May 5, 2012

Jakarta Globe - Fri, May 4, 2012

Fri, May 4, 2012:
Fri, May 4, 2012
Second Fatal Shooting in Two Weeks in Bandung
A second fatal shooting in the past two weeks was reported in Bandung on Friday, this time claiming the life of a 40-year-old man in what police suspect was a premeditated murder. 7:42pm May 4, 2012
Dutch Man Who Set Himself on Fire at Jakarta Embassy Moved to Another Hospital
Setiabudi Police chief detective Adj. Comr. Riftajudin said the Dutch man who had set himself on fire in front of the Dutch Embassy, had been moved to Pertamina Central Hospital (RSPP) in South Jakarta on Friday evening.
8:32pm May 4, 2012
Remains of Four Indonesians Who Died in Qatar to Be Sent Home Soon
The remains of four Indonesians who died in a tugboat fire in Qatar on Sunday are expected to arrive home soon, according to Indonesia’s Foreign Ministry.

6:17pm May 4, 2012
Singapore Airlines Makes Emergency Landing at Soekarno Hatta Airport
An Airbus A380 airplane run by Singapore Airlines made an emergency landing on Friday at Soekarno Hatta International Airport in Tangerang en route to Singapore. 5:25pm May 4, 2012
Australian Teen Dies While Snorkeling in Bali
A 16-year-old Australian boy died on Thursday after his head hit a boat while he snorkeled in the waters of Nusa Lembongan, a small island off the southeast of Bali. 3:47pm May 4, 2012
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Mistra, 41, accesses the damage to his roof in Daon village in Tangerang, Banten, on Friday. Heavy rains
and strong wind on Friday have damaged dozens of houses in the area, although no one was injured. (Antara Photo/Lucky R.)

Police officers inspect a boat anchored at a port in Makassar on Friday that they believed was carrying illegal logs. (Antara Photo/Sahrul Manda Tikupadang)

Fishermen near their boats docked at a port in Tegal, Central Java, on Friday. The Indonesian Fishermen Association reports that more Indonesian fishermen are selling their boats because of increasing
fishing costs and remaining ...

Journalists hold a rally to commemorate International Press Freedom Day in Makassar, South Sulawesi on Thursday (Antara Photo)

A man reads a poem at the tomb of Udin, a journalist who was murdered 16 years ago after he wrote a series of reports critical of the New Order regime. The Alliance of Independent Journalists (AJI) sponsored the visit to the grave...

Thousands of students flood Manunggal Hall in Makassar on Thursday to take the central government-sanctioned national entrance test for state universities, SNMPTN. (Antara Photo)

A vendor protests an attempt to remove his stall from the sidewalk along Jl H.M. Joni in Medan on Thursday. Police began evicting street vendors in an effort to make sidewalks more pedestrian friendly. (Antara Photo)

A boy cries out as a nurse vaccinates him against diphtheria, pertussis (whooping cough) and tetanus during a vaccination drive in Plandi village, Jombang, East Java, on Thursday. (Antara Photo)

Malaysia Sends Home Remains of 24 Indonesians Since January
Mataram. Malaysia has sent home the remains of 24 migrant workers from West Nusa Tenggara alone since January, an Indonesian migrant worker agency reported on Friday.
3:11pm May 4, 2012
Australia Lowers Travel Alert to Indonesia to Pre Bali Bombing Level
160 Afghan Asylum Seekers Launch Hunger Strike in Indonesian Detention Center
Police Probe Permit of Cork and Screw ‘Gun Waver’

Rupiah Rebounds From June 2010 Low on Intervention Speculation
Indonesia’s rupiah rebounded from the lowest level in almost 23 months, paring a weekly loss, on speculation the central bank intervened to support the currency to stem imported inflation — bonds also declined. 11:43am May 4, 2012
Facebook Pushes IPO Ahead With Value Set Above $70 Billion
Consumers Wary About the Future As Prices Inch Up
Noodles Left High and Dry as Indofood Triples Capex Budget

Tears in Oslo Court at Autopsy Details From Utoeya Massacre
Oslo, Norway. Muffled sobs filled an Oslo courtroom on Friday as the first autopsy reports were presented for the 69 people massacred on Utoeya island last July, but confessed killer Anders Behring Breivik displayed no sign of emotion. 7:53pm May 4, 2012
Cambodia Arrest in Activist Shooting: Rights Group
China Hints at Solution to Standoff Over Activist
As Japan Shuts Down Nuclear Power, Emissions Rise

Indonesia's Telkom Launches New Internet-Based TV Service 'Groovia TV'
Indonesia's largest phone operator Telkom launched a new Internet-based television service on Thursday that allows viewers to pause and rewind television shows and features an online library of videos, games and karaoke songs. 8:08pm May 3, 2012

Chris, Daud Ready to Rumble
Two top Indonesian boxers will feature in Singapore’s attempt to become the world’s new “boxing Mecca” this weekend. 6:57pm May 4, 2012
Boll Wows Chinese Ladies With Paddle Play, Sex Appeal
League Campaign In Shambles, Reds Turn to the Cup
Nelfi Ibanez: A Pioneer For Women in Latino Football

Avenger's Smashes Into Theaters
Pow, zap and any other comic book exclamation fits the bill for “The Avengers,” Joss Whedon’s sure-thing blockbuster that also happens to be a terrific movie. 9:51am May 4, 2012
Now That’s Good Coffee; The Cars Aren’t Bad Either
Hot Hatchbacks: Three Sporty Rides for Big-Time Driving

