putrajaya using Charlie Hebdo violence to justify keeping Sedition Act: Najib said unlimited freedom would give rise to extremism and warned that failure to respect the sensitivities of those of other faiths could result in a repeat of the Charlie Hebdo murders.As such, he said, such freedoms must come hand in hand with a mechanism for individuals to answer to their irresponsible actions.

"We cannot follow ultimate freedom. Coincidentally, my statement coincides with what the Pope (Francis) said," Najib said in his speech to officiate the Malaysian Youth Council's (MBM) annual general meeting."If we want the world to be peaceful, we must create a situation whereby we have to bear full responsibility over our actions," he added.Najib said that if religious beliefs are criticised in the name of freedom, it will result in severe repercussions.

The Malay Mail, 18 January 2015
http://www.themalaymailonline.com/malaysia/article/anwar-putrajaya-using-charlie-hebdo-violence-to-justify-keeping-sedition-ac

6.

The need for more relevant sermons: Criticising Jakim must not be seen as meddling in the affairs of Islam. Instead, the only ones who are meddling in the public lives of Malaysians are the religious authorities.The sermons regularly foster a siege mentality among Muslims, that there is an "us versus them" situation in Malaysia, and the global Muslim world.They often use the phrase "the enemies of Muslims" to warn Muslims, suggesting that these enemies are behind everything that is wrong in the world and behind all ills inflicting the Muslims.For the longest time, these enemies could be anything. But in February last year, Jakim not only named the Jews, but also the Christians. The sermon claimed Christians and Jews are to be blamed for turning Muslims against each other, and tricking them into losing their rights.Of course Christians are not new targets. In 2013, sermons had targeted them following the "Allah" court case, accusing unnamed parties of insulting the Muslims by "mocking their exclusive rights."Jakim's sermons are frequently incendiary. If they are not pitting Muslims against other religions, they would even pit Muslims against Muslims.

Zurairi AR
The Malay Mail, 18 January 2015
http://www.themalaymailonline.com/opinion/zurairi-ar/article/the-need-for-more-relevant-sermons

7.

Anwar willing to assist anti-graft body if it investigates Daim: "If they ask me, I will give my cooperation, no problem. It is my responsibility to help facilitate investigations. But they have to be professional," he said after a dialogue with Selangor youth in Petaling Jaya today.

He said he had "proof" of Daim's alleged abuse of powers but it was shelved. However, he did not elaborate on the statement, although he said MACC should not focus its investigations solely on Daim's banking business. Opposition politicians had previously urged anti-graft authorities to investigate Daim, with PKR's Youth chief Shamsul Iskandar Mohd Akin in November last year highlighting the lack of police action against the former finance minister despite a police report lodged in 1999. Anwar had lodged that report 15 years ago, accusing Daim of amassing billions of ringgit in African and Eastern Europe banks through proxies. Three days ago, Daim had expressed his willingness to cooperate with MACC, but stressed that pressure groups should not interfere. In a statement to state news agency Bernama, Daim had said he was confident the MACC would be able to carry out the probe.

Eileen Ng
The Malaysian Insider, 18 January 2015
http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/anwar-willing-to-assist-anti-graft-body-if-it-investigates-daim

8.

Declassify national security projects info involving gambling kingpin, Kit Siang says: Lim said Home Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, who is now in the spotlight over the letter he sent to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), should not have invoked the Official Secrets Act 1972 to hide the nature of the projects Phua was involved with. "Cabinet on Wednesday should uphold the principles of good governance and accountability and declassify information on the 'national security projects' involving (the) alleged gambling kingpin," said Lim in a statement.

He said that the Cabinet should also confirm the existence and number of past national security projects, and why the police "knew nothing about them". He added that the Cabinet should reveal whether these projects began during Zahid's 19-month tenure as home minister from May 2013, or with his predecessor, Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein. The letter to the FBI was first revealed by the South China Morning Post almost a month ago, leading to criticism by several quarters for acting unilaterally and not going through the Foreign Affairs Ministry in dealing with a foreign agency like the FBI.

The Malaysian Insider, 18 January 2015
http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/declassify-national-security-projects-info-involving-gambling-kingpin-kit-s

9.

MCA scouting for new talent for GE14, says Liow: Its president, Datuk Sri Liow Tiong Lai said the move was part of the party's transformation. "As I said earlier our party's transformation is still in progress as the selection of candidates will be approached from the party's process as well as community process where the community will also give its views on our candidates. Even though it is too early to discuss, the process of identifying competent calibre candidates should go on. This is part of the party's preparations to face the 14th general election," he said after opening the MCA Seremban Parliamentary Constituency Service Centre in Seremban today.

Present was MCA deputy president and Negri Sembilan MCA chairman, Datuk Dr Wee Ka Siong.

Liow, who is also transport minister, said among the selection criteria for candidates were their quality, commitment and aptitude to serve the people.

The Malaysian Insider, 18 January 2015
http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/mca-scouting-for-new-talent-for-ge14-says-liow-bernama

10.

We just want to advise K-pop fans, says Jawi: The Federal Territory Islamic Affairs Department (Jawi) appears to have taken a softer approach with the tudung-clad Malay girls who were hugged and kissed by K-pop artistes on stage, saying that they only wanted to advise the girls.

When asked about the threat of warrant of arrests being issued against the girls for failing to show up, Paimuzi said Jawi could not apply for the warrant as they do not know the identity of the girls. It was reported last week that Jawi had given the girls a week to come forward or face arrest.

Paimuzi was quoted by Utusan Malaysia saying that the case would be investigated under Section 29 of the of Shariah Criminal Offences (Federal Territories) Act 1997 (Act 599 Indecent Acts in Public Places).

Melati Amalina Abd Jalil
The Malaysian Insider, 18 January 2015
http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/we-just-want-to-advise-k-pop-fans-says-jawi

11.

More state seats for Sarawak likely: "Bearing (in mind) the physical size of the state and the vast areas that some rural elected representatives have to serve, the proposed increase is justified and necessary to enable elected members to serve the rakyat better," he said.Nearly all the proposed new seats are in rural areas, with only Batu Kitang in an urban location, giving rise to claims that the exercise favours the ruling Barisan Nasional state government.State Barisan component parties and assemblymen have been at pains to explain that rural areas need more repre�sentation in view of their inaccessibility, difficult terrain and lack of development.However, political scientist Dr Faisal Syam Hazis pointed out that if there really was a need to create new seats, this should affect urban areas more because of their greater numbers of voters compared to rural areas. "So a lot of questions can be raised towards the rationale. The only rationale I can see is to benefit the Barisan parties. In the last few election results, Barisan was the one benefiting a lot from rural seats," he said.

The Star, 18 January 2015
http://www.thestar.com.my/News/Nation/2015/01/18/Sarawak-set-to-increase-state-seats-More-state-seats-for-Sarawak-likely-The-proposal-to-create-11-ne/

12.

The 'Father of Penang': "It was Pow Nee who kick-started the modernisation of Penang. He threw the ball and Lim kept it rolling."Many Penangites are hazy about the years before Lim, she finds.

Stressing on Pow Nee's most important contribution, she says it was the schoolteacher-turned-politician who set the direction for Penang's industrialisation."He must be remembered for planting the seeds of industrialisation here."The state's first master plan, the Penang Master Plan 1964 (commonly referred to as the Munro Report as it was prepared by Columbo plan advisor A.M. Munro), was meant to tackle the economic woes faced by the people via the industrialisation of Mak Mandin."In the 60s, factories processing textile, tin, rubber and the like led to the mushrooming of companies in Province Wellesly (Butterworth)."Sadly, this led to accusations by the islanders and Opposition (Gerakan at the time) that the Bukit Mertajam-born chief minister was only focused on developing the mainland," she says.

The Star, 18 January 2015
http://www.thestar.com.my/News/Nation/2015/01/18/The-Father-of-Penang-Penangs-first-Chief-Minister-Tan-Sri-Wong-Pow-Nee-kickstarted-the-states-indust/

13.

小五歷史課本的謬誤: 就一事論一事。我不是那種凡事都愛稱讚的人。雖言相較於去年小四歷史課本的編寫和翻譯，今年開始使用的小五歷史課本可謂"改進"不少。

但該課本仍有不少問題，甚至是謬誤。

例如單元五〈地方領袖的抗爭〉之"吾家鬥士真英勇"一節，課本記載了督江谷等多位反抗英殖民的"英雄"。惟這些"我們的英雄"的衡量標準究竟是甚麼？難道只要反對英國人的，就是"英雄"？他們反對的，是土地被侵佔，還是說只是為了其既得利益？

尤其離譜的是，把吉隆坡爭奪戰中，結合華人採錫利權及馬來王權內部糾爭，小五歷史課本推崇的"我們的英雄"竟然還包括了Raja Mahadi這號人物（見課本之頁65）。說他反對英國人插手巴生事務也就算了，文中還說Raja Mahadi不滿Tengku Kudin被委任為蘇丹的代理，而葉亞來又是和Tengku Kudin合作的同盟，因而Raja Mahadi攻擊在吉隆坡的葉亞來。後來英國人成功逮捕Raja Mahadi，並將他送到柔佛去。

安煥然, 南方大學學院中文系副教授

星洲日報, 18 January 2015
http://opinions.sinchew.com.my/node/35352?tid=38

14.

服裝, 種族, 宗教: 開始時，她穿了Baju Kurung到學校。......最後，她被教師下令離開學校。監護人投訴，女生不是馬來人，所以，教師不准她穿馬來服裝，把她逐回家去。

而校方解釋，從來都沒有禁止非馬來學生穿Baju Kurung。中間到底發生了甚麼，大家都不清楚；但是，很多人的結論就是種族主義。你確定嗎？老實說，我不太確定。

因為我只知道事件的前面一部份和後面一部份，然而，中間那一部份是空白的；而這空白的部份，其實很重要。

譬如，那位教師是甚麼種族？如果教師是華裔，或是印裔，又或者也是砂州原住民，那麼，這事件和種族主義有關係嗎？

鄭丁賢, 星洲日報副執行總編輯
星洲日報, 18 January 2015
http://opinions.sinchew.com.my/node/35356?tid=42

15.

The Politics of ISIS in Malaysia: Almost 40% of Malaysian citizens are non-Muslim, despite diverse cultures and different religions the country has fared better than their more volatile neighbours like Thailand and Indonesia. This has been done by appeasing the Muslims conservatives. Malaysia has a history of Muslim-dominated parties and pro-Muslim policies influencing politics in the country. Parties like the United Malay National Organization have been governing for Muslim majority and pushes for business interest for Muslims in the country. With organizations like ISIS looking for vulnerable spots in the world, Malaysia could have a problem, especially since the debate on the role of Islam in society has increased along with an increased lobbying for following the Sharia law and Hudud in the country.

Besides the home-grown terror problems and ISIS's influence on Malaysia, the country has another issue that need to be addressed. Malaysia had a security crisis when self declared Filipino Sultan, Jamalul Kiram and about 200 followers, dozens of them armed, barged into Sabah's coastal village of Lahad Datu in February claiming possession over that land. Malaysia responded by launching air strikes and sending in troops and the standoff lasted for three weeks and dozens were killed before the standoff eased.

New Delhi Times, 17 January 2015
http://www.newdelhitimes.com/the-politics-of-isis-in-malaysia123/

16.

Sabah state assembly speaker calls for fanatical idealogies to be curbed in schools: The government should monitor and tighten existing rules, especially on private schools in the country which were suspected to instill fanatic ideologies, says Sabah State Assembly speaker, Datuk Seri Dr Salleh Said.He said the measure is needed to curb fanatic ideologies spreading among students, and it would also prevent children from being influenced by extremist teachings that could trigger chaos and hostility.Salleh, who is also state assemblyman for Usukan said through this monitoring, earlier decisive action could be taken by the government. According to him, any matter which could cause dispute should be discussed in private in the spirit of mutual respect.

"This is important in order to maintain peace, especially in Sabah, where we have been peaceful since independence," he said in a statement here today.Salleh, who is also the former chief minister of Sabah said the education system should be able to produce a new generation of Sabahans that were disciplined, self-confident, skilled and practised moderate thinking in racial and religious relationships.

The Malay Mail, 17 January 2015
http://www.themalaymailonline.com/malaysia/article/sabah-state-assembly-speaker-calls-for-fanatical-idealogies-to-be-curbed-in

17.

一切為了下一代: 一所學校外，媽媽眺望著寫有學校名字的牌匾，以難掩失落的口氣說道："還是擠不進去，只能名列waiting list......"

這個媽媽一心一意要為孩子報讀的不是華小，而是近年來"搶"走了不少華小學生的私立學校。一些家長為了替孩子求得名額，提早好幾年，甚至孩子還在牙牙學語的階段已趕緊報名，而提前報名還不等於拿到入校的保證，孩子還必須經過入學評估考試，通過了，也在名額未超額的大前提下，才能真正鬆一口氣。

私立/國際學校為何如此吃香？這是上流社會競逐的另一個競技場嗎？華小生，15年來減少了5萬人，這數目算是嚴重嗎？以一年平均減少3千人來計算，這或許還稱不上嚴重，但擺在眼前的事實是，這會是一種趨勢，尤其是申請開辦私立或國際學校的准證在大馬已不是太難的事，未來數年，從西馬到東馬，這類學校只會更多不會減少，而華小生流失的現象或許在將後數年也更加顯見。

何俐萍, 星洲日報砂州高級新聞編輯
星洲日報, 17 January 2015
http://opinions.sinchew.com.my/node/35345?tid=38

18.

延續先賢智慧，開創新路:如果我們善用先賢留下的智慧和價值觀，相信國家今天會有不同的面貌。

1月14日是第二任首相敦拉薩逝世39週紀念，其幼子納西爾說，如果父親在世，會希望政府彷效1969年他在種族騷亂事件發生後成立國家諮詢理事會，以團結所有國民。

確實令人感慨，在首三任首相治理期間，國民和諧，現在卻出現越來越多種族和宗教矛盾。

1969年發生五一三事件，國家進入緊急狀態；1970年9月22日，東姑阿都拉曼辭職，拉薩接任。

拉薩上任後，推行一些新政策，包括極具爭議的新經濟政策。他試圖通過新經濟政策消除貧窮及重組社會，讓各族參與經濟建設，以達致種族團結的目標，但最終沒有成功。

林瑞源, 星洲日報副執行總編輯
星洲日報, 17 January 2015
http://opinions.sinchew.com.my/node/35347?tid=35

19.

