1.

Najib Not Expected to Last the Month as PM: Ringgit, markets bloodbath feared as full-blown political crisis sets in: Plunged into its most serious political crisis in decades, Malaysia is on watch for Prime Minister Najib Razak's resignation. The shock development followed sensational news that a massive RM2.6 billion of public money was illicitly transferred via 1MDB-linked companies into his personal bank account in 2013. But political insiders say the 61-year-old son of a former prime minister won't give in so easily and will try to negotiate his way out. Even so, they don't expect Najib to last long as the PM, pointing to 'irreversible forces' in play in his Umno party.
Malaysia Chronicle, 6 July 2015
http://www.malaysia-chronicle.com/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=546361:msia-on-watch-for-najibs-resignation-ringgit-markets-bloodbath-feared-as-full-blown-political-crisis-sets-in&Itemid=2 - axzz3f4h1JMXA

2.

1MDB's Bandar Malaysia holds much promise: The main selling point of Bandar Malaysia is that this will be the main inter-city rail link involving all the major rail lines - Mass Rapid Transport (MRT Lines 2 and 3), KTM Komuter, the Express Rail Link to KLIA and KLIA2 - and also the terminus for the Kuala Lumpur-Singapore High-Speed Rail (HSR), as well as future access to 12 major highways.

Imagine how wide the economic impact will be on Bandar Malaysia with the construction of the High-Speed Rail and the major inter-city rail link and once the project has been completed. Imagine the residential, retail and commercial value of this new township. Investors probably can see this and are likely to look beyond the negative publicity surrounding 1MDB. If they do not, then 1MDB has a lot of convincing to do because Bandar Malaysia has a twin development project that is in the pipeline - the Tun Razak Exchange (TRX) which is designed to be an international financial and economic hub.

Vanitha Nadaraj
The Establishment Post, 6 July 2015
http://www.establishmentpost.com/1mdbs-bandar-malaysia-holds-much-promise/

3.

MIC crisis: Palanivel supporters jump ship: K.P. Samy and Datuk G. Kumaar Aamaan had attended the Central Working Committee (CWC) meeting held by acting MIC president Datuk Seri Dr S. Subramaniam yesterday as a show of support for the current leadership.Dr Subramaniam said he was pleased the CWC 2009 members, who had not attended any of the seven previous meetings since February 6, had finally "come to their senses" and decided to join the "legitimate committee".Saying it was a "very cordial meeting", he added: "They (Samy and Kumaar Aamaan) came and shared their views on a few matters. They also agreed that the best way to resolve the party crisis is through election, which is what I have been saying from the beginning."
The Malay Mail, 6 July 2015
http://www.themalaymailonline.com/malaysia/article/mic-crisis-palanivel-supporters-jump-ship

4.

Muhyiddin to take over should Najib take leave of absence, analysts say: Convention dictates that Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin will take over as interim Prime Minister should Datuk Seri Najib Razak take a leave of absence following investigations into a RM2.6 billion transaction allegedly wired from 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) into his personal accounts, analysts have said.Former Umno supreme council member Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah explained that the Yang Di-Pertuan Agong would be in charge of appointing Najib's replacement among the existing MPs which is likely to be the Umno president's second-in-command.
The Malay Mail, 6 July 2015
http://www.themalaymailonline.com/malaysia/article/muhyiddin-to-take-over-should-najib-take-leave-of-absence-analysts-say

5.

Put country and people before self, Nazir Razak urges: The prime minister's brother, Datuk Seri Nazir Razak, yesterday made a plea to unnamed individuals to put the country's interests before their own during these "dark political times".The CIMB Group chairman and avid social media commentator sent the message via the Instagram photo-sharing service as a caption to the image of the national monument."They gave their lives so we could build a nation. In this darkest of political times we must remember to place the country & the rakyat first."Not personal interests, not personal loyalties, not even party politics," he wrote.
The Malay Mail, 6 July 2015
http://www.themalaymailonline.com/malaysia/article/put-country-and-people-before-self-nazir-razak-urges

6.

Najib, step into the light, clear your name: Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak, despite attacks from all sides, hardly makes any public statements of any kind. A prime minister who does not articulate his thoughts clearly puts the country in a strange place. While it is laudable that Najib said he does not lead a "government that knows best" and that he is open to different, even opposing ideas, the facts is that not taking a stand in anything leaves the country rudderless. If left to fester, Malaysia's credibility will be damaged. Yet, the prime minister has not made any clear and unequivocal statements, other than to say that public funds were not used for personal gain.

Neil Khor
The Malaysiakini, 6 July 2015
http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/304137

7.

Nazir: We live in dark political times: CIMB chairman Nazir Abdul Razak, the younger brother of Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak, has described Malaysia's political situation as "dark times". In a posting on Instagram, Nazir placed a photograph of the National Monument and went on to stress that Malaysians must place the rakyat above self. Nazir's description of the political scenario comes in the wake of allegations that nearly USD700 million was channelled into Najib's personal bank account.
The Malaysiakini, 6 July 2015
http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/304134

8.

Forget lawsuit, Najib must clarify if bank accounts exist, says former A-G: Datuk Seri Najib Razak must immediately clarify whether he has personal accounts in a private bank following the expose by Wall Street Journal (WSJ) that RM2.6 billion was credited into accounts under his name, rather than thinking of suing the business daily, former attorney-general Tan Sri Abu Talib Othman said.

He said the allegation against the prime minister was very serious and the clarification was vital to protect the integrity of his office. "The outcome of filing a legal suit against WSJ will take a long time. The immediate thing is for the prime minister to clear the air now if he has accounts in the bank," Abu Talib told The Malaysian Insider.

V. Anbalagan Assistant News Editor
The Malaysian Insider, 6 July 2015
http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/forget-lawsuit-najib-must-clarify-if-bank-accounts-exist-says-former-a-g

9.

Transgender Malaysians targeted as religious authorities' influence grows, LGBTI community says: Members of Malaysia's LGBTI community are speaking out about being violently attacked in the moderate Muslim nation, saying the abuse has become common as religious authorities push for more power. "We have cases of transgender [people] that have been killed," said Mitch, a transgender man. "For us, we call it a hate crime. For the police they don't call it that, because for them these people are not recognised."

The rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) people are largely unrecognised in Malaysia.

Iskhandar Razak in Kuala Lumpur
ABC News, 5 July 2015
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-07-05/transgender-malasians-targeted-under-religious-authorities/6596300

10.

Malaysia's Najib Razak fights for political life amid 1MDB claims: Analysts say the claims, reported on Friday by the Wall Street Journal and the Sarawak Report website, are potentially fatal for Mr Najib's career. They appear to make the first direct link between the premier and the long-running scandal over how 1MDB racked up debts of more than USD11bn.

Professor James Chin, director of the Asia Institute at the University of Tasmania, said the fresh claims showed how Mr Najib "can't seem to shake off the scandal" of the 1MDB affair. "If indeed the money is in an account bearing his name and he is the owner of the account, he's toast," Prof Chin said. "We will get to the truth soon, because the amount is large, and most governments around the world have strict reporting systems for large financial transactions."

Michael Peel in Kuala Lumpur
Financial Times, 5 July 2015
http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/0/4dc0e70a-22f6-11e5-9c4e-a775d2b173ca.html - axzz3f40Nuzud

11.

Hard for Umno leaders to remain on the fence: Tun Faisal Ismail Aziz, an adviser to the government's propaganda unit Jasa, told The Sunday Times that Umno leaders would have started taking sides, given how "desperate" Tun Dr Mahathir has become to "get rid of Najib".

Other Umno insiders say Mr Muhyiddin's statement yesterday indicated he may be veering away from staunchly supporting Mr Najib. More leaders might step away too if Mr Najib, who is Umno's president, is confirmed to have received millions of dollars in campaign funding in 2013, but did not disburse the funds to the party's divisional leaders.
Straits Times, 5 July 2015
http://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/hard-for-umno-leaders-to-remain-on-the-fence

12.

PM: Opposition can never rule Malaysia with same success as BN: The opposition parties will not be able to run the country as well as Barisan Nasional (BN) has simply because of their opposing ideologies, Datuk Seri Najib Razak said today.The Prime Minister said the public should defend the current BN government because the ruling coalition has kept the country stable for years, something the opposition will not be able to do."That is the Malaysia under Umno and BN that we must defend because we already know opposition is brittle, even though they are still around but with ideology that's so different among each other, they cannot bring stability to Malaysia," he said at a buka puasa event here today.He added that the smooth operation of certain states under the rule of opposition parties is not an indicator of how well parties like PKR, DAP and PAS can function on a national level.
The Malay Mail, 5 July 2015
http://www.themalaymailonline.com/malaysia/article/pm-opposition-can-never-rule-malaysia-with-same-success-as-bn

13.

Choose Najib or Dr Mahathir, Umno leaders must decide: Yesterday, Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said the allegations were serious and jeopardised Najib's credibility as the prime minister and leader of the Malaysian government. He also urged the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC), Bank Negara Malaysia and police, with the cooperation of the attorney-general, to begin investigations into the allegations.

Tun Faisal Ismail Aziz, an adviser to the Special Affairs Department (Jasa), was quoted as saying Umno leaders would have to take sides, given how "desperate" Dr Mahathir has become to "get rid of Najib".
The Malaysian Insider, 5 July 2015
http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/choose-najib-or-dr-mahathir-umno-leaders-must-decide

14.

If I wanted to steal money, I wouldn't put it in Malaysia, says Najib: "If I wanted to steal, surely I wouldn't steal the money and bring it into an account in Malaysia. That is, if I wanted to be a robber (penyamun). But of course, as a prime minister, I won't betray Malaysians and what belongs to Malaysians," he said in his speech at the Bandar Rinching Mosque in Semenyih.

On Thursday, the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) alleged that up to RM2.6 billion was transferred to Najib's personal bank accounts with AmBank in 2013, just before the 13th general elections. But Najib on Friday stated he had never taken any funds from 1MDB for personal gain and pinned the blame for the latest report on former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, who has in recent months called for Najib's resignation. However, opposition politicians have taken Najib to task over his "ambiguous denial", while WSJ is standing by its story, saying its report was based on solid documentation proof.

Anisah Shukry
The Malaysian Insider, 5 July 2015
http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/if-i-wanted-to-steal-money-i-wouldnt-put-it-in-malaysia-says-najib

15.

New Pakatan must focus on economy, says Guan Eng: Party secretary-general Lim Guan Eng said the new coalition replacing the now defunct Pakatan Rakyat (PR) has to focus on economic issues that were negatively affecting the people. He said this was because the economy was the biggest problem faced by Malaysians, who had to cope with the goods and services tax (GST), the falling value of the ringgit and price increases.

"The government promised that the people will get returns from any exemptions from the GST in 14 days but it has been three months now. People are still asking why we must have the GST and why is there inflation. Now we are seeing fuel prices in Malaysia going up even though global fuel prices are down." he said during an event in his parliamentary constituency of Bagan today. Lim, who is also Penang chief minister, blamed Malaysia's economic woes on the 1Malaysia Development Bhd scandal.

Looi Sue-Chern
The Malaysian Insider, 5 July 2015
http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/new-pakatan-must-focus-on-economy-says-guan-eng

16.

Ex-Malacca CM: 'I had to temporarily let go my posts': "When I was the chief minister of Malacca and the Umno Youth chief, I had to let go my positions temporarily to allow for the investigations to take place," he said in a Facebook posting, Saturday night. Abdul Rahim said after he was cleared from the allegations by authorities, he resumed his duty as Umno Youth chief, but was "duped" by former Opposition leader and deputy premier Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim into resigning as the chief minister. "Anwar summoned me to his office and told me that the (then) prime minister (Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad) instructed me to resign as the chief minister as I had become a liability to the party," he said. Abdul Rahim claimed that he had to oblige when Anwar "forced" him to sign the resignation letter in front of him. "Unfortunately after that, Tun Mahathir said he never made such an instruction," Abdul Rahim added.
The Star, 5 July 2015
http://www.thestar.com.my/News/Nation/2015/07/05/Rahim-Thamby-Chik/

17.