Dysfunctional Rule in China, India and the US Triggers Populism and Inequality
As news of political intrigue, corruption and human rights abuse tumble out of a hitherto tightly-managed Chinese system and as a slowdown in its frenzied growth rates seems likely in the near future, the triumphalist story of a “Beijing consensus” on authoritarian state-controlled capitalism looks a bit shabby now. But the other model practiced in capitalist democracies, like the United States and India, is looking wobbly, as well. 10:32am May 4, 2012
Editorial: Boldness Needed in Health Reforms

My Jakarta: Wastro 'Pak Slamet,' Grocery Vendor
These days, it’s easy to buy clothing, electronics or books from the comfort of your home by going online. In Jakarta, one man is making it just as simple to buy your groceries. 10:19am May 4, 2012

Is It a Bird? Is It a Plane?
Yves Rossy, known as the Jetman, flies over Rio de Janeiro in Brazil on Wednesday. The Swiss aviator dropped down from a helicopter and deployed the jet-powered carbon-kevlar Jetwing, which he steered with his body as he flew over Rio before landing on Copacabana beach. AP Photo/John Parker 9:05pm May 3, 2012
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Several train passengers wait for the train at Bekasi station on Wednesday. Kereta Api Indonesia decided to cancel the Transportation Ministry's decree to limit the capacity of train cars. (Antara Pho...


Several models wearing outfits by Indonesian designers at the 5th Surabaya Fashion Parade at Tunjungan Plaza, Surabaya, East Java on Wednesday. The fashion parade's theme was “Indonesian Culturemix,...


Angelina arrived at the KPK office on Thursday to be quizzed as a graft suspect in relation to the construction of an athlete's village in Palembang. (Antara Photo)


President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, accompanied by First Lady Ani Yudhoyono, prayed in front of the remains of Former Health Minister Endang Rahayu Sedyaningsih in Duren Sawit, Jakarta on Wednesday ni...


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Political analyst: No 16 votes to convict Corona

Political analyst: No 16 votes to convict Corona:  A political analyst believes the Aquino administration does not have the 16 votes it needs from senator-judges to convict Chief Justice Renato Corona. Antonio Contreras tells ANC this is why MalacaƱang has a media blitz against Corona . – World Tonight, May 5, 2012
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GE2011 – one year on

GE2011 – one year on:

Monday, 7 May 2012, marks the first anniversary of the general election in 2011 when an opposition party won a group representation constituency for the first time. In the process, two People’s Action Party (PAP) cabinet ministers were booted out.
In the aftermath, former prime ministers Lee Kuan Yew and Goh Chok Tong finally left the cabinet, though whether they went willingly still remains unknown.
Has the electoral setback for the PAP changed its governing style? Has the rhetoric about greater engagement translated to policy changes? Winning back voters?
I usually don’t like addressing such questions. They smack of short-termist, polls-driven politics which I am ambivalent about. Twelve months is really a very short time-frame to assess such change, if any. However, there are some thoughts I have today that, while they do not answer any of the above questions, have no better opportunity for me to voice them than now.

My three-tier analysis from last December

At the end of last year, I wrote in Some policies change as PAP government paddles furiously that the extent to which the PAP would respond depended on which tier an issue falls into.
On issues which are technocratic in nature, e.g. improving public transport, reviewing public housing building programmes, healthcare facilities, it is quite evident that ministers will work hard to address public grievances. They have become a lot more sensitive to ground grumbling.
In fact, the government may even be bending over backwards too much. Today’s headline in the Straits Times (‘Govt trying to ease COE supply crunch’, 5 May 2012) speaks of the government contemplating more changes to vehicle-quota rules that are so new, the ink is hardly dry. They have been a spooked by Certificate of Entitlement prices rising close to $100,000, and which in turn has contributed to the inflation rate rising to 5.2 percent in March.
But the newspaper report contained a word of dissent from an unexpected quarter:
Singapore Vehicle Traders Association secretary Raymond Tang has a different view, saying: ‘When the Government has announced a certain regulation or policy, it should stick to it until the next announced review.
‘Otherwise, it creates uncertainty and affects confidence of investors.’
He said the Government could rely more on electronic road pricing to control congestion, ‘but before it can do that, a good public transport system has to be in place’.
– Straits Times, 12 May 2012, Govt trying to ease COE supply crunch, by Christopher Tan
One would expect an industry group like the Singapore Vehicle Traders Association to welcome some relief, loosening up a bit on the quota clampdown that has crimped their car sales and caused COE prices to shoot up. But no, Raymond Tang is saying that all this chopping and changing is no good. Stay the course, he said. He is also taking a more holistic view, saying that greater attention has to be paid to public transport capacity and coverage.
A government that has long prided itself on taking hard decisions for the long-term good now stands accused of being too short-termist.
On matters that involve a rethink of their ideological nostrums, no real change will be forthcoming, I said in the earlier article. Ministers still cling fast to notions such as:
  • Market fundamentalism and trickle-down economics
  • Keeping an open door to foreign talent
  • Resisting a welfare state
Yet these are areas that large numbers of internet-savvy citizens want to have a say on. That being the case, the government cannot totally avoid engagement. But the kind of “engagement” that they can do is limited simply because the above are essentially non-negotiable tenets. The government will make greater use of new platforms to explain their policies or for public relations “spin”, but then they come up against another problem: People expect new media platforms to be used for engagement, not for one-sided pronouncements. However, since the positions of the government are largely non-negotiable, the use of such platforms will inescapably amount to pronouncements, not engagement. And the result will be plenty of opportunity for netizens to decry its insincerity.
And yet, the government’s position on these and related issues is not totally crazy. There is merit to maintaining a business-friendly environment, there is merit to keeping an open door to talent, and so on. The real question, I think, is whether the government is too extreme. One would therefore expect that a genuine dialogue would be enormously helpful, but for several reasons, I don’t think it is happening.
Firstly, there is great suspicion that the government is manipulative and unyielding, and secondly, unless there is a concerted push to put loads of data into the public realm, a meaningful dialogue cannot emerge in an information vacuum.
Thus, there is a need for the government to be penitent and free up media controls, including a host of unwritten practices that make our mainstream media keep looking over their shoulders, to embrace the Open Data movement and institute Freedom of Information rights.
The signs, however, are inauspicious. Instead of doing what needs to be done, the government is harping on an internet code of conduct, which most socio-political internet users view as yet another attempt at media control. Which brings us to the third and lowest tier:
Matters of civil, political and human rights. From dragging its feet over a by-election in seat-vacant Hougang, to refusal to reconsider detention without trial even when Malaysia is changing the law, to repeating now-discreditted claims about Marxist conspiracies in 1987 (which saw over 20 people arrested under the Internal Security Act), to not allowing opposition party leader Chee Soon Juan to go to Norway, the PAP government is still intent on flouting basic democratic norms.
Why?  As I said in the earlier article, the PAP perceives that keeping this stance does not cost them votes. On the other hand, even allowing a small crack in its fortress walls will threaten its hold on power. The big sign hung on the fortress gates says “No change! Never!”

