1.

Three things we learned from: Kelantan's hudud ambition: By passing the hudud bill, PAS gives the impression that it has abandoned all of its promise for progressive politics. Gone are the excitement stirred by what was thought to be PAS's realisation for the need to engage in multi-ethnic, multi-religious cosmopolitan politics.At that time, progressive Malaysians thought party full of turban-wearing clerics made a significant political leap forward when it said would now fight for a "welfare state" instead of a theocratic one, after party grassroots voted in a progressive leadership lineup at the party's 2011 elections.

The Malay Mail, 20 March 2015
http://www.themalaymailonline.com/malaysia/article/three-things-we-learned-from-kelantans-hudud-ambition

2.

Malaysia can achieve high income status by 2020, says IMF: Malaysia's target of achieving high income status by 2020 with GDP per capita rising to about RM55,695 is within reach, said the International Monetary Fund's first deputy managing director David Lipton. During his keynote address at a dinner organised by Bank Negara Malaysia in conjunction with the 19th Asean Finance Minister's Meeting, Lipton stressed the importance of convergence.

The Malaysian Insider, 20 March 2015
http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/malaysia-can-achieve-high-income-status-by-2020-says-imf

3.

Tight budget hampers Malaysia's defence ambitions: Malaysia's 2015 defence budget of RM17.7 billion does not offer much hope for new kit, given it includes only RM3.6 billion for military procurement. This has been earmarked mainly for the purchase of four Airbus Military A400M cargo planes as well as navy patrol vessels. An A400M was on display at the airshow along with recently acquired Airbus EC725 utility helicopters.

A prolonged slump in oil prices is expected to further hurt the net oil exporting nation while heavily indebted state investor 1MDB could drag on public finances. "Malaysian acquisition plans have been continually postponed for reasons of financial constraints," said Richard Bitzinger, a security expert at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies in Singapore.

The Malaysian Insider, 20 March 2015
http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/tight-budget-hampers-malaysias-defence-ambitions

4.

'Lazy, stupid' Malaysians turning to religious laws, says Zaid: Zaid said this penchant for an easy fix has made Malaysians fascinated with religious laws that they think can somehow be a perfect panacea for the country's many problems."We have had no such periods of difficulty and life was never that hard for us... This benign state of affairs, however, has proven to be a curse because it has made us lazy, stupid and greedy!" the former law minister wrote in his blog.According to Zaid, Malaysians live in a world of fantasy, believing that the country's wealth will never run out and political leaders never need to be held accountable.

The Malay Mail, 19 March 2015
http://www.themalaymailonline.com/malaysia/article/lazy-stupid-malaysians-turning-to-religious-laws-says-zaid

5.

Kelantan's hudud plans can happen without constitutional changes, lawyers say: Despite views that hudud is unconstitutional, lawyers confirmed today that PAS would not need to amend the Federal Constitution to enforce the strict Islamic criminal law in Kelantan.Lawyer Syahredzan Johan said that the PAS-ruled Kelantan government was now limited by a 1965 law which bars the Shariah Courts from enforcing harsher punishments under hudud - such as amputation of limbs for thefts or death for apostasy.Under the Shariah Courts (Criminal Jurisdiction) Act 1965, the Shariah courts can only impose a maximum three year jail term, a maximum RM5,000 fine or a maximum six strokes of whipping.

The Malay Mail, 19 March 2015
http://www.themalaymailonline.com/malaysia/article/kelantans-hudud-plans-can-happen-without-constitutional-changes-lawyers-say

6.

Waning interest in Pakatan on Facebook a sign of disenchantment, observers suggest: Malaysians are increasingly becoming disenchanted and tired of Pakatan Rakyat (PR) because they seem to have made little headway since the 13th general elections, political observers noted.Social media analyst PoliTweet.org pointed out that interest in the federal opposition coalition on Facebook has reached an all-time low since June 2013, which observers said might have been caused by political fatigue."There is a kind of cooling point of interest among the members of the public. In the wake of the 2013 election, there is a sense of disappointment among some people supportive of the opposition because they didn't win," said Ibrahim Suffian of independent pollster Merdeka Center.

The Malay Mail, 19 March 2015
http://www.themalaymailonline.com/malaysia/article/waning-interest-in-pakatan-on-facebook-a-sign-of-disenchantment-observers-s

7.

'Disappointed' Kit Siang wait for DAP leaders to decide future with Pakatan after hudud issue: While this total is far short of the 148 votes or two-thirds needed to approve a change to the constitution, it allows a margin for a simple majority even if the two Muslim MPs from the strongly secular DAP were to vote against any proposal. PKR's Muslim MPs have been mostly reticent when asked previously if they would or would not vote in support of hudud, which is not part of the opposition PR's common policy.

Eileen Ng
The Malaysian Insider, 19 March 2015
http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/disappointed-kit-siang-wait-for-dap-leaders-to-decide-future-with-pakatan-a

8.

Amid stinging criticism, Najib draws support from BN: MCA president Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai, in representing all the presidents of the partners in the ruling pact, said they all stand together "as one" to support Najib. However, Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) president and Sarawak chief minister Tan Sri Adenan Satem added that it was also "to avoid any unnecessary speculations".

Eileen Ng
The Malaysian Insider, 19 March 2015
http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/bn-component-parties-pledge-support-for-najib

9.

Forest City reclamation works restarted, says developer: Covering a total of 3,425 acres, the Forest City project features four man-made islands, which will be reclaimed in four phases, in the waters in Tanjung Kupang between southwest Johor and northwest of Singapore. Island 1 will measure 979 acres; Island 2, 1896 acres; Island 3, 405 acres; and Island 4, 145 acres. The topside development will also be developed concurrently during the reclamation phase of each island. The mixed-development project, which will include residential and commercial lots, is estimated to be completed in 2045.

It was reported that CGPV is expected to make a profit of nearly RM290 billion over the next 30 years through the project. The company is a 66%-34% joint venture between China's Country Garden Holdings Ltd and Esplanade Danga 88 Sdn Bhd, whose main shareholder is the Johor sultan. State company Kumpulan Prasarana Rakyat Johor (KPRJ) is also a partner in the project.

The Malaysian Insider, 19 March 2015
http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/forest-city-reclamation-works-have-restarted-says-developer

10.

In PAS, a study of arrogance and ignorance: They are arrogant to think that hudud laws will be the cure for the ills that bedevil our society. They are wrong because such laws, if and when they are allowed to be enforced, only punish those left behind in Kelantan. This arrogance of PAS needs to be punished by Malaysians at every level - state and parliamentary. And this punishment must also flow to the so-called moderates who still want to be under the umbrella of this so-called political party. If they don't speak up, then they are part of the PAS that is more focused on just policing people's lives and faith, rather than running a country and ensuring there is no poverty.

Hudud laws do nothing for people already suffering from a slumping ringgit, a sour economy and the advent of consumption tax.

Jahabar Sadiq, Editor
The Malaysian Insider, 19 March 2015
http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/in-pas-a-study-of-arrogance-and-ignorance

11.

Najib, Dr M relationship fine, says Khairy: He said Najib's reference to "jemuan-jemuan" (bad characters) was not directed at Dr Mahathir, one of his fiercest critics. Khairy said the two Umno strongmen were still close as seen in the closing ceremony of the Le Tour De Langkawi (LTDL) on Sunday.