勿爭论炸船事件？:我国一艘註册编號为PKFA7738的大马渔船，由于在印尼海域非法捕鱼遭到印尼方面炸沉。而我们的国防部长希山慕丁的理由竟然是：为了维护两国友好关係，不要爭论。一介国防部长竟说出这样的话，实在令人匪夷所思。

马六甲海峡虽为国际水道，由于反对大国介入海峡事务，所以交由新、马及印尼3国共管，但由于各种因素之不足，如缺乏装备设施、执法不严谨等等，一直是滋生海盗与走私运动的温床。而区隔东西马的南中国海域，由于多国主权爭端而显得更为敏感、复杂和佈满危机。

国与国领海之海域间，有一条公海的国际水域。按《联合国海洋法公约》，船只毋须事先通知或取得沿海国许可，在不损害和平、安全、秩序下即可通过开放的海域。因此，「公海自由」即是超越国界的，任何一国都不得阻碍公海的使用权，包括公海捕鱼。

陈海德
Oriental Daily, 16 January 2015
http://www.orientaldaily.com.my/index.php/columns/pl3512

20.

Political oddities aplenty: The forum organised by Roketkini.com, DAP's party organ, to commemorate the 39th anniversary of the death of Abdul Razak Hussein two days ago was a bizarre affair.

Granted, Malaysia's second prime minister is widely credited for his firm leadership and epochal policies that continue to define the Malaysian state today, such as the New Economic Policy (NEP), and the establishment of Majlis Amanah Rakyat (Mara) and Federal Land Development Authority (Felda), which have no doubt successfully narrowed the wealth and educational gaps between the Malays and the non-Malays.

Still, other aspects of his political career remain unexamined in a critical sense. For one, Razak came to power in the aftermath of the so-called May 13 ethnic clashes in 1969, and the circumstances surrounding his ascension were dubious at best. The late Tunku Abdul Rahman, in retirement, once implied that his deputy at the time was instrumental in bringing about the tragedy because "he was an ambitious man".

The Malaysiakini, 16 January 2015
http://www.malaysiakini.com/columns/286522

21.

調整預算案應對局勢:去年在國會通過的2015年財政預算案是以當時的原油價格和經濟時勢為基礎，然而，從去年杪開始至今，國際原油價格大幅下跌，令吉也隨之貶值，加上一場史上最嚴重的東海岸大水災，導致預算案已經無法應對時局和經濟環境的巨變，有必要作出相應的調整，否則將會令充滿不確定性的國家經濟情勢帶來更多憂慮。

國家如此，民間也同樣可以感受到消費者謹慎開支的氣氛，農曆新年下個月就來臨，市場目前是淡靜的，大家都靜觀其變。

調整預算案將對整個國家的經濟和發展規劃影響甚巨，牽一髮而動全身，務必謹慎處理。政府會如何修定預算案內容，仍未有定案。唯市場一般的看法是削減開支是勢在必行的，唯有這般政府才能夠省下大筆的行政支出，以用在其他有更迫切的需要的領域。

星洲日報, 16 January 2015
http://opinions.sinchew.com.my/node/35332?tid=16

22.

Indonesia need not worry about Brazil`s, Netherlands` step to recall ambassadors: The Indonesian government need not worry about the step taken by Brazil and the Netherlands to recall their ambassadors in Indonesia following the execution of their citizens for drug offenses, an international law expert said. "Following the execution, Brazil recalled its ambassador in Indonesia for consultations, and so did the Netherlands. The Indonesian government need not overreact to the step," Professor Hikmahanto Juwana of University of Indonesia (UI) said in a written statement. The step should not discourage the Indonesian government from executing the next death row convicts, he said. He said the step should be interpreted as the friendly countries dissatisfaction with the execution of death row convicts. After all, the countries knew well that they would unlikely intervene in Indonesias execution policy, he said. The step was a response to public demand in the two countries, he said.

He believed that the recall of Brazilian and Dutch ambassadors would not last longer since many countries need Indonesia. In the economic field, for instance, Brazil has greater interest in Indonesia. "Indonesia will not be isolated because of the execution of death row convicts," he said.

Antara News, 19 January 2015
http://www.antaranews.com/en/news/97417/indonesia-need-not-worry-about-brazils-netherlands-step-to-recall-ambassadors

23.

The AirAsia tragedy and Jokowi's maritime vision: Aside from Jokowi's inaugural speech, which was littered with nautical vocabulary - the new president described himself as the 'captain of a ship' and urged Indonesians to 'get on board the ship of the Republic of Indonesia and sail towards a Great Indonesia' - there is yet little detail on Jokowi's vision for a maritime-focused Indonesia. A report from the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) sheds some light on the president's ambition for Indonesia to become a 'global maritime nexus', involving a renewed focus on the culture, industry, economy, diplomacy and defence of Indonesia's sizable maritime territory.

Judging from the AirAsia response, Indonesia will need to scale up the capabilities of its navy to meet Jokowi's maritime goals. But whatever this maritime turn will entail, it appears that world powers and neighbours in the Asia Pacific are paying attention.

Catriona Croft-Cusworth
Interpreter, 19 January 2015
http://www.lowyinterpreter.org/post/2015/01/19/The-AirAsia-tragedy-and-Jokowis-maritime-vision.aspx?COLLCC=1591269860&COLLCC=3156690151&

24.

Ministry detects contradictory bylaws:The Home Ministry has recorded about 100 bylaws issued by local administrations that contradict higher regulations issued by the central government, including laws. "In the past two months, we reviewed about 100 bylaws that were against other laws and regulations," said Home Minister Tjahjo Kumolo in Agam, West Sumatra, on Saturday as quoted by Antara news agency. Tjahjo said he had demanded local administrations to provide corrections or even revoke the bylaws.

Jakarta Post, 19 January 2015
http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2015/01/19/ministry-detects-contradictory-bylaws.html

25.

The AirAsia Crash and Indonesia's Crisis Response: While many questions remain unanswered, from a preliminary assessment, this is not just AirAsia's first tragic crash; it is also a terrible human tragedy. According to Tony Fernandez, this has been his 'worst nightmare'. The tragedy aside, for the world's fourth largest nation, the manner it managed the tragedy also informs us that there are highly capable people in the country that are capable of managing crisis situations and this should not be forgotten. From the President, down to the ministries, especially the key defence establishment, to the various state agencies such as Basarnas to the public at large, and the international community, this has been a crisis well-managed thus far. For a more detailed analysis, we should await more information to ascertain what exactly happened and how well Indonesia manage the human tragedy.

Professor Bilveer Singh, Visiting Professor, Indonesian Defence University, Bogor, Indonesia.
The Establishment Post, 19 January 2015
http://www.establishmentpost.com/airasia-crash-indonesias-crisis-response/

26.

Editorial: Jokowi Administration Is Its Own Worst Enemy: President Joko Widodo's administration could fail sooner rather than later if it goes on to make arbitrary and ridiculous decisions. Many of us were afraid of the opposition's maneuvers. But now we know they don't have to do anything if the current idiocy continues. Joko and his ministers shoot themselves in the foot everyday.Two recent cases highlight how unprofessional and unprepared the administration is.

The saga of graft suspect Comr. Gen. Budi Gunawan being nominated by Joko as police chief defies common sense. While Joko could have withdrawn Budi's nomination to end the unnecessary complication, he dragged his feet because the three-star general is proposed by the Indonesia Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) and its chairwoman Megawati Soekarnoputri.

The Jakarta Globe, 19 January 2015
http://thejakartaglobe.beritasatu.com/opinion/editorial-joko-administration-worst-enemy/

27.

Jokowi Stumbles in Interim Police Chief Debacle: The president, formerly seen as a populist and reformist figure, has proven unable to fight political pressures around him: Jakarta. While Comr. Gen. Budi Gunawan's nomination as the new police chief was delayed due to suspicions concerning his "fat" bank accounts, another police general facing similar allegations was immediately appointed to fill the position temporarily, allowing the public barely any time to react.

Comr. Gen. Badrodin Haiti, formerly the deputy of the National Police chief, accepted the interim role as the nation's top cop last week - replacing Gen. Sutarman, who was honorably discharged from the position without a clear explanation.

Sutarman was scheduled to retire in October, stirring further confusion as to why he was prematurely replaced.

Joko announced Badrodin's appointment on Friday night, following the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK)'s move to name Budi a graft suspect after an investigation uncovered his suspiciously large bank account.

The Jakarta Globe, 19 January 2015
http://thejakartaglobe.beritasatu.com/news/jokowi-stumbles-interim-police-chief-debacle/

28.

从印尼看沙尔利事件: 《沙尔利周刊》（Charlie Hebdo）事件震撼西方世界，对于东方世界，尤其是回教世界，也有巨大的冲击。世界回教徒最多的国家印度尼西亚，对于这个事件也做了反应。

1月15日，在印尼首都雅加达的"文明合作对话中心"召开了以"沙尔利周刊的暴力：新闻自由与宗教生活的容忍性"为主题的会议。其中一名参与者是印尼第二大回教组织莫哈默迪亚的主席丁善苏鼎。他接受安塔拉通讯社记者访问时表示，全世界的回教徒，尤其是印尼的回教徒，千万不要被这些挑衅而做出过份的行动。他说："我认为，回教徒对于羞辱回教的象征：《可兰经》、以及先知穆罕默德的漫画、影片及报章，不需要以极端的方式来反应，因为这对解决问题是毫无帮助的。回教先知不会因为这些羞辱而减少其崇高与神圣；然而，过度的反应只会造成'回教恐惧症'与'西方恐惧症'，这将使世界大乱。"他继续说，"我个人以及作为莫哈默迪亚组织的主席谴责枪杀《沙尔利周刊》的工作人员的行动，因为这不符合回教的教义。但是，我也谴责《沙尔利周刊》对于象征回教的先知的羞辱。先知穆罕默德是非常神圣的，不能以任何理由冒犯与羞辱。"他同时呼吁："全世界共同寻找解决的办法，讨论'自由'的定义。我们从来没有认真地讨论过这个概念。"

廖建裕, 新加坡东南亚研究院资深访问研究员, 南洋理工大学拉惹勒南国际研究院兼任教授
Zaobao, 19 January 2015
http://www.zaobao.com.sg/forum/views/opinion/story20150119-436974

29.

The week in review: Andrinof and the ambassador: National Development Planning Minister Andrinof Chaniago apparently did not realize how sensitive the timing was when he shared his feelings on his Facebook account about his meeting with Japanese Ambassador to Indonesia Tanizaki Yasuaki. He described the aggressiveness of foreign envoys in Jakarta in pressing their countries' agendas for Indonesia. In particular he specified the name of Ambassador Tanizaki in promoting Japanese-funded projects in the country. "The Japanese ambassador sort of threatened [me during a meeting]. He said if projects were canceled there would be economic and political consequences. But I have to carry out actions on behalf of the Indonesian people. As a minister, I have to understand that he [as an ambassador] has to carry out his diplomatic functions as well," wrote the scholar.

Andrinof was appointed to his position by President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo in November because Jokowi wanted Andrinof to prove his arguments and theories that he could provide much better development for Indonesia. His remarks sparked controversy. The minister forgot one thing: the timing. It was a sensitive coincidence. He shared his personal views about the Japanese envoy on Jan. 12, three days before the 41st anniversary of anti-Japanese riots that took place on Jan. 15, 1974 in Jakarta. The Japanese Embassy in Jakarta clearly avoided responding to Andrinof's remarks. Japanese-language newspaper Jakarta Shimbun reportedly quoted the minister's Facebook statement. The minister himself later realized his blunder and then tried to play down the significance of the "incident".

Amid widespread usage of social media among ordinary Indonesians, Indonesian officials need to be more cautious in making public statements even when they are acting in a private capacity. Jakarta-based diplomats in Indonesia also need to be more conscious of the role of social media in their encounters with their Indonesian counterparts.

Jakarta Post, 18 January 2015
http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2015/01/18/the-week-review-andrinof-and-ambassador.html

30.

Beijing-Jakarta ties at a high point: Indonesian Foreign Minister Subandrio headed a delegation of 44 members to Beijing, as regional tensions were further complicated by Cold War politics.He told reporters he was not seeking a military alliance with China but planned to find out how much aid it would offer if Britain were to attack Indonesia. The delegation was believed to be Indonesia's biggest to Beijing.Beijing had strongly endorsed Indonesia's ongoing confrontation with Malaysia, the new nation formed by bringing Singapore, Sabah and Sarawak together with the peninsular Malaysian states."Beijing viewed Tunku (Abdul Rahman) with suspiciousness and considered the Malaysian Plan a version of neo-colonialism," said Professor Liu Hong, chair of Nanyang Technological University's School of Humanities and Social Sciences.

Straits Times, 18 January 2015
http://www.straitstimes.com/premium/think/story/beijing-jakarta-ties-high-point-20150118

31.

Bali Nine: former Indonesian judge criticises death penalty as outdated: Jimly Asshiddiqie, a former chairman of Indonesia's constitutional court, went on the record in 2008 saying he had wanted to uphold the 2007 appeal of Chan and Sukumaran. However, at the time he believed that as the chief of the bench he should not side with the minority, and handed down a 6-3 decision. He had hoped their executions could be delayed 10 years, when the pair might find a "next generation" of constitutional court judges against the death penalty, even for drug traffickers.

Now Asshiddiqie has said Jakarta has avoided confronting the issue for so long, its position is inconsistent and out of date. "It's not right that when our workers abroad are facing the death penalty we protest against it, but when foreigners are about to face death here we don't," he said.

"This is inconsistent. Personally, I think we must open a space where we can discuss the death penalty openly. Global humanitarian values have changed. Indonesia cannot avoid this."

The Guardian, 18 January 2015
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/jan/19/bali-nine-former-indonesian-judge-criticises-death-penalty-as-outdated

32.

For Indonesians, President's Political Outsider Status Loses Its Luster: The nomination of General Budi in particular, which has dominated national news coverage, has given Mr. Joko his first public relations black eye. On Friday, The Jakarta Globe, a leading English-language daily, published a full-page photo on its front showing Mr. Joko bowing to Ms. Megawati with the headline, "End the Kowtowing."

"If Budi is inaugurated," an editorial in the newspaper said, "Indonesia will have a graft suspect as police chief, a humiliation for the nation, and Joko will face nationwide protest from the very people who helped him become president." Indonesia remains one of Asia's most graft-ridden countries, a legacy of the Suharto dictatorship, and its police force and national legislature are among the nation's most distrusted public institutions, according to Transparency International.

Joe Cochrane
The New York Times, 18 January 2015
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/01/18/world/asia/for-indonesians-president-joko-widodos-outsider-status-loses-its-luster.html

33.

Indonesian industries unable to afford domestically-produced seaweed: The weak purchasing power of industries in the national maritime sector hinder them from absorbing domestically-produced seaweed optimally, according to Chairman of the Indonesian Seaweed Businessmen Association (ARLI) Safari Azis.

"The value of seaweed exports is higher than what domestic industries can afford. Seaweed producers prefer to export the commodity at higher prices overseas," Azis said in a press statement on Friday.

He added that the domestic purchasing power of the national industries is still low as compared to that of foreign industries, such as those in China, the Philippines and Chile.

Antara News, 17 January 2015
http://www.antaranews.com/en/news/97411/indonesian-industries-unable-to-afford-domestically-produced-seaweed

34.