Fraught with uncertainties: That's the reflection of their frustrations. We can't do anything about it. In society, there will always be some with extreme views. Most people want the party to be safe. That's the common Indian sentiment. Don't let it go down the drain. The group that thinks let it be deregistered and be part of history -  is a small group. But they are there. I won't deny their existence. As we put our act together and the party right, they might change.

Shahanaaz Habib (Journalist) & Datuk Seri Dr S. Subramaniam (Interviewee)
The Star, 5 July 2015
http://www.thestar.com.my/News/Nation/2015/07/05/Fraught-with-uncertainties-There-have-been-twists-and-turns-in-the-MIC-saga-after-the-Registrar-of-S/

18.

Najib: Stronger economy means greater development:  A stronger economy would enable the Government to bring about development to every corner of the country, said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.Speaking on the upgrade of the country's credit outlook by Fitch Ratings, he said the improvement showed that the Government's policies had brought a positive impact to national development."You may ask how this affects you. When our economy is stronger, our revenue will increase and this will make it easier for the Go­­vernment to implement a more wholesome development for the entire country."More people will be able to enjoy development through our various projects," he said before breaking fast at the Kampung Merchong mosque here yesterday.Najib said the upgrade also meant that the leadership of Umno and Barisan Nasional had successfully gained the confidence of international ratings bodies.He said on his way to the event, he could see new houses, agropolitan projects and mosques.
The Star, 5 July 2015
http://www.thestar.com.my/News/Nation/2015/07/05/Najib-Stronger-economy-means-greater-development/

19.

Troubled time for Najib: Najib has to act swiftly and decisively to clear his name. He needs to make himself very clear and not to leave questions hanging in people's minds.He also should not waste time to take legal action against the WSJ if the allegations are not true.Bank Negara also has to step in to clear the air. WSJ had claimed that the alleged monetary transfers amounted to billions of ringgit.These are gigantic sums and the regulating body would have been immediately alerted on such movements."At the moment, it is sheer allegations. But the way it is handled and explained will determine and shape public opinion. It is important for the PM to deny and explain without delay," said a Najib insider.Dr Mahathir faced more than his share of accusations of wrongdoing and abuse of power in his heydays but he did not believe in legal suits."Najib needs to go the Lee Kuan Yew way  sue them and clear his name," said the above Najib insider.

Joceline Tan
The Star, 5 July 2015
http://www.thestar.com.my/Opinion/Columnists/Analysis/Profile/Articles/2015/07/05/Troubled-time-for-Najib/

20.

Malaysian Leader Faces Political Test: Some of Mr. Najib's allies continue to defend him. Home Minister Zahid Hamidi said on Sunday that there appeared to be an attempt under way to undermine the government, describing it as a threat to national security. Defense Minister Hishammuddin Hussein, who is Mr. Najib's cousin, said people shouldn't rush to judge Mr. Najib before all the facts are known.

Much will depend on the outcome of the investigation already being pursued by a task force including representatives of the central bank, the national police and Malaysia's anticorruption agency. The party's supreme council recently by postponed party elections scheduled for this year. "But by the end of the year, UMNO will decide one way or another whether to keep Mr. Najib," said James Chin, head of the Asia Institute at the University of Tasmania in Australia and an expert on Malaysian politics. He added that if Mr. Najib survives, the prime minister may opt to forge an alliance with an Islamist party that was formerly part of the opposition. "If that happens, all his economic reforms will end, if they aren't reversed," Mr. Chin said.

James Hookway
Wall Street Journal, 5 July 2015
http://www.wsj.com/articles/malaysian-leader-faces-political-test-1436109479

21.

Scandal in Malaysia: This is a familiar story. A government investment scheme is launched with grandiose promises of moving up the value chain and other economic jargon. Then the asset stripping begins. If the project goes reasonably well, the ruling party has an accomplishment to point to, with the high costs conveniently forgotten. If it fails, public money bails it out in some form, with the state-owned oil monopoly Petronas the ultimate backstop.The trouble of late is that the falling price of oil has drained the trough of public money out of which the politically well-connected are used to feeding. That has led to internal strife within the ruling elite. Former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad has become the public leader of a campaign to push Mr. Najib to resign. But many in the government remain loyal to the Prime Minister out of fear that if he goes, the whole system could come crashing down.
Wall Street Journal, 5 July 2015
http://www.wsj.com/articles/scandal-in-malaysia-1436113149

22.

真相下一個出口？！: 聯昌集團主席納西爾在社交媒體上一張發人省思的照片，圖文並茂寫著："真相，下一個出口？"

身為首相的弟弟，卻不為納吉處在多項棘手課題上如一馬公司的欠債纍纍辯護，反而在有關的課題上繼續促政府給人民一個清楚的交代，可謂幫理不幫親。他說，人民覺得真相被蒙蔽、混淆和撕裂，獨有真相才能讓人自由。

不過政客就是善於轉移視線，模糊焦點，一馬公司被前首相咬著不放，內幕重重，不是隨著塞維爾在泰國被逮捕而落幕，彷彿給了人民一個交代。其實更掀起許多謎團。馬哈迪就直言塞維爾被逮捕似乎是被"精心策劃"。

周本興
光明日报, 5 July 2015
http://www.guangming.com.my/node/258558?tid=6

23.

Malaysia's attorney-general says he has seen documents alleging corruption by PM Najib Razak: The statement came a day after a Wall Street Journal report said investigators had traced nearly USD700 million to bank accounts that they believed belonged to the prime minister.

Attorney-General Abdul Gani Patail said the documents were given to him by the task force made up of members of the country's anti-corruption commission, police and central bank. "This team has several documents that were passed for me to check. I have verified that I have received these documents on 1MDB including documents connected to allegations that money was transferred into the account of the prime minister," Mr Abdul Gani said in a statement. He did not give any further details about the nature or contents of the documents.
ABC News, 4 July 2015
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-07-04/malaysian-ag-says-seen-documents-alleging-najib-corruption/6595584?section=world

24.

Islam, A Religion Of Love And Peace: I believe the path of moderation is never an option for any individual, whether in speech and conduct, but a requirement for success in life and a critical ingredient for this country to become a modern and progressive nation.As a country, we have witnessed a great and long history of moderation in our governance; we gained independence without warfare; we restored our relations with Indonesia in peacefully; we recovered from many tragic events. Each was a significant moment for our country, and all were gained through reasoned discussions and negotiations.Never once should we breed or tolerate extremism, again in speech and conduct. Neither will I, as Prime Minister of Malaysia, tolerate it.As Malaysians in a multi faith society, we live as one. Reject extremism and let us unite and advance peace and moderation as our way of life, the Malaysian way of life.

Najib Razak, Prime Minister of Malaysia
Blog of Najib Razak, 4 July 2015
http://www.najibrazak.com/bm/blog/islam-a-religion-of-love-and-peace/

25.

Could PAS really lose Kelantan?Mahfuz believes that with the Umno elections postponed, a general election may be coming sooner than expected, and that is where PAS stands to lose far more than it could gain. If his deductions are correct, PAS could pay a heavy price for its swing towards the extreme right of politics, and must work hard to rehabilitate its image or risk being wiped out at the GE.With PAS bleeding professionals to the DAP and possibly to a new party proposed by the ousted former leaders from the faction of the progressives, the Islamist party has little appeal outside Kelantan. It is imperative for the party to find a solution for its political survival or be rendered irrelevant except in little pockets of the country.

Scott Ng
Free Malaysia Today, 4 July 2015
http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/highlight/2015/07/04/could-pas-really-lose-kelantan/

26.

Being Human: When integrity earns a high social standing: So it is not surprising that a gaping trust deficit in institutions, processes and leaders has developed in our own backyard, where the compromise of accountability has blighted public affairs for the longest time. Like a disease that feeds on itself, the questionable actions of powerful individuals tend to cause a chain reaction down the ranks and spills over into the larger society. When the wrongdoings of the rich and powerful come to light, some people are no doubt encouraged to follow their example by the notion that if you can't beat them, you could at least join them.

In this light, it is quite natural to take a dim view of the state of integrity in Malaysian society and subscribe to the opinion that we are sliding down the slope towards the breakdown of ethical values and are paving the way to a future fraught with bad governance, endemic corruption and social inequity.

R B Bhattacharjee is associate editor at The Edge
The Edge Markets, 4 July 2015
http://www.theedgemarkets.com/my/article/being-human-when-integrity-earns-high-social-standing

27.

DPM wants accusations against Najib investigated: Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin has called for allegations against his boss Najib Abdul Razak to be investigated following a Wall Street Journal report that claimed RM2.6 billion of 1MDB's funds had been deposited into the prime minister's personal bank accounts."This allegation is very serious and can affect Najib's credibility and integrity as prime minister and head of government. Therefore, it is my stance that the relevant investigative authorities, such as the Malaysian Anti Corruption Commission, Bank Negara Malaysia, Royal Malaysian Police, with the cooperation of the Attorney-General's Chambers, must act immediately to investigate all allegations made against Najib," he said in a statement on 4 July.
The Malaysiakini, 4 July 2015
http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/304042

28.

After WSJ expose, Najib and Umno's days numbered, say analysts: In fact, the report was so damaging that Umno and Barisan Nasional can only win the next elections only if they teamed up with PAS, said Professor James Chin, director of Asia Institute in University of Tasmania. Because, if this was true, even the Malays will lose trust in Umno. The amount is too big, billions. Stealing a million here and there, there will still be a chance to get away but not billions.

"Umno will be really damaged and can only hold on to power in the next GE if it gets support from PAS, should the report be true," he told The Malaysian Insider. Chin was referring to the rumoured unity government between Umno and PAS following the death of seven-year-old Pakatan Rakyat after the Islamist party severed ties with DAP.

Merdeka Center director Ibrahim Suffian said the ruling party's popularity had already suffered since the introduction of the goods and services tax. "This just means the process of recovery is going to be a long and arduous one," he added. Ibrahim was also in the opinion that even if the allegations were proven to be untrue, the damage was already done.

Elizabeth Zachariah
The Malaysian Insider, 4 July 2015
http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/after-wsj-expose-najib-and-umnos-days-numbered-say-analysts

29.

Could this be the Smoking Gun for Malaysia's PM? The confrontation between Mahathir and Najib has reached a crescendo in recent weeks with the arrest by Thai police of a Swiss national named Xavier Justo. The arrest was closely orchestrated by a Middle Eastern oil exploration firm called PetroSaudi, to which 1MDB loaned at least USD1 billion. Justo had been an official with PetroSaudi and left the company several years ago with a mysterious USD5 million payoff. Two years after he left, he was able to break into PetroSaudi's computers and download 2 million emails.

Those emails were passed to Clare Rewcastle Brown, the editor of Sarawak Report, and reportedly to Mahathir. Justo's arrest and accusations that he had tampered with them to make them more damaging is considered to be part of a move by Najib to discredit Mahathir before he could feed more documents and evidence to the press. Mahathir is believed to have additional evidence of illegal transfers of money out of the country by Rosmah Mansor, Najib's wife, with the help of Jho Taek Low, the flamboyant young financier who helped Najib set up 1MDB in 2009.

He is said to also have additional information about the mysterious death of Altantuya Shaariibuu, the Mongolian translator and party girl who was shot to death by two of Najib's bodyguards in 2006. The murder remains one of the most sensational in recent Malaysian history. Given the gossip in Kuala Lumpur, Najib's forces know what Mahathir has and are seeking to discredit him, Brown and The Edge Malaysia, the Kuala Lumpur-based financial publication, which has aggressively pursued the 1MDB story.
Asia Sentinel, 3 July 2015
http://www.asiasentinel.com/politics/could-this-be-the-smoking-gun-for-malaysias-pm/

30.

