SLAPP turns good people into criminals in Thailand – Asia Times

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Thailand’s harsh criminal defamation laws have already claimed my life twice.

After working as a journalist and advocate for more than ten years, I think the only way to abolish Thailand’s SLAPP ( Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation ) is to repeal the criminal defamation laws.

A legitimate program that needs to be made as simple as possible will only become more complicated by anti-Slapp regulations. I’m of the opinion that other governments have better answers, but I think Thailand needs to abolish the criminal defamation rules if it wants to embrace true freedom of speech.

Civil slander is plenty. It makes it possible for those who believe they have been unfairly treated to pursue legal assistance. However, when someone is accused of slander, they are immediately made to become” scammers,” with the sole intention of improving Thailand.

Ten years ago, a coworker and I were sued by the powerful Royal Thai Navy, and I was officially declared a” criminal.” Rather of fleeing to another country, we stayed. We fought in judge, and won the case.

Our publication of a Pulitzer Prize-winning article from a Reuters set on human trafficking was over after the Phuketwan test. The army decided to pursue the little folks over Reuters, which has ten thousand times more visitors than Phuketwan.

Due to our success, the rules made it impossible to file a lawsuit for both computer crimes and criminal defamation. But in the 10 times since that event, many journalists, activists and human rights supporters have been sued in Thailand and have been turned into” thieves” without being found guilty.

Three years ago, I was sued by an elected local formal, and I once more became a fugitive. I found a corruption scandal while serving as a volunteer community advocate in Nakhon Ratchasima ( Korat ). I discovered that others had been squandering millions of ringgit to help poor producers.

In numerous Twitter posts, I made the village residents aware of what had happened and informed them of their freedom. I expected the institution involved to be pleased, but rather, the banks covered up the fraud of its own money.

The elected local official claimed that he was suing because some of my articles were “personal and political” rather than the incident. I was charged with three counts before the prosecution, and some weeks after.

The elected regional national then brought legal action against me six more days after my conviction was overturned. Authorities once more handed these allegations to the prosecution without conducting thorough inquiries because it was” their duty.”

Because the costs were presented in four situations, which would have required four trials, my lawyers submitted a surrender to the prosecution this time.

A top statewide official chose to drop one charge instead of the six that the prosecution wanted to drop. But five charges were dropped, but I am also a” criminal”. The trial’s scheduled time has not yet been determined, which is likely to be in 2026.

Every action I have taken as a blogger and activist over the years has been aimed at improving Thailand and making it a better place for everyone. I’m still here, labeled a crime without any supporting facts and subject to numerous hardships until the awaited trial is over.

Ironically, the cost relates to a tag. A judge will likely decide whether a tag can be slanderous for the first time ever. I think we all know the truth.

But I face yet another legal battle for doing the correct item in an under-educated planting area and for trying to improve the lives of the people. By repealing the fugitive defamation laws as soon as possible, I had work to improve freedom of expression and lessen SLAPP situations as a member of Thailand’s state.

That needs to occur for the good of the country, its popularity and its members.

*Text of a statement to be delivered by Chutima Sidasathian to mark the conclusion of a three-day local event cosponsored by the UN on November 12. SLAPP is the subject of a global plan.

Chutima Sidasathian won local awards for uncovering Thailand’s brutal “pushbacks” in 2008-2009 and won regional awards for investigative reporting and human rights. In the years that followed, she came to be regarded as Thailand’s first officer in reporting human prostitution. Eventually, she co-produced the video” Ghost Fleet,” which exposed slavery on Thai ships.

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Star Search 2024: Actor Christopher Lee, Hong Kong stars Sandra Ng and Raymond Lam unveiled as judges

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Imagine getting your acting prowess evaluated by industry veterans in an effort to demonstrate your suitability for a celebrity job. For the top 12 contestants in Star Search 2024– Mediacorp’s talent discovery programme that’s back after a five-year hiatus – they wo n’t have to imagine.

On November 24, the great final will feature the voices of internationally acclaimed Hong Kong artists Sandra Ng and Raymond Lam as courts.