The youth and sports minister was asked by reporters today to reveal the identities of the so-called "bad characters" and apple polishers Najib were referring to during a recent Umno meeting in Kedah.

Md Izwan
The Malaysian Insider, 19 March 2015
http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/najib-dr-m-relationship-fine-says-khairy

12.

PAS failed to respect pact with Pakatan, says PKR: "After seeing the draft, although the contents were not much different than the original 1993 enactment, we find that it does not honour the consensus we had reached by PR in 2011," PKR said.

In 2011, it was agreed among the three opposition parties that hudud was not a mutual agenda to the coalition but they accepted that it was a PAS struggle that started even before the inception of PR. Although it was agreed that it was unreasonable to force PAS to abandon the agenda, it was decided that all policies involving PR and their implementation must have the agreement of all three parties.

The Malaysian Insider, 19 March 2015
http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/pas-failed-to-respect-pact-with-pakatan-says-pkr

13.

Commentary: Indonesian society increasingly Islamized, despite diversity: Tokyo Camii, Japan's largest mosque, located in the capital's Yoyogi-Uehara district, has been seeing an incessant flow of visitors of late.

Media reporters and interviewers have thronged the mosque over the past month or two in regard to the Jan. 7 attack on the Paris offices of the French satirical newspaper Charlie Hebdo, subsequent controversies over the printing and reprinting of caricatures, and moves of the Islamic State extremist group in the Middle East.

Naoji Shibata
Asahi Shimbun (AJW), 20 March 2015
http://ajw.asahi.com/article/views/column/AJ201503200003

14.

Ahok Gains More Public Trusts than What the DPRD Receives in Public Perception Survey: Almost 60 percent of residents in Jakarta continuously watch and monitor the development of the fiery conflict between Jakarta Governor Basuki 'Ahok' Tjahaja Purnama and the City Council (DPRD). This is a according to a record that was disclosed on Thursday (20/3) by the public opinion pollster, Populi Center.

The Jakarta-based surveyor had conducted opinion polling in the five mayoralties of the city namely Central Jakarta, North Jakarta, South Jakarta, East Jakarta, West Jakarta, and in Pulau Seribu (Thousand Islands region), on between 11 and 15 March 2015.

Global Indonesian Voices, 20 March 2015
http://www.globalindonesianvoices.com/19721/ahok-gains-more-public-trusts-than-what-the-dprd-receives-in-public-perception-survey/

15.

How low is the quality of our political parties? One of the significant impacts of this poor quality of the elite circulation is the lack of impartial leaders. Figures such as Megawati, Wiranto, Prabowo and Yudhoyono by default will always be at the top of the party hierarchy. One time, when they transfer leadership posts to other party members, internal factionalism will appear in public. It is surely common if a party has a strong figure; however, this political resource of figures should transform itself into the power of systems.

A party's inability to manage internal conflicts is eventually as dreadful as the powerlessness of the party to escape from the figure subordination. Institutional parties will be very fragile and will never be able to stand firm as a democratic public entity.

Gun Gun Heryanto, a lecturer in political communication at the Syarif Hidayatullah State Islamic University in Jakarta, is executive director of The Political Literacy Institute.
Jakarta Post, 20 March 2015
http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2015/03/20/how-low-quality-our-political-parties.html

16.

Why do we need more political entrepreneurs? We are witnessing the birth of a new breed of politicians in Indonesia. Some of them have already started filling important positions.Many are new entrepreneurs - as opposed to second or third generation businesspeople (i.e. those who inherited a business empire from their family) - who turn to politics and seem to bring the dynamics of entrepreneurship into the political arena. These politicians possess traits similar to that of start-up entrepreneurs. They are political entrepreneurs. Like in business, they attempt to combine their resources and find innovative ways to achieve their objectives. They know their "market" very well and they design "products and services" that cater to the needs of their "customers".

M. Ari Margiono, Brisbane, a faculty member of the Binus Business School, Jakarta is a recipient of the Australia Award Scholarship for research into business models of social enterprises.
Jakarta Post, 20 March 2015
http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2015/03/20/why-do-we-need-more-political-entrepreneurs.html

17.

Indonesia Plans New Joint Military Commands: Not everyone is a fan of the proposal, however. Some say reinstating that position would just complicate the existing military structure - with one strong commander controlling all three military forces. It is also unclear what the exact division of labor would be between the commander and his deputy. Coordinating Political, Legal and Security Affairs Minister Tedjo Edhi Purdijatno, for his part, said that the plan needed further study. Meanwhile, Cabinet Secretary Andi Widjajanto revealed that the meeting had discussed a plan to prepare a presidential regulation on TNI reorganization. According to Andi, the regulation would be produced in 2015, but its implementation would be conducted gradually up until 2019.

Prashanth Parameswaran
The Diplomat, 20 March 2015
http://thediplomat.com/2015/03/indonesia-plans-new-joint-military-commands/

18.

Indonesia: Can Jokowi Recover? There is a strong desire for Jokowi to cut his ties with his party's elite and act as decisively as he did as mayor. "He's being inept at the moment. But one thing that's been clear throughout his career is he's a fast learner and he's able to recognize his mistakes and change his approach," said O'Rourke, citing changes to his party platform he made when running for governor of Jakarta. And according to O'Rourke, it isn't too late to reclaim the public's support. "He would be able to revive and restore public support - he'd have to use the press more and be frank about the political problems he's facing. If he were to do that it would help - a cabinet reshuffle is a first step, promote institutional changes, a press strategy that involves real candid discussions with the public - that's the way to outmaneuver the vested interests."

Many questions remain, including whether Jokowi can maintain the public trust while he learns to wield power effectively in Jakarta. But despite the obstacles, some political watchers have a hard time imagining Jokowi being down for too long. "At this point," Basuki said, "I'm still optimistic about Jokowi."

Jon Emont is a Fulbright Researcher based in Yogyakarta. His writing from Indonesia and the Middle East has previously been published in Foreign Policy, The New Republic, Slate, and many other publications.
The Diplomat, 20 March 2015
http://thediplomat.com/2015/03/indonesia-can-jokowi-recover/

19.

Editorial: In Cutting Aid to IS, a Deadly Balancing Act: With a reported 500 Indonesians and counting having joined the ranks of the Islamic State militant group, there's an urgent need to stop the flow of would-be jihadists flocking to Syria and Iraq.

The problem is that it's difficult to prohibit people from traveling to the region without infringing on the civil liberties of law-abiding citizens. How can an immigration officer at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport, for instance, be expected to tell whom among the travelers passing his desk with tickets to Turkey is a potential IS recruit and which an innocent vacationer?

The Jakarta Globe, 20 March 2015
http://thejakartaglobe.beritasatu.com/opinion/editorial-cutting-aid-deadly-balancing-act/

20.

Corruption crimes should not be handled ceremonially: "Prevention of corruption without firm action against the perpetrators will not educate," President Jokowi remarked during the signing of a memorandum of understanding on joint action for saving natural resources at the State Palace here on Thursday. The head of state then called on all parties to gain a common understanding regarding the prevention of corruption and action against corruption crimes. "Serious action should be taken against the perpetrators of corruption crimes without pursuing popularity at the respective law enforcement agency," the president noted.

Antara News, 19 March 2015
http://www.antaranews.com/en/news/98186/corruption-crimes-should-not-be-handled-ceremonially-president

21.

