SEPTEMBER 28 - OCTOBER 04, 2014 / VOL. 8, ISSUE NO. 40
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23 Myanmar Refugees Arrive In Japan On Resettlement program
Twenty-three refugees from Myanmar who had fled to Thailand arrived in Tokyo on Friday evening as the last group to do so under a Japanese pilot resettlement program begun in fiscal 2010. The 23 from five families who mostly belong to the Karen ethnic minority will take Japanese language lessons and job training while searching for housing and employment. The resettlement program has failed to meet the annual quota of accepting 30 refugees, with none arriving in 2012 and only 86 coming over the entire period of the program, which was extended from three to five years. The government plans to accept Myanmar refugees staying in Malaysia from next year. The program failed to serve as planned apparently as potential participants have little grasp of the terms of the resettlement and the conditions they can expect in Japan, observers say. Promoted by the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees, the third-country resettlement program is designed to help people who have fled their homes to a nearby country resettle in a safe third country. About 120,000 Myanmar refugees currently live in refugee camps in Thailand. The Thai junta, which seized power in May in a military coup, has reportedly agreed with Myanmar to send the refugees back but no timetable or other details have been announced. Kyodo
INSIDE
SEAW Directory........................ 2 National Review....................... 2 Regional Review.................... 11
Rights Group Urged Governments To Release Information Over Refugee Deals
A group of local civil organization this week urged the Australian and Cambodian governments to release information over the refugee deals. CHRAC continues to ... Page 2
Cambodian Interior Minister Sar Kheng and visiting Australian Immigration Minister Scott Morrison sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on the settlement of refugees from Australia to Cambodia in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Sept. 26, 2014. Photo: Khem Sovannara
Malaysia Arrests 3 ‘Fresh’ ISIS Militants Recruited Via Facebook PETALING JAYA They were “fresh” but eager to be militants after being recruited via Facebook just three months ago. Three would-be Malay-
sian militants, arrested at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport on Thursday, were enlisted into the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) terror group by a senior Malaysian
militant who used Facebook joined ISIS to achieve martyrto lure members. dom. The architect and a techni“The police have already cian, both 26, and a 42-year- identified the recruiter. The old shopkeeper were part of suspects are considered still... a wider network, all of whom STORY CONTINUES ON PAGE 4
Vietnam’s Marine Ecosystems In Danger
Hanoi– Vietnam’s diverse marine ecosystems are being threatened by human activity and natural disasters, affecting the lives of many people, especially the poor. The country’s marine ecosystems includes 155,000 hectares of mangroves, 1,300
square kilometers of coral reefs, 500 square kilometers of lagoons, 16,000 hectares of seaweed and algae ecosystems, intertidal areas and estuaries. The ecosystems provide many important services to people, with 20 million people indirectly influenced by the
services and 8 million poor coral reefs can provide aquatic people living in the ecosys- products worth $10,000. tems. According to the Centre In the Mekong River for Marine Life Conservation Delta, one square kilometer and Community Develop- of mangroves can provide 450 ment, the services of the coral kilos of aquatic products. The reef ecosystem have an esti- seaweed ecosystem brings... mated total value of $100 million. One square kilometer of STORY CONTINUES ON PAGE 6
Cambodia Bay Surfaces As Next Destination To Watch
Thai PM Asks Academics To Talk Less On Politics
Vietnamese Contender For Miss World Not Yet Licensed
CAMBODIA Bay’s Kep is being touted as a destination with star potential as buyers seek out fresh offerings beyond Siem Reap and Phnom Penh. ICS Travel Group sales.... Page 3
Thai Prime Minister Prayuth Chanocha this week urged academics not to just talk about democracy and election among others but to talk about the dark side of...... Page 10
Although Nguyen Thi Loan has been posted on the website of Miss World 2014 as representing Vietnam in their pageant in London this December, local authorities.... Page 12
NATIONAL REVIEW
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SEPTEMBER 28-OCTOBER 04, 2014 / THE SOUTHEAST ASIA WEEKLY
NATIONAL REVIEW Volume 8, Number 40 SEPTEMBER 28-OCTOBER 04, 2014 Publisher: Inn Tong Ann Acting Managing Editor: Chhorng Long Heng English Editor: SEAW Reporters: SEAW Designer: SEAW Photographer: Khem Sovannara Distributors: Chin Roth, Tim Vannak Printer: ANGKOR THOM Printing House THE SOUTHEAST ASIA WEEKLY Northbridge St., Sleng Roloeung village, Sangkat Teuk Thla, Khan Sen Sok, Phnom Penh, Kingdom of Cambodia. Tel/Fax: (855) 023 995 108 www.thesoutheastasiaweekly.com To contact the editor: 012/069 824 406 longheng7@yahoo.com Copyright 2010 by THE SOUTHEAST ASIA WEEKLY All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced without prior expressed permission from the publisher. Licensed in 2006 by the Ministry of Information. The Southeast Asia Weekly is a not-for-profit newspaper that is affiliated with The University of Cambodia. All the content, views and opinions published pertain strictly to The Southeast Asia Weekly, and in no way reflect the views and policies of The University of Cambodia.
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By fax Or call us at 023 995 106 / 023 995 108 Drop it off at our office at # Northbridge St., Sleng Roloeung village, Sangkat Teuk Thla, Khan Sen Sok, Phnom Penh, Kingdom of Cambodia.
ADB Provides $ 30 Million Loan To Cambodia To Boost Vocational Training
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) is extending a $30 million loan for a nationwide program to raise the quality of technical and vocational education and training (TVET) in Cambodia leading to more job opportunities for women and the poor, ADB statement said on Sept 26. “The TVET system remains in its infancy and needs reform and additional investment to address gaps in access, quality and institutional capacity in order to make a sustained contribution to the development of a skilled workforce,” ADB Principal Education Specialist, Norman LaRocque said in the statement. “ The program will overhaul the existing system to make it more responsive to labor market needs and help provide disadvantaged groups with more opportunities for formal training.” Specific measures include support for the establishment of a competency-based assessment and certification system, including the development of flexible pathways between different qualification levels and types of training.The program will also introduce a quality assurance system for TVET institutes and establish an instructor apprenticeship program for publicTVET teachers to gain industry experience. Sector skills councils, made up of industry associations and large employers in four priority sectors —construction, auto mechanics, electrical works and manufacturing— will be established to help develop centers of excellence. The program—which builds on earlier ADB support for basic education and the TVET sector—incorporates a number of innovative features. These include (i) development of a system for the recognition of prior learning, (ii) strategies to enhance private sector and employer engagement in TVET, and (iii) strengthening performance-based management to increase accountability and the efficiency of TVET resource use. Many Cambodians, especially the poor and women, can not take part in the formal TVET system due to low educational attainment and the grade 9 entry requirement for formal training. The program will provide stipends to individuals from poor households identified under a government household support scheme, and to women’s dormitories.A gender action plan establishing quotas for females receiving training stipends will also
help increase female enrollment andretention in formal TVET programs. To strengthen governance and management, TVET institute directors will get training and other support for planning, budgeting and other skills. Start-up finance will also be provided to allow TVET institutes to offer courses in construction, auto mechanics, information and communications technology and business at levels 2 to 4 under the Cambodian Qualifications Framework. ADB’s assistance, from its concessional Asian Development Fund, includes project and policy-based loans, while the Government of Cambodia will provide cash and in-kind contributions totaling $2.6 million, for a total investment of $32.6 million. The full program will run for almost 5 years, with an estimated completion date of December 2019. ADB, based in Manila, is dedicated to reducing poverty in Asia and the Pacific through inclusive economic growth, environmentally sustainable growth, and regional integration. Established in 1966, it is owned by 67 members – 48 from the region. In 2013, ADB assistance totaled $21.0 billion, including co-financing of $6.6 billion./ First Solar Bus Put On Trial The Phnom Penh Municipality this week tested the first solar-charged bus before being put into use along with other public buses in the capital. The trial, presided over by Phnom Penh Municipal Governor Pa Socheatevong and Okhna Pung Khieu Se, Director General of the Overseas Cambodia Investment Corporation (OCIC), started from the Phnom Penh City Hall to the Old Stadium roundabout and went around Wat Phnom historical site before returning to the Phnom Penh City Hall. This solar bus, which can operate about 16 hours a day and carry up to 23 passengers, will be used for the first line of public bus service, from Kilometer No. 9 to Kdey Takoy pagoda in Khan Chbar Ampov, akp reported./
Traffic Accidents Kill 49 Cambodians During “Pchum Ben” Festival
During the “Pchum Ben” Festival or the Festival for the Dead, from Sept. 20 to 24, traffic accidents killed at least 49 people, up 75 percent, and injured 305 others, up 35 percent if compared to the same period of 2013, according to a report from the General Commissariat of the National Police. In total, in the five-day holiday, 137 cases of road accidents were recorded, an increase by 53 cases or 63 percent over the same period last
year, it added. The provinces with the highest record of traffic accidents are Pursat, Kandal, Prey Veng, and Kampong Thom, pointed out the report. Excessive speeding and drink driving are the major causes for traffic accidents in Cambodia.akp
Rights Group Urged Governments To Release Information Over Refugee Deals
A group of local civil organization this week urged the Australian and Cambodian governments to release information over the refugee deals. CHRAC continues to call on both the Australian and the Cambodian government to release all relevant information relating to the ‘Cambodian Solution’ deal and, furthermore, calls on both governments to refrain from any signing of the deal until broad and extensive consultation has been carried out with political and civil society actors. CHRAC continues to view this deal as an infringement of the 1951 Refugee Convention as the Australian Government cannot ensure that, once these refugees reach Cambodia, they will be afforded any of the fundamental human rights protection that is taken for granted in Australia. The Cambodian Human Rights Action Committee (CHRAC) – a coalition of 21 NGOs working in the promotion Human Rights, Democracy, and Rule of Law in the Kingdom of Cambodia raises grave concerns. CHRAC is gravely concerned that the two governments will simply push through the deal with no public scrutiny from either country. This is contrary to the fundamental democratic principles of good governance, respect for rule of law and due process, according its statement before the government inked the agreement this week./
Civil Society Calls For More Information Disclosure By Public Institutions
Group of the civil society working on right to know this week urged the public institutions to provide more information. The joint statement was made n 25 sept before September 28 marks the 11thanniversary of International Right to Know Day. Civil Society also gives recommendations to the 5thGovernment and National Assembly: Government agencies and bodies shall disclose public information, especially service delivery fees, procedures and times for service delivery. Institutional capacity building for public institutions and development of necessary mechanisms to ensure that the Cambodian people can access
all public information. Enactment of an A2I law through consultation with and recommendations from civil society organizations, especially recommendations related to confidentiality of information. Protection of all citizens who release or disclose truthful information or information that serves the public interest. Promotion of public awareness of Access to Information and encouragement of citizens accessing public information relevant to their livelihoods. Creation of a better environment for citizen participation in the process of Cambodian development. They also urged to promote public access to information and the enactment of an FOI Law. September 28 marks the 11thanniversary of International Right to Know Day. Right to know is identified as fundamental to other human rights. The aim of Right to Know Day is to raise awareness of every individual’s right to access government-held information for the following reasons, but not limited to: the information has the potential to affect every aspect of people’s lives; people are tax-payers and they want to know their money being transparently spent; people need to know who should be held accountable for decisions made and the implementation of those decisions; they want to ensure that public services are delivered to them transparently and efficiently; for the people to be able to exercise democratic participation effectively, they need all relevant information. Article 19 of the United Nation’s Universal Declaration of Human Rights states: “Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes the right to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media regardless of frontiers.” In connection to that, Article 31 of the Constitution of the Kingdom of Cambodia states “The Kingdom of Cambodia shall recognize and respect human rights as stipulated in the United Nations Charter, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the covenants and conventions related to human rights, women’s and children’s rights.” The International Right to Know Day was established by Access to Information advocates from around the globe. It was first celebrated on 28 September 2003. To guarantee the people’s right to access information held by public authorities, a strong legal foundation is needed, followed by strict enforcement./
THE SOUTHEAST ASIA WEEKLY / SEPTEMBER 28-OCTOBER 04, 2014
King And Queen-Mother Return Home From China
His Majesty Norodom Sihamoni, King of Cambodia, and Her Majesty Queen-Mother Norodom Monineath Sihanouk arrive home this afternoon after spending about a month for a routine medical checkup and a visit in China. The Cambodian monarchs were warmly welcomed at Phnom Penh International Airport by National Assembly President Samdech Heng Samrin, Prime Minister Samdech Moha Hun Sen, First Vice President of the Senate Mr.Say Chhum, and many other high-ranking officials as well as royal family members, akp reported.
