Cambodian Defense Minister Tea Banh and his Thai counterpart Sukumpol Suwanatat informally met and had lunch near Cambodia's Preah Vihear temple on Tuesday, aiming to reduce tensions ahead of the World Court's hearing over the disputed border around the temple in April.
"The two defense ministers just met and had lunch together in front of the Preah Vihear temple to create a closer atmosphere between the two sides' troops," Chan Punloek, an assistant to Royal Cambodian Armed Forces commander in Preah Vihear, Chea Tara, told Xinhua over telephone. "The meeting could cool tensions along the border ahead of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruling over the disputed border," he said.
"The two ministers agreed to solve all issues peacefully based on existing mechanisms," said Chan Punloek, who also attended the meeting. "They also reiterated their commitment to complying with the decision of the ICJ."
The ICJ awarded the 11th century Preah Vihear temple to Cambodia in 1962.
The two neighbors have had sporadic border conflicts over territorial dispute near the temple since the UNESCO listed the temple as a World Heritage Site on July 7, 2008, but Thailand claims the ownership of 4.6 square kilometers of scrub next to the temple.
Fierce clashes between the two sides' troops happened in February and April 2011 under Thailand's Democrat Party rule.
However, the two nations have seen improving ties since August, 2011 when former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra's Pheu Thai Party won the general election and led the current government.
At Cambodia's request, the ICJ is expected to issue a decision on who owns the disputed land around the Preah Vihear temple later this year.
The two countries are scheduled to give their oral statements on the dispute to the ICJ in the Netherlands on April 15-19.-Xinhua News (February 26, 2013 17:00:19)
Back then, students were asked to bring out a pen and a sheet of paper whenever a teacher announces a pop quiz, whether it’s about Math, Science or Filipino.
But in a school in Batangas, second-year students are able to take a quiz using tablet computers, and get their scores right after they submit their answers.
Diwa Learning Systems, a Philippine educational resource provider, recently held a special demonstration of its newest product, the YoPad, at First Asia Institute of Technology and Humanities (FAITH) in Tanauan, Batangas. Teachers can put anything in the seven-inch Android tablet, from lectures to digital textbooks and magazines.
Since the YoPads are connected to each other via Diwa’s Internet-dependent classroom management software, teachers can also create a multiple-choice quiz for their students, see which of them are already done answering, and compute their scores.
“The teacher is able to track in real-time if the students are doing the quiz, and if they are done. Right away, the teacher will know what the scores of their students are,” Diwa’s executive director Brian Belen told ABS-CBNnews.com.
The YoPads can also be used during lectures instead of notes written on Manila paper, with the teacher able to effectively manage the flow of the discussion by controlling the shift from one PowerPoint slide to the next.
Diwa will offer the device to schools across the country this coming academic year, with the tablet priced at around P10,000. High school students at FAITH, in particular, are targeted to use YoPads by May of this year.
“We already accepted orders from schools as far down as Mindanao, some also in northern Luzon and Metro Manila,” he said.
Tablets are already used in a number of schools in Metro Manila, such as La Salle Green Hills in Mandaluyong City and selected public schools in Makati City, but these are only used as replacements for bulky textbooks.
Belen stressed that unlike these, the YoPad comes equipped with Diwa’s other educational products to make sure that these are used by students for learning and not just for games.
He added that teachers in partner schools will also be regularly trained how to use the device so they can “keep up” with today’s tech-savvy youth.
Immersed in technology
The main idea behind the YoPad, said Belen, is for schools to be able to adjust to the changing needs of students, who are now heavily immersed in technology. He noted that children as young as two or three years old already know how to use tablets and smartphones, whether for learning or for play.
The YoPad complements Diwa’s flagship e-learning product, Genyo, which is a learning management system for basic education. It is pre-packaged with lessons in major subject areas such as Math, Science, English, Araling Panlipunan and Filipino, and adhere to the standards of the Department of Education.
Launched in 2008, Genyo is used by over 150 schools across the country.
“For Genyo, the content is a tie-up between Diwa and Singapore groups,” Belen explained. “We make sure the content is appropriate for the Philippine curriculum and, specifically, appropriate for K to 12. All the content within Genyo, which will run in the YoPad or any other device we’re working on, is already suited to the Philippine setting.”
Tablets over books?
With the success of Genyo and the rolling out of YoPads in the coming months, will tablets soon invade classrooms in the Philippines and outnumber the traditional printed materials?
Belen said that while this is what they want to achieve, the country has yet to reach this stage, citing problems with Internet access, among others.
“In an ideal setting, that would probably be the case. But what we see now is that it’s difficult to have a setup where there’s absolutely no books,” he explained.
“It’s not that easy because what we have to understand is since you’re dealing with hardware that comes with content, you have to develop an entire ecosystem within the school for these devices. So it entails setting up Wi-Fi hotspots and understanding how the students will charge their devices inside the school," he ended.-ABS-CBN News (February 26, 2013 4:05PM)
Myanmar might be on the hot list of places to visit, but visitors should be wary of touching down in Yangon without a hotel reservation.