Indonesian, US marines conduct joint exercise in Situbondo: The Indonesian Marine Amphibious Reconnaissance Force started a joint exercise program with the US Marines in Karangtekok, Situbondo district, East Java, on March 19, 2015.

The joint exercise with the United States Marine Corps is held at the Baluran Marine Corps Combat Training Centre in Karangtekok, code-named "Iron Lantern." The training will conclude on April 10, 2015.

Antara News, 19 March 2015
http://www.antaranews.com/en/news/98187/indonesian-us-marines-conduct-joint-exercise-in-situbondo

22.

Saudi Arabia urged to open its market for Indonesian products: Indonesian Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs A.M. Fachir has appealed to Saudi Arabian Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Khalid bin Saud bin Khalid to further open its market for Indonesias products.

Antara News, 19 March 2015
http://www.antaranews.com/en/news/98191/saudi-arabia-urged-to-open-its-market-for-indonesian-products

23.

Indonesia's Jokowi Bobs Upright: Indonesia's President Joko Widodo may be the beneficiary of an astonishing trifecta, according to analysts in Jakarta, who say that political rival Aburizal Bakrie, the head of Golkar, the country's oldest political party, and Megawati Sukarnoputri, who heads Joko's own Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle, have been neutralized and that major parties may yet consolidate behind him.

Fears that the opposition led by Golkar and Gerindra, would dominate the legislature and derail the Joko presidency have not materialized. Instead Megawati and PDIP have proven to be the biggest political roadblock facing the president.

Asia Sentinel, 19 March 2015
http://www.asiasentinel.com/politics/indonesia-jokowi-bobs-upright/

24.

Japan to expand SE Asia security ties with Indonesia pact: Although it will be a non-binding agreement, it is seen as the first step in bolstering defence ties. A Japanese foreign ministry official said Widodo's trip sends a "big message" as this will be his first state visit outside Southeast Asia.An Indonesian government official said the defence pact was "very significant" for both nations. For Japan, closer ties with Indonesia could also give its defence firms a better chance to compete against South Korean military equipment makers, who are establishing themselves in the region, a Japanese defence ministry official said.

Reuters, 19 March 2015
http://in.reuters.com/article/2015/03/19/japan-indonesia-defence-idINKBN0MF0UT20150319

25.

Indonesia's Foreign Investment Takes a Hit: Red tape and legal uncertainties have scared off $23 billion worth of potential foreign direct investment in Indonesia, putting pressure on President Joko Widodo in his quest to attract investors to Southeast Asia's largest economy.

The country's Investment Coordinating Board, or BKPM, revoked the principal business permits given between 2007 and 2012 to more than 6,500 foreign investors for failing to submit quarterly progress reports for the past seven years.

The Jakarta Globe, 19 March 2015
http://thejakartaglobe.beritasatu.com/business/indonesias-foreign-investment-takes-hit/

26.

Jokowi Rubbishes Concerns Over Visa Waiver: President Joko Widodo has dismissed concern that offering visa-free travel for an extra 30 countries could put Indonesia at a higher security risk.

In a bid to boost tourism, the government announced this week that it would waive the existing visa requirements for a citizens from a host of countries in Asia, the Middle East and Europe.

Joko said the policy should not pose a risk to Indonesia as long as police and immigration were prepared.

The Jakarta Globe, 19 March 2015
http://thejakartaglobe.beritasatu.com/news/jokowi-rubbishes-concerns-visa-waiver/

27.

Could Waiving Indonesia's Visa Fee Boost Tourism? Other officials say the visa fees have kept Indonesia from drawing as many visitors as neighboring Malaysia and Thailand, and it was time they were scrapped. Indonesia welcomed around 9.4 million foreign tourists in 2014, a 7% increase from the year before. It's aiming to double that number to 20 million by 2019. In comparison, both Thailand and Malaysia saw nearly 25 million tourist arrivals last year.

For Indonesia, however, getting a visa "is not a difficult process," said Yuliana, head of hospitality and tourism management at Binus University in Jakarta. "So visa fee or not, tourists who really want to come to Indonesia will come." She says the main reason Indonesia doesn't draw as many tourists as its neighbors is the lack of roads, airports and other connective infrastructure that helps travelers move around the sprawling archipelago.

Sara Schonhardt
Wall Street Journal, 19 March 2015
http://blogs.wsj.com/indonesiarealtime/2015/03/19/could-waiving-indonesias-visa-fee-boost-tourism/?mod=WSJBlog&mod=WSJ_SEA_Blog

28.

Ease of Doing Business? Indonesia Cancels $23 Billion Worth of Foreign Investment: Indonesia likes to boast that foreign direct investment has hit record highs in recent years, but it could have attracted even more if the government had made it easier for investors to do business here.

Indonesia's Investment Board said Thursday that it cancelled 6,541 licenses issued to foreign investors between 2007 and 2012 because difficulties they faced clearing land, getting permits from local governments to build or having environmental impact assessment plans approved prevented the projects from happening. Among the projects that had their licenses revoked was a $5-billion refinery project funded by Middle-Eastern investors and a $800-million bauxite smelter project from a Chinese investor, said Franky Sibarani, chairman of the investment board, known as BKPM. He declined to name the investors.

I Made Sentana
Wall Street Journal, 19 March 2015
http://blogs.wsj.com/indonesiarealtime/2015/03/19/ease-of-doing-business-indonesia-cancels-23b-worth-of-foreign-investment

29.

In Trouble at Home, Indonesian Leader Seeks Reset Overseas: Packaging the trip as any kind of victory could help Mr. Widodo counter a series of domestic setbacks. In January, the president unwittingly created a standoff between the powerful police force and the antigraft agency, damaging the latter and exposing his lack of experience at the national level and his vulnerabilities to Jakarta's entrenched elite.

He received heavy international criticism for his resolve to execute convicted drug smugglers, many of them foreigners. The move has deeply soured relations with important neighbor Australia and sent ambassadors from Brazil and the Netherlands temporarily packing their bags. Coordination in the presidential palace is chaotic, advisers say, and there's talk of a cabinet shuffle.

Ben Otto
Wall Street Journal, 19 March 2015
http://www.wsj.com/articles/in-trouble-at-home-indonesian-leader-widodo-seeks-reset-in-japan-china-1426739518

30.

Attorney-General says PAP flyers on AHPETC not illegal but offers no explanation: It's puzzling. With so many Singaporeans questioning the legality of the People's Action Party (PAP) activists' distribution of flyers criticising AHPETC's accounting lapses, the Attorney-General's Chambers (AGC) and the Singapore Police Force (SPF) should have done more than simply state that their actions were not illegal.

It should have explained why they weren't: Was it because they had a permit every time they distributed the fliers? Was it because a permit is not required for the flyers? What kinds of flyers require a permit? Is the Parliamentary Elections Act inapplicable before an election is called? Do the flyers constitute election advertising?

Carlton Tan
Asian Correspondent, 20 March 2015
http://asiancorrespondent.com/131529/attorney-general-says-pap-flyers-on-ahpetc-not-illegal-but-offers-no-explanation/

31.

Bigger role for social science research: As social sciences is a wide field and resources are limited, the council ought to focus more on the intersection of key domains, Singapore's particular concerns and those of Asian societies. The findings of targeted research could help planners to frame policies that suit different sections of society, in contrast to the single set of measures that once could benefit most of the population simultaneously. In addressing climate change, for example, one has to acknowledge the limitations of technology and seek inputs from sociologists, psychologists and cultural studies researchers on how lifestyles can be changed to mitigate its impact.