MACC pledges professional probe on Najib: The Malaysian Anti Corruption Commission pledges there will be an independent and professional investigations into allegations that millions of ringgit from 1MDB were deposited into Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak's bank accounts through proxies. In a statement this evening, MACC deputy chief commissioner (operations) Mohd Shukri Abdull said looking at the media reports, particular on one of the transactions involving SRC International Sdn Bhd, it found that elements brought up are within the ambit of MACC's authority.
The Malaysiakini, 3 July 2015
http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/303925

31.

President Instructs Ministers to Prioritize Geothermal Power: The president's instruction was shared during a speech to mark the dedication of the fifth unit of a geothermal power plant (PLTP) in Kamojang, West Java, on Sunday (5 Jul 2015). The new unit at Kamojang geothermal plant will provide 35 MW power capacity, adding to the existing combined capacity of 260 MW that is produced by the plant's four other units. The four units are already in operation. Two state-owned power firms namely PT PLN and PT Pertamina Geothermal Energy operate the power plants. "On this particular day, today, I instruct the Menko (Coordinating Minister), the BUMN (State Enterprises) minister and the ESDM (Energy and Mineral Resources) minister to ensure that in the future, environmentally friendly power plants will be given higher priority. This is because we have potentials," Jokowi said in his speech.

Furthermore in Kamojang, Jokowi had admitted that the government's is prioritizing coal-based power plants in achieving the ambitious target of generating 35,000 MW of electricity in the next five years. So far, Indonesia had never focused on geothermal power generation, Jokowi noted.

Leo Jegho
Global Indonesian Voices, 6 July 2015
http://www.globalindonesianvoices.com/21483/president-instructs-ministers-to-prioritize-geothermal-power/

32.

RI to prioritize environmentally friendly power plants: "It has been stated by the state-owned oil and gas company Pertamina president director [Dwi Soetjipto] that Indonesia has geothermal energy potential of 28,000 MW. Geothermal is one of the environmentally friendly energy sources, along with wind, solar, waves and biomass, that we can focus on," Jokowi said as quoted by Antara. The President was speaking during a ceremony to mark the inaugural operation of Pertamina's Kamojang geothermal power plant Unit V in Kamojang, West Java, on Sunday morning.

Jokowi asserted that the government would gradually shift its focus from coal-fueled electricity plants to power plants that were more environmentally friendly. "Specifically, I have ordered the coordinating economic minister [Sofyan Djalil], the state-owned enterprises minister [Rini Soemarno] and the energy and mineral resources minister [Sudirman Said] that, in the future, environmentally friendly electricity plants must be prioritized," he said.
Jakarta Post, 5 July 2015
http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2015/07/05/ri-prioritize-environmentally-friendly-power-plants.html

33.

The week in review: Before pessimism sets in: But he has done virtually nothing to improve the communication of his political vision, and he still appears uncomfortable talking to the public, especially the media. This turned out to be one of the most glaring weaknesses of his administration, because effective political communication and reaching out directly to the people is vital to Jokowi, to cope with the legislative limits to his presidential power.

Worse, as most of his ministers seem to have been preoccupied with their own political agendas, they have not been able to offset the frailty of his leadership. The President's promise of a big fiscal stimulus to accelerate infrastructure development has remained bogged down in bureaucratic inertia and incompetence. The disbursement of the investment budget during his first six months has remained at less than 10 percent of the total. The President should show stronger leadership to speed up reform, improve the coherence of his policies and strengthen his economic team by assigning it a more capable leader.
Jakarta Post, 5 July 2015
http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2015/07/05/the-week-review-before-pessimism-sets.html

34.

Widodo doing favors for and getting them from women:   The panel's makeup was a surprise to the members themselves. "We did not know until the first meeting that the nine members would all be female," said Commission Chairwoman Destry Damayanti, also the chief economist of state-owned Bank Mandiri. Destry only agreed to take the position after being contacted several times by the cabinet secretariat.

The panel plans to list eight candidates to replace the current anti-corruption committee members. The list will be brought to parliament at the end of August, after being reviewed by the president. "I don't think we were picked because of our gender, but it may be true that women generally do not let [political interests] gain sway," Damayanti said, adding that the anti-corruption efforts could help to promote investment in the country. Widodo may have had an ulterior motive in appointing an all-female panel: His popularity -- as well as that of the anti-corruption committee -- has been sinking. "President Widodo's decision," said Yudi Latif, an Indonesian political observer, " largely owes to his desire to improve his approval numbers, rather than to enhance the selection process."

Sadachika Watanabe, Nikkei staff writer
Nikkei Asian Review, 5 July 2015
http://asia.nikkei.com/Politics-Economy/Policy-Politics/Widodo-doing-favors-for-and-getting-them-from-women

35.

SBY Supports Jokowi`s Reshuffle Plan: Amid President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo's plan to reshuffle his cabinet, several parties under government's rival coalition gave the signal to support the government. Speaking at the National Leaders' Meeting held on July 4, 2015, in Jakarta, Democratic Party chairman Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono instructed his cadres to support government's policies.

Susilo reiterated that regional head candidates nominated by the Democrat Party must support the central government and criticize bad policies. "The criticism must be communicated appropriately and measurably," Susilo said.
Tempo, 5 July 2015
http://en.tempo.co/read/news/2015/07/05/055681225/SBY-Supports-Jokowis-Reshuffle-Plan

36.

Appointing Loyalists, SBY Ousts Marzuki Alie From Democrats' Leadership: Former president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has named his loyalists as new members of his Democratic Party's leadership boards, ousting the outspoken former speaker of the House of Representatives, Marzuki Alie, in the process.

Yudhoyono announced new members of the party's executive board, high assembly, advisory board and others during a national meeting of the party (Rapimnas) in Jakarta on Saturday.

The former president himself was unanimously re-elected as the party's chairman for the 2015 to 2020 period during a party congress last month in Surabaya, after taking the reins in 2013 from former chairman Anas Urbaningrum, who was facing graft allegations and has since been jailed.
The Jakarta Globe, 5 July 2015
http://thejakartaglobe.beritasatu.com/news/appointing-loyalists-sby-ousts-marzuki-alie-democrats-leadership/

37.

Editorial: No Risks in Protecting Minority Groups: Yet again we have another report showing that the state is failing to do its minimum but essential duty of protecting religious minorities.

This time it's no ordinary report of the kind we see almost every month from human rights NGOs. This time the report is resealed by the government's own National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas Ham).

As in previous reports, the commission has found that the nation's minority groups remain very vulnerable to being attacked, discriminated against and prosecuted.
The Jakarta Globe, 5 July 2015
http://thejakartaglobe.beritasatu.com/opinion/editorial-no-risks-protecting-minority-groups/

38.

Exhuming Indonesia's horror in search for justice: This year marks the 50th anniversary of Gestapu, the murky events in Indonesia that precipitated a massacre of several hundred thousand people in 1965-66 that constitutes one of the most murderous convulsions of the 20th century.

This national trauma remains unresolved within Indonesia as competing narratives sow confusion about what happened and blur responsibility. Even though the top-level officers involved have all died, the powerful military opposes a full accounting because it would inevitably tarnish the institution and undermine its credibility and self-appointed role as guardian of the nation. This is the unfinished business of President Suharto's "New Order" (1967-1998).

Jeff Kingston is the director of Asian Studies, Temple University Japan.
Japan Times, 4 July 2015
http://www.japantimes.co.jp/opinion/2015/07/04/commentary/exhuming-indonesias-horror-search-justice/ - .VZndpPmeAXA

39.

The Trouble With Indonesia's Rudderless Economic Policy: In his first year in office, Jokowi may be simply feeling his way on economic policy, as well as trying to navigate a legislature where his party is not dominant and where PDI-P contains factions that do not always get along. Jokowi is also a natural politician who understands that a strain of nationalist, protectionist discourse has always existed in Indonesian society, and that this strain remains strong today. However, Indonesia cannot upgrade its infrastructure, position itself as a shipping hub, produce reliable electricity, or add value to its manufacturing industries without substantial investment, both from large domestic companies and from foreign firms.

Joshua Kurlantzick  is a fellow for Southeast Asia at the Council on Foreign Relations
The Diplomat, 4 July 2015
http://thediplomat.com/2015/07/the-trouble-with-indonesias-rudderless-economic-policy/

40.

Time to Rethink the Australia-Indonesia Relationship: Quite simply, neither Indonesia nor Australia have been able to articulate what they want out of the bilateral relationship, except for vague notions of 'stability', 'security' and 'good relations', which mean different things in Jakarta and Canberra.

For Australia, the lack of purpose is a more acute problem, because we need Indonesia more than Indonesia needs us. Yet we appear unable to design and implement consistent, coherent and purposive policy settings on which to develop a sound, long-term relationship with a country that has a GDP that is moving towards parity with ours and a population almost ten times the size of ours. There are evident signs of inconstancy in Australia's approach to Indonesia. How quickly we have become distracted by changes in Indonesia's political leadership and President Joko Widodo's lackluster performance.

Allan Behm
The Diplomat, 4 July 2015
http://thediplomat.com/2015/07/time-to-rethink-the-australia-indonesia-relationship/

41.

Government Backtracks on New Rules for Workers' Savings Scheme:  The government has backed down on a controversial new regulation on a workers' savings scheme, saying it will now allow policy holders to cash out after five years instead of 10, but with conditions attached.

Manpower Minister Hanif Dhakiri said late on Friday that President Joko Widodo had acknowledged the public outcry over the change in policy governing the Social Security Administration Body for Employment, or BPJS Ketenagakerjaan, and would cede to workers' demands, after an online petition calling for a rollback of the regulation drew more than 100,000 signatures in three days.
The Jakarta Globe, 4 July 2015
http://thejakartaglobe.beritasatu.com/news/government-backtracks-new-rules-workers-savings-scheme/

42.

Jokowi lacks leadership on corruption: As an outsider to the Jakarta establishment, his tenure was always going to marked by a mishmash of deal making and confrontation, especially with his own PDI-P party and its leader, former president Megawati Sukarnoputri. Her determination to dictate to the president on personnel and policy matters has far exceeded analysts' predictions. Jokowi's surprising weakness in the face of lobbying from Megawati and other oligarchs has vindicated critics who brand him a 'puppet' of party bosses.

Serious moves to shake up over-regulated and protected sections of the economy are off the table so long as his relationship with the political elite remains tense. A widely-applauded boost to infrastructure spending is being largely channelled through state-owned firms to keep rent seekers and ideologues happy. Fear of bad polls is also behind the partial reversal of the brave decision, made during his brief political honeymoon, to scrap Indonesia's ruinously expensive petrol subsidies. It seems that, under Jokowi, Indonesia's economy will continue to muddle through, with reform as constrained by the political economy of corruption as ever.

Liam Gammon is a PhD candidate at the College of Asia and the Pacific, the Australian National University.
East Asia Forum, 3 July 2015
http://www.eastasiaforum.org/2015/07/03/jokowi-lacks-leadership-on-corruption/

43.

Politics in 2065: Primal or pragmatic? While Singapore's growth in its first 50 years was remarkable - especially the fact that it benefited virtually all segments of society - there are signs that future growth would mainly benefit those with capital and the right technical skills.

The persistent increases in inequality that Singapore experienced over most of the past 15 years are, at least partly, the result of technological advances.These advances have benefited workers in some sectors - finance and high-tech industries, for example - much more than in others. The advances in a handful of technologies - machine intelligence, the ubiquitous Internet, advanced robotics and big data - are likely to gather speed in the next few decades.

Donald Low
Straits Times, 6 July 2015
http://www.straitstimes.com/opinion/st-editorial/politics-in-2065-primal-or-pragmatic

44.

