February 12, 2024 |
SOUTHEAST ASIA ROUNDUP

 

By API Desk | Date 02-12-2024

 

Indonesia gears up for general elections

Hundreds of thousands of Indonesians gathered in the capital Jakarta to support three presidential candidates on the final day of campaigning ahead of February 14 balloting.

About 205 million Indonesians are eligible to vote to choose President Joko Widodo’s successor after he had completed two five-year terms in Southeast Asia’s largest democracy and economy.

Defense Minister Prabowo Subianto, a third-time candidate, is predicted to win the balloting with a clear majority, according to an independent pollster, Indikator Politik. Prabowo is running with Gibran Rakabuming Raka, Jokowi’s eldest son.

Arnies Baswedan, the former governor of Jakarta was a distant second with 24.1 percent while former Central Java governor Ganjar Pranowo came third with 19.6 percent, according to the Indicator Politik.

About 5 percent remained undecided in the poll of 1,200 respondents between the last week of January and the first week of February. The winner of the February 14 balloting will be inaugurated in October.

 

Myanmar orders mandatory military service 

Myanmar’s ruling military junta has announced a two-year mandatory military service for all young men aged 18-35 and women aged 18-27 as armed rebellion continues in many parts of the Southeast Asian state.

Thee were no details released, but the government in a statement said it would “release necessary bylaws, procedures, announcements orders, notifications and instructions.”

A conscription law was introduced in Myanamar in 2010, but has not been not fully enforced, until now. The law also stated that the mandatory service can be extended up to five years under a state of emergency, and those who refuse can be jailed for the same period.

Myanmar imposed a state of emergency in 2021 when the military seized power from the civilian government led by Daw Aung San Suu Kyi. Recently, was extended for a further six months.

Disorders and fighting have severely affected the resource-rich but poor Southeast state. More than one million people have beeb displaced and thousands killed.

 

Malaysian Supreme Court strikes down Sharia Law

The Malaysian Supreme Court has struck down the Islamist-led Kelantan state’s sharia law, ruling it cannot expand to cover criminal acts covered by federal powers.

The nine-member bench in the federal court ruled that the state did not have the power to enact laws that the federal constitution clearly placed under federal powers and under the jurisdiction of parliament.

Chief Justice Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat, reading out the court’s 8-1 majority decision, said the 16 provisions were “invalid” as they overstepped into federal jurisdiction.

There has been a surge in religious conservatism that has triggered cultural clashes in recent years. The Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party, which has led Kelantan since 1990, has been pushing for broader jurisdiction for sharia law.

 

Singapore Supreme Court finds ex-PM son liable for oil company losses 

Singapore’s Supreme Court has found the son of former leader Goh Cho Tong liable for huge losses of bunker fuel company Inter-Pacific Petroleum (IPP). 

Justice Aedit Abdullah has found Goh Jin Hian, who served as IPP director from 2011 to 2017, responsible for breaching his duties as director of the troubled petroleum company which lost $146 million.

The ruling comes after Goh and three others faced 132 charges related to false trading offences in September 2023.

A total of $146 million was lost in trade financing from two of IPP’s largest creditors – Maybank and the Singapore branch of Societe Generale (SocGen). Another $10.5 million was lost from SocGen’s facility for IPP’s bunkering operations.

The high court judge said Goh’s failure to act on red flags and pursue further inquiries indicated a breach of duties, causing the losses claimed by IPP. Goh’s lack of knowledge about IPP’s cargo trading business was also highlighted during the trial.