Cambodia’s Economic Growth Maintains 7% In 2014: ADB The Asian Development Bank (ADB) maintains its April projection for Cambodia’s economic growth at 7.0% in 2014, and 7.3% in 2015, says a new report released on Sept 24. This favorable outlook is supported by the recent easing of political uncertainty that followed last year’s national elections and labor tensions in the garment industry after the minimum monthly wage for garment workers was raised in February this year. “Cambodia’s economy is expected to remain in good shape over the next two years, reflecting increased political stability and steady macroeconomic management that should further lift investors’ confidence,” Jan Hansen, ADB Senior Country Economist for Cambodia said in the media
release. Asian Development Outlook Update 2014 reports exports of garments and footwear increasing by 14.5% to $2.8 billion in the first half of 2014, compared with a 17.0% gain during the same period last year, and growth in total merchandise exports moderating to 20.0% from 27.0% over the same time period. Import growth decelerated to 6.7% from 24.7%. Tourist arrivals to Cambodia rose by 5.2% to 2.2 million in January-June, against a 19.1% rise in the yearearlier period. The report notes that growth in credit to the private sector was 12.0% year on year in June 2014, well below the expansion rate a year earlier. Inflation is projected to be higher than previously expected, driven by higher food prices and a tightening of customs
duty collections in late 2013 that put some upward pressure on prices of imports. Inflation is expected at 4.4% in 2014, falling to4.0% in 2015. The Update maintains the April forecast for the current account deficit in 2014 at 11.3% of gross domestic product, excluding official transfers. Gross official reserves at midyear were $3.9 billion, covering 3.8 months of imports of goods and services. ADB, based in Manila, is dedicated to reducing poverty in Asia and the Pacific through inclusive economic growth, environmentally sustainable growth, and regional integration. Established in 1966, it is owned by 67 members—48 from the region. In 2013, ADB assistance totaled $21.0 billion, including co-financing of $6.6 billion.
REFUGEES on Nauru could soon be resettled in impoverished Cambodia following a controversial deal with Australia. Immigration Minister Scott Morrison signed a memorandum of understanding with Cambodian Interior Minister Sar Kheng in Phnom Penh on Friday, to allow refugees processed on the Pacific Island of Nauru to resettle in the Asian country. The offer is voluntary and only applies to asylum seekers sent by Australia to Nauru who have been found to be refugees. “A number of those found to be in genuine need of protection will now have the opportunity and support to re-establish their lives free from persecution,” Mr Morrison said in a statement. “As a party to the Refugees Convention, Cambodia, while making countless efforts to develop the country after the civil war, is demonstrating its ability and willingness to contribute positively to this humanitarian issue.” The Australian government will give Cambodia $40 million in extra development assistance over the next four years in return. This is in addition to $79
million already provided. Mr Sar Kheng stressed that Cambodia was a signatory to the United Nations Refugee Convention and other international refugee protocols. “Therefore, offering the settlement of refugees is considered a humanitarian activity which will help them start a new life in accordance with Cambodian laws,” he said. Mr Morrison hopes some can be resettled by the end of this year and is working to ensure the proper processes are in place. The government isn’t ruling out extending the deal to refugees on Manus Island. There’s no cap on how many can take up the offer and language training would be part of the resettlement package. The agreement has been criticised by aid and human rights groups as inappropriate, immoral and likely illegal. There are concerns that Cambodia’s poor human rights record puts any resettled asylum seekers at risk and that the poverty-stricken country is illequipped to handle them. Mr Morrison said the arrangement “challenged traditional institutional thinking”
on how to address these issues. “Our aim is to remain positively focused on delivering a solution, and not be distracted by the negative characterisations that sadly and typically accompanies new initiatives.” Cambodia has high poverty rates and high unemployment but Mr Morrison has said he believes Australia should “give them a go”. About 100 people, including Buddhist monks, protested outside Australia’s embassy in Cambodia against the deal. Ou Virak, chairman of the nonpartisan Cambodian Centre for Human Rights, said his country “couldn’t give humanitarian support even if we wanted to”. “Cambodia is poor as hell. Most of her people do not have access to decent health care, education. Money alone will not able to fix these things for the refugees,” he said in an interview by email with AP. “I think they will be left in limbo for years.” Australia pays Nauru to house asylum seekers and has a similar deal with Papua New Guinea. Human rights groups have criticised living conditions at the camps. The UN’s refugee agency,
Refugees In Cambodia By End Of The Year
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NATIONAL NEWS
Touring Angkor Heritage Park On The River
ANGKOR Expeditions is giving travel consultants a new way for customers to view and appreciate the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Angkor Archaeological Park. The company has recently gained approval from UNESCO and Apsara Authority, which protects and manages the park, to begin Float Angkor – river rafting and kayaking tours down a 1.7km stretch of river that winds through Angkor. Paula Harrigan, general manager of Angkor Expeditions, which exhibited at PATA for the first time, hopes to begin first tours by early 2015. “Clients visiting the Angkor complex start feeling the heat by lunchtime, when they’ve already visited a number of temples and taken 300 photos. This is a great option for them to get a break from the heat. The temples of Angkor are highlights, but there are other aspects of Cambodian culture they can learn to appreciate on the tours,” she said.
This includes learning the importance of water to Angkor culture, as well as opportunities to learn more about the local flora, fauna, and wildlife through the naturalists-cumguides attached to each raft, aspects of the park that are often overlooked. Each raft will hold a maximum of six passengers with groups sent off in 15-minute intervals during peak season for a more exclusive and private experience with nature and the sights. Speaking to the Daily, Harrigan said Float Angkor took 18 months to get up and running, and each expedition will last 1.5 hours. Asked what is next on the agenda for Angkor Expeditions, Harrigan said: “Kayaking, which allows for solo trips and are for people with more experience on the water. In comparison, rafting is more tame. You can paddle if you want to or simply float along. We’re also looking at doing water sports throughout the country.” TTG DAILY
CAMBODIA Bay’s Kep is being touted as a destination with star potential as buyers seek out fresh offerings beyond Siem Reap and Phnom Penh. ICS Travel Group sales manager, Kanoungnit Thongpunparn, observed growing demand from not just Europe and the US, but also an increase in regional business. Services Excellent Tours Phnom Penh general manager, Hem Chan Piseth, said: “Kep gives tourists another feeling compared to Siem Reap, as well as Sihanoukville (also located in Cambodia Bay), which draws a younger crowd. Kep is for middle-aged to older tourists.” Calling Cambodia’s coastal destinations “underfocused (on) and underdeveloped”, Angkor Expeditions’ general manager, Paula Harrigan, said: “Sihanoukville is a kind of Vegas by the sea, very racy and vibrant, but Kep is a small town with an unspoiled stretch of beach.
“You can still see the remnants of Kep’s past glory in the old villas, of what it was before. It’s now undergoing a renaissance.” The southern province, popular among Cambodians for its fresh seafood, was a beach town during colonial rule, drawing French residents and elite Cambodians who built beachfront villas. Hem elaborated: “You can go cycling, visit waterfalls and nearby islands. There are a lot of French colonial buildings and new hotel investments are also coming into Kep...There are nice, almost five-star resorts such as Veranda Natural Resort.” The Phnom Penh-Kep road has also been reconstructed, he pointed out. Cambodian tourism minister Thong Khon told media at PTM yesterday that the government is also considering easing visa restrictions for travellers heading to Cambodia Bay, which stretches across four provinces. TTG DAILY
the UNHCR, said in a statement it was “deeply concerned at the precedent set” by Australia’s resettlement agreement with Cambodia. “Refugees are persons who are fleeing persecution or the life-threatening effects of armed conflict,” UN
High Commissioner for Refugees Antonio Guterres said. “They are entitled to better treatment than being shipped from one country to the next.” Mr Guterres urged Australia to “reconsider its approach” to refugees. NEWS. COM.AU
Cambodia Bay Surfaces As Next Destination To Watch
INTERNATIONAL NEWS
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SEPTEMBER 28-OCTOBER 04, 2014 / THE SOUTHEAST ASIA WEEKLY
Philippines’ late Dictator Ferdinand Marcos is Hero?