The surge in visitor numbers in the last few years has vastly outstripped hotel room supply, and the city is struggling to meet demand.
It’s an issue that’s not going away any time soon -- the major hotel shortage is expected to continue for the next five to 10 years.
Visitor numbers have been steadily increasing for some time. Between 2009 and 2011, international visitor figures grew about 25 percent each year.
Last year saw a 54 percent increase in arrivals, as the country undertook economic and social reforms.
What does all this mean for travelers?
Not only do they need to book well ahead, they've got to be prepared to pay comparably big bucks for a room. Two- and three-star hotels are charging more than US$100 a night for average rooms.
Rising accommodation costs
Average daily rates increased 350 percent from 2007 to 2012, according to a report by Jones Lang LaSalle Hotels.
The company’s senior vice president Andrew Langdon has direct experience. When he visited Yangon in 2011, he stayed in a four-star hotel and paid US$70 a night. He returned in December 2012 and paid US$260 for the same room.
“In the space of about 12 months the rate had gone up almost 400 percent -- and it’s going to go higher,” says Langdon.
It’s a simple matter of supply and demand. In 2012, hotels were running at an average 70 percent occupancy. This year, occupancy is expected to run at 80 percent, according to Jones Lang LaSalle research.
Meanwhile, last year’s room rates were up 50 percent on 2011. That will likely increase another 20-25 percent this year.
Myanmar’s Ministry of Tourism estimates there are 8,000 hotel rooms in Yangon, of which 1,500 to 2,500 are of international standard. The few name brand hotel groups that do have a presence are almost exclusively Asian -- large American and European hotel groups have been kept out by strict economic sanctions.
Thomas Henseler, general manager of one of Yangon’s most exclusive hotels, The Governor’s Residence, recommends guests book at least six months in advance.
“Last year was extremely busy with average occupancy for the year going up from 55 percent in 2011 to 75 percent in 2012,” says Henseler.
Among the current crop of big brand hotels are the Parkroyal from Singapore, The Chatrium Hotel from Thailand and the Sedona Hotel from Malaysia.
Hong Kong-based Shangri-La Hotels & Resorts is one player that's ahead of the game. In 1996, the group opened a 22-story property in Yangon’s central business district -- Traders Hotel Yangon.
A year later, the group built two 21-story towers near Kandawgyi Lake, intended as serviced apartments. The project was put on hold as the Asian financial crisis struck, but last year work restarted on the project, which will put 240 two-, three- and four-bedroom apartments on the market.
No room at the inn? Build more inns
“The Shangri-La apartments are scheduled to be completed in mid-2013,” says the hotel’s general manager Philip Couvaras.
The serviced apartment market is strong, according to Langdon. Yangon has only a handful of quality serviced apartments and they're running at 100 percent occupancy, with a waiting list of more than 100 people.
“A friend told me that there are lots of new expats being sent there, they’re in their early thirties and they’re being given a US$10,000 per month housing allowance because that’s what it costs to rent anything decent there,” says Langdon.
Other upcoming hotels include the 270-room Centrepoint Towers Hotel, set to open in April, and the 100-room Nawarat Hotel in Hlaing Township, which is also scheduled in the spring.
Vivienne Gan, public relations vice president at Langham Hospitality Group, says the group is looking at a number of sites in Yangon.
But hotels take time to build -- three years on average -- and even those groups that manage to buy the land soon or do a joint venture hotel still won’t be up and running until 2016 at the earliest.
The message to tourists is clear: book your accommodation well before you fly, especially during the peak season from November to February.
There have been reports of unprepared visitors who have found themselves on the streets or knocking on monastery doors, but this isn't only ill advised, it's against the law. International visitors are required to register with local authorities before they arrive at a private residence.
Myanmar Travel agent Nway Nway stresses the importance of booking a hotel room in advance.
“In truth, we don’t allow our tourists to stay in local houses or monasteries for their own security,” she says.-Cable News Network (February 26, 2013)
A hot air balloon caught fire and exploded as it was flying over Egypt's ancient temple city of Luxor on Tuesday, February 26, killing 19 tourists, a security official said.
An employee at the company operating the balloon told AFP the tourists were from Korea, Japan and Britain, as well as one Egyptian.
"This is terrible, just terrible," the employee told AFP by telephone in floods of tears, declining to give her name.
"We don't yet know what happened exactly or what went wrong," she said.
Earlier a security official said that 19 people had died but said they were from Hong Kong, Japan, France and Britain.
The balloon which was carrying 21 people was flying at 300 meters (1,000 feet) over Qurna, in Luxor's West Bank, when it caught fire before exploding, the official said.
The two survivors, including the balloon's pilot, have been taken to hospital, he said.-Rappler (February 26, 2013 3:31PM)
Singapore granted its highest number of citizenships last year in more than a decade, even as it has tightened its intake of permanent residents (PRs) in recent years.
In all, 20,693 became Singaporeans last year, Minister in the Prime Minister's Office Grace Fu revealed yesterday in Parliament.
This is higher than the previous year's 15,777 and follows an uptrend in the number of new citizens.
