ASEAN NOW Content Team

At the daily press conference in the capital, Minister of Health Dato Seri Setia Dr Mohd Isham Jaafar stated that no instances of the novel Omicron sub-variants BA.4 and BA.5 have been discovered in Brunei. "When compared to the prior BA.1 and BA.2 sub-variants, the sub-variants do not show harsher consequences in symptoms," the minister said, adding that the previous BA.2 sub-variant is the most widespread in the Sultanate. The new Omicron sub-variants have lately been found in neighbouring nations, and they have also expanded widely in the West, with a little faster rate of dissemination than the previous sub-variants. Although reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) swab testings have reduced, the minister stated that the government is continuously monitoring the issue through genetic sequencing. "If any positive instances with the appropriate CT-Value are discovered, genomic sequencing can be performed." "We've sequenced 800 to 1,000 cases from RT-PCR tests on average since the beginning of the year," the minister stated. Meanwhile, on Wednesday night (May 18), Brunei reported 300 new Covid-19 cases, increasing the national total to 145,521. 298 of the new instances were the result of Antigen Rapid Test (ART) tests that were submitted to the government, and two were the result of 343 Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) laboratory tests that were completed in the previous 24 hours. Pfizer, BioNTech, Moderna, AstraZeneca, and Sinopharm had given three doses of Covid-19 vaccine to 68.8% of Brunei's population as of May 17. In Brunei, 1,823 active cases are currently being treated and monitored, with 143,477 COVID-19 recoveries reported. Discover Cigna’s range of health insurance solutions created for expats and local nationals living in Thailand - click to view

A mine attack in Sagaing Region's Tigyaing Township killed around ten Myanmar junta soldiers on Wednesday. On the eastern banks of the Ayeyarwady River, on Wednesday morning, an alliance of local resistance organisations ambushed regime forces with three mines while they were going between Kyat Ta Kaung Village and Pay Kone Village. According to a member of the Special 9 Tigyaing People's Defense Force, over 100 military dictatorship soldiers were marching along the riverbank, providing security for three ships travelling upriver to Katha Township with junta reinforcements (PDF). The ships left Mandalay on Saturday, carrying approximately 100 troops as well as food and ammunition. As the ships went through Mandalay Region's Thabeikkyin Township on Monday, local opposition groups used homemade rocket launchers to attack the flotilla. According to local sources, one vessel was attacked, and a number of junta soldiers were killed or injured. The Irrawaddy was unable to independently verify casualty figures. The flotilla arrived in Tigyaing Township on Wednesday, the day of the mine strike. "The soldiers threatened local locals to pick up the injured soldiers with a motorboat," a member of the Special 9 Tigyaing PDF stated. Sagaing Region is one of the resistance movement's strongholds, and regime troops from Thabeikkyin Township's 13 battalion frequently raid villages in Tigyaing Township's east. Local PDFs have retaliated with mine assaults on regime forces on a regular basis.

Myanmar is experiencing fuel shortages as a result of the regime's monetary controls. The regime-controlled Central Bank of Myanmar issued an order in early April requiring foreign profits to be deposited with licenced banks and converted for kyats at the official rate within one working day. The dictatorship also mandated that gasoline be sold at set prices. The dictatorship has not sold off its US dollars while tightening its control over the currency markets. According to an oil importer, the lack of access to dollars has hampered gasoline imports, which have fallen. "Imports are about half of what they were. Major importers can no longer sell petroleum to the wholesale market, as they formerly could," the manager explained. Another fuel importer claimed that businesses lacked cash. "The paucity of US currency contributed to this fuel shortfall. Imports are down by more than half. Because we can't pay in dollars, no oil tankers have been unloaded. Market demand is stable, but supply are limited, and stocks may run out," the insider added. Fuel is mostly imported from Singapore, according to the regime's Global New Light of Myanmar newspaper, with monthly volumes exceeding 200,000 tonnes of gasoline and 400,000 tonnes of diesel. According to market insiders, the government provides US dollars to major petroleum importers like BOC and Denko, but even these companies do not receive enough dollars to meet retail demand. On April 20, the regime's monitoring body for petroleum imports, distribution, and supplies instructed distributors to sell at set rates. In Yangon, 92 Ron octane cost 1,995 kyats per litre, 95 Ron octane cost 2,045 kyats, diesel cost 2,205 kyats, and premium diesel cost 2,235 kyats, with costs changing around the country. "Unlike in the past, I can't wait until I'm out of gas since I never know if I'll be able to refuel," a Yangon taxi driver remarked. In Yangon, we can still buy petrol, but I'm not sure about other places. "The costs are excessive."

