Malaysia is making "some arrangement" with Indonesia to take ownership of a luxury yacht linked to a multi-billion-dollar financial scandal, a government spokesman said Sunday.The Cayman Islands-registered Equanimity, believed to be worth some US$250 million, was seized in February off the Indonesian tourist island of Bali.
Foreign Ministers of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) gathered in Singapore over the weekend for the 51st ASEAN Foreign Ministers Meeting and Post Ministerial Conferences.
For President Joko Widodo, the Indonesian economy is offering little cheer as he gears up to run for a second term.Growth is nowhere near the seven percent Widodo envisioned when he took office in 2014, and he has to once again contend with a currency rout and a widening current-account deficit.
Last week, Myanmar seemingly made steps towards being accountable for the Rohingya crisis that has been ongoing for the past year. The country established a new Commission of Inquiry to investigate allegations of human rights abuses in the Rakhine state. This move is a long time coming as criticism of the government’s inaction in the crisis has been growing. The Commission of Inquiry will comprise of four people – two Burmese and two international members.
China wants to stage joint military exercises with Southeast Asian nations in disputed waters, according to a draft document, but insists other countries should be excluded in what analysts say is a bid to diminish the United States’ (US) influence.Beijing's suggestions, which also call for joint oil and gas exploration, as part of efforts to expand its influence in the South China Sea, which it claims almost entirely, and to push back at Washington which has backed countries with overla
Monsoon rains have pummelled the Mekong region in recent days with Myanmar bearing the brunt of flooding that has forced 150,000 to flee and threatens to destroy levees shielding thousands of homes.The swirling inundations have started to recede in some areas in the low-lying southeast but the country is only just entering peak monsoon season and more downpours are expected in the coming weeks.Thousands were either unable or have refused to leave their half-submerged homes, peering out from u
Southeast Asia and Europe stressed the importance of pushing back against protectionism and the threat of global trade wars Friday, as their ministers work towards the eventual goal of a region-to-region free trade pact.The United States (US) is embroiled in trade spats with China and close allies including the European Union (EU), imposing tit-for-tat tariffs on billions of dollars’ worth of goods and heightening fears of economic pain that could spread worldwide.At a meeting in Singapore, E
When Indonesians went to the polls for the country’s 2004 general election, they voted for only 11.1 percent women's representation in parliament. This equated to a very small increase from the 9.6 percent representation following the 1999 general election. The result was disappointing as a new quota system was introduced the year before stipulating that 30 percent of all nominees in each electoral district must be women.
When the National League of Defence won the general elections in 2015, paving the way for Myanmar’s first non-military president in over half a century, many farmers sensed a renewed hope for the nation. In fact, Aung San Suu Kyi’s pledge to tackle the issue of land grabbing and to protect farmers in the country was one of the reasons for her victory.
A new commission set up by Myanmar to look into human rights abuses in Rakhine state has been criticised by observers on Tuesday as a "political gimmick", as the country tries to stave off further censure over its treatment of its Rohingya Muslims.The government announced Monday evening that an "independent" commission of inquiry had been established but gave no details about its remit, powers or the timeframe given to complete its report.The military tore through Rohingya
United States (US) Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has called for a "free and open" Indo-Pacific region Monday, taking aim at China ahead of a trip to Southeast Asia to promote America's strategic vision for Asia.Pompeo will depart later this week on a trip to Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia to hammer home the Trump administration's commitment to the region, and also press for denuclearisation in North Korea.The trip comes at a time of tension with Beijing over its moves
The discovery of 28 abandoned human-trafficking camps and multiple unmarked mass graves in the dense jungle of Wang Kelian near the Thai-Malaysia border in May 2015 sent a shock wave through ASEAN and the rest of the world. Almost 800 victims were suspected to have been held in squalid conditions, in crudely built wooden cages and barbed wire that were too small for adults to even stand in.
