The Myanmar junta’s attempts to place its top man in the country’s highest civilian position have been described by analysts as a “constitutional repackaging of continued military rule”.
On Monday, Min Aung Hlaing, who leads the military junta after seizing power in a 2021 coup, resigned from the armed forces, moving a step closer to becoming president. He stepped down after Myanmar’s parliament cleared the way for his nomination.
He handed over the role of commander-in-chief of the armed forces…
Why online platform Ts and Cs may need to be rewritten for children
Online platforms in the UK may need to re-write their terms and conditions so that they can be easily understood by children – even if they do not intend for children to access their services.
Malaysia court orders ex-PM Najib to pay US$1.3 billion to 1MDB unit
A Malaysian court on Tuesday ordered jailed former prime minister Najib Razak to pay US$1.3 billion to a former unit of scandal-tainted state fund 1MDB, state media reported.
The Kuala Lumpur High Court ruled that Najib was liable for losses incurred by SRC International, a former subsidiary of sovereign wealth fund 1Malaysia Development Berhad, state news agency Bernama reported.
High Court judge Ahmad Fairuz Zainol Abidin ruled that Najib breached his fiduciary duties, abused his position…
Is extortion widespread at Indonesia’s entry points? Officer’s firing sparks concern
The firing of an Indonesian immigration officer at a Batam seaport, following reports of extortion of foreign tourists, has raised questions about the prevalence of such practices across the country’s entry points.
Batam, in Indonesia’s Riau Islands province, is a popular destination for visitors from nearby Singapore as it boasts scenic beaches an hour’s ferry ride from the city state.
The island’s appeal has recently been marred by allegations of extortion by immigration officers at Batam…
Industry figures play down Middle East conflict impact on financial services
The UAE’s financial sector is well positioned to withstand the economic and market impact of the Middle East conflict, experts have said, endorsing views expressed by industry figures in interviews with a newspaper.
Malaysia’s food prices could rise by 50% as fuel costs soar, traders warn
The energy crisis caused by the Iran war could push food prices up by as much as 50 per cent in Malaysia, trade associations have warned, as soaring fuel costs threaten to wipe out already narrow margins for roadside stalls and restaurants feeding the country’s outsize appetite for eating out.
Malaysia’s government coffers have already taken a hit due to fallout from the conflict, with local fuel subsidy costs estimated to spike by more than fourfold to about 3.2 billion ringgit (US$795 million)…
Myanmar paves way for junta chief to be civilian president, ruling with ‘iron fist’
Myanmar cleared the way on Monday for coup-leading General Min Aung Hlaing to become president and maintain his rule in civilian garb, with lawmakers nominating him as a vice-presidential candidate and the junta replacing him as military commander.
Min Aung Hlaing has ruled Myanmar since 2021 when he ordered a coup toppling the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi – detaining the Nobel Peace Prize laureate, dissolving her party and triggering civil war.
After five years of hardline rule, he…
Mongolian parliament selects new prime minister amid corruption allegations
Mongolia’s ruling party selected a new candidate for prime minister on Sunday after the last head of government, Zandanshatar Gombojav, resigned after only nine months on the job.
Uchral Nyam-Osor, the current party chairman who is serving as speaker of the Parliament, was nominated at a meeting of the Mongolian People’s Party, according to state news agency Montsame. Uchral first joined the party in 2009, and is seen as a compromise candidate amid different party factions.
Zandanshatar’s…
The Philippines loves Jollibee. Overseas Filipinos love it even more
No fast-food chain has ever meant quite what Jollibee means to Filipinos.
Forget McDonald’s and KFC, Jollibee – with its sweet spaghetti and crispy Chickenjoy – is something else entirely: a cultural anchor for a diaspora scattered across every continent on Earth.
With more than a million Filipinos leaving the Philippines every year in search of greener pastures abroad, the chain has followed them almost everywhere they have gone, building a brand that taps into deep emotions by offering a taste…
Singapore seizes record Asian pangolin scales disguised as ‘dried fish skin’
Singapore has seized over 830kg (1,800 lbs) of Asian pangolin scales hidden in a shipment bound for Cambodia, authorities said on Saturday, calling it the largest haul of its kind discovered in the city state.
Falsely declared as “dried fish skin”, the scales – estimated to be from more than 2,200 pangolins – were found in 30 bags on December 29 after officials intercepted an inbound truck carrying sea cargo, Singapore’s National Parks Board said in a statement.
The announcement came as…