ASEAN NOW Content Team

Myanmar's regime filed corruption charges against numerous members of the deposed Yangon regional NLD government last week, but exempted former chief minister U Phyo Min Thein, who testified against State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi. Former Yangon agriculture, livestock, forestry, and energy minister U Han Tun and mayor U Maung Maung Soe were charged with abuse of power under Article 55 of the Anti-Corruption Law, as well as former deputy mayor U Soe Lwin, Yangon City Development Committee secretary Daw Hlaing Maw Oo, and joint secretary U Than for aiding and abetting corruption under Articles 55 and 63. The majority of the complaints concern Yangon Petrol (YP) Co's acquisition of land from the regional government of U Phyo Min Thein. As part of U Phyo Min Thein's objective to lower fuel prices, the company opened a chain of filling stations in Yangon in 2019. According to reports, the regional government awarded sites at below-market rentals, and YP was expected to offer fuel at competitive pricing. The report of the regime's Anti-Corruption Commission included no mention of YP, which was run in collaboration with the provincial government. However, the junta has imprisoned and accused U Zin Min Aung, a significant YP shareholder, for violating the country's anti-corruption laws. According to the commission, the regional administration approved the registration of 63 acres in Dagon Township under the hands of a YP director. According to the report, the director sold the land to a private company for 6.5 billion kyats. Except for U Phyo Min Thein, who testified that he provided Daw Aung San Suu Kyi seven viss (approximately 11.4kg) of gold and US$600,000, the dictatorship has accused practically all Yangon ministers with alleged corruption. Last month, the government sentenced her to five years in prison based on his testimony. Apart from U Phyo Min Thein's charges, there was no additional evidence.

"They are becoming upset because repatriation has not yet begun, and many are becoming involved in illicit activities such as drugs and human trafficking, violence, and other crimes," said AK Abdul Momen. Bangladesh's foreign minister, AK Abdul Momen, warned on Saturday that Myanmar citizens living in Bangladesh as refugees could resort to extremism, as he asked support from India and other nations in the area to repatriate them. "I'm talking about the massive influx of Myanmar nationals in Bangladesh who have been forcibly displaced from their home country, and Bangladesh is providing them with food and shelter on humanitarian grounds," Momen said during the opening session of the two-day Asian Confluence River Conclave-Natural Allies in Development and Interdependence 3 (NADI-3) in Guwahati. After fleeing Myanmar, around 1.1 million Rohingya refugees now live in improvised camps in the Cox's Bazar region of south-eastern Bangladesh. The refugees were not referred to as Rohingyas by Momen. Following the April 2017 violence, 890,000 Rohingya refugees landed in Cox's Bazar, according to the UNHCR. The discussion was attended by S Jaishankar, the External Affairs Minister, Himanta Biswa Sarma, the Chief Minister of Assam, and ambassadors and high commissioners from numerous Southeast Asian countries, including Myanmar. According to the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, armed attacks, violence, and human rights violations forced thousands of Rohingyas to flee Myanmar's Rakhine state and trek days on foot through jungles or cross the Bay of Bengal to reach Bangladesh in August 2017. Bangladesh's Cox's Bazar is known as the "world's largest and most densely populated refugee camp." The Rohingya have been dubbed "the world's most persecuted minority" by the United Nations. The Rohingyas are a Muslim minority who have lived in predominately Buddhist Myanmar for millennia but have been denied citizenship since 1982. "They've been temporarily sheltered in Bangladesh for the past five years and wish to return to their homeland," Momen explained. "They are becoming upset because repatriation has not yet begun, and many are becoming involved in illicit activities like as drug and human trafficking, violence, and other crimes."