Straits Times, 20 March 2015
http://www.straitstimes.com/premium/opinion/story/bigger-role-social-science-research-20150320

32.

SkillsFuture: Building a Singapore Centred on Skills, Not Degrees: It is a question that even the brightest scholars struggle to answer: just how important is getting a university degree in Singapore? After all, we live in a Singapore where parents routinely warn their children that if they do not study hard and get a university degree, they will end up as road sweepers.

But a slew of SkillsFuture programmes and initiatives introduced by Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam at Singapore's Budget 2015 speech earlier this month point the way forward for a Singapore that places less emphasis on academic qualifications, and more importance on professional and technical skills.

Jude Chan
The Establishment Post, 20 March 2015
http://www.establishmentpost.com/skillsfuture-singapore-skills-degrees/

33.

Active, healthy seniors an engine for S'pore's growth: Calling older people an engine for national development who can help the economy flourish, Health Minister Gan Kim Yong yesterday laid out the strategies to prevent Singapore from going down the same path as other countries that have been swept away by a silver tsunami.

Yesterday, Mr Gan said the challenge of a silver tsunami is real, as the tensions and challenges in other countries that have aged show. But Singapore need not let these issues manifest and can still succeed despite a fast ageing population - one in five will be 65 or above in 2030, versus one in nine today.

Today, 20 March 2015
http://www.todayonline.com/singapore/active-healthy-seniors-engine-spores-growth-gan

34.

?????????????????

???, 20 March 2015
http://world.huanqiu.com/exclusive/2015-03/5961299.html

35.

CNN does not want to admit they fell for amateur prank, failed to fact-check fake news of LKY's passing: No wonder Lee Kuan Yew had issues with Western media.

Belmont Lay
Monthership, 19 March 2015
http://mothership.sg/2015/03/cnn-does-not-want-to-admit-they-fell-for-amateur-prank-failed-to-fact-check-fake-news-of-lkys-passing/

36.

Thein Sein: Myanmar army to continue key transition role: Speaking to the BBC in the capital Nay Pyi Taw, Thein Sein said the military had initiated reforms but he put no timeframe on reducing its dominant role in Burmese political life. Thein Sein's four years in office have seen significant changes but the army's power remains untouched. The military still occupies a quarter of the seats in parliament. It also has a veto over constitutional change and the right to seize power outright at any time.

During our 45 minutes together I'd expected the president to put a little distance between himself and the army. He's an ex-general, of course, but he's now a politician and has a reputation as a reformer.

[news contains 3-minute video clip]

Jonah Fisher
BBC, 20 March 2015
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-31957685

37.

Constitutional change: Still time to clear up the mess? In principle, the next step is for draft amendments to be approved in parliament before being submitted to a nationwide referendum. The two most contentious provisions of the 2008 charter, written by the former military regime, are the effective ban on the assumption of the presidency by National League for Democracy leader Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, and the cementing of army influence on politics by the allocation of 25 percent of parliamentary seats to the military.

Ei Ei Toe Lwin
Myanmar Times, 20 March 2015
http://www.mmtimes.com/index.php/national-news/13635-constitutional-change-still-time-to-clear-up-the-mess.html

38.

Political, cultural research centre launched. A study and research centre devoted to the country's history, culture, society, politics and economics was opened on March 18. The Burma Studies Centre is located at 501 Building D, Anawrahta Housing, Karmaryut township, Yangon.

Shwe Yee Saw Myint
Myanmar Times, 20 March 2015
http://www.mmtimes.com/index.php/national-news/yangon/13631-political-cultural-research-centre-launched.html

39.

Time to scrap public service media law. The Public Service Media Law drafted and proposed by the Ministry of Information was withdrawn from parliament by the Ministry of Information on March 18.

Myanmar Times, 20 March 2015
http://www.mmtimes.com/index.php/opinion/13626-editorial-time-to-scrap-public-service-media-law.html

40.

Myanmar seeks foreign capital in privatizing petro company: Myanmar will privatize a state-owned petroleum products sales company under the Energy Ministry as early as this year, with plans to turn the new entity into a joint venture with foreign players. As part of efforts to privatize the energy sector, the government has decided to transfer the business license and assets of Myanma Petroleum Products Enterprise, which imports and sells gasoline and diesel, into a new company. The government has approached Idemitsu Kosan of Japan, Thailand's state-owned PPT and Puma Energy of Switzerland as potential investors.

Motokazu Matsui, Nikkei Staff Writer
Nikkei Asian Review, 20 March 2015
http://asia.nikkei.com/Business/Deals/Myanmar-seeks-foreign-capital-in-privatizing-petro-company

41.

??????????????11????????????????????????????????????200?????????????????????????2??????????????"??"??????????????????????47?????????73????????????????????????????????????????????????????????

????????????????????????????????????????3?8??????????????????????????????"????"?3?13??????????????????????????????????????????????????5?8???????

???????????
Zaobao, 20 March 2015
http://www.zaobao.com.sg/forum/expert/huang-bin-hua/story20150320-459037

42.

5,000 White Card holders stripped of NLD membership: Five thousand non-citizen White Card holders have been forced to renounce their membership of the National League for Democracy (NLD).A new law means that holders of White Cards, which afford holders legal status in the form of temporary residency and voting rights, are no longer permitted join political parties. The Union Election Commission (UEC) recently threatened parties with severe penalties, including dissolution, if non-citizens were not expelled.NLD spokesperson Nyan Win confirmed that his party had been instructed as per a UEC letter to expel White Card holders from the party's ranks.But White Card holders are not only in danger of losing their recourse to politics. The cards are set to expire at the end of this month.NLD Youth Leader Nay Soe Aung said the party would encourage the granting of citizenship to those set to be without legal status.

Democratic Voice of Burma, 19 March 2015
http://www.dvb.no/dvb-video/5000-white-card-holders-stripped-of-nld-membership/49332

43.

Information Ministry withdraws PSM bill bill from parliament: Citing the need for further review, the Information Ministry has withdrawn the Public Service Media (PSM) bill with no date scheduled for an amended version to be introduced in Parliament.

The PSM bill was pulled Wednesday in Nay Pyi Taw while it was under discussion in Parliament's Lower House after it had been approved by the Upper House.

Eleven Myanmar, 19 March 2015
http://elevenmyanmar.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=9360:information-ministry-withdraws-psm-bill&catid=32:politics&Itemid=354

44.

UWSA snubs ceasefire talks: Four armed groups served as observers to the 7th nationwide ceasefire meeting between the Myanmar government and ethnic armed groups at the Myanmar Peace Centre in Yangon beginning on March 17.

The United Wa State Army (UWSA), which is not a member of the Nationwide Ceasefire Coordination Team (NCCT), which represents several ethnic armed groups, did not attend.

Moreover, Vijay Nanmbiar, the UN Special Advisor to the Secretary General on Myanmar, and Chinese representative Wang Yingfan also attended the meeting as observers.

Eleven Myanmar, 19 March 2015
http://elevenmyanmar.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=9363:uwsa-snubs-ceasefire-talks&catid=32:politics&Itemid=354

45.

Editorial: Where is the Red Cross? The violent crackdown against peaceful demonstrators in Letpadan on Mar. 10, has led to a wave of condemnation from foreign embassies and international human rights organizations. Many students and activists facing criminal charges remain in detention, some of whom were severely beaten in the police assault.