A more politicised electorate? The jury’s still out

Has there been a gradual rise in political chatter and boldness on the people side? If so, is it an effect of GE2011, or just a long-term trend in the re-politicisation of Singaporeans? I don’t have answers to these questions; we shall have to await some carefully organised studies to find out.
I realise that other commentators have stuck their necks out and said that the gradual repoliticisation of Singaporeans is underway, but frankly, I think there is a huge paucity of data.

Is the regime starting to hollow out?

What is a bit more intriguing to me is whether stones are falling off the walls of the citadel. A fairly common way for authoritarian regimes to fall is a hollowing out from within and defections from its perimeter. Erstwhile loyalists start to question their faith in the system, and some of them take their dissent into the public realm, providing ammunition to the government’s critics. Junior followers whose job is to execute orders from above hesitate more than before, or make a half-hearted hash of it. If it is service delivery, quality then falls, because the followers’ hearts are no longer in it – which only discredits the government of the day. If it is enforcement, it becomes patchy – a dangerous weakness when opposition grows.
The above-mentioned wobbling happens when insiders start to see with their own eyes the failures of the system, or the way public opinion is shifting. It gives them reason to tap their own conscience and apply a rethink to their previously-strong devotion. When they also see that the government remains unmoved, what results is a small crisis of confidence at an individual level. Should they keep their doubts to themselves and act as loyally as before? Should they speak up? Or reconcile their doubts through small acts of resistance, like leaking information or not quite carrying out their duties with the same forcefulness as before?
Lately we had economics professor Lim Chong Yah, once very much part of the establishment 20 years ago, take issue openly with the government’s wage policies and failure to pay attention to the income gap. Ambassador at large Tommy Koh last year spoke up in favour of a minimum wage and has now voiced quite divergent thoughts on healthcare financing (see Yahoo News, 4 May 2012, Insurance should cover everyone: Ambassador Tommy Koh)
But what was even more interesting was what the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) said. This happened just after prime minister Lee Hsien Loong had spent Labour Day hammering home his insistence that pay increases should be linked to, and follow productivity improvements. He was rebutting Lim Chong Yah’s proposal. But just a day later, the government-linked NTUC, which is headed by Lim Swee Say, a cabinet minister no less, said:
The National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) has proposed to the National Wages Council (NWC) that workers be given a minimum dollar amount as an increment to their basic pay – instead of getting it as a one-off payment.
The fixed dollar amount should be enough to offset the impact of inflation for low-wage workers, sources said.
– Straits Times, 3 May 2012,’Give pay rise to beat inflation’: NTUC, by Toh Yong Chuan
In effect, such adjustment to basic pay means inflation-indexing the base rate. Productivity-linked wage increases will be on top of it. It’s a minor tweak to what the prime minister had expounded, but nevertheless, the difference seemed remark-worthy to me: The NTUC wanted an adjustment that was not linked to productivity increase. Moreover, inflation-indexing is a novel idea for Singapore.
Another example of stones falling off citadel walls was this:
In a closed-door discussion of the government’s call for an internet code of conduct, Aubeck Kam, the chief of the Media Development Authority, reportedly said he wasn’t sure to what extent such a call was motivated by politics. With words like that, he was skipping unusually close to a zone called heresy. A thin-skinned boss could accuse him of contempt.
On the other hand, one might argue that throughout the half-century of PAP rule, there have been previous examples of true-believers turned sceptics, and the few more examples we have seen recently don’t make a new trend. Indeed, this may well be true, which only goes to show how difficult it is to discern if there has been any real change.
It’s probably going to be the kind of conclusion one reaches only through hindsight, perhaps a decade from now.