MANILA, Philippines Shortly before he was sworn in as president in 1998, Joseph Estrada – now Manila mayor – had tried to have the remains of the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos buried at the Libingan ng mga Bayani, former President Fidel Ramos disclosed the other day. In early June 1998, a few weeks before Estrada was to be sworn into office, Ramos said he was told that there was digging being done near the rotunda at the heroes’ cemetery around which former presidents are buried. Ramos said he later received a report from then defense secretary Fortunato Abat that the digging was done apparently on Estrada’s orders. “I ordered that it be stopped,” he told STAR editors at the Ramos Peace and Development Foundation office in Makati. “Maybe there was already an agreement (between Estrada and the Marcos family) to have him buried there,” he added. Estrada could not be reached for comment as of press time. Ramos said he recently visited the Libingan to see where the burial plot reserved
for him as a former president was located. The place supposedly reserved for Marcos was just several meters away, he said. Ramos was Armed Forces vice chief of staff when he and then defense minister Juan Ponce Enrile led some generals and junior officers in breaking away from the Marcos regime and in calling for the strongman’s resignation. When Marcos ordered
Vietnam Replacing China To Become Counterfeit Goods Hot Spot
VietNamNet Bridge – Vietnam has been warned that Chinese counterfeit goods manufacturers are eyeing the country as a potential alternative production site, due to the lower labor costs and more lax examination by importers. Do Thanh Lam, Deputy Head of the Market Management Agency, an arm of the Ministry of Industry and Trade, said that counterfeit goods available in the domestic market are either made domestically or imported under the mode of CBU (complete built units) or knock-down parts. “We have found companies which provide counterfeit goods so similar to the authentic goods that only the real manufacturers can discover the frauds after applying specific professional measures,” Lam said. A report of the Market Management Agency revealed that 10,500 cases of counterfeit goods production and distribution were found in 2010, for which the violators were forced to pay total fines of VND44.4 billion. These figures rose to 14,000 cases and fines of VND62.01 billion in 2013. Nguyen Thanh Hong, a senior official of the National Office of Intellectual Property (NOIP), commented that as Vietnam is the next-door neighbor of China, a “counterfeit goods power”, it is understandable that more and more counterfeit goods have been penetrating
the border gates. Phan Minh Nhut, a high ranking executive of Nike, noted that counterfeit goods manufacturers tend to relocate their production bases to Vietnam because of the increasingly high labor cost in China. Besides, China, well known as a counterfeit goods producer and exporter, always sees its export products examined carefully by importers, especially European ones. This has prompted the Chinese manufacturers to make products in Vietnam instead of China to avoid such strict examination. Hong from NOIP cited statistics from US Customs as establishing that of the total counterfeit goods seized in the US every year, 70 percent are from China and one percent from Vietnam. Therefore, Hong has urged appropriate agencies to “take actions” to prevent Vietnam from following the Chinese way of making counterfeit goods. “Vietnam is a member of the World Trade Organization (WTO), and it will soon be a member of the Trans Pacific Partnership. Hence Vietnam will have to obey the rules on intellectual property,” Hong said. Observers have noted that some “counterfeit goods villages” are already taking shape in Vietnam. These are the suburban areas of Thai Binh, Nam Dinh and Vinh Phuc Provinces,
loyalist officers to attack the mutineers holed up at Camp Aguinaldo on EDSA, Manila archbishop Jaime Cardinal Sin appealed on radio to the people to march to the camp to protect Ramos, Enrile and their supporters. Estrada, then mayor of San Juan, remained loyal to Marcos. Some two to three million people were said to have heeded the cardinal’s call and filled a long stretch of the
highway outside the camp. The event would be called EDSA people power revolution. As defections to the camp of the mutineers swelled, Marcos and his family fled to Hawaii on Feb.25, 1986 on a US military aircraft. He was to remain in exile until his death in September 1989. The debate over whether to allow his remains to be interred with honors at the Libin-
gan ng mga Bayani began immediately after his death. Estrada’s declaration of his desire to have Marcos buried and given full honors at the heroes’ cemetery was met with protests even before he assumed office. “We are Christians and we should respect the dead,” he told the media then. Marcos’ preserved remains are in a refrigerated glass casket displayed in a family mausoleum in Ilocos Norte. In his recent US trip, President Aquino again spoke against allowing a hero’s burial for Marcos who was widely believed to have ordered the assassination of his father and namesake on Aug.21, 1983. Aquino had even earlier rejected a recommendation from Vice President Jejomar Binay that Marcos be buried and given military honors – but in the late president’s home province of Ilocos Norte. An administration ally, Sen. Francis Escudero has also called for a Libingan ng mga Bayani burial for Marcos. The senator’s late father, Sorsogon Rep. Salvador Escudero III was Marcos’ agriculture minister. Philstar
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‘fresh’ but willing to join ISIS in their false jihad,” a source said in an interview yesterday. Police believed the suspects were in contact with other Malaysian fighters in Syria. It is believed the three had met in Klang along with their “handler” several times to plan their impending trip to Syria. “Police are investigating if the suspects had any plans against Malaysian targets but, so far, there is no such indication,” said the source, adding that the meetings were held at the architect’s house in Klang. The suspects would use different modes of transport and routes to get to the Klang home each time to avoid detection. Soon after the three were arrested, officers from the Bukit Aman Special Branch Counter Terrorism Division brought the men to their homes - in Klang, Kota Baru and Arau - where further investigations were carried out. “Police seized an ISIS flag and several computers belonging to the suspects. Interviews with their family members showed that they did not
know of the suspects’ activities. “There was, however, a family which consented to it as they believed he would be fighting in a holy war,” the source added. Bukit Aman has been on high alert for Malaysians planning to join ISIS, especially after the United Nations Security Council approved a resolution calling on countries to stem the flow of foreign militants to Iraq and Syria. The recent pledges of allegiance to ISIS by regional terror groups Abu Sayyaf and Jemaah Ansharut Tauhid (JAT) have also led to heightened security at the country’s entry and exit points. Sources said the Malaysian links to foreign groups in neighbouring countries were “quite real” as there were five wanted Malaysian militants who received training by Abu Sayyaf and were believed to have fled to southern Philippines, a known Abu Sayyaf stronghold. “Police are investigating if the three suspects had had any weapons training in the country or with Abu Sayyaf in the Philippines. So far, police believe the suspects are not linked to terror groups based in Sabah or
Sarawak, including Darul Islam Sabah,” the source said. Concerns are also mounting that the region’s most wanted terrorist Zulkifli Abdul Khir, also known as Marwan, was last known to be hiding in Mindanao. “Intelligence reports indicate that Marwan has close ties with the Abu Sayyaf. Police believe he is even teaching Abu Sayyaf personnel how to make bombs,” the source said. Counter-terrorism authorities are trying to determine how much influence Marwan had on 22 militants arrested in various states since April 28 and the five on the wanted list now. Marwan has a RM16 million (S$6.23 million) bounty on his head issued by the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation. Inspector-General of Police Khalid Abu Bakar said all suspects were detained under the Special Offences (Security Measures) Act 2012. “We will continue to take action against any Malaysian who plans to join ISIS in Syria. We also ask the public to be wary of the activities of their family members, especially the youth,” he said in a statement. Strait Times
which can provide counterfeit goods in large quantities. However, Lam noted that the majority of Vietnamese businesses have been uncooperative with state agencies in combating counterfeit goods. Only big enterprises or multinational groups have signed agreements with the agencies on the joint forces to prevent
counterfeit goods. “In some cases, real manufacturers don’t want to provide information to appropriate agencies because of concerns about the consequent publicity. The fear that an awareness of counterfeit goods would make consumers turn their backs on their products,” Lam said. According to Hong, only
490 Vietnamese businesses have registered to join the Madrid System, the international system allowing businesses to search and register trademarks in up to 92 countries. This is evidence that intellectual property rights are not a top priority for Vietnamese businesses for now. VNnet
Malaysia Arrests 3...
THE SOUTHEAST ASIA WEEKLY / SEPTEMBER 28-OCTOBER 04, 2014
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OPINION
The ASEAN Economic Community’s Labour Policy Needs Work
D
riven by the looming 2015 deadline, discussion is heating up about the impact ASEAN’s Economic Community (AEC) will have on employment. Set to begin on 31 December 2015, the AEC envisions ASEAN as a single market and production base characterised by the free flow of goods, services, investments and the freer flow of capital and skills. Two key factors will affect the region’s employment prospects. First, structural change in the domestic economies of ASEAN’s member countries will impact the labour market, as trade integration leads member countries to reallocate resources from less productive to more productive economic activities. And some occupations are likely to grow as the ASEAN integration process progresses. This kind of structural change, and changing employment dynamics, has occurred in the past. During the last two decades, ASEAN saw a decline in employment in agriculture, which has mainly been compensated by gains in the services sector. Currently,
In response to the rise in Indonesian and Malaysian fighters joining the extremist Islamic State (IS) group, Jakarta and Kuala Lumpur have taken action to criminalise membership. The Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI), the nation’s top Muslim clerical body, also released a statement that it was haram, or forbidden, for Muslims to participate in IS activities. Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak has also issued a strongly worded statement condemning IS for its actions, which ‘run counter to Islamic faith, culture and to common humanity’. These are positive moves. But they have been inadequate, given the popularisation of IS ideological beliefs via social media. Indonesia, in response to the 2002 Bali bombing, the twin bombing of the Marriott and Ritz-Carlton in 2009, and other attacks on Indonesian soil, adjusted its counterterrorism strategy. Indonesia has stressed a hard approach to countering the threat of ter-
while agriculture accounts for 40 per cent of total employment, industry accounts for 19 per cent and services 41 per cent. But this regional generalisation masks cross-country variations. Today, agriculture remains the largest employer for Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam, while services sector employment plays an important role in Singapore, Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines and Indonesia. A recent publication by the International Labour Organization and the Asian Development Bank on six ASEAN countries — Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, the Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam — found that with the AEC in place, jobs in agriculture; trade; transportation; and construction would increase in all six countries by 2025. Vietnam would gain six million additional jobs, Indonesia 1.9 million and Cambodia 1.1 million. But, for these economies, job losses would be felt in food processing, private services and mining industries. Another impact of the AEC on the labour market could also be a shift in demand for particular occupations. The largest absolute demand is likely to be
rorism, primarily through the lens of law enforcement. Over 600 terrorists have been prosecuted in the wake of the 2002 Bali bombings. Currently, the Indonesian police are responsible for counterterror operations, particularly the elite counterterrorism unit, Detachment 88. But Indonesia’s hard approach has resulted in the growing incidence of terrorist attacks targeted at the police. Allegedly, it has also created convergence between jihadist fighters and religious vigilante groups — such as Jamaah Ansharut Tauhid (JAT) — providing opportunities for the jihadist groups to recruit and enhance their influence in society. Malaysia has also stepped up its counterterrorism efforts and arrested several individuals amid reports that four new Malaysian militant groups, identified by their acronyms BKAW, BAJ, Dimzia and ADI, are bent on creating a ‘super’ Islamic caliphate in parts of Southeast Asia, including secular Singapore. So far, the emphasis on hard ap-
for low- and medium-skill jobs, though there will also be demand for high-skill jobs. The establishment of Mutual Recognition Arrangements (MRAs) for professional services will also affect employment in the region. MRAs will promote the flow of skilled labour. Member states have adopted a framework for MRAs for seven professions — engineering, architecture, nursing, accountancy, surveying services, medicine and dentistry. MRAs will allow each member country to recognise education, experience, licences and certificates granted in other countries. But so far, only the skills of architects and engineers — who are registered with the professional regulatory body both in their home countries and at the regional level — will receive cross-border recognition. But with the MRAs, effective movement and the subsequent benefits will be limited as domestic rules and regulations governing these professions still apply. For example, in Malaysia, foreign engineers have to be licensed by the Board of Engineers for specific projects and must be sponsored by the
Malaysian company carrying out the project. The Malaysian company must further demonstrate to the Board of Engineers that they are not able to find a domestic engineer for the job. A foreign engineer in Malaysia must also be a registered engineer in his or her home country, have a minimum of 10 years experience and must have a physical presence in Malaysia for at least 180 days in one calendar year. Similarly, for architects to become fully licensed, most countries impose restrictions on residency or nationality. Foreign architects are often allowed to work on a project-based basis and, in most cases, employers have to submit proof that an equivalent national professional is not available for the job. Domestic regulations will also limit the cross-border movement of nurses. For example, in order for a Filipino nurse to practise in Thailand, the candidate must pass the national licensure exam in Thai. As for the surveying profession, the MRA only provides the enabling framework of broad principles for further bilateral and multilateral negotiations among ASEAN member states. MRAs will be unable to
provide greater mobility unless they address the domestic rules and regulations of ASEAN economies. The advent of the AEC will not immediately change the ASEAN labour market. Over time, economic integration may cause structural changes and with that changes in employment scenarios. But policymakers will have enough transition time to address issues in their domestic economies. The AEC may result in higher welfare, wages and employment. But it is expected that these benefits will be distributed unevenly among countries, sectors and genders. To address this, coordinated and coherent policies will be needed at both regional and national levels to ensure inclusive and fair outcomes. Policymakers should also continue with their efforts to ensure quality education and training in their economies as ASEAN strives to remain competitive and to develop itself as a regional production base in the future. Sanchita Basu Das is a Fellow and Lead Researcher in Economic Affairs at the ASEAN Studies Centre, Institute of Southeast Asian Studies (ISEAS), Singapore.
