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ISEAS Library Selects
Daily News on the Southeast Asian Region
24 September 2020 (pm) - 25 September 2020 (am)
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Greetings
This is a daily information alert service containing articles and commentaries from international and regional news sources. The alert is released every Monday to Friday, focussing on Southeast Asia and special topics relevant to ISEAS' research interests. You can click on any of the links below to directly access the subject of your immediate interest. If you think your friends and colleagues would find this alert useful, please invite them to subscribe.
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Country Studies
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Southeast Asia Countries
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Brunei Darussalam
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Laos
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Timor-Leste (East Timor)
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Region
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East/South China Sea
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Special Interests (A-Z)
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 Cambodia
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1.
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Cambodia Reflects on 27th Anniversary of Constitution as Rights Situation Deteriorates: Cambodia Thursday (Sept. 24) celebrated the 27th anniversary of the proclamation of its 1993 Constitution with the ruling party expressing its commitment to continue to abide by its terms, and NGOs expressing concerns regarding recent arrests of political, human-rights and environmental-protection activists who were exercising rights stipulated in the constitution. In a post on his Facebook page on Sept. 24, Prime Minister Hun Sen recapped events that led to the adoption of the constitution.
Cambodianess, 24 September 2020
https://cambodianess.com/article/cambodia-reflects-on-27th-anniversary-of-constitution-as-rights-situation-deteriorates
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Praise and brickbats for Cambodian Constitution: Ministry of Justice spokesman Chin Malin said Cambodia's Constitution is based on modern values and Khmer values. He said Cambodia has consistently implemented every principle of modern democracy provided in the Constitution, including the principles of rights and freedoms, free and fair elections, division of power and the rule of law. Still, some worry that the Constitution hasn't been implemented appropriately.
Phnom Penh Post, 24 September 2020
https://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/praise-and-brickbats-cambodian-constitution
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Indonesia
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COVID-19: Indonesia gives free Bali staycations to test tourism readiness: Indonesia is offering free tours and staycations to 4,440 residents of its resort island of Bali, in a seven-week tourism dry-run to promote the international holiday hotspot and test its coronavirus health protocols. Authorities halted tourism in Indonesia's prime attraction in April to prevent the spread of the virus, devastating its economy. Though it reopened for local visitors in July, it is struggling to get back on track and has also seen infection numbers climb.
Channel News Asia, 25 September 2020
https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/asia/covid-19-indonesia-gives-free-bali-staycations-tourism-readiness-13142774
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Bahaya di Depan Mata Jika Pilkada tak Ditunda [Imminent danger if local elections are not postponed]: Hal senada disampaikan banyak tokoh, termasuk wakil presiden 2014-2019, Jusuf Kalla. Ini sinyal kuat kekhawatiran publik kian meluas atas ketidaksiapan penyelenggaraan pilkada pada musim pandemi. Benang merah permintaan penundaan pilkada terlihat jelas, yakni kekhawatiran tinggi pilkada menjadi klaster baru penyebaran Covid-19.
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KPU bans rallies, concerts for regional polls: The General Elections Commission (KPU) has completely banned candidates running in the December regional elections from holding rallies or other crowd-pulling events, such as concerts, bazaars and art performances, as the campaign season draws near. The prohibition is laid out in the latest regulation the KPU issued on Wednesday to revise a previous regulation that allowed rallies and concerts, which might have become sources of coronavirus transmission. The new policy allows only online events on social media and video conferencing platforms during the campaign period, which begins on Saturday and lasts until a few days before voting day.
Jakarta Post, 24 September 2020
https://www.thejakartapost.com/paper/2020/09/24/kpu-bans-rallies-concerts-for-regional-polls.html
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One year on '#ReformasiDikorupsi' has fizzled out : On Sept. 23, Indonesia marked one year of #ReformasiDikorupsi (reform corrupted), a hashtag that accompanied last year's nationwide street rallies against controversial bills. Looking at the present day, however, observers say that civil movements in the country in general need to be resilient in voicing issues.
Jakarta Post, 24 September 2020
https://www.thejakartapost.com/paper/2020/09/24/one-year-on-reformasidikorupsi-has-fizzled-out.html
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Sharia finance gains traction amid pandemic: OJK :Indonesia's Islamic finance has gained traction amid the coronavirus pandemic as the industry's assets rose significantly and sharia banks recorded a jump in corporate profit, signaling a growing industry previously plagued with low demand. The assets of the country's sharia finance industry reached Rp 1.639 quadrillion (US$111.1 billion) as of July this year, an increase of 20.6 percent compared to the same period last year, according to the Financial Services Authority (OJK), with the industry's market share now at 9.68 percent of the Indonesian financial industry.