According to a survey done by Ipsos Malaysia, as concerns about the Covid-19 outbreak fade, Malaysians are now more concerned about inflation. alaysia," found that the amount of Malaysians concerned about Covid-19 has decreased from 85 percent in April 2020 to 31 percent in May 2022. Meanwhile, the percentage of respondents who are concerned about inflation has risen to 27% this month, the highest level since the survey began in April 2020. "As Malaysia enters the endemic phase and the country opens up," says Lars Erik Lie, Associate Director of Ipsos Malaysia Public Affairs. "There's been a dramatic decline in people's fear about Covid-19; worry about the virus is at its lowest level since the beginning of the epidemic." According to the survey, as the 'new normal' gives way to the 'old normal,' comfort with spending on both household and large products is at an all-time high. "With the recovery in consumer demand, as well as heightened supply chain pressures brought on by global events such as the Ukraine conflict, inflation fears are on the rise." "Financial or political corruption is the top concern among Malaysians these days, with 53% of respondents concerned, up 5% from the previous month. For this topic, the Global Country Average (GCA) is 24 percent "According to the poll results, The next biggest source of concern is unemployment, which fell 3% this month to 34%, somewhat higher than the GCA of 27%. Following that are concerns regarding Covid-19 (31% nationwide, as previously indicated, with a GCA of 16%), poverty and social inequality (30% nationally, with a GCA of 31%), and inflation (as mentioned, 27 per cent nationally, and a GCA of 34 per cent). Malaysians' spending comfort has improved in the last six months, according to the report, which reveals that it fell last year from 43% in November to 38% in December for household goods. It is now at 44% as of May 2022. Major purchase data shows a similar pattern, with 40% for this month, up from 20% in June of previous year. "Comfort with both household and large purchases is at its best level in a year," according to Ipsos Malaysia. Due to anticipation of higher food inflation as a result of rising global commodity prices, MIDF Research boosted its Consumer Price Index (CPI) forecast for the year to 2.5 percent from 2.1 percent just last month. "Headline inflation is estimated to average between 2.2 percent and 3.2 percent in 2022," Bank Negara Malaysia stated in a statement on May 11. Given the recovery in economic activity despite continuing cost pressures, underlying inflation, as measured by core inflation, is likely to rise in 2022, averaging 2.0% to 3.0%. Discover Cigna’s range of health insurance solutions created for expats and local nationals living in Thailand - click to view

Malaysia Airlines, the country's primary airline, has announced the start of direct flights from Kuala Lumpur to Doha, opening up additional links to Europe via its reciprocal oneworld Alliance codeshare with Qatar Airways. Malaysia Airlines will operate a daily direct route from Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KUL) to Doha Hamad International Airport (DOH). The daily service will be flown by A330-300 aircraft with 290 seats, including 27 Business Class seats, 16 Economy with extra legroom seats, and 247 Economy Class seats. Customers travelling from Kuala Lumpur to Doha on Malaysia Airlines will have access to 62 codeshare destinations across Qatar Airways' extensive network in the Middle East, Africa, Europe, and North America. Customers flying Qatar Airways from Doha to Kuala Lumpur would be able to smoothly transfer to 34 Malaysia Airlines destinations, including the whole domestic network as well as significant Asian markets including Singapore, Seoul, Hong Kong, and Ho Chi Minh City, subject to government permission. The partners hope to establish Kuala Lumpur as a premier aviation hub in Southeast Asia by connecting both route networks. Malaysia Airlines and Qatar Airways will also take use of synergies across different business areas and produce unique solutions for their global clients. "We have long planned to create a route to Doha, and I am glad this has come to fruition," said Daniel Bainbridge, Regional Director UK and Europe. As part of our increased offering, I am particularly excited about the possibility to exploit codeshares with our oneworld partner, Qatar Airways, via their global hub at Hamad International Airport. Travelers now have the option of three daily Doha flights to Malaysia, in addition to the existing MH DOH-KUL codeshare flights, providing seamless connection to and from any major European destination. This is another another indicator that Malaysia is welcoming international visitors, and I applaud this latest step in the country's tourism resurgence."

Ustaz Abdul Somad, an Indonesian Islamic preacher, was not deported from Singapore, despite his assertions, according to Indonesian Ambassador to Singapore Suryopratomo. "He was not deported, but he was requested to return (to Indonesia) since he did not have a permit to enter Singapore," Suryopratomo reportedly told Indonesian news site Tempo on Tuesday (17 May). Suryopratomo did not explain why the popular preacher was denied admission by Singapore officials. According to the Tempo story, he continued, "The actual explanation, perhaps, can be requested to the Singapore Embassy in Jakarta because they are more entitled to explain the reason." According to the story, the preacher, also known as UAS, who turns 44 on Wednesday, said that he was jailed in Singapore while awaiting deportation. In 2019, Indonesian authorities were investigating the preacher after two local organisations accused him of blasphemy against Christianity based on a video of his speech from several years ago. According to a report by Tempo, the preacher refused to apologise for his words, arguing that they were in line with Islamic principles. The Ministry of Home Affairs has been contacted by Yahoo News Singapore for comment on the matter.