proaches to countering terrorism has brought some success in defeating terrorism and disrupting terrorist plots. But the rising influence of social media and the popularisation of IS ideologies through the internet highlights the need for states to be innovative in using modern communications to counter the growing threat of radicalisation. The exposure of Malaysians and Indonesians to external currents of contemporary Muslim socio-political thought — ranging from the moderateliberal, radical and sectarian — is intensified by social media. Indonesia has the secondlargest population of Facebook users and the fourth-largest population of Twitter users in the world. Malaysia has also seen an increase in internet users since 2000, from 21 per cent to 65 per cent in 2012. Research has shown that young people are at greatest risk of being radicalised by extremist messages. This is particularly important because of the use of social media by young
people. The ease and pace of communicating via such social media platforms are what keeps them ‘hooked’. Governments need to drive the online debate to ensure that their message is heard above the extremists’. The use of social media by radical groups to recruit, raise funds and spread propaganda messages should not be taken lightly. A video by the IS released in July featuring Indonesian fighter Abu Muhammad al-Indonesi showed him delivering an impassioned appeal to fellow Indonesians to ‘join the ranks’. A number of Indonesian IS fighters are reportedly also using social networking platforms such as Facebook to recruit fighters. According to Indonesia’s National Agency for Combating Terrorism (BNPT), there are currently 34 Indonesians who have joined the IS group. These numbers do not include Indonesians who have joined other groups in Syria and Iraq in the jihadist cause. Malaysian authorities say that the IS sympathisers are attracting a small number of Malaysians from a wide variety of backgrounds through social media, particularly Facebook. They have also managed to raise funds through such channels. In early August, photos of a dead 52-year-old jihadist Malaysian fighter who was formerly a member of the Kumpulan Mujahidin Malaysia (KMM) were uploaded and circulated via social media and blogs. The former KMM member allegedly died while defending the town of Arzeh with several other jihadist fighters. The pho-
to was ‘liked’ by thousands of online users. The primacy of IS theological arguments feature strongly in the Indonesian militants motivations to fight in Syria. The IS believes that the ‘Final Battle’ against the false prophets will ensue in the ongoing battle in Syria. The activities of Malaysian IS supporters on Facebook on the other hand point to a more complex mix of motivations for Malaysians joining the IS, most of which are political, financial or ideological. The distinct divergences in the causes for motivating these Indonesian and Malaysian fighters to join the IS, as well as the differences in contexts, highlight the need for tailored responses by the state and community in each country. To date, IS has carried out executions, including beheadings. In many cases, IS has videotaped the executions and posted them online. There is a need to be discreet in publicising the IS to the larger community without exaggerating or sensationalising the group, so as to deny them the publicity that they seek. Governments, with the help of civil society activists, should partner to channel key messages of religious moderation and interfaith tolerance through soft media campaigns. Stefanie Kam Li Yee is an Associate Research Fellow at S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies. Robi Sugara is a graduate student pursuing an M.Sc in Strategic Studies at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS), Nanyang Technological University (NTU), Singapore.
6 SEPTEMBER 28-OCTOBER 04, 2014 / THE SOUTHEAST ASIA WEEKLY Tokyo Gas & Korea Gas To Make Joint LNG Purchases 6 Arrested In Hong Kong Student Protest INTERNATIONAL NEWS
Tokyo Gas is teaming up with South Korea’s Korea Gas Corporation to bring down the costs of importing liquid natural gas. LNG prices in Asia are said to be much higher than in other regions. Tokyo Gas, Japan’s largest city gas supplier, signed a strategic partnership deal on Wednesday with the world’s largest LNG importer. The utilities will discuss
Japanese Firm To Build Solar Thermal Power Plant
joint purchases of LNG and the development of gas fields. Tokyo Gas imported 12 million tons of LNG last year, and the South Korean firm bought about 40 million tons. Tokyo Gas executives say the two hope to improve their negotiating position and expand the scale of their purchases to bring down costs. Japan has been importing more LNG since the
2011 accident at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant. The disaster led to the shutting down of all the nuclear power plants in the country and forced the power companies to rely on gas and coal. Japan is paying higher prices for its gas imports. Tokyo Electric Power Company and Chubu Electric Power Company are also in talks to imports LNG together.
About 200 pro-democracy students forced their way into Hong Kong government headquarters and scuffled with police on Friday night. Six people, including a student leader, were arrested and at least 16 were injured. The incident took place at a square in the government complex. About 5,000 people had gathered in front of the building and staged sit-ins. About 200 protesters scaled 3-meter high fences surrounding the facility late in the evening. They pushed and shoved police officers near where a Chinese national flag was hoisted. Students and officers conCONTINUES FROM PAGE 1
A Japanese company plans to develop an improved method of solar thermal power generation, or using sunlight to create steam for driving turbines. The heat can be stored and used to generate electricity at night or on cloudy days. Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and Hitachi established Mitsubishi Hitachi Power Systems in Yokohama in February by integrating their thermal
power generation divisions. The firm says it will build a solar thermal power plant at its factory in Yokohama and will begin test runs in 2016. Solar thermal power is considered a more stable source of electricity than so-
lar panels or wind turbines. But the facilities are expensive to build and are not very efficient. The company plans to develop a more effective method of solar thermal power generation to reduce costs.
Government officials from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations have inspected defense equipment made by Japanese manufacturers. Some 20 officials from ASEAN countries on Thursday visited the Defense Ministry in Tokyo, where equipment supplied to the Self-Defense Forces
is on display. The event follows the approval in April of new weapons export guidelines in Japan that allow transfer of arms and weapon technology under strict restrictions. The items on display by 7 Japanese contractors included replicas of armored cars and
landmine removal vehicles, along with motorbikes and parachutes used by the SDF. Senior Vice Defense Minister Akira Sato briefed the ASEAN officials. He said opportunities are growing for Japan and ASEAN countries to strengthen security cooperation under the new guidelines.
A Japanese business group has signed a memorandum with a Chinese city to help it address air pollution. The delegation from the Japan-China Economic Association signed the deal with Zibo City in Shandong Province on Friday. Zibo is home to many petrochemical plants and air pollu-
tion in the city is getting worse. The association will set up a group of experts to provide the city with technological support to reduce nitrogen oxide emissions. The Japanese side will also introduce companies that have technology and know-how to address air pollution if the Chinese city seeks such help.
The association’s deputy chairman, Masahiro Sakane, said relations between Japan and China are facing difficulties, but business leaders can help to overcome the problems one by one. He also said the signing of the memorandum is a good opportunity to improve bilateral ties.
Japan won 11 medals on Day 8 of the Asian Games in Incheon, South Korea on Friday. With 107 medals so far, Ja-
pan has won the second-largest number of medals, following China. In men’s swimming, Japan
won 3 silver medals, including the men’s 400 meter medley relay race. Kohei Yamamoto earned silver in the 15 hundred meter freestyle event, as did Yasuhiro Koseki in the 50 meter breast stroke. In women’s events, Sayaka Akase won gold in the 200 meter backstroke. Kanako Watanabe won silver in women’s 200 meter individual medley race, followed by Miho Teramura, with a bronze medal. In the women’s 50 meter freestyle event, Miki Uchida captured a silver medal. Japan also won a gold medal in the mixed triathlon. Yasuhiro Ueyama took a bronze medal in the men’s trampoline event, as did Ayano Kishi in the women’s event. In the equestrian eventing team, Japan won a silver medal.
Vietnam’s marine ...
Japan Promotes Defen See Quipment To ASEAN Members
Japan Biz Body To Help China Tackle Air Pollution
Japan Takes 11 Medals In Asian Games On Friday
aquatic products and services worth over $20 million, and lagoons can bring $2,000 per hectare. The ecosystems not only bring economic value, but also help protect the living environment. The coral reefs in the central region protect the coastline, while the mangroves can reduce the land erosion and protect from typhoons and high tide. One square meter of seaweed can create 10 liters of oxygen, helping balance O2 and CO2 in water and reduce greenhouse effects. Every acre of seaweed (0.44 hectare) can generate 10 tons of leaves every year. The living mass provides food, habitats and breeding grounds to invertebrates and vertebrate species. Degradation A survey of the Natural Resources and Maritime Environment Institute found that Vietnam’s maritime ecosystems have been diminishing over the last few decades. Only one percent of the 1,300 square kilometers of coral reefs along the coastline is in good condition. The coral coverage fell sharply by 30 percent in 1993-2004. Meanwhile, the mangrove ecosystem has shrunk since the
tinued facing-off even after the arrests. Thousands of Hong Kong students began a boycott of classes on Monday to protest China’s decision on election requirements for choosing the territory’s top leader. China’s National People’s Congress Standing Committee decided in August to allow Hong Kong residents to choose their next chief executive in a direct election. But it virtually ruled out the participation of pro-democracy candidates. A Hong Kong pro-democracy group is calling for a major protest rally in the downtown financial district next Wednesday, a public holiday. beginning of the 20th century. The survey also found that the aquatic creature volume caught on every hectare of lagoon fell by 50 percent in comparison with the last decade. The seaweed cover in Khanh Hoa province has shrunk by 80 hectares per annum. Increasing human population, which leads to a higher demand for ecosystem services, has put pressure on the maritime ecosystems. In 2000, Vietnam had only 250,000 hectares of shrimp hatchery areas, but the figure soared to 530,000 hectares in 2003. Vietnam is now listed among the countries with the largest shrimp-farming areas in the world. Human production activities, including natural resource overexploitation, unsustainable aquaculture and industrial production, and climate change have also been damaging maritime ecosystems. The Prime Minister in 2010 approved the maritime protection area (MPA) development program, under which Vietnam would have 16 MPAs with the total area of 169,617 hectares by 2020 and at least 0.24 percent of territorial waters belonging to MPAs, while 30 percent of every MPA area would be put under strict control. Tin Tuc
The national police counter-terrorism unit.
Malaysian Police Detain 3 Men Headed To Syria
Police in Malaysia have detained 3 Malaysian men who were allegedly heading to Syria to join the Islamic State militant group. Police say the 2 men in their 20s and one in his 40s were taken into custody on Thursday at Kuala Lumpur International Airport. They say the men were waiting for a flight to Turkey. The country borders Syria. The 3 are thought to have been recruited through social
media by Malaysians fighting in Syria. Government officials say at least 22 Malaysians have joined the Islamic State militants in Syria. Authorities are trying to track down leaders of a Malaysian group suspected of recruiting. The chief of the US Pacific Command said on Thursday that about 1,000 people from the Asia-Pacific region may have joined the Islamic State.