Between 1987 and 2006, about 8,200 people were given citizenship papers a year. From 2007 to 2011, that number grew to 18,500 a year, according to statistics previously released by the National Population and Talent Division (NPTD).
An NPTD spokesman told The Straits Times yesterday that the number of citizenships granted each year fluctuates depending on factors such as the number and quality of applicants.
Last year's successful applications were within the 15,000 to 25,000 range it expects to grant yearly, she said.
The lower number of new citizenships granted in 2011, she noted, was due to the introduction of the Singapore Citizenship Journey, a programme to help new citizens better appreciate the country's history, norms and values. "This process takes about two months to complete. Hence, about 4,000 applicants who began their citizenship formalities in late 2011 were only granted citizenship in early 2012," she said.
Last year's new citizenship figure also includes 2,735 minors under the age of 21, most of whom were born overseas to Singaporean parents, Ms Fu said.
Excluding minors, eight in 10 new citizens who took the oath last year had lived in Singapore for more than five years, while five in 10 had been here for more than a decade, Fu said.
She was responding to questions on citizenship and permanent resident applications by David Ong (Jurong GRC), Mr Baey Yam Keng (Tampines GRC) and Dr Lily Neo (Tanjong Pagar GRC).
To Dr Neo, who felt that only those contributing to society and "not draining our limited resources" should become new citizens, Fu gave assurances that a set of selection criteria is in place.
She assured Ong that citizenships are not granted to people before they start living here. But exceptions are made for some dependants, she said.
"These are all considered as a family unit and, from time to time, their children, their wives, their parents may be granted Singapore citizenship before they have a long extended period of stay in Singapore."
Fu also revealed that 4,100 new citizens a year were foreign spouses sponsored by Singaporeans, while another 4,100 spouses became permanent residents. These figures are averaged over 2008 to last year. The bulk were foreign wives of Singaporean husbands - nine in 10 for new citizens and eight in 10 for permanent residents.
Rejections made up 10 per cent of applications for citizenship, or 580 a year, but slightly more than half of applications for PRs - or 4,400 a year.
Baey was concerned for these Singaporeans whose spouses do not meet the conditions to stay on as PRs.
"Are they expected to migrate, leave Singapore or maybe they shouldn't marry a foreigner in the first place?" he asked.
Fu acknowledged the difficulty that comes with matters of the heart, like marriage, but added: "Hard as it may be, we need to have certain rules.
"We have to make sure that the immigrants that we take in do not strain our financial resources and also... have a very good chance of assimilating into our society."
She added that the spouses still get long-term social visit passes to stay on and, over time, if the Singaporean partner is able to support his family and the marriage is stable, their chances of approval are higher than that of those without family nor children.-Asia News Network (February 26, 2013)
Malaysian security forces have received the green light to disarm followers of the Sulu sultanate who have occupied a village in Sabah, a Malaysian news site reported Tuesday.
The Star quoted Sabah police commissioner Datuk Hamza Taib as saying: “It is only a question of right timing for us to act.”
Since the sultanate’s followers, led by Raja Muda Azzimudie Kiram, occupied a village in Lahad Datu town three weeks ago, Malaysian authorities have so far set three deadlines for them to return to Sulu, but have decided not to act as efforts continue to seek a peaceful resolution to the matter.
However, on Tuesday, President Benigno Aquino III appealed to them to leave Sabah, saying the “point of no return” was “fast approaching.”
Kiram is brother to Sulu Sultan Jamalul Kiram III, who has refused to order his followers to return from Sabah, saying they were determined to stake their claim to the territory, which is historically part of the sultanate but was ceded by the British to its former colony, Malaysia.
The Philippines has sent a ship and offered to ferry back the sultanate’s followers but the Kirams have declined.-Interaksyon (February 26, 2013 9:59AM)
China will launch routine fishery patrols around Nansha waters in South China Sea this year to better protect the legitimate interests of Chinese fishermen in the area, the Chinese fishery administration said on Sunday. Wu Zhuang, chief of the South China Sea Fishery Bureau under the Ministry of Agriculture, said promoting fishery patrols around the Nansha Islands on a regular basis is the main priority of fishery law enforcement this year.
"In face of many concentrated new challenges, the fishery-protection work this year includes guarding the Huangyan Islands and the Meiji Reef, strengthening the supervision and administration of Xisha waters and Beibu Gulf, and developing regular-based fishery patrols in around Nansha Islands," Wu said.
Along with the perfection of vessel equipment and personnel, China is expected to accelerate its pace in terms of fishery patrols in the South China Sea, Wu said, adding that the bureau has taken a very strong position regarding fishery patrols and protection.
Analysts said regular patrols in the South China Sea highlight great advances in China's law enforcement capability in relevant waters, as Beijing seeks to safeguard its sovereignty and national interests in the region.
Yang Baoyun, an expert on Southeast Asian studies at Peking University, said that apart from sending naval patrols that provide protection to domestic fishermen, flexible policies and diplomacy by government leaders are also needed in dealing with islands disputes with Southeast Asian counties, as fishing rights and regional stability should both be taken into account.