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PAP should listen to Dr Tommy Koh as he has no political agenda

PAP should listen to Dr Tommy Koh as he has no political agenda: “I think the state should intervene and require all insurance companies to insure people with prior medical conditions. There should be no one in Singapore who is not insured against a potential catastrophic disease,” he added, noting that, currently, insurance companies will not cover applicants who have pre-existing medical conditions.” – [...]
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Legitimate concerns censored on PM Lee’s Facebook

Legitimate concerns censored on PM Lee’s Facebook: In a posting on his Facebook, PM Lee shared pictures taken by a photographer Sam Kang Li of his neighbors in his HDB block in Tampines. Mr Lee took the opportunity to ask Singaporeans to come up with similar creative ideas to build bonds among the residents. PM Lee wrote, “I hope other Singaporeans come up [...]
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86 students and workers arrested in Dili, East Timor during May Day ...

86 students and workers arrested in Dili, East Timor during May Day ...: MAY DAY in DILI, TIMOR LESTE 86 students and workers arrested in Dili on May Day According spokesperson for the Socialist Party of Timor (PST), Tama Laka Aquita, 86 students and workers were detained today, May 1, ...
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Malaysian Electoral Reforms Crucial for Democracy in ASEAN

Malaysian Electoral Reforms Crucial for Democracy in ASEAN:
Asian Network for Free Elections
BANGKOK, 04 May 2012 – While the significance of the rallies on 28th April will undoubtedly continue to be debated for some time, it is important that the debate not obstruct or delay badly needed electoral reforms in the country. Accusations about the protest began before the smell of tear gas had cleared the air. While the facts about Saturday’s demonstration matter, they will not change the central truth that is the pressing need for electoral system reform. This truth is why it is important that the focus remains on reform, both those changes that can be implemented before the coming election and those that will be more long term projects.
ANFREL agrees with recommendations that an impartial commission should investigate the events of April 28th and hold accountable those responsible for violence, be they protesters, police, or leaders of either group. Those that triggered the violence and chaos that came at the end of the day, overshadowing what had to that point been a peaceful turnout of protesters, should be held accountable. That said, overly politicizing this event misses, and could distract from, the larger purpose of the rally and the reason why so many people took to the streets Saturday.
One of the most publicised issues, that of the electoral roll, is also one that is central to the integrity of the electoral system. The use of a clean voter list, or electoral roll, is a fundamental condition to manage voting on election day, to build trust in the electoral system and the election commission. Having a clean electoral roll prevents many types of possible fraud. The Election Commission must work to audit, clean and update the electoral rolls to eliminate the deceased, voters that have moved, duplications, and other such clear examples of problems with the electoral roll. To ensure it is as up-to-date as is possible, the EC must clearly define the process of registration. If a system of automatic registration, like those practiced successfully in some neighbouring countries and as recommended by the Parliamentary Select Committee(PSC), is not implemented, the system of voter registration should be clear, far-reaching, and non-partisan. The electoral roll has long been an issue in Malaysia despite a great deal of research and study into the problems. The expertise, information and resources necessary to correct the electoral roll are all readily available in Malaysia. The only remaining ingredient is the political will within the Election Commission.
An issue raised by ANFREL and others many times, and one relevant again in the aftermath of the protests, is the need for a free and impartial media. Greater objectivity and fairness is needed from many media outlets both in their reporting and in parties’ access to the media while campaigning.
More broadly, ‘independent’ Malaysian institutions that are insufficiently independent and professional weaken the entire system. Too often, these institutions have earned the suspicion and mistrust the public holds for them. When an agency as central to the electoral system as the Election Commission acts in ways that raise questions about its impartiality, it understandably undermines the entire system. As mentioned, the repeated and sustained mismanagement of the electoral roll as well as the EC’s continued reliance on gerrymandered constituency boundaries call into question the neutrality and independence of the Election Commission. There is little excuse for the huge differences in voters between the smallest and largest constituencies in the country. Such enormous differences make a mockery of the principle of equal voting power, or one person one vote. The Election Commission’s planned re-drawing of the boundaries using a modern GIS system cannot come soon enough, assuming that it is done fairly based on established best practices.
The PSC’s recommendations about creating more space and independence for the Election Commission should be explored and promoted. Having its own budget and a more independent selection process are two good places to start to institutionalize independence in the body. The Election Commission’s neutrality and competence, as well as the perceptions of their neutrality and competence, are crucial to the electoral system and whatever measures can improve the organisation should be explored.
The aforementioned issues are but a few of the badly needed reforms in Malaysia. Some, such as adequate time to campaign before the election, can be addressed in time for the coming election while others will have to come after the election. Real progress is possible in Malaysia as some of the reforms are quite concrete and feasible given Malaysia’s level of development. This is why short-term controversies over protests should not divert attention from the larger picture. In the wake of the protests, it is important that everyone not lose sight of the real issues at stake for the electoral system and the country.
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Call for magazine editor’s release after trial on lĆØse-majestĆ© charges