Hundreds gather at Hong Lim Park for #FreeAmosYee: An estimated 300 to 500 people gathered at Hong Lim Park on a blazing hot Sunday afternoon to protest the treatment of 16-year-old teen blogger Amos Yee, and to rally for the freedom of expression. "In the last few years we have seen an unprecedented crackdown on freedom of expression in Singapore," said organiser Jolovan Wham, a member of the Community Action Network (CAN), a group of Singaporeans in support of free speech. Contempt of court cases such as those against cartoonist Leslie Chew and filmmaker Lynn Lee were mentioned, as well as the harassment suit against The Online Citizen and the defamation case against blogger Roy Ngerng, were given as examples.

Wham quickly drew the focus of the protest to that of free speech and proportionate treatment, saying that CAN had organised the event to oppose and criticise "what the state is doing to a 16-year-old child."  "If the government can do this to Amos Yee, they can do this to other 16-year-olds. They can do this to other Singapore citizens," he said.

Kirsten Han
The Online Citizen, 6 July 2015
http://www.theonlinecitizen.com/2015/07/hundreds-gather-at-hong-lim-park-for-freeamosyee/

45.

Botanic Gardens 'just the first sight' of what S'pore can offer: Minister of State for National Development Desmond Lee, who was speaking to the media at the official opening of the Adventist Active Centre in Jurong West yesterday, added that the historic accolade is "jubilant news" that comes on top of the celebrations leading up to the Republic's 50th birthday next month. "It is a gift from our forefathers and pioneers, and a tribute to the late Minister Mentor Lee who stood for a green Singapore," he said.

Deputy Prime Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam, who was at the same event as Mr Lee, gave credit to the National Parks Board for its upkeep of the gardens. "The Botanic Gardens is a real gem right there in the middle of our city ... It's a real pride to Singaporeans," he said. Asked if Singapore should take a proactive role in looking at sites worthy of inscription, Mr Tharman said: "Yes, we should. Fortunately, we still have a lot of heritage in Singapore - and (a) quite diverse heritage. It makes Singapore so much richer a place."
Today, 6 July 2015
http://www.todayonline.com/singapore/botanic-gardens-just-first-sight-what-spore-can-offer

46.

Hong Kong protesters burn effigies of Lee Hsien Loong, Lee Kuan Yew: About 50 people from various civic and political groups gathered with banners and placards near the Singapore Consulate in Admiralty district, one day ahead of Yee's expected sentencing, reported the South China Morning Post. A photo posted by the Hong Kong newspaper on its website showed protesters setting alight effigies of the late Mr Lee Kuan Yew, as well as the current Prime Minister.
Today, 6 July 2015
http://www.todayonline.com/world/asia/hong-kong-protesters-burn-effigies-lee-hsien-loong-lee-kuan-yew

47.

PAP caught in Catch-22 situation with Aljunied GRC, says analyst: Analysts said such a strategy captured the challenges the PAP faces in reclaiming the first-ever GRC it lost - its team of candidates in 2011 included several ministers and Mr Ong Ye Kung, a new face touted as a potential office-holder. Whether the WP keeps its team in Aljunied intact - headlined by party chief Low Thia Khiang and chairman Sylvia Lim - is one factor to consider, they said.

Former Nominated Member of Parliament Eugene Tan said the PAP is caught in a Catch-22 situation: "Putting heavyweight candidates may reflect how seriously the party wants to win back Aljunied, but they could risk losing office-holders. However, taking the less risky option almost certainly results in a situation where WP is more likely than not to retain their seats."

Dr Gillian Koh, senior research fellow at the Institute of Policy Studies, added: "For things to flip in Aljunied, minimally, it will have to be the case where voters decide they do not want a WP team, or that the WP splits the two big leaders from the GRC. It will not be a vote for a PAP team."
Today, 6 July 2015
http://www.todayonline.com/singapore/pap-caught-catch-22-situation-aljunied-grc-says-analyst

48.

A natural aristocracy or a self-perpetuating family oligarchy? In April this year I received an invitation to an Institute of Policy Studies and Lee Kuan Yew School of Policy Studies Conference held to mark SG50 entitled "What Lies Ahead". Predictably the State academics organising the conference anticipated no surprises in what lay ahead, as shown by the Conference line-up.

Kenneth Jeyaretnam
TR Emeritus, 6 July 2015
http://www.tremeritus.com/2015/07/06/a-natural-aristocracy-or-a-self-perpetuating-family-oligarchy/

49.

PAP 'ready to roll' for next GE: Ng Eng Hen: Since the swing against it in the 2011 General Election (GE), the ruling People's Action Party (PAP) has knuckled down to make significant changes to its policies and relationship with Singaporeans.It has improved housing and transport infrastructure, introduced social policies - universal healthcare insurance, lifetime perks for pioneers - and spent more time listening to and communicating with Singaporeans, said party organising secretary Ng Eng Hen."We've addressed more problems that had existed from before 2011," he said in an exclusive interview with The Sunday Times on the PAP's strategies ahead of the next general election, which must be held by January 2017.
Straits Times, 5 July 2015
http://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/pap-ready-to-roll-for-next-ge-ng-eng-hen

50.

PAP's new approach: Up close and personal: MPs and their activists have forsaken mass events for small groups of dialogue, junked awards ceremonies for hugging-and-sharing sessions and even moved their weekly Meet-the-People sessions from place to place, instead of one permanent location, to be physically closer to different groups of residents.Party organising secretary and Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen puts it this way: "After the last GE we took stock, we listened and we said, 'All right, this is what Singaporeans want, we have to get closer to them.'" Speaking in today's exclusive interview (see stories on Top 6), he emphasises that "the heart had not gone wrong", but acknowledges that the party had lost sight that "perceptions count".
Straits Times, 5 July 2015
http://www.straitstimes.com/politics/paps-new-approach-up-close-and-personal

51.

Panel deliberates on free speech, insecurity and self-policing in Singapore: Cherian George, an associate professor in journalism at the Hong Kong Baptist University, gave a lecture on freedom of expression in Singapore at the Singapore Advocacy Award's fundraising event Deliberating the Freedom of Expression in Singapore. He later also spoke on a panel with blogger Alex Au and journalist-turned-filmmaker Ken Kwek.

In response to a question about trends related to defamation cases, George argued that the People's Action Party traditionally went for the "big guns" such as international media and opposition politicians, and only takes serious action against lower-profile bloggers when they don't "play ball", as most commentators would generally comply with demand letters to take down posts and publish apologies.

Kirsten Han
The Online Citizen, 5 July 2015
http://www.theonlinecitizen.com/2015/07/panel-deliberates-on-free-speech-insecurity-and-self-policing-in-singapore/

52.

Matter of time before Singapore sees a minority PM: Tharman: In response, DPM Tharman said he's not keen on the job, but added that it was inevitable that Singapore will have a minority Prime Minister. "Singapore is evolving, the common space that everyone is growing up in is much larger than pre-independence or even in our early decades," he said."It is a pretty strong common space, an education system where everyone is educated, first language English. You go through common experiences together, National Service, so it is a matter of time."
Straits Times, 3 July 2015
http://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/matter-of-time-before-singapore-sees-a-minority-pm-tharman

53.

Myanmar showdown looms as polls approach: Myanmar's fluid politics mean there are many reasons why the NLD - which has yet to confirm it will stand in the elections - and the rest of opposition might still end up frustrated. Last month's parliamentary debate happened at all only because of Thura Shwe Mann, a former number three in the military junta who has reinvented himself as speaker of parliament's lower house. He wants to please Ms Suu Kyi, so he can be her choice for the presidency if she cannot have it herself.

Ms Suu Kyi's popularity in her new incarnation as politician rather than prisoner of conscience has also not been fully tested. Some of the ethnic groups with whom she may have to do post-election deals are as suspicious of her party as they are of the generals, seeing both as representative of the Bamar majority. Myanmar's military has proved more durable than the many national institutions that declined or collapsed altogether under its rule. Its long duel with Ms Suu Kyi and other opponents is far from over.

[contains 8-minute video clip]

Carl Thayer
Financial Times, 5 July 2015
http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/0/c7c71ad4-2089-11e5-aa5a-398b2169cf79.html - axzz3f40Nuzud

54.

President U Thein Sein thanks Japan for development assistance in Mekong region: Myanmar President U Thein Sein and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe attended a bilateral summit Saturday in Tokyo that focused on the creation of two economic zones and the development of vital infrastructure, agriculture and human resources.

The Myanmar-Japan summit also covered the Korean Peninsula peace talks, and the reorganization of the United Nations Security Council.

 Japan granted 72.18 billion yen to Myanmar for 50 projects from 2012 to 2015. The Japanese government has agreed to provide 100 billion yen worth of loans for the Yangon circular railroad project, power projects, and the East-West economic corridor project.

 At a joint press conference, President U Thein Sein thanked Japan for its support of the peace process in Myanmar.

 The Thilawa special economic zone is expected to start operations in September, with the president saying Myanmar will make arrangements for the implementation of the Dawei special economic zone in cooperation with Thailand and Japan.
Global New Light of Myanmar, 5 July 2015
http://globalnewlightofmyanmar.com/president-u-thein-sein-thanks-japan-for-development-assistance-in-mekong-region/

55.

Strengthen tax authorities to increase revenue, IMF urges: Myanmar needs to strengthen its taxation authorities in order to broaden its tax base and increase overall revenue, according to an official of the International Monetary Fund. By increasing its revenue and realigning its spending priorities, the government can create "fiscal space," or freedom to control its finances, Ms Yu Ching Wong, IMFresident representative in Myanmar told The Global New Light of Myanmar via email on Friday.

 Expanding the reach of the country's Internal Revenue Department and Larger Taxpayers Office will improve tax compliance, Ms Wong said, adding that tax incentives should be minimized.

 The IMF said the question of whether tax rates for higher income earners need to be changed is for the government and parliament to decide.
Global New Light of Myanmar, 5 July 2015
http://globalnewlightofmyanmar.com/strengthen-tax-authorities-to-increase-revenue-imf-urges/

56.

Amendment defeat may not weaken Suu Kyi: The process of constitutional amendments will not be stopped after the general elections. Whether the articles that bar Suu Kyi from presidency will be modified remains to be seen. On the one hand, it depends on Suu Kyi's prestige and the public will. On the other hand, however, it really is difficult to make any changes, for it requires not only consent from over 75 percent of parliament members, but also needs to receive more than half of the popular vote in national referendum. Of course, the general elections this year are not a one-man show for either Suu Kyi or the NLD. Looking ahead, there are a few new important factors at play in the upcoming events.

To start with, there will be more parties running in the race. Approximately 70-80 parties will register to run for the elections, nearly double the number that participated in the 2010 race. Suu Kyi and the NLD are also to take part in the race, which is a completely different approach from boycotting the elections five years ago. It shows that Suu Kyi and the NLD are becoming politically more mature, and have realized that they cannot give up the opportunity to pursue greater political power.  Second, Myanmar is highly likely to witness a multi-party coalition government this time. Furthermore, each party is making great efforts to make the elections more transparent and just.

Xing Yun
Global Times, 5 July 2015
http://www.globaltimes.cn/content/930511.shtml

57.

Suu Kyi warns of dead on voter lists: National League for Democracy chairperson Aung San Suu Kyi has asked the public to check voter lists, warning that the inclusion of dead people can lead to election fraud.

Suu Kyi visited Warthinkha Village in her Kawhmu Township constituency, Yangon Region. She met residents to educate them on scrutinising the voter lists before visiting the village commission office to see the lists.

She said this year's election was vital for Myanmar, as it would decide what kind of country it would become.
Myanmar Times, 5 July 2015
http://elevenmyanmar.com/politics/suu-kyi-warns-dead-voter-lists

58.

Burma rejects UN proposal on Rohingya Muslims: The Burmese government has rejected a proposal from the UN Human Rights Council decision regarding Burma's ethnic Rohingya Muslims by the Organization of Islamic Countries (OIC).

Earlier in June, the UN branch had unanimously approved a proposal from Pakistan to draw attention to the plight of the Rohingya minority in the country.

