Former rebels in southern Philippines trade bullets for ballots

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In the ten years since signing a peace deal with a secessionist group, the Philippines ‘ Muslim-majority intelligent Bangsamoro area has seen considerable progress.

The area has expanded its economy, attracted opportunities, and expanded access to education and healthcare.

According to data released last year, it has also decreased significantly from 52.6 % in 2018 to 33.5 % in 2023, making it no longer the poorest region in the nation.

The self-governing Mindanao beach in southern Philippines is scheduled to hold its first parliamentary elections in October.

However, there are still unpleasant memories of the city’s long history of conflict for the Muslim native there.

In the past, Tarhata Tarapas, a part of the Moro persons, who are Muslim Filipinos living in Bangsamoro, claimed she would never have been permitted to work as an trainer. &nbsp,

“Education was denied to the Bangsamoro persons. We would frequently hide in far-off places. Our people concealed. They were raped, I believe. The 57-year-old told CNA that “our rights were violated.” &nbsp,

She is currently in charge of the Bangsamoro government’s designated chair, Sarmiento West Elementary School in Parang town.

Following a referendum that would provide the location greater control over its resources, the automatic territory was established in 2019. &nbsp,

It came after the Philippines ‘ government and the rebel Moro Islamic Liberation Front ( MLILF ) reached a peace agreement in 2014 that put an end to nearly four decades of conflict.

PUSH FOR THE TRUST Committee

The Girl was the largest Muslim secessionist group to come from a uprising that started in the late 1960s. &nbsp,

The movement had its roots in decades of injustice, including the required conversion of Christians from the northeast to Moro’s lands in the south.

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‘Want to join?’: These 4 mums started the Mindful Mamas community to make motherhood a less lonely journey

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The four Mindful Mamas members were the ones I met at MacRitchie Reservoir. Our eyelids were cooled by a breeze and the late afternoon sunshine. Every woman looked more than prepared for their ordinary move when her baby was either in a ship or in her arms. &nbsp,

They were neighbors a year ago. They collaborate carefully today to create their expanding area of roughly 1, 000 Singaporean mothers who want to slow down, manage their stress much, and raise their children in a thoughtful, unhurried, and deliberate manner. &nbsp, &nbsp,

Before they found each other, mother primarily felt like a challenge.

Amanda Ong, a 30-year-old composer, gave birth to her first child in May 2024. She frequently felt only despite being enamored of her girl. &nbsp,

Several of her friends were interested in how her life had changed since she was a mother, and the majority of them weren’t mothers. She told CNA Women,” I love my child and being a mother, but the grief of new parenting has occasionally affected me.”

Ho Kin Ing, a business owner, gave birth to Cherish, her second child, in September 2023. However, knowledge did not make things simpler. The 33-year-old had suffered from maternal melancholy since having her first kid, and even after her next, she frequently felt stressed and exhausted. &nbsp,

I was extremely meticulous, anxious, and unable to relax with my first two girls, she said. Ho was determined to accomplish things differently this time.

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‘Sanity will have to prevail’: Malaysia’s key exporters in limbo, fear but some hopeful over Trump’s tariffs

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Wong Siew Hai, leader of the Malaysia Semiconductor Industry Association, stated to CNA that businesses in the industry are anticipating the worst while hoping for the best. &nbsp,

” We are waiting to see how much… we get hit ( in tariffs ),” Wong said.” It’s not business as usual right now.” &nbsp,

” If you hope for the best, it will be 10 %. However, he continued,” I guess it’s 24 % ( same as Malaysia’s reciprocal tariff rate ), and hopefully not more,” he said. &nbsp,

Wong claimed there was no current end to the semiconductor chip industry’s exports to the US, but that the doubt is not beneficial for the sector. &nbsp,

According to business analyst Samuel Tan, who is also the president of the Johor-Indonesian Business Chamber, the 90-day purgatory is likely to have a ripple effect on the semiconductor supply chain.

The uncertainty-filled culture is bad for manufacturers, even with the 90-day relief. They won’t be able to purchase parts for upcoming output, which will inevitably destroy the entire supply chain, Tan said. &nbsp,

Trade professional Deborah Elms predicted that semiconductor taxes could become higher than the 24 % reciprocal tariffs imposed on Malaysia.