Over the last week, the health ministry reported a 19 percent increase in instances of hand, foot, and mouth disease (HFMD) (May 22-28). Dr. Noor Hisham Abdullah, the director-general of health, said there were 18,602 instances reported this week, up from 15,548 the week before. According to him, 65,535 instances were registered from January to May 28, a 27-fold rise over the same period last year, when only 2,333 cases were reported. According to a statement released today, the majority of the instances (91%) involved youngsters aged six and under, with only 7% involving children aged seven to twelve. Selangor had the highest number of instances (28.3%), followed by Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya (12.3%), Perak (8.8%), Kelantan (7.5%), and Sabah (7.5%). (6.2 percent ). From January 1 to May 28, a total of 1,505 outbreaks have been reported across the country. With 502 outbreaks (33.4 percent), Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya led the way, followed by Selangor with 172 (11.4 percent) and Perak with 168. (11.2 percent ). The majority of outbreaks were still happening in nurseries, kindergartens, and preschools. Noor Hisham encouraged these businesses to conduct health screenings at the gates to prevent the sickness from spreading further. "Parents are also encouraged not to bring their children to places where there is a high risk of transmission, such as public playgrounds," he added, adding that the public should report any occurrences of HFMD to the ministry so that action can be taken. Since the beginning of 2022, the three primary types of viruses that cause HFMD in the country are Coxsackie A16 (CA16), Coxsackie A6 (CA6), and Enterovirus 71. (EV71).

Singaporeans may expect higher prices for their national chicken-and-rice dish as Malaysia plans to halt shipments on Wednesday in order to boost supply in its own markets and keep prices down. Singaporeans may expect higher prices for their national chicken-and-rice dish as Malaysia plans to halt shipments on Wednesday in order to boost supply in its own markets and keep prices down. Malaysian Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob declared last week that exports of 3.6 million chickens per month will be banned from June 1 until domestic prices and production normalise. Singapore, which imports a third of its chicken from Malaysia, is the hardest hit. Almost all of the chickens are brought to Singapore alive and butchered before being chilled. Consumers in Singapore have been scrambling to stock up on fresh chicken ahead of the ban, with local media reporting that fowl has been emptied from shelves in several wet markets and supermarkets. According to the Singapore Straits Times, chicken vendors expect that the cost of chilled chicken will jump by up to 30%, causing chicken dish prices to skyrocket. Singapore's government has advised residents to switch to frozen chicken and other alternative meats, and it's looking into new markets for fresh chicken. However, the destiny of the ubiquitous chicken rice, which is sold everywhere from hawker stalls to five-star hotels, is causing anxiety. If it can't find new suppliers, Tian Tian Hainanese Chicken Rice, which obtains all of its poultry from Malaysia, is reportedly planning to serve pig and seafood dishes instead of frozen chicken. Malaysia's prohibition comes as governments around the world battle with rising food prices, which have been exacerbated in part by the Ukraine conflict. Ukraine exports a lot of corn and grains, which are important ingredients in poultry feed. India took steps to defend its markets by banning sugar and wheat exports, while Indonesia temporarily halted — and then resumed — palm oil exports to other countries.

Despite the fact that it only opened to Australian tourists in March, industry experts have urged for a tourist embargo to help curb the spread of a disease. Following the rapid development of foot and mouth disease, a global agriculture analyst believes Australians should be barred from visiting Bali for six months. An outbreak of foot and mouth disease (FMD) in Indonesia was reported to the Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment (AWE) earlier this month. More than 2000 livestock are thought to be sick in North Sumatra and East Java provinces. Indonesia had been FMD-free since 1986, according to the World Organisation for Animal Health, which recognised the condition in 1990. Despite the fact that Australia is free of FMD, industry experts believe that tourists should be barred from visiting Bali, despite the island's recent opening to visitors. According to Yahoo News, Global AgriTrends expert Simon Quilty is concerned about Indonesia's "poor response" to the outbreak and believes the country should act soon because the disease can be spread through clothing and shoes. "As severe as it seems, as a country, we seriously need to consider preventing people from going to Bali," he added, adding that we are building disease "highways" via each of our airports where return passengers from Indonesia pass through. Mr Quilty believes that unless Indonesia takes immediate action in the next eight to twelve months, the disease will spread to other parts of the country, including East Timor and Papua New Guinea. In the absence of intimate contact between animals or the importation of contaminated items, the risk to Australia, according to the AWE, remains low. While the risk of an invasion in Australia is modest, the spread of FMD to Indonesia has increased the odds of an incursion in Australia, according to Australia's chief veterinary officer Mark Schipp. "Two years ago, we predicted that the danger would be 9% during the next five years," he stated. "Given the proximity of Indonesia, the trade we have with Indonesia in transporting live cattle up there, and the risk of returning stockmen and travellers from Indonesia, I would expect that risk to have at least increased." Anyone returning to Australia after visiting a farm or dealing with livestock outside of Australia should declare it upon arrival so that actions can be taken to eliminate the risk of transmission through contaminated clothing or unclean shoes.