Burma's foreign ministry released a statement on 3 July rejecting the proposal, saying that the decision violated the state's sovereignty and the accusations about human rights abuses were incorrect.
Democratic Voice of Burma, 4 July 2015
http://www.dvb.no/news/burma-rejects-unhcr-proposal-on-rohingya-muslims/53589

59.

Ethnic groups debate NCA amendments in Thailand: The Burmese government has said it doesn't want to amend the agreed Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA) draft and has asked the armed groups' high-level delegation to keep the proposed amendments as meeting records only.

Union Minister Aung Min spoke to the media after the meeting between government and high level representatives from ethnic armed groups on July 3.

"In discussions today, we said that we don't want to change or erase the NCA. So, we asked to put down the new 12 amendment proposals to come out from the Lawkheela summit as meeting record. We're not ignoring them," he said.
Democratic Voice of Burma, 4 July 2015
http://www.dvb.no/news/ethnic-groups-debate-nca-amendments-in-thailand/53595

60.

Suu Kyi visit demonstrates changing China-Myanmar relations: The closer ties between the CCP and the NLD will certainly bolster Suu Kyi's campaign. The longstanding Sino-Burmese 'Pauk-Phaw friendship' is deeply rooted in the people of the two countries, both politically and socially. Suu Kyi has to conform to this trend if she or her party intends to win the election. The NLD leader had never visited Myanmar's largest neighbour and had never established normal relations with China. Her visit to China can be regarded as a lesson in patching up previous oversights.

Regardless of the outcome of the upcoming general elections in Myanmar, any elected political party and their leader will most likely implement a China-friendly policy. China will continue to help Myanmar in promoting faster economic development. In the meantime, China should see Suu Kyi's visit as an opportunity to deliver a positive signal for deeper exchanges and communication with Myanmar.

Wang Jianping is a research assistant at Center for Myanmar Studies, Institute of South Asia Studies, Sichuan University.
East Asia Forum, 4 July 2015
http://www.eastasiaforum.org/2015/07/04/suu-kyi-visit-demonstrates-changing-china-myanmar-relations/

61.

Labour organizations: don't view Myanmar workers as slaves: As well as setting a minimum wage of Ks.3600 per day, other benefits obtained by workers are needed in order need to see Myanmar workers as human beings instead of being seen as slaves, according to labour organizations at a news briefing on July 3.

The minimum wage for garment factory workers is less than the lowest minimum wage of government staff, and workers are demanding other benefits such as transportation fees, living expenses, and to get the opportunity to train while working. They have also asked for Ks.10000 per year. If the government agrees to their demands, they will also agree to the government's proposal of Ks. 3600, according to press brief made on July 3.

Eleven Myanmar, 4 July 2015
http://elevenmyanmar.com/business/labour-organizations-dont-view-myanmar-workers-slaves

62.

Myanmar students seek learning opportunities in China: For Myanmar university students with an interest in Chinese language and culture, a growing number of scholarships and exchange programmes are providing opportunities to study in the neighbouring economic power.

There are currently around 100 Myanmar students attending Yunnan Normal University (YNNU) in Kunming, Yunnan Province.

Most are from Chinese language schools in Myanmar and have won scholarships from the university, according to Sai Kham Par, a third-year student of Chinese language and culture from southern Shan State.

International Economy and Trade is reportedly the favourite subject for Myanmar students attending the university.
Global New Light of Myanmar, 4 July 2015
http://globalnewlightofmyanmar.com/myanmar-students-seek-learning-opportunities-in-china/

63.

Call to end child soldier recruitment: The Myanmar military and the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) should immediately end the recruitment and use of children under the age of 18 years and release all those recruited under-18 within their ranks, Child Soldiers International said in new research released on July 2.

Research conducted by Child Soldiers International shows that ongoing conflict between the Myanmar military and the KIA has spurred the demand for both sides to continue to recruit children into their forces. Fresh disagreements between the government and negotiators from the ethnic armies have generated pressure on the peace process.
Mizzima, 4 July 2015
http://www.mizzima.com/news-domestic/call-end-child-soldier-recruitment

64.

Constituencies designated for holding of 2015 general election: The Union Election Commission (UEC) has announced the lists of constituencies on July 2 for the holding of 2015 general election of parliament representatives for Lower House, Upper House, Regions or States as well as ethnic representatives. Some constituencies where the 2010 general election weren't held have been reentered on the lists.

The announcement also stated that for the 2015 general election, 330 constituencies are set for lower house, 168 constituencies for the upper house, 644 constituencies for regional or state parliaments and 29 constituencies for regional or state parliaments for ethnics.
Myanmar Times, 4 July 2015
http://elevenmyanmar.com/politics/constituencies-designated-holding-2015-general-election

65.

200,000 jobs at stake as garment factories threaten closures: The Myanmar Garment Manufacturers Association (MGMA) has threatened to close down factories if the proposed 3,600 kyat (USD3.60) per day minimum wage is approved by the Burmese government.

Representatives of Chinese- and South Korean-owned garment factories at an MGMA meeting on Thursday said they would shut down their businesses by September if the minimum wage proposed earlier this week by the National Committee for Minimum Wage (NCMW) were adopted.
Democratic Voice of Burma, 3 July 2015
http://www.dvb.no/news/200000-jobs-at-stake-as-garment-factories-threaten-closures-burma-myanmar/53560

66.

Forced Labor Shows Back-Breaking Lack of Reform in Burma's Military:  In the fertile river valleys near Burma's border with Bangladesh, stateless Rohingya Muslims say there is no let-up in soldiers forcing them into hard labor, despite the government launching a campaign three years ago to end the practice.

The military, which ruled Burma for nearly half a century before handing power to a semi-civilian government in 2011, has vowed to end forced labor. President Thein Sein, a former general, promised in 2012 to eradicate what was once a military custom within three years.
The Irrawaddy, 3 July 2015
http://www.irrawaddy.org/burma/forced-labor-shows-back-breaking-lack-of-reform-in-burmas-military.html

67.

Military Opposition to Charter Change Could Entrench Public Trust Deficit: The military's opposition to constitutional amendments, recently shot down in Burma's Parliament, may harm efforts to conclude a nationwide ceasefire with ethnic armed groups and could undermine trust between the government and the international community, who have closely watched the reform process under President Thein Sein.

This is the view of various lawmakers who, speaking during recent parliamentary deliberations, have said that broader reforms will not go further without the support of the Burma Army to amend parts of the military-drafted 2008 charter.
The Irrawaddy, 3 July 2015
http://www.irrawaddy.org/commentary/military-opposition-to-charter-change-could-entrench-public-trust-deficit.html

68.

Is Vietnam Pivoting Toward the United States? Foreign analysts, in an attempt to make sense of Vietnam's opaque decision-making system, have posited the existence of conservative and reformist wings in the Politburo. Secretary General Trong is often portrayed as an ideological conservative who favors close relations with China. Prime Minister Dung is viewed as a reformist who seeks closer economic and possible security ties with the United States. Dung is rumored to be seeking the post of party Secretary General at the 2016 national congress.

It is likely that factional alignments in the Politburo are more nuanced and complex. Personalities play a role. For example, State President Truong Tan Sang, a rival to Dung, is said to side with Trong. Sang is often put in the pro-China camp. But western diplomats who claim to know Sang well report that he can be very critical of China. It is likely that factional alignments are more nuanced and complex. It is questionable whether anyone in the Politburo is pro-China or pro-America. It is more likely that they differ in assessing how to manage relations with the major powers without harming Vietnam's national interest.

Vietnam cannot choose its neighbors and one enduring axiom of Vietnamese national security policy is to avoid having permanent tensions in relations with China. Vietnam pursues a multilateral approach in its relations with the major powers, this includes not only China and the United States, but Russia, India and Japan as well.

Carl Thayer
The Diplomat, 6 July 2015
http://thediplomat.com/2015/07/is-vietnam-pivoting-toward-the-united-states/

69.

Nha Trang beachfront project canceled due to funding snag: Khanh Hoa Province has officially revoked the permit for a controversial property project set to take over 14 hectares of Nha Trang beach after its Indian investor failed to show that it had the money. Huynh Ngoc Bong, the province spokesman, said Friday that Dewan International Vietnam "no longer has the right" to invest in the USD1.2-billion Phoenix project, local media reported.
Thanh Nien News, 5 July 2015
http://www.thanhniennews.com/business/nha-trang-beachfront-project-canceled-due-to-funding-snag-47503.html

70.

Vietnam needs to bring the dong down: Vietnam has, for several decades, pegged the dong to the US dollar, within a limited band of 1-2 per cent. This has been as an important measure of macroeconomic stability. The SBV promotes economic growth, controls inflation, stabilises the exchange rate and preserves the stability of the financial system. But it also subsidises inefficient state-owned enterprises (including state-owned commercial banks with a huge collection of non-performing loan portfolios), public development projects mandated by parliament, national budget deficits (including the large trade deficit with China), and other governmental international financial obligations. The SBV also uses interest rate caps and controls on credit frequently as monetary policy tools.

Chu Nguyen is Associate Professor and Chairman of the Finance, Accounting and Enterprise Information Systems Department, University of Houston-Downtown
East Asia Forum, 4 July 2015
http://www.eastasiaforum.org/2015/07/04/vietnam-needs-to-bring-the-dong-down/

71.

Vietnam Communist party chief to make first US trip: Party general secretary Nguyen Phu Trong said on Friday he hopes to build trust and create more opportunities to improve relations between one-time foes as they mark the 20th anniversary of normalized diplomatic ties. They are also being brought closer together by shared concerns over China's territorial claims in the South China Sea.

Trong, 71, hosted a small group of western journalists on Friday, and his staff provided his written answers to questions posed in advance. "Like in any relations between two countries in the world, Vietnam and the US have differences on a number of issues such as perception on democracy, human rights and trade," Trong wrote in his reply to questions.
The Guardian, 4 July 2015
http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2015/jul/04/vietnam-communist-party-chief-to-make-first-us-trip

72.

Ethnic minorities to receive support: Viet Nam must work harder to support its numerous ethnicities, who mainly reside in remote, mountainous regions, Deputy Prime Minister Vu Van Ninh said during a conference on Thursday reviewing policies on ethnic minority groups.

Despite recent successes lowering the number of poor ethnic minority households, which have been decreasing by 6 to 10 per cent annually, the number of poor households remained high, at 50 per cent on average with some regions as high as 60 per cent.
Viet Nam News, 4 July 2015
http://vietnamnews.vn/politics-laws/272614/ethnic-minorities-to-receive-support.html

73.

Farming investment remains inadequate: Investment in agriculture and rural development seems to be decreasing year by year in total socio-economic development, according to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD).

In the year 2000, investment in agriculture accounted for 14 per cent of total investment in Viet Nam. The percentage dropped to 7.5 per cent in 2005 and to 5 per cent this year.

The lack of interest is because investment in agriculture and rural development is high risk and the returns are slow and low.
Viet Nam News, 4 July 2015
http://vietnamnews.vn/economy/272613/farming-investment-remains-inadequate.html

74.

PM sees new options for Japan firms: Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung said Viet Nam had room for growth and could give Japanese firms new opportunities at a business forum held with the five Mekong Delta countries yesterday in Tokyo.

The Vietnamese Government will allow smooth operations for Japanese investors in Viet Nam, the PM said while introducing Viet Nam's geographical, socio-political and macro-economic advantages. The country is fine-tuning its market economy regulations, developing human resources and infrastructure, and pushing international integration forward, he said.
Viet Nam News, 4 July 2015
http://vietnamnews.vn/politics-laws/272628/pm-sees-new-options-for-japan-firms.html

75.

Viet Nam, Latin America to expand trade: Viet Nam and Latin American countries have supplementary business structures, which could help boost economic development.