Lee, who served as the sun leader for Star Search 2019, just won the Taiwanese Golden Bell Awards for Best Leading Actor in a Miniseries or Television Film. His third Best Actor nomination came at Taiwan’s equal of the Emmys, which he had previously won on both local and regional levels throughout his career. &nbsp,

However, celebrated Hong Kong celebrity and maker, Ng, is recognised for her comedic skill and daring performances. &nbsp,

In 2024, Ng’s achievement in Love Lies earned her a nomination for Best Leading Actress at Taipei’s 61st Golden Horse Awards. In the Hong Kong comedy-drama video Golden Chicken, she recently received the same honor in 2003 for her part as a woman. &nbsp,

Hong Kong actor and singer Lam, on the other hand, has demonstrated his on-screen and vocal prowess in iconic roles across the industry. He first rose to fame for his ruthless portrayal of founder of the Qin dynasty, Qin Shi Huang, in the historical sci-fi drama A Step Into The Past (2001). Continue Reading

Cantonese temple at Sims Drive and pre-war bungalows at Adam Park identified for conservation

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SINGAPORE: One of the oldest Chinese temples in Singapore may be considered for protection, along with 19 pre-war houses at Adam Park. &nbsp,

In the 1860s, migrant populations with primarily Chinese nature founded the Mun San San Fook Tuck Chee church at Sims Drive. When its directors purchased the land in 1902 to build the sanctuary along the banks of the Kallang River, it relocated to where it is now. &nbsp,

The pre-war bungalows at Adam Park, meanwhile, were built in 1929 by the Singapore Improvement Trust ( SIT ) as housing for&nbsp, families of officers from the Municipal Council and SIT.

According to the Urban Redevelopment Authority ( URA ), they have largely been preserved since World War II.

National Development Minister Desmond Lee announced the URA’s plan to preserve the two sites on Friday ( Nov 8 ), stating that Singapore must strive to include significant heritage in its development plans even as it plans for its future. &nbsp,

At the URA Architectural Heritage Awards, he stated that “preserving buildings and structures of the highest value is an important way to do but” to provide a natural and physical connection to our history.

By conserving these structures and houses, we hope to preserve natural representations of the shared history and memories of our country, populations, and people.

This strengthens our shared nationwide personality and creates a deeper relationship among Singapore.

Conserved properties are subject to particular URA rules. Before all changes functions and new uses of the place you start, permission is required.

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Why is Malaysia’s e-commerce platform FashionValet under probe and what do we know so far?

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THE WOMAN BEHIND THE BRAND&nbsp,

Public interest on FashionValet’s reported incompetence could also be attributed to the owner’s social media presence, with blogger-turned-entrepreneur Mr Vivy having over 1.8 million followers on Instagram. &nbsp,

Ms Vivy, 36, was the creative producer of FashionValet, while her father was the chief executive officer. As of November 1st, both of their roles have resigned. &nbsp,

A dominant figure in Malaysia’s style and organization business, Ms Vivy had starred in her fact television series- Love, Vivy- and authored the book” The Second Decade: My Journey from Blogger to Entrepreneur” that was published in 2022. &nbsp,

She has also been awarded accolades, including a spot on Forbes ‘ 30 under 30 India record and Young Entrepreneur of the Year at the Asean@50 Achievement Awards in 2017. &nbsp,

As Ms Vivy’s spectacular and beautiful lifestyle comes under scrutiny as the downfall of her business venture devolves into a national scandal.

Social media posts of her pleasure bag and foot set posted by Mr Vivy in the past under the tags “#crazybaglady” and” #eachofthemhasastory”- which have since been deleted -&nbsp, have gone viral on social media.

Some online users have also criticized Ms Vivy for presenting a beautiful existence despite her company’s poor performance. &nbsp,

” Vivy has SIX Dior saddle bags that cost RM19, 000 each, at least SIX Lady Dior handbags that cost between RM28, 000 to RM30, 000 each … For Hermes ( bags ), she has one Hermes Constance worth RM60, 000 and TWO Herbag, worth US$ 3, 050 each”, a netizen with the username @frhhh8989 posted on X on Nov 3, with the post garnering over 7, 900 reposts and 15, 000 likes as of Nov 8. &nbsp,

The people number is, however, no brand-new to the controversy in Malaysia.