G
THE SOUTHEAST ASIA WEEKLY / SEPTEMBER 28-OCTOBER 04, 2014
reat gains have been made in the global effort to achieve the Millennium Development Goals, known worldwide as the “MDGs,” but with the deadline fast approaching more must be done to fully meet the targets set for 2015 and beyond, SecretaryGeneral Ban Ki-moon said this week. In his remarks to a gathering of 300 global leaders convened by the MDG Advocacy Group, Mr. Ban applauded the successes made so far in pushing forward with the Goals and in having “raised awareness, mobilized resources, and helped shape policy.” “The MDGs have transformed the lives of millions of people,” he told delegates at the gathering, which was held on the margins of the General Assembly’s annual high-level debate. The meeting, organized by the MDG Advocacy Group, a body of global leaders and eminent personalities assembled by the Secretary-General to promote the implementation of the Goals, also marked the release of the Group’s latest report - Accelerating Action: Global Leaders on Challenges
and Opportunities for MDG Achievement - which confirms the strides made so far. The eight MDGs, agreed by world leaders at a UN summit in 2000, are described as a 15year roadmap to fight poverty, hunger and disease, protect the environment and expand education, basic health and women’s empowerment. According to the new report, in fact, the past two decades has seen the likelihood of a child dying before the age of five nearly reduced by half while the maternal mortality ratio has dropped by 45 per cent. At the same time, antiretro-
viral therapy for HIV-infected people has saved an estimated 6.6 million lives and another estimated 3.3 million people were saved from malaria due to the diffusion of major preventions such as bed nets and treatments. Efforts to fight tuberculosis, meanwhile, have saved an estimated 22 million lives. “Fewer people are in poverty. More children are in school. We are making inroads in the fight against malaria and tuberculosis. Families and communities have greater access to an improved drinking water source,” the Secretary-General noted. With 462 days remain-
7
ing until the MDG deadline, the report strikes an optimistic note, adding that with many of the Goals already met - including the reduction of poverty, increasing access to clean drinking water, improving the lives of slum dwellers, and achieving gender parity in schools - many more targets are also within reach by the end of 2015. But, Mr. Ban warned, much more remained to be done in order to “finish the job.” “We must do more to finish our targets on hunger and chronic child malnutrition. Faster progress is needed to meet the goals of reducing child
INTERNATIONAL NEWS
and maternal mortality and to improve access to sanitation,” he continued. The Secretary-General urged delegates to help focus on what he described as “two critical fronts” in the battle towards realizing the Goals: accelerating progress towards meeting the MDGs and preparing for a post2015 world. “We need a strong successor framework in place,” affirmed Mr. Ban. “Building mechanisms for effective partnerships and multi-stakeholder accountability will be critical to the success of the post-2015 development agenda.”
Rising Refugee Claims From Syria, Iraq And Other Conflict Zones - UNHCR A UNHCR report released this week shows that the number of people seeking refugee status in industrialized countries continued to climb in the first half of 2014, driven by the wars in Syria and Iraq as well as conflict and instability in Afghanistan, Eritrea and elsewhere. UNHCR’s new Asylum Trends report,, which is based on data received from 44 governments in Europe, North America and parts of the AsiaPacific, says 330,700 people asked for refugee status in these countries between the start of January and the end of
June, a 24 per cent rise from a year earlier, and slightly higher than in the second half of last year (when there were 328,100 claims). The report warned that, based on historical norms of higher numbers of asylumseekers in the second half of each year, 2014 could produce as many as 700,000 claims - the highest total for industrialized countries in 20 years and a level not seen since the 1990s conflict in former Yugoslavia. “We are clearly into an era of growing conflict,” said UN High Commissioner for Refugees António Guterres. “The
global humanitarian system is already in great difficulty. The international community needs to prepare their populations for the reality that in the absence of solutions to conflict more and more people are going to need refuge and care in the coming months and years. Unfortunately, it is not clear that the resources and the access to asylum will be available to help them.” Despite the net overall increase in new claims shown in the report, more than two thirds of these were in just six countries - Germany, the United States, France, Sweden, Turkey
and Italy. Central Europe, in particular Hungary and Poland, as well as Australia saw declines in the numbers of people asking to be accepted as refugees. Australia had just 4,600 claims (a 20 per cent fall from a year earlier), while in Poland the number dropped to 3,300 (65 per cent lower) and in Hungary to 4,800 (58 per cent lower). Overall, Syria was the main country of origin of people seeking asylum with a more than two-fold increase (48,400 claims compared to 18,900 in the same period in 2013). Iraq, where hundreds of thousands
of people have become newly displaced this year, produced 21,300 asylum applications, followed by Afghanistan (19,300) and Eritrea (18,900). The number of people applying for refugee status in the 44 industrialized countries covered by the report is just one element in the global picture of forced displacement from wars and conflict. Worldwide, 51.2 million were forcibly displaced as of the end of 2013. Most are either internally displaced within their own countries, else are hosted as refugees in states bordering onto war zones.UNHCR
Illegal Ivory, Rhino Horn Trade Increased By Nearly 300% 1990s, and illegal trade in ivory a new report by U.S. Agency increased by nearly 300 percent for International Development from 1998 to 2011, according to (USAID) partner TRAFFIC. “This report provides critical insights into often violent and complex trade networks that will help countries target their law enforcement efforts. Wildlife trafficking not only endangers rhinos, elephants and many other wildlife species, but also threatens national and international security as well as local livelihoods,” said Eric Postel, assistant administrator at USAID. The report, Illegal trade in ivory and rhino horn: an assessment to improve law enforcement, is a key step to achieving USAID’s vision to adapt and deploy a range of development tools and interventions to significantly reduce illegal wildHong kong police arrested illegal rhino horns in 2011. life trafficking, USAID said in
Washington, DC — Illegal rhino horn trade has reached the highest levels since the early
a September 22 press release. The report was prepared by the wildlife monitoring network TRAFFIC in partnership with USAID. The assessment uses robust analysis to identify capacity gaps and key intervention points in countries combating wildlife trafficking. Seizure data indicate that “the fundamental trade dynamic now lies between Africa and Asia,” according to the report. In China and Thailand, elephant ivory is fashioned into jewellery and carved into other decorative items, while wealthy consumers in Vietnam use rhino horn as a drug that they mistakenly believe cures hangovers and detoxifies the body. Rhinos and elephants are under serious poaching pressure throughout Africa, with even previously safe popula-
tions collapsing. Central Africa’s forest elephants have been reduced by an estimated 76 percent over the past 12 years, while in Tanzania’s Selous Game Reserve elephant numbers have fallen from 70,000 in 2007 to only 13,000 by late 2013. A record 1,004 rhinos were poached in 2013 in South Africa alone, a stark contrast to the 13 animals poached there in 2007 before the latest crisis began. Both rhino horn and ivory trafficking are believed to function as Asian-run, African-based operations, with the syndicates increasingly relying on sophisticated technology to run their operations. In order to disrupt and apprehend the individuals behind them, the global response needs to be equally sophisticated, USAID said. Agencies
OPINION
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SEPTEMBER 28-OCTOBER 04, 2014/ THE SOUTHEAST ASIA WEEKLY
Javier Solana
MADRID – Global transformations are nothing new. But, with globalization and technological advancements, the pace and scale of such transformations have accelerated considerably. In the coming decades, this trend will only intensify – bringing with it significant potential for instability. It has been more than 20 years since Saddam Hussein’s Iraq invaded Kuwait, prompting the near-unanimous adoption of United Nations Security Council resolutions demanding the withdrawal of Iraqi forces. When Saddam defied the resolutions, a 34-country coalition, supporting the United Statesled air offensive known as Operation Desert Storm, drove his troops out of Kuwait. That was in 1991, when the Soviet Union’s collapse had left the US as the world’s only superpower. But that is no longer the case – a reality that is reflected in the international community’s muddled responses to similar territorial breaches today. Consider Russia’s invasion and annexation of Crimea earlier this year. Though the move clearly violated Ukraine’s territorial integrity, 11 countries NEW YORK – The British artist Damien Hirst once referred to the 2001 attack on New York’s World Trade Center as “kind of an artwork in its own right. It was wicked, but it was devised in this way for this kind of impact. It was devised visually.” Now, 13 years later, Western governments, while able to describe in strategic terms the threat of the Islamic State to the Middle East, are still struggling to come to terms with its visual assault in the global media. Like Osama bin Laden and Al Qaeda, the Islamic State appears to understand the impact that lurid images of violence can have on the public imagination. The irony, of course, is that the Islamic State’s exploitation of images of “pornographic” violence is at odds with the Islamists’ own condemnations of visual stimulation in other areas of life. Indeed, their videos take sensory titillation to its limit. Like an algorithm designed to access an adversary’s digital network, the Islamic State’s carefully staged
voted against the UN resolution condemning the action, and 58 countries – including all of the non-Western powers – abstained. Clearly, the global balance of power has changed. In international politics, perceptions matter – sometimes even more than reality. The perception today is that America’s unipolar moment has come to an end; Europe is on the decline; and a new set of powers is rising, bringing their own unique worldviews to global affairs. In a sense, this might seem like a good thing. More varied perspectives could enrich multilateral processes and generate more comprehensive solutions to global problems. But this multipolar dynamic also generates instability. Though the world is becoming increasingly interconnected, and challenges are no longer confined to national or even regional borders, major powers are increasingly reluctant to assume global responsibilities. Worse, given their frequent unwillingness to accommodate one another’s interests, impasses – even clashes – become likely. Strong, effective, and inclusive multilateral institutions
can play a vital role in combating this instability and fostering cooperation. But even the best-designed structures can achieve little without the political will to resolve conflicts through dialogue. In order to make progress, countries must learn to defend their principles while respecting those of others – and never to lose sight of their shared interests and objectives. Without such a unified approach, geopolitical stability is diminished. For example, Ukraine has been an independent country since 1991 and is fully integrated into the international system, having ceded its nuclear weapons in 1994 and presided over three sessions of the UN General Assembly. In failing to craft an adequate response to the Russian invasion, however, the international community pushed Ukraine toward a dark past. One hopes that the recently concluded Minsk Protocol – which includes 12 provisions, including a cease-fire and a program of economic recovery – succeeds in resolving the conflict. In any case, international stability has been compromised – and several more potentially
destabilizing developments are on the horizon. In the developed world, US President Barack Obama’s tenure will soon end. European politics are, too, undergoing a potentially significant transition, with the new European Commission set to commence operations, against a worrying background of rising nationalism in European Union member states. Two leaders who will remain in power for the foreseeable future are Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese Premier Xi Jinping – both of whose countries have generated instability in their respective regions. Long before Russia invaded Ukraine, China was engaged in territorial disputes with several of its neighbors, most notably in the East and South China Seas. Furthermore, Russia and China are pushing back against traditional Western dominance in multilateral institutions. They – along with Brazil, India, and South Africa (the BRICS) – have established their own development bank, motivated partly by the International Monetary Fund’s failure to fulfill its 2010 pledge to adjust voting rights to reflect the global balance of economic power. (Until the 2010 G-20 summit where that pledge was made, China had the same voting rights as Belgium.) All of this uncertainty surrounding the world’s emerging and traditional superpowers has impeded efforts to address security challenges in the Middle East, from the enduring IsraelPalestine conflict and the aftermath of the Arab Spring to the new and potent threat posed by the Islamic State. Unlike Al Qaeda, the Islamic State is not
a fragmented network of relatively small cells; it is a territorial entity operating as a pseudostate in Syrian and Iraqi territory. And the rest of the world does not seem to know how to stop its unrelenting advance. The US has rushed to form a confusing coalition with nearly 30 countries, including ten Arab states. How the coalition will be organized and what results it will achieve remain to be seen. Here, the European Union could help. In fact, when the US first employed its so-called “leading from behind” strategy during the 2011 intervention in Libya, European countries were forced to assume greater responsibility. Instead of viewing that intervention as an anomaly, the EU should recognize the need to enhance its role in defending global security – not least to uphold its own interest in a prosperous and stable neighborhood. In this sense, the EU’s decision to delay implementing its association agreement with Ukraine in order to create space to pursue consensus with Russia is a positive indicator. In a multipolar world, actors with widely divergent worldviews must work together to advance their shared interest in security, stability, and prosperity. It is time for all of the world’s powers to recognize their responsibility for making constructive cooperation a reality. Javier Solana was EU High Representative for Foreign and Security Policy, Secretary-General of NATO, and Foreign Minister of Spain. He is currently President of the ESADE Center for Global Economy and Geopolitics and Distinguished Fellow at the Brookings Institution.
