Daily News on the Southeast Asian Region
19 February 2018
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20
February 2018
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Greetings
This is a daily information alert service containing articles and commentaries selected by seven ISEAS Library staff from 92 international and regional news sources every weekday morning. These news sources cover Southeast Asia and special topics relevant to the research interest/ direction/ agenda of ISEAS.
As part of the Library's ongoing efforts to make this reading experience more convenient for users, you can click on any of the links below to directly access the subject of your immediate interest.
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Country Studies
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Southeast Asia Countries
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Timor-Leste (East Timor)
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Region
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 Brunei Darussalam
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Brunei Darussalam 70th freest economy: BRUNEI Darussalam is the 70th freest economy globally among 180 economies, according to the 2018 Index of Economic Freedom drawn up by the Washington-based think-tank Heritage Foundation published recently. Brunei's economic freedom score is 64.2, making its economy the 70th freest in the 2018 Index. Its overall score has decreased by 5.6 points, with a drop in the score for fiscal health due to a drop in government spending and big budget deficits far outweighing improvements in judicial effectiveness, business freedom and government integrity.
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Cambodia
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Industries left guessing as Cambodia fails to release customs data for 2017: In one of the more unusual examples, a report published on Sunday by the Nikkei Asian Review asked whether Cambodia could be a "Japanese beef-laundering hub", noting that the country was the world's top importer of Wagyu beef, despite the prime Japanese meat - known for its eye-popping prices - being sparsely available in what is one of Asia's poorest countries.
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Indonesia
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Indonesia takes initiative to respond to EU stand on palm oil: The Indonesian embassy in Brussels in its statement received here on Monday said that Indonesia has coordinated the joint action and step needed by palm oil producing countries against the call put in a EU report. Ambassadors from the palm oil producing countries agreed to send letters to the European Parliament, the European Commission, the European Council and other stakeholders in the EU on February 15 with regard to their complaint.
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Indonesian internet users reach over 143 million people: Penetration of Indonesian internet users in 2017 reached 143.26 million people or 54.68 percent, an increase compared to 132.7 million people in 2016, a survey conducted by the Association of Indonesian Internet Service Providers (APJII) revealed.
Java is still the highest with internet users' concentration of 58.08 percent, followed by Sumatra with 19.09 percent, Kalimantan 7.97 percent, Sulawesi 6.73 percent, Bali-West Nusa Tenggara-East Nusa Tenggara 5.63 percent and Maluku-Papua 2.49 percent.
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US says Indonesia forgoing billions of dollars in investment: Indonesian officials such as Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati have consistently criticised the protectionist tone sounded by Trump, who last year accused a host of nations, including Indonesia, of potentially abusing their trade relationship with the world's biggest economy.
Since then, the US trade deficit with Indonesia has worsened to USD13.3 billion from USD13.2 billion in 2016, according to the United States Census Bureau. "The current protectionist language is definitely going to create concern about whether globally there will be a setback in the progress that has been made over the past three decades," Indrawati said in an interview last month.
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How Rich Is the Indonesian Government Really? Fast forward to 2016, the government's entire assets were then valued at Rp 5,285 trillion, thanks mainly to investments in SOEs and rising stock prices, as well as equity in international institutions Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank and Asian Development Bank. The values of government lands and buildings, on the other hand, have not changed since a decade ago.
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Jakarta-Bandung railway project won't meet target: The construction period was set for 32 months. Currently, we are in the process of land clearance in Halim [in East Jakarta]," Rini said, adding that the loan from China Development Bank was expected to be disbursed this year. She said the initial disbursement was about USD500 million of a USD5.9 billion total loan. The project was carried out by PT Kereta Cepat Indonesia Cina (KCIC), a consortium of state-owned enterprises and China Railways through a business-to-business plan.
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Indonesia's anti-gay drive should concern all Asia: Indonesia's growing moral and political panic about sexuality has now produced draft laws that could criminalize sex outside marriage, and same-sex conduct.
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Why niqab is being worn by more Muslim women in Indonesia, and a secular nation's sometimes hostile response to full-face veil: A 2015 research report by the Jakarta-based Alvara Research Centre revealed less than two per cent of Muslim women in the capital city wear the full-face veil, but their number is growing, along with niqab-wearing communities across the country.