Vice President Ma'ruf Amin has great hopes for Indonesia's golden generation in 2045, or on the country's 100th anniversary of independence. The statement was made by Amin during his online remarks at the "Moving Forward: Local Initiatives in Reducing Stunting in Indonesia" book launch. "We hope that when Indonesia celebrates 100 years of independence in 2045, we will have a golden generation capable of progressing the country rather than a demographic burden generation owing to stunting," he said. Efforts to reduce stunting in Indonesia have been underway since 2018, according to the vice president. The vice president underlined the importance of reducing stunting in children under the age of five, as it has the potential to jeopardise the country's future in terms of education, health, productivity, and the economy. The government continues to expand investment in the first thousand days of human life, according to the National Strategy for Accelerating Stunting Reduction (Stranas Stunting). "We should be thankful that the prevalence of stunting has dropped from 30.8 percent in 2018 to 24.4 percent in 2021. This accomplishment is the result of hard effort, ingenuity, and collaboration on the part of all parties involved, both at the federal and regional government levels "Amin took notice. He also said that because the program's implementation differs from that of other regions, the presence of regional innovations that use local expertise and adapt to various peculiarities of the local area is critical. He believes that the public can obtain an awareness of the spirit to reduce stunting at the grassroots through the book "Moving Forward: Local Initiatives in Reducing Stunting in Indonesia," where the hard work and dedication of stunting reduction officers can serve as an example to all parties. "I believe this book will inspire cadres, midwives, nutritionists, public health professionals, and local governments to continue the noble goal of reducing stunting cases in Indonesian children, particularly through efforts to educate and empower the community to engage in and prevent stunting," he said. According to Amin, the book serves as a means to disseminate creative ideas to all actors and partners in an effort to speed stunting reduction at all levels of government, as well as a form of recognition for local heroes for their struggles.

On Saturday, the vaccination rate for children aged five to eleven exceeded 80% in Brunei, when 208 first doses of the Covid-19 vaccine were given to youngsters in this age range, raising the coverage percentage to 80.4%. (34,501 children). There were further 1,155 second shots given to children in this age bracket, bringing the total to 20,341. (47.4 per cent). The population of Brunei has received three doses of the vaccine, with a coverage percentage of 70.4 percent. During the daily press conference yesterday, Minister of Defence II Pehin Datu Lailaraja Major General (Rtd) Dato Paduka Seri Awang Halbi Mohd Yussof, as Acting Minister of Health, announced this. The Sultanate registered 217 new Covid-19 cases yesterday, according to the minister, with 216 found via antigen rapid test (ART) screenings and one from 322 RT-PCR laboratory testing completed in the previous 24 hours, bringing the total number of confirmed cases in the country to 148,089. According to the minister, 220 cases have been declared recovered, increasing the total number of cases recovered to 146,406. There are 1,460 active cases, with four individuals having hospital treatment and 1,456 undertaking self-isolation at home. According to the minister, one person in Category 4 requires respiratory help and is being closely monitored, while no cases in Category 5 require immediate attention. Discover Cigna’s range of health insurance solutions created for expats and local nationals living in Thailand - click to view