China's fishery administration began exploring ways to protect fishermen's interests in the South China Sea in 2012, as rows between Chinese fishermen and naval vessels of neighboring countries constantly flared up in the area. Due to the frequent patrols and quick response of the vessels, no illegal foreign detentions of Chinese fishing boats were reported around Nansha waters last year, Wu said.
According to Xinhua, more than 400 fishing vessels are currently operating in the South China Sea.
"Where there is a fishing vessel, there is our patrol ship. We will overcome all difficulties to protect fishermen," said Captain Yang Jia'en, head of the patrol vessel Yuzheng 302.- Xinhua-China Daily (February 25, 2013)
Myanmar leader Thein Sein was on Monday set to embark on his first visit to Europe as president which will include high level EU talks, officials said, as the fast-reforming country deepens ties with the West.
Thein Sein was scheduled to leave Yangon on Monday evening and would fly to Norway, followed by Finland, Austria, Belgium and Italy, officials said.
The trip to Belgium would include both bilateral and “EU high level meetings”, a European diplomat told AFP.
A second European diplomatic source said the topics to be discussed would include sanctions and development aid as well as economic reforms, the country’s human rights record and efforts to negotiate peace in ongoing conflicts.
A Myanmar government official confirmed the destinations on the tour, adding that it would be the president’s “first trip to Europe.”
Thein Sein has impressed the international community with a string of reforms since coming to power in early 2011, including welcoming long-detained opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi into parliament and freeing hundreds of political prisoners.
The European Union responded last April by suspending all sanctions apart from an arms embargo against the former pariah state, while the United States has also dismantled many of its key trade and investment sanctions.
But concerns remain over an ongoing conflict in the northern state of Kachin and communal Buddhist-Muslim unrest in the western state of Rakhine.
Suu Kyi visited Norway as part of a landmark European tour last June that was seen as a key sign of change for Myanmar, where she had spent a total of 15 years under house arrest.
In Oslo the Nobel laureate was finally able to collect her peace prize in person, after being awarded the honor in 1991. She had previously declined to leave the country for fear she would never be allowed to return.
Signs of increasingly warm ties between Suu Kyi and Thein Sein, a former junta general, were apparent when the pair met in New York in September during historic separate visits to the United States.
Thein Sein is due to return to Myanmar on March 8.- The Jakarta Globe (February 25, 2013)
The Philippine government is set to dispatch a humanitarian ship to Lahud Datu to pick up the 155 civilians who sailed to Sabah with the royal army two weeks ago.
A well-placed Philippine Daily Inquirer source said the ship was set to leave Sunday night. Malaysia was sticking to its Sunday deadline for Filipino Muslims from Sulu who had “occupied” Sabah, to leave the region. (Editor’s Note: The Philippine Daily Inquirer is correcting its earlier post indicating another 48-hour deadline extension from Sunday because the Malaysian government was keeping its Sunday [Feb. 24] deadline.)
“The clock is ticking away for the Sulu armed group holed up at the Tanduo village as the Sunday deadline draws near with no sign of them giving up peacefully,” the Star reported on its website http://thestar.com.my/news.
The report was posted at 12:10 p.m. on Sunday.
“The earlier Friday deadline was extended by 48-hours after the Philippines government requested for a four-day extension till Tuesday on the grounds that Manila was trying to persuade the Sulu group to give up their stand,” the report said.
The report prompted a senior Philippine diplomat to lament the “irresponsibility and recklessness” of the heirs of the Sultanate of Sulu in the dispatch of a group of an estimated 180 Muslim-Filipinos to Lahad Datu, with some 30 of them armed.
The diplomat requested anonymity as only the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) was authorized to release statements at this point.
For the diplomat, the stubborn order of Sultan Jamalul Kiram III for his brother and their followers to stand down in Sabah showed their family’s “irresponsibility and lack of concern for civilian lives.”
The diplomat noted that the Kirams sent “women and unarmed civilians to Lahad Datu.”
“If there is a forced deportation, have they thought of what will happen to the civilians, some of whom joined up after being promised lands in Sabah?” the diplomat said.
The diplomat also said that the group’s claim of having peaceful objectives was “illogical and irrational,” given the fact they were escorted by armed men and they intruded into a neighboring country.
“If there is bloodshed, it would be on the Kiram’s hands and not on government’s,” the diplomat said.
“With their quixotic and reckless move, they have placed at risk not only the Mindanao peace process but also the overall peace and security situation in Mindanao, which all Filipinos have worked and hoped for and Filipino-Muslims have long deserved,” the diplomat added.
Kiram had said that his brother and their royal army would remain in Lahad Datu. In a press conference Friday, Kiram’s wife, Princess Fatima Cecilia Kiram, said that their family would like to negotiate the Sabah claim with Malaysia and settle the dispute before the International Court of Justice (ICJ) and the United Nations.-Philippine Daily Inquirer (February 24, 2013 9:23PM)
North Korea on Sunday warned the top U.S. military commander stationed in South Korea that his forces would "meet a miserable destruction" if they go ahead with scheduled military drills with South Korean troops, North Korean state media said.