Scholars say the trend is a sign of increased religious conservatism in the country, but also a cultural phenomenon: women are expressing a personal preference and becoming more attuned to trends in the Muslim world. In a sign of the division in Indonesia between those with Islamic leanings and those who favour a secular way of life, Tri Ningtyas says she often faces ridicule and abuse for wearing the niqab in public.
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Pollster: Jokowi`s Position yet Safe in 2019 Election: Poltracking Indonesia executive director Hanta Yuda suggested that the public's high satisfaction level towards President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) and Jusuf Kalla would not guarantee their position in the upcoming 2019 Presidential Election. "This means that there are people who are not satisfied with Jokowi's performance," said Hanta on Sunday, February 18, as a response to Jokowi's 45-57 percent electability.
Poltracking Indonesia also conducted a simulation of five presidential candidates using a semi-open questionnaire. The simulation resulted in 55.9 percent of respondents choosing Jokowi over the 29.9 percent who preferred to vote for Prabowo. Following them were Anies Baswedan (2.8 percent) and Gatot Nurmantyo (2.3 percent).
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Saving the orangutans of Sumatra: The Leuser Ecosystem is a UNESCO World Heritage Site in northern Sumatra and one of the largest single continuous blocks of tropical rainforest left in the whole of south-east Asia. It is also home to the orangutan, one of the region's most endangered species. Despite Leuser's World Heritage status, it is under continued threat from deforestation by palm-oil plantations, affecting both the fragile ecosystem and critically endangered iconic wildlife.
[news contains 12 photographs]
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Laos
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Lao musical instrument Khaen declared humanity's heritage: The music of the Khaen, a Lao instrument, has been declared Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO). The recognition was announced at the twelfth session of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage that took place on Jeju Island, Republic of Korea, from December 4-9, 2017...
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Xayaboury's hydropower construction 90 percent complete: Deputy Managing Director of Xayaboury Power Company Limited (XPCL)'s Operation and Maintenance, Mr Anuparp Wonglakorn told the president that construction of the mega project started in 2012, local media reported. Commercial operation of the hydropower plant on the river's mainstream is set to begin in 2019.
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Malaysia
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Dr Mahathir still holds sway over Siamese in Kedah: ONCE staunch supporters of Barisan Nasional, the Siamese community in Kedah appear to be shifting their allegiance to Pakatan Harapan due to their loyalty to its chairman, former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad. In random interviews conducted by The Malaysian Insight, almost all respondents cited Dr Mahathir as the reason they were ditching the ruling coalition for the opposition pact in the general election to come.
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Survey suggests BN faces tough battle in Johor: A Merdeka Centre survey last month that threw up a raft of unfavourable findings for BN, appears to back him up. Of the 1,007 respondents in the survey, 57% felt the country was headed in the wrong direction, compared with 36% who thought the country was on the right track track. About 55% said they were dissatisfied with the federal government, compared with 39% who were happy with the Najib administration.
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Kerajaan perlu tegas pantau LGBT [The government needs to strictly monitor the LGBT]: Selain mengambil tindakan dengan memantau dan menyekat pengaruh mereka melalui media sosial, jabatan agama Islam dan individu perseorangan juga disarankan untuk sama-sama membantu. Elakkan menghukum tetapi dekati mereka dengan kasih sayang.
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Malaysians hold off plans over election speculation: Johor Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents (MATTA) chairman Kathryn Lee said rumours on the likely dates for the general election might have played a role in influencing Malaysians against travelling overseas next month. "Usually, when there is a long upcoming holiday, many people will book their packages in advance to get a better deal.
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Ekonomi Malaysia lebih sihat [Malaysia's economy is healthier]: "Sekiranya sebelum ini, sektor ekonomi yang mengalami momentum mantap di sekitar pembuatan berorientasikan eksport, limpahan daripada trend itu kini menjadi lebih kukuh di sektor lain," kata Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM).
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Amri Che Mat, Shia Muslims and national security in Malaysia: In a recent interview with Free Malaysia Today, the mufti brushed off Amri's disappearance before slamming the spread of Shia teachings in Perlis and neighbouring Thailand. Dr Asri even made the incredible claim that Perlis Hope, the charity run by Amri was working towards establishing a theocracy. Quite how the mufti made the leap from being a Shia to establishing a theocracy in Malaysia is never explained.