Call for magazine editor’s release after trial on lĆØse-majestĆ© charges:
Reporters Without Borders
Reporters Without Borders again urges the Thai authorities to release Somyos Prueksakasemsuk, the former editor of the banned magazine Voice of Thaksin, who was tried on lĆØse-majestĆ© charges during the past four days in Bangkok, with witnesses for the prosecution and defence giving evidence. Somyos has been detained for the past 12 months.
“The nine bail requests for Somyos during the past year were all rejected on the grounds that he could influence witnesses if he were released before his trial,” Reporters Without Borders said. “Now that the trial is all but over, we reiterate our call for his immediate and unconditional release.”
A Reporters Without Borders representative was able to speak briefly with Somyos on 1 May, shortly after Somyos testified in his defence. “I just want to expose the facts,” he said. “If I am punished for that, then so be it.” Somyos’ wife, who visits him once a week in prison, said the 50-year-old journalist seems to have been treated acceptably in prison, but his mental health is deteriorating.
In his testimony, Somyos argued that the two February 2010 articles that prompted his arrest did not refer to the monarchy. “I did not really imagine that these articles would be seen as criticizing the monarchy,” he testified. “In my view, the author was just referring to the Thai elite.” For the first time he revealed the real name of the person who wrote the two articles under the pen-name of Jit Polachan.
“The articles contain no explicit reference to the monarchy,” Reporters Without Borders said. “They and the law are being interpreted in a particular way in order to punish a ruling party opponent. We condemn this political use of the draconian lĆØse-majestĆ© legislation to silence Somyos, and we urge the court not to convict him on the basis of a purely subjective interpretation of the articles.”
Somyos’ two defence lawyers petitioned Thailand’s constitutional court on 24 April, asking it to determine whether the lĆØse-majestĆ© law is constitutional and complies with international legal standards, and requesting a suspension of the trial until it issued its ruling.
A member of the United Front for Democracy Against Dictatorship (better known as the “Red Shirts”), Somyos was arrested on 30 April 2011 after refusing to identify the person who wrote the two articles that allegedly defamed the king. He was formally charged on 26 July 2011 on two lĆØse-majestĆ© counts for which he could get a combined sentence of up to 30 years in prison.
The court that is trying Somyos will not issue a verdict until the constitutional court has issued a ruling.
Thailand is classified as a country “under scrutiny” in the “Enemies of the Internet” report that Reporters Without Borders updates every year.
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Abandoning Vietnam - Wall Street Journal

Abandoning Vietnam - Wall Street Journal:

Wall Street Journal

Abandoning Vietnam
Wall Street Journal
By MARK MOYAR From the moment the last US helicopter departed the Saigon embassy in April 1975, the fall of South Vietnam has figured prominently in American debates over the Vietnam War. Doves attribute South Vietnam's defeat to governmental weakness ...
Local veterans remember end of Vietnam WarConnectTriStates.com powered by KHQA
Driving the Vietnam growth trainTODAYonline
My kind of place: Ho Chi Minh City, VietnamThe National
Dorchester Reporter -The Critic -The Malaysian Insider
all 9 news articles »
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Laos: Xayaburi Dam Halted. Really. | ASEAN Beat

Laos: Xayaburi Dam Halted. Really. | ASEAN Beat: Laos reassures its neighbors that work on the Xayaburi dam is on hold. But there are some mixed signals.
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China-funded road, bridge begin construction in Cambodia

China-funded road, bridge begin construction in Cambodia: STUNG TRENG, Cambodia, 5 May 2012 (Xinhua) - Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen (pictured) on Saturday broke ground for the construction of the China-funded national road No 214 and the Cambodia-China Friendship ...
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China Exim Bank Plans to Invest in Cambodia's TV, Steel Sectors

China Exim Bank Plans to Invest in Cambodia's TV, Steel Sectors: The other project is to build a steel plant by importing raw materials from overseas to manufacture in Cambodia and supply the finished products to local and regional markets, he said without giving the details of investment ...
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Mathieu Young's Photographs of Illegal Logging in Cambodia ...

Mathieu Young's Photographs of Illegal Logging in Cambodia ...: The photographer Mathieu Young recalls his week with the activist Chut Wutty, who worked tirelessly to save the forests of Cambodia.
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Joint Press Release by Rohingya Organisations:

Joint Press Release by Rohingya Organisations::
2014 Census in Burma must be universal and inclusive of Rohingya

Recently the United Nations Population Fund UNFPA) has agreed to support Burma’s proposed 2014 population and housing census. But ‘Rights groups worry that if not conducted properly, the census could marginalize minorities such as the Rohingya or those living in one of Burma's many conflict areas.’

No true census has ever been taken in Burma, and great injustice has been done to the ethnic Rohingyas. The government of U Thein Sein is beyond exception. His current wind of change has not touched the Rohingyas yet. Rather racist and xenophobic plans have been patronized and projected against them.

In an effort to deny Rohingya’s existence in Burma, (i) Immigration Ministers U Khin Yi accused the Rohingyas of being illegal Bangladeshi immigrants; (ii) Chief Political Advisor to the President U Ko Ko Hlaing confirmed that the restriction on their (Rohingyas’) freedom of movement is necessary from so-called national security perspective; and (iii) the Director General of Burma’s Department of Population Myint Kyaing lied in a proud manner, “we have no stateless people in Myanmar and there is no Rohingya in Myanmar as well, because no Bengali people are residing in Myanmar."

Whereas Burma is surrounded by other populous neighbours such as, India, China and Thailand, why U Myint Kyaing proclaimed Burma is facing population pressures only from Bangladesh. On the contrary, due to persecution, an estimated 1.5 million Rohingyas are taking refuge in Bangladesh and other countries. Obviously these self-contradictory and politically motivated statements are nothing but preoccupation of Muslim-phobia and policies of exclusion and persecution against the Rohingyas. Under the circumstance, a credible census is very unlikely and Rohingya are likely to be excluded.