Burma's nominally civilian government has refused relatives and other visitors access to these detainees, and at this point it seems clear the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) will be similarly prevented from checking on the health and welfare of the prisoners. It is unknown how many of those in custody have been severely injured and need medical treatment. The government has not released any reliable information on the current status of detainees, either to the public or to the ICRC.

The Irrawaddy, 19 March 2015
http://www.irrawaddy.org/editorial/where-is-the-red-cross.html

46.

Peace-Building: A Chin Perspective: President U Thein Sein's government hoped to sign a nationwide ceasefire accord with various ethnic armed groups on Feb. 12, Union Day. Bogged down by lingering unresolved differences and imperiled by intermittent clashes between a handful of ethnic armed groups and the Myanmar Army, as with past target dates, Union Day came and went with no deal reached. Naypyitaw has signed bilateral ceasefire agreements with more than a dozen armed groups since 2011, but a nationwide deal remains elusive.

Pu No Than Kap, the chairman of the Chin Progressive Party and Chin national affairs minister for the Sagaing Region government, spoke to Kyaw Zwa Moe, the editor of The Irrawaddy English Edition, about obstacles to an agreement and the way forward.

The Irrawaddy, 19 March 2015
http://www.irrawaddy.org/magazine/peace-building-a-chin-perspective.html

47.

Myanmar Court Sentences Two Journalists to Prison for Defamation: Many in the media viewed the ruling as a message ahead of general elections scheduled for later this year."Jailing journalists with defamation before the 2015 general elections is a clear indication the government is determined to restrict freedom of press. They are determined to silence our critical voices," said Wai Phyo, chief editor of the influential private newspaper Daily Eleven. He and four colleagues including the paper's chief executive are facing a similar charge.

Wall Street Journal, 19 March 2015
http://www.wsj.com/articles/myanmar-court-sentences-two-journalists-to-prison-for-defamation-in-press-1426754337

48.

Australian leader hopes to enhance ties with Viet Nam. Viet Nam and Australia have agreed on measures to promote efficiency in their bilateral partnership, especially in prioritised areas like defence, economy, investment, trade and agriculture. After talks between Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung and Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott held yesterday as part of Dung's ongoing official visit, both sides agreed to have their foreign ministries complete and formalise a joint action programme for 2015-17.

Viet Nam News, 20 March 2015
http://vietnamnews.vn/politics-laws/267776/australian-leader-hopes-to-enhance-ties-with-viet-nam.html

49.

Business plays key role in reforms. The business community plays an important role in driving regulatory reforms in Viet Nam which are critical to fostering stronger and more inclusive growth in the country, heard a conference in Ha Noi yesterday. Most participants at the workshop agreed with the need to establish public private partnerships to help strengthen the participation of Viet Nam's business community in regulatory reforms.

Viet Nam News, 20 March 2015
http://vietnamnews.vn/economy/267812/business-plays-key-role-in-reforms.html

50.

No more potential risks of dioxin exposure for 170,000 people: There are no longer potential risks of dioxin exposure for about 170,000 people living near Bien Hoa airbase and in the vicinity of Phu Cat airbase in the south and centre of Viet Nam, respectively.

This was announced in Ha Noi on March 19th 2015 by the Office of National Steering Committee (Office 33) and the UN Development Programme (UNDP) in Viet Nam at the closing workshop for the project "Environmental remediation of dioxin contaminated hotspots in Viet Nam", which was funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF) via UNDP.

Communist Party of Vietnam Online Newspaper, 19 March 2015
http://dangcongsan.vn/cpv/Modules/News_English/News_Detail_E.aspx?CN_ID=704521&CO_ID=30181

51.

People see red as Hanoi starts cutting down 6,700 trees: Under the project, 6,700 trees on 190 streets across the capital city will be chopped down and new trees will be planted in lieu.

The department said there are more than 29,600 trees on around 200 streets of Hanoi, but many of them are dying, posing risks to road users during the rainy season. It also said many different kinds of trees are sometimes planted on the same street, which is a poor aesthetic choice. In addition, many trees must be cut down to clear the way for infrastructure projects, the department said without elaborating which projects.

Le Quan
Thanh Nien News, 19 March 2015
http://www.thanhniennews.com/society/people-see-red-as-hanoi-starts-cutting-down-6700-trees-40014.html

52.

Province may have overstepped with controversial project on Vietnam's main river: State officials have expressed their concerns about a property project that is filling up a part of Vietnam's longest river with rock and sand, saying they were never consulted.

Toan Thinh Phat Company in the southern province of Dong Nai, which neighbors Ho Chi Minh City, has been dumping rock and sand into the Dong Nai River in an attempt to fill up 77,200 square meters of it for a mixed-use development of houses, offices, shopping malls and a hotel.

Bui Cach Tuyen, Vice Minister of Natural Resources and Environment, said he only learned about the project from local media. Tuyen said he was not consulted either as a vice minister or a vice chairman of Dong Nai River Basin Protection Committee, a government-appointed advisory body.

Thanh Nien News, 19 March 2015
http://www.thanhniennews.com/society/province-may-have-overstepped-with-controversial-project-on-vietnams-main-river-40029.html

53.

National Assembly lifts ties with RoK. Viet Nam's National Assembly is willing to closely co-operate with its counterparts in the Republic of Korea (RoK) to enhance the two countries' strategic cooperative partnership, said NA Chairman Nguyen Sinh Hung during talks with Speaker of RoK's National Assembly Chung Ui-Hwa in Ha Noi yesterday. The Vietnamese Chairman said bilateral ties had been developing strongly as seen through delegation exchanges, demonstrating the political trust between the countries' leaders.

Viet Nam News, 19 March 2015
http://vietnamnews.vn/politics-laws/267774/national-assembly-lifts-ties-with-rok.html

54.

Food safety - a problem Vietnam must tackle: The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) in collaboration with the Canadian Embassy in Vietnam staged a conference on March 19 discussing how best to tackle the challenge of food safety management.

Voice of Vietnam, 19 March 2015
http://english.vov.vn/Society/Food-safety-a-problem-Vietnam-must-tackle/289192.vov

55.

HCM City, New South Wales foster cooperation: New South Wales (NSW) Department of Education and Communities, HCM City Department of Education and Training and EMG Education on March 17 signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to expand a cooperative agreement on the development of education and training.

Voice of Vietnam, 19 March 2015
http://english.vov.vn/Society/HCM-City-New-South-Wales-foster-cooperation/289186.vov

56.

Singapore among biggest Vietnam foreign investors: The Southeast Asian nation currently ranks third in the top overseas sources of investment with foreign direct investment (FDI) of US$33 billion in 1,379 projects. It has invested in 18 out of the nation's 21 sectors, mainly manufacturing and processing, and real estate. In the January-February period alone, Singaporean businesses have registered 12 new and 8 supplementary projects with pledged FDI totalling US$71 million.

Voice of Vietnam, 19 March 2015
http://english.vov.vn/Economy/Singapore-among-biggest-Vietnam-foreign-investors/289190.vov

57.

US, Vietnam enhance security, judicial cooperation: Vietnam Public Security Minister General Tran Dai Quang held talks on March 18 with US officials including White House Deputy National Security Advisor Avril Haines, Deputy Secretary of State Antony Blinken and the Under Secretary of Defense in Washington DC.

Voice of Vietnam, 19 March 2015
http://english.vov.vn/Politics/US-Vietnam-enhance-security-judicial-cooperation/289194.vov

58.