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Opinion: Making a dog's breakfast of the Chinese New Year greeting: The Malaysian administration, and some of its institutions, appear to have gone to the dogs, for allowing the simple Chinese New Year (CNY) message to go disastrously wrong. The glaring mistakes over the CNY greeting, when images of dogs are omitted, cannot be blamed on Islamic fundamentalism. They occurred because of sheer incompetence. We take no pride in our work. We do not value proof-reading. We do not check our facts before making them available for public consumption.
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106 seats in Malay-majority areas to see 3-way fights: Based on a study on traditionally Malay-majority seats, three Malay-dominated parties - Umno, Pas and Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (PPBM) - are expected to duke it out in 44 parliamentary seats, while 35 other seats will see battles between Umno, Pas and PKR. The remaining 27 seats will see contests between Umno, Pas and Parti Amanah Negara (PAN).
Umno is widely expected to go for the 121 seats it contested in the 13th General Election, and should there be any seat exchanges with Barisan Nasional component parties, it will be based on the make-up of the voter majority in the areas. Based on the seat distribution announced by the opposition pact last month, although there had been no official announcement on seats it would contest, PPBM would most likely contest seats that are traditionally Umno strongholds. This means that out of 52 seats allocated to PPBM by the opposition pact, 45 will be in Umno areas.
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Pas all set for GE14: Ahmad Yakob: Pas's deputy spiritual leader, Datuk Ahmad Yakob, said that the party is not worried as it has made all necessary preparations for the upcoming polls. "Our machineries in all states have been told to be on stand-by for Parliament to be dissolved. Except for the candidate's list, which has yet to be finalised, other preparations are already completed," said the Kelantan Menteri Besar. Ahmad, who is also state Pas commissioner, said that the list of candidates should be finalised soon.
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Three-way fights won't affect Malay votes for BN': Institute for Malaysian Political Analysis director Dr Kamarul Zaman Yusoff said there would not be a drop in Malay-majority votes for the ruling coalition despite three-way or multi-cornered fights due to heightened awareness among voters. He said Malay voters were unconvinced that the opposition would defend their interests, even if it took Putrajaya.
Universiti Sains Malaysia political analyst Professor Dr Sivamurugan Pandian said BN should pay attention to the micro-management of grey seats, or seatswith a majority of less than 10 per cent. He said this was to ensure that there were no sabotage, internal dissent, protest votes from political parties, as well as to convince fence-sitters to vote for the coalition. "Among the grey seats are Pendang, Ketereh, Setiawangsa and Padang Terap." He said party machineries that were dedicated, streamlined, had a strong candidate selection system and had people in touch with local issues would determine the voting pattern.
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Will DAP field Malay candidates to prove it is a multiracial party? Rahmad Isahak said that the allocation made for Islam in Penang had increased under the DAP-led state government, however the majority of Malays were still suffering due to the high cost of living in the state. He cited examples of the high-end condominiums which were built in the state in the past decade with exorbitant pricing but many medium income group especially the Malays could not afford them.
He said the party should be fielding in a Malay candidate who could voice out for the Malay voters on their concerns at state level, apart from proving its stance that DAP is a multiracial party. "However, will this happen? They have held the state for almost a decade but till today none of the assemblymen is a Malay."
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政治剿灭的道德基础
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行动党要「剿灭」马华，是假议题还是真想这么干？马华领袖一听到这句话的第一个反应不是准备「反歼灭」行动党，反而是恳求华社勿让马华被「剿灭」，这是马华公会署理总会长魏家祥的表態，这是向华社求情也好，求饶也罢。行动党领袖林吉祥笑看剿灭，点出这是苦肉计，要华社避免中计。
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Bersatu & taktik pinjam bendera? [Bersatu and lend flag tactic?]: Walaupun Bersatu telah mengadakan Mesyuarat Agung Tahunan (AGM) pada 30 Disember lalu dan berharap tiada lagi sebarang perkara berbangkit namun ia tidak seindah yang diharapkan apabila polemik berkaitan pemimpin dan perlembagaan Bersatu terus berlegar sehingga hari ini.
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RACIAL POLITICS, A MALAYSIAN DISEASE? High living costs and poor public transport are just the surface symptoms of Malaysia's malaise, says a government doctor. The root of the disease is the separation of society into tribal silos.
