The former chief minister of Sabah has become the latest high-ranking figure from Malaysia’s former ruling coalition, the Barisan Nasional, to face corruption charges, in a sign the new government is expanding its anti-graft drive beyond the peninsula.
Musa Aman was on Monday charged with 35 counts of corruption for allegedly accepting bribes worth US$63 million in connection with timber concessions.
These dealings allegedly took place in Hong Kong and Singapore between 2004 – a…
Asia Bibi’s husband seeks asylum outside Pakistan, fearing violent reprisals after death sentence for blasphemy overturned
The husband of a Pakistani Christian woman at the centre of a divisive blasphemy case has pleaded for international help to leave the country, saying he feared for his family’s safety.
The request by Asia Bibi’s husband Ashiq Masih came a day after he criticised a government deal with hardline Islamists that left her in legal limbo, and called on authorities to protect her.
Bibi – who had been on death row since 2010 on blasphemy charges – was acquitted by the Supreme…
Indonesian investigators have retrieved data from Lion Air jet’s black box after crash that killed 189 people
Investigators succeeded in retrieving hours of data from a crashed Lion Air jet’s flight recorder as Indonesian authorities on Sunday extended the search at sea for victims and debris.
National Transportation Safety Committee deputy chairman Haryo Satmiko told a news conference that 69 hours of flight data was downloaded from the recorder including its fatal flight.
The Boeing 737 MAX 8 jet crashed just minutes after take-off from Jakarta on October 29, killing all 189 people on board in…
Vietnam could give tech companies one year to obey new cybersecurity law
Vietnam may give internet companies like Google and Facebook one year to comply with a controversial cybersecurity law, according to a draft decree that outlines how the draconian rule could be implemented.
The cybersecurity bill, which observers say mimic China’s repressive web control tools, is set to come into effect in January despite drawing sharp criticism from the US, the EU and internet freedom advocates. The bill would require tech companies to store data in the country, and…
Myanmar’s Aung San Suu Kyi faces rare test of legitimacy as party contests by-election
Myanmar voters cast their ballots in a small but key by-election on Saturday, a rare local test of support for embattled leader Aung San Suu Kyi’s party more than halfway through her time in office.
Suu Kyi and the National League for Democracy (NLD) swept to power in 2015 in a landslide victory ending decades of military rule.
But her tenure has been marred by a failure to speak up for Rohingya Muslims driven out of the country by the army and stumbling peace talks with insurgent groups…
Unfair to blame energy suppliers for smart meter failings
ANALYSIS: The blame for the disappointing progress of the UK’s smart meter rollout should not be laid at the door of the UK’s large energy suppliers. Many of the problems with the rollout stem from issues outside of their control.
Budget 2018: ‘welcome’ reforms of intangible tax regime
The government intends to reform the corporate intangibles tax regime to partially re-instate relief for acquired goodwill and to prevent a de-grouping charge on a share sale qualifying for the substantial shareholdings exemption (SSE), according to the Budget documents .
What the 2018 UK Budget means for individuals
ANALYSIS: For individuals the 2018 UK Budget was used to ensure compliance and reduce tax avoidance. In particular, taxation of property income has been tinkered with yet again, and a few capital gains tax exemptions tightened.
Singapore’s political succession: watch out for the big reveal when the ruling party meets
The core team of Singapore’s new generation of leaders will become evident next Sunday at the ruling People’s Action Party’s (PAP) internal elections, with the identity of the country’s fourth prime minister emerging soon after.
The city state’s former prime minister, Goh Chok Tong, said the election of new leaders from the PAP’s fourth-generation (4G) to its central executive committee (CEC) on November 11 meant the issue of succession would be addressed by…
What’s the deal with Jho Low, Malaysia’s most wanted man?
Embattled financier Low Taek Jho – popularly referred to as Jho Low – is now facing criminal indictments from the United States Department of Justice (DoJ) over the 1MDB global financial corruption scandal.
The fugitive businessman, who is believed to be hiding in China, is also wanted by Malaysia and Singapore in connection with the 1MDB matter. But just how much hot water is the elusive, rotund financier in – and how difficult will it be to bring him in? Q. Just how much…