Jakarta Post, 24 September 2020
https://www.thejakartapost.com/paper/2020/09/24/sharia-finance-gains-traction-amid-pandemic-ojk.html
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Editorial - Looking for Leadership: AS the Covid-19 pandemic becomes more and more serious, the debate that pits public health against economic recovery is increasingly irrelevant. Unfortunately, it is this very debate that surfaced when a number of ministers criticized the implementation of large-scale social restrictions (PSBB) in the capital.
Tempo, 24 September 2020
https://en.tempo.co/read/1389719/looking-for-leadership
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Malaysia
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Economists laud Kita Prihatin package: Two economists have welcomed the RM10 billion worth of initiatives under the Kita Prihatin stimulus package announced on Wednesday. Barjoyai Bardai of Universiti Tun Abdul Razak said Putrajaya had made good its pledge "to be a caring government", adding that the subsidies would bring relief to millions of families facing difficulties as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Free Malaysia Today, 25 September 2020
https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2020/09/25/economists-laud-kita-prihatin-package/
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Ahmad Maslan denies he is finance minister No. 2 as alleged in viral list of 'new Cabinet ministers', says will never cooperate with Guan Eng: Pontian MP, Datuk Ahmad Maslan denied the list of Cabinet members making rounds mentioning his name to be Malaysia's finance minister number two together with DAP Secretary-General Lim Guan Eng should the alleged formation of the new government led by PKR president, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim takes place. Ahmad, who is also the Umno secretary-general stressed that it was not possible for him to be working with Lim through the pact, as they have two very differing opinions.
Malay Mail Online, 25 September 2020
https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2020/09/25/ahmad-maslan-denies-he-is-finance-minister-no-2-as-alleged-in-in-viral-list/1906523
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Envoy to China: Malaysia not a 'pawn', won't heed US' sanctions against 24 Chinese companies: Malaysia will not take sides and follow United States' sanctions on 24 Chinese companies that the superpower accused of advancing China's militarisation, Malaysian Ambassador to China Raja Datuk Nushirwan Zainal Abidin reportedly said. In a recent interview with Beijing-aligned Global Times, Raja Nushirwan said that while tensions are rising between the two economic giants over South China Sea issues, Malaysia's foreign policy has stressed on good relations with all countries and will not be a "pawn" to anyone.
Malay Mail Online, 25 September 2020
https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2020/09/25/envoy-to-china-malaysia-not-a-pawn-wont-heed-us-sanctions-against-24-chines/1906468
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Govt debt may exceed 62 pct of GDP: Malaysian government debt is estimated to rise to over 62 per cent of gross domestic product (GDP) this year given the higher fiscal deficit following the latest RM10 billion Kita Prihatin stimulus. Economists and analysts, however, said the spike in debt ratio was justifiable in an environment of economic turbulence, so long as the government commits to taper it down once the economy stabilises.
New Straits Times, 25 September 2020
https://www.nst.com.my/business/2020/09/627133/govt-debt-may-exceed-62-pct-gdp
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Case for Chinese youth to enlist in military: Currently the ethnic composition of the armed forces is predominantly of one race, an undesired result of the policy Mindef wants changed - but is unsuccessful so far. What used to be around 30% non-Malays composition in the 1970s is now less than 2%. Ethnic Chinese currently make up less than 0.5%.
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Sime Darby refutes claims of exploitation of prisoners: SIME Darby Plantation (SDP) today denied exploiting prisoners for forced labour on its plantations. The agricultural giant said it has always upheld the fundamental human rights of its prison workers, which it calls parolees.
Malaysian Insight, 24 September 2020
https://www.themalaysianinsight.com/s/274514
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Wage Subsidy 2.0 helps sustain businesses, employees': The extension of the Wage Subsidy Programme (Wage Subsidy 2.0) for another three months until Dec 2020 provides the much needed support for industries in sustaining their business and safeguarding employment. This is as businesses continue to face recovery challenges in the second half of 2020, especially in terms of lower projected domestic and export sales.
New Straits Times, 24 September 2020
https://www.nst.com.my/news/nation/2020/09/626890/wage-subsidy-20-helps-sustain-businesses-employees
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The Malay sentiment is the Malaysian sentiment: Let's not politicize these basic needs. Everyone wants to ensure they have food on their table; everyone wants the best possible pathway for a successful future for their children. We hold these principles closely and we will ensure Malaysia will be revived as Asian giants.
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Myanmar
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Give voice to the Rohingya: The Rohingya saga has been prominent in some international headlines of late. In addition to the mass exodus, with nearly 300 Rohingya drifting to the shores of Indonesia's Aceh province after spending months at sea, another major cause for concern is the deprivation of voting rights of those Rohingya remaining in western Rakhine state as well as the one million refugees living in neighbouring Bangladesh.