Pham Thi Thu Hang, general secretary of Viet Nam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI), made the remark at a workshop on business opportunities in the Southern Common Market (Mercosur) organised by VCCI and the Mercosur-ASEAN Chamber of Commerce.
Viet Nam News, 4 July 2015
http://vietnamnews.vn/economy/272622/viet-nam-latin-america-to-expand-trade.html

76.

VN firms must prep for EAEU deal: Experts discussed domestic businesses' preparations for the free trade agreement (FTA) between Viet Nam and the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) during a workshop held on Thursday in HCM City.

At the event, co-organised by the municipal Department of Industry and Trade, the Centre of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) and the HCM City Enterprises Association, participants highlighted the huge potential domestic businesses would have entering the new market, which has 175 million people and a GDP of nearly USD 2.5 trillion.
Viet Nam News, 4 July 2015
http://vietnamnews.vn/economy/272621/vn-firms-must-prep-for-eaeu-deal.html

77.

Government tackles disparity between civil, private wages: Deputy Prime Minister Vu Van Ninh told journalists at the recent National Assembly meeting that the minimum wage would meet workers' needs by 2020.

A report presented by the Ministry of Home Affairs at the freshly concluded National Assembly meeting said the minimum wage for the Government's payroll is 44 per cent of the private business sector's. How do you respond to such a big gap in the salary system?
VietNamNet Bridge, 4 July 2015
http://english.vietnamnet.vn/fms/government/135015/government-tackles-disparity-between-civil--private-wages.html

78.

Resolution issued on Cabinet's regular meeting: The Government issued Resolution No. 51/NQ-CP on July 2, which outlines the recommendations of the Cabinet's regular meeting in June, requesting ministries, agencies and localities to continue their hard work in order to achieve this year's annual goals.

The State Bank of Vietnam was asked to continue stabilising interest rates and promote credit growth, especially credit investments in production and business.
VietNamNet Bridge, 4 July 2015
http://english.vietnamnet.vn/fms/government/135031/resolution-issued-on-cabinet-s-regular-meeting.html

79.

MARD targets H2 recovery: The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) will deal with difficulties in production and export of agricultural products to help growth recovery in the second half of this year.

Minister Cao Duc Phat spoke about the production and business of the agricultural sector in the first half of this year at a news conference of the ministry on Wednesday.

The ministry would resolve the challenges in production and improve the business environment to create favourable conditions for enterprises to invest in the agricultural sector, he said.
Viet Nam News, 3 July 2015
http://vietnamnews.vn/economy/272559/mard-targets-h2-recovery.html

80.

Vietnam Party Chief Balances Ties Between U.S., China:  Stronger ties with the U.S. would likely anger China, Vietnam's big neighbor to the north. It might also alienate hard-liners in Vietnam's Politburo. But with Beijing growing more aggressive in its territorial claims to the South China Sea, close observers are concluding that Mr. Trong has little choice but to throw the full weight of Vietnam's Communist Party behind a stronger alliance with the U.S. to challenge China's tightening grip on the region."The fact that it is Mr. Trong, the guardian of party ideology, who is going to the U.S. indicates that Vietnam is undergoing a strategic rebalancing," said Jonathan London, a professor at the City University of Hong Kong.
Wall Street Journal, 3 July 2015
http://www.wsj.com/articles/vietnam-party-chief-u-s-is-stabilizing-force-in-asia-pacific-1435919277

81.

NCPO must let people speak, not repress them： The government's heavy-handed crackdown on the 14 university students from the Dao Din group seems to have backfired as more and more people, ranging from other students to lecturers to the European Union and the United Nations, are giving them moral support and calling for their release. Although the number of supporters who show up at Bangkok Special Prison each day as a symbolic protest against their their arrest is small - less than 100 each day - the pressure is building on the government to do something to prevent the issue from getting out of control.

Veera Prateepchaikul
Bangkok Post, 6 July 2015
http://www.bangkokpost.com/opinion/opinion/613532/ncpo-must-let-people-speak-not-repress-them

82.

Anti-graft agency to hear testimony from former police chief on building project: The Anti-graft agency has agreed to hear testimony from a former police chief about corruption in a project to construct 396 police stations, Vicha Mahakun, a member of National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC), said yesterday.

The NACC extended the investigation to cover Pol General Prateep Tanprasert, a former acting police chief, as he was not originally a part of the probe by an investigative subcommittee, Vicha said.

Earlier, the NACC allowed Phra Suthep Paphakaro or Suthep Thaugsuban, a former deputy prime minister who was accused of wrongdoing, to explain his actions.
The Nation, 6 July 2015
http://www.nationmultimedia.com/politics/Anti-graft-agency-to-hear-testimony-from-former-po-30263815.html

83.

PM moves to separate sub deal from health funds worry: Prayut says the two are not linked and both decisions will be considered carefully

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha is attempting to shield himself from increasing criticism over the government's plan to spend billions on the purchase of three submarines from China while dealing with a universal healthcare scheme running out of funds, saying a clear decision is yet to be made on either one.

"Please do not link the healthcare scheme with the Navy's plan to buy submarines. The government will consider the two matters with care," he said.
The Nation, 6 July 2015
http://www.nationmultimedia.com/politics/PM-moves-to-separate-sub-deal-from-health-funds-wo-30263827.html

84.

Students face questions after Friday's defiance: Police to push ahead with questioning as lawyers complain about lack of access

Police investigators will today resume their interrogation of the 14 detained student activists after some of them refused to cooperate on Friday because they weren't prepared and they considered the interrogation room to be in a poor condition.

Officers from Samranrat Police station had made an appointment with lawyers to interrogate the New Democracy Movement students on Friday.
The Nation, 6 July 2015
http://www.nationmultimedia.com/politics/Students-face-questions-after-Fridays-defiance-30263816.html

85.

The big issue: Wrecking ball: Gen Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, head of the National Council for Peace and Order and Keeper of the Power of Section 44, knows about pressure, pain and breaking the Shins. Last week he probed deeply and strongly under that outer muscle pad and got right into the bone of the matter and just as PainScience.com predicted, the pain was just a bit short of excruciating. It is not clear whether the prime minister and the green shirts picked last week to put on the pressure, or if it simply just growed, like Topsy. It started off with the general prime minister in Chiang Mai, which he defined to a somewhat sullen crowd as "one of Thailand's 77 provinces [that] can't be separated". He went on, saying that he knew full well who the crowd loved and, following the example of this column, uttered no actual names.

Alan Dawson
Bangkok Post, 5 July 2015
http://www.bangkokpost.com/opinion/opinion/613080/the-big-issue-wrecking-ball

86.

Editorial: Southern youth activists taking to the streets: Their involvement in anti-coup protest in Bangkok is actually good for country

An interesting development over the past few months that has been overlooked by the public is the participation of ethnic Malay Muslim students from Thailand's southernmost provinces in the protest against the current government.

A significant number of students and youth leaders have been coming to Bangkok and elsewhere to take part in the various demonstrations and speaking engagements to voice their disapproval against the military regime.
The Nation, 5 July 2015
http://www.nationmultimedia.com/opinion/Southern-youth-activists-taking-to-the-streets-30263771.html

87.

International observers urged to monitor students' case: The Thai Lawyers for Human Rights (TLHR) group yesterday urged the international community to observe military court proceedings against 14 anti-coup students who have been detained since June 26 - in order to ensure transparency and fairness.

The group said the 14, members of the New Democracy Movement, will be taken to the court in order to request that it allows extended pre-trial detention.
The Nation, 5 July 2015
http://www.nationmultimedia.com/politics/International-observers-urged-to-monitor-students--30263770.html

88.

PM calls for Japanese firms to invest more in Mekong region: Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha has invited Japanese small and medium sized enterprises to invest more in the Mekong Subregion - by taking advantage of its logistic transport links, with the expectation that the region will be able to take a step forward together.

Prayut spoke at a luncheon at the Imperial Hotel that was attended by the leaders of Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam and more than 1,000 Japanese businesspeople, where the need for more investment in the Mekong highlighted.
The Nation, 5 July 2015
http://www.nationmultimedia.com/politics/PM-calls-for-Japanese-firms-to-invest-more-in-Meko-30263769.html

89.

Debates outside parliamentary sessions should be promoted: An "open environment" should be created for lawmakers to debate important issues, Le Nhu Tien, Vice Chairman of the Committee on Culture, Education, Youth and Children, tells Tien Phong (Vanguard).

A debate took place recently between Transport Minister Dinh La Thang and HCM City People's Council Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Quyet Tam on collecting road tolls from motorbikes. It happened during a break at a National Assembly meeting. Can you comment on this?
VietNamNet Bridge, 5 July 2015
http://english.vietnamnet.vn/fms/government/135018/debates-outside-parliamentary-sessions-should-be-promoted.html

90.

Media curbs will backfire: The military regime should realise that it's against the authorities' own benefit to be seen as trying to curb media freedom. The spotlight this week falls on a complaint by the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) against a news report by the public-service channel Thai PBS.
Bangkok Post, 4 July 2015
http://www.bangkokpost.com/opinion/opinion/612368/media-curbs-will-backfire

91.

Thailand running out of fish: Supplies of fresh seafood have been disrupted in Thailand since fishing boat operators grounded their fleets in response to new rules against illegal and unreported fishing  that kicked in this week. But the government, trying to avert an import ban from the European Union, has resisted calls from fishing vessel owners to extend the deadline. As a result, the prices of some types of seafood at local markets have risen 20 per cent or more.The new rules require all boats to have licences, approved equipment, detailed logs as well as tracking systems to prevent overfishing and also stem the use of trafficked labour. Errant operators face up to three years in jail and a 300,000 baht fine.Some fishing boat owners, who say the new rules are too difficult to meet in such a short time span, have simply refused to operate.
Straits Times, 4 July 2015
http://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/thailand-running-out-of-fish

92.

CDC to hand draft charter to the NRC on August 22: The Constitution Drafting Committee is slated to submit the draft charter to the National Reform Council on August 22 before the council votes on the document in early September, NRC whip spokesman Wanchai Sornsiri said.

Wanchai said the two bodies had discussed and agreed on the dates. The NRC would review the draft charter no later than September 7 and then vote, he added.

Wanchai said the CDC would invite all concerned bodies to acknowledge changes made to the charter by the CDC.
The Nation, 4 July 2015
http://www.nationmultimedia.com/politics/CDC-to-hand-draft-charter-to-the-NRC-on-August-22-30263727.html

93.

Democracy in Thailand 'a work in progress': Democracy in Thailand is a work in progress like it is in the United States, US charge d'affaires W Patrick Murphy said while expressing his wish for Thailand's reform process to succeed.

"This is the truth. We are not perfect. We make mistakes. We make missteps. We are a work in progress," he said.

Murphy said a prosperous and stable democracy in Thailand would contribute to enduring relationships between the two nations.
The Nation, 4 July 2015
http://www.nationmultimedia.com/politics/Democracy-in-Thailand-a-work-in-progress-30263726.html

94.

Experts split over subs plan: Some security experts have questioned the prudence of the Navy's proposal to purchase three Yuan-class submarines from China for Bt36 billion, asking whether Thailand needs such sophisticated defence equipment.

While Panitan Wattana-yagorn, a security adviser to Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwan, defended the move, saying maritime threats were increasing for Thailand and would rise in the future, other academics such as Surachart Bamrungsuk, an expert in security affairs from Chulalongkorn University, said the submarines were not key acquisitions when dealing with the country's security concerns.
The Nation, 4 July 2015
http://www.nationmultimedia.com/politics/Experts-split-over-subs-plan-30263740.html

95.