Is Indonesia's 'Sink the Vessels' Policy Legal?: Given the controversy over the policy, it is worth considering its legality: Since the appointment of Indonesia's new marine affairs and fisheries minister Susi Pudjiastuti, the country's decision to employ a 'sink the vessels' policy against illegal fishing has emerged as a significant and controversial issue.

The policy itself is not new. As the director general of marine resources supervision at the Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Ministry Asep Burhanudin has previously noted, 33 illegal foreign were sunk between 2007 and 2012, with 32 of them being from Vietnam.

There have also been differing estimates floated in terms of the annual losses Indonesia suffers due to illegal fishing in its waters. President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo has mentioned on numerous occasions that the losses are around 300 trillion rupiah, while Susi has stated that it is around 240 trillion rupiah. Putting aside the debate on the losses Indonesia incurs annually as a result of illegal fishing, the important question that should be addressed is whether its 'sink the vessels' policy is legal or not, a question that some others have also attempted to answer previously. To do so, let us examine both Indonesian domestic law and international law.

The Diplomat, 17 January 2015
http://thediplomat.com/2015/01/is-indonesias-sink-the-vessels-policy-legal/

35.

Influencing the World with the Nation's Intangible Asset: In this third and final article, I will discuss a more detailed question: how can those cultures spread widely and be so influential in Indonesia? In this article, I will focus on three main cultural products: cartoon/animation, comics, and tourism.

If we assess it further, cultural products such as K-Pop, J-Pop, anime, manga, and Hollywood films, are not products that are inherited by ancient generations in their countries of origins. Those products were born and have been developing only since the 20th century. Those cultural products have the element of pop culture, which means popular, thus allowing them to be easily understood and accepted by most people and spread very rapidly. This is unlike Indonesia's cultural commodities that mostly are inherited by the generations before the 20th century and have the elements of traditions (such as batik, dances, regional cultural attires, etc). To market these products, I believe a different marketing strategy is needed. Even though we still need a breakthrough in exporting animations and comics, we have to remind ourselves of other intangible assets that our country possesses: nature's beautiful sites, historical sites, and cultural sites that can be utilized and promoted through tourism.

Other than direct marketing that has been done continuously by the government and many other organizations, we must market those tourism sites by borrowing from other cultures' fame and reach. Like the Chinese saying, "The fox borrows the tiger's terror", we can leverage on cultural products from other countries that have wide exposures, for our benefit. This strategy has been used by Adrian Syaf, one of the comic illustrators who has drawn comic strips for titles such as Batman and Green Lantern for DC Comics and Marvel from the USA. He once inserted the elements of Jakarta (such as Monas or National Monument, banners of Jokowi-Ahok campaign for Jakarta Governor & Vice Governor offices, and chicken soto tent) inside the comic strips in those series. Such strategy has to be developed, not just through comic, but through others like digital platform.

Global Indonesian Voices, 16 January 2015
http://www.globalindonesianvoices.com/18496/influencing-the-world-with-indonesia-intangible-asset-part-3/

36.

On Budi Gunawan Issue, Istana Says President Jokowi is in Difficult Position, Asks Volunteers to Understand: The matter becomes more complicated as the nomination was later approved by the parliament (DPR) on Thursday (15/1), despite Budi Gunawan's status as a suspect that was imposed by the KPK. The hot ball has now returned to President Joko Widodo, who claimed to be listening to protests conveyed even by his own campaign volunteers, such as the Relawan Dua Jari. The volunteers are protesting the President's decision in choosing Budi Gunawan as a police chief candidate. "The matter has been noted, and has already interacted with the volunteers. The hope is that the volunteers can understand the political position that must be faced by the President," said Cabinet Secretary Andi Widjajanto as reported by Kompas.com on late night Thursday (15 Jan 2015).

The President must take extra care in making further decisions that are relevant to the current issue. According to local media report, Jokowi had on Thursday conducted five meetings that were especially dedicated to discuss the issue of nominating Budi Gunawan as the top cop candidate. Jokowi however, canceled a meeting with his volunteers due to the necessity in discussing the same issue with other parties.

Global Indonesian Voices, 16 January 2015
http://www.globalindonesianvoices.com/18589/on-budi-gunawan-issue-istana-says-president-jokowi-is-in-difficult-position-asks-volunteer-to-understand/

37.

French Minister: Muslim-Majority Indonesia Can Have a Real Voice: 'We want to ensure that there's absolutely no confusion between any religions as such and the exploitation of religion for terrorist purposes.': French Finance Minister Michel Sapin arrived in Jakarta on Friday on a whirlwind mission meant to build on a strategic bilateral partnership with Indonesia.

In an exclusive interview with the Jakarta Globe at the French Embassy in Jakarta, Sapin praised Indonesia's outspoken condemnation of the Charlie Hebdo massacre and said that as the world's biggest Muslim-majority country, Indonesia could make a great impact in the fight against global terrorism.

Q: Tell us about your trip to Indonesia today.

A: I met with the vice president [Jusuf Kalla] this morning and also with the minister of finance [Bambang Brodjonegoro]. You have a new minister of finance, but at the G-20 we'll be meeting very often. We actually will be meeting five times this year. And the minister of finance will be coming to France in May and I look forward to meeting him there.

The Jakarta Globe, 16 January 2015
http://thejakartaglobe.beritasatu.com/news/minister-indonesia-can-have-a-real-voice/

38.

Fish Sales Dive in Indonesian Town in Wake of Plane Crash: Since the aircraft crashed into the Java Sea about 125 miles southwest of here Dec. 28 with 162 people aboard, many townspeople have stopped eating fish. They fear that fish are eating bodies of the dozens of unrecovered passengers and that the corpses have contaminated the sea with viruses and bacteria. Fishermen say they fish at least 50 miles from the crash site and that none of the fish they catch could have been feeding on corpses.

But the once-popular traditional fish market at the Kumai port is nearly empty and fish sellers say their business has collapsed. "Because of AirAsia, we have almost rolled up our mats," said Isar, 40, a vendor at the market who like many Indonesians uses one name. She called on the airline company to help them. A spokeswoman for AirAsia said the airline had not received any official request for compensation and that it had no plans to look into the complaints of the fish sellers and fishermen. "We are not equipped to investigate what the fish are eating," she said.

Dr. Anton Castilani, who heads the police Disaster Victims Identification unit, said that none of the 51 bodies recovered showed signs of having been eaten by fish. But if fish had bitten them, he said, decomposition would make it hard to tell. Dr. Suyuti Syamsul, the head of Sultan Imanuddin Hospital whose team handled most of the bodies, agreed there was no evidence that fish had eaten any victims. But even if they had, he said, there would be no health concern for people who subsequently consumed the fish.

Richard C. Paddock
Wall Street Journal, 16 January 2015
http://blogs.wsj.com/indonesiarealtime/2015/01/16/fish-sales-dive-in-indonesian-town-in-wake-of-plane-crash/?mod=WSJBlog&mod=WSJ_SEA_Blog

39.

Govt puts interests of Singaporeans first: Six of the 10 questions raised during the hour-long session during her Tampines East constituency visit were over worries about the impact on Singaporean culture, the size of the foreign population, and occasional tensions that may crop up. All except one were asked by students aged 17 to 19.Addressing the view that there may be too many foreigners, Ms Fu, who is in charge of population issues, explained that the low birthrate over the last few decades has made it necessary for Singapore to turn to foreigners to supplement the population and workforce."But in all our policies, we always put the interests of Singaporeans first," she said. The Government's strategy is to ensure that Singaporeans are equipped with the right skills and given opportunities to upgrade, even as the foreign labour supply is tightened.

Straits Times, 19 January 2015
http://www.straitstimes.com/premium/singapore/story/govt-puts-interests-singaporeans-first-20150119

40.

No home yet for treasure trove of WWII artefacts: Mr Cooper will be returning to England with his family next year. And so far, no institution or group here has committed to showcasing the site's unique heritage, he said. "We don't want to shut up shop and leave the boxes of artefacts forgotten in a store somewhere," said Mr Cooper, an assistant curator at Changi Museum.

Together with an army of 150 volunteers, Mr Cooper spent days digging in the backyards of the 19 black-and-white colonial bungalows in the 8ha residential estate near Adam Road Food Centre. They found items such as military badges, spent ammunition cartridges and the love tokens of fallen soldiers. The locations of the cartridges helped him map out where some of the crossfire took place, adding detail to an otherwise broad narrative of events.

Some heritage experts said the struggle to find a party to take over the artefacts points to a lack of legal framework to protect archaeological finds. Iseas archaeologist Lim Chen Sian said Mr Cooper did a "stupendous job" and believes the project deserves a permanent home. "Adam Park is part of Singapore's social history and heritage. We should acknowledge it and find ways to preserve it in our memories one way or another," he said.

Straits Times, 19 January 2015
http://www.straitstimes.com/premium/top-the-news/story/no-home-yet-treasure-trove-wwii-artefacts-20150119

41.

Science, tech are 'foundation for S'pore's future': Speaking at the opening ceremony of the third Global Young Scientists Summit at Nanyang Technological University, Mr Teo said: "In recent years, the Singapore Government has placed even stronger emphasis on research and development (R&D), innovation and enterprise."Mr Teo said that R&D efforts here were beginning to bear fruit. He cited as examples graphene research at the National University of Singapore, and the Singapore Spintronics Consortium, which explores electron spin-based technologies.Science and engineering are key to Singapore overcoming its natural constraints and improving life for its citizens, whether by "finding new solutions such as underground space and alternative energy sources", or through developing a research programme to improve quality of life for an ageing population, he said."We are strengthening our collaborations with scientists around the world, and contributing to international efforts to address global problems," said Mr Teo.

Straits Times, 19 January 2015
http://www.straitstimes.com/premium/singapore/story/science-tech-are-foundation-spores-future-20150119

42.

Foreign worker curbs 'to reduce income disparity': The income disparity between blue-collar jobs and higher-paying ones will decrease in future with the tightening of Singapore's foreign-worker policies, said Minister in the Prime Minister's Office Grace Fu yesterday in a community dialogue.

Citing the example of Australia, where plumbers are the highest-paid workers over weekends, Ms Fu said Singapore "is going to be like that because we are not going to have so many work-pass holders to come in (to) do construction or plumbing jobs". She added: "So if you have skills like this, you're going to demand better pay and that's really the future of Singapore, where the disparity is not as great as now. What would be blue-collar jobs will get better pay."

Ms Fu was speaking to residents and students while on a ministerial community visit to Tampines East. During a 70-minute dialogue, questions about foreign labour, the integration of immigrants here and opportunities for Singaporeans dominated proceedings. The starting point of Singapore's policies on foreign labour is the interest and benefit of Singaporeans, said Ms Fu, who is Second Minister for the Environment and Water Resources as well as Foreign Affairs.

Singapore has to be economically attractive, remaining open, so companies will continue to invest here and provide jobs and options for locals, she noted.

Today, 19 January 2015
http://www.todayonline.com/singapore/foreign-worker-curbs-reduce-income-disparity

43.

新加坡模式可延续吗:国人对新加坡模式的评价，确实存在着不同的解读。从长期的政治争论，到当下新加坡应走向何种模式，不仅反映出不同的看法，更预示着这一争论，将深刻影响新加坡的未来。

持异议者，最为明显的莫过于把新加坡模式，视为建国总理李光耀威权治理的产物，因而论断它必将随着李光耀的退出政坛而告终。再者，更有人把新加坡模式贴上李氏家族的标签，认定必随着总理李显龙的下台而走进历史。持有如此看法的人，显然只把新加坡模式局限于政治领域，且把关注点集中在模式的负面效应。在他们看来，第三代领导的治国落差，标志着以李光耀为核心的治国模式，已走向时代的反面。因此，新加坡需要两党制，才能开创成功的新篇章。

当然，也有人认为新加坡的成功，应归功于独特的地理位置、小国寡民、儒家文化思想背景以及社会治理成本相对的低等因素；加上长期一党独大的威权治理，才成就了第一世界的局面。这样的论断，把新加坡模式推进到特殊国情与政治博弈相结合的更大层面，认可新加坡模式虽具有成功的特定内涵，但随着社会结构和竞争环境的改变，这一模式的可持续性正受到质疑。

蔡裕林
Zaobao, 19 January 2015
http://www.zaobao.com.sg/forum/views/opinion/story20150119-436974

44.

Reponse to Poh Soo Kai's allegations

Burhan Gafoor
New Mandala, 18 January 2015
http://asiapacific.anu.edu.au/newmandala/2014/12/18/reponse-to-poh-soo-kais-allegations/

45.

Integration not just about fitting in: Foreigners in such numbers will have an impact on any society - in neighbourhoods where migrants cluster, in cuisine, in social manners, in the lingua franca of choice. Our morning commute, our meal times, workplace, evening shopping spree, will all be different.We can resent the change, or let ourselves be changed - a little - by the foreigners in our midst. To be sure, we want to avoid the bad traits: the ostentatious ways of one group, or the crass behaviour of those who misbehave on airplanes.But we can learn from others, and let Singapore change at the margins. We can leaven our staid society with the zest from the large numbers of foreigners in our midst: Interweave our complaining culture with the immigrant's gratitude for efficiency, for peace and security; inject third-generation Singaporean complacency with the DNA of the immigrant drive to succeed; overcome being kiasu (fear of losing) with newcomers' courage to embrace change; and rekindle love for our nation through the fervour of immigrants who forge new ties with the adopted land of their choice.

Chua Mui Hoong
Straits Times, 18 January 2015
http://www.straitstimes.com/premium/think/story/integration-not-just-about-fitting-20150118

46.

The devil and dirt are in the detail: Singapore won't offer her more devilish side up to the visitor just like that. He has got to talk her into it.Concerns about the shadier bits of life - there are tales of injustice and dirty tricks not enshrined in public exhibits - are ticking over inside Singaporeans. Start by opening the door to a cab, climbing in and talking to older and preferably grumpier Singaporean drivers, and you might find yourself opening the door to the other side of Singapore. Toss in something about the cost of living in the conversation and remember to duck as the cabby uncle explodes with the injustice of it all.We sometimes conceal authentically passionate thoughts.Squeeze the little red dot hard enough and we might pop.We pledge ourselves as one united people, but we - the women, men, old, young, poor, rich, gay, heterosexual, Eurasian, Indian, Malay, Chinese - are no angels. There are things said privately that are so incendiary that they can set the country on fire if they are shouted from the rooftops. They are getting louder because everyone holds that megaphone called the Internet.

Denise Chong
Straits Times, 18 January 2015
http://www.straitstimes.com/premium/think/story/the-devil-and-dirt-are-the-detail-20150118

47.

Singapore's Hypocrisy on Paris and Free Speech: Five individuals who have been prosecuted by the Singapore government over aspects of freedom of speech and expression have jointly written a response in light of the attack on Charlie Hebdo in Paris. They are Han Hui Hui, an activist; Roy Ngerng, a blogger; Martyn See, a filmmaker; Alan Shadrake, an author and former journalist; and Kenneth Jeyaretnam, secretary general of the Reform Party. Their article is here.

