Indonesia’s new Parliament got its first female speaker of the House of Representatives when Puan Maharani, the daughter of the country’s first female president, Megawati Sukarnoputri, was sworn in on Tuesday.The 46-year-old, a member of President Joko Widodo’s cabinet, was unanimously elected in a move seen as symbolic for gender equality in the world’s most populous Muslim nation.“It has an important symbolic value. We will have to see how she handles her position in the months ahead,” said…
Singapore’s controversial ‘fake news’ law comes into effect as election looms
Singapore on Wednesday introduced a law against “fake news” which rights groups warned may stifle free speech and opposition politicians have said could give the government too much power as elections loom.The “Protection from Online Falsehoods and Manipulation Act” was passed in May after just two days of debate in a legislature heavily dominated by the ruling party. The law stipulates any government minister has the prerogative to decide what constitutes a “false statement of fact” and…
Chinese envoy stresses Beijing’s role in Australia’s prosperity amid interference fears
China’s ambassador to Australia has sought to alleviate concerns about allegations of Beijing’s political interference by emphasising the importance of economic and trade ties in underwriting Australia’s long-term prosperity.In an interview published on the front page of The Australian newspaper on Tuesday, the 70th anniversary of China’s founding, Cheng Jingye said Australia’s 28-year run of uninterrupted economic growth and expectations of a budget surplus this year proved Beijing and…
German start-up looks to Singapore to launch electric helicopter ‘air taxi’ rides
German start-up Volocopter said Singapore is emerging as one of the most likely destinations for the commercial launch of its electric helicopters, where it hopes to offer short-hop flights for the price of a limousine ride.The co-founder of the company, which is working with Singapore regulators to conduct a public test flight in coming months, said the city state, Dubai and Germany were the markets most open to its air taxis.A number of firms are trying to bring so-called air taxis to mass…
Malaysian police probe legality of rally in Kuala Lumpur backing Hong Kong protesters
A rally in Malaysia held to show solidarity with anti-government protesters in Hong Kong is being investigated as an illegal gathering.“We will be calling them in under the Peaceful Assembly Act as they did not inform police … We have opened an investigation paper,” confirmed criminal investigation department chief Gunalan Muniandy of Kuala Lumpur’s Dang Wangi police station on Monday.He said officers would be interviewing participants, including the organisers, this week.Student activist…
Grandson of Singapore’s Lee Kuan Yew says online trolls fuelled controversy over judiciary comments
Li Shengwu, the grandson of Singapore’s late independence leader Lee Kuan Yew, has said in a court affidavit that online trolls had sought to cause trouble for his family – already mired in a bitter public dispute – when they circulated comments about the judiciary he had made in a “friends only” Facebook post.“I believe that the person(s) responsible for this were clearly acting maliciously, intending to cause mischief and trouble for me and family,” the Harvard University assistant economics…
Japan’s embassy in South Korea begins posting radiation data to compare levels in both countries amid escalating row
Japan’s embassy in South Korea has begun posting data on its website to show there is little difference in radiation levels between the two countries in its latest retort in a diplomatic and trade row rooted in wartime history.South Korea said last month that it will double the radiation testing of some Japanese food exports due to potential contamination from the tsunami-damaged Fukushima nuclear plant.Explained: the legacy of war in AsiaThe embassy said the radiation reading in Seoul as of…
Protests planned as Trump administration deports Cambodians from US
Asian-American groups are objecting to the Trump administration’s efforts to step up deportations of Cambodians, as dozens of refugees with criminal convictions are being ordered to report to federal officials this week for removal.At least 20 people in California have been served notices to report to US Immigration and Customs Enforcement to begin the deportation process, according to Ny Nourn, a San Francisco-based community advocate with the Asian Americans Advancing Justice-Asian Law Caucus…
Indonesia marks one year since deadly quake-tsunami disaster that left thousands dead
Indonesia on Saturday marked one year since a devastating earthquake and tsunami pounded the city of Palu, killing more than 4,000 people.Mass prayers are expected later in the day to remember victims of the 7.5 magnitude quake and subsequent deluge that razed swathes of the coastal city on Sulawesi island last September.Some 4,300 people were listed as dead or missing while nearly 60,000 people are still living in makeshift accommodation after their homes were destroyed, according to the Red…
Thinking big, living small: how people across Asia cope with tiny homes
SEOULJang Dae-ik, 27, chief financial officerJang lives in a 356 sq ft studio apartment near Dangsan station in central Seoul. Built in 2013, the flat costs about 120 million won (US$100,500). Jang has given his landlord a 180 million won deposit under Korea’s unique jeonse, or “key money”, leasing system. The lump sum, usually between 50 and 80 per cent of the property’s value, is handed over instead of monthly rent, and the full amount is returned when the tenant moves out, meaning the owner…