The Yangtse Copper Co. Ltd. employees were among people escaping junta assaults on villages near the mining projects in Sagaing. On Wednesday evening, two of the five residents taken by junta forces in the southern Sagaing Region's Yinmabin and Salingyi townships were found killed. Employees of a Chinese business in charge of a significant copper mining project in the area were identified as the guys that died. Residents had been displaced by military raids on nearby towns and were taking refuge near Done Taw when they were apprehended on Wednesday afternoon. Three of the men were quickly released, but Kyaw Nyein, 38, and Chit Thein Zaw, 34, were found dead later that evening. Both men had previously worked for Yangtse Copper Co. Ltd.'s Myanmar branch. According to residents, Kyaw Nyein worked in the processing department while Chit Thein Zaw worked as a drill operator. Yangtse is a subsidiary of Wanbao Mining, which together with the Union of Myanmar Economic Holdings Ltd. (UMEHL), a military conglomerate, operates the contentious Letpadaung mining site in the area. Yangtse and UMEHL jointly run two more neighbouring copper mines, known as the S&K mines, at Sabetaung and Kyisintaung. Multiple injuries were discovered on Kyaw Nyein and Chit Thein Zaw, indicating that they had been subjected to serious treatment while being imprisoned by the military. "It appears that they were tortured based on their injuries. On the condition of anonymity, a local guy informed Myanmar Now that they had their hands tied behind their backs. "Due to the amount of torture Kyaw Nyein was subjected to, his face was misaligned. He has a bullet hole in his forehead as well," he added. "Chit Thein Zaw was shot in the chest and the head. They looked to be shot at close range." The victims were from Ywar Thar village in Salingyi Township, but they were eventually buried in Kan Kone village's cemetery near the Kyisintaung copper mine. "Their motorcycle was in horrible shape, so it made a lot of unusual noises, and the military most likely thought they were building up explosive devices," the local guy added, citing testimonies from the abductees who were eventually released. "Their hands were bound behind their backs from the moment they were kidnapped. They were not murdered in the presence of the other three victims. After the others were liberated, they were utilised as guides through the area before being slain." According to the source, Kyaw Nyein was intimately acquainted with him and had been participating in the general strike as part of the Civil Disobedience Movement, refusing to work at Yangtse. On Thursday morning, the two men's bodies were incinerated. The military council has not made any statements about their assassination. According to local sources, a junta column of about 100 troops, which had been stationed near the Yangtse office in the area since early May, had been assaulting villages surrounding the Kyisintaung mine since Tuesday, burning approximately 40 homes in total. The village of War Tan, located south of the mining facility, was reportedly set ablaze on Thursday morning. The Myanmar army has denied responsibility for arson attacks around the country, blaming them instead on the anti-junta People's Defence Forces. Residents of War Tan, as well as Done Taw, Shwe Pan Khaing, Tein Pin Kan, and Thea Taw Gyi, all fled the attacks this week, but were compelled to stay due to severe rains.

New Delhi strikes a compromise with the military junta government, a deviation from the BIMSTEC conference. The government is unlikely to include the Myanmar Foreign Minister at the India-ASEAN Foreign Ministers' meeting, which will be hosted by the External Affairs Minister (EAM) in mid-June, due to international pressure on how to engage with the Myanmar military junta regime and India's own ties with its neighbour. The move contrasts with India's attendance at the regional BIMSTEC meeting in Colombo in March, where Myanmar's junta-appointed Foreign Minister Wunna Maung Lwin was invited as a virtual participant, a move that drew criticism from the US. Myanmar is likely to boycott the India-ASEAN summit in Delhi as a result of New Delhi's decision. Several official and diplomatic sources claim that India has opted to follow the ASEAN consensus and send solely a "non-political," "non-military" representative to the ASEAN Foreign Ministers and US-ASEAN meetings. The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, U Chan Aye, is receiving invites from the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) for both the Senior Officials Meeting (SOM) on June 15 and the Foreign Ministers' meeting on June 16-17, according to sources. Myanmar's response is still unclear, and a final call is expected on Monday, when the MEA convenes a logistics meeting in Delhi for diplomats from all ASEAN countries — Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, and Myanmar — to prepare for the XIIth "Delhi Dialogue," or India-ASEAN FM meeting. The MEA has refused to comment on the matter. After Western countries put sanctions on the Myanmar military administration, which toppled the elected National Unity Government (NUG) led by Aung San Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy, India has chosen to take an independent stance on Myanmar, including at the UN Security Council. India has emphasised the importance of democratic processes being restored, as well as the release of all political leaders and adherence to the ASEAN five-point accord. The ASEAN five-point consensus on Myanmar, which was adopted in April 2021, calls for an immediate end to violence in the country, as well as dialogue among all parties, the appointment of a special envoy, ASEAN humanitarian assistance, and a visit to Myanmar by the special envoy to meet with all parties. In 2021, India opted not to boycott Myanmar's government, and officials including then-Foreign Secretary Harsh Shringla travelled to Naypyitaw and Yangon to meet with coup leader General Min Aung Hlaing. In March, India agreed to participate in a summit of the Bay of Bengal Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation, or BIMSTEC, which includes Myanmar and Thailand, and which Myanmar Foreign Minister Wunna Maung Lwin virtually attended in sessions also attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and EAM S. Jaishankar. The US had submitted strong demarches to both Sri Lanka, as the host, and India, which had backed the decision, in protest at the Minister's inclusion.