Cooperatives to get oversight. An independent organisation should be established to supervise financial operations of savings cooperatives, as the Bank of Thailand is already tasked with several management duties, says the central bank.governor. Central bank chief Prasarn Trairatvorakul said he agreed with the move proposed by a committee overseeing economic, monetary and fiscal reforms under the National Reform Council to set up an independent agency to oversee savings cooperatives' financial management in an efficient manner.

Pathom Sangwongwanich
Bangkok Post, 20 March 2015
http://www.bangkokpost.com/business/news/502551/cooperatives-to-get-oversight

59.

New Khao Yai 'corridor' must treat wildlife with care. Thailand is racing against time to submit all the documents to the Unesco World Heritage Committee in a bid to stop the site, which covers 3.84 million rai or 6,152 sq km in six provinces, namely Sara Buri Nakhon Nayok, Nakhon Ratchasima, Pracin Buri, Sa Kaeo and Buri Ram from losing Unesco protection.

Bangkok Post, 20 March 2015
http://www.bangkokpost.com/opinion/opinion/502979/new-khao-yai-corridor-must-treat-wildlife-with-care

60.

NRC readies for debate on new charter Members to mull first draft next month. National Reform Council (NRC) president Thienchay Kiranandana assured Thursday that NRC members would be fully prepared for an upcoming debate on the new charter's first draft. The NRC is expected to receive the draft charter by April 17, after which its members will spend seven days, from April 20-26, deliberating on the draft section-by-section.

Mongkol Bangprapa
Bangkok Post, 20 March 2015
http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/general/502371/nrc-readies-for-debate-on-new-charter

61.

The myth of Thailand's demographic doom. While the short- and medium-term will likely get worse and worse still, this country has still got a chance in the longer term. Take, as a case in point, the economic fear-mongering about its labour market and ageing society.

Thitinan Pongsudhirak
Bangkok Post, 20 March 2015
http://www.bangkokpost.com/opinion/opinion/502523/the-myth-of-thailand-demographic-doom

62.

Elections won't solve Thailand's problems with the US alliance: Until Thailand comes out of this chaos, Bangkok can expect Washington to pay lip service to the importance of the US-Thai alliance while simultaneously scaling back on key pillars of cooperation between the two countries. The Thai military considers Thailand's security alliance with the US one of its most valuable - if not irreplaceable - assets. The junta is fully aware of the further damages it could cause to the alliance. But Prayuth and those close to him perceive now as a critical time in Thailand's history in which order should be maintained. And this has come to trump everything else. The stakes are extremely high this time. Even Thaksin has kept silent since the 2014 coup.

It could be years into a post-Bhumibol era until Thailand regains equilibrium, if at all. In the meantime the US-Thai alliance will continue to deteriorate further.

Phuong Nguyen is a Research Associate at the Sumitro Chair for Southeast Asia Studies, Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington DC
East Asia Forum, 20 March 2015
http://www.eastasiaforum.org/2015/03/20/elections-wont-solve-thailands-problems-with-the-us-alliance/

63.

Suspicion over NCPO's role after charter is promulgated: One day, he said he was ready to call it quits "if the public doesn't want me". The next day, he was equally unequivocal that nothing could change his determination to stay the course.

If you are confused by what Premier Prayut Chan-o-cha has been saying about his tenure, you are not alone. The contradictions in his public statements may, however, be part of his strategic move to confuse his enemy and to console his supporters.

The Nation, 19 March 2015
http://www.nationmultimedia.com/opinion/Suspicion-over-NCPOs-role-after-charter-is-promulg-30256311.html

64.

Tourist traffic trap is damaging Thailand's reputation: Too often their work does not make sense. Look at what happens when foreigners are pulled over without an international driving permit/licence.

The police will give you a ticket, take your driving licence as deposit and tell you to drive to the nearest police station to pay the bill. There, you can just show the receipt and drive away! How on earth does this police work make any sense beyond being an exercise in collecting money?

The Nation, 19 March 2015
http://www.nationmultimedia.com/opinion/Tourist-traffic-trap-is-damaging-Thailands-reputat-30256280.html

65.

Yingluck to face criminal case over rice subsidy scheme: Yingluck, who did not appear in court on Thursday, has denied the charges. She has also defended the rice policy which bought rice from farmers at above-market prices, and has said the charges against her are politically motivated. Her supporters see the case as the latest step by the royalist, military establishment to eradicate the influence of her powerful political family, in particular that of her brother, Thaksin Shinawatra, also an ousted former premier.

Today, 19 March 2015
http://www.todayonline.com/world/thai-supreme-court-accepts-criminal-case-against-former-pm-yingluck

66.

Sugar Glut, Sliding Real, Hurt Asian Producers: Thai exporters also say the situation is looking grim. Sugar exports in January fell by 7.5% to 357,654 tons from the year-earlier levels, according to Commerce Ministry data. "Thai sugar exports are under pressure, not only from the falling real, but also because the baht is too strong," said Sirivuthi Siamphakdee, spokesman for Thai Sugar Millers Corp. "We hope that this situation finishes as soon as possible."

The only silver lining, according to Piromsak Sasunee, chief executive officer of Thai Sugar Trading Corp., the country's top exporter, is that exports to nearby countries such as Indonesia are still cheaper than Brazilian produce because of lower freight costs.

Biman Mukherji and Huileng Tan
Wall Street Journal, 19 March 2015
http://www.wsj.com/articles/sugar-glut-sliding-real-hurt-asian-producers-1426797482

67.

44% vs BBL: Gov't needs Plan B. Forty-four percent of Filipinos oppose the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL), according to the latest Pulse Asia survey, and Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. says the government now needs a "Plan B" for ending the decades-long conflict in Mindanao. Only 21 percent of Filipinos favor passage of the draft BBL, the March 1-7 survey showed, while 36 percent are undecided about the measure that would establish an autonomous Bangsamoro region in Mindanao as provided for in the peace agreement signed by the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) in March last year.

DJ Yap, Leila B. Salaverria and Nikko Dizon
Philippine Daily Inquirer, 20 March 2015
http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/680155/44-vs-bbl-govt-needs-plan-b

68.

Aquino's explanation not enough, say 79%. Public anger over the Mamasapano debacle has eroded President Aquino's standing among his "bosses," as calls for him to apologize to the nation and take responsibility for the death of scores of police commandos are mounting. About eight out of every 10 adult Filipinos deemed insufficient the President's explanation of the Mamasapano fiasco, according to results of the nationwide survey that Pulse Asia conducted in the first week of the month.

Philippine Daily Inquirer, 20 March 2015
http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/680143/aquinos-explanation-not-enough-say-79

69.

MILF obliged to submit report to PH before Malaysia, says Ramos. The Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) is obliged to submit the full result of its inquiry into the Jan. 25 Mamasapano massacre to the government first and foremost, former President Fidel V. Ramos said in a press conference on Wednesday.

Jeannette I. Andrade
Philippine Daily Inquirer, 20 March 2015
http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/680158/milf-obliged-to-submit-report-to-ph-before-malaysia-says-ramos

70.

Poverty worsens in Eastern Visayas: Neda says more than half of region's people now poor after 'Yolanda'.