Social media also saw the release of a 2021 study paper by language instructors from the International Islamic University of Malaysia that examined Ms Vivy’s employ of “humblebragging speech.” &nbsp,

Additionally, according to local media reports, Ms. Vivy was in the news for a blog on her Instagram story that referenced the use of fake Muslim telekung or bird prayer clothing. &nbsp,

” We wear scarves for religion, be a good Muslim and do n’t support fake ripoff products, I cannot brain ( imagine ) how people can even buy fake telekung to pray also”, she posted, along with a picture showing counterfeit products of her luxury lifestyle brand dUCK. &nbsp,

Ms. Vivy has made a clarified statement about her position, saying that she was opposed to those who support counterfeit goods rather than those who criticize those who use cheap items for prayer. &nbsp,

However, Ms. Vivy had likewise spearheaded a number of notable charitable initiatives to assist underprivileged and front-liner groups in addition to the disagreement. &nbsp,

In 2020, her fundraising effort- Var COVID19 Support Fund for clinical frontliners combating the COVID-19 crisis in Malaysia- raised RM1.14 million.

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The rise and fall of China’s viral maths ‘prodigy’

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Getty Images Rear view of middle school students studying in classroom.Getty Images

A 17-year-old Chinese woman who was hailed as a talent in a mathematics opposition cheated, according to the organizers, putting an end to months of skepticism over her impressive accomplishments.

Jiang Ping, a style design student from a remote Jiangsu state, made headlines in June when she placed 12th in the finals for an international math competition run by Taiwanese e-commerce large Alibaba.

According to Chinese media, she was the first winner to enter since the competition started in 2018 to come from a humble technical school. The vast majority of the 800 contenders came from elite institutions.

Jiang’s benefits turned her into an overnight experience, and she was labelled a “prodigy” in the media and on cultural advertising.

Under China’s notoriously cut-throat education system, academic excellence is lauded. Many people online were encouraged by Jiang’s results, seeing them as proof that students from vocational institutes could still excel academically.

However, competition organizers claimed last Sunday that Jiang had broken contest rules by getting assistance from her instructor, who was also a participant himself, as doubts about her powers began to surface.

This has raised issues like the supervision’s lack of rigor and the inadequacies in the contest style. We honestly apologise”, organisers said in a speech.

No Jiang nor her tutor were among the 86 participants in the contest, according to the final results released on Sunday.

The increase of a maths experience

Candidates from all over the world can enter the monthly mathematics contest, which is held at the research facility of Alibaba’s Damo Academy.

This time, Jiang, a pupil at Jiangsu Lianshui Secondary Vocational School, outperformed various contenders from some of the world’s most prestigious organizations— including Peking University, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and the University of Oxford.

According to local media sources, she had chosen to attend the vocational school because both she had a passion for fashion style and because her sister and friends were there.

Immediately, Jiang’s results and innovative educational qualifications attracted national interest. Her tale was featured in a Damo Academy film, and she received interviews from national media outlets.

” Learning mathematics is slippery, but every day I solve the problems I feel very happy”, she told the state-run People’s Daily. ” No matter what the future holds, I did stay learning”.

Jiang’s professor, Wang Runqiu, was likewise thrust into the spotlight, hailed as an educator who noticed and encouraged her love for mathematics. He described her as a diligent student who had already studied advanced mathematics in her own way when she spoke to the internet.

He claimed that his experience with learning math has caused him several failures. Therefore, I want to give my pupils every chance possible while also informing them that there might be other opportunities in the future.

The child’s story also sparked a debate about whether China’s educational system did much to help gifted students in less traditional scientific areas, especially those who may not have received the same acknowledgement from their teachers.

The” Gaokao,” the extremely challenging exam that students must take in order to enter college, accounts for the majority of China’s educational system’s solutions. Before a 2022 education reform offered technical college students an alternate university entrance examination, those in vocational schools had long faced restrictions on taking the syllabus and joining in ordinary universities.

An earlier op-ed in state-news media outlet Xinhua said that Jiang’s results “hint]ed ] at an awkward truth: even youths as talented as her may be easily buried without good education credentials”.