Meanwhile, to ensure the census is universal and “inclusive of all national races”, the oppressive 1982 citizenship law should be amended in conformity with international conventions, international custom and principle generally recognized with regard to nationality. In addition, it should be brought in line with the principles embodied in the Convention on the Reduction of Statelessness of 30 August 1961. Suitable arrangements should also be made for the inclusion of all Rohingya and other Burmese diasporas.

We, therefore, urge upon the UN, OIC, UK, USA, EU, ASEAN and Burma’s neighbours to put pressure on Burmese government to genuinely include Rohingya as a ‘national race’ in the Burma’s proposed census.

Signatories to this joint statement:


Arakan Rohingya National organisation (ARNO),
Burmese Rohingya Organisation UK (BROUK),
Burmese Rohingya Association Japan (BRAJ)
Burmese Rohingya Community in Australia (BRCA)
Burmese Rohingya Community in Norway (BRCN)
Burmese Rohingya Association in Thailand (BRAT)
Burmese Rohingya for Democracy in Burma (RLDB)

For more information, please contact:

Aman Ullah +880-15584 86910

Tun Khin + 44- 788 871 4866




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Panchen Lamas: A Reporter Looks Back

Panchen Lamas: A Reporter Looks Back: A former China correspondent compares Panchen Lamas old and new.
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Amid Brazil’s Rush to Develop, Workers Resist

Amid Brazil’s Rush to Develop, Workers Resist:
Saturday, May 5, 2012
Originally published in the New York Times. Watch the video story. JACI PARANƁ, Brazil — The revolt here on the banks of the Madeira River, the Amazon’s largest tributary, flared after sunset. At the simmering end of a 26-day strike by 17,000 workers last month, a faction of laborers who were furious over wages and living conditions began setting fire to the construction site at the Jirau Dam. <nyt_text> Throughout the night, they burned more than 30 structures to the ground and looted company stores, capturing the mayhem on their own cellphone cameras, before firefighters extingu
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May 4, 2012

Indonesia's population boom needs fixing

Indonesia's population boom needs fixing: "The rapid growth of the island's population has shocked eve .....
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Expert says water scarcity is Asia's urgent issue

Expert says water scarcity is Asia's urgent issue: Water scarcity is acute in Asia and is likely to worsen at a .....
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Najib Further Linked to Sub Scandal

Najib Further Linked to Sub Scandal: John Berthelsen Najhib runs silent, runs deep, New documents appear to tie him to demands for kickbacks A flood of new documents relating to the US$1 billion purchase of French submarines has turned up additional, damning connections to Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak, the Malaysian rights group Suaram said Thursday. Frustrated by lack of progress [...]
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Lama, Nun Die in Fire

Lama, Nun Die in Fire: The fire that killed a Tibetan monk and his niece may have been an accident.
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Nida Poll shows improvement in approval ratings for Yingluck; decline for government