Semiconductors and electronics are “at special risk,” she said, because they will be subject to a different kind of tariff program. Even if reciprocal taxes are eliminated or reduced, it is less likely that something similar will be applied to items sold under Section 232.

Elms noted that hardwood is being looked into under Section 232 and, consequently, this could have an impact on furniture goods. &nbsp,

The Trump staff enjoys taking a very broad definition of a field, even though I do not believe this will get furniture. Elms, the founder of the Asian Trade Center and head of trade policy at the Hinrich Foundation, said it is” something worth watching ( out for )”.

In the fifth-highest exports to the US, a figure released by Trading Economics shows that furniture made up about 3.6 % of all total imports from Malaysia to the US in 2024, trailing only semiconductors, equipment, medical equipment, and plastic.

Some Muar furniture manufacturers are involved that forest and furniture may develop into a separate tariff category, according to KS Design’s Ng.

” We are a little involved… that timber could be subject to a separate tariff and that it would be more than the 24 % ( reciprocal tariff for Malaysia ),” he said.

RUBBER GLOVE COMPANIES AND PALM OIL MAY BENEFIT.

Minister of Investment, Trade, and Industry Tengku Zafrul Abdul Aziz acknowledged at a media conference on Monday that some” was yet benefit” from Trump’s taxes.

Business players and observers claim rubber, palm oil, and even semiconductors was benefit, but he did not specify which industries. However, the caveat is that US laws was quickly alter, making long-term estimates challenging.

Although the tariffs are not ideal, Nivas Ragavan, vice-chairman of the Federation of Malaysian Business Associations ( FMBA ), claimed that having a lower rate than its regional neighbors gives Malaysia a competitive advantage.

It might provide enough motivation for some US consumers and investors to purchase from Malaysia, he said, especially in those in industries like manufacturing, gadgets, and medical supplies.

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GE2025: WP unveils first batch of potential candidates, including a former MFA diplomat

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ABDUL RAHIM MATTAR, SITI, ABDUL RAHIM

A multinational firm employs Ms. Alia, a solicitor. She has experience as a legal counsel for the Monetary&nbsp, Authority of Singapore ( MAS ) in addition to having three children.

She joined the party about a year ago as a charity, according to Mr. Singh. &nbsp,

EILEEN CHONG PEI SHAN

Ms. Chong is currently employed by the Asia Philathropy Circle as the director of insights and development in the cultural impact industry.

Prior to that, she worked for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for six and a half decades, three of which were at the Beijing Embassy of Singapore.

She volunteered for the organization in the next quarter of last year, according to Mr. Singh. &nbsp,

The WP fielded 21 individuals in the most recent General Election, along from 28 during GE2015.

The group contested GE2020 in all of the divisions in the south or north of Singapore, including Sengkang, Aljunied, East Coast, and Marine Parade GRCs.

With its victory in&nbsp, Sengkang GRC, the WP gained four new seats in Parliament and increased its margin of help in Hougang SMC and Aljunied GRC.

As part of a continued push for the eastern and northeastern regions, party officials and experts have recently reported to CNA that WP was challenge in the newly established Punggol GRC as well as constituencies in long-standing stomping ground Tampines.

The group did not specify the location of the contest on Thursday.

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China Power: Cultural exports script a softer narrative in Southeast Asia

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Thailand is a top choice for Taiwanese production companies among all the nations in Southeast Asia. &nbsp, &nbsp,

According to Jeff Han, a representative for Chinese tech company Tencent, Thailand was a prime location for ability and leisure production.

Google filmed its famous real hero contest set Chuang Asia in Thailand in 2024. &nbsp,

70 recruits from countries in the region, including Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam, competed for spots in a fresh foreign lady group as part of the 10-episode series, which was shot in Bangkok. &nbsp,

Dr. Kornphanat Tungkeunkunt, a professor at Thammasat University, called it” a strategic shift” that “opened new opportunities” in international markets as well as a” striking move” that allowed Google to evade stringent domestic laws in China.