She was not the creator, she claimed.

But as Jiang’s popularity burgeoned, criticism and scepticism surrounding her knowledge also started to bubbles.

Difficulty another winners wrote to the competition organizing committee in a joint letter in June asking for an exploration into Jiang. Additionally, they demanded that her responses to the initial evaluation issues be made public.

The winners claimed that Jiang had written” some obvious errors in writing” in an online movie and that she” seemed uninterested in these mathematical expressions and images”

The final round of the competition was a closed-book exam, despite the competition’s preliminary round allowing contestants to use programming software. The results of the finals, which were initially set to be released in August, were postponed for several months.

When the results were finally made public on Sunday, Jiang was not one of the 86 participants who won the championship round.

Her school also confirmed in a statement released on Sunday that her teacher Wang had assisted Jiang, and that Wang had received a warning and was disqualified from receiving awards for teachers for the year. Additionally, the statement requested leniency and protection for the teenager.

Attempts by the BBC to contact Jiang’s family were unsuccessful. A phone number associated with her father has been deleted, and a social media account her mother once used is no longer active. Numerous BBC phone calls to Jiang’s school ended up going unanswered, and a village official, when contacted by the BBC, declined to speak with the BBC about Jiang.

Many social media users also expressed support for the teenager, claiming that the bigger responsibility lay with her school and teacher, despite the revelation from Sunday that sparked a wave of criticism for Jiang and her teacher.

” Jiang Ping is not innocent, that’s without question. However, who are the “worst” parties involved? reads a post on Weibo. ” The adults brought this child along to do a bad deed, and let her suffer all the consequences”.

Jiang Ping was not the mastermind behind the fake event, according to another Weibo user. She ought not to be burned at the stake.

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Singapore’s Max Maeder named 2024 Young World Sailor of the Year

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Singapore’s Max Maeder was named the country’s first Young World Sailor of the Year on Tuesday ( Nov. 5 ) at the 2024 World Sailing Awards.

The Singapore traveling team stated in an Instagram post that this is the first time a Singaporean has won a World Sailing Award prize.

The 18-year-old claimed the title back of Italy’s Vittorio Bonifacio, Australia’s Grae Morris and Denmark’s Magnus Overbeck.

Maeder received the award at a meeting in Singapore’s CHIJMES Hall.

Maeder has won the 2024 IKA KiteFoil World Series and the empty function at the Formula Kite Youth European Championships, as well as strengthening copper at the Paris Olympics.

Any soldier under the age of 21 was eligible to vote in the male and female Younger World Sailor of the Year groups.

Maeder received a next subsequent election at the World Sailing Awards. In 2023, he was nominated for Male Sailor of the Year, which was won by Tom Slingsby from Australia.

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Tote Board’s S.2 billion in reserves needed for long-term funding commitments: MOF

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SINGAPORE: The S$ 4.2 billion ( US$ 3.1 billion ) in reserves accumulated by the Tote Board as at the end of the 2022 financial year enable it to make long-term funding commitments, said the Ministry of Finance ( MOF ) in response to a committee examining the government’s budget. &nbsp,

According to the Estimates Committee’s fourth report released on Tuesday ( Nov 5 ), the Tote Board’s reserves were the highest among statutory boards not protected by the Reserves Protection Framework, which covers certain statutory boards under Singapore’s Constitution. &nbsp, &nbsp,

The Quotes Committee is tasked to review what markets, changes in company, performance or operational reforms may be effected in the administration’s budget. &nbsp,

The MOF defines the Tote Board as a legal body. &nbsp, &nbsp,

Statutory sheets that are not subject to the Resources Protection Framework&nbsp usually have an accumulated deficit for both working capital needs and capital investment. &nbsp,

Before requesting funding from the government, they are expected to even look into how to use their surplus first. &nbsp,

According to MOF, The Tote Board’s reserves help keep its ability to offer grants that help the most underprivileged members of society, according to MOF. &nbsp,

” In particular, the reserves enabled ( the ) Tote Board to offer longer-duration funding commitments with grant awards of up to five years” .&nbsp,

Additionally, they made sure that the legal board could continue to honor grant commitments in times of financial uncertainty or greater sociable need, supplementing revenue with investment income, according to the ministry. &nbsp,

Singapore Pools and Singapore Turf Club’s deficits are also collected by the Tote Board, who also collect game access taxes.

