The last remaining pandas in the United States, currently at a zoo in the southern city of Atlanta, are due to return to China by late 2024. But after a meeting last year with US President Joe Biden, Chinese leader Xi Jinping said that China could send new pandas asContinue Reading
JAKARTA: Indonesia was struck by a tornado of a scale previously unrecorded in the country that injured at least 33 people and damaged buildings, government officials said. After the violent wind swept the town of Sumedang in West Java province on Wednesday (Feb 21), a climatologist at government research body BRINContinue Reading
SINGAPORE: A 33-year-old Singaporean woman died in a go-karting incident on Indonesian island of Batam on Wednesday (Feb 21). The incident took place at Golden City Go Kart in Bengkong around 3.30pm local time (4.30pm, Singapore time), reported Berita Mediacorp, quoting Senior Superintendent Zahwani Pandra Arsyad Zahwani Pandra Arsyad of the RiauContinue Reading
BEIJING: A Chinese tech security firm was able to breach foreign governments, infiltrate social media accounts and hack personal computers, a massive data leak analysed by experts this week revealed. The trove of documents from I-Soon, a private company that competed for Chinese government contracts, shows that its hackers compromisedContinue Reading
The captain of a cargo ship that rammed into a bridge over the Pearl River in Guangzhou, southern China on Thursday (Feb 22) morning has been arrested. At least one person is missing after the incident that sent vehicles hurtling into the water. The Guangzhou bus company said one ofContinue Reading
CHIANG MAI: Ms Konkit Khanapanya has been making lanterns by hand for some 40 years.
But the 53-year-old owner of Khom Mae Bua Lai Kana Panya lantern shop in Chiang Mai is worried that such crafts will end with her generation, as young people are losing interest in them.
“The young only care for things that can give them money. They are not proud of a hand-made product anymore,” said Ms Konkit, who picked up the skills from her mother-in-law.
“All the local knowledge will be gone, like what we are seeing with the elderly using traditional methods, the young won’t know them anymore.”
The lanterns, which come in various colours and sizes, are unique to northern Thailand, especially in the Chiang Mai province, where the Yee Peng Festival is celebrated annually towards the end of the year.
This festival is meant to mark the transition from the gloomy days of the rainy season to the brighter days of the cool season.
JAKARTA: Following a decree by Indonesian President Joko Widodo for digital platforms in the country to pay media that provide them with content, Meta Platforms – the parent company of Facebook – on Wednesday (Feb 21) said that the firm has no obligation to do so.
Mr Rafael Frankel, Meta’s Director of Public Policy for Southeast Asia, said that despite the new regulation, the firm is not obliged to pay for news content posted by publishers voluntarily.
“After undergoing several consultations with policymakers, we understand that Meta will not be obliged to pay for news content posted by news publishers voluntarily to our platform,” Mr Frankel was reported as saying by CNN Indonesia.
The media outlet further reported that Meta claimed that its users do not go to its platforms to look for news content. Instead, the tech giant said that news publishers have voluntarily decided to share its content on their various platforms and not the other way around.
Earlier on Tuesday, Mr Widodo signed the regulation that requires digital platforms to pay media that provide them with content, in a move the outgoing Indonesian president said is aimed at helping the media industry level the field with big tech, Reuters reported.
“The spirit of the regulation is … to ensure a fair cooperation between media and digital platforms, provide clearer cooperation framework between them,” said Jokowi, as the president is popularly known.
Digital platforms in Indonesia include Meta Platforms’ Facebook, Alphabet’s Google and some local aggregators.
Google said it will review the regulation. It has worked with news publishers and the government to build a sustainable news ecosystem in Indonesia, its spokesperson said.
Google had last year said that the regulation would restrict public access to diverse sources of news instead of promoting quality journalism.
Australia in 2021 became the first country to require digital platforms to pay for news, while Canada followed in June 2023. Other countries such as Brazil, New Zealand and the United States are also looking to pass similar laws.
Jokowi said the drafting process of the regulation, proposed three years ago, had been very long due to different opinions among media and digital platforms.
The regulation posted on the government’s website suggests cooperation between digital platforms and media companies could be in the form of paying licenses or sharing data of news users.
A committee would be formed to ensure digital platforms fulfil their responsibilities to the media companies, it said.
The regulation, which takes effect in six months, would not harm content creators as it applied only to digital platforms, Jokowi said.
Following Jokowi’s announcement on Tuesday, the head of the country’s Press Council – an independent institution to protect press freedom in Indonesia – said that it will form a committee to support the new regulation, Tempo reported.
“This committee is tasked with making considerations, receiving input, and seeing developments,” said Press Council Chair Ninik Rahayu, adding that it will be tasked with ensuring the fulfillment of the obligations of digital platform companies and the implementation of quality journalism practices in Indonesia.
Content creators had previously complained it could restrict their operations.
Indonesia’s communication and information minister, Mr Budi Arie Setiadi, in a statement said the regulation was part of government efforts to ensure media companies “are not eroded” by digital platforms.