ed and shaken, a space may be cleared for occupation. Consider, for example, how Indonesia’s Suharto regime, from 1966 to 1998, depicted alleged Communist insurgent savagery, and compelled citizens to watch it on television and in theaters. The horrifying images were intended to foment terror. In the face of a grotesquely violent enemy, an even more terrifying state apparatus of organized violence emerged. In effect, Suharto’s visual politics of atrocity and terror created a new reality from the violence and terror associated with the demise of the old. The same perverse logic is at work in the Islamic State’s viral spectacles. Though the need to confront evil remains as pressing as ever, Western societies’ motivation for doing so may lose clarity. After all, it is one thing to deliberate on the pros and cons of confronting external forces of irrational violence; it is something else to
lash out against the producers of brutal, politically charged, and upsetting imagery. We must therefore ask ourselves what exactly is driving our response to the threats that the Islamic State presents. Distinguishing between information about real nationalsecurity concerns and images strategically designed to shock and titillate us will not be easy. But given the stakes, it is undoubtedly worthwhile. The visual politics of atrocity and terror is only as strong as we imagine it. That is why exorcising its demons will require more than military might. It also will require us to think deeply about the strategic use of violent images in the digital age. Richard K. Sherwin, Professor of Law and Director of the Visual Persuasion Project at New York Law School, is the author of Visualizing Law in the Age of the Digital Baroque: Arabesques & Entanglements and When Law Goes Pop: The Vanishing Line between Law and Popular Culture.
The Visual Politics of Terror
videos, featuring the beheadings of American and British journalists and aid workers, have penetrated the Western psyche. That psyche has long been primed to receive shocking imagery. Now, the electronic media’s weakness for graphic violence has become the Islamic State’s strength. The visual politics of terror may seem primitive, but its practice can be as sophisticated
as its effects are profound. Like ancient conquerors, who erected new temples on the sites where the vanquished had their own, the destroyers of New York’s Twin Towers used visual terror to strike at the heart of their enemy’s value system. That is what terror aims to do: destabilize the foe’s normative reality. Once the security of the familiar world is challenged, and its inner sanctums have been invad-
THE SOUTHEAST ASIA WEEKLY / SEPTEMBER 28-OCTOBER 04, 2014 LONDON – China’s annual growth rate has recently increased from below 6% at the start of 2014 to around 7.5% in the second quarter, helped by a series of stealth stimulus measures. But the growth spurt is unlikely to last – and may reverse – as China seeks to control excessive credit expansion. And achieving longer-term sustainable growth will also depend on political factors – particularly the impact of President Xi Jinping’s anti-corruption campaign, aimed at “purifying” the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). Xi’s campaign is being carried out on a scale rarely witnessed in China’s recent history. So far, some 45 senior CCP officials, or “tigers,” have been disciplined or are under investigation. Aside from former Chongqing Party boss Bo Xilai, who is now serving a life sentence, Zhou Yongkang, a former head of internal security and member of the Politburo Standing Committee, and General Xu Caihou, a former vice president of China’s Military Commission, have also been targeted. More high-profile heads almost certainly will roll. The CCP’s Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, whose secretary, Wang Qishan, is a Xi ally, is now investigating former President Jiang Zemin’s Shanghai network, whose protégés include Bo, Zhou, Xu, his successor Hu Jintao, and Xi himself. Corruption charges have already been brought against people close to Jiang and Hu. Xi’s campaign is aimed at combating systematic corruption, which he claims is jeopardizing the CCP’s very survival. Even before becoming President, he spoke at length about the Marxist-Leninist concept of “Party purity” in an address to the Central Party School in Beijing in March 2012. The Party, he insisted, can command respect and maintain the legitimacy of its rule only if cadres are obedient, set an example of incorruptibility, and place the nation’s interests above their own. Without a “pure” Party, he said, China’s economic reforms would not succeed. Two weeks later, Bo was removed from office, marking the start of Xi’s anti-corruption campaign. After becoming CCP leader later that year, Xi told a Party meeting in Guangdong that China must heed the lessons of the Soviet Union’s collapse, particularly its failure to maintain Leninist discipline, which had allowed “political rot, ideological heresy, and military disloyalty to undermine the governing party.” The anti-corruption campaign reflects the CCP’s appar-
ent determination to rid itself of vested interests. At its 2013 Third Plenum, the CCP announced 60 goals for economic and governance reforms. Many hope that these changes will help the CCP become more effective, strengthen the role of the market, and avoid the so-called middle-income trap that has ensnared many emerging countries. However, the Party’s rhetoric reveals little about how these goals will be achieved. Indeed, there are worrying signs that the principal architect of the reform agenda, the respected free-market economist Li Keqiang, is already being sidelined. Xi has blocked or revised many of Li’s initiatives concerning debt management, urbanization, the Shanghai Free-Trade Zone, and reform of local government. The problem facing the government is how to maintain strong economic growth while pursuing Xi’s anti-corruption campaign. Weaning the economy off state-dominated institutions, shifting the economy away from credit-fueled investment growth, and focusing more on services, innovation, education, and entrepreneurship will take time – and will upset many key people in the process. Given the difficulty of boosting economic activity while confronting political obstacles, a more realistic medium-term forecast for annual GDP growth is probably around 4%. But the longer the Party shies away from taking the tougher, reformist road, the greater the risk of an even sharper downturn. Though Xi’s efforts to clean up the CCP are a welcome development, the Party itself is part of the problem. Substituting one elite for another will do little to eliminate systemic corruption. The true test
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OPINION
of change will be whether the CCP is prepared to subordinate itself to new, inclusive institutional arrangements that are conducive to economic transformation. When the CCP’s Fourth Plenum meets in October to discuss legal reforms, it will likely focus on how to improve the efficiency of the courts and weaken the power of obstructionist local party officials. It will not, however, seek to establish a properly functioning rule of law. No Party official seriously questions the CCP’s authority over the legal system. Indeed, last year, university lecturers were instructed to avoid classroom discussion of universal values, press freedom, civil rights, the CCP’s historical errors, crony elites, and judicial independence. Xi’s remarkable anti-corruption campaign may enhance the Party’s legitimacy, especially in the eyes of China’s rising middle class. The campaign may even improve some aspects of economic and environmental policy. But so long as fundamental weaknesses and contradictions stemming from the CCP’s monopoly on power remain unchallenged, China’s economy will not be able to achieve the long-term growth that its leaders and citizens desire. George Magnus, an independent economist, consultant, and commentator, is a senior economic adviser at UBS.
Revitalising India’s Manufacturing Industry Increasing the GDP growth rate will be a major task for India’s new government. GDP growth will be critical for eradicating poverty and improving the living standards of India’s population. The economy also faces the daunting challenge of providing employment opportunities to about a million people being added to the job market every month. Rapid expansion of the industrial base of the country through labour intensive manufacturing appears to be the perfect solution to the country’s problems. To make progress on manufacturing, India must seize the opportunity provided by international production sharing networks, which have propelled other emerging economies of Asia forward. Today, the share of manufacturing in the GDPs of China, Thailand and Malaysia is in the range of 25–35 per cent, while in India it is 15 per cent. One advantage of the production network strategy is that it can deliver growth in manufacturing relatively speedily. One of the main reasons for India being an outlier in the development of international production networks is the low stock of forei direct investment
(FDI) in India’s manufacturing sector. After economic reforms India has shed its past ambivalent attitude towards FDI, but shortcomings in the investment environment still deter foreign investors. It is imperative that these are addressed. International production sharing involves large volumes of exports and imports in parts and components and, in some cases, these traverse borders several times. The logistics cost thus becomes the most important element of a country’s investment environment for manufacturing through international production sharing. And, here, India has been found lacking. It needs to improve its gateway infrastructure by substantially scaling up the capacity of its ports, deepening drafts in harbours and channels, and improving the rail and road connectivity of ports. Equally important, it must improve customs procedures and follow international best practices with respect to the electronic data interchange, risk management system and accredited clients program. Internal transport infrastructure also needs attention. Traffic congestion in saturated corri-
dors slows freight movement by the railways and affects its reliability. Dedicated freight corridors are being constructed in two major segments, but more needs to be done to improve the situation countrywide. The road network is not world class, and access-controlled expressways are virtually absent. Another major infrastructure deficiency is the lack of assurance regarding uninterrupted supply of high quality power. Governance is an important issue here, and power theft is sometimes disguised as transmission and distribution losses. The inadequacy of fuel availability for generation has emerged as a critical factor affecting power supply in the country. The lack of affordable land is another impediment. The recently enacted legislation on acquisition and rehabilitation has compounded the problem by raising the price of land steeply and putting formidable procedural hurdles in the way of land acquisition for industrial purposes. Prior consent to land acquisition has to be obtained from 80 per cent of affected families (including agricultural labourers) and a social impact
assessment has to be carried out. At a minimum, these hurdles need to be alleviated. The Government of India also needs to move quickly towards establishing national manufacturing zones, as announced in the national manufacturing policy, so that investors can get speedy access to developed land with the internal infrastructure already provided. Labour laws, too, need a serious review. The laws that make downsizing difficult are not in tune with the globalised world of manufacturing. The emphasis of laws on contract labour should be on regulation rather than abolition: employment on fixed term contracts should be specifically allowed. Trade union legislation needs to be revamped in order to improve the process of collective bargaining and promote harmony in industrial relations. To compete with East Asian countries for FDI inflows, corporate tax levels need to be lowered to 25 per cent. Even more important is the need to impart stability to the taxation regime, renounce retrospective changes, which have vitiated the taxation environment, and bring about greater transparency in imple-
mentation — particularly on transfer pricing. Multiple taxes, including taxes on inter-state transactions, make India a fragmented market and impede the free flow of goods within the country. Lack of a simple tax structure with one or two uniform tax rates increases the cost of compliance by businesses and is a drag on efficiency. A goods and services tax, which is already in the pipeline, needs to be introduced as soon as possible. Improvement in the investment environment will stimulate investment in manufacturing not only by multinational corporations but by domestic enterprises as well. International production networks will gain ground in India through off-shoring as well as outsourcing. Revitalising the manufacturing sector will be critical for the Indian government in ensuring GDP growth and a better future for the nation. Anwarul Hoda and Durgesh Kumar Rai are staff members of the Indian Council for Research on International Economic Relations (ICRIER) in New Delhi. The views expressed here are not necessarily those of ICRIER.