Indonesia is suspending its outside mask ban since the COVID-19 outbreak is under control, according to President Joko Widodo. He noted that a mask requirement still exists for indoor activities and public transit. All fully vaccinated passengers would no longer be required to take COVID-19 testing to enter Indonesia, according to Widodo. The statements came two weeks after millions of Indonesians travelled to see their families for the Eid al-Fitr holiday, which marked the conclusion of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan and marked the end of two years of epidemic restrictions and travel restrictions. COVID- The government has relaxed its mask policy after 19 instances have continued to decline. "People are not allowed to wear masks when they are undertaking outdoor activities or in open spaces that are not congested with people," Widodo stated in a broadcast address. In March, Indonesia joined a number of other nations in the region, including Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Cambodia, and the Philippines, in removing quarantine restrictions for international tourists. Since an omicron-driven spike peaked at roughly 64,700 instances per day in mid-February, the country has fully recovered. Daily confirmed infections have dropped to roughly 200, and nearly 80% of the 208 million people who are eligible have been properly vaccinated. Many limits on social mobility that had been in effect for two years have already been repealed by the government. Discover Cigna’s range of health insurance solutions created for expats and local nationals living in Thailand - click to view

In a search here on Tuesday (May 10) evening, police captured 50 undocumented Myanmar nationals who were hiding in a shophouse in Kampung Jelakong. Two local men, 48 and 65, were also arrested at the premises during the operation, which was undertaken by a team from Tanah Merah police headquarters Criminal Investigation Department (CID) around 5.30pm, according to Tanah Merah OCPD Supt Wan Zulfikri Wan Othman. "When inspected, a total of 43 Myanmar men and seven women, ranging in age from 18 to 45, were at the shop house and did not have any proper identification documents," he said in a statement on Tuesday. He stated the migrants were smuggled into the country three days ago from their hiding near the Malaysia-Thailand border to work in Kuala Lumpur, Kuantan, Genting Highlands, and Cameron Highlands, and that they thought the shop house was a transit point before being transferred out of Kelantan. "The two local males involved were later arrested under the Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants Act (Atipsom) of 2007. "Meanwhile, 50 Myanmar nationals were arrested for violating the Immigration Act of 1963 and transferred to the Tanah Merah police headquarters for further action, he said, adding that a four-wheel-drive vehicle used to transport the migrants had also been seized.

Myanmar's military dictatorship briefly detained Daw Nang Lang Kham, the eldest daughter of famed business mogul U Aung Ko Win, at Yangon International Airport on May 8. Major Kyaw Myat Lin of the Office of Military Security Affairs held and questioned her for two hours as she prepared to fly from Myanmar to Thailand on a Myanmar Airways International (MAI) aircraft. She serves as the deputy CEO of Kanbawza Bank, one of Myanmar's largest private financial organisations. Her father, U Aung Ko Win, formed the Kanbawza (KBZ) Group of Companies in 1994, which controls a wide range of businesses including mining, banking, real estate, aviation, and insurance. MAI and Air KBZ are both owned by the KBZ Group. It's unknown why the dictatorship interrogated a relative of crony U Aung Ko Win, whose personal and commercial ties to successive military commanders are well-known. According to the Irrawaddy, the regime has ordered that no wealthy individuals be permitted to exit the country through Yangon International Airport. Daw Nang Lang Kham, who went to Thailand the next day and is currently in Bangkok, was detained by the regime, according to reports. Major-General Zaw Min Tun, a junta spokesperson, denied holding Daw Nang Lang Kham in an interview with the BBC on Tuesday. U Aung Ko Win is good friends with junta leader Min Aung Hlaing, with whom he used to play golf. Daw Nang Lang Kham was seen representing the KBZ Group of Companies at state events during the now-deposed National League for Democracy government, with since-deposed State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi. The regime arrested U Chit Khine, the head of the Eden Group of Companies, and his son, U Win Min Khine, in April and accused them with bribery.