The face of poverty in Eastern Visayas could be that of Jessica Gontinian, 38, a single mother of three who had sent her children away to the care of their grandmother so they won't go hungry. Jessica, who lives in Barangay (village) 88 in San Jose District, the area hardest hit by monster storm "Yolanda" in this city, had been accustomed to living in poverty, her daily struggle being that of where to find food.

Joey A. Gabieta
Philippine Daily Inquirer, 20 March 2015
http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/680120/poverty-worsens-in-eastern-visayas

71.

Senate report blasts subservience of peace panel to MILF. Twenty senators have signed a Senate report that denounces the Aquino administration's peace panel for subservience to the demands of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front that is seeking an autonomous Bangsamoro substate in Mindanao.

The report, the executive summary of which was released on Wednesday, came on the heels of the Philippine National Police board of inquiry (BOI) report that held the President liable for the Jan. 25 massacre of 44 Special Action Force commandos by MILF guerrillas in Mamasapano, Maguindanao.

Amando Doronila
Philippine Daily Inquirer, 20 March 2015
http://opinion.inquirer.net/83457/senate-report-blasts-subservience-of-peace-panel-to-milf

72.

Prime Minister Ramps Up Threat Against Kem Sokha: Speaking in Phnom Penh on Thursday, Mr. Hun Sen seized on a separate part of Mr. Sokha's speech, slamming his remarks that he could not accept the continued imprisonment of Mr. Sovannara."You said 'I can't accept,'" the prime minister said. "I want to ask you the question: If Mr. Meach Sovannara cannot get out of jail, what are you going to do after the [Khmer] New Year? Will you lead people into the streets or what?""The mixed 'elements' will be waiting for you. [To] the military and the national police, be prepared," the prime minister continued. "Paint some beautiful colors on [your] handcuffs."Mr. Hun Sen then resumed his line of assault on Mr. Sokha from Wednesday, again accusing the opposition leader of admitting he tried to topple the government through the CNRP's demonstrations after the 2013 election.

Cambodia Daily, 20 March 2015
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/prime-minister-ramps-up-threat-against-kem-sokha-80207/

73.

New road at Poipet to boost trade ties: Prime Minister Hun Sen said yesterday that customs revenue from Poipet International Port on the Cambodia-Thai border was over $120 million a year, on account of heavy movement of goods across the border.

Phnom Penh Post, 19 March 2015
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/new-road-poipet-boost-trade-ties

74.

Cambodian Parliament Passes Controversial Election Laws: Cambodia's parliament unanimously approved two controversial election related laws on Thursday, heavily criticized by NGOs because of their restrictive provisions and curbs on freedom of speech during campaigns, prompting an opposition politician to vow to address those concerns.

Radio Free Asia, 19 March 2015
http://www.rfa.org/english/news/cambodia/parliament-passes-controversial-election-laws-03192015160033.html

75.

Ethnic Villagers Demand Help From Cambodian Government on Land Grab: Ethnic minority Phnong villagers in eastern Cambodia's Mondulkiri province have threatened to hold a demonstration against a company they say has encroached on their land, calling on the government to help them protect their rights.

The villagers from Pechr Chenda district say Cambodian agro-developer K-First Company has strayed beyond its 500-hectare (1,235-acre) land concession, clearing what they as animists consider sacred forest and destroying their farmland.

Radio Free Asia, 19 March 2015
http://www.rfa.org/english/news/cambodia/grab-03192015165034.html

76.

Businesses must step up to the plate to bring AEC into being. The US Ambassador to Asean, Nina Hachigian, recently expressed scepticism about the end-2015 deadline for the group to form a single market for goods and services.

Business Times, 20 March 2015
http://www.businesstimes.com.sg/opinion/businesses-must-step-up-to-the-plate-to-bring-aec-into-being

77.

IMF official flags rewards and risks of closer Asean integration: He also warns about significant global risks, particularly pressures in volatile financial markets. Convergence of Asean economies will bring opportunities for raising growth and productivity in South-east Asia but it will also entail increased risk in financial and other sectors of the regional economy, first deputy managing director of the International Monetary Fund David

Anthony Rowley
Business Times, 20 March 2015
http://www.businesstimes.com.sg/government-economy/imf-official-flags-rewards-and-risks-of-closer-asean-integration

78.

Is China's Economic Power in ASEAN Overblown? A new report suggests there is less to Beijing's influence than meets the eye: While a lot has been written about China's growing economic influence in Southeast Asia, the analysis is often based on a survey of certain ambitious initiatives that have yet to play out - like the Maritime Silk Road - or flowery statements and declarations by leaders rather than measuring its actual impact using hard data. I've pointed out the folly of this before, most recently in an article on Sino-Indonesian relations for The Diplomat.

[The full report "China's Economic Ties with ASEAN: A Country-by-Country Analysis" will be included in next issue of Weekly Articles Alert]

Prashanth Parameswaran
The Diplomat, 20 March 2015
http://thediplomat.com/2015/03/is-chinas-economic-power-in-asean-overblown/

79.

Bringing the Asean Economic Community to the People: It is crucial for the secretariat to identify means to reduce the gap between the two in order to increase the overall level of awareness. Three areas need to be addressed; increasing awareness, which could lead to an increase in the participation rate and consequently, and, one assumes, controversial to the association's leaders, alteration of its long-time non-interference policy. Establishing awareness of a people-oriented organization's existence is imperative. A community which exists in form but not in the eyes and mind of the people is inherently destined to fail. In cultivating such thought, the secretariat should be equipped with the necessary resources and focus on promoting AEC internally.

Syafiq Khalid
Asia Sentinel, 19 March 2015
http://www.asiasentinel.com/econ-business/bringing-asean-economic-community-to-people/

80.

More wealthy Chinese set to flood US investor visa scheme: think tank report: "Better education for their children and more diversified investment opportunities are behind the choice of the wealthy Chinese," said the authors of the Annual Report on Chinese International Migration, launched by the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences and the Centre for China and Globalisation (CCG).

In contrast, fewer than 850,000 foreigners held working visas in China in 2013, accounting for only 0.06 per cent of the population, the lowest in the world. "China should lower immigrant requirements ... to help ease the deteriorating workforce shortage as well as attract more foreign professionals," Beijing-based immigration law scholar Liu Guofu said.

Laura Zhou
South China Morning Post, 20 March 2015
http://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/1742325/more-wealthy-chinese-set-flood-us-investor-visa-scheme-think-tank-report?

81.

Asia meeting aims to calm tensions: The trio have strong economic ties but frosty relations. International angst about this state of affairs among the regional superpowers has been further piqued by the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, a Chinese-led initiative sparking alarm in Washington and proving divisive elsewhere.

"There is a growing consensus in the region that things will have to improve to better deal with this paradoxical situation," said Kim Jae-chun, a professor at Seoul's Sogang University. "The countries are heavily reliant on each other economically, but in terms of foreign policy it's no secret that they hate each other." For Beijing the trilateral meeting has long been seen as a useful venue to advance its long-term goal of reducing US influence in the region, and some Chinese officials have suggested in the past that closer ties between the three countries could lead to a northeast Asian economic bloc that excludes the US.

Simon Mundy in Seoul, Jamil Anderlini in Beijing and Robin Harding in Tokyo
Financial Times, 19 March 2015
http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/0/48753ba8-cd46-11e4-a15a-00144feab7de.html - axzz3UtUDiJ3M

82.

China crisis: west riven by age-old question - to appease or oppose? US irritation over Britain's participation in Chinese-led bank has exposed deep international divisions over how to deal with China.