Pak Rim-su, chief delegate of the North Korean military mission to the inter-Korean truce village of Panmunjom, gave the message by phone to Gen. James Thurman, the commander of the U.S. Forces Korea, KCNA news agency said.
It came amid escalating tension on the divided Korean peninsula after the North's third nuclear test earlier this month, in defiance of U.N. resolutions, drew harsh international condemnation.
A direct message from the North's Panmunjom mission to the U.S. commander is rare.
North and South Korea are technically still at war after their 1950-53 conflict ended in a truce, not a peace treaty.
The U.S.-South Korean Combined Forces Command is holding an annual computer-based simulation war drill, Key Resolve, from March 11 to 25, involving 10,000 South Korean and 3,500 U.S. troops.
The command also plans to hold Foal Eagle joint military exercises involving land, sea and air manoeuvres. About 200,000 Korean troops and 10,000 U.S. forces are expected to be mobilized for the two month-long exercise which starts on March 1.
"If your side ignites a war of aggression by staging the reckless joint military exercises...at this dangerous time, from that moment your fate will be hung by a thread with every hour," Pak was quoted as saying.
"You had better bear in mind that those igniting a war are destined to meet a miserable destruction."
Washington and Seoul regularly hold military exercises which they say are purely defensive. North Korea, which has stepped up its bellicose threats towards the United States and South Korea in recent months, sees them as rehearsals for invasion.
North Korea threatened South Korea with "final destruction" during a debate at the U.N. Conference on Disarmament on Tuesday.-Interaksyon (February 24, 2013 1:15AM)
Agriculture-related firms from Japan, South Korea and Vietnam are planning to make investment in Myanmar's agricultural sector, local media reported Sunday.
MITSUI & Co., Ltd. from Japan and Vina Capital from Vietnam have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Myanmar Agribusiness Public Corporation Limited (MAPCO) for cooperation in agricultural development, said the Biweekly Eleven News.
MAPCO will set up the Integrated Food and Energy Production factories in Yangon, Ayeyawady and Bago regions as well as Nay Pyi Taw.
An Integrated Food and Energy Production Complex factory will be located in Yangon region, which would be jointly constructed by MITSUI & Co., Ltd and MAPCO, the report said.
The Japanese company is planning arrangements to establish advanced rice grinding and purifying mills.
Though South Korean Dawoo Company has not reached agreement with Myanmar yet, it is expected to do so during this year.
As of July 2012, foreign investment in the country's agricultural sector totaled 182.75 million U.S. dollars in nine projects, accounting for only 0.44 percent of the total since the country opened to such investment in late 1988.
Myanmar exported over 1.2 million tons of rice, gaining nearly $500 million in the first 10 months (April-January) of the fiscal year 2012-13, according to earlier report.-The Philippine Star (February 24, 2013 3:00PM)
Several people were killed when twin blasts tore through a residential street and destroyed three houses in south Vietnam early Sunday, police said, with reports putting the death toll at around 10.
"We have been informed of two explosions this morning that killed about ten people... but we need to check the exact number of the victims," a local policeman told AFP following the blasts, which left many more victims trapped in rubble, according to reports.
The policeman said authorities were investigating the cause of the explosions in a district of the southern metropolis of Ho Chi Minh City, adding that they were believed to have been accidental.
State mouthpiece Tuoi Tre newspaper reported on its website that a family of seven was among those killed and many people remained trapped in the rubble.
It said local people heard two large explosions within five minutes of each other -- causing shockwaves that rattled homes up to several hundred metres away. They discovered three homes ablaze and partially destroyed.
Hundreds of firefighters on more than a dozen fire trucks rushed to the scene and were leading rescue efforts, the newspaper said.-Channel News Asia (February 24, 2013 1644hrs)
China's military has introduced new rules to combat "extravagance and waste" in spending, state media said Sunday, February 24, as the country's new leaders stress austerity to fight official corruption.
New Communist Party chief Xi Jinping, who is also chairman of the Central Military Commission, approved the rules which aim to promote austerity and control expenditure, the official Xinhua news agency said.
Xi, who is set to become president next month, has repeatedly pledged to fight graft amid rising social discontent at government corruption and political scandals that have tarnished the ruling party.
The new rules require strict control of spending on non-essential infrastructure, procurement and official receptions, Xinhua said.
The military must "resolutely prevent redundant construction, the craving for things big and foreign, extravagance and waste", it said.
Spending should be directed towards the military's core mission, including being able to fight and win a battle, Xinhua said, repeating a slogan which has been described by state media as a key goal for this year.
China is due to announce its annual military budget in early March at a meeting of the National People's Congress, the country's legislature.
Last year it projected the military budget would rise 11.2 percent year-on-year to $106 billion, an increase that has caused unease among Asian neighbours including Japan, which is locked in a territorial dispute with China.
In December the military banned high-ranking officers from being treated to receptions featuring expensive liquor and luxury banquets, in line with similar rules for party officials.
Those rules also called on military officers to prevent family members and associates from accepting bribes.
A corruption watchdog, Transparency International, said last month that China's military is battling a major corruption problem, with little political oversight and no whistleblower mechanism to counter graft.