On Wednesday, Malaysia's central bank unexpectedly lifted its benchmark interest rate from an all-time low to calm inflationary pressures as the Southeast Asian country recovers from the COVID-19 outbreak. The Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) raised its overnight policy rate to 2% from 1.75 percent, the lowest level since July 2020. According to a Reuters survey of 18 analysts, rates will mostly remain steady, with the central bank likely to begin tightening next quarter to combat rising inflationary pressures. Only four economists predicted a rate increase. The central bank stated that the most recent statistics showed that economic development was on a more solid foundation, and that the extraordinary conditions that prompted rate reductions during the pandemic had passed. "Global commodity price movements, deriving primarily from the ongoing military situation in Ukraine and prolonged supply-related disruptions, as well as domestic policy actions on administered prices, continue to influence the inflation outlook," the central bank said. However, existing government pricing restrictions and economic spare capacity will help to limit price increases, according to the report. This year's headline inflation is expected to be between 2.2 and 3.2 percent, unchanged from the previous forecast. BNM's rate move, albeit earlier than expected, should not be interpreted as a sign of aggressive tightening, according to Capital Economics' Asia economist Alex Holmes. "While the economy should continue to rebound in the next quarters," he wrote in a note, "there is still a long way to go." Holmes anticipates two additional 25-basis-point rate hikes over the rest of the year, with a third at the start of 2023. BNM's next hike is expected in September, giving the central bank "space to judge whether upside risk to inflation or downside risk to growth will be the greater foe, before choosing whether to hike further from there," according to OCBC Bank analyst Wellian Wiranto. Following the rate hike, the ringgit gained 0.1 percent, while the Malaysian stock index gained 0.3 percent.

Due to COVID-19, nightclubs across Malaysia are expected to return this weekend after a two-year hiatus, while new laws prohibiting dancing may be implemented. In late April, Malaysian Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin declared that nightclubs would reopen on May 15. David Gurupatham, the co-founder of the trade coalition Industries Unit, told Free Malaysia Today yesterday (May 10) that there may be a "no dancing, no close contact" rule in place. Despite the fact that these rules have yet to be confirmed, Gurupatham warned partygoers to expect "no dancing" and "perhaps a situation where we will have to exercise crowd control to ensure it is not too crowded." "We don't want any abrupt rises that could result in clubs being closed again," he continued. The safe reopening of clubs, according to Gurupatham, would provide stable employment to those in the business who have been unable to work regularly for the past two years because to COVID-19. The lockdowns, according to Gurupatham, affected between 150,000 and 250,000 nightlife employees. Jeremy Lim, vice-president of the Restaurant and Bistro Owners Association, told Free Malaysia Today that he agreed with the present "no dancing" rule in the sake of public health, but that it should be amended based on the country's hospitalisation and infectivity rates.

According to industry sources, Indonesia's "unpredictable" palm oil export policies may assist Malaysia emerge as the major supplier to India, the world's largest customer of the edible oil. Indonesia is the world's largest producer of palm oil, but its inconsistent export policies, such as the most recent ban imposed on April 22, have driven Indian consumers to rely more on Malaysia, the world's second-largest producer with output less than half that of Indonesia. Malaysia's Commodities Minister Zuraida Kamaruddin said on Tuesday that the country is preparing to take advantage of Indonesia's prohibition by slashing palm oil export tariffs in half. According to the Solvent Extractors' Association of India (SEA), a vegetable oil trade body, the combination of lower export taxes and the Indonesian ban may result in Indonesia's share of palm oil exports to India falling to 35 percent in the current marketing year ending on October 31, from more than 75 percent a decade ago. "The largest benefactor of Indonesia's unexpected policies is Malaysia," said SEA executive director BV Mehta. "Because Indonesia isn't selling, Malaysia is selling more, and at near-record high prices." According to SEA data, India purchased 1.47 million tonnes of Malaysian palm oil in the first five months of the 2021-22 marketing year, compared to 982,123 tonnes from Indonesia. India imported roughly 570,000 tonnes of palm oil in May, according to trade estimates, with 290,000 tonnes coming from Malaysia and 240,000 from Indonesia. If Indonesia's export restriction is extended for another two weeks, India's June palm oil imports, which are primarily from Malaysia, might drop to 350,000 tonnes.

Following recent criticism over having an English name while being a prominent national stadium, the Jakarta deputy governor indicated that the provincial authorities will entertain proposals for renaming the Jakarta International Stadium (JIS) in Indonesian. "(We will) accept suggestions from people for the name of JIS, which is currently solely known in English," Patria said on Wednesday. According to the deputy governor, the provincial government would carefully evaluate all Indonesian names given by the public for the stadium's name. "We will pay attention to all public opinion and make the correct name decision," he stated. The deputy governor argued that the stadium's English name would reflect Jakarta's status as a global city. "This is because Jakarta is both our capital and a global metropolis," Patria explained. Meanwhile, Commission D Secretary Syarif of the Jakarta People's Representative Council (DPRD) underlined that regional heads should guarantee that government laws, particularly the language policy, are followed. "Because the regulation mandates the obligation (to name public sites in Indonesian), regional authorities must follow the law," Syarif explained. The regional legislator advised that the stadium's English name be kept while a new Indonesian name is chosen because the English name is popular among the population. Meanwhile, Anggara Wicitra Sastroamidjojo, Deputy Chair of Jakarta DPRD Commission E, asked members of the public to submit suggestions for the stadium's Indonesian name. "Public participation can be used to generate the names. They can just vote on names that they choose. As a result, this is yet another way to increase public interest in the stadium "Noted by Sastroamidjojo. JIS has hosted a number of events since its initial debut in April, including the International Youth Championship (IYC) and the large congregational Eid al-Fitr prayer earlier this month.