Shen Dingli, professor of international relations at Fudan University, compared the US adjustment to China's peaceful rise to the UK's historical experience of facing a rising US. Britain constantly accommodates to its own interests, he said; France, Germany and Italy's indications that they too will join the AIIB merely means that they "place their overall national interest, and the investment opportunity at this time, above the narrow interest of allying with America".

Jean-Pierre Lehmann, professor of international political economy at the business school IMD, said: "The UK is not 'constantly accommodating' China; it recognises that China has certain positions and grievances, some understandable. I don't particularly want to live in a world under Chinese power - but we have to engage intelligently and strategically, without too much hypocrisy."

Tania Branigan
The Guardian, 19 March 2015
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/mar/19/china-bind-is-the-uk-accommodating-or-ceding-too-much-to-superpower

83.

China expands construction work on reefs in dispute with the Philippines: Angered by China's reclamation work on reefs in disputed waters in the South China Sea, Manila has taken steps to shore up its claim of sovereignty over the Spratly Islands. It submitted additional documents to the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague, which began hearing the case on maritime jurisdiction in January 2013. The documents run to 3,000 or so pages.

In response to Manila's action, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi stated on March 8: "China is carrying out necessary construction on its own islands and reefs. We do not accept criticism from others when we are merely building facilities in our own backyard."

Asahi Shimbun (AJW), 19 March 2015
http://ajw.asahi.com/article/asia/around_asia/AJ201503190079

84.

ASEAN Patrols in the South China Sea? Earlier this week, the commander of the U.S. Navy Seventh Fleet made headlines when he suggested that ASEAN countries could cooperate to form a maritime force to patrol areas of the South China Sea.

How exactly might these patrols work in practice? Millan mentioned that the concept was not far from the Malacca Strait Patrols (MSP) undertaken by Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore and Thailand. The MSP, which began in 2004, is a set of cooperative measures which include air and sea patrols between these countries to tackle piracy. But putting this cooperative structure in place will not be easy. As Millan noted, such a program would need to be governed by some sort of collaborative mechanism or standard operating procedure. There are also lingering questions about how the various countries can work together when it comes to effectively sharing equipment and intelligence. Contending claims in the South China Sea may also make patrolling some areas a rather turbulent affair.

Prashanth Parameswaran
The Diplomat, 19 March 2015
http://thediplomat.com/2015/03/asean-patrols-in-the-south-china-sea/

85.

?????????????????????: ???????????�???17??????????????????????????????????????????18???????????????????????????????????????????"??"?????

???????????????????????"??"????????????"??"???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????

???, 19 March 2015
http://world.huanqiu.com/exclusive/2015-03/5948995.html

86.

China's New Military Installations in the Disputed Spratly Islands: Satellite Image Update: Recent high-resolution images show new areas of reclamation on Mischief and Subi Reefs, and intensive construction on Fiery Cross as well as several other reefs. The strategic importance of China's Spratly Islands expansion was made evident in September of 2014, when Wu Shengli, commander of the PLA Navy, personally made an inspection of each of the newly filled-in reefs, according to Lee Hsiang-Chou, the head of Taiwan's National Security Bureau. In a presentation to Taiwanese legislators, Lee also stated that China's President Xi Jinping had personally authorized five of Beijing's new military sites in the Spratlys.

Victor Robert Lee
Medium, 16 March 2015
https://medium.com/satellite-image-analysis/china-s-new-military-installations-in-the-spratly-islands-satellite-image-update-1169bacc07f9

87.

The Asia Infrastructure Investment Bank: to join or not to join? The lesson here is that if the underlying issue is really about trust, then all governments engaged in debate around the AIIB need to do better-their citizens depend on economic growth throughout our world and the stabilising effect that has on security and harmony. Perhaps the AIIB can serve as a model and a test-bed for economic engagement, where there are public consequences for poor behaviour and strong incentives for better regional cooperation.

Sean Costello is a visiting fellow at ASPI
The Australian Strategic Policy Institute, 20 March 2015
http://www.aspistrategist.org.au/the-asia-infrastructure-investment-bank-to-join-or-not-to-join/

88.

The UK signs on to AIIB: It remains unclear whether all of these countries have held thorough policy consultation and coordination with Washington on their decisions to join the AIIB. But since plenty of US allies have indicated their willingness to join the bank, US criticism of the UK's decision - and US pressure on South Korea and Australia to refrain from joining the bank - at least invites questions as to where and why the line is drawn.

If the UK's application does transpire into a founding membership, the UK's membership process will reveal an interesting inconsistency in China's position on founding membership rules. Since the inception of the AIIB, Chinese scholars and officials have expressed the view that the AIIB's membership will be open to countries from within the region during its early stage.

Dr Yun Sun is East Asia Fellow at the Stimson Center and a non-resident Fellow at the Brookings Institution.
East Asia Forum, 19 March 2015
http://www.eastasiaforum.org/2015/03/19/the-uk-signs-on-to-aiib/

89.

Accommodating China and disappointing America: Obama is displeased with Cameron over the AIIB

Robert Shrimsley
Financial Times, 19 March 2015
http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/0/20130e60-ce27-11e4-86fc-00144feab7de.html

90.

AIIB will invigorate China's opening-up: The establishment and operation of the AIIB will inevitably lead China to become more open to the world. The AIIB is an opportunity for China to raise its international financing capability and will push China to integrate more with the world. China will become more involved in such international multi-national financial organizations, which requires more financial talents. This will inject a reform momentum to China in embracing more talents.

China is already a major power, but the AIIB grants it for the first time a leadership role in the world's financial affairs. Among the countries that have applied, there are big European powers as well as those that China has territorial disputes with. It tests China's wisdom and flexibility in handling different opinions and demands.

Global Times, 19 March 2015
http://www.globaltimes.cn/content/913091.shtml

91.

The new Asian bank wedge: The British government's decision to join the new Asia Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) proposed by China has opened the door to other governments that wish to act likewise. The result has been a rush to join the new financial institution as founding members, prompting a public and embarrassing rift with the United States.

Japan Times, 19 March 2015
http://www.japantimes.co.jp/opinion/2015/03/19/editorials/the-new-asian-bank-wedge/ - .VQtt7HyUe1c

92.

The conflict over the China-backed Asian investment bank: The real motivation for US opposition is that the China-backed AIIB will weaken US economic dominance of the Asia-Pacific region and undermine its drive to ensure continued military supremacy within the framework of the "pivot to Asia." It opposed Australian participation on the grounds that infrastructure projects financed by the bank-including ports, airports and railways-could play a role in enhancing China's military and strategic position. The European powers have clearly concluded that they see no reason why they should sacrifice valuable economic opportunities in order to fall in line behind American strategic objectives, when the US is unable or unwilling to provide anything in return.

The determination of the American ruling class to maintain its position as global hegemon has run into conflict with the decades-long decline in the global position of American capitalism. In response, the corporate and financial elite has resorted with ever greater recklessness to the use of military force. The explosive economic expansion of China over the period since the Asian crisis has raised again the question: Who will dominate Asia?

World Socialist Web Site, 19 March 2015
http://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2015/03/19/pers-m19.html

93.

??????"????: ???????????????????"??"????????????????????????????????????????"??"???????????????????????????

????????????????????????????????????18??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????"??????????????"???????

XinHua News, 19 March 2015
http://news.xinhuanet.com/world/2015-03/19/c_127596923.htm