In Australia, the News Media Bargaining Code took effect in March 2021 and tech firms have since signed deals with media outlets compensating them for content which generated clicks and advertising dollars, according to a report by its Treasury Department.
SINGAPORE: Two sons of Malaysia’s former prime minister Mahathir Mohamad have been given more time to declare their assets to the country’s anti-graft agency, even as their father recovers from an infection at a Kuala Lumpur hospital.
Mr Mokhzani Mahathir was granted a 30-day extension to declare his assets to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) on Tuesday (Feb 20), Malaysian online news portal Scoop reported. Mr Mokhzani’s older brother, Mr Mirzan Mahathir, was granted the same extension on Feb 16.
News of the extensions follow Dr Mahathir’s admission to Malaysia’s National Heart Institute (IJN) on Jan 26 and ensuing rumours that the 98-year-old was in critical condition.
Providing an update to the media on Tuesday, an aide of Dr Mahathir’s said in a WhatsApp group: “Dr M is currently still being treated and is in the process of recovering from (an) infection.”
“I can’t say when he will be discharged, until and unless the IJN is satisfied with his level of recovery,” added the aide.
The aide also shared pictures of Dr Mahathir reading newspapers and writing on a piece of paper in his hospital room. The photos have also been posted on his Facebook and TikTok accounts.
Dr Mahathir’s hospital admission came to light on Feb 13 at a hearing for his defamation suit against deputy prime minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi. According to a report by Bernama, Judicial Commissioner Gan Techiong granted the postponement after an application by Dr Mahathir’s lawyer, Mior Nor Haidir Suhaimi, cited that his client had been admitted to IJN. The hearing was adjourned to July 19.
The defamation suit was filed in July 2022, with Dr Mahathir accusing Mr Ahmad Zahid of slandering him during an United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) divisional meeting.
In his statement of claim, Dr Mahathir alleged that Mr Ahmad Zahid’s comments were meant to imply that he was not born a Malay or a Muslim and that his original name was Mahathir son of Iskandar Kutty.
The nonagenarian has been in and out of hospital in recent years. He has a history of heart problems and has undergone bypass surgeries.
His sons Mr Mirzan and Mr Mokhzani were in January given 30 days by the MACC to declare their assets from 1981 – the year Dr Mahathir became prime minister for the first time under the Barisan Nasional coalition. Dr Mahathir stepped down in 2003 but returned as premier in 2018 under the Pakatan Harapan coalition, though his government collapsed in less than two years due to infighting.
Businessman Mr Mirzan received the notice to declare his assets on Jan 18 amid an MACC investigation into entities linked to the Pandora Papers and Panama Papers. The two are leaked documents that reveal the hidden wealth of the rich and powerful around the world.
Mr Mokhzani is reportedly being investigated under the MACC Act 2009 and the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001.
The investigation into Mr Mirzan is reportedly regarding business activities related to sales and purchases of government-linked companies (GLC). The investigation into Mr Mokhzani also involves a GLC.
Additional reporting by Rashvinjeet S Bedi
TOKYO: Japan’s two biggest airlines admitted that subsidiaries allowed employees to cheat on written driving exams, according to a statement and local media, the latest embarrassing episode for the country’s aviation sector. Japan Airlines (JAL) said that 11 employees from two of its subsidiaries “engaged in the malpractice of answeringContinue Reading
Born on May 21, 1936, Taib Mahmud served as Sarawak’s chief minister for 33 years.
He was appointed the seventh Yang di-Pertua Negeri – or governor – of Sarawak on Mar 1, 2014.
After almost 10 years in the position, he was replaced by Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar who was sworn in on Jan 29.
Anwar expressed his condolences to the people of Sarawak.
“We, especially the people of Sarawak, lost a respected statesman,” he said in a Facebook post.
Anwar added that Taib Mahmud’s deeds and services to the country and Sarawak would be remembered forever.
Deputy Prime Minister Fadillah Yusof described Taib Mahmud’s death as a great loss.
“His death is a great loss not only for Sarawak but also for the country. The deceased had also served as a minister at the federal level before returning to Sarawak,” he said.
Fellow Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi also expressed his condolences in a Facebook post, hailing Taib Mahmud’s important role in governing and driving the success of Sarawak.
“I have too many memories with the deceased. He was an approachable person and always concerned for the people.”
Sarawak Media Group director and political analyst Jeniri Amir described Taib Mahmud as a charismatic leader who deserves to be called Sarawak’s father of modernisation.
“He brought about changes in various fields in Sarawak which also created opportunities for education and employment, and facilitated socio-economic and educational mobility, progressing individuals from rural to urban areas,” he said.
“He developed Sarawak from a backward state to a developing state and was able to reduce the state’s poverty rate from 70 per cent to about 20 per cent.
“I think he deserves to be given the title not only as the father of development but also as the father and architect of modernisation in Sarawak because he managed to transform Sarawak into its modernised state. This is his legacy,” he added.