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ANGKAT SEMULA INSTITUSI DIRAJA [Raise again the Royal Constitution]: Lebih buruk lagi apabila kini ada segelintir pemimpin atau individu yang berkedudukan seolah-olah mencabar Perlembagaan Persekutuan dan ada pula yang mempermainkan dan menghakimi Institusi beraja membuatkan rakyat semakin hilang rasa hormat terhadap elemen-elemen tersebut.
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Benarkah Pulau Pinang selamanya milik DAP? [Is it true that Penang is forever owned by DAP?] Jika melihat kepada rekod pemerintahan sepanjang 10 tahun lalu, apa yang boleh disimpulkan DAP bukan sahaja gagal menjadi alternatif kepada sebuah kerajaan negeri yang lebih baik. Sebaliknya, penduduk negeri ini lebih berasa tertekan dengan pelbagai isu dan kontroversi yang timbul disebabkan kelemahan pentadbiran kerajaan DAP.
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DAVID ROET : TIADA JALINAN RAHSIA DENGAN ISRAEL [David Roet : No Secret Ties With Israel]: Menurut Achmad, semua pihak perlu rasional dan berlapang dada susulan kunjungan diplomat Israel David Roet ke Malaysia baru-baru ini adalah atas kapasiti tugas dan jemputan Program Penempatan Manusia Pertubuhan Bangsa-Bangsa Bersatu (PBB) atau UN-Habitat.
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观点
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民粹主义幽灵若隐若现
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近来，希盟的马来人盟党即土团党和诚信党，集中炒作马中关丹产业园、东海岸铁路、依斯干达森林城市、宝腾与中国吉利结盟等涉及中国元素的项目，渲染中国将买下马来西亚的某种
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中国威胁论
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。他们的反中文宣，在论述和手法上都是民粹主义的。
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Azmin tersandung tanah di Ijok [Azmin tripped the grounds in Ijok]: Tekanan itu tambah terasa apabila usaha untuk menakluk hati Pas Selangor menemui kegagalan. Kegagalan itu menyukarkan laluan beliau untuk terus dominan dan kekal di kerusi Menteri Besar. Selama ini Pas adalah punca kuasa yang memungkinkan beliau berada di puncak kuasa di Selangor.
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MAKAN BESAR KAYA DENGAN NILAI SIMBOLIK DAN TRADISI [Big Feast Rich In Symbolic Value and Tradition]: Biarpun tradisi makan besar hanya berlangsung setahun sekali terutamanya semasa malam sebelum Tahun Baharu Cina, namun tradisi tersebut tetap dijunjung tinggi dalam masyarakat Cina seantero dunia.
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Opinion: Anti-Semitism and mainstream Malay politics: David Roet who led the Israeli delegation to a United Nations event in Kuala Lumpur - the first in 50-something odd years - had this to say about Malaysia - "I have great hopes for good relations between our two countries in the future", adding that he had found "many similarities between Israelis and Malaysians. A multifaceted society of people from different backgrounds working together for a better future."
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Najib more popular than Dr M in Johor, research shows: In an interview with Worldfuture TV (WFTV), a Politweet spokesman said social media users in Johor appear to favour Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak compared to Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad. The company said Dr Mahathir, who is Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (PPBM) chairman, does not appear to have had much of an impact in Johor ahead of GE14. "Generally speaking, two thirds of social media users in Johor do not show any interest in Dr Mahathir, despite the widespread media coverage on him and his nomination as Pakatan Harapan's choice for prime minister. This does not augur well for Pakatan Harapan," the spokesman was quoted as saying.
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Myanmar
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Bangladesh says to meet with Burma on Rohingya trapped at 'no-man's land' border: Representatives from Bangladesh and Burma will meet on Tuesday to discuss the repatriation to Burma of more than 6,500 Rohingya Muslims trapped on a strip of unclaimed land between the two countries, Bangladeshi officials said. "It is about taking them back to Myanmar," Relief and Refugee Repatriation Commissioner Mohammad Abul Kalam, told Reuters on Monday. "They are on the zero line and actually on the Myanmar side."
