By Joseph Sipalan A cryptic promise from Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has become the latest lightning rod for Malaysia’s restless public, whose patience is wearing thin after months of new taxes, political scandals and economic anxiety. Late on Monday, Anwar posted a stylised silhouette and the words Akan Datang (Coming Soon) across his social media […]
Read MorePHNOM PENH, Cambodia (AP) — Cambodia’s Prime Minister Hun Manet said Monday that his country will implement military conscription starting next year, in an announcement that coincides with persistent border tensions with Thailand. Relations between the neighbors have deteriorated sharply following an armed confrontation on May 28 in which one Cambodian soldier was killed in […]
Read MoreIndonesia has ruled out any military operation to secure the release of controversial social media personality and fashion designer Arnold Putra, who is serving a seven-year prison sentence in Myanmar, and is instead turning to defence diplomacy and quiet negotiations to resolve a case that has become a political headache in Jakarta. Arnold, 33, known […]
Read MoreBy Hadi Azmi Malaysia’s judicial crisis deepened over the weekend after a leaked memo revealed serious allegations against Federal Court Judge Terrirudin Salleh, as lawyers marched to Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s office on Monday to protest against alleged executive interference in the judiciary. Anwar has come under mounting pressure over the scandal, with lawmakers from […]
Read MoreSix senior monks in Thailand have been defrocked and two others are missing after authorities uncovered tens of thousands of pornographic images and videos allegedly featuring a woman in sexual acts with high-ranking clergy – a scandal that has rocked the kingdom’s conservative Buddhist establishment. The investigation began after the sudden disappearance of the abbot […]
Read MoreBy Hadi Azmi and Joseph Sipalan A fresh quandary may be brewing in Malaysia’s ruling People’s Justice Party (PKR), after Deputy President Nurul Izzah Anwar joined a march calling for judicial independence while her party weighs disciplinary action on her peers for demanding an investigation into alleged meddling in the country’s judiciary. Nurul Izzah, the […]
Read MoreBy Naruemon Chaingam When Tim Grassin sold his fintech start-up in the Philippines, he mapped out his next move the way any good analyst would: with a spreadsheet. After comparing the region’s top destinations for remote workers, the French-Canadian entrepreneur landed on the Thai capital. “Bangkok won,” he told This Week in Asia. Drawn by […]
Read MoreBy Sam Beltran A Filipino documentary spotlighting the daily struggles of fishermen, naval cooks and coastguard personnel in the contested South China Sea has earned international recognition, with its director telling This Week in Asia that the award was a validation of honest storytelling in the face of political pressure from Beijing to cancel its […]
Read MoreMalaysian former prime minister Mahathir Mohamad has been discharged from hospital, his office said on Sunday, after being admitted for fatigue following a picnic celebration for his 100th birthday. Mahathir, leader of the Southeast Asian nation for more than two decades, has a history of heart problems and has undergone bypass surgeries. He has been […]
Read MoreMalaysian police are investigating a complaint about deviant activities such as naked dancing and “holy cleansing baths” being performed during a family motivational event. Police said the report was filed at the end of February over an incident that was held at a convention centre in Shah Alam, a predominantly Malay-Muslim enclave about 30km (19 […]
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