One of the major problems was the absence of private military defence contractors, meaning less scope for competition, the Berlin-based group said.
It claimed thousands of military-linked enterprises in China were engaged in profit-oriented business.-Rappler (February 24, 2013 6:49PM)
Malaysian security forces have adopted a cautious wait-and-see stance in the ongoing standoff with a group of armed Filipinos in Sabah.
Malaysian Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said their government is aiming for a peaceful solution, adding that it was important to resolve the issue without bloodshed.
Claiming to be followers of the Sultan of Sulu, a group of around 300 Filipinos, some of whom were reportedly armed, had arrived in Sabah on February 9 and had engaged Malaysian forces in a standoff.
"The people are seeing how well we can manage any situation,” Muhyiddin said in a report of the news site The Star.
He admitted though that the standoff may have an effect on Malaysia's upcoming general elections.
Malaysian security forces had cordoned off the remote seaside area where some 150 gunmen who are followers of Kiram crossed through, The Star reported.
On the other hand, the Philippines has deployed six naval ships to Tawi-Tawi to prevent other relatives of Kiram from crossing the sea border.
Ultimatum
On Thursday, the Malaysian government gave a 48-hour ultimatum to the Filipinos holed up in Kampung Tanduo to withdraw peacefully.
The Department of Foreign Affairs had requested Malaysia to extend their deadline to Tuesday.
Raja Muda Azzimudie Kiram said on Friday that his Royal Army will be staying in Sabah and even have plans to build a house in northern Borneo.
Kiram is demanding to open up the talks on the Sabah dispute which is a territory both claimed by the Philippines and Malaysia.
The Sultanate of Sulu, whom Kiram is heir to has been leasing Northern Borneo to Europeans since the 1870s.
Kiram still receives a yearly compensation from the Malaysian government up to this date for the supposed “leasing” of the disputed territory.
President Benigno Aquino III earlier asked the armed group to give up peacefully because their actions may lead to an unwanted confrontation. However, Kiram shunned such requests from Malacanang.
Aquino said that Philippine government is continuously in touch with the Malaysian government and the Sultan's family to resolve the situation peacefully.-GMA News (February 23, 2013 11:30AM)
A ranking Department of National Defense official says the acquisition of second-hand frigates is no longer an option for the Philippine Navy.
Fernando Manalo, DND undersecretary for finance, munitions, installation and materiel, said recently that acquiring such vessels from foreign countries will ultimately be costlier than buying new ships.
Given this, Italian-made "Maestrale" frigates are no longer being considered for possible acquisition by the Philippines. "It’s no longer being evaluated," Manalo said.
The "Maestrale" was earlier touted by the DND as the next ships to be acquired for the Navy due to its credible missile and anti-submarine capabilities.
Five other countries have expressed intentions to sell modern frigates and offshore patrol vessels to the badly equipped Philippine navy: the United States, Israel, Croatia, South Korea and Australia. All vessels being offered by these nations are brand new.
The Philippines is in the market for two modern and powerful frigates in order to enhance its maritime protection capabilities, especially in the West Philippine Sea, where territorial disputes with China have arisen.-Interaksyon (February 23, 2013 2:14PM)
Police say a container truck has slammed into several vehicles in central Indonesia, leaving 16 dead and injuring several others.
Police spokesman Col. Martinus Sitompul said the accident occurred Saturday in Sukabumi, a hilly town in West Java province.
He said the truck driver appeared to have lost control when his brakes failed, and hit a minivan and dozens of motorcycles near a factory before crossing the road and hitting a number of cars before slamming into several houses.
At least 16 bodies were recovered and more than 10 injured people were taken to a nearby hospital. Most of the victims are factory workers who were on their way to work by motorcycle.
Safety standards on Indonesian roads are poor and hundreds of people die in accidents every year.-Inquirer (Philippine Daily Inquirer (February 23, 2013 12:52PM)
Japan has thrown its support behind the Philippines' move to resolve its dispute with China over territiories in the West Philippine Sea through the United Nations arbitration tribunal, according to the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA).
The DFA on Friday said Japan had expressed its support through a delegation that went to the Philippines to discuss maritime cooperation between the two countries that would help boost Manila's capability in protectiing its territories.
“Both sides shared the recognition that the issues in the South China Sea is a matter of great interests for the whole international community being directly related to regional peace and stability, and the the issue should be settled peacefully in accordance with the relevant international laws such as the Unclos,” Japan and the Philippines' joint statement said.
The Philippine delegation is headed by Gilberto Asuque, DFA assistant secretary, as chairperson and Henry Bensurto, DFA special assistant, as co-chair.
The Japanese delegation is led by Kenji Kanasugi, deputy director-general for Southwest and Southeast Asian Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The DFA said that during a closed-door meeting, Japan's representatives said the country had expressed its intention to continue supporting the Philippine Coast Guard's capacity-building.
It was earlier reported that Japan would grant the Philippines a $10-million soft loan for the purchase of 10 brand new multi-role response vessels that would be deployed to the West Philippine Sea.