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DVB and four other broadcasters sign with ministry for free-to-air content: The five tender winners - DVB, Mizzima Media Group, Channel K, Fortune TV and My TV - were selected last year to broadcast digital free-to-air content and leaders of those organisations said they would vie for market share to ensure long-term viability as the country's private broadcast space sees an unprecedented opening up in the months and years to come. The signing ceremony on Saturday in Yangon was presided over by Pe Myint, Burma's minister for information.
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Four Eights party still in limbo: Despite applying to register a political party back in December, members of the former 88 Generation Peace and Open Society (88GPOS) activist group said they still have not been accepted by the Union Election Commission (UEC). 88GPOS veteran and former political prisoner Ko Ko Gyi said that the organisers of the new party - which they have applied to register as the 'Four Eights Party', named after an infamous attack by the Burmese military on protesting students on 8-8-88 - are still waiting for the relevant ministries to approve their application.
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Muse Township bans medical treatment to wounded ethnic soldiers: The township administrator of Muse in northern Shan State has issued a ban on members of ethnic armed groups receiving medical treatment in his district. In a letter addressed to the Muse Township police force, the head of Muse General Hospital and ward/villages administrators, Muse's head official writes...
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Hindus arriving in Maungdaw already face repatriation problems: After those Hindus had abandoned to Sittwe from Maungdaw Township due to violence attack occurred in August last year, they were sheltering at the temporary camps being opened in Maungdaw Township. But, there is no aids for them as well as the authorities urged them[ Hindus] to return back their old place. That's why they accepted authorities' transferring plan.
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Nationwide power consumption rate up: The country is generating power for the public and industrial uses from 17 hydro-power plants and 15 thermal power plants. The annual power consumption rate has increased by 15 per cent. The country needs to generate additional 1,903 MW as the power consumption rate is expected to reach 5092 MW in 2020-2021. The government is implementing hydro power plants, gas-fired power plants and solar-powered power plants in order to satisfy increasing power demands.
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Myanmar government 'bulldozing Rohingya mass grave to hide evidence': The Arakan Project, which uses on-the-ground networks to document abuses against the Rohingya community in western Rakhine state, Myanmar, provided the Guardian with a video of the grave site before its destruction. The footage shows half-buried tarpaulin bags in a forest clearing, with a decaying leg visibly protruding from one of the bags.
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Government Rejects EU Call For Independent Investigation Into Rohingya Exodus: U Zaw Htay said that there was a huge gap between the understanding of the Myanmar people and foreign countries' perception of the Rakhine issue. And that gap would continue to exist if foreign countries did not take the concerns and experiences of the Myanmar people into consideration. "The majority [of Myanmar people] don't believe that an independent international investigation would be fair and independent. They don't think it is necessary," he said.
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How Prepared Is Myanmar To Counter Terror Attacks? If attacks happen in Myanmar, how long will it take for national leaders to appear on TV screens to address the country in order to prevent a bloodbath? Of course, there is also the danger of the light being turned off on Myanmar's fragile political transition. The government must ensure that human rights and the rule of law will not be impacted in the event of terrorist attacks. Even in northern Rakhine, we have seen reporters who went to cover stories unjustly arrested, charged and intimidated.
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Myanmar's peace process is not living up to its billing: Ahead of the next round of peace talks (forever around the corner), the Burmese army has stepped up attacks on a Kachin armed group, which once also had a ceasefire. Shan rebels, who also joined the truce signed by the Karens, still report clashes with the army. A Mon militia was recently bullied into accepting the pact, too. For now Myanmar's ethnic minorities may have a peace process, but they have no peace of mind.
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Philippines
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Editorial: 'Too much, too early, too soon': First as tragedy, then as farce: That axiomatic trajectory all but characterizes Malacañang's response to China's latest moves, not even in the South China Sea where it has erected a formidable foothold via militarized artificial islands, but in Benham Rise, an undisputedly Philippine-owned ocean area in which China has absolutely no business poking its fingers.
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Philippine police arrest man suspected of recruiting for the Islamic State: Sidney Jones, director of the Jakarta-based Institute for Policy Analysis of Conflict and an expert on terrorism in Southeast Asia, said Lassoued's arrest is a reminder that the role of foreign terrorist groups in the conflict is still not understood.
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The Battle of Marawi Is Not Over: A continuing displacement crisis and growing discontent with martial law risk creating yet another conflict.