Asia Sentinel, 17 January 2015
http://www.asiasentinel.com/politics/singapores-hypocrisy-on-paris-and-free-speech/

48.

Moves to build social resilience serve S'pore well: Aside from high-visibility terror attacks, community leaders are also briefed on how to tackle smaller flare-ups that, if mishandled, may lead to racial or religious conflict, says Mr Lionel De Souza, secretary of Hougang IRCC.Simulation exercises include scenarios such as what happens if someone accidentally reverses a vehicle and hits a congregation member at a place of worship, and how to defuse the tension should a large crowd then form, says Mr Singh."When things like that happen, sentiments may be aroused," he says."So when we meet up every few months, we discuss topics like this, and what we should do if what happened in Sydney or Paris happens in Singapore. "While there are public plans in the event of an attack, much of the work to prevent religious tension and divisions is done in private between religious leaders and their members, says Rev Liew. "When I know of Christians who are narrow-minded or angry, I tell them that that's not the way to practise our faith," he says. "You have to give your members a positive impression of people of other religions, and these things must be done even before a crisis happens."

Lim Yan Liang
Straits Times, 17 January 2015
http://www.straitstimes.com/premium/insight/story/moves-build-social-resilience-serve-spore-well-20150117

49.

Strict gun and border controls help keep out arms: Associate research fellow Joseph Franco of the Centre of Excellence for National Security recalls Jemaah Islamiah members acquiring weapons like assault rifles and precursor chemicals for explosives, like ammonium nitrate, from the Philippines for their failed plot against foreign missions here over a decade ago.They tried smuggling them into the country through Indonesia, even stashing part of their stockpile in neighbouring Malaysia.But things have changed. The internal security situation in Indonesia and the southern Philippines seems to have stabilised, he explains, adding that he doubts there is a threat of weapons flowing easily from these countries into Singapore.Even so, he cautions: "It would suffice to say that, in general, the unresolved conflicts in Asean - such as in Mindanao (in the Philippines) and in southern Thailand - can act as 'ungoverned spaces' where terrorists can source for arms."The determined terrorist need not have firearms or explosives to wreak havoc.China, which has similarly few guns as in Singapore, has been roiled by incidents where attackers hack at civilians with watermelon knives, or simply drive a car into a crowd.Weapons will never be hard to come by for the determined terrorist, notes counter-terrorism and political science expert Bilveer Singh: "The world is over-weaponised.

Straits Times, 17 January 2015
http://www.straitstimes.com/premium/insight/story/strict-gun-and-border-controls-help-keep-out-arms-20150117

50.

Terrorism: How prepared is Singapore?: With the "low-cost, high-impact" style of attacks by radicalised individuals or small groups increasingly the norm in terrorist attacks, Singaporeans and the Government are trying to adapt.Cafes and shops have been putting in place upgraded surveillance systems, while security industry players expect counter-terrorism training to soon be made a core certification for the thousands of security guards at condominiums and offices.Over the past six years, "soft targets" ranging from Biopolis to Sentosa have been the sites of staged bomb detonations and shooting rampages as part of the annual Exercise Heartbeat, designed to stress-test how the authorities and their private-sector partners respond to such an attack.But there is only so much that can be done to secure ordinary public places without costly disruptions to the economy and to Singaporeans' everyday lives."You have to have a balance between free society and security. You can't turn every place into a prison or a fortress," said Foreign and Law Minister K. Shanmugam last week, after signing a condolence book at the French Embassy for victims of the Paris attacks that killed 17.

Rachel Chang & Nur Asyiqin Mohamad Salleh
Straits Times, 17 January 2015
http://www.straitstimes.com/premium/insight/story/terrorism-how-prepared-singapore-20150117

51.

Free speech not a cloak for making insensitive remarks about any religion: Chan Chun Sing: While freedom of speech should be cherished, free speech cannot be used as a cloak to make insensitive and inappropriate remarks about any religion, Minister for Social and Family Development Chan Chun Sing said on Friday.This is especially so in a multi-racial and multi-religious society like Singapore, where there is a need to seek harmony through respect, Mr Chan wrote on his Facebook page.Commenting on the Paris terror attacks last week when 17 people were killed in three days of violence, he said: "What the attackers did was vicious. We condemn such terrorist acts. Our hearts go out to the French people.""But we also need to be clear and careful what 'I am Charlie' actually means and what it stands for."

Straits Times, 16 January 2015
http://www.straitstimes.com/news/singapore/more-singapore-stories/story/free-speech-not-cloak-making-insensitive-remarks-about-a

52.

PM Lee on new PAP candidates, succession planning and the quality of the opposition: We have done the things we need to do. On the issue of housing, HDB has put in a lot of effort and built 28,000 units last year, with 26,000 units likely to be completed this year. 26,000 families getting the keys is actually a large number, exceeding our annual fertility rate.The Ministry of Transport has also done what they need to do. Bus and MRT services have improved, but there is some more work to be done, and there will be more significant improvements this year and next. I have seen from surveys that the people are more satisfied with the public transport.In education, it is a work in progress, because expectations will increase. As polytechnic results get better, more polytechnic graduates will want to go to university. That is why we talk about SkillsFuture - people continuing to upgrade themselves after formal education, while working.If we are able to convey the message to the people that as long as you keep trying, there are always opportunities to upgrade and there are no dead-ends - we will face the next elections with more confidence. But it's for Singaporeans to judge, not for us to score ourselves well.

Straits Times, 16 January 2015
http://www.straitstimes.com/news/singapore/more-singapore-stories/story/pm-lee-new-pap-candidates-succession-planning-and-the-qu

53.

PM Lee: Greatest damage from a terror attack would be to trust and confidence: Last November, he met Muslim and non-Muslim community leaders to talk about ISIS, and said several hundred individuals from Southeast Asia, including a few self-radicalised Singaporeans, had gone to Syria and Iraq to fight alongside the militants there.When they return home, they pose a threat to the region.Said Mr Lee: "Indonesia has a very serious problem, hundreds of people have gone to the Middle East."Malaysia has quite a serious problem, they have dozens of people who have gone to the Middle East, Iraq and Syria, including several who have actually committed suicide bombings.

"In Singapore, can I say that it will never happen? I cannot say that," he added, referring to the possibility of a terror attack."What I can do is to try my best to prepare people to minimise the chance, and to prepare people psychologically so that if it happens, we are not completely shocked and stunned and we also are able to maintain the ties between the communities and we keep our multi-racial fabric."

Straits Times, 16 January 2015
http://www.straitstimes.com/news/singapore/more-singapore-stories/story/pm-lee-greatest-damage-terror-attack-would-be-trust-and-

54.

PM Lee: New challenges, better home as S'pore enters next 50 years: "People are looking for fulfilment, for satisfaction in life, (for) work-life balance. I think these are all reasonable things to want, but between what you want and what you are able to do, you have to find the right accommodation."Looking ahead, he painted a picture of a Singapore that can be an "outstanding" home for generations to come, if the country continues to work at addressing the significant economic and social shifts that have occurred since Mr Lee entered politics 30 years ago.These include slower wage increases in tandem with more modest economic growth, and a changing political landscape as Singaporeans negotiate for more alternative voices in Government, he said.

Straits Times, 16 January 2015
http://www.singapolitics.sg/news/pm-lee-new-challenges-better-home-spore-enters-next-50-years

55.

PM Lee: Singapore politics will change, but not certain yet how: Mr Lee was responding to a question, in an interview with Singapore media, on how he saw democracy here evolving over the next few decades amid calls for more political diversity. "It must change. I am not sure which way it will change," he said. "We are in a very unusual situation where there is a clear consensus for the ruling party. There is a desire for alternative views, yes. But basically Singaporeans want the PAP to govern Singapore. If you ask the Opposition parties - whether it is the Workers' Party or the Singapore Democratic Party - nobody says 'Vote for me, I will form the government, I will be the Prime Minister, I will run this place better'."

Hence it is important for the Government to continue to maintain support and be able to carry the consensus of the population over the long term. But this state of affairs will not remain, he said, and how it changes will also depend on the situations the country faces. "If you run into turbulent situations, people will be very worried about the dangers and there will be a flight to safety," he said. "If you are in a peaceful, prosperous environment, people say: 'Well, this is the way the world is, why do you need the government? We can prosper without the government'. So there is no safety net. There is no certainty that what we have now is going to continue. And each election is a very serious contest for who is going to form the next government," he added.

Asked what he felt was a healthy version of checks and balances in Parliament, Mr Lee said voters should elect the best person to represent them.

Zakir Hussain
Straits Times, 16 January 2015
http://www.singapolitics.sg/news/pm-lee-singapore-politics-will-change-not-certain-yet-how

56.

Positioning Singapore as Asia's legal capital: What does the establishment of the SICC mean for the Singapore economy?

First, it can boost the legal industry in Singapore. As the past experience in promoting Singapore as an arbitration centre has shown, more international arbitration in Singapore means more Singapore lawyers being engaged to provide legal support services. More complicated commercial disputes brought before an international court in Singapore will require sophisticated legal services. This will enhance the professional development of the legal industry.

Second, it strengthens Singapore's brand as a premier dispute resolution hub in Asia. The setting up of a court complements Singapore's ongoing effort to provide mediation and arbitration services, not just for Asean but also for Asia.

Third, the setting up of the SICC will eventually help boost the Singapore economy, especially with Singapore emerging as an increasingly sophisticated service economy.

In recent years, the legal industry in Singapore has been growing faster than Singapore's economic growth. According to Mr Shanmugam, the growth rate of legal services compounded over the past six years is about 7 per cent per year, compared with GDP growth of about 5.4 per cent per year.

Zaid Hamzah
Straits Times, 16 January 2015
http://www.straitstimes.com/premium/opinion/story/positioning-singapore-asias-legal-capital-20150116

57.

Chee Soon Juan to Chan Chun Sing: Do not stigmatise failure

Howard Lee
The Online Citizen, 16 January 2015
http://www.theonlinecitizen.com/2015/01/chee-soon-juan-to-chan-chun-sing-do-not-stigmatise-failure/

58.

Min wage not govt responsibility, says minister: Fixing the minimum wage rates this year relies on an agreement between employers and employees, announced Aye Myint, union minister for labour, employment and social security.

The further points were to be discussed based on a survey of living costs, he added.

The minister said: "The government has to intervene in this matter. Up to now, no agreement has been reached. The gap between people's living costs and their income is wide. It would remain unbalanced if one rate were fixed. Now we are conducting a nationwide survey on living costs."

No consensus has been reached although the ministry has held about 30 meetings on fixing the minimum wages since 2013.

Eleven Myanmar, 18 January 2015
http://elevenmyanmar.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=8719:min-wage-not-govt-responsibility-says-minister&catid=44:national&Itemid=384

59.

Myanmar's first challenge is unity, Suu Kyi says: Myanmar is on a rough path and unity is the first requirement it needs in order to overcome its challenges, National League for Democracy's chairperson Aung San Suu Kyi said.

She made the remarks yesterday morning during the centennial celebration of Bogyoke (General) Aung San held inside Shwezigon Pagoda grounds in Yamethin in Mandalay Region.

"All of us need to be united. This country is a union so it is formed with various ethnic races. We will only become developed when we have unity," said Aung San Suu Kyi.

Using her father Bogyoke Aung San as an example, Suu Kyi explained the difference between heroism and recklessness.

"Wrong pride is included in recklessness and self-interest. Doing something that shouldn't be done because you want to impress people is recklessness. A hero always decides carefully before he takes a risk for the public's benefit. It's very difficult to take a risk after thinking carefully. It's easier to take a risk when the person is agitated or being roused up. It's not easy to take a risk after being cool-headed. That's why such kind of spirit must be nurtured," she said.

Eleven Myanmar, 18 January 2015
http://elevenmyanmar.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=8721:myanmar-s-first-challenge-is-unity-suu-kyi-says&catid=32:politics&Itemid=354

60.

Myanmar alert to extremism threat: Myanmar's President Thein Sein has warned against the dangers of extremism as the country grapples with pockets of inter-communal tension amid the rise of right-wing Buddhist nationalism.In an exclusive interview at the presidential palace in Naypyitaw, he told The Sunday Times: "Our people have shown great religious tolerance; we co-exist side by side. In Yangon, around the vicinity of Sule Pagoda, you can see churches, temples and mosques."But nowadays, we have seen some quarters domestically and internationally spreading extremism based on religion and ethnicity. They have used the media in spreading extremism. It is quite dangerous. We have established interfaith groups to spread the message of religious tolerance."

Straits Times, 18 January 2015
http://www.straitstimes.com/premium/news/story/myanmar-alert-extremism-threat-20150118

61.

U.S. official warns Myanmar of danger of religious intolerance: Visiting human rights officials warned Myanmar on Jan. 16 that using religion to divide the population is like "playing with fire" and new laws proposed by the government could inflame sectarian tensions.

The country risks being exposed to "dangers that it is not prepared to face," the top U.S. human rights envoy, Tom Malinowski, said as he wrapped up a six-day visit that included high-level dialogues on rising Buddhist nationalism and recent arrests of peaceful protesters.

His visit coincided with that of the U.N. special rapporteur on Myanmar, Yanghee Lee, who shared many of his views.

Myanmar only recently emerged from a half-century of brutal military rule and self-imposed isolation. The optimism that accompanied changes brought by the introduction of a quasi-civilian government three years ago--from the release of hundreds of political prisoners to the freeing up of the media--has been replaced by disappointment about stalled reforms.

That includes an outdated legal system, the refusal to amend the junta-era Constitution, and a failure to secure a nationwide cease-fire with rebel armies. New fighting has broken out in recent days between the army and ethnic insurgents in Kachin state and hundreds of villagers have been displaced.

Asahi Shimbun (AJW), 17 January 2015
http://ajw.asahi.com/article/asia/around_asia/AJ201501170025

62.

National ceasefire is unlikely on Union Day if further talks failed, say both sides: A nationwide ceasefire deal between government and ethnic armed groups could not be signed on Union Day (February 12) if the Union Peacemaking Work Committee (UPWC) and Nationwide Ceasefire Coordination Team (NCCT) fail to hold the seventh round of ceasefire talks this month.

Both sides said they expected to sign the ceasefire agreement on February 12 during a press conference after a ceasefire coordination meeting in December last year. Likewise, President Thein Sein said so during a meeting with leaders of the ethnic armed groups on January 5, who attended the Independence Day anniversary and the grand military review parade, said NCCT member colonel Khun Oakka.

The representatives from both parties said they need to agree on the provisions of the ceasefire draft to be finalized. Whatever dates the ceasefire draft could be finalized; it will take about two weeks to make preparations, including the invitation of witnessing countries, in order to sing the agreement.