The Karenni Nationalities Defense Force (KNDF) and Karenni Army (KA) attacked a military convoy in Hpruso Township, Kayah State, on Saturday, killing about 25 junta troops, including a lieutenant colonel. The KNDF and KA attacked a convoy of 20 military trucks from Bawlakhe Township in the state on Saturday morning, and the fighting lasted roughly two hours, according to the KNDF. The last four trucks were burnt, according to the armed rebel group, and 18 regime soldiers were murdered, including a lieutenant colonel. The report could not be independently verified by The Irrawaddy. Food, weapons, and the bodies of 66 Light Infantry Division (LID) soldiers were discovered on the trucks, according to the KNDF. Regiment soldiers returned in the afternoon, and two more hours of battle took place. A KNDF spokesman added, "Around seven regime forces were killed, bringing the total to 25." KNDF and KA personnel were seen firing near the military trucks in an online video. Along the road, some bodies of regime soldiers may be spotted. One of the KNDF's fighters was lightly injured, according to the organisation. On December 24, 66 LID soldiers are believed to have slaughtered 35 villagers in Hpruso Township, including children, women, and two Save the Children members, as well as burning seven vehicles. The UN Security Council condemned the massacre and demanded an end to all violence, as well as respect for human rights, civilian safety, and accountability for the deaths. The junta began employing airstrikes and artillery in Kayah State more than a year ago, displacing the majority of the 200,000 population.

Myanmar's military dictatorship has undermined democracy. Instead, the regime has launched an unlawful campaign of violence against an unarmed civilian population. Thousands have been slain, and many more have been arrested on false charges before military tribunals. The junta's actions are direct responses to a burgeoning opposition movement that has rejected the junta's botched power grab. Since 2004, the Myanmar Network for Human Rights Documentation (ND-Burma) has been documenting systemic human rights violations across the country. Its 13 member groups aim to use the truth about what communities in Myanmar have gone through to advocate for victims' justice. Following last year's attempted coup, it has continued to film crimes in the country in a safe and secure manner. Documenting human rights violations has always been tough for human rights advocates, but it has grown significantly more difficult in the last year. The junta has targeted anyone who attempt to collect evidence of its crimes as it expands its use of ruthless military techniques across the country. The regime's attempts to hide its tracks include internet bans and scorched-earth campaigns. Truth, justice, reparations, and non-recurrence are the four pillars of transitional justice (institutional reform). The regime in Myanmar, on the other hand, has blocked all avenues for providing and enforcing transitional justice. The basic function of institutions supposed to maintain and preserve the rule of law continues to be suffocated by a cloak of denial. Documenting human rights is a step toward transitional justice, allowing survivors to seek accountability through the international system. Allowing victims to share their stories in a secure and accessible environment guarantees that the reconciliation process is transparent from the start. ND-Burma, for example, serves as a facilitator for psychosocial counselling and an advocate for restitution. These possibilities, however, are no longer even faintly available under the current government. In Myanmar, there is no rule of law or effective transitional justice systems to hold the military accountable for war crimes, crimes against humanity, or genocide. Innocent civilians continue to be attacked with impunity. It's critical to underline that transitional justice is about more than just convictions and penalties. Reparations for victims, recognition and acceptance of the truth of mass abuses, and legal and security improvements to ensure non-repetition are all part of justice. There is clear evidence that Myanmar's military forces have broken international law by committing grave crimes. In February 2022, ND-Burma and the Karenni Human Rights Group released "The World Must Know," a study detailing the junta's war crimes in Karenni State. These crimes were done without consequence: No one in the case studies offered has seen a single member of the military suffer any punishment for their unlawful actions, including the scores of civilians who were burned alive on December 24, 2021.