According to its site, this wealth is channelled to support causes in the community. &nbsp,

The Tote Board’s give commitments as a percentage of its reserves had increased over the past ten times, according to MOF, in response to the committee’s inquiry about whether the Tote Board’s resources were in line with its goals and operating cash flow. &nbsp,

This was due to “growing cash demands to improve our cultural compact”, said the government. &nbsp,

The legal board offers eight offers, including&nbsp, the Enhanced Fund-Raising Programme, which provides up to S$ 250, 000 per generosity for fund-raising jobs.

The Arts Grant, which seeks to develop a lively arts society in institutions, is also provided by it.

FEEDBACK FROM Council

According to the review, the Quotes Committee acknowledged the MOF’s argument regarding the Tote Board’s resources. &nbsp,

Additionally, it urged the government to keep conducting interior internal audits to track down any surpluses on statutory boards and make sure that resources were used correctly and were “right-placed” when performing their duties. &nbsp,

In 2022, MOF conducted its most recent assessment of all legal board surpluses. &nbsp,

Also, the committee noted that close to 90 % of the 49 legal board listed in the Schedule of the Statutory Companies have contributed to the Consolidated Fund within the last ten years. &nbsp,

The state instructs the legislatures to transfer funds to the Consolidated Fund in order to stop their surpluses from growing excessively. &nbsp,

The Quotes Committee “urged the authorities to examine whether there was opportunity to reduce the costs and costs paid by the people to each of the legal boards” in light of the deficits contributed to the Consolidated Fund. &nbsp,

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Teen Chinese ‘maths genius’ was helped by teacher to ace global contest, probe finds

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According to investigations by her class and the event planner, who claimed she “did not get a prize,” a Chinese clothing style student who was hailed as a “genius” for her report in a national maths competition did so with the help of her teacher.

Wang Ruihui, the teacher of Jiang Ping, was given a warning over the incident, according to the Lianshui Secondary Vocational School in eastern Jiangsu province on Sunday ( Nov. 3 ), and was disqualified from this year’s teacher awards.

Ping won the June competition’s preliminary rounds, outnumbering hundreds of competitors from prominent universities, and placed 12th overall.

The opposition, which is held annually at Alibaba’s Damo Academy in Hangzhou, northeast China, draws participants from some of the best universities in the world. The South China Morning Post is owned by Alaba.

Ping, who was 17 at the time of the opposition, was cited as an example of a person who had overcome her humble educational qualifications to achieve significant success.

However, the interest garnered from the media prompted scrutiny, and competitors questioned her math and score.

39 different finalists claimed in a documentary video that Damo Academy released that Ping “made some apparent writing mistakes” while working on a problem on a blackboard in a combined letter sent to the organizing committee.

The contestants claimed that Ping was assisted by her professor because” she seemed acquainted with these numerical expressions and images” in their writings.

In a statement on Sunday, the show’s organising committee said an investigation found that Wang “provided help” to the individuals under his care, violating the rules.

According to contest rules, the qualifying large is an open-book check, allowing contestants to send to online and offline components. But conversation with others is evidently prohibited.

The competitors committee apologised, acknowledging deficiencies in control of the celebration and promising improvements.

The commission also announced its victors on Sunday, recognising 86 members for their efforts.

The top five golden medallists were from Peking University, Tsinghua University and the University of Maryland, College Park.

The Lianshui technical school said it would assist educators and students in “establishing proper values and concepts of success” in the workplace.

Ping, who was the only student from a technical institution to compete against the best math minds from China and abroad, was also asked to be forgiving of the people.

Vocational schools typically accept students who do n’t pass the GAO, the crucial university entrance exam, and other factors.

Many online users claimed that the incident demonstrated that “integrity is more important than ability.”

Mathematics is “objective and cool. One commenter said,” You can cheat once and fool everyone who knows very little about mathematics, but you ca n’t fool everyone in the game.”