There's good news for anyone considering a trip to Malaysia. Malaysia has reportedly announced Visa on Arrival (VOA) for Indian visitors who enter the nation via Thailand, Singapore, Indonesia, or Brunei and have a valid visa from either country. From June 1, 2022, this revised rule will take effect. The VOA price will be MYR 200 (USD 46), according to the Immigration Department of Malaysia (Mumbai Attaché), and travellers will be needed to provide proof of having at least USD 500 cash/debit card/credit card/cheque traveller's or any electronic money verified by the Central Bank of Malaysia (Bank Negara Malaysia). With a confirmed return plane ticket, travellers will be able to stay for up to 15 days. Malaysia, as previously reported, will open its doors to fully-vaccinated and quarantine-free travel on May 1, 2022. As a result, fully-vaccinated inbound travellers, including children aged 17 and younger, are no longer needed to take pre-departure and on-arrival Covid-19 tests. In the event that you require an eVISA, you can now apply for one online. According to reports, Malaysia Airlines, IndiGo, Malindo Air, AirAsia, and Air India Express offer over 18000 weekly tickets between India and Malaysia. It is expected that the relaxation of COVID-related limitations and VOA will make travel to Malaysia even more convenient for Indians, allowing Malaysia to see an increase in tourism activities in the following days.

According to Nikkei, Malaysian Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob has dismissed calls for an early election, citing an increase in food prices and other living costs (May 31). Although the next election isn't scheduled until 2023, Ismail Sabri has been under pressure from some members of his party, the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO), to call one sooner in order to capitalise on UMNO's recent gain in popularity in local polls. Given inflationary pressures resulting in part from the Ukraine crisis, the prime minister told Nikkei in an interview that he will wait for "the perfect time" to call an election. "We're in the midst of a period of rising inflation and high prices... do you believe now is the best time?" According to Nikkei, Ismail Sabri said. The Malaysian central bank predicts headline inflation to range between 2.2 and 3.2 percent this year, with food prices rising by 4.1 percent in April. To reduce inflationary pressures, the central bank unexpectedly hiked its benchmark interest rate earlier this month. The government has implemented price controls, but the expense of subsidies has put a strain on its finances. The administration wants to reintroduce a Goods and Services Tax, according to Ismail Sabri of Nikkei (GST). The GST was adopted by an UMNO government in 2015, but it was repealed by Mahathir Mohamad's administration three years later, when people resented the 6% consumption tax for rising costs. Ismail Sabri said the government was aware of the GST's unpopularity but had few options, noting that the tax has cost the government 20 billion ringgit (US$4.57 billion) in annual revenue since it was repealed. He told Nikkei that the government will aim for a GST rate that was not too low to burden people, but not too low to "undermine the purpose of expanding tax income." In 2022, Malaysia is anticipated to spend 28 billion ringgit on gasoline subsidies alone, up from 11 billion ringgit last year, in addition to subsidies for cooking oil, sugar, and flour.

Following the easing of a restriction a week ago, Indonesia has received its first requests for palm oil export licences, some of which could be granted as soon as Monday (May 30), according to a senior official, signifying a gradual resumption of shipments after long delays. Despite the fact that Indonesia, the world's largest producer of palm oil, has officially authorised exports to resume following a three-week stop, firms are encountering regulatory roadblocks that are prolonging the process of getting their shipments out. "As of this morning, five to six companies had submitted requests, which the system would process promptly. We are hopeful that the permits would be issued today "A senior commerce ministry official named Veri Anggriono. Under a Domestic Market Obligation (DMO), Indonesia is mandating companies to set aside a portion of their palm oil exports for the domestic market and to participate in a bulk cooking oil programme to sustain domestic supplies and keep prices in check. Based on firms' domestic sales under the scheme, the government has set a target of 1 million tonnes of palm oil exports over an undetermined time period. That's less than half of the average monthly volume before the prohibition. According to laws, the volume of cooking oil that enterprises are authorised to export is determined by their refining capacity and domestic demand. According to Veri, the DMO is roughly 20% when the export allocation is divided by the domestic distribution.