Beginning in December, Season 2 was shot in Bangkok, and included appearances by Season 2, rapper BamBam ( also known as a member of the K-pop boy band GOT7 ), Blackpink’s Lisa, and singer Jeff Satur. &nbsp,

60 aspiring employees from nine countries and regions competed for the title of the fresh seven-member boyband NexT1DE during the broadcast that aired from February 2 through&nbsp, April 6. &nbsp,

Thailand’s “dynamic pleasure business,” “well-established legend society,” and international attractiveness made it best to host and film the reality show, Han said. &nbsp,

The region offers an ideal environment to learn and nourish new talent, according to the statement from the country, which includes several powerful Thai stars who have gained worldwide fame.

Chinese leisure companies also face significant challenges in navigating Southeast Asia’s various and “uneven modern terrain” to provide shows and other offerings to local audiences, even as Chinese pop culture  offerings gain traction in the region. &nbsp,

All people will have access to the products, she said. &nbsp,

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GE2025: Workers’ Party claims 15 policy proposals were adopted ‘in some form’ by the government

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SINGAPORE: The Workers’ Party (WP) on Wednesday (Apr 16) put out a list of 15 policies it claimed it had advocated for, which were later adopted “in some form” by the government, including issues pertaining to housing, transport and employment support.

In a Facebook post, the opposition party said that while it was not in the government, many of its proposals ended up being adopted to some extent, which ultimately benefited Singaporeans.

“These aren’t just policy wins for the Workers’ Party – they are wins for all of us,” it wrote.

“Constructive, rational opposition works for Singapore. The Workers’ Party is #WorkingforSingapore,” it added, with a reference to its campaign slogan unveiled a day earlier.

Associate Professor Eugene Tan from the Singapore Management University (SMU) said the WP “is seeking to make (the) case that they have an effective opposition to the extent that the government has adopted 15 key policy ideas”.

“Indirectly, they are indicating that they can do even more with more MPs,” added Assoc Prof Tan, who is from the university’s law faculty. 

Asked by CNA if the post could be seen as the start of the party’s campaign strategy, Assoc Prof Tan agreed.

He added that the party was “setting the stage” for their theme of “working for you” with the emphasis that they are there to serve voters.

Assoc Prof Tan also said that the post could also be taken as “bite-sized key messaging” to “facilitate a supportive reception” of WP’s manifesto, which the party has yet to unveil. 

WP’s post comes a day after President Tharman Shanmugaratnam dissolved parliament and the dates for Nomination Day and Polling Day were made known to Singaporeans. Nomination Day will be held on Apr 23 while Singaporeans will head to the polls on May 3. 

In its Facebook post, WP pulled out examples of their policy proposals in the areas of unemployment benefits, housing, healthcare, scams, as well as the country’s justice system and energy needs, among others. 

When it came to unemployment insurance, WP said that it had made this call in its previous manifestos, including publishing a policy paper outlining details of its proposed scheme. 

At last year’s National Day Rally, Prime Minister Lawrence Wong introduced a new SkillsFuture Jobseeker Support scheme to help lower- and middle-income workers who have lost their jobs. 

Those who apply successfully under the scheme – the first of its kind in Singapore – will receive payouts capped at a maximum of S$6,000 (US$4,500) over six months. 

WP also said that it called for shared parental leave of 24 weeks in its 2020 manifesto and repeated the call to promote equal parenting roles that year and later in 2022. 

In its 2020 manifesto, the party said there was a direct link between paid increased parental leave and a child’s psychological well being, and proposed a scheme that entitled parents to 24 weeks of government-paid leave, to be shared between mothers and fathers. 

The party suggested that a minimum of 12 weeks be granted to the mother and four weeks to the father.

In its post, the party pointed out that in the National Day Rally last year Mr Wong announced that parents will get an additional 10 weeks of shared leave to care for their infants through a scheme which would be fully implemented in 2026. 

On protecting scam victims, the party said it had proposed for banks to bear greater responsibility in preventing scams and compensating victims during an adjournment motion in 2023.

Then, party chair Sylvia Lim had called for banks to take the lead in tackling scams. She also urged the government to mandate banks to bear full responsibility in reimbursing scam victim’s losses, but her proposal was “shot down” by Minister of State for Trade and Industry Alvin Tan who said that it would not be fair or desirable.

In 2024, the Financial Industry Disputes Resolution Centre (FIDReC) raised its adjudicating award limit to S$150,000, marking “a step towards fairer treatment of scam victims”, the party said. 