Eleven Myanmar, 17 January 2015
http://elevenmyanmar.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=8710:national-ceasefire-is-unlikely-on-union-day-if-further-talks-failed-say-both-sides&catid=32:politics&Itemid=354

63.

Protest denounces UN resolution on Bengali rights: Around 500 people and Buddhist monks took to the streets in Yangon on Friday in protest against the United Nations General Assembly's resolution urging Myanmar to grant citizenship and equal rights to Bengalis.

They marched from the eastern stairways of the Shwedagon Pagoda in Bahan Township to Tamwe Township.

The protestors were wearing clothes reading 'UN is unfair' on the portraits of UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon and UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar Yanghee Lee. They also chanted slogans "Immediately stop the UN resolution to grant illegal Bengalis citizenship", "Take action against illegal Bengalis in line with the Citizenship Law", "Those who use a fake national race are our enemies", and "Remove those holding white cards (temporary citizenship cards) from the ballot list to cast votes".

"We have a reason to protest against the UN resolution because we have the rights of a citizen. Every country has a law related to national security," said Naung Taw Lay, one of lead protestors.

Eleven Myanmar, 17 January 2015
http://elevenmyanmar.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=8711:buddhist-monks-lay-people-denounce-un-resolution-to-grant-citizenship-to-bengalis&catid=44:national&Itemid=384

64.

USDP chairman prepared for coalition: The ruling Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) would join hands with any political party in the interests of the people, said its chairman Thura Shwe Mann.

The party held its third central committee meeting at its headquarters on January 16.

"For the time being, different opinions and attitudes reflect symbols of democracy in the current democratic reforms," Thura Shwe Mann said.

"We can join hands with any party in the interests of the country and people and we can regard any party as a potential partner. The party's basic principle is cooperation. The government is now trying internal peace as well as political and economic reform.

"Almost all political institutions are seeking to ensure stability, peace and all-round development. The challenges facing us are national reconciliation and constitutional amendments.

Eleven Myanmar, 17 January 2015
http://elevenmyanmar.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=8714:usdp-chairman-prepared-for-coalition&catid=32:politics&Itemid=354

65.

OECD: Agricultural income per capita is about USD 200 per year: Recent report released by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development says Myanmar's agricultural income per capita is about US$200 per year, which is the lowest in Asia.

The report says Myanmar's agricultural sector has considerable potential for expansion and diversification but faces structural constraints. Agriculture accounts for nearly 32 per cent of Myanmar's GDP and 20 per cent of its export earnings. Most farms are subsistence-level holdings, with over 50 per cent of farms being smaller than five acres.

The report also says raising incomes in rural areas will require increased agricultural productivity. Rice is Myanmar's main crop, but rice productivity is low, and its output has been growing more slowly than that of other crops.

Eleven Myanmar, 16 January 2015
http://elevenmyanmar.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=8708:oecd-agricultural-income-per-capita-is-about-usd-200-per-year&catid=33:business&Itemid=356

66.

Mandalay Farmers, Monks, Students Call for Constitutional Reform, Land Rights Protection: Mandalay - About 1,000 farmers, students, labourers, Buddhist monks and community leaders gathered in Mandalay on Friday to call for better protection of land rights, democratic reforms and abolishment of Burma's military-drafted Constitution.

At a five-hour rally next to U Pwar Pagoda, senior monks, farmers' representatives and student leaders took turns to give speeches demanding broad political reforms from President Thein Sein's nominally-civilian government.

"Most of the problems [in Burma] are because of the bad government who do not want to serve its people. The bad government come up with the 2008 Constitution, which is why it is important to abolish it," said Sayardaw U Thawbita, a Mandalay-based member of the Saffron Revolution Buddhist Monks Network.

The Irrawaddy, 16 January 2015
http://www.irrawaddy.org/burma/mandalay-farmers-monks-students-call-constitutional-reform-land-rights-protection.html

67.

Record Foreign Direct Investment Smashes Government Forecasts: Rangoon - Foreign direct investment in Burma is continuing at a staggering pace, hitting more than US$6 billion in the first nine months of the current fiscal year, according to figures from the Myanmar Investment Commission.

From April to the end of December last year, 25 countries spent $6.62 billion on foreign direct investment (FDI), well above the commission's US$4-5 billion estimates for the year to April 2015 and almost doubling the US$3.5 billion total inflows of the 2013-14 fiscal year.

The Irrawaddy, 16 January 2015
http://www.irrawaddy.org/business/record-foreign-direct-investment-smashes-government-forecasts.html

68.

Myanmar's Investment Drive Hampered by Skills Shortage: Myanmar's efforts to grow investment in its manufacturing sector are being hampered by a shortage of skilled labor and continuing pervasive corruption. Despite the workforce constraints, the country's government plans to focus on attracting foreign direct investment to labor-intensive industries, says Aung Naing Oo, chairman of the Directorate of Investment and Company Administration.More than 42% of foreign investment went towards manufacturing in the fiscal year ending April 2014, compared with just 5% between 1990 and 2013, a reflection of the impact of eased Western sanctions on Myanmar as it transitions away from military rule. Companies such as Coca-Cola KO +0.35%, Unilever ULVR.LN +0.55% and Colgate have all made major investments in the country in recent years, establishing manufacturing bases there for the first time in decades.

Wall Street Journal, 16 January 2015
http://blogs.wsj.com/frontiers/2015/01/16/myanmars-investment-drive-hampered-by-skills-shortage

69.

President urges Hoa Binh to boost growth: President Truong Tan Sang urged the northwest mountainous province of Hoa Binh to use its strengths to attract more investment during his working session with key leaders of the locality yesterday. The President also asked for stronger efforts to promote local economic growth, requiring a focus on fostering administrative reform and infrastructure development.

He said the locality maintained stable growth in recent years, while its models of building new rural areas proved effective, improving local people's living conditions. However, he noted that Hoa Binh needed to solve a number of issues, especially those related to drug trafficking.

Viet Nam News, 19 January 2015
http://vietnamnews.vn/politics-laws/265383/president-urges-hoa-binh-to-boost-growth.html

70.

HCM City targets USD700 mln in investment in IZs: HCM City is targeting to lure USD700 million of investment into its industrial zones and export processing zones in 2015, said the management board of the city's Export Processing and Industrial Zone Authority (Hepza).

According to the Head of Hepza Investment Management Office Tran Viet Ha, the zones attracted a total of USD752 million of investment in 2014, up 23 percent compared to 2013.

Vietnam will see a new investment wave in the time ahead, he predicted, citing forecast that the global garment and textile market will expand by 3.5 percent this year and the expected conclusion of the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TTP).

The official noted that several foreign investors have poured money into major garment and textile projects in anticipation of the TPP, such as the USD300 million plant of Worldon Vietnam.

Communist Party of Vietnam Online Newspaper, 18 January 2015
http://dangcongsan.vn/cpv/Modules/News_English/News_Detail_E.aspx?CN_ID=695740&CO_ID=30105

71.

Vietnam wishes China success in development cause: Vietnam sincerely wishes China success in its development cause and to play an active role in safeguarding peace and stability as well as promoting prosperity in Asia and around the globe, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh wrote in an article on the occasion of the 65th anniversary of Vietnam-China diplomatic ties.

The Deputy PM emphasised that Vietnam and China are neighbours with a time -honoured friendship. He recalled that 65 years ago, on January 18th, 1950, the People's Republic of China became the first country in the world to establish diplomatic ties with the Democratic Republic of Vietnam, now the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, creating a historical milestone in the long-standing relationship between the two countries.

"Over the past 65 years, the friendship between the two countries, nurtured by President Ho Chi Minh and President Mao Zedong together with generations of the two countries' leaders, has become a valuable asset of the two nations. The years that the two Parties, States and peoples supported and assisted each other in their respective revolutionary causes have brought deep impressions and warm sentiment on the people of both countries. The Vietnamese Party, State and people always treasure and are grateful for the earnest assistance of the Chinese Party, Government and people as well as of international friends from all continents to Vietnam in the cause of national liberation and reunification," Deputy PM Minh wrote.

Communist Party of Vietnam Online Newspaper, 18 January 2015
http://dangcongsan.vn/cpv/Modules/News_English/News_Detail_E.aspx?CN_ID=695745&CO_ID=30107

72.

WTO membership- a major contributor to exports and economic growth: Vietnam's admission to the World Trade Organization (WTO) as an equal member has positively impacted the country's economic development, notably in foreign investment attraction, boosted exports and improved the business environment, say domestic and foreign experts.

In 2007, Vietnam officially became the 150th WTO member after years of negotiation efforts, marking an important milestone in the process of its international economic integration.

In a recent interview granted to a Radio Voice of Vietnam (VOV) reporter, International Monetary Fund (IMF) Chief Representative in Vietnam Sanjay Kalra touched upon limitations and challenges facing Vietnam in its international integration process after it joined the WTO eight years ago.

Communist Party of Vietnam Online Newspaper, 18 January 2015
http://dangcongsan.vn/cpv/Modules/News_English/News_Detail_E.aspx?CN_ID=695797&CO_ID=30107

73.

Vietnam capital to start relocating Old Quarter residents in 2017: The capital city's authorities say it will move 1,500 households from the famous quarter to a brand new residential area, which will be completed in late 2017. The plan, as expected, faces opposition from many of the residents, whose livelihoods depend on the coveted location of the quarter in Hoan Kiem District.

By 2020, a total of 6,500 households, or 26,000 residents, will be relocated out of the Old Quarter, so its population density will decrease from 823 people per hectare in 2010 to 500 people per hectare, VnExpress news website quoted Duong Duc Tuan, chairman of Hoan Kiem People's Committee, as saying Friday.

Covering 81 hectares, the quarter has become overcrowded over the years, with a total population of more than 66,000 people, official data show. Works will start on the new residential area in Long Bien District this March, according to the district's authorities. With an initial investment of VND5 trillion, the new area will include 16 buildings with eight-nine stories each and public works like kindergartens and health clinics, said Le Quynh Anh, who is managing the new development. When the first stage is finished, Hoan Kiem District will ask the city authorities to provide another 30 hectares of land to accommodate more relocated residents, Tuan said.

Besides compensations, each household will be given the first 30 square meters of their new house for free, meaning that they will have to pay or rent the remaining area of their house, vice chairman Lam Quoc Hung said.

Thanh Nien News, 18 January 2015
http://www.thanhniennews.com/society/vietnam-capital-to-start-relocating-old-quarter-residents-in-2017-37734.html

74.

Vietnam, India hold ninth defence dialogue: Vietnam and India will focus their defence cooperation on applying technological advances and developing information technology and defence industry, it was agreed at the ninth Vietnam-India defence dialogue in New Delhi on January 16.At the dialogue, Deputy Defence Minister, Sen. Lieut. Gen Nguyen Chi Vinh and his Indian counterpart Shri R.K. Mathur also agreed that both sides will continue sharing defence strategies and polices via visits and training courses for armies, especially naval forces.

They are due to extend the second stage of a project on developing an Indian-funded centre of IT, foreign languages and informatics into a major software hub in central Vietnam.

The two sides consented to work closely together at multilateral forums in the region, including the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, the ASEAN Regional Forum, the ASEAN Defence Ministerial Meeting Plus while effectively carrying out an initiative on humanitarian mine action.

VietNamNet Bridge, 18 January 2015
http://english.vietnamnet.vn/fms/government/121380/vietnam--india-hold-ninth-defence-dialogue.html

75.

Vietnam attends Berlin Agriculture Ministers' Summit: A Vietnamese delegation led by Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Cao Duc Phat participated in the seventh Berlin Agriculture Ministers' Summit in Germany on January 17 as part of the Global Forum for Food and Agriculture (GFFA).In an interview with a Vietnam News Agency reporter in Berlin, Minister Phat said the event focused on the role of agricultural development to ensure food security for people all over the world.

Voice of Vietnam, 18 January 2015
http://english.vov.vn/Economy/Vietnam-attends-Berlin-Agriculture-Ministers-Summit/287043.vov

76.

Party leader urges procuracy sector to be a pillar of justice: Party Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong has asked the procuracy sector and each of its staff to set an example in abiding by the Party's guidelines and policies as well as the State's laws, thus being a real pillar of justice.

Addressing the Supreme People's Procuracy's conference in Hanoi on January 16th, the Party leader emphasized that Party-building work and personnel training in the sector are very important, which has a decisive importance to the sector's working efficiency.

He hailed the sector's efforts in performing its tasks during the past year, particularly in curbing the increase in crimes, maintaining political security and social order, safeguarding the socialist legal institutions, human rights and citizen rights as well as the State's interests and the legitimate rights and interests of individuals and organisations.

Communist Party of Vietnam Online Newspaper, 17 January 2015
http://dangcongsan.vn/cpv/Modules/News_English/News_Detail_E.aspx?CN_ID=695684&CO_ID=30180

77.

Specific action plans essential to ease poverty in North-western region: More specific action plans and programs along the direction of economic and labour restructuring are needed to further reduce poverty in the North-western region, where the poverty rate remains as high as 17.9 percent, according to Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc.

Chairing a conference of the Steering Committee for the North-western Region on January 16th, the Deputy PM, who is also head of the committee, asked the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development to assist in selecting plants and animals suitable for farming in the region.

He also required the ministry to design projects helping mountainous localities to develop forestry, which is an important sector for the region taking into account its natural conditions.

Communist Party of Vietnam Online Newspaper, 17 January 2015
http://dangcongsan.vn/cpv/Modules/News_English/News_Detail_E.aspx?CN_ID=695696&CO_ID=30180

78.

Vietnam financial watchdog urges more supervision of SOEs: The commission has developed a system of supervision over the years that could be applied to the task of monitoring SOEs, chairman Vu Viet Ngoan said. He added that his watchdog agency has gained a lot of experience from overseeing more than 600 listed companies. As of the end of the 2013 fiscal year, the government was the sole owner of 796 businesses, according to the commission's latest report to the National Assembly.

The sector's debt was estimated at over VND1,514 trillion, up 9 percent from the previous year. Its average ratio of debt to capital was 1.45, but 41 companies had a ratio higher than 3.0, according to local media. In a report released last October, the World Bank also named the structural problem of the SOE sector as one of the reasons for Vietnam's sluggish growth, together with subdued domestic demand and policy weaknesses.

Thanh Nien News, 17 January 2015
http://www.thanhniennews.com/business/vietnam-financial-watchdog-urges-more-supervision-of-soes-37652.html

79.

Ha Noi to resettle residents: Ha Noi will start the construction of a resettlement area in March as part of a project to move some 26,000 residents from the city's overcrowded Old Quarter. The residents will be resettled at apartment buildings in Long Bien District's Viet Hung Urban Area, said Lam Quoc Hung, Vice Chairman of the Hoan Kiem District People's Committee.By 2020, the project will resettle 6,500 households, according to the Hoan Kiem District People's Committee.

Viet Nam News, 17 January 2015
http://vietnamnews.vn/society/265357/ha-noi-to-resettle-residents.html

80.

