If you’ve been following the US Presidential Election, you would have heard that Donald Trump announced that if he were to become president, he would build a wall between the borders of the USA and Mexico, and make Mexico pay for it. It’s still a hot topic of conversation in the US, but it doesn’t seem very relevant to us here in Malaysia doesn’t it?
Well how about this then, Malaysia may soon be replicating what Trump proposed, by building a wall along the border of Malaysia and Thailand! (Courtesy of cilisos.my)
September 19, 2016
A wounded USDP looks to the future
The military-backed Union Solidarity and Development Party recently
held its first conference since losing power following the National
League for Democracy’s landslide victory in last November’s elections.
The conference, from August 22 to 24, did not produce any changes in the USDP’s policies but was notable for a sweeping reshuffle at the top of the party that saw many members of its powerful central executive committee replaced by newcomers.
The changes have significant implications for the party, but the key question is whether the new leadership can achieve success at the ballot box.
Some background is necessary to understand why the USDP made the difficult decision to replace almost its entire leadership. (Courtesy of frontiermyanmar.net)
The conference, from August 22 to 24, did not produce any changes in the USDP’s policies but was notable for a sweeping reshuffle at the top of the party that saw many members of its powerful central executive committee replaced by newcomers.
The changes have significant implications for the party, but the key question is whether the new leadership can achieve success at the ballot box.
Some background is necessary to understand why the USDP made the difficult decision to replace almost its entire leadership. (Courtesy of frontiermyanmar.net)
Myanmar military tightens security in Kokang capital
Myanmar military has tightened security measures in Laukkai, capital of Kokang region in northern Shan state, following an explosion in a house in the town, official media reported Sunday.
The house belongs to the former leader of the Kokang self-administered zone.
A search of the damaged house in Thursday blast led to discovery of five pieces of a propelled explosive round, the report said.
Further investigation revealed that the projectile had been launched from a hill, 1.6 kilometers northwest of Laukkai and the pieces belonged to a 107mm rocket launcher.
The security forces also found suspicious package comprising night-vision binoculars, 107mm rocket launchers and grenades around a hill, 3.2 kilometers northwest of Laukkai, the report added. (Courtesy of globaltimes.cn)
The house belongs to the former leader of the Kokang self-administered zone.
A search of the damaged house in Thursday blast led to discovery of five pieces of a propelled explosive round, the report said.
Further investigation revealed that the projectile had been launched from a hill, 1.6 kilometers northwest of Laukkai and the pieces belonged to a 107mm rocket launcher.
The security forces also found suspicious package comprising night-vision binoculars, 107mm rocket launchers and grenades around a hill, 3.2 kilometers northwest of Laukkai, the report added. (Courtesy of globaltimes.cn)
September 17, 2016
Dalai Lama criticises Aung San Suu Kyi over Rohingya silence at EU meeting
The Dalai Lama has condemned attacks against the Rohingya Muslim minority in Myanmar, describing them as acts of "some mischievous individuals who do not represent Buddhism," accordingto the Kuwait News Agency on 15 September.
The Tibetan Buddhist leader was speaking to the European Parliament's Foreign Affairs Committee in Strasbourg. (Courtesy of mizzima.com)
The Tibetan Buddhist leader was speaking to the European Parliament's Foreign Affairs Committee in Strasbourg. (Courtesy of mizzima.com)
September 15, 2016
As Suu Kyi visits, US announces lifting of Myanmar sanctions
President Barack Obama said Wednesday the U.S. is lifting economic sanctions and restoring trade benefits to former pariah state Myanmar as he met with Aung San Suu Kyi, a former political prisoner who is now the nation's de facto leader.
Obama hailed a "remarkable" transformation in the country also known as Burma, which spent five decades under oppressive military rule. Suu Kyi's party swept historic elections last November, and the visit by the 71-year-old Nobel Peace Prize laureate, deeply respected in Washington, is a crowning occasion in the Obama administration's support for Myanmar's shift to democracy, which the administration views as a major foreign policy achievement.