Japan and the Philippines' joint statement, however, did not mention if the loan was discussed during the dialogue.
It said the delegations from the two countries exchanged views on programs and actions "to promote cooperation in the maritime field, particularly in maritime security, freedom of navigation and safety at sea."
"They also exchanged views on regional maritime issues and shared the best practices in efforts to combat piracy, especially on the maritime law enforcement capabilities of countries near piracy-prone areas," the statement added.
Regarding the issues on piracy and armed robbery in Asian countries and Somalia, the two countries agreed to further strengthen their efforts in addressing the said problems through the utilization of the Regional Cooperation Agreement on Combating Piracy and Armed Robbery against Ships in Asia and other frameworks.
Japan will also assist the Philippines in helping other countries near piracy-prone areas enforce maritime laws, the Japanese Embassy in Manila said.
Japan also has its own territorial dispute with China over islands in the East China Sea, which Japan calls Senkakus but referred to as Diaoyus by China.-Interaksyon (February 23, 2013 9:20PM)
China has again criticized the Philippines for issuing a statement that the arbitration process before the United Nations arbitration tribunal that it initiated to resolve the territorial dispute over the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea) would proceed despite China's rejection.
At a press conference in Bejing on Friday, China Foreign Ministry Hong Lei reminded the Philippines that it is among the “signatories to the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties” in the South China Sea.
The declaration is a non-binding agreement between China and members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations that hopes to reduce political tensions in the region as well as prohibits claimant-parties from aggressively acting on their claims.
“Both the Philippines and China are signatories to the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in South China Sea (DOC) and have made commitments on comprehensive and earnest implementation of the DOC,” Hong told the reporters in Beijing.
“We disapprove of the Philippine Foreign Ministry's practice of bringing international arbitration and have made clear our opposition stance,” Hong added.
Hong said China would only agree to resolve the dispute through a “dialogue framework” which he claimed was “supported by most countries in the region”.
While maintaining their supposed “dialogue framework", Hong said China would continue "to make efforts to maintain peace and stability in the South China Sea and unswervingly safeguard national sovereignty and interests."
The Philippines has been pushing to resolve the dispute either through the International Tribunal on the Law of the Sea (Itlos) or an international body under the United Nation Convention on the Law of the Sea (Unclos).
But China rejected the action taken by the Philippines and insisted to solve the issue through bilateral means.
Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Secretary Albert del Rosario said the Philippines had been engaging China in political and diplomatic dialogues for a peaceful negotiated settlement of its maritime dispute for the past 18 years, but with “no success”.
“In every occasion, China always asserts indisputable sovereignty over the entire South China Sea. We view that arbitration process as the most friendly , peaceful and durable option to clarify the maritime entitlements of coastal in states in the South China Sea,” Del Rosario said during an event hosted by the Manila Overseas Press Club Thursday night.
The DFA chief said the arbitration would ensure peace and stability and freedom of navigation in the region.
Despite China’s rejection, the Philippines is now forming its five-member panel for the arbitration and is set to submit a request to the president of Itlos to choose the remaining representatives.
The Philippines has hired Ruldiger Wolfrum, former Itlos president, to represent the country in the arbitration.
To give China the time to reply, the Philippines will have to wait for another 15 days before it submits a request to the Itlos president.
The Philippine government on January 22 officially brought its territorial dispute with China before the United Nations. It presented a Statement and Notification of Claim to China, as well as a note verbale to Chinese Ambassador to Manila Ma Keqing.
The presentation of the notification siganks the start of the arbitration proceedings.
Manila filed a case against Beijing under the compulsory proceedings provided by Annex VII of the Unclos.
Instead of filing the case before the Itlos, the Philippine government decided to invite China to form a court under the arbitral tribunal.
A tribunal will be composed of five members: the first two chosen by the parties concerned (the Philippines and China) and the three will be agreed upon by both countries.-Interaksyon (February 23, 2013 8:09PM)
US President Barack Obama on Friday, February 22, pledged with Japan's new leader to take a firm line on a defiant North Korea but the two sides also tried to calm rising tensions between Tokyo and China.
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe carefully avoided disagreements with Obama after previous Japanese governments' rifts and declared: "The alliance between Japan and the United States is back now. It's completely back."
Obama promised to work closely with the conservative leader, whose Liberal Democratic Party swept back into power in December on a platform that includes boosting defense spending and aggressively stimulating a long-flaccid economy.
"You can rest assured that you will have a strong partner in the United States throughout your tenure," Obama told Abe in the Oval Office, calling the alliance with Japan "the central foundation" for US policy in Asia.
Obama said the two leaders discussed "our concerns about the provocative actions that have been taken by North Korea and our determination to take strong actions in response."
North Korea carried out its third nuclear test on February 12, ignoring warnings even from its ally China.
Abe, who first rose to political prominence as an advocate for a tough line on North Korea, said he agreed with Obama's position of not offering "rewards" to Pyongyang and on the need for a new UN Security Council resolution.
But the White House appeared to want to lower the temperature between Japan and China, which has increasingly sent vessels near Japanese-controlled islands known as the Senkaku in Japanese and Diaoyu in Chinese.