Japanese investors getting fond of Vietnam: Vietnam has become one of the more favoured investment destinations for Japanese small and medium sized business enterprises (SMEs) as they seek to diversify their investments throughout ASEAN member nations.The latest official statistics show they have poured US$36 billion into 2,400 projects across the country.

A recent survey of Japanese business enterprises reflects that over 70% of them consider Vietnam as one of the top investment destinations in ASEAN and those that have invested are satisfied with the results.

Voice of Vietnam, 17 January 2015
http://english.vov.vn/Economy/Japanese-investors-getting-fond-of-Vietnam/287030.vov

81.

Vietnam, China promote interpersonal exchange: Promoting solidarity, friendship, mutual understanding, and interpersonal exchange between Vietnam and China is crucial to developing the bilateral comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership in a stable and healthy fashion.

President Truong Tan Sang made the remark at a reception for Chairwoman of the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFFC) Li Xiaolin in Hanoi on January 15th. He said the Vietnamese Party, State and people attach great importance to the neighbourliness, friendship and comprehensive cooperation with their Chinese counterparts.

The two sides are expected to maintain regular high-level delegation exchanges, realise commitments in certain fields, address disputes, and develop cooperation for the benefits of the two countries, the region, and the world.

Communist Party of Vietnam Online Newspaper, 16 January 2015
http://dangcongsan.vn/cpv/Modules/News_English/News_Detail_E.aspx?CN_ID=695513&CO_ID=30253

82.

Vietnam may force banks into bankruptcy as overhaul quickens: The State Bank of Vietnam will step up measures to "drastically" deal with weak banks that have no chance of recovery, according to a statement on its website yesterday. The central bank "is putting its utmost efforts to quicken overhaul of banks," it said. The Southeast Asian nation is targeting 2015 gross domestic product growth of 6.2 percent from 5.98 percent last year, as the economy shows signs of improvement on rising exports and investment. The years-long effort to clean up the banking system is a key component of the government's drive to rejuvenate expansion, with lenders facing a year-end deadline to reduce bad debt to below 3 percent of total loans. "They are looking at 2015 as a decisive year," Alan Pham, Ho Chi Minh City-based chief economist at VinaCapital Group, the nation's biggest fund manager, said by phone. "The central bank is taking a more assertive role. If the banks get healthier this year, maybe the 6.2 GDP growth is achievable."

The benchmark VN Index fell 0.2 percent at 1:02 p.m. in Ho Chi Minh City trading. The dong was stable at 21,345 against the U.S. dollar, according to prices from banks compiled by Bloomberg. The central bank expects six bank mergers to occur this year, it said in its statement. The nation's large state banks are in a position to merge with weaker institutions, Pham said.

"The state-owned banks are the ones with the heft to do it," he said. "At the same time, if the central bank thinks a weak bank is not salvageable, it is willing to let it be declared bankrupt."

Vietnam's economic growth last year beat the government's 5.8 percent target. The World Bank forecasts the country's GDP growth at 5.6 percent in 2015.

Thanh Nien News, 16 January 2015
http://www.thanhniennews.com/business/vietnam-may-force-banks-into-bankruptcy-as-overhaul-quickens-37696.html

83.

What Awaits Vietnam in 2015?: Will Vietnam be able to leverage its relations with TPP countries to its advantage with China?: Vietnam's diplomacy in 2014 was a complicated mess, primarily due to tensions with China in the South China Sea. Since the HD 981 incident last year, Vietnam has very clearly understood the importance of pursuing more diverse relationships with countries in the region and around the world, especially Japan, the Philippines, and the United States. With a powerful China claiming sovereignty over most of the South China Sea and a strong-willed United States fostering ambitions to pivot to Asia, 2015 opens with Vietnam facing both diplomatic opportunities and challenges.

Most likely, the United States will strengthen its comprehensive partnership with Vietnam due to common interests and threats from China. Since the United States announced an easing of the lethal weapons embargo against Vietnam last October, Vietnam has successfully diversified its arsenal after depending solely on weapons from its longtime ally, Russia. Vietnam's task in 2015 is to figure out what kind of weapons are suitable for the dispute and how to effectively integrate them with Russian arms. With American weapons in storage, Vietnam and the United States can easily conduct joint military exercises, helping the United States gain access to strategic naval bases and building trust between the two navies. Additionally, the victory of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in Japan and the renewal of the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement between the United States and the Philippines has laid a strong foundation for further cooperation among Japan, the Philippines and Vietnam, while also ensuring a smooth American pivot to the region.

The Diplomat, 16 January 2015
http://thediplomat.com/2015/01/what-awaits-vietnam-in-2015/

84.

Japan congressman visits Vietnam: Vietnam always attaches much importance to developing comprehensive friendship and cooperative relations with Japan and considers it one of top priorities in its foreign policies.The statement was made by Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc at a reception for Kawai Katsuyuki, former chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of Japan's House of Representatives, in Hanoi on January 16.

Phuc emphasised that the two countries have witnessed strong progress in bilateral relationship and in March 2014, decided to lift it into deep and extensive strategic partnership for peace and prosperity in Asia.

Voice of Vietnam, 16 January 2015
http://english.vov.vn/Politics/Japan-congressman-visits-Vietnam/287007.vov

85.

Drug war is flagging: A couple of major developments have taken place against the backdrop of the battle against drugs. The two cases seem to illustrate the two extremes of this long fight. In Thailand, suit-clad officials from four countries agreed politely to set up an information-sharing headquarters. No one is in charge. The specific goals are not just unstated, but appear not to exist. In Indonesia, at the other end of the pendulum, prison authorities yesterday brought six convicted drug dealers - five of them foreigners - to the killing stakes for execution by firing squad.

Bangkok Post, 19 January 2015
http://www.bangkokpost.com/opinion/opinion/457797/drug-war-is-flagging

86.

Ex-ministers fail badly in their defence of Yingluck: So, four ministers from the ousted government of Yingluck Shinawatra have taken to YouTube to answer, in her defence, the questions about the rice-pledging scheme raised by members of the National Legislative Assembly last Friday. They took this action to offset the assembly's refusal to let them speak on her behalf. What the four - former deputy prime ministers Kittiratt Na-Ranong and Niwattumrong Boonsongpaisan, former PM's Office minister Varathep Rattanakorn and former deputy commerce minister Yanyong Phuangrach - said can be roughly summed up as follows:

Veera Prateepchaikul
Bangkok Post, 19 January 2015
http://www.bangkokpost.com/opinion/opinion/457799/ex-ministers-fail-badly-in-their-defence-of-yingluck

87.

Yingluck's fate sealed, says Pheu Thai Ex-PM's allies claim NLA urged to impeach: It is clear that former prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra will be impeached when the National Legislative Assembly (NLA) decides her fate on Friday, according to the Pheu Thai Party. The military and the NLA, meanwhile, have reiterated that lawmakers are free to vote however they see fit and claim there has been no direction from the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) or the government on which way to vote.

Bangkok Post, 19 January 2015
http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/general/457738/yingluck-fate-sealed-says-pheu-thai

88.

Thailand maintains balance of ties with Asian powers: Observers say Bangkok appears to be trying to placate Tokyo after the post-coup government swiftly accepted Beijing's aid to build almost 900km of dual-track rail linking the Thai-Laos border to Bangkok, as well as a key industrial estate and port.Thailand has long maintained a delicate balance of allegiances with all major powers in Asia and the West.The coup last May altered the equilibrium, alienating Western democracies. Now Thailand's infrastructure projects are likely to pose dilemmas in balancing the competing interests of its long- time Asian investors. China's shadow looms large over infrastructure projects in the region. It is backing a massive dam in Myanmar, a light rail system in Vietnam's capital Hanoi, as well as a high-speed rail network in Laos.It recently launched the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, and talks of creating a Maritime Silk Road across South-east Asia.Even before the coup, Thailand was keen on Chinese participation in its future rail network.

Straits Times, 19 January 2015
http://www.straitstimes.com/premium/asia/story/thailand-maintains-balance-ties-asian-powers-20150119

89.

Mustering courage to battle injustice: Bravery exists only because of cowardice. Standing up to those who are cruel and use weapons or sexual violence or financial power to oppress and intimidate - be they terrorists, human traffickers, dictators or common criminals - is hard. This is because violence works: Bullets, bombs, rape and torture do silence people, leaving behind victims who are dead, scarred or otherwise intimidated. It is a truth we don't like to tell ourselves, as we applaud the citizens of France for marching en masse to show they will not be cowed, but the injured and traumatised never fully recover and the dead never come back to life.

Bangkok Post, 18 January 2015
http://www.bangkokpost.com/opinion/opinion/457619/mustering-courage-to-battle-injustice

90.

We will get new laws, but will we obey them?: This week marks eight months since the National Council for Peace and Order toppled the Yingluck government. Armed with martial law, the military moved swiftly to ban political gatherings and imposed restrictions on the media to curb opposition to the coup and statements that would further deepen the political divide. The current government was set up, followed by the roadmap to reform and the drafting of a new charter. Policies and action was initiated on many fronts, some of which are still ongoing. For example, apart from putting an end to rolling street protests, a clean-up campaign ensued on our beaches, the city's footpaths, land encroachment and gambling.

Pichai Chuensuksawadi
Bangkok Post, 18 January 2015
http://www.bangkokpost.com/opinion/opinion/457622/we-will-get-new-laws-but-will-we-obey-them

91.

Testing times to stop hate: The attempt by the charter drafters to address hate speech formally by including it in the new constitution is one that will win agreement in principle. Before any anti-hate measures can be put into practice, however, several issues must be carefully considered to ensure the addition does not end up being abused to infringe on individual rights and media freedom. The Constitution Drafting Committee (CDC) announced on Thursday that a specific clause forbidding the use of hate speech to instigate hatred, discrimination, hostility and violence will be introduced for the first time in the new charter.

Bangkok Post, 17 January 2015
http://www.bangkokpost.com/opinion/opinion/457327/testing-times-to-stop-hate

92.

Yingluck in the dock: The focus of the hearings, which may last several weeks, is a hare-brained and hugely costly rice-subsidy programme that aimed to boost the incomes of poor farmers. Their votes had contributed to a parliamentary landslide for Ms Yingluck's party, Pheu Thai, in 2011. Her government pledged to pay farmers twice the market rate for their crop, hoping to recoup the costs by hoarding stockpiles in an effort to push up prices internationally. Farmers piled fertiliser on to their fields; gangs sold rice to the government that was smuggled in from Cambodia and elsewhere; and exports collapsed as international buyers found cheaper supplies in India and Vietnam. At one point Thailand's warehouses held 18m tonnes of rice, equivalent to about half the annual global trade in the commodity; losses to the exchequer may amount to over $15 billion, the junta says.

The scheme was plainly a disaster. But in truth Ms Yingluck's impeachment has more to do with long-running efforts by Bangkok's royalist elites to dismember Pheu Thai-and in particular to eradicate the influence of Yingluck's brother, Thaksin Shinawatra, a populist former prime minister who was deposed by the army in 2006 but who still dictates the party's policies from self-imposed exile in Dubai. Thaksinites have long claimed that going after Ms Yingluck for corruption targets them unfairly. The legality of impeaching a prime minister who has already left office is also questionable, and it does not help that the impeachment process is based on a constitution that the army dislikes and has suspended.

The hearings are a sideshow for a junta that knows they carry some risk for it. For all its oppressiveness and self-interest, the junta has wanted to appear conciliatory since seizing power eight months ago.

The Economist, 17 January 2015
http://www.economist.com/news/asia/21639568-ousted-prime-minister-faces-impeachment-it-show-yingluck-dock

93.

Part 1: The Implications of MMP for Thailand: To get a sense of what we might expect from the switch to MMP we examined how the outcomes from the 2007 and 2011 elections might have been different had Thailand used MMP for those contests. We keep all other aspects of the electoral system the same. For 2007 there are 400 seats elected from constituencies using the block vote, and 80 seats elected from the regional party list, and for 2011 there are 375 first-past-the-post constituency seats and 125 national party list seats.

So, how might the outcome have been different if Thailand had used MMP in 2007 and 2011? Figure 1 shows the outcomes for different MMP scenarios in 2007, while Figure 2 shows the results for 2011. We analyze the effects of MMP with no threshold, with a 1% or one seat threshold, and a 5% or 3 seat threshold. Again, all the scenarios assume party lists seats will be distributed nationally, with no overhang seats allowed.

Bangkok Pundit co-authored and cross-posted with Allen Hicken of the University of Michigan of Thaidatapoints.com
Asian Correspondent, 16 January 2015
http://asiancorrespondent.com/129863/the-implications-of-mmp-for-thailand/

94.

Refugees on Thai Border to Undergo Verification Process: Chiang Mai, Thailand - The UN refugee agency and Thailand's Ministry of Interior will conduct a verification exercise on the Burmese refugee population along the Thai border, with the data intended to help find "durable solutions" and better coordinate future humanitarian assistance.

The program will be carried out in all nine refugee camps on the Thai-Burma border, where some 130,000 Burmese refugees, mostly ethnic Karen, have been living for decades after fleeing their homes amid Burma's long-running civil war.

Saw Honest, chairman of the largest refugee camp at Mae La, told The Irrawaddy that his camp's program would likely begin in February.

"They will tally the refugee population," said Saw Honest, whose camp hosts more than 40,000 refugees in western Thailand's Tak province. "Then, 11-year-olds and older will be issued a card that contains family bio data."

The Irrawaddy, 16 January 2015
http://www.irrawaddy.org/burma/refugees-thai-border-undergo-verification-process.html

95.

Impeaching Yingluck Shinawatra: In the foreseeable future, impeachment might be invoked more frequently. The Interim Charter mandates that an impeached politician or official be banned for life. In the Constitution Drafting Committee's blueprint, the new constitution offered two tracks for impeachment. If an accused survives the two-fifth vote in both houses, his or her name will still be put on a list for the public to vote for impeachment. Impeachment would then become an ever more convenient, yet lethal, tool with which to harass the political opposition. Contradicting its public claims, the junta's new constitution will create more political instability.

It is true that the rice-pledging scheme was economically unsustainable, but Yingluck should have been held accountable for her policy through a vote of no confidence or a loss in the general election, both of which are normal political processes of checks and balances. By invoking impeachment, the NLA is playing a dangerous game with its own support base. Should it impeach Yingluck, it will deepen resentment among pro-Shinwatra parties. Yet once the hearings have been initiated, the NLA could not spare Yingluck without risking the wrath of its anti-Shinawatra supporters. The outcome of the hearings may not only decide Yingluck's fate but also the NLA's. No matter how the impeachment hearing will conclude for either the political future of the Shinawatra family or the popularity of the administration, the NLA's arbitrariness has continued to jeopardize any remaining legitimacy of laws and public institutions in Thailand. It brings further destruction to the rule of law. This damaging legacy will last long after the current members of the NLA leave office.

