A day after a Bangkok court sent four of its representatives into pre-trial detention on royal defamation charges, Thai pro-democracy groups have vowed to escalate their demonstrations calling for monarchy reform and a new Constitution. Thousands of protesters gathered in central Bangkok to demand the immediate release of the leaders and to condemn the inactivity of the government against their …

President Joko Widodo urged regional governments to introduce collective activity restrictions by implementing a micro-based approach to sub-districts, towns, community units and neighborhood units. To this end, the Head of State pointed out that the government had worked in greater depth by enforcing a micro-scale lockdown. In view of this, Jokowi was of the opinion that such a measure did …

PETALING JAYA: A plan by a PPBM senator to pass laws to prosecute anyone found insulting the prime minister has been slammed by lawyer Haniff Khatri Abdulla, claiming it is worse than the Anti-Fake News Act passed by the government of Barisan Nasional (BN). He told FMT that while former Prime Minister Najib Razak was often criticized and assaulted during …

KUALA LUMPUR: As Putrajaya launches its immunisation program at the end of February, foreigners residing in Malaysia can receive the COVID-19 vaccine for free. Malaysia’s COVID-19 Vaccine Supply Access Guarantee Committee emphasized in a media statement released on Thursday (Feb 11) that Malaysians would be prioritized to receive the vaccination doses, but maintained that the decision to include foreigners is …

SINGAPORE: On Wednesday (Feb 10), the government unveiled the Singapore Green Plan 2030, a “whole-of-nation movement” to promote the national sustainable development agenda. The programme, led by the Ministry of Education (MOE), the Ministry of National Development (MND), the Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment (MSE), the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI) and the Ministry of Transport (MOT), sets …

As part of efforts to address harmful air emissions, Thailand will seek to make hybrid cars responsible for 30 percent of automotive manufacture by the end of the decade. The government aims to step up the use and manufacture of electric vehicles with national policies based on environmental and air emission solutions. Thailand still has the benefit of being a …

It is unexpected that the Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi paid a visit to Jordan to discuss efforts to improve bilateral cooperation between the two nations, especially in the economic sphere. During the visit, the foreign minister was joined by the managers of the Indonesian state-owned fertilizer industry firms. Phosphate is one of the main elements of Indonesia and Jordan’s …

After the army deposed the country’s newly elected government in a coup last week, a prominent Singapore businessman said he would withdraw his investment in a tobacco company linked to the Myanmar military. In a statement on Tuesday, February 9, Lim Kaling, co-founder and director of Hong Kong-listed gaming group Razer, said he was a minority shareholder in Virginia Tobacco …

KUALA LUMPUR – Malaysia has agreed to exempt Cabinet ministers traveling abroad on official visits from having to undergo a mandatory 10-day quarantine upon returning to the country, prompting fresh criticism of double-standard treatment for Malaysian political elites and common citizens. According to a new federal gazette signed by Health Minister Adham Baba, which came into effect on Tuesday, ministers …

KUALA LUMPUR (Feb 9): Malaysia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have agreed to foster greater cooperation, especially in boosting economic opportunities, as both countries are focused on a strong and resilient economic recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic situation. In a statement today, the Foreign Affairs Ministry said its Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein and United Arab Emirates (UAE) …