The Ministry of Justice of Myanmar's parallel National Unity Government (NUG) has condemned the junta's new prison sentence for corruption against State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, a woman famed for her moral integrity. The jailed leader was sentenced to five years in prison by a special court established up by the junta in Naypyitaw on Wednesday. The sentence will be added to the six years she has already served for the regime's previous cases against her. She was found guilty in a corruption case in which she was accused of accepting a bribe in the shape of gold bars from Yangon's previous chief minister. Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, who was deposed by the military in February last year, has categorically denied the charges. In response to the latest sentencing, NUG Justice Minister and famous lawyer U Thein Oo said in a statement released on Monday that the junta pretended to have evidence that the nation's most respected leader had accepted bribes worth US$600,000 in gold bars. "Such a claim is clearly ridiculous," he responded, knowing that she has spent her entire life fighting for the freedom of Myanmar's people, including decades in prison and under house arrest. The 76-year-old leader is well-liked in Myanmar, both at home and abroad, for her moral principles and for sticking up for the people; they reject the junta's allegations of wrongdoing against her. NUG In an interview with The Irrawaddy, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs U Moe Zaw Oo, who is also the executive director of a charity formed by the ousted leader, said the jailed leader has given so much of her own money to charity that she no longer has a home or any financial assets. "I don't see how they could charge such a person with corruption," he added, adding that the prosecution appears to be motivated by a personal vendetta. The National League for Democracy (NLD), led by Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, scored a resounding win in the 2020 general election, defeating the military's proxy party and associated parties. The military staged a coup on Feb. 1 last year, arresting Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, President U Win Myint, and others only hours before the newly elected MPs were to take their seats, claiming electoral fraud despite independent election monitors finding no abnormalities in the election. Since then, she has been held in an unidentified location and has been subjected to a bombardment of 20 illogical court proceedings. Thirteen of them are related to corruption. In a statement released Monday, NUG Minister of Justice U Thein Oo described the junta's so-called trials of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi as unjust, lacking in credibility, a farce, and a propaganda ploy. "Once again, this propaganda stunt illustrates two facts about this murdering junta. First, they are brazen about the charade of a judicial system they have imposed on Myanmar's people. Second, they are still afraid of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi's authority as a symbol of daring in the fight for democracy," the minister continued.

There's good news for all Indian tourists planning a trip to Malaysia. Indians will soon be able to apply for visas on arrival in the Asian country. This is a move toward attracting more Indian tourists to Malaysia. Malaysia also intends to ease the Covid-19 limitations in the near future, allowing international tourists to enjoy a hassle-free visit to the country. Multiple Malaysian news outlets reported that Prime Minister Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob said the three key Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) setup to curb coronavirus cases will be relaxed soon. When entering the premises, the three SOPs are to wear masks, conduct Covid-19 detection tests, and scan the MySejahtera application. Manoharan Periasamy, a Tourism Malaysia delegate, is also in India to encourage travel to Malaysia. Mr. Periasamy, the Senior Director of the Malaysian International Promotion Division (Asia and Africa), told a news conference in Bengaluru that starting April 1, all travel restrictions have been eliminated and 76 flights per week are available between India and Malaysia. There are 59 of them accessible from South India. Bengaluru, he added, is one of the most important points of entry into Malaysia for tourists. While the visa on arrival programme is presently on hold because to Covid-19, it will reopen in two months. In the meanwhile, anyone planning a trip to Malaysia can get an e-visa in as little as 2-3 working days. Restriction relaxations and visa-on-arrival will make travel for Indians much easier, and individuals would be able to enjoy Malaysia once more. While Japan and Singapore have the world's strongest passports, allowing them to visit 192 of 227 countries without a visa, India is ranked 83rd.

During the holiday weekend, nearly half a million people travelled from Singapore to Malaysia via land crossings. The Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) reported on Wednesday that 491,400 people used land checkpoints to leave Singapore for Malaysia over the long weekend of April 29 to May 3. (May 4). The majority of people travelled by automobile, with 201,900 people doing so. Another 155,700 people used the bus, while 133,800 people rode their motorcycles out. During the same time period, 462,400 people arrived in Singapore via land checkpoints from Malaysia. The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICA) warned last week that a large number of people would cross the land border over the holiday weekend, which coincided with Labour Day on May 1 and Hari Raya Puasa on May 3. People returning to Singapore "over the next few days," according to ICA, may cause traffic congestion at checkpoints. About 280,000 people left Singapore for Malaysia on Friday and Saturday, according to ICA. The Singapore-Malaysia land border reopened on April 1, allowing fully vaccinated citizens to travel between the two nations without the need for quarantine or a COVID-19 test for the first time in two years. Approximately 436,800 people used the land checkpoints throughout the Good Friday weekend in April.

According to Indonesia's health ministry, three youngsters have died from an unknown liver ailment, bringing the global death toll to at least four. In recent weeks, nearly 170 youngsters in 11 countries have been diagnosed with a severe form of acute hepatitis, prompting the World Health Organization (WHO) to express alarm about the disease's "unknown origin." Nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, and abdominal discomfort were among the symptoms experienced by the youngsters prior to the appearance of evidence of liver inflammation. Previously, at least one death had been reported. Three infants died in hospitals in Indonesia's capital, Jakarta, this month after presenting some of the symptoms, according to the country's health ministry. The youngsters, who were two, eight, and eleven years old, also developed fever, jaundice, convulsions, and loss of consciousness, according to Siti Nadia Tarmizi, the ministry's spokesperson. "At the moment, we suspect acute hepatitis," Tarmizi said, "but we need to confirm that the cases aren't caused by known hepatitis viruses A, B, C, D, and Rb." She went on to say that the health ministry was presently conducting a full panel of virus tests to figure out what was causing the ailment. Parents should take their children to the hospital right away if they show any signs of the symptoms, according to the ministry. The discovery of a probable new disease affecting only young children – the majority of whom are under the age of ten and have no underlying diseases – has alarmed a worldwide health community already dealing with Covid-19.