Khemthong Tonsakulrungruang is a constitutional law scholar in Thailand
New Mandala, 15 January 2015
http://asiapacific.anu.edu.au/newmandala/2015/01/15/impeaching-yingluck-shinawatra/

96.

Aquino's speech based on his experiences, says Tagle: Still a commentary on the previous administration" based on his personal and political experiences.This was how Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle described President Benigno Aquino III's speech during Pope Francis' courtesy call in Malaca�ang Friday morning.In his speech, Mr. Aquino criticized the bishops who remained silent about corruption and abuses during President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo's administration but who were now very vocal against him, "to the extent that one prelate admonished me to do something about my hair, as if it were a mortal sin."

Jocelyn R. Uy
Philippine Daily Inquirer, 18 January 2015
http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/665864/aquinos-speech-based-on-his-experiences-says-tagle

97.

6 Events That Will Shape Philippine Politics in 2015: If 2014 was the year when the Philippines struggled to recover from the devastating impact of Typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda), what might await Philippine politics in 2015?

Mong Palatino
The Diplomat, 18 January 2015
http://thediplomat.com/2015/01/6-events-that-will-shape-philippine-politics-in-2015/

98.

Francis Addresses Poverty at Mass in Manila: As he celebrated Sunday Mass before a crowd of millions here in a cornerstone of Catholicism in Asia, Pope Francis stressed the need to care for the world's poor, a theme he has repeated throughout his five-day visit to the Philippines. He also touched on the subject of the environment, a topic he is expected to address in depth in an encyclical later this year. God "created the world as a beautiful garden and asked us to care for it," Francis said. "Through sin, man has disfigured that natural beauty. Through sin, man has also destroyed the unity and beauty of our human family, creating social structures that perpetuate poverty, ignorance and corruption."

Six million people gathered in Manila's Rizal Park and surrounding streets, according to Col. Restituto Padilla Jr., a spokesman for the Armed Forces of the Philippines. The crowd waited for hours in a light rain for the afternoon Mass.

Floyd Whaley and Austin Ramzy
The New York Times, 18 January 2015
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/01/19/world/asia/pope-in-the-philippines.html?ref=asia&_r=0

99.

Devout and dishonest: A day before Pope Francis arrived in the Philippines, detained businesswoman Janet Lim Napoles arrived in court for her continuing trial on plunder and other charges wearing a yellow shirt bearing his image. The alleged principal of the pork barrel scam was in high spirits, not least because the Pontiff was arriving the next day, which happens to be her birthday. "Nagkataon na birthday ko po bukas, kaya [I feel] talagang blessed yung birthday ko," she said with absolutely no trace of irony.

Philippine Daily Inquirer, 17 January 2015
http://opinion.inquirer.net/81780/devout-and-dishonest

100.

Pope Francis Preaches About Corruption, Social Justice in the Philippines: The Philippines visit offers the pope a platform to touch on some of his favorite themes, including social justice, concern for the poor and abuse of authority. He started his day by meeting with Philippine President Benigno Aquino III , where he warned the government against the temptation of corruption."It is now, more than ever, necessary that political leaders be outstanding for honesty, integrity and commitment to the common good," he told a meeting of Filipino authorities."The Philippines...faces the challenge of building on solid foundations a modern society-a society respectful of authentic human values, protective of our God-given human dignity and rights, and ready to confront new and complex political and ethical questions," the pope said Friday during his meeting with Filipino authorities.

[news contains 2 video clips]

Wall Street Journal, 16 January 2015
http://www.wsj.com/articles/pope-francis-presses-social-justice-agenda-in-the-philippines-1421380670

101.

Taking Cambodia to the next level: CAMBODIAN Prime Minister Hun Sen's 30 years in power are undoubtedly a moment of personal satisfaction. He has walked a long road indeed: Serving the brutal Khmer Rouge regime, defecting to Vietnam, helping to unseat his former chieftains, taking the helm, staging a bloody coup to remove a coalition partner, and running the country virtually unchallenged thereafter.Against the dark era of the Khmer Rouge, Mr Hun Sen's record has been more acceptable to the international community, with the United States lifting a ban on direct bilateral aid in 2007. However, his critics are right to argue that he should be judged by commonly accepted benchmarks and not measured against an exceptionally savage despot like Pol Pot, who was responsible for the deaths of 1.7 million Cambodians.

Straits Times, 19 January 2015
http://www.straitstimes.com/premium/opinion/story/taking-cambodia-the-next-level-20150119

102.

NGOs to Be Restricted During ElectionCampaigns: Mr. Bunroeun said the two sides had not yet decided whether other activities carried out by civil society groups, such as polling voters and providing transport to party members, would be permitted.The two sides also agreed that civil servants should be allowed to join election campaigns after work and on weekends. Mr. Bunroeun, however, said the CNRP held that soldiers, police and court officials should be excluded, pointing to Article 15 of the Political Parties Law, which says that these groups, along with religious leaders, must not conduct activities in support of or in opposition to any political party.The CPP delegation disagreed with this position, which remains a sticking point in the talks, along with the CNRP's proposal that the deployment of any security forces during the election period should only occur at the request and or approval of the National Election Committee.

Cambodia Daily, 17 January 2015
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/ngos-to-be-restricted-during-election%E2%80%88campaigns-76343/

103.

US Mayor Wants Government to Release Activists: Nine of the women hail from the Boeng Kak neighborhood, which has seen some 3,000 families forcibly evicted to make way for a development project backed by a ruling party senator."Basic rights, basic human rights that we're all afforded, certainly in the United States, need to be upheld," Mr. Elliott said before entering the prison."It doesn't seem that due process has been allowed for these women, these property owners, and we think it's important that that be taken into consideration," he added.Inside the prison, prominent human rights campaigner Tep Vanny told Mr. Elliott that the homes of about 600 families still living in the Boeng Kak area are regularly inundated with water as a result of inadequate drainage."We all got arrested and placed into prison simply because we protested to demand that City Hall remove the water that flooded our houses," Ms. Vanny said.Speaking to reporters after exiting Prey Sar, Mr. Elliott said he decided to visit the activists after receiving numerous requests from residents of Lowell-home to about 30,000 Cambodian-Americans-that he check on their health and well-being.The mayor also said his delegation would ask the government to reverse the court's decision to convict and imprison the women.

Cambodia Daily, 17 January 2015
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/us-mayor-wants-government-to-release-activists-76339/

104.

Ministries Unclear Over Who Needs Work Permits: Work permits cost 400,000 riel, and foreigners will also be fined an additional 400,000 riel for every year they have lived in Cambodia without a work permit, Mr. Sour said.Foreigners applying for work permits are also required to have a medical check to ensure they do not have any contagious diseases. The test costs 100,000 riel and must be administered at the Labor Ministry by "labor physicians," Mr. Sour said.Although both the labor and interior ministries said applying for work permits is a simple process, Cedric Racine, who owns a hotel in Kampot City, said his experience was frustrating."It was not easy." Mr. Racine said. "I was sent from one office to another and another."

Cambodia Daily, 16 January 2015
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/ministries-unclear-over-who-needs-work-permits-76262/

105.

Budget ignores women and children: Women and children do not benefit from the federal budget, according to Member of Parliament (MP) Virgilio da Costa Hornai.The Commission F (health, education, culture, veterans' affairs and gender equality) president said rural women and children in particular were being ignored by the government. "It's okay in the city but it is necessary to pay attention to women in rural areas by providing programs that will bring them positive changes," he said.He said the commission intended to examine ministerial gender policies under the 2015 budget. Parliamentary Women's Group president Josefa Alvares Pereira Soares said only urban residents had access to development initiatives. "There is no clean water in remote areas, health facilities are unavailable, the quality of schools is poor and roads are in poor condition," she said.

She called on the government to put more focus on rural areas in 2015. Secretary Of State for the Promotion of Equality Idelta Maria Rodrigues called for all ministries to create gender-sensitive policies. "It is necessary to continue the call for focus on women because they have an important role to play in our national development," she said.

The Dili Weekly, 17 January 2015
http://www.thediliweekly.com/en/news/children-youth/13052-budget-ignores-women-and-children

106.

Young women encouraged to take on politics: Former resistance member Olandina Caeiro has encouraged young women to involve themselves in politics in order to bring about positive changes to their lives."Many Timorese women are intelligent therefore young women should have the courage to compete to create a sense of equality between men and women in politics," she said. Caeiro suggested women educate themselves by reading widely. She said women should prioritize higher education over early marriage. "Mothers are asked to educate their daughters; having a better life is often not achieved through marriage but by having a job," she said. Secretary of State for the Promotion of Equality Idelta Maria Rodrigues said women's participation in politics had greatly increased.

The Dili Weekly, 17 January 2015
http://www.thediliweekly.com/en/news/capital/13066-young-women-encouraged-to-take-on-politics

107.

UK, India pledge stronger cooperation with ASEAN: UK Ambassador to ASEAN Moazzam Malik presented his credentials to ASEAN Secretary-General Le Luong Minh on January 16th, conveying his Government's commitment to further strengthen ties with the bloc and its members.

Secretary-General Minh welcomed the UK's willingness to explore cooperation with ASEAN and encouraged the country to continue to support the grouping in its community building efforts.

During their meeting, Secretary-General Minh and Ambassador Malik exchanged views on key developments in the region and the world at large.

On January 15th, India's first resident Ambassador to ASEAN Suresh K. Reddy also presented his credentials to the Secretary-General at the ASEAN Secretariat headquarters in Jakarta.

Communist Party of Vietnam Online Newspaper, 18 January 2015
http://dangcongsan.vn/cpv/Modules/News_English/News_Detail_E.aspx?CN_ID=695789&CO_ID=30107

108.

Southeast Asia moves to bulk up maritime corridors: Southeast Asian countries are rushing to build much-needed port infrastructure to handle the surge in maritime trade, with the Philippines and Indonesia leading the pack with huge investments.

Two more projects are being planned, and the port could boost its processing capacity by 75%. It will be able to handle demand five or 10 years down the road and will become a more convenient transshipment center for larger vessels, according to IPC President R.J. Lino. He hopes to raise Tanjung Priok to the same standing as the Port of Singapore, the main regional hub.

Other countries are following suit. Thailand is expanding the Laem Chabang port, which sits about 100km southeast of Bangkok and exports about 1.2 million cars a year. Vietnam is building a new seaport close to Hai Phong Port in the north, where many electronics manufacturers have facilities.

Jun Endo, Nikkei staff writer
Nikkei Asian Review, 17 January 2015
http://asia.nikkei.com/Politics-Economy/Economy/Southeast-Asia-moves-to-bulk-up-maritime-corridors

109.

Should China be worried about the eurozone? China's worries are both strategic and economic. Europe, with its almost half a billion citizens, needs to be a strong bulwark in the world order, providing balance between the US, Russia and China. The collapse of the EU integration project would create uncertainties and imbalances and destabilize the global system.

On the economic front, the exit of Greece from the eurozone and the collapse of the monetary union would leave the US dollar as the sole reserve currency for the years ahead and thus limit China's ability to diversify its monetary reserves away from the currency of its major geopolitical and security competitor. US quantitative easing has not only allowed Washington to reduce the value of the dollar and thus made China suffer real losses on its dollar reserves, but has also helped the US to retain a high military budget and expand its military posture in Asia.

Also, on the economic front, the turbulence of a Greexit and the contraction of the EU economy, at least in the short to mid term, would adversely affect Chinese exports to Europe and harm Chinese growth which already stands at its lowest point in decades. At the same time, European investments in China would decline and the newly issued and heavily depreciated currencies of the former eurozone members would harm China's competitiveness in the global markets. Such an economic Armageddon could strongly affect the stability of China.

Zhang Lihua is director of the Research Center for China-EU Relations at Tsinghua University. Vasilis Trigkas is a visiting research fellow at the same center and a non-resident WSD-Handa fellow at Pacific Forum CSIS.
Global Times, 19 January 2015
http://www.globaltimes.cn/content/902644.shtml

110.

Taiwan's shifting political landscape: Following the KMT's defeat, Beijing has tried hard to figure out what exactly is happening in Taiwan and is questioning whether it should adjust its present course, characterised by a relatively benign cross-strait policy. Similarly, the US government was surprised to learn that Ma has become such an unpopular figure among voters but has declined to make any clear comments on the future of cross-strait relations. It also stresses that the US continues to encourage both sides to improve relations. All this has led some commentators to suggest that the vote was essentially a referendum on cross-strait relations. But this is mistaken. The elections were held at the local level and cross-strait issues were not touched upon at all throughout the campaign. Even the DPP quickly made clear that it would be wrong to interpret the election as a referendum on the KMT's mainland policy. The election results should not be interpreted either as a failure of China's or the KMT's cross-strait policy.

Some worry about the increasing tendency towards anti-China sentiments rising up from Taiwan's grassroots. It is true that the political changes in motion may add more unpredictability to cross-strait relations. In order to convince voters that it deserves their support, the DPP has to commit to finding common ground with China in the next few months. This is by far the greatest challenge to the independence-oriented party and its leadership. The KMT's defeat signaled an end to Ma's exclusionist way of conducting cross-strait relations. But while the loss was a serious blow to the KMT and to the morale of its government, it does not mean that victory is out of reach in the 2016 general and presidential elections. The KMT will soon elect a new chairman to lead the party out of the woods. The big question is not how Beijing and Taipei should move forward quickly but how Taiwan's leaders can convince its people to support further cross-strait economic development.

Fu-Kuo Liu is a professor at the Institute of International Relations, National Chengchi University, Taiwan
East Asia Forum, 18 January 2015
http://www.eastasiaforum.org/2015/01/18/taiwans-shifting-political-landscape/

111.

Reform of pension system worries public sector workers: Doctors, teachers and other public sector workers in China are worried. Some have even gone on strike. But they aren't worried about their working conditions. They are worried about what will happen to them when they retire. In some central and western Chinese regions, it has been reported that many civil servants have been applying for early retirement. These people are seeking to leave the world of work early due to last week's State Council announcement of pension reform. This has led to many civil servants worrying that they might not receive the pension they have expected.

Zhang Chewei, vice dean of the Institute of Population and Labor Economics, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS), told the China National Radio that these worries about reduced pension payments are understandable, but that it is not easy to be granted early retirement. The State Council announced its plans for a new pension scheme for civil servants and those employed by public institutions on January 14. The new system is to come into force from October 2015. Under the old system, public sector workers did not have to pay into a pension fund and their pension was paid for by the State. Their pension payments were nearly 90 percent of their pre-retirement monthly salary. But under the new system, the size of pension payments will mainly be decided by how much retirees have paid into their pension fund, and for how long. This would bring public sector workers more in line with their private sector counterparts who must pay 8 percent of their monthly salary into a pension fund.

Private employers must also pay 20 percent of their workers' salaries into a pension fund. Usually, the pensions of private sector employees are equal to 40 to 60 percent of their final salary. This gap has led to discontent among private sector workers, who have called for the government to create a fairer system. These reforms will aim to create a more equal and solvent system, as pensions in China are under increasing pressure from an aging society.