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Singapore
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Opinion: Can Singapore banks find formula for growth and dividend? SHAREHOLDERS of banks would be cheered by the stronger dividend payout from all three Singapore banks this year, with two of the three also issuing special dividends following greater clarity from regulators on capital structures. But what should weigh increasingly on shareholders' minds...
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言论
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从身份认同反思双语教育
:
如果能够正视目前双语教育存在的问题，尊重中华文化的博大精深，正确精准的学习华文华语，与西方的优质经商模式及精堪的顶尖科技相结合，我相信新加坡必定能够克服种族文化差异，资源不足及人口短缺的问题，大步迈向
SG100
。
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Thailand
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Opinion: Prettier words won't disguise the discord: What is in a name? Will a new proposal to stop using the word salim, literally referring to a multi-coloured traditional Thai dessert but later used to describe a pro-coup, pro-elite, conservative group of people, especially those who prefer to overlook social injustice to maintain bourgeois lifestyles, help with reconciliation?
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Opinion: Reform must be revived: It now seems clear that Prime Minister Prayut Chan-ocha has abandoned his promise to reform the Royal Thai Police (RTP). Straightening out the police was just part of the overall National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) reform plans after the May 22, 2014, coup. But this was arguably the most important and definitely the most popular. For years, it seemed the RTP was like the weather; everyone complained, but no one was able to do anything about it.
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Former Thai PM Thaksin Shinawatra calls for party unity ahead of general election: Prayuth Siripanich, a Puea Thai Party member and its former representative for the northeastern province of Maha Sarakham, said ten lawmakers flew to Hong Kong on Saturday and returned on Monday. "Thaksin asked lawmakers to be united and not to break that unity," Prayuth told Reuters. "He asked that lawmakers meet their constituents because the election is fast approaching."
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Vietnam
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EVFTA a double edged sword of challenges and benefits for agriculture sector: Within the framework of the EVFTA, Vietnam has committed to cut 24% of farm produce tax lines to zero-duty in its first year, this number will rise to cover 99% of the tax lines within 10 years. EU countries will lower their import duties on agricultural products from Vietnam to zero-duty year by year and 74.6% and 97.3% of farm produce tax lines after 10 years.
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A travel through time: Old photos of Tet in Hanoi ninety years ago: Take a peek into the past to see how the cherished traditional Tet looked like.
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Vietnam looks like an entire different kingdom in these 1990s photos: These two-decade old snaps offer a rare look into the past.
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Opinion: Vietnam's Internet is in trouble: Vietnamese authorities have harped of late on the urgency of fighting cybersecurity threats and "bad and dangerous content." Yet the fight against either "fake news" or misinformation in Vietnam must not be used as a smoke screen for stifling dissenting opinions and curtailing freedom of speech. Doing so would only further stoke domestic cynicism in a country where the sudden expansion of space for free and open discussion has created a kind of high-pressure catharsis online.
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ASEAN/Southeast Asia
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Australia as a full ASEAN Community partner: Membership of ASEAN and our alliance with the US and close partnerships across Asia are the endowment of a nation with its own continent, a country as much at home in the Indian Ocean as the Pacific Ocean. Australia must express its vast geography and multiple interests. In the 21st century, Australia must be all-in in Asia. The all-in line asks for more than transactional competence and business-as-usual. Asia is shifting too fast: ASEAN membership is only one part of much that will confront Australia in our region(s). We will seek change, and be changed in turn.
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Developers race to house Southeast Asian middle class: Financing and rising incomes have put homes within reach for a growing population.
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Indonesia offers three industrial estates for Singapore development: Mr Airlangga met with Singaporean Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan last week to discuss cooperation in various sectors. He said the government has offered the development of Tanah Tuning Industrial Estate In North Kalimantan, Kuala Tanjung Industrial Estate in North Sulawesi and Bitung Industrial Estate in North Sulawesi. In addition to investment cooperation, the two countries are also cooperating in improving the quality of vocational education in Indonesia.
The industry minister said Singapore had a role in developing a furniture polytechnic atthe Kendal Industrial Park that planned to start operating this year with an inaugural class of 96 students. "This is in line with President's instruction to equip each industrial estate with (a vocational education facility)," he said, adding that 25 principals of vocational senior high schools across the country would take part in a leadership training program from Feb 19 to March 3 at Singapore's Institute of Technical Education (ITE).