Following the news that the government missed out on more than $3 billion in taxes from illegal oil palm plantations last year, Indonesian lawmakers are pressuring the administration to reveal the full magnitude of the country's unlawful oil palm plantations. During a March 28 hearing with the environment minister, Siti Nurbaya Bakar, Dedi Mulyadi, a member of parliament from the Golkar Party, said, "The state suffered a tremendous loss." "Corporations take over our lands and profit from them, yet they don't pay taxes." Why are certain people in this country able to become wealthy in a short period of time while others soon become impoverished?" Siti told lawmakers that her ministry had discovered 505 illicit plantings inside forest regions that are supposed to be off-limits to plantation operations after being pressed by Dedi to put a number on how much the state was losing due to illegal plants. According to Siti, based on their size and output, these plantations should have paid 44 trillion rupiah ($3.05 billion) in taxes in 2021, which is a fourth of Indonesia's COVID-19 budget. However, she noted, because they operate illegally, they never pay taxes. Even this figure, however, is likely to be underestimated. Local parliamentarians in Sumatra's Riau province, one of Indonesia's primary oil palm-growing regions, discovered that the illicit farms operating there are robbing the province of at least 107 trillion rupiah ($7.4 billion) in potential revenue every year. The fact that companies have been allowed to run plantations for decades without paying taxes, according to Hariadi Kartodihardjo, a forestry policy lecturer at the Bogor Institute of Agriculture (IPB), means the palm oil industry isn't the driver of development that the government often portrays it to be. "How can we say the plantation industry is [empowering] when they haven't paid taxes for hundreds of years?" he asked Mongabay on the sidelines of an event in Jakarta.

ENEOS Holdings, a Japanese energy corporation, stated Monday that it will exit a gas project in Myanmar, days after its Thai and Malaysian partners announced their withdrawal. ENEOS is the latest energy company to pull out of the Southeast Asian country, where the military has been cracking down on opposition since detaining and imprisoning civilian leader Daw Aung San Suu Kyi last year. Together with the Japanese government and Mitsubishi Corporation, the company is working on the Yetagun project off the coast of Myanmar. They own a 19.3% share in the gas field, which has been producing for over two decades. "After negotiations taking into account the country's current situation, including social difficulties, and project economics based on the technical evaluation of Yetagun gas reserves," ENEOS said it has "decided to withdraw." "This withdrawal will take effect once the Myanmar government has given its consent," it said in a statement. Companies ranging from France's TotalEnergies to British American Tobacco and Norway's Telenor have upped their game in the face of rising pressure from rights groups. Tokyo is a key donor of aid to Myanmar, and the Japanese government has long had ties with the country's military. Following the coup, Japan said that all fresh aid would be halted, but it refrained from imposing individual sanctions on military and police commanders.

Myanmar has slammed a Malaysian suggestion for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to meet with the National Unity Government formed by those deposed by the military in a February 2021 coup in an effort to end the country's protracted political situation as "irresponsible and risky." ASEAN foreign ministers are meeting later this week, but there has been no movement on Myanmar, where over 1,800 people have been killed and hundreds imprisoned in a military crackdown, owing to disagreements within the regional grouping about how to continue. In April of last year, the military agreed to an ASEAN-led five-point accord to cease violence and resolve the conflict. Around 700 individuals were slain at the time. Saifuddin Abdullah, Malaysia's foreign minister, urged on May 1 that the regional organisation, which admitted Myanmar as a member in 1997 under a previous military dictatorship, pursue informal involvement with the NUG, particularly in the area of humanitarian support. He also recommended tripling humanitarian aid to Myanmar and bolstering the position and function of ASEAN's special envoy for Myanmar. The military's foreign ministry expressed strong opposition to Saifuddin's "irresponsible and reckless" suggestions in a statement published in Myanmar's state-run Global New Light. "Such remarks could encourage terrorism and violence in the country, obstructing the Myanmar Government's anti-terrorism efforts and infringing on international anti-terrorism agreements," it continued, noting that the generals who overthrew the elected government had declared the NUG and any groups affiliated with it "unlawful associations" and "terrorist groups." In April 2021, the committee that represented the parliament that had been deposed by the generals proclaimed the foundation of the NUG. It consists of elected officials, members of Myanmar's many ethnic groups, and anti-coup leaders. Some ASEAN parliamentarians have also urged the regional bloc to interact directly with the NUG. According to the GNLM statement, Malaysian government officials and members of parliament have been warned "against making contacts or communicating with those terrorist groups and their representatives in the future," as well as "against providing support and assistance to those terrorist groups and their representatives."

