A former aide who accused Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim of sexual misconduct has claimed he is a victim of political persecution, after a court in Kuala Lumpur on Thursday acquitted him of drug and firearms charges.
Muhammed Yusoff Rawther, who made headlines in 2019 with allegations against the then-opposition leader, was charged last year with possession of over 300g of cannabis and two imitation firearms. The items were found in his car outside a police station in September…
BTS’ Jungkook faces break-in attempt hours after South Korean military discharge
A Chinese woman has been arrested for attempting to break into the home of South Korean pop supergroup BTS member Jeon Jung-kook, better known as Jungkook, hours after his discharge from the military.
The unnamed woman, in her thirties, is accused of trying to gain entry to Jungkook’s Seoul flat at around 11pm on Wednesday by repeatedly pressing the keypad door lock, according to Yonhap News Agency.
Police apprehended her at the scene on charges of attempted housebreaking after a resident…
Chinese vessel grounding: concern in Philippines over new grey-zone tactic
A recent case of a Chinese militia vessel running aground on a strategic island in the disputed South China Sea has raised concerns from the Philippine side of another wave of so-called grey-zone activities by Beijing, even as Manila’s officials acknowledge the incident could be down to inclement weather.
Observers point to the Philippines having adopted the same strategy to stake claim over the Second Thomas Shoal when it permanently grounded the war vessel BRP Sierra Madre in 1999.
The recent…
Restaurant chain in Thailand in hot soup over buffet shortage complaints
A restaurant chain in Thailand has apologised after food shortages at a buffet promotion left diners hungry and angry.
MK Restaurants was overwhelmed by the public response to the launch of a promotion offering unlimited premium dishes for just 299 baht (US$9.17), with customers reporting long wait times and unavailable menu items, according to The Bangkok Post.
In response to the growing backlash, the chain posted a statement on Facebook on Tuesday, acknowledging the issues it faced over the…
Fans of Malaysia’s Rafizi face police probes as internal party feud intensifies
A feud within Malaysia’s ruling party has intensified after supporters of former People’s Justice Party (PKR) deputy president Rafizi Ramli alleged they were targeted by the police over social media posts about last month’s party elections.
Rafizi, who served as deputy to Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim within the party, lost his post in the May 23 internal election to Anwar’s daughter, Nurul Izzah. Her elevation fuelled accusations of growing nepotism in the party, which is helmed by her…
Malaysia’s new luxury tax a hard sell for Anwar as popularity wanes
Many Malaysians may find life’s little indulgences suddenly beyond their reach from next month, when fresh taxes bite on premium goods and services like salmon and silk – and even haircuts – after the cash-strapped government said it would raise revenue from so-called luxury spending.
Taxes of between 5 and 10 per cent will be imposed on “discretionary and non-essential goods” as well as financial and beauty services and private education from July 1, the Finance Ministry said in a statement…
Philippine senators split over legality of delaying Duterte’s impeachment trial
Mounting calls from legal scholars, civil society and protest groups are putting the Philippine Senate under pressure to launch an impeachment trial against Vice-President Sara Duterte-Carpio – even as her allies move to have the case dismissed.
Duterte-Carpio was impeached by the House of Representatives on February 5 on a wide range of serious charges that include large-scale corruption and plotting to assassinate President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr, his wife and the speaker of the house –…
South Korea’s probes into Yoon, wife: search for truth or ‘political revenge’?
The passage of three laws mandating special investigations into corruption and abuse of power allegations involving impeached president Yoon Suk-yeol and his controversial wife marks a significant setback for South Korea’s conservatives, according to analysts.
Former first lady Kim Keon-hee was long considered beyond the reach of law enforcement, largely due to her outsize influence over her husband and state affairs.
But that “untouchable” status appears to be fading following a change in…
John Lee exclusive interview, Chinese rethink UK degrees: 5 weekend reads
We have put together stories from our coverage last weekend to help you stay informed about news across Asia and beyond. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscribing.
1. ‘Don’t kill your successful DNA’: Hong Kong’s John Lee on tariffs, trade war 2. ‘It’s too much’: Chinese students reconsider UK degrees as policies harden 3. Loitering with intent: Beijing’s new silent South China Sea strategy? 4. Japan grows restless for next-gen fighter jets as progress with…
How China’s diaspora became both an asset and a source of anxiety
Wang Gungwu – one of Asia’s most respected historians and a pioneering scholar of the Chinese diaspora – explores in Roads to Chinese Modernity: Civilisation and National Culture how China evolved into a modern nation navigating reform and globalisation. In this excerpt, Wang traces how, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, reformers and revolutionaries such as Kang You-wei, Liang Qichao and Sun Yat-sen began rallying support from overseas Chinese communities. Once dismissed as disloyal…