Nida Poll shows improvement in approval ratings for Yingluck; decline for government:
There is a new NIDA Poll which surveyed 1,245 people nationwide which was released April 18. The title of the poll is “Satisfaction with the government and the Prime Minister, 2nd poll, Performance of the government and the Prime Minister between January-March 2012 ” (“ąø„ąø§ąø²ąø”ąøžึąø‡ąøžąø­ą¹ƒąøˆąø•่ąø­ąøœąø„ąø‡ąø²ąø™ąø£ัąøąøšąø²ąø„ ą¹ąø„ąø°ąø™ąø²ąø¢ąøąø£ัąøąø”ąø™ąø•ąø£ี” ąø„ąø£ั้ąø‡ąø—ี่ 2 ą¹ƒąø™ąøąø²ąø£ąø›ąøิąøšัąø•ิąø ąø²ąø£ąøิąøˆąø‚ąø­ąø‡ąø£ัąøąøšąø²ąø„ą¹ąø„ąø°ąø™ąø²ąø¢ąøąø£ัąøąø”ąø™ąø•ąø£ีąø£ąø°ąø«ąø§่ąø²ąø‡ą¹€ąø”ืąø­ąø™ ąø”ąøąø£ąø²ąø„ąø” – ąø”ีąø™ąø²ąø„ąø” 2555). NIDA notes that they will do this poll every quarter to enable people to follow the performance of the government on various aspects and to reflect the views of the people (ą¹‚ąø”ąø¢ąøˆąø°ąø—ąø³ąøąø²ąø£ąøŖąø³ąø£ąø§ąøˆą¹€ąø›็ąø™ąø£ąø²ąø¢ą¹„ąø•ąø£ąø”ąø²ąøŖą¹ąø„ąø°ąø”ีąøąø²ąø£ą¹€ąø›ąø£ีąø¢ąøšą¹€ąø—ีąø¢ąøšą¹ƒąø™ą¹ąø•่ąø„ąø°ą¹„ąø•ąø£ąø”ąø²ąøŖ ą¹€ąøžื่ąø­ąø•ิąø”ąø•ąø²ąø”ąøœąø„ąøąø²ąø£ąø—ąø³ąø‡ąø²ąø™ąø‚ąø­ąø‡ąø£ัąøąøšąø²ąø„ą¹ƒąø™ąø”้ąø²ąø™ąø•่ąø²ąø‡ą¹† ą¹ąø„ąø°ąøŖąø°ąø—้ąø­ąø™ąø„ąø§ąø²ąø”ąø„ิąø”ą¹€ąø«็ąø™ąø‚ąø­ąø‡ąø›ąø£ąø°ąøŠąø²ąøŠąø™).  BP blogged on the previous quarter from December 2011 here.
Unlike some polls, NIDA provides full access to survey data methodology so BP has included this at the end of this post (as noted below they have gone for equal geographic distribution by region which doesn’t reflect the nationwide population).*
For comparison purposes, BP has included previous NIDA polls to get some context about what the scores mean (i.e is 6.5 out of 10 a phenomenally good score or well just average). It is best to compare polls from the same organization and when the same questions are asked. BP has found NIDA polls on the performance of former Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva and his government from August 2009-May 2010 and have included those (yes, it would have been better to have included a more diverse time period like BP did with the Suan Dusit polls, but these are the only ones that BP could find) and from the December 2011 NIDA poll on the Yingluck government.
1. Satisfaction that the people have towards the Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra (ąø„ąø§ąø²ąø”ąøžึąø‡ąøžąø­ą¹ƒąøˆąø‚ąø­ąø‡ąø›ąø£ąø°ąøŠąø²ąøŠąø™ąø•่ąø­ąø•ัąø§ąø™ąø²ąø¢ąøąø£ัąøąø”ąø™ąø•ąø£ี “ąø™ąø²ąø‡ąøŖąø²ąø§ąø¢ิ่ąø‡ąø„ัąøąø©ąø“์ ąøŠิąø™ąø§ัąø•ąø£”).
Microsoft Excel
Source: Aug 09-May 10 (DOC); December 2011 (HTML and PDF); April 2012 (HTML and PDF)
Note: Ratings are not out of 100, it is simply satisfied/not satisfied (approval rating).
1.1. To explain the weighted and population fields, the poll surveyed 1,245 people nationwide, but it did so equally by region regardless of the population of that region which resulted in the number of people being surveyed as follows: Bangkok 249, Central 247, North 249, Northeast 252, and South 248.
Mahidol University has a population gazette - used January 2011figures – which provides the population of each region and so the “Pop” field in BP’s chart above is the percentage of Thailand’s total population which is in that region. For the “Weighted” field, the key figure is the total of 71.38% which is the adjusted figure that comes out when you weigh the April 12 figures by the percentage of the population of each region. This means that Yingluck has a 71.38% approval rating which is an increase from 63.16%
This is  more reflective than the unweighted nationwide figure of 68.5% which you get when you add the Dec 11 figures together and divide by 5 with no adjustment made for population.** BP hasn’t adjusted the Democrat figures downwards as BP found no mention in the NIDA source of the geographical breakdown for the previous polls - from BP’s experience with NIDA polls and looking at the survey data from the elections, they were very accurate with their geographical breakdown (see here and here) – so it would be unfair to adjust the Democrat government ratings (they would likely go down slightly given the Democrats do better in the South which has a smaller population than the Northeast). The unweighted figures show an increase from 57.14% to 68.5%. This is because Yingluck’s biggest jump in support is in the South (13% of population) and her drop in support in the Northeast (33% of population).
Note: The individual regional figures for December 11 and April 12 are still accurate. It is only the total figures which aren’t reflective.
1.2 Yingluck’s improvement in performance is also reflected in other polls. An ABAC poll showed a 7% increase in support for Yingluck from January to February and a Suan Dusit showed Yingluck went from 5.49 (out of 10) in December to 5.9 in February (now it is above 6 for April – but well have yet to blog on that).
2. Percentage of people who are satisfied with the performance of Yingluck government in solving various problems (ąø£้ąø­ąø¢ąø„ąø°ąø‚ąø­ąø‡ąø›ąø£ąø°ąøŠąø²ąøŠąø™ąø—ี่ąøžึąø‡ąøžąø­ą¹ƒąøˆąø•่ąø­ąøąø²ąø£ą¹ąø้ą¹„ąø‚ąø›ัąøąø«ąø²ąø”้ąø²ąø™ąø•่ąø²ąø‡ą¹† ąø‚ąø­ąø‡ąø£ัąøąøšąø²ąø„ąø™ąø²ąø‡ąøŖąø²ąø§ąø¢ิ่ąø‡ąø„ัąøąø©ąø“์ ąøŠิąø™ąø§ัąø•ąø£)
Microsoft Excel
NOTE: Ratings are not out of 10, it is simply satisfied/not satisfied (approval rating). Bkk, Central, North, NE, and South are from April 2012.
BP:
2.1 Again, BP has included the weighed numbers based on the population of each region. See explanation in 1.1 (used same population stats from Mahidol).These are issues chosen by NIDA and well, the choosing of them is quite subjective – the economic one is likely to be important in an election than say the South – but at least they asked the same questions for the Abhisit government so there is some point of comparison. Needless to say, those in the North and the Northeast are relatively happy with most things, ie 55% are satisfied with the performance in solving problems in the Deep South compared with only 11% in the South who are satisfied. Clearly, their views of the government – positive or negative – is reflected in their assessment.
2.2 That the Yingluck’s government does well – increase from 47% to 69% – for its drugs policy. This is not surprising as an ABAC poll from mid-February, the drugs policy it was the top-rated government policy.
2.3 On all other issues, the government’s performance has declined. On the Deep South, down from 37% to 21%; Corruption from 40% to 30%; political conflict from 43% to 30%. These are big declines. The decline in the Deep South, well the Hat Yai and the Yala coordinated bombings no doubt played a big part in the poor score. Political conflict/unity decline can be seen from increased tension regarding constitutional amendments and amnesty.
2.4 Also, and most crucially on the economy/living costs there is a decline from 51% to 50%.  Other polling suggests that the cost of living and the cost of goods is a concern although people don’t necessarily blame the government or think the government is doing a bad job compared with previous government. Actually, the decline on the economy/cost of living varies from region – you see the non-weighted figures shows an increase in performance which can be explained by the regional figures. For Bangkok, from December 2011 to April, it went from 41.88 to 41.4; for Central region, it went from 44.77 to 41.7; for the North it went from 56.32 to 56.2; for the Northeast from 71.69 to 56.3 and the South from 14.13 to 48.4 (hence, this is why the unweighted figure shows an increase in the economy, it is all from the South).
So not much change for Bangkok, Central and the North. For the Northeast, a dramatic decline. This is also consistent with the E-san poll which showed a decline from 76.1 (December 2011) to 50.9 (February-March 2012). For the South, a dramatic increase. Not sure what the explanation is. 14.13 was not really reflective of the actual economy and was more reflective of the fact that the South is strongly Democrat and so partisan responses were reflected according (vice-versa for the Northeast). This doesn’t mean they will all vote Puea Thai.
NOTE: While you have real cost of living increase problems – reflected in various polls – you also have a rebounding economy in Q1.
3. Points for performance of the Yingluck government (ąø„ąø°ą¹ąø™ąø™ąøœąø„ąø‡ąø²ąø™ą¹‚ąø”ąø¢ąø£ąø§ąø”ąø‚ąø­ąø‡ąø£ัąøąøšąø²ąø„ąø™ąø²ąø‡ąøŖąø²ąø§ąø¢ิ่ąø‡ąø„ัąøąø©ąø“์  ąøŠิąø™ąø§ัąø•ąø£).
This was one is rather short as NIDA don’t have a regional breakdown so no chart. There has been a drop from 6.24 (unweighted) to 6.23 (unweighted).
3.1 From one perspective, it seems odd that the PM’s approval rating is going up, but the government’s performance is declining (albeit by only .01). BP should note that there is a difference between ratings out of 10 and satisfaction/approval. For example, if you are somewhat supportive of the government, but not overall satisfied, you may only give the government a rating of 3 or 4 which still helps for government when working out the overall rating, but in such an example you would give a “not satisfied” which means Yingluck gets the equivalent of a zero. This can also work in reverse and if you are only somewhat satisfied with the government, you may only give a 6, but you still give Yingluck a satisfied so it is a full score.
Of course, you have the separate fact that one is asking about Yingluck and the other is asking about the government and people may have different views on these. The same was for Abhisit and his government – see Abhisit’s scores in the South versus those of his government. Nevertheless, Abhisit always scored much higher than his government and now we are seeing the same trend for Yingluck.
3.2 On the 6.23 score being higher than the average score for the issues in 2. Well, these are specific issues asked by NIDA. There are many other issues, from education, foreign affairs, healthcare etc which are not included in 2, but are issues which people will take into consideration when giving a rating for the government.
*Survey data methodology:
Region: Bangkok 249, Central 247, North 249, Northeast 252, and South 248
Sex: Males 53%; Females 47%
Age:

Under 25, 143 (11.5%)

25-39, 492 (39.5%)

40-59, 515 (41.4%)

60+, 95 (7.6%)
BP: As with most polls, this seems to under-represent those aged over 60 although not as badly as most polls. This is probably because these people are more likely to be at home and are harder to survey.
Religion:

Buddhist 94%,

Christian 1%,

Muslim 5%
Education Status : Grade 6 or less, 315 (25.3%)

Grade 12 or equivalent, 456 (36.6%)

Vocational Certificate or equivalent, 106 (8.5%)

Bachelor’s degree or equivalent, 328 (26.3%)

Higher than Bachelor’s degree, 40 (3.2%)
Employment Status:

Civil Servant/state enterprise, 171 (13.7%)

Private company employee, 277 (22.2%)

Business owner/freelance (includes self-employed), 282 (22.7%)

Farmers/laborers, 245 (19.7%)

Housewife/house-husband/retired/unemployed, 157 (12.6%)

Students, 113 (9.1%)
BP: Again, the “Housewife/house-husband/retired/unemployed” category probably under-represents this group and the student group is over-represented although this is the nature of most polls (i.e as they are mostly at home and hence more difficult to survey).
Income (monthly):

None, 233 (18.7%)

Less than 10,000, 497 (39.9%)

10,001-20,000, 382 (30.7%)

20,001-30,000, 33 (2.7%)

More than 40,000, 64 (5.1%)

Unspecified, 36 (2.9%)
BP: They missed out 30,000–40,000 in the poll, but all the numbers add up to 100% so assume it should be “More than 30,000″.
**BP couldn’t find an explanation that NIDA had already adjusted the regional ratings by population. There is mention of the  SE Mean figure but the Poll itself doesn’t say that NIDA has already adjusted the ratings and given that the total figure is simply reached by adding up the regional ratings and dividing by 5, BP has to assume NIDA hasn’t. The alternative is that NIDA has adjusted the regional ratings which would be a little bizarre if they did so as the regional ratings are accurate, the only figure you need to adjust is the total.
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