Bangkok Post, 25 September 2020
https://www.bangkokpost.com/opinion/opinion/1991111/give-voice-to-the-rohingya
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Myanmar Election Will Fail to Meet Proper Standards: UN - Myanmar's upcoming national election will fail to meet international standards due to the disenfranchisement of hundreds of thousands of Rohingya Muslims, a United Nations human rights investigator said this week. Addressing the U.N. Human Rights Council in Geneva on September 22, Thomas Andrews argued that the November 8 election could not be considered free and fair as long as the besieged Rohingya minority was prevented from participating.
Diplomat, 24 September 2020
https://thediplomat.com/2020/09/myanmar-election-will-fail-to-meet-proper-standards-un/
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Philippines
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22.
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Comelec eyes 2-day elections in 2022: The Commission on Elections (Comelec) is preparing to hold the May 9, 2022, over two or more days if the prevailing coronavirus pandemic has not been contained at that time. Bartolome Sinocruz Jr., Comelec executive director, said the poll body was now drafting plans for the 2022 elections in case no vaccine has proven to be effective when the country holds the presidential elections in 2022.
Philippine Daily Inquirer, 25 September 2020
https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1339981/comelec-eyes-2-day-elections-in-2022
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US bill halts military aid to PH over rights issue: A bill that would suspend security aid to the Philippines until the country's military and police forces have been held accountable for human rights violations has been introduced in the United States House of Representatives. Philippine human rights groups welcomed what they called international pressure on the Duterte administration for its "tyrannical" policies.
Philippine Daily Inquirer, 25 September 2020
https://globalnation.inquirer.net/191170/us-bill-halts-military-aid-to-ph-over-rights-issue
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24.
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Duterte tightens grip as the Philippines falls apart: Facing an acute economic crisis, a persistent Covid-19 outbreak and declining popularity, Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has fittingly extended a state of national calamity for another year. While the move will allow the government to adopt emergency measures to stabilize food and basic good prices, as well as deploy Quick Response Funds for especially pressing pandemic needs, it also allows the authoritarian leader to tighten his grip on the country ahead of 2022 presidential elections. Some of the president's legislative allies are even pushing for postponement of the polls, potentially allowing Duterte to extend beyond his single six-year term in office.
Asia Times, 24 September 2020
https://asiatimes.com/2020/09/duterte-tightens-grip-as-the-philippines-falls-apart/
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Suspension of US security aid to PH 'not only our loss but theirs as well' - Lacson: The suspension of security assistance provided by the United States to the Philippines "will not only be our loss but theirs as well," Senator Panfilo Lacson said Friday after a bill seeking to do so was introduced to the US Congress. While Lacson, chair of the Senate national defense committee, recognized the prerogative of members of the US Congress to file legislative measure "under any circumstances," he pointed out that majority of the security aid Washington extends to the Philippines is used for counter-terrorism efforts.
Philippine Daily Inquirer, 24 September 2020
https://globalnation.inquirer.net/191159/suspension-of-us-security-aid-to-ph-not-only-our-loss-but-theirs-as-well-lacson
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Singapore
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28.
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Singapore's road to recovery: Singapore's business activities have been curbed due to social distancing measures that have adversely impacted the profit margins of firms. Hard lessons were learnt along the way when infection rates spiked among the 320,000 foreign workers living in dormitories. This required quarantine measures with the government assisting in paying wages, waiving levies and providing the costs of their care. The rate of infection in foreign worker dormitories continues to concern authorities.
East Asia Forum, 25 September 2020
https://www.eastasiaforum.org/2020/09/25/singapores-road-to-recovery/
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Thailand
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29.
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Reforms need broadening of the agenda: For ordinary Thais above the age of the protesting millennials and other young-generation types, the agenda that takes the monarchy to task, such as the 10-point manifesto on Aug 10, is shocking and not easily palatable because we have been socialised and indoctrinated from state-owned media and the state-run education system for decades to believe and identify with a strict, rigid and made-up Thai identity and "Thainess".
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30.
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Thai parliament delays decision on constitution changes: Thailand's parliament voted on Thursday (Sep 24) to delay making a decision on whether it will amend the constitution, as demanded by anti-government protesters who have demonstrated nearly every day for more than two months. The parliament, dominated by supporters of the government, opted instead to set up a committee to study the process of the constitutional amendment first.