Officials say 26 people are missing after a ferry ran out of gasoline and sank off the coast of Indonesia in heavy weather. The ferry was carrying 43 passengers when it capsized on Thursday in the Makassar Strait, the strait that separates the islands of Sulawesi and Borneo, according to the country's search and rescue agency. Officials just learned about the event on Saturday, according to Djunaidi, the local head of search and rescue, who, like many Indonesians, goes by only one name. "Two tugboats passing by rescued seventeen persons who were still alive. "We've sent out a rescue team to look for the others who have gone missing," he said. Djunaidi stated that a crew of 40 rescuers were at sea looking for survivors. In Indonesia, a south-east Asian archipelago of roughly 17,000 islands with inadequate safety standards, marine accidents are widespread. A ferry carrying over 800 people struck aground in shallow waters off the coast of East Nusa Tenggara province last week and was stuck for two days before being rescued. There were no injuries. On the Indonesian island of Sumatra, more than 150 people drowned in 2018 when a ferry collapsed in one of the world's deepest lakes.

Myanmar's military administration has selected two former military officers to lead the Myanmar Press Council, in addition to their oversight over the Myanmar Press Council, in what is believed to be yet another effort to choke the already suffocated media. Former lieutenant colonel U Ohn Maung will lead the press council, with former lieutenant colonel U Myo Tun as vice-chairman. In November, both men were elected chairman and vice-chairman of the writers association. Under past military regimes, U Ohn Maung, also known as Myinmu Maung Naing Moe, received multiple national poetry honours. U Myo Tun, also known as Maung Sein Naung Lewe, worked for the Defense Ministry's Directorate of Public Relations and Psychological Warfare. They have a modest public profile. Former military officers and those with ties to the military dominate the writers association's 11-member central executive committee. "The two are from the military from the very beginning," a writer who requested anonymity stated. They will not contribute to the development of literature." With the February 2021 coup, many liberties enjoyed by journalists and writers for nearly a decade came to an end. The press council was reformed under regime control in November of last year. After nearly six months, the authors' association was formed. The new council members, who took an oath before junta leader Min Aung Hlaing in November, did not speak out against the regime's detention of journalists and issued statements in support of it. U Ohn Maung has been publishing propaganda poems in junta newspapers for the past six months. The 70-year-old is recognised for his unwavering devotion to the military, having hosted literary discussions, poster displays, competitions, and writing contests within battalions.

Myanmar's former leader Aung San Suu Kyi's relatives filed a complaint with a UN watchdog on Wednesday (May 25) over her arrest following a military coup last year, according to their attorneys. The 76-year-old Nobel Peace Prize laureate has been held in military detention since a coup deposed her administration in February 2021, plunging Myanmar into chaos. She faces a slew of allegations that may land her in prison for more than 150 years. Human rights lawyers Francois Zimeray and Jessica Finelle described the scenario as a "judicial kidnapping," and said they had filed a complaint on behalf of her relatives with the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention. The complaint, seen by AFP, stated that "her arrest was illegal, her incarceration was without legal justification, and her several trials violated the basic standards governing any legal proceeding." "This is a kidnapping disguised as a trial; she is imprisoned incommunicado in defiance of all justice and fights back against inhumane psychological torture with tenacity." "For Myanmar, this is a devastating reversal. The entire Burmese population is muted by Aung Sang Suu Kyi's figure, and its democratic ambitions are destroyed." Aung San Suu Kyi has been sentenced to a total of 11 years in prison after facing a series of "farcical charges," but stands the possibility of serving more than 100 years on 17 distinct offences, according to her defenders. Aung San Suu Kyi was held under house arrest in her family's lakeside residence in Yangon, Myanmar's largest city, during a former junta regime.