Prostitution: Thailand's worst kept secret: It's commonly known, from Chiang Mai to Pattaya, that establishments breaking the prostitution law must pay heavy kick-backs to the local police. This is another of Thailand's worst kept secrets. Prime Minister Gen. Prayuth Chan-ocha has rhetorically stated time and again the need to address the moral fabric of the country. But what of the economic fabric of the country? A large percentage of the country's revenue comes from tourism, and billions of that money is spent on sex tourism. Cracking down on women doing their jobs, often focusing on the meager foreign part of the business enterprise, only hurts the people at the bottom of the food chain. Thailand needs prostitution, as things are, because a lot of people are reliant upon it. Perhaps if a crackdown is deemed necessary, then it should not be a crackdown not on sexual morality, but on capitalist morality; a crackdown on the police cracking down; a crackdown on hypocrisy. Thailand must start to accept what it has become. Crackdowns and ethics rhetoric are facepalms to the real world. Prostitution was born out of poverty; if there's anything that requires the great leader's attention, it's just that: lack of money for the majority. A paid-for blowjob is negligible in itself, but in the wider scheme of things, it's a big deal.

James Austin
Asian Correspondent, 3 July 2015
http://asiancorrespondent.com/133956/prostitution-thailands-worst-kept-secret/

96.

Thai monarchy on verge of dramatic change: The monarchy remains a major political symbol in Thailand. But now, with the Bhumibol era in its twilight and a problematic succession ahead, the institution is weakened. Under these circumstances, Vajiralongkorn should be allowed to take the throne, as provided by law, but with the understanding that he will essentially forgo politics. Withdrawing is the royal family's best chance of maintaining its moral authority, and it is Thailand's best chance for some measure of stability.

Pavin Chachavalpongpun is an associate professor at Kyoto University's Center for Southeast Asian Studies.
Japan Times, 3 July 2015
http://www.japantimes.co.jp/opinion/2015/07/03/commentary/world-commentary/thai-monarchy-verge-dramatic-change/ - .VZnd_vmeAXB

97.

FACED WITH the admonition from Interior Secretary Mar Roxas, Makati Mayor Junjun Binay had to reluctantly vacate his luxurious office at the 21st floor of the Makati City Hall.

For the first time, a suspension order against the Binays has been successfully carried out. For the first time in almost three decades, the Makati mayor's office is not in the hands of a Binay. For the first time in the history of the Binay dynasty, someone was able to drop the hammer on the Binays and they blinked. That someone is Mar Roxas.

Neal H. Cruz
Philippine Daily Inquirer, 6 July 2015
http://opinion.inquirer.net/86454/finally-roxas-drops-hammer-on-binays

98.

Is this the best way to run an organization?: ON FRIDAY the Armed Forces of the Philippines will once again go through its annual change of command ceremonies with President Aquino installing his last AFP chief. In five years in office, he has appointed five heads of our armed forces, ignoring recommendations from the representatives of our people both in the House and in the Senate, for an AFP chief that would serve for a fixed term of at least three years. In vetoing legislation that would give the AFP chief a decent term in office, he did not offer any explanation as to why such an important and critical post in government should be treated in such a cavalier manner, setting aside common sense and sound managerial practice in the appointment.

Just to inform our people of what has taken place in the armed forces, this is P-Noy's record on AFP leadership.

Ramon Farolan
Philippine Daily Inquirer, 6 July 2015
http://opinion.inquirer.net/86452/is-this-the-best-way-to-run-an-organization

99.

Reactions to 'Grace Poe's residency': Last Sunday, I wrote that Sen. Grace Poe's domicile of origin was Jaro, Iloilo, where, as a foundling, she was found. After her marriage to her American husband and immigration to the United States, California became her domicile by operation of law.

Is Poe disqualified? When she and her husband moved back here for good after the death of Fernando Poe Jr., she acquired a new domicile of choice in the Philippines. Her physical presence here is evidenced by entries in her passport and other authentic documents.

Artemio V. Panganiban
Philippine Daily Inquirer, 5 July 2015
http://opinion.inquirer.net/86420/reactions-to-grace-poes-residency

100.

PHILIPPINES: Palawan to Brunei, Malaysia shipping service eyed: Malaysia and Brunei, along with Indonesia are part of the Brunei-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines-EastAsia Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA). The BIMP-EAGA was organized in 1994. It was aimed fostering economic, social and security cooperation among select cities in four countries in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). At least 4 Mindanao cities have already established trade and shipping links with BIMP-EAGA member countries. These are the cities of Davao, Zamboanga and Bongao in Tawi-Tawi.

In 2007, a shipping route between Glan in Sarangani Province and Tahuna in Indonesia was inaugurated but has since become dormant although occasional cargo trips are plying between General Santos City-Bitung and Davao-North Sulawesi. Philippine authorities in Mindanao are also mulling the re-opening of Davao-Manado air link.

Edwin Espejo
Asian Correspondent, 4 July 2015
http://asiancorrespondent.com/133970/philippines-palawan-to-brunei-malaysia-shipping-service-eyed/

101.

Editorial: Showdown in The Hague: Next week, a team of lawyers led by Solicitor General Florin Hilbay presents the Philippines' case against China to the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague. The filing of this case demonstrates unmistakably that this country prefers the way of peace. While China ramps up its martial rhetoric and actual military provocations, the Philippines has shown that it abides by the UN Charter and its proscription against the use of force to settle disputes. The Philippines is submitting to the rule of law in international affairs. It is not afraid to take its chances before a neutral arbiter.

By shifting the arena to the courts of international law at the Peace Palace, the Philippines has thus emboldened other states to speak up against China. It used to be alone in standing up to Chinese aggrandizement. Not anymore.
Philippine Daily Inquirer, 4 July 2015
http://opinion.inquirer.net/86398/showdown-in-the-hague

102.

Facts and theories: That Vice President Jejomar Binay's public satisfaction rating rose from March to June this year, while at the same time he lost his customary lead in the people's citations of deserving successors to President Noynoy Aquino, are two separate facts discovered by the last two Social Weather Stations surveys. I am neither pleased nor disturbed by these facts, since I have no preconceptions of how the people's opinions should change over time, as a matter of professional habit. I simply accept whatever the survey findings are.

The discomfiture of some pundits with what they think is "inconsistency" between opposite movements in a job performance rating and an electability rating indicates that their theory of how the two ratings should interact is inadequate to explain the most recent facts. What they should do is adjust their theory, rather than question the facts.

Mahar Mangahas
Philippine Daily Inquirer, 4 July 2015
http://opinion.inquirer.net/86392/facts-and-theories

103.

The economics of ELCs: Economic land concessions in Cambodia have a profound and negative impact upon rural households located near the plantations, severely limiting residents' access to natural resources and causing incomes to dip by almost a fifth, a new study by the University of Copenhagen has found.

The report, titled Rural household incomes and land grabbing in Cambodia, surveyed 600 households across 15 villages in three communes: Taken in Kampot province, Sangke Satoap in Kampong Speu province and Tomring in Kampong Thom province.

The results found that ELCs lowered villagers' total household income, as well as how much cultivable land they had access to, while their distance to forests increased and their livestock holdings decreased.
Phnom Penh Post, 5 July 2015
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/economics-elcs

104.

Bilateral committee to eye border brawl: Cambodia and Vietnam will set up a joint committee to probe a brawl between an opposition party-led group and Vietnamese border authorities and villagers on Sunday, it was announced yesterday.

More than 12 people, including seven Vietnamese, were injured during the confrontation in Svay Rieng's Kampong Ro district near border marker 203.

Some 250 activists, led by Cambodia National Rescue Party lawmakers Um Sam An and Real Camerin, were attempting to inspect a Vietnamese-built road, which they say is inside Cambodian territory, when the violence occurred.
Phnom Penh Post, 4 July 2015
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/post-weekend/bilateral-committee-eye-border-brawl

105.

Romans vs Khmers: They came, they saw, they traded or did they? No one disputes that Oc Eo is a site of great archaelogical value. Vietnam this week named it a "national relic". But was it also the place where ancient Romans and Khmers met?

In 2nd century AD Egypt, the legendary Greco-Roman scientist Claudius Ptolemy put the extent of the known world onto paper. From his home in Alexandria, he gathered reports from sailors who had made perilous journeys to India and possibly beyond. Though details were sparse, a voyager named Alexander described a distant port called Kattigara on the Sinus Magna (Great Gulf) to the east of the Golden Chersonese peninsula - widely considered to be mainland Malaysia.
Phnom Penh Post, 4 July 2015
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/post-weekend/romans-vs-khmers-they-came-they-saw-they-traded-or-did-they

106.

Work stymied on India's 'imitation' Angkor Wat : Construction in India on the world's biggest Hindu temple complex has been delayed in response to Cambodian government complaints that the design copies Angkor Wat.

The Cambodian government wrote to India's Ministry of External Affairs in June, demanding it halt the proposed Viraat Ramayan Mandir temple in Bihar, India, which it called a "replica" of the Kingdom's famous world heritage site.
Phnom Penh Post, 4 July 2015
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/post-weekend/work-stymied-indias-imitation-angkor-wat

107.

IMF Concludes 2015 Article IV Consultation Mission to Cambodia: An International Monetary Fund (IMF) team led by Ms. Sonali Jain-Chandra visited Phnom Penh during June 22-July 3, 2015 to conduct discussions for the 2015 Article IV consultation1 with Cambodia. The team assessed macroeconomic developments and held policy discussions with ministers and senior officials of the Royal Government of Cambodia, and met a large group of stakeholders, including representatives of the academic and business community, civil society, and development partners.

At the conclusion of the visit, Ms. Jain-Chandra issued the following statement:

"Economic activity remains strong driven by construction, real estate and garments exports. GDP growth is estimated at 7 percent in 2014 and is expected to stay at the same level this year. After declining in early 2015 due to the sharp oil price decline, inflation is expected to rise moderately to 2.6 percent by end-2015.
IMF, 3 July 2015
http://www.imf.org/external/np/sec/pr/2015/pr15317.htm

108.

Illiteracy at 26 percent amongst female workers, survey finds: An illiteracy rate of 26 percent has been found among female workers in three districts of Vientiane, a ccording to the outcome of a recent survey conducted by the Lao Federation of Trade Unions (LFTU).

Funded by Care International, the survey targeted female workers aged 15-35 years old working in the service sector, as domestic servants or as garment factory employees in the districts of Chanthabouly, Sisattanak and Sikhottabong.

Vice President of the LFTU Mr Simoun Ounlasy told Vientiane  Times  on Friday that the survey would serve as fundamental information for policy makers as the Party and government have a policy to advance and enhance the role of the women in society.
Vientiane Times, 6 July 2015
http://www.vientianetimes.org.la/FreeContent/FreeConten_Illiteracy.htm

109.

NA members ask govt to clarify national development plan: National Assembly (NA) members were in confusion over the government's national socio-economic development plan as they had noticed the practices by the government did not support the stated policies.

Almost all NA members voiced this complaint when commenting about the government implementing its socio-economic plan over the past six months of the soon to be finished fiscal year 2014-2015.

The NA debate on the socio-economic development plan went into a third day friday at the NA ordinary session, which will run until July 21.

NA member for Xieng Khuang province Mr Bounton Chanthaphone expressed his concern about the trade deficit which showed imports exceeded exports by USD1.8 billion and about the amount of foreign currency reserves the country currently has. He said it would be acceptable if the deficit was caused by the import of materials for production activities, but not if they were for luxury goods.
Vientiane Times, 6 July 2015
http://www.vientianetimes.org.la/FreeContent/FreeConten_NA_members.htm

110.

Australia to Fight East Timor Sea-Border Challenge: Australia said it would resist East Timor's attempt to redraw a previously agreed sea border between the nations that, if successful, would give its Southeast Asian neighbor a larger share of potentially lucrative oil-and-gas fields.Australia's foreign minister, Julie Bishop, said Canberra would fight to uphold an almost-decade-old treaty that created the present maritime border, which straddles oil-and-gas resources worth up to tens of billions of dollars.
Wall Street Journal, 5 July 2015
http://www.wsj.com/articles/australia-to-fight-east-timor-sea-border-challenge-1433489709

111.