Channel News Asia, 25 September 2020
https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/asia/thailand-parliament-delays-decision-on-constitution-changes-13144432
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Ailing economy to get 'Bt100bn injection' from Oct-Dec: The Bt100-billion injection will come both from government spending and from people's spending under three stimulus measures.
Nation, 25 September 2020
https://www.nationthailand.com/business/30395085
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Our first dictatorship is school': Thai kids revolt: Wearing white ribbons, publicly hacking off their hair and making Hunger Games salutes - Thailand's high school students are doing their best to shake up the country's rigid education system. As university students stage weeks of high-profile campus protests for democracy, their younger brethren are advancing their own rebellion to Thailand's establishment. "There's a viral saying that 'our first dictatorship is school'," 17-year old Peka Loetparisanyu told Reuters at her apartment. "
Straits Times, 25 September 2020
https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/our-first-dictatorship-is-school-thai-kids-revolt
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Protesters see red over Thai charter vote delay: A bid to amend Thailand's Constitution was thwarted yesterday after Parliament abruptly delayed a scheduled vote that could have started the drafting process. Instead, 432 members of the 750-seat Upper and Lower Houses voted to form a special committee to study draft constitutional amendments. The about-turn, coming after a two-day debate, enraged protesters who massed outside to pressure lawmakers for change.
Straits Times, 25 September 2020
https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/protesters-see-red-over-thai-charter-vote-delay
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Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit on the Struggle for a Free Thailand: The Thai people have had enough of this vicious cycle of coup d'etats, protests, crackdowns, and sham elections. The younger generations refuse to stay silent. They want their children to grow up in a country where they can freely speak their minds.
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Calling for reform of the monarchy - an emergent phenomenon: The huge youth-led protests on September 19 and 20 are bound to make history and forever lead to a sea change in Thailand's political landscape, many academics believe.
Nation, 24 September 2020
https://www.nationthailand.com/news/30395055
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Royalist groups coming together to take on student-led pro-democracy movement: The right-wing People's Democratic Reform Committee is trying to rebrand itself with the new name "Thai Pakdee", aiming to woo royalists and the pro-government public as several former followers switched to the anti-government camp.
Nation, 24 September 2020
https://www.nationthailand.com/news/30395050
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Young Women Take a Frontline Role in Thailand's Protests: As tens of thousands of people have gathered for a series of pro-democracy protests in Thailand in recent weeks, their ranks have been dominated by an emerging political force: young women. Many of the earliest and most vocal organizers of the rallies have been female students. At recent protests, women appeared to make up the majority of participants, too. While the demonstrations are aimed at urging Thailand's old guard to embrace new ideas, they have also addressed concerns that often don't make it to the national stage. Many of them are specific to women, including abortion, taxes on menstrual products and school rules that force girls to conform to an outdated version of femininity.
New York Times, 24 September 2020
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/09/24/world/asia/thailand-protests-women.html
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Vietnam
ASEAN/Southeast Asia
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Human Rights: ASEAN's Changing Perspectives: ASEAN's view on human rights is changing ─ as seen in the last ASEAN Foreign Ministers Meeting hosted virtually by Vietnam from 9-12 September 2020. This could be detected in the paragraphs of the joint communique discussing the crisis in Rakhine state in Myanmar.
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Rising above socio-economic challenges posed by Covid-19: The Covid-19 pandemic may have reshaped communities and economies globally with the adoption of social distancing, but for neighbours Thailand and Cambodia, the fostering of closer bilateral ties has shown to be a positive way to move forward in a world gripped by uncertainty.
Phnom Penh Post, 25 September 2020
https://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/rising-above-socio-economic-challenges-posed-covid-19
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Philippines unlikely to turn back on China: In the meantime, however, the Philippines and other members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) are making strides on another path when dealing with disputes with China - the dual-track approach - meaning, specific disputes shall be peacefully resolved through consultations by parties directly concerned, and stability in the South China Sea shall be jointly maintained by China and the ASEAN. Negotiations on the South China Sea Code of Conduct are a crucial part of it. ASEAN members, including the Philippines, generally hold a positive attitude toward the process. The communication channel between China and the Philippines over related issues has been effective.
Global Times, 24 September 2020
https://www.globaltimes.cn/content/1202034.shtml
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Asia Pacific
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The U.S. Needs An Endgame Before It Plunges Into the Next Cold War: The U.S. government has decided it is time to confront the People's Republic of China, leading to what some have called "a new cold war" or the more benign and official "great-power competition." But as many have pointed out, the United States currently lacks a coherent strategy about how to confront China. Busy giving speeches and exploring new ways to hit China, U.S. officials are making the case that this confrontation is necessary to preserve freedom and democracy and that the United States must fight to win. But nobody in Washington seems to have asked the most important question: How does this end?
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