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Asia Pacific
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61
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US and China project 'sharp power' in the Indian Ocean: As the world's two largest economies compete to expand their spheres of influence, the U.S. and China are pushing separate development initiatives centered around the Indian Ocean.
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62
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中国是美国竞爭对手？就竞爭对手或竞爭关係言，隨著中国综合国力的上升，各国特別是美国，总得做出一些调整，让中国在世界上扮演更吃重的角色。本来自冷战结束以来，美国便有意加速把中国纳入国际体系，也企图用这个方式来改变中国，及使中国服从国际规范。这也是中国能在
2001
年成功进入世贸组织的因素之一。
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63
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Australia, US, India and Japan in talks to establish 'alternative' to China's Belt and Road (just don't call it a rival): The United States, Japan, India and Australia have recently revived four-way talks to deepen security cooperation and coordinate alternatives for regional infrastructure financing to that offered by China.
The so-called Quad to discuss and cooperate on security first met as an initiative a decade ago - much to the annoyance of China, which saw it as an attempt by regional democracies to contain its advances. The quartet held talks in Manila on the sidelines of the November Asean and East Asia Summits.
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East/South China Sea
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64
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Fiery Cross Reef deemed Spratly intelligence hub: A large communications-sensor array was completed on Fiery Cross Reef in 2017, according to the Centre for Strategic and International Studies of the Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative (AMTI).
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65
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Opinion: What lies below the South China Sea: In November 2002 Beijing and Asean signed a non-binding Declaration of Conduct that is supposed to regulate behaviour in the South China Sea. The document has never been fully enforced and has done nothing to alleviate tension, let alone settle the conflict.
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66
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Philippines: Risks rising with China challenging United States at sea: The risks of a "miscalculation" and armed conflict have risen in the disputed South China Sea with a militarily stronger China now able to challenge the United States, which used to be the dominant power in the strategic waterway, the Philippine envoy to Beijing said Monday.
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67
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China's rising challenge to US raises risk of South China Sea conflict, Philippines warns: The assessment comes as Beijing appears to have expanded its communications links and other facilities on artificial islands in the area. At a forum in Manila on Monday, ambassador Chito Sta. Romana said the balance of power in the region was shifting as the two global powers vied for control of the waters. He added that the Philippines should not become entangled in the tense maritime rivalry.
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68
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The South China Sea, its history and role in international politics examined by 12 experts in Great Powers, Grand Strategies: Retired US naval officers, university professors, think-tank scholars, and Asia experts examine China's aggressive moves in the South China Sea and their current and future geopolitical impact, and hope prudence and wisdom prevail.
[The title 'Great Powers, Grand Strategies: The New Game in the South China Sea' is included in ISEAS Library's March Acquisition List]
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69
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Duterte plays down China military facilities in disputed South China Sea: Duterte also blamed past governments for not building up the country's defences in the Spratly archipelago at a time when Beijing was only starting to build its artificial islands and turning them into military bases. "We did nothing," the firebrand leader said in a speech to Chinese-Filipino businessmen. On China's construction, he added: "It's not intended for us. The contending ideological powers of the world or the geopolitics has greatly changed. It's really intended against those who the Chinese think would destroy them and that is America."
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70
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ASEAN, China committed to completing COC in East Sea: ASEAN member nations and China are committed to completing a code of conduct (COC) to handle disputes in the East Sea, said Singaporean Minister of Defence Ng Eng Hen. According to the minister, the ASEAN Defence Ministers Meeting has worked hard to produce consensus on practical measures that prevent mishaps and miscalculations, and to de-escalate issues.
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US Pivot
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71
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Trump puts America back in Asia: South-east Asia, in particular, should encourage this Trump turn to Asia in favour of a more balanced neighbourhood, less dominated by and less beholden to China. In Cobra Gold's current iteration, the US has raised the number of military personnel to 6,800, nearly double the figure in 2015-2017.
The smaller US military presence in Asia's largest military exercise in recent years largely stemmed from Thailand's military coup in May 2014. Mr Trump's predecessor, Mr Barack Obama, imposed a range of sanctions against Thailand's military regime, including a ban on high-level official visits as well as reduced participation in Cobra Gold operations.
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