Obama did not mention the issue but Secretary of State John Kerry, in a separate meeting with Japan's Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida, said he wanted to "compliment Japan on the restraint it has shown."
The meetings came hours after Beijing lashed out at Abe over a newspaper interview in which he charged that China would eventually hurt its investment climate through assertive actions in the region.
Abe said the US-Japan alliance was "a stabilizing factor" and -- in remarks he nudged his translator to read out -- added: "We have always been dealing with the Senkaku issue in a calm manner and we will continue to do so."
The Japanese leader later spoke in stronger terms in an address at a think tank. While saying he wanted to cooperate with China's incoming leader Xi Jinping, Abe insisted that the islands belonged to Japan.
"We simply cannot tolerate any challenge now and in the future. No nation should make any miscalculation about the firmness of our resolve," Abe said at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.
The exchange marked a different tone than one month ago, when then secretary of state Hillary Clinton warned China not to challenge Japan's control of the islands, triggering a rebuke from Beijing.
Obama put a strong emphasis on Asia in his first term but has faced chronic political turbulence in Japan. Abe is the fifth Japanese prime minister since Obama was elected president.
Abe, who was also prime minister from 2006 to 2007, is known for his outspoken views on security and on World War II history -- a persistent sore point in relations with South Korea and China.
He has been more circumspect in his comments since returning to office. Abe said Friday he sought a "good relationship" with South Korea despite friction with the fellow US ally over a separate set of barely inhabited islands.
Abe also said that Japan would sign the Hague treaty on parental abductions, a key concern for US lawmakers due to Japanese courts' refusal to grant custody to foreigners.
But the Obama administration held firm on the Trans-Pacific Partnership, a proposed free trade pact that is a cornerstone of US strategy in the region.
The Liberal Democratic Party had said during the election that Japan would only enter talks if certain sectors are off the table. But the two governments issued a statement saying that no sector would have a prior exemption.
Abe, who said he would decide soon whether to join the talks, expressed assurance that the final negotiated trade pact could include exemptions.
Japan's powerful farmer lobby opposes the deal, fearing a flood of foreign competition.-Rappler (February 23, 2013 1:33PM)
The ongoing standoff in the island of Sabah has been continuously affecting the region. The trade and commerce between the island and its neighbouring towns have also been affected as naval forces of both Malaysia and the Philippines tighten the security across the border to ensure that the tension will not escalate.
Business sector urges the Aquino administration to solve the issue immediately before things get worse. They were also planning to set a meeting with the President to talk about the issue and formulate measures on how to counter its possible effects.
According to Tawi-Tawi Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Inc. President Rolando E. Lim, wooden vessels of traders regularly plying the Sabah - Bongcao route is being intercepted by the Navy officials and disallowing them to travel due to the ongoing standoff.
On his interview with the BusinessWorld, Mr. Lim said they worried on the possible effects of the incident on the local economy of the region. "Definitely, prices of goods here will increase since more than 80% of our basic goods such as such rice, flour, and sugar are imported from Sabah.”
Most of the basic products being sold in the southern tip of Mindanao are coming from the port of Sandakan due to its proximity that makes the prices lower compared to products coming from Zamboanga City.
On the other hand, farmers and oil palm smallholders in Sabah have also raised their concern as the ongoing standoff affects their industry.
Authorities are not allowing them to enter the vicinity of Kampung Tanduo at Felda Sahabat 17, some 170 kilometres from this east coast town, to harvest their oil palm and other farm crops.
Farmers were advised not to enter the cordoned-off area around Kampung Tanduo, where the so-called Royal Sulu Sultanate Army had raised yellow flags with a lion insignia outside a surau (prayer house).
The ongoing standoff between the Malaysian authorities and the armed men who claimed to be the ‘Royal army of the Sultanate of Sulu’ seems to last for more weeks as tension heats up between the two parties.
Both the Philippines and Malaysian government is working together to end the conflict and to avoid any bloodshed to happen by asking the armed Filipinos to leave peacefully and avoid injecting their inherited rights by occupying the island. Instead, both governments urged the Sulu army to discuss the issue in accordance with the law and in a peaceful manner.
The Sultanate claims over Sabah was based on the historical facts showing that the Island is under the rule of the Sultanate of Sulu before it was being leased by the British East India Company and turned after to the Malaysian Government when it declares independence on August 31, 1963. An act that according to the heirs of the Sultanate violated the lease agreement between the said British company and the Sultanate of Sulu.
Although the situation remains peaceful, the effects of the standoff seems already been escalating on various sector of the communities with the business industry facing the great threat of the tension next to security. And that could also affect the future of Mindanao which had a much brighter future after the signing of the peace agreement between the Philippine Government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).
As the situation continued to be left unresolved, conflicts and standoff could also be possibly happened repeatedly. We could not set aside the fact the sultanate of Sulu really has undisputable rights over the island with their legal papers and historical records supporting their claim. But everything must undergo into a legal process. And this issue needs an intervention of an international body such as the United Nation (UN) to conduct further studies and investigations. – Vic Saure (February 22, 2013 4:40AM)