INTERNATIONAL NEWS
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In Jakarta, Gangs Prosper Where Rule of Law Falters
Suspected gang members are paraded before cameras by police at Tanjung Priok, North Jakarta. In the 1980s, under Suharto, suspected gangsters were summarily executed at night. (Antara Photo/Wahyu Putro)
T
he presence of gangsters in Jakartans’ everyday life is hardly a fiction limited only to Indonesian action movies. From traditional markets to modern businesses, organized crime has taken root, and the authorities, despite the recent crackdowns, still have a long way to go towards eradicating it. A young Jakarta-based lawyer, who prefers to be identified only as A. F., says his job as a business attorney has brought him into contact with a group of gangsters hired by his clients. The gangsters, the attorney said, have been mostly employed to help his creditor clients collect debts. “My clients desire to resolve [debt] disputes immediately, considering the large amount of money loaned. This method [deploying gangsters] is the most effective way [to collect debts] and satisfy my clients’ wishes,” he told the Jakarta Globe recently. A. F. said gangsters were commonly hired in cases where his client alleges a breach of contract concerning debt settlements. Legal experts say this highlights a deeper problem in Indonesian society: lack of trust in institutions to uphold the rule of law, settle disputes in a timely manner and enforce judicial decisions. Formal legal procedures to retrieve such debts are often convoluted and cost a lot of money, A. F. says, with no guarantee that the money can be immediately retrieved. He said the employment of gangsters is not against the law, as long as they didn’t harm anyone. In the context of debt collection, gangsters typically coerce targets into discharging their debts by threat or use of force — both of which are illegal under Article 368 of the Criminal Code, among other statutes. “It should be underlined that these thugs do not collect debts by force, coercion or threats,” A. F. said. “If the debtors refuse to pay, these thugs will not hesitate to encamp in
front of their houses. That action will certainly make debtors stressed and humiliate them before their neighbors, thus forcing them to pay the debts.” The legality of even this modus operandi would seem dubious at best when read against Article 335 of the Criminal Code, which bars “offensive treatment.” To create “intimidating effects,” A. F. added, many of the gangsters hired by his clients were well-built physically and had heavy voices, such as an eastern Indonesian man named Noce, whom A. F. knows personally. Noce comes from the Tanimbar Islands, Central Maluku. His “successful” gangster life in Jakarta has allowed him to easily recruit younger fellow Tanimbar Islanders to join the thug group he now heads — all of whom currently live in a dormitory in Setiabudi, Central Jakarta. A. F. said Noce had influential acquaintances, including lawyers, politicians and businessmen. As long as legal process for debt settlements remains complicated and costly, men like Noce and his underlings will continue to be employed, A. F. said. R. R., another Jakarta-based lawyer, agreed. “The bureaucratic settlement of debts via the police is very complicated… It often causes only financial losses to my creditor clients,” he said. R. R. said hiring gangsters was usually the last option after borrowers ignored his clients’ demands for them to pay the debts. He said many gangsters he knew, were in fact mobilized by former members of the military, including those who have close relations with Indonesian political elites. Each service call they do for those well-connected clients costs between Rp 15 million and Rp 35 million ($1,250 and $2,900). “The cost depends on the level of difficulty of each individual case,” R. R. said. Organized criminals are also very active in Jakarta’s tra-
ditional markets. And they may not be as “clean” as the two lawyers claimed. Rahardja, a tenant at Pasar Bulak in Klender, East Jakarta, said a local thug called Fauzi was an unofficial ruler of the market who frequently extorts money from vendors. “He regularly extorts from us between Rp 50,000 and Rp 200,000,” Rahardja said. Rahardja said Fauzi had been imprisoned after stabbing a papaya seller to death, after the vendor refused to give him money, in 2007. Fauzi was released from prison after only two years. “He was released and is back to ruling this market ever since,” Rahardja said. Although organized criminal activities have continued to proliferate in the capital, only the West Jakarta Police seem so far to have taken notice, establishing a special Gangster Hunter Team, or TPP. “With West Jakarta’s rapidly growing economic potential, many entrepreneurs have begun to invest in West Jakarta. But the presence of thug groups … annoys business people because they often become targets of extortion,” said Adj. Sr. Comr. Hengki Haryadi, head of the West Jakarta Police’s general crimes unit. Hengki said the TPP consisted of 30 members skilled in undercover surveillance and law enforcement, and were familiar with the West Jakarta scene. In the two years, the squad has arrested 363 alleged gangsters. This led to a “drastic” decline in criminal cases, from more than 30 cases in 2013, to just four cases this year, as of September, Hengki said. “[This squad] is our way of tackling the gangsters who have continued to develop and grow stronger,” he said. “Repressive measures are needed to provide a deterrent effect on other gangsters [who have not been arrested].” Organized criminals in West Jakarta often extorted local property businessmen into hiring them for security services,
Hengki said, citing the case of Hercules, the infamous “gangster king” of Tanah Abang, a major textile trade center in Central Jakarta. “As in the case of Hercules, because of fear, businessmen usually comply with their ‘offers,’ ” Hengki said. One businessman, for example, paid Rp 400 million demanded by Hercules, in exchange for providing “protection” for the businessman’s 6.9 hectare property in Kembangan, West Jakarta. “Hercules’s henchmen then demanded an additional Rp 250 million. After that, [the businessman] reported the case to police,” Hengki said. After decades of ruling Jakarta’s underground unscathed, Hercules was arrested and sentenced to three years in jail for money laundering in May. Hengki said many Jakarta gangsters hid behind organizations such as the Betawi Communication Forum (Forkabi), the Red-and-White Army ( Laskar Merah Putih ), the Beta-
wi Brotherhood Forum (FBR) and Pancasila Youth ( Pemuda Pancasila ). Adrianus Meliala, a commissioner at the National Police’s supervisory commission (Kompolnas), said many gangsters had been marginalized from society. “He who was once a nobody and now he has turned into somebody,” Adrianus said. Over time, gangsters have “professionalized” into businesses such as debt collection and land tenure enforcement. “Ironically, it can be said that gangsterism has provided many jobs to the communities,” Adrianus, said. University of Indonesia criminologist Iqraq Sulhin said organized crime is a social issue that requires “social approaches” that cannot be solved by repressive actions law enforcement alone. “If left unchecked, [organized crime] may lead to a state of the banality of crime, in which people consider the act of gangsters to be legitimate,” Iqra said. Jakarta Globe
Thai Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha this week urged academics not to just talk about democracy and election among others but to talk about the dark side of politicians, how politicians should behave and how the people should vote to prevent bad politicians from getting elected. In his weekly speech on Returning Happiness to the Thai People programme, the prime minister said, however, he didn’t mind academics teach or talk politics but it should be done in a way which is provocative or inciting trouble. “We are in the process of reforming the country to get rid of corruption, to bring about true democracy, fairness, non-discrimination and not just election alone – election which will bring in unqualified politicians,” he said. General Prayuth said he hoped the academics would understand what he was talking about “if they are not biased”. “You claim for democracy sake, you want to teach politics claiming that if politics is not taught how can people know politics.
But there tens of thousand ways for politics to be understood. Why not teach the politicians on how they should behave? How the people should choose their representatives?” The prime minister said he wonder any academics had taught about the negative side of populist policies. “I have never heard they talked about this. They talked about democracy and election and when there was a conflict they could not solve the conflict and, therefore, they should stop, find other ways to teach their students. “It is not that a particular institution must teach politics, must be outstanding in politics. No, it isn’t. I figure they should teach the people to be able to get a job, to be good. If they teach politics alone and then there is quarrel, it is pointless,” said the prime minister. He also warned the media not to oversensationalise or to expand a conflict unintentionally as there are some foreign media which will refer to the Thai media to report in a way which is damaging to Thailand. PBS
Thai PM Asks Academics To Talk Less On Politics
Thai Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha
THE SOUTHEAST ASIA WEEKLY / SEPTEMBER 28-OCTOBER 04, 2014
11 REGIONAL REVIEW
REGIONAL REVIEW US Economic Growth Revised Upward To 4.6%
The US economy expanded in the spring of this year. Its gross domestic product grew an annualized 4 point 6 percent. This is up by 0 point 4 percent from last month’s estimate. The US Commerce Department on Friday released its revised GDP figures for the April to June quarter. The 4 point 6 percent annual growth is the biggest gain since the fourth quarter of 2011. Reasons cited included the pace of growth in business investment at 9 point 7 percent, up 1 point 3 percent from previous estimates. An increase in housing investments also raised the GDP. This growth was 8 point 8 percent, up 1 point 6 percent from earlier estimates. Exports also rose by 11 point 1 percent, up 1 percent from previous projections. Consumer spending, which accounts for roughly 70 percent of GDP, was up 2 point 5 percent, as predicted. Market players view the latest results as confirmation that the US economy steadily recovered between spring and summer, after corporate activity and housing investment stalled as a result of the winter’s record cold. Attention is focused on whether the United States will maintain its growth in the third quarter and onwards./
Islamic State Threat In Turkey Destabilize Country
Kurds in Turkey clashed with Turkish security forces on Friday as they were trying to help their fellow Kurds in Syria. Tens of thousands of Kurds in Syria have fled into neighboring Turkey to avoid an onslaught of Islamic State militants. The Sunni insurgents in northern Syria have been gaining control of Kurdish villages in recent days and are fast approaching Syria’s border with Turkey. Some 150 thousand Kurds and other residents have crossed the border into Turkey since September 19th. Several thousand Turkish Kurds made their way to the border in the town of Suruc to join the Kurds fighting in Syria. Some threw rocks at security forces as they attempted to cross the border. Clashes began when Turkish security forces stopped them with water cannons and tear gas. Smoke could be seen rising in the area as armored vehicles and ambulances were called in. Turkey’s government has been strengthening its border patrols after US-led air raids began this week against Islamic State positions in northern Syria. But the country’s security has worsened. Some 1.5 million Syrians
have fled to Turkey in the past three-and-a-half years, testing the country’s limits./
British Parliament Approves Air Raids In Iraq
The British parliament voted in favor of the government’s request to conduct air strikes against Islamic State militants in Iraq. The approval on Friday gives the green light to Britain’s military to soon join the US-led campaign. Before the voting, Prime Minister David Cameron expressed a sense of crisis towards the militant group. He said that if the threat was left answered, Britain would face a terrorist Caliphate on the shores of the Mediterranean. Cameron noted that the militants have already murdered a British aid worker and has threatened to take 2 more lives. He said the threat of extremist beliefs can already be felt in the country, as young Britons have gone to join the fight in the war-torn areas. Britain has been wary of military intervention in the Middle East since previously fighting a war alongside the United States in Iraq. The British parliament’s decision to join this campaign comes as the Sunni extremists are seen as posing a direct threat to the British people. But Cameron is against conducting air raids in Syria. He says he will seek the approval of the parliament should he decide sometime in the future to take part in a bombing campaign in that country./
Abe Pledges To Contribute To UN Peacekeeping
Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has joined world leaders in a joint statement pledging support for the strengthening of UN peacekeeping activities. Abe attended a peacekeeping summit on Friday on the sidelines of the annual UN General Assembly in New York. US Vice President Joe Biden proposed the meeting to discuss issues faced by UN peacekeeping operations. Leaders of some 30 countries, including Pakistan, Bangladesh and Rwanda, also took part. Abe said that peacekeeping activities continue to increase, while the responsibilities of peacekeepers continue to diver-