Nagaenthran Dharmalingam, a Malaysian with intellectual difficulties convicted of narcotics trafficking in 2010 and whose case received international attention, was executed in Singapore's Changi prison. Nagaenthran was hanged just before dawn on Wednesday, according to his family, after authorities discovered a bag of 42.7 grammes (1.5 oz) of heroin tied to his thigh. Nagaenthran's brother, Navin Kumar, told Reuters that the 33-year-remains old's would be returned to Malaysia, where he would be buried in the northern town of Ipoh. The Malaysian was executed after the Court of Appeal denied Nagaenthran's mother's request to have her son's execution postponed. Her last-minute request was deemed "vexatious" by the judges. The court said last month that legal efforts to spare Naga's life were a "blatant and egregious abuse" of the legal system, and that it was "improper to engage in or support last-ditch measures" to postpone or stop his execution. Nagaenthran's case has aroused considerable debate in Singapore about the city-continued state's use of the death penalty, notably in narcotics trafficking cases. Nagaenthran's family claimed he had an IQ of 69, but the city state's courts determined he was aware of what he was doing at the time of the crime and that no other evidence had been produced to prove any loss in his mental capacities. "Om Shanti, may your soul rest in peace," M Ravi, a lawyer who previously represented Nagaenthran, said on Twitter in response to the execution on Wednesday. "You may break us, but you will not beat us," he added. "We will continue to fight the death penalty." On Monday, a few hundred people gathered at Hong Lim Park, a small patch of ground in the city centre that is the only area where the Singapore government allows public gatherings, to demonstrate their opposition to the death sentence. There were also minor protests outside the Singapore High Commission in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia's capital. Nagaenthran's life has been urged to be spared by the Malaysian government, UN experts, the European Union, civil society organisations, and celebrities such as British entrepreneur Richard Branson. Malaysia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement released after Wednesday's execution that the prime minister and foreign minister had written to their Singaporean counterparts this week, asking them to reconsider Nagaenthran's sentence and suggesting they use the two countries' prisoner transfer agreement. "The use of the death sentence for drug-related offences is incompatible with international human rights law," the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights said in a statement urging Singapore to put a stop to Naga's execution. "Countries that have not yet abolished the death penalty may only use it to punish "the most serious crimes," which are defined as "crimes of high gravity involving purposeful killing."

As infection rates level off and the country adjusts to living with Covid, Malaysia is loosening viral regulations such as airport testing and mask mandates. From May 1, the country will no longer require mandatory testing of incoming vaccinated travellers and youngsters under the age of 12. Masks will no longer be required to be worn outside, and social barriers will be removed. Unvaccinated travellers will continue to face some entrance restrictions. Malaysia Airlines, the country's main carrier, is pleased with the news. Until June 29, the airline is flying its MH1 and MH3 routes 11 times weekly from London Heathrow to Kuala Lumpur International Airport (LHR-KUL), before returning to its full double daily service on June 30. "I am glad to see that the Malaysian government is abolishing all pre-entry and arrival testing requirements for fully vaccinated visitors," said Daniel Bainbridge, Regional Director UK & Europe. Since the border formally opened on April 1, Malaysia Airlines is the sole airline offering direct flights from the United Kingdom to Malaysia, and international visitors have surged considerably. This additional relaxation of entry criteria demonstrates that Malaysia is totally open to the rest of the globe, and Malaysia Airlines looks forward to welcoming even more passengers aboard with our warm Malaysian hospitality."

Only about 400 of the critically endangered tiger species remain in the wild, according to authorities. A female and a male tiger were discovered dead on Sunday near a palm oil plantation in Aceh province on Sumatra island, with leg injuries inflicted by a snare trap, according to local police head Hendra Sukmana. He added a snare still trapped in another female tiger's almost-severed neck and legs was discovered hours later approximately 500 metres away. The authorities have urged the public and plantation enterprises not to lay snares in locations where wild animals may pass through. According to Agus Arianto, the chairman of the Aceh conservation agency, an autopsy is being conducted by a team of vets to identify the cause of the tigers' deaths. "We strongly condemn this incident," Mr Arianto said, adding that "we will help with law enforcement officials in an inquiry." He also said that several traps similar to those used to catch wild boars on farms were discovered in the vicinity of the tigers' bodies. Those who willfully kill protected animals face up to five years in prison and a fine of 100 million rupiah ($7,000) under Indonesia's Conservation of Natural Resources and Ecosystems law. According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature's red list of threatened species, Sumatran tigers are the most severely endangered subspecies, and they are under rising pressure due to poaching and a diminishing forest habitat. Only 400 left in the wild Only about 400 Sumatran tigers are thought to be left in the wild. According to conservationists, the pandemic has increased poaching as locals turn to hunting to supplement their earnings.