This content was first published on SCMP.

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This nurse is a friend to families of prison inmates and an ex-drug offender: ‘They deserve a second chance’

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In February, Salimah Mohd Ayoob received an urgent call about a terminally ill patient at the Singapore General Hospital (SGH).

Salimah is deputy director of nursing at the hospital. But this was not a work call. This was related to her befriender work at Fitrah, a programme by the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore that supports inmates, ex-offenders and their families.

It was a plea for help from the patient’s husband, who was in a halfway house at that time. His wife had advanced cancer. A tumour obstructed her throat, requiring a tube to assist with breathing. She could not even form full sentences.

As she was in a stable condition, she was due to be discharged the next day for home-based palliative care. But she needed a wheelchair to move around easily, as well as a hospital bed so that she could rest in a semi-raised position to ease her breathing difficulties.

Social workers helped apply for these, but the homecare equipment would not arrive in time for her discharge.

The man was distraught. He appealed to Fitrah, and as a volunteer, Salimah helped to follow up on the homecare equipment, ensured that the woman’s children knew how to care for her, assisted the family financially through Fitrah’s help, and provided a listening ear.

Two months later, this patient passed away from her illness.

EXTENDING A HAND AND A LISTENING EAR

Salimah is a 61-year-old befriender. A nurse for 44 years, she has dedicated her life to caring for hospital patients on their journey to recovery. But when off-duty, she cares for people on a different sort of recovery journey – offenders and their families.

“I think all of them deserve a second chance,” she said.

Over the past five years, Salimah has befriended close to 10 women, including the wives and mothers of inmates, and one ex-offender. She recently received the Long Service Award (5 Years) at the Singapore Prison Service (SPS) Volunteer Awards Ceremony 2024.

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Hong Leong Bank unveils sustainable finance framework with US.5 billion commitment

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  • Provided US$273 million in green auto loans
  • Financed US$3.3 billion of green and affordable mortgages

Hong Leong Bank unveils sustainable finance framework with US$4.5 billion commitment

Hong Leong Bank (HLB) has launched its inaugural Sustainable Finance Framework (SFF) on October 29, 2024, coinciding with World Sustainability Day. The framework outlines the bank’s plan to mobilise US$4.5 billion (RM20 billion) over the next five years to support various Green Projects, marking a significant step in HLB’s sustainability journey.

The SFF is designed to finance projects that contribute to a sustainable future, aligning with HLB’s broader sustainability objectives. The framework will focus on funding initiatives in several key areas, namely renewable energy, energy efficiency, green building, affordable housing, clean transportation and logistics, and waste management.

Kevin Lam, group nanaging director and CEO of HLB (pic), emphasised the importance of sustainability in the bank’s strategy: “We see sustainability as a catalyst for growth, driving positive transformation for our customers and expanding our reach to new audiences. By integrating ESG considerations into our core strategies, processes, and solutions, we strive to find common ground between our responsibilities and business needs.”

HLB has thus far pledged to achieve US$911 million (RM4 billion) in renewable energy financing by 2025 and has approved over US$797 million (RM3.5 billion) in financing to date. 

The HLB SFF adheres to several key principles and standards, including the Loan Market Association (LMA) Green, Social and Sustainability-linked Loan Principles, the International Capital Market Association’s (ICMA) Green, Social and Sustainability Bond Principles, as well as the Securities Commission Malaysia’s Principles-Based Sustainable and Responsible Investment (SRI) Taxonomy.

Chow Sheng Wai, chief sustainability officer of HLB, stated: “The HLB SFF is more than just a framework for the Bank; it’s a roadmap for a greener future for our next generation. Apart from adhering to rigorous standards and aligning with global best practices, we also sought independent assessment from a Second Party Opinion Provider, RAM Sustainability, achieving a Gold rating.”

HLB has recently received recognition for its ESG efforts, including the Overall Excellence award at the Minority Shareholders Watch Group (MSWG) National Corporate Governance and Sustainability Awards and double gold awards in the financial services sector at The Edge Malaysia ESG Awards in 2022 and 2023.

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