Global Times, 18 January 2015
http://www.globaltimes.cn/content/902576.shtml

112.

Is Corruption Within the PLA Diminishing China's Military Preparedness? In November 2013, during the Third Plenary Session of the 18th Central Party, Xi Jinping announced the most sweeping and ambitious military reform plan in more than three decades. The principle objective behind these reform efforts is to increase the warfighting capabilities of the PLA. The PLA still lags other major military powers in many aspects, such as modern joint command systems, joint forces interoperability, modern unit training, and the modernization of military equipment.

Some analysts and commentators noted that given the slow propensity to change of the Chinese military bureaucracy, we will likely not see sweeping reform of the PLA, but rather witness incremental changes and small adjustments over the next few years. For example, as part of the anti-corruption campaign within the military, the PLA recently launched a new website to make some of its military procurement more transparent.

Perhaps, Chinese military analysts have been carefully watching the disintegration of U.S. sponsored Iraqi Army over the last couple of months, which many commentators have attributed to the rampant corruption within the force, and taken this as a wakeup call. Perhaps not. Military bureaucracies are notoriously inflexible in adopting to new circumstances and prone to resist any changes for as long as they can. Still, one thing is crystal clear: Widespread corruption within a military force - especially on the logistics side - is the surest way to diminish the combat effectiveness of an army, no matter how well soldiers fight on the actual battlefield (e.g, see the experience of the German Wehrmacht during the Second World War).

Franz-Stefan Gady is an Associate Editor with The Diplomat.
The Diplomat, 18 January 2015
http://thediplomat.com/2015/01/is-corruption-within-the-pla-diminishing-chinas-military-preparedness/

113.

Washington's Obsolete Taiwan Policy: The claim that Taiwan "causes tension" has a striking uniqueness: In all other instances of tension along the Chinese frontier, U.S. officials and commentators routinely and assumptively treat China as the source of tension. It is only Taiwan that is different. For example, in the late 1960s Beijing suddenly manufactured a historically absurd and legally indefensible claim to the Senkaku Islands of Japan. The U.S. has asserted that it will defend the islands under the U.S.-Japan mutual defense treaty and criticized China's illegal air-defense identification zone and other aggressive acts. Nor has the U.S. been shy in criticizing China's claim to most of the South China Sea, recently offering a highly publicized legal document refuting the Chinese claims. The U.S. also conducts diplomacy with regional powers obviously aimed at countering China. Washington and the U.S. media seldom publicly criticize Japanese, Vietnamese, Malaysian, or Indonesian leaders for resisting Chinese expansion ("causing tension"). Only Taiwan receives that treatment.

Washington's strange Taiwan policy, criticizing the pro-Taiwan side for resisting Chinese expansion ("causing tension") while supporting the pro-China party in Taiwan (and indirectly, China itself), is deeply at odds with U.S. policy elsewhere in Asia. Because it is a policy predicated on the dominance of the KMT, given the changes sweeping Taiwan, it is rapidly becoming a policy in search of a future. The recent local election loss, which left the KMT in disarray, is merely the distant glow of the forest fire on the horizon that incoming KMT Chairman Eric Chu may find it difficult to hold at bay, even with the KMT's huge resource advantages.

The most serious problem facing the KMT, and thus, U.S. Taiwan policy, is the rapid demographic and economic change in Taiwan. Poll after poll shows that locals do not want to be part of China and think of themselves as Taiwanese, especially among the under-30 generation. The KMT has lost the young. The party's claim to a superior economic record has been devastated by the performance of the Ma Administration. The KMT is widely seen as the party of big business, with wages returning to 1999 levels amid stagnant incomes. The Taipei housing bubble has forced young couples into neighboring counties to find housing, changing the solidly pro-KMT demographics of those regions. Though the rising generation is sick of the incompetence and venality of both major parties, the DPP does not share the KMT's pro-China baggage. Further, emergent non-party political activism is also pro-Taiwan and hostile to KMT economic and political policies.

Michael A. Turton
The Diplomat, 18 January 2015
http://thediplomat.com/2015/01/washingtons-obsolete-taiwan-policy/

114.

Asia is slow to grasp the looming threat of deflation: After months of preaching monetary discipline to fend off inflation, Raghuram Rajan shocked India on Thursday by unexpectedly slashing the benchmark repurchase rate to 7.75% from 8%. Close observers shouldn't have been surprised. India's central banker, who famously predicted the 2008 global crisis, warned in an op-ed on Wednesday that several of the world's major economies were "flirting with deflation", with dire implications for emerging markets like his. The threat of global "secular stagnation" - combined with lower prices in India - no doubt prompted him to act.

William Pesek
Bangkok Post, 17 January 2015
http://www.bangkokpost.com/opinion/opinion/457464/asia-is-slow-to-grasp-the-looming-threat-of-deflation

115.

Davos forum founder sees plenty of restructuring ahead for China: How does Klaus Schwab, the German founder of the World Economic Forum, see the year ahead? "We have risks, practically everywhere," he said. A deceleration of the Chinese economy is certainly among them. Schwab talked of China needing to get on with the job of restructuring. He is waiting to hear what Premier Li Keqiang says on the matter next week in Davos.The forum's annual meetings begin Wednesday.

Q: How do you see the state of the world economy?

A: We are still suffering from the [2008] crisis and its aftermath. We just heard the latest forecast of the World Bank, which foresees the world economy growing at 3% next year, which is not enough, because in the next 20 years [we will have a] substantial [population] increase. We [will] have a substantial increase of young people looking for jobs.

Before the crisis, we were growing at 5%, which meant doubling global [gross domestic product] every 14 years. Now with 3%, it is only every 24 to 25 years. So the economic outlook at the moment is covered by quite some dark clouds.

Katsuhiko Hara, Nikkei staff writer
Nikkei Asian Review, 17 January 2015
http://asia.nikkei.com/Politics-Economy/Economy/Davos-forum-founder-sees-plenty-of-restructuring-ahead-for-China

116.

Can South Korea Jump-start Its E-Book Industry? The e-book market in South Korea, however, is still relatively small compared to leading economies. The Korean e-book market accounts for only two percent of the total publication market while in the U.K. and the U.S. e-books take up about 15 and 20 percent of their respective markets, according to the Korea Press Foundation.

Many blame a lack of content and proper e-readers as major reasons deterring the growth of the e-book market. In a recent survey by IWELL Contents, a Seoul-based publishing company, 36 percent of respondents said they didn't read e-books due to the lack of quality content while 19 percent answered there are not many proper e-readers supporting Korean e-books. Another survey by InterPark also revealed that 36.9 percent of respondents thought South Korea should be equipped with more quality e-book content to vitalize the market.

Some say decreasing reading rates in Korea should be blamed for e-book's small market scale. According to a report from South Korea's Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, South Koreans read 12.1 books a year on average in 2009, but the figure plummeted to 9.2 in 2013. The report pointed out the future of the e-book market cannot be guaranteed without boosting the reading rate.

The Diplomat, 17 January 2015
http://thediplomat.com/2015/01/can-south-korea-jump-start-its-e-book-industry/

117.

The Swiss Just Made Japan's Job Harder: Haruhiko Kuroda's monetary "bazooka" just got outgunned by the Swiss. Since April 2013, Japan's central banker has been pumping trillions of dollars into the economy in an attempt to generate 2 percent inflation. But in a mature, aging economy like Japan's, the effort is 95 percent about confidence. In order to "drastically convert the deflationary mindset," as Kuroda puts it, the Bank of Japan must transform sentiment among households and businesses. Kuroda's massive bond purchases mean little if the Japanese don't trust that better days lay ahead.

The Swiss National Bank's move to abandon the franc's cap against the euro may have blown a hole in Kuroda's strategy. By reneging on a promise made time and time again that he wouldn't ditch the policy, SNB President Thomas Jordan "has undermined the credibility of central banks," says Simon Grose-Hodge of LGT Group in Singapore. Now, at central banks around the globe, he adds, "the unthinkable is entirely possible. You can't rule anything out."

Even if the BOJ issues another blast of quantitative-easing after its two-day policy meeting next week, the question is how effective the move would be. Kuroda's Oct. 31 shock-and-awe stimulus announcement worked for a time by bolstering perceptions that steady inflation was within reach. But this time, with even Economy Minister Akira Amari admitting "it will probably be difficult" for the BOJ to succeed, markets are likely to be more skeptical of the bank's staying power.

William Pesek
Bloomberg, 16 January 2015
http://www.bloombergview.com/articles/2015-01-16/switzerland-currency-surprise-makes-japan-deflation-fight-harder

118.

Democracy among the major issues on Asian minds in 2015: Following a year of turmoil for Europe, the Middle East and Africa, there are five key risks to watch for in Asia in 2015.

Hugo Brennan is a senior member of the Asia practice at UK-based risk analytics and forecasting company Verisk Maplecroft
South China Morning Post, 16 January 2015
http://emslink.scmp.com/u/nrd.php?p=f8SEq5kQyI_33202_1021635_1_33

119.

Latest Charlie Hebdo cover continues to roil Muslim world: The famed French weekly Charlie Hebdo has continued to draw a somewhat contradictory reaction across the Muslim world. Many Muslims have expressed disgust at the deadly assault on the magazine's Paris office by Islamic extremists who killed 12 people. However many also remain deeply offended by the magazine's record of publishing cartoons lampooning the Prophet Muhammad. Those passions were further inflamed this week when the magazine's first issue following the attack carried a cover cartoon depicting Muhammad holding a "Je Suis Charlie" sign.

Today, 18 January 2015
http://www.todayonline.com/world/middle-east/latest-charlie-hebdo-cover-continues-roil-muslim-world

120.

Chinese Media Enters Charlie Hebdo Debate: It's easy to dismiss Xinhua's position as the propaganda of a state that famously restricts free speech, but in this case they're right. People often do deserve to be punished, but it's questionable whether free speech should be the instrument for doing this, since that effectively deputizes and arms every citizen, even the ones with terrible aim - those who mercilessly debase Muslims and their faith rather than Islamists and their terrorism. As novelist Will Self argued in a recent Channel 4 News interview:

"Any right comes with responsibility [...] the whole notion seems to be that freedom of speech is some kind of absolute right, and that's exactly the same as a religious point of view, interestingly. It places human ethics outside of human society. It makes them something that inhere in the cosmos in some way. And that's not the case [...] you always have to ask with something that purports to be satire, who's it attacking?"

Xinhua ends by stating that the plurality of the world, with its many religious and ethnic groups, often causes conflict, which is made worse by a lack of forgiveness, understanding and mutual respect. These words would have more weight if Chinese media displayed the same attitude of forgiveness and mutual respect with regard to the people of Japan, Hong Kong or Xinjiang. For then, as the article concludes, indeed "the world may have less tragedies."

David Volodzko
The Diplomat, 17 January 2015
http://thediplomat.com/2015/01/chinese-media-enters-charlie-hebdo-debate/

121.

Et tu, Charlie? Cartoonists and murderers shared similar mode of thinking: But the larger point, which the Americans and Europeans who responded to me didn't or refused to understand, is a serious one. This is not just about tolerance or respecting other religions, but something far more fundamental. Any action taken on the defence of a system of values embraced as absolute seldom ends well.Isaiah Berlin, a political philosopher and intellectual historian who deserves to be more widely read today in the West, probably made the argument best. To summarise the central point that infuses his body of work: there is not only one Good but multiple Goods and these Goods often contradict each other and so cannot be simultaneously realised.Now that's something for Singaporeans to think about as they complain about columbariums, foreign workers or whatever.

Bilahari Kausikan
Straits Times, 16 January 2015
http://www.singapolitics.sg/views/et-tu-charlie-cartoonists-and-murderers-shared-similar-mode-thinking

122.

World Bank Warns on Global Growth: Growth in high-income countries is expected to benefit from stronger labor markets, soft commodity prices such as oil, and relaxed monetary and fiscal policy. The United States is expected to increase growth from 2.4 percent in 2014 to 3.2 percent this year, its best performance since 2005 and the first time since 1999 that the world's biggest economy has not lagged global growth.

The eurozone is also expected to continue to emerge from recession, with 1.1 percent growth forecast in 2015, rising to 1.6 percent next year. Likewise Japan, which is expected to jump from 0.2 percent growth in 2014 to 1.2 percent this year and 1.6 percent in 2016, helped by soft oil prices, labor and other reforms and continued monetary and fiscal stimulus. Japan's Cabinet Office expects real GDP growth of 1.5 percent in fiscal 2015, helped by a record $814 billion budget.

India, the world's 10th-largest economy, is expected to be among the major middle-income beneficiaries of cheaper oil. According to the bank, growth will accelerate from 5.6 percent in 2014 to 6.4 percent this year and 7 percent in 2016, with reforms expected to yield productivity gains.

For Indonesia, lower oil prices will reduce inflation and its current account deficit, with the bank predicting a growth pickup from 5.1 percent in 2014 to 5.2 percent this year and 5.5 percent for 2016. Thailand is also seen performing better, with its economy forecast to expand from just 0.5 percent growth last year due to political turmoil, to an estimated 3.5 percent in 2015 and 4 percent next year. Meanwhile, growth in low-income countries is forecast to remain strong at 6 percent from 2015 to 2017, "although the moderation in oil and other commodity prices will hold growth back in commodity exporting low-income countries," the bank said.

Anthony Fensom
The Diplomat, 17 January 2015
http://thediplomat.com/2015/01/world-bank-warns-on-global-growth/

123.

Strong Dollar Clouds Forecast at Davos: As the financial world's elite gathers to discuss what's in store for 2015's global economy, a problem could be festering in emerging markets: Growth in the United States while other parts of the world are faltering could squeeze people in emerging markets who borrowed in dollars when times were good. Now, they have to pay back in dollars that have been bolstered in value as their own local currencies have plunged. That's one of several looming economic clouds likely to follow world leaders, top economists, titans of business, and other 1-percenters as they helicopter into the annual World Economic Forum in secluded Davos, Switzerland. European growth is stagnant, and Greece is again flirting with exiting the European Union, while falling oil prices are proving a boost for some countries and a liability for others.

While American growth can lead to a pickup in countries that export to the United States, the World Bank this week said it's not enough to keep the rest of the global economy expanding. The bank tempered expectations for worldwide growth in 2015, lowering its forecast to 3 percent from 3.4 percent. It also lowered the growth outlook for emerging markets to 4.8 percent, as well as lowered the outlook for China, Brazil, and Russia individually.

Although the overall growth picture isn't dire, some economists are worried that improving fortunes in the United States and slowing growth in emerging markets could create a mismatch: Foreign businesses that borrowed in dollars will have a hard time paying the money back.

Jamila Trindle is a senior reporter who covers finance, economics and business where they intersect with national security and foreign policy.
Foreign Policy, 16 January 2015
https://foreignpolicy.com/2015/01/16/strong-dollar-clouds-forecast-at-davos/