The U.S. has eased broad economic sanctions since political reforms began five years ago and Obama has visited the country twice. But the U.S. has retained more targeted restrictions on military-owned companies and officials and associates of the former ruling junta. U.S. companies and banks have remained leery of involvement in one of Asia's last untapped markets. (Courtesy of crossroadstoday.com)
Obama hailed a "remarkable" transformation in the country also known as Burma, which spent five decades under oppressive military rule. Suu Kyi's party swept historic elections last November, and the visit by the 71-year-old Nobel Peace Prize laureate, deeply respected in Washington, is a crowning occasion in the Obama administration's support for Myanmar's shift to democracy, which the administration views as a major foreign policy achievement.
The U.S. has eased broad economic sanctions since political reforms began five years ago and Obama has visited the country twice. But the U.S. has retained more targeted restrictions on military-owned companies and officials and associates of the former ruling junta. U.S. companies and banks have remained leery of involvement in one of Asia's last untapped markets. (Courtesy of crossroadstoday.com)
September 7, 2016
NLD Rejects ANP Proposal to Remove Intl Reps from Arakan Advisory Commission
An urgent proposal put forward by Arakanese National Party (ANP) lawmaker Aung Kyaw San—calling for international members of the Arakan State Advisory Commission to be replaced with local academics—failed to earn parliamentary approval on Tuesday.
All military appointees to the legislature and the Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) MPs, as well as many of the ethnic political parties’ representatives—totalling 148 parliamentarians—voted in support of the ANP’s proposal, but 250 lawmakers from the ruling National League for Democracy (NLD) objected to it. One MP abstained from the vote.
The nine-member Arakan State Advisory Commission—whose formation was announced on Aug. 24—aims to explore the roots of Buddhist-Muslim tension in Arakan State, and to make recommendations toward “lasting solutions” to conflict. Since the outbreak of anti-Muslim violence in 2012, leading to the displacement of 140,000, the region has received international attention.
Formed by State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, the commission has three representatives from the international community, including chair and former UN chief Kofi Annan, two government representatives, two Buddhist Arakanese members, and two Muslim members. (Courtesy of irrawaddy.com)
All military appointees to the legislature and the Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) MPs, as well as many of the ethnic political parties’ representatives—totalling 148 parliamentarians—voted in support of the ANP’s proposal, but 250 lawmakers from the ruling National League for Democracy (NLD) objected to it. One MP abstained from the vote.
The nine-member Arakan State Advisory Commission—whose formation was announced on Aug. 24—aims to explore the roots of Buddhist-Muslim tension in Arakan State, and to make recommendations toward “lasting solutions” to conflict. Since the outbreak of anti-Muslim violence in 2012, leading to the displacement of 140,000, the region has received international attention.
Formed by State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, the commission has three representatives from the international community, including chair and former UN chief Kofi Annan, two government representatives, two Buddhist Arakanese members, and two Muslim members. (Courtesy of irrawaddy.com)
September 6, 2016
Hundreds protest in Myanmar over Suu Kyi's panel on Rohingya Muslims
Hundreds in Myanmar rallied on Tuesday against an advisory commission led by former U.N. chief Kofi Annan to find solutions to the conflict between the country's Buddhists and minority Rohingya Muslims, which has cast a pall over democratic reforms.
The plight of the Rohingya has raised questions about Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi's commitment to human rights and represents a politically sensitive issue for her National League for Democracy, which won a landslide election victory last year.
Local residents and Buddhist monks joined the protest overseen by dozens of police, despite rain in the northwestern Rakhine State, challenging what they perceived as "foreigners' biased intervention" from the nine-member panel.
Jeers and chants denouncing the panel intensified upon the arrival of Annan's plane. The crowd soon followed the convoy into town, where Annan delivered a speech and met with members of both the Rohingya and Buddhist Rakhine communities during his two-day visit to Sittwe, the capital of Rakhine state. (Courtesy of reuters.com)
The plight of the Rohingya has raised questions about Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi's commitment to human rights and represents a politically sensitive issue for her National League for Democracy, which won a landslide election victory last year.
Local residents and Buddhist monks joined the protest overseen by dozens of police, despite rain in the northwestern Rakhine State, challenging what they perceived as "foreigners' biased intervention" from the nine-member panel.
Jeers and chants denouncing the panel intensified upon the arrival of Annan's plane. The crowd soon followed the convoy into town, where Annan delivered a speech and met with members of both the Rohingya and Buddhist Rakhine communities during his two-day visit to Sittwe, the capital of Rakhine state. (Courtesy of reuters.com)
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