ASEAN, EU discuss future direction of partnership: Senior officials from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the European Union (EU) have gathered in Brussels for their 23rd Senior Officials' Meeting to review the two sides' enhanced partnership and discuss future direction. Particular emphasis was placed on topics of mutual interest for ASEAN and the EU to work together, such as maritime security, cooperation on trans-national crime and counter-terrorism, connectivity, business, trade and investment, enhanced capacity on mediation and reconciliation, climate change, environment and disaster management.
Communist Party of Vietnam Online Newspaper, 5 July 2015
http://dangcongsan.vn/cpv/Modules/News_English/News_Detail_E.aspx?CN_ID=721902&CO_ID=30107

112.

Can US, China share power in Asia? Today the international order in Asia is facing great pressure for change because it is undergoing the biggest and fastest shift in the distribution of wealth and power the world has ever seen.  As China rises, the old order based on US leadership is becoming unworkable, and a new order needs to be created which more accurately reflects the new distribution of power. And at the global level it is becoming clearer that the US, though still very powerful, is not strong enough to exercise the kind of global primacy that many people assumed it would.

So both in Asia and globally we face major changes to the international system. The big question today is how those changes can best be managed, and what kind of new order will they produce. The process will not be easy. In the US and other Western countries, many people including political leaders have not yet accepted that any new order is needed at all. They assume that the post-Cold War model of US leadership is the only possible basis for peace, and must last indefinitely. Some Americans, like Henry Kissinger, see the world more clearly and understand the need for a new world order. But many of them believe that it can be created almost automatically by a gradual process of adjustment to the new realities of power. Unfortunately there is a real risk that this evolutionary approach may be derailed by a growing sense of strategic rivalry and an increasing risk of conflict.

Hugh White is professor of strategic studies at the Australian National University in Canberra and the author of The China Choice: Why America should share power.
Global Times, 5 July 2015
http://www.globaltimes.cn/content/930506.shtml

113.

Associations in France concerned about East Sea situation: Thirty-one Vietnamese, French and French-Vietnamese associations and organisations have signed a petition showing their concerns over China's recent actions that complicated tensions in the East Sea. The petition wrote that stability is spoiled by recent events which threatened the freedom of navigation, caused tensions and reduce opportunities to find an international diplomatic solution.
Communist Party of Vietnam Online Newspaper, 5 July 2015
http://dangcongsan.vn/cpv/Modules/News_English/News_Detail_E.aspx?CN_ID=721894&CO_ID=30181

114.

Serenity must prevail in South China Sea: On the issue of freedom of navigation, China should be believed when it says that it is not in the business of obstructing commercial shipping or flights anywhere in the South China Sea. But it has created difficulties for the US and a continuing risk of inflammatory incidents by insisting that, within the entire 321-kilometre EEZ extending beyond its territorial waters, no military ship or aircraft has a right to engage in surveillance and intelligence collection. American pushback on this front, though justified, should be tempered. In the interest of defusing tensions, the US should scale back its monitoring activities within China's EEZs and rely more on less obviously intrusive means.

Gareth Evans was foreign minister of Australia 1988-96, co-chaired the International Commission on Nuclear Non-Proliferation and Disarmament 2009.
Bangkok Post, 4 July 2015
http://www.bangkokpost.com/opinion/opinion/612376/serenity-must-prevail-in-south-china-sea

115.

China lobbies hard ahead of Manila's South China Sea arbitration case: China's claims to the disputed South China Sea will come under international legal scrutiny for the first time this week, but while Beijing has officially refused to take part in the case filed by the Philippines at a U.N. tribunal, it has made its presence felt. Indeed, Manila's international legal team was heading to the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague to initially argue that the five-judge panel has jurisdiction to hear the case, Philippine Foreign Ministry officials told Reuters. That is because of concerns China raised in a public position paper in December about the tribunal's jurisdiction over the matter, according to court statements.

Greg Torode and Manuel Motago
Reuters, 4 July 2015
http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/07/04/us-southchinasea-arbitration-idUSKCN0PE0VK20150704

116.

Filipino lawyer reveals 'trump card' before Hague hearing: On July 7-13, the Philippines will argue its case against China's claim over most of the disputed East Sea, internationally known as South China Sea, at the UN court in Hague, the Netherlands.

The hearing is extremely important because it is considered a typical case and an exemplary model for the defense of sovereignty in a peaceful and civilized way. Although China refused to participate in the hearing, the Philippines has prepared for the event for nearly three years.

Before the hearing, Filipino lawyer Dr. Jay L. Batongbacal talked with VietNamNet.
VietNamNet Bridge, 3 July 2015
http://english.vietnamnet.vn/fms/special-reports/134870/filipino-lawyer-reveals--trump-card--before-hague-hearing.html

117.

Brunei-China cooperation can pave the road to diversification: Brunei had celebrated its 31st year of Independence this year, and talk of economic diversification is often met with skepticism. It has been years, detractors say, and Brunei has very little to show for much of its talk. The oil and gas industry continues to account for more than half of Brunei's GDP and more than 90 per cent of its exports. The declining oil prices may have boosted growth in other countries, but not so for Brunei which even incurred a deficit as plunging prices weigh in on export revenues.

The Bio-Innovation Corridor (BIC) and Brunei-Guangxi Economic Corridor (BGEC) represent Brunei's latest effort to diversify its economy. These two initiatives have the potential to boost the economy if all relevant agencies work hard to make everything that is being 'talked' about into reality.

Koo Jin Shen
Brunei Times, 6 July 2015
http://www.bt.com.bn/business-national/2015/07/06/brunei-china-cooperation-can-pave-road-diversification

118.

Vietnam places importance on extensive strategic partnership with Japan: Vietnam always attaches high importance to strengthening comprehensive strategic partnership between the two nations and supports Japan's role and positive contributions to peace, stability, cooperation and development in the region and in the world.

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung made the statement while holding talks with his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe on July 4 in Tokyo on the sidelines of the 7th Mekong-Japan Summit.
VietNamNet Bridge, 5 July 2015
http://english.vietnamnet.vn/fms/government/135110/vietnam-places-importance-on-extensive-strategic-partnership-with-japan.html

119.

Japan pledges USD6 billion to Mekong nations as China prepares new bank: Japan said on Saturday it would extend around USD 6 billion in development aid to Mekong region countries, as China prepares to launch a new institutional lender seen as encroaching on the regional clout of Tokyo and ally Washington. Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam all have strong economic growth potential, and are promising destinations for Japanese exporters of railway systems, power plants and other infrastructure.

Kiyoshi Takenaka
Reuters, 3 July 2015
http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/07/04/us-japan-asia-aid-idUSKCN0PE05D20150704

120.

Japan to provide 750 billion yen in ODA to Mekong region: The assistance will be for a three-year period starting from 2016 and was one of the main pillars of the strategy agreement reached in a July 4 meeting between Japan and the five Mekong region nations--Thailand, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia and Myanmar. This was the seventh Mekong-Japan summit meeting. "(The Mekong region) is of strategic importance for land and sea transport, and is a partner for affluent growth," Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said at the start of the meeting.

At a joint news conference after the summit, Abe said, "Concerns were expressed in the meeting about recent trends regarding the situation in the South China Sea." Although the prime minister stopped short of naming China, the comment was in reference to the various territorial disputes between Beijing and other nations in Southeast Asia. The joint statement issued after the summit meeting called for achieving "quality growth," especially in terms of investment in high-quality infrastructure.

Hajimu Takeda/ Staff Writer
Asahi Shimbun (AJW), 4 July 2015
http://ajw.asahi.com/article/asia/around_asia/AJ201507040051

121.

Tokyo Strategy 2015 adopted at Mekong-Japan Summit: Leaders from the five Mekong sub-regional nations and Japan have approved the Tokyo Strategy 2015 with an overall goal for the 2016-2018 Mekong-Japan cooperation specifically designed to ensure regional stability and achieve 'quality growth' in the Mekong Sub-region.

PM Nguyen Tan Dung is leading a senior Vietnam delegation to attend the 7th Mekong-Japan Summit taking place in Tokyo on July 2-4.
VietNamNet Bridge, 4 July 2015
http://english.vietnamnet.vn/fms/government/135070/tokyo-strategy-2015-adopted-at-mekong-japan-summit.html

122.

AIIB office could be set up in Hong Kong, says Financial Secretary John Tsang: His comments appeared at odds with remarks he made to the press last week in Beijing. In response to a question last Tuesday about the possibility of the AIIB setting up an office in Hong Kong, Tsang said: "We need to see how things go. So far, no work has started. There is a need to wait and see. But there are chances [of having an AIIB office in Hong Kong]." A spokesman for Tsang yesterday said the two messages were consistent and that Hong Kong could contribute to the AIIB with its strong background in financing and asset management.

Tsang also said in his blog that he would like Hong Kong to join the investment bank as soon as possible. The AIIB could start operating by early next year, and Hong Kong could consider joining it after the bank accepted applications for non-sovereign membership, he added. "Although there is still some time before Hong Kong can join the AIIB, there is no need for Hong Kong to wait to capitalise on development opportunities arising from the AIIB and the 'One Belt, One Road' [initiative]," Tsang wrote.

Ng Kang-chung
South China Morning Post, 6 July 2015
http://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/economy/article/1833257/aiib-office-could-be-set-hong-kong-says-financial-secretary?utm_source=edm&utm_medium=edm&utm_content=20150706&utm_campaign=scmp_today

123.

Sovereign wealth fund 'ready to work with AIIB': The sovereign wealth fund China Investment Corporation is ready to work with the new Chinese-led Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank to invest in projects around the region, a senior official said yesterday. With a focus on investing in the infrastructure and hi-tech sectors this year, Liu Fangyu, head of CIC's public relations and international cooperation, said the fund was ready to support the AIIB where possible.

CIC saw a 41 per cent drop to 5.5 per cent in its overseas investment returns last year, partly due to falling commodity prices and foreign exchange losses incurred from a stronger US dollar. That left the fund's overseas returns at a three-year low in 2014. Its net profit growth last year was also modest, up just 2.5 per cent to USD89.1 billion.
South China Morning Post, 4 July 2015
http://www.scmp.com/news/china/economy/article/1832416/sovereign-wealth-fund-ready-work-aiib?utm_source=edm&utm_medium=edm&utm_content=20150704&utm_campaign=scmp_today

124.

Days of Our Digital Lives: None of these findings shake the foundations of our understanding of the human psyche, but we shouldn't underestimate the value of the data Google releases either. Minute-by-minute analysis like this is a relatively new treat and it can be very useful to scholars: The economists David Card and Gordon B. Dahl analyzed crime data minute-by-minute and found that domestic violence complaints rise immediately after a city's football team loses a game it was expected to win.

One of the most important powers of big data is simple. Just as the microscope allowed us to look at smaller and smaller parts of physical objects, big data allows us to zoom in on our minds.

Seth Stephens-Davidowitz
The New York Times, 4 July 2015
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/07/05/opinion/sunday/seth-stephens-davidowitz-days-of-our-digital-lives.html?_r=0

125.

Can Japan Have an Economic Grand Strategy Beyond the TPP? As the second-largest founding member nation of the TPP, Tokyo has a distinct advantage in setting the future rules for trade in the world's most economically robust region. Just as U.S. President Barack Obama stressed the need for the United States to be a key player in the TPP framework lest Beijing take over instead, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe also emphasized the need for TPP to keep Japan as a major economic player on the global stage.

But when Abe announced Japan's decision to join the TPP in March 2013, he also stated that "creating new rules in the Asia-Pacific region ...is not only in Japan's national interests, but also certain to bring prosperity to the world," adding that "the new economic order" would be made jointly by the two major economic powers, namely Japan and the United States.

Shihoko Goto is the senior associate for Northeast Asia with the Woodrow Wilson Center's Asia Program based in Washington D.C.
The Diplomat, 5 July 2015
http://thediplomat.com/2015/07/can-japan-have-an-economic-grand-strategy-beyond-the-tpp/