sify. He said it is significant that countries that are major contributors to the budget for these operations, and nations that are the largest contributors of troops, cooperate with one another. Abe also said Japan will further commit to future peacekeeping efforts, and contribute to the training of peacekeepers and civilian experts provided by the United Nations. In the joint statement, participants assured their support for the necessary assistance needed to undertake UN peacekeeping missions. They also agreed to support a review of the peacekeeping framework promoted by UN Secretary General Ban Kimoon./
Soviet era. This trip is the first in 17 years for a Russian woman cosmonaut. Serova will stay at the International Space Station until March next year. Although the rift between Russia and Western countries is deepening over Ukraine, cooperation related to the International Space Station is proceeding as planned./
The International Atomic Energy Agency has adopted a resolution condemning North Korea’s nuclear development. IAEA member states unanimously adopted the resolution on Friday, the final day of the annual general assembly at IAEA headquarters in Vienna. Sixty countries, including Japan, the United States and South Korea, jointly proposed the resolution. The UN atomic watchdog says North Korea has shown signs that it has restarted a research reactor at the Nyongbyon nuclear complex. Officials say their analysis of satellite images has detected releases of steam and cooling water at the reactor. The resolution calls on North Korea to halt its nuclear activities, and refrain from conducting further nuclear tests. A US representative said the resolution is intended to send Pyongyang a strong message that the world body will not overlook North Korea’s nuclear development, which threatens global security. IAEA inspectors have not set foot in North Korea since they were expelled 5 years ago./
US-led Airstrikes Pound Rebel Strongholds In Syria
IAEA Adopts Resolution Condemning Pyongyang
4th Russian Female Cosmonaut Arrives At ISS
Russia’s 4th female cosmonaut has arrived at the International Space Station for a 5-anda-half-month stay. The Soyuz spacecraft lifted off early on Friday local time from the Baikonur launch site in Kazakhstan. On board were Elena Serova and 2 other astronauts from Russia and the US. The spaceship docked with the International Space Station after about 6 hours of travel. The 3 joined American, Russian, and German astronauts who are staying at the station. Serova is Russia’s fourth female cosmonaut following Valentina Tereshkova who was the world’s first woman to travel in a spacecraft during the
US-led nations continued airstrikes on strongholds of the Islamic State militant group and oil-related facilities under its control in Syria on Thursday and Friday. More Syrian citizens are reportedly fleeing their homes to avoid the bombing. A Syrian anti-government group says the attacks targeted militant positions and other sites in the eastern province of Deir al-Zor and the northern province of Hasakah. The group says an air campaign on Thursday night killed 14 Islamic State fighters. Another anti-government organization says air raids on Deir al-Zor mainly targeted oilrelated facilities that finance the militants. An opposition activist in the northern city of Raqqa, the Islamic State’s main base, told NHK over the phone that 4 rounds of airstrikes were conducted in the area on Thursday. The activist said militants countered the attacks using anti-aircraft artillery and other weapons and that they were dispersed to avoid damage. 40 percent of the residents of Raqqa have reportedly fled to the suburbs or the Turkish border in fear of airstrikes./
G4 Ministers Confirm Joint Effort On UNSC Reform
Japan, Brazil, Germany and India have confirmed they will closely cooperate to seek reform of the UN Security Council. The so-called Group of Four nations held a foreign ministerial-level meeting in New York on Thursday. They are all seeking permanent membership of the Security Council. The foreign ministers, including Fumio Kishida from Japan, agreed that reform of the UN council is a pressing issue. They said in a joint statement that it has become difficult for the Security Council
to effectively deal with current international challenges. The structure of the council has barely changed since the founding of the UN, while the number of its members has increased significantly. The ministers agreed on close cooperation so that substantive UNSC reforms will be worked out before the General Assembly next year, the 70th anniversary of the UN’s founding. The ministers also reaffirmed the need to gain the support of UN members in a vote on a draft resolution proposed by the G4. This calls for an increase in the number of permanent and non-permanent seats on the Security Council. They confirmed that they will strengthen cooperation with countries, including African nations, which are eager to reform the council./
World Leaders Pledge Aid To Combat Ebola At UN
World leaders have pledged extra aid to help combat the Ebola outbreak in West Africa at a UN meeting. A special summit on Ebola was held at the UN General Assembly in New York on Thursday. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and US President Barack Obama took part, along with leaders of international organizations. UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said more than 200 people die of Ebola every day. He urged the international community to unite and take measures to prevent further spread of the disease. President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf of Liberia, which has the largest number of Ebola patients, spoke through a video call. The president said children who are bleeding and vomiting are being separated from their parents and parents are not allowed to bid farewell to the remains of their children. Johnson Sirleaf called for support from UN member states, saying the spread of Ebola threatens people’s standard of living and the economy. President Obama said Ebola is a potential threat to the world. He said if everyone moves fast, hundreds of thousands of lives can be saved. The World Bank pledged additional aid to bring the total of its financing to 400 million dollars. Japan announced 40 million dollars’ worth of extra aid. Tokyo also plans to provide additional support, including providing medicine for Ebola developed by a Japanese company and dispatching medical workers. More than 2,900 people have died or are suspected to have died of Ebola in West African countries./
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SEPTEMBER 28-OCTOBER 04, 2014 / THE SOUTHEAST ASIA WEEKLY
Mayweather Blasts ‘Broke, Desperate’ Pacquiao
Although Nguyen Thi Loan has been posted on the website of Miss World 2014 as representing Vietnam in their pageant in London this December, local authorities say they have not licensed her yet. Loan was 2nd runner-up in the Miss Ethnic Vietnam 2013 and is managed by Elite Vietnam. However, the Vietnamese Department of Performing Arts has said that, to date, they have not yet issued a license to Loan permitting her to take part in Miss World 2014. A representative from the department said, on September 25 that they had not yet received any proposal for granting the license from Elite Vietnam. He added that if the document for the license recommendation is legitimate, the department would be willing to grant the license to Loan according to law. Mrs. Thuy Nga, director of Elite, said that, because she is currently abroad, so she is unable to provide information about the issue. Nga added, however, that Loan would make a great candidate for the pageant because of her knowledge, composure and appearance. Loan, 25, born in Thai Binh Province, is 1.76 metres tall. She once won the Miss Sea title, and was in the top five of the Miss Vietnam 2010 pageant. She also ranked third in the Miss Ethnic Vietnam beauty contest in 2013. Her actions to protect the environment and other socially conscious activities have been highly appreciated among her fans. VNNet
MANILA, Philippines – Floyd Mayweather is once again engaging Manny Pacquiao, not in the ring but in thrash talking. The brash American took time to take a swipe anew at Pacquiao, this time focusing on the Filipino icon’s financial state and pay-per-view marketability. In a post he made on Twitter and Instagram, Mayweather included three photos of Pacquiao showing him on the canvass during his fourth fight with Juan Manuel Marquez in 2012. Pacquiao hit the deck twice during that bout, the second one a scary sight as the Filipino southpaw hit the floor face-first and became unconscious. “..Miss Pac Man is broke and desperate for a pay day. Your Pay-Per-View numbers are a joke,” Mayweather wrote in the caption. The social media post comes amid renewed clamor for Mayweather to face Pacquiao in a fight seen to be the richest ever in the sport. The World Boxing Council recently declared its support in the megabuck bout,
and Pacquiao’s trainer Freddie Roach called out boxing broadcasters HBO and Showtime to help make the fight happen. Mayweather holds the record for the most-watched boxing match on PPV, with his 2007 showdown with Oscar Dela Hoya selling 2.4 million units amounting to around $136 million in revenue. It surpassed the previous record of 1.99 million PPV units sold by the second bout between Evander Holyfield and Mike Tyson in 1997. Pacquiao, meanwhile, has seen a decline in his PPV numbers, especially his fight with Brandon Rios in Macau in Macau in 2013. He is likewise currently dealing with tax issues both in the Philippines and in the US, likely the reason for Mayweather mocking him for his purported financial difficulties. Mayweather outpointed Marcos Maidana in their rematch last September 14, while Pacquiao has a fight lined up in Macau this November against Chris Algieri. Philstar
Growing Number Of Singles In Singapore SINGAPORE: Singlehood rates are among the highest for lower-educated Singaporean men in their 30s and 40s, and higher educated women in Singapore, according to the country’s latest Population report released on Thursday (Sep 25). The statistics show a growing number of singles in this country, and when they do marry, it’s at a much later age. 35 per cent of men between the ages of 35 and 39 who had secondary education or less were single in 2013. Comparatively, only 23 per cent of those with university education were single. As the men get older, about 28 per cent who had secondary education or less remained single. Comparatively, only 14 per cent of men between the ages of 40 and 44 who had degrees remained single. In contrast, 26 per cent women between the ages of 35 and 39 who have had university education were single last year. As they hit their early 40s, about 20 per cent remained single. Observers say these figures are worrying against the backdrop of a shrinking and greying population. “When they get older and they are home alone,
so to speak, it could be a problem because they have no one to take care of them, psychologically and financially,” said Dr Chung Wai-Keung, Assistant Professor of Sociology at the Singapore Management University. For less-educated men with lower incomes, this means their CPF savings will also be lower, and this could be a problem if they remain single as they get older, he said. For the women with higher levels of education, “it is less of a problem but it’s still something the Government needs to take care of”.
“In 10 years time, they need to re-evaluate the situation, in response to this increasing rate of singlehood. Definitely they should provide a better public health system. In terms of housing, there maybe housing for single persons,” said Dr Chung. He also suggested building a community dominated by single persons and add to it other public service facilities, much like what Hong Kong is doing. Many of the less-educated men tend to turn to foreign brides from developing countries. There were more than 5,000 marriages between Singaporean
Floyd Mayweather to Manny Pacquiao: You are broke and desperate. File photo
men and foreign women last year. Counsellor Willie Chien said such marriages bring their own set of social problems: “We have spouses coming from Thailand, Batam, China and also from Vietnam, Many of these people struggle to find acceptance and support locally. So if that particular person, for whatever reason, is separated from her husband, then she is left all alone to fend for herself.” The number of women marrying foreign spouses is also going up. There were more than 1,500 marriages involving Singaporean brides and foreign grooms last year, nearly double the figure compared to 10 years ago. However, a match-maker Channel NewsAsia spoke to said that marrying someone seen to be less qualified may soon become the norm for women, as attitudes towards finding a life partner changes. Said Ms Anisa Hassan, Managing Director for the matchmaking service It’s Just Lunch: “It’s natural for women to be looking for an academic equal or somebody who
earns in similar income bracket as them. But their priorities change as they get into their late 30s or 40s. So there is going to be a big reversal in trend, I foresee.” In most Asian societies, the man is often seen as the breadwinner of the family and the one in charge, and this is compounded by the view that education, income and prestige are closely intertwined. Senior Research Fellow at the Institute of Policy Studies Dr Yap Mui Teng believes such perceptions are likely to change when there are more pathways to success. “I guess this phenomenon will only go away when education and income and prestige are not so closely tied together, so that males who do not do well academically but are skilled in other ways may be equally wellregarded in society and make equally good incomes,” he said. “This will probably take time. With the rising educational levels in the country, hopefully this will ameliorate the situation somewhat.” - CNA/do