The FIDReC’s adjudication process is a final stage in resolving disputes between financial institutions and consumers, and its previous limit was S$100,000 per claim.

Assoc Prof Tan said that the ruling People’s Action Party (PAP) would “certainly disagree” with WP’s assertions. 

“Correlation is not causality,” he said.

“Just because a party made a proposal does not mean that a subsequent policy change must be attributed to the party.”

He said that often it is a “question of when rather than whether” certain proposals can be adopted, pointing to the matter of the wearing a tudung, or headscarf, in healthcare settings as an example. 

The party said in its Facebook post that it spoke against the ban on wearing tudungs in nursing and uniformed services in 2017 and repeated the call in 2021 during the Budget debate. 

“It’s arguable that the change adopted can be wholly attributed to the WP,” said Assoc Prof Tan. “It is also the case that policy options are clear but there is a need to find the resources to implement the changes.”

He added that in the election period, parties are expected to make “over-exuberant claims and assertions”.

CNA has reached out to the PAP for comment.

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GE2025: Music teacher Emily Woo is RDU’s potential candidate for Jurong Central SMC

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Madam Emily Woo, a music teacher, has been named as the potential candidate for Jurong Central Single Member Constituency ( SMC) in Singapore.

The 59-year-old will likely face People’s Action Party ( PAP ) candidate Xie Yao Quan on April 23 if nominated on that day. &nbsp,

Before the parliament was disbanded on Tuesday, Mr. Xie, 40, previously served as the MP for the current Jurong Group Representation Constituency ( GRC ) in the Jurong Central division. &nbsp, &nbsp,

On Wednesday ( Apr 16 ), Mdm Woo stated at a press conference that she looks forward to facing Mr Xie in the upcoming elections.

She said,” Mr. Xie wanted a company, and I am that company.” I’m looking forward to an exciting, friendly competition with you.

Mdm Woo, who resides in Jurong Central, holds a Parisian Catholic Institute University Bachelor of Music degree.

She has taught at both primary and secondary levels, including at The French School, and has over 30 years of training practice, according to the group in a statement. She has also taught at The French School, &nbsp.

At a song class, she is currently teaching piano to both children and adults.

Mdm Woo is also the prosecutor at music events and the author of two ebooks for music students.

She was initially identified by CNA next month at a walkabout at Yuhua Market and Hawker Center, and she was then introduced as a “team prospect” for Jurong Central SMC. &nbsp,

In its speech on Wednesday, RDU stated that” Emily believes that policies must ensure financial protection and dignity for all Singaporeans.

She advocates for smaller school sizes to close education gaps and advocates for equal employment opportunities for seniors, ensuring that those who want to work aren’t forgotten.

29 620 electors make up the Jurong Central Ward, one of six new SMCs created as a result of the most recent revision of Singapore’s political boundaries. &nbsp,

As part of a wider restructuring aimed at maintaining a constant MP-to-voter amount, Jurong Central SMC was created from Jurong GRC and Yuhua SMC. The fresh Jurong East-Bukit Batok GRC was created as a result of the merger of Bukit Batok SMC and parts of Jurong GRC, Hong Kah North SMC, and Yuhua SMC.

Due to population growth in places like Bukit Batok West and Tengah, according to the Electoral Boundaries Review Committee.

On May 3, Singapore did vote. &nbsp,

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Do you still use AXS kiosks? This is why some Singaporeans can’t do without them

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In Singapore, an AXS shop is a well-known view. However, whether you’ve had a job since the mid-2000s or whether you were born before or after, or whether you’ve had to give your own expenses for the past 25 years or so, will determine how well you know how they operate. &nbsp,

According to class CEO Jeffrey Goh, the latter class accounts for the majority of calls to Press whenever a system is removed.

” There is actually a great hoo-ha.” They’ll ask their MPs ( Members of Parliament ) to “do not remove,” he continued, comparing the situation to having a store they’ve frequented suddenly vanish.

How many Singaporeans believe that AXS shops are a public good that the government runs for their comfort, according to Mr. Goh, complicating issues.

Not everyone had a pc with internet access at home when the Singapore-based company was founded in 2000. The 57-year-old recalls that post offices remained empty until 8:30 p.m. on Wednesday to allow for working adults to pay their bills. &nbsp,

How many times do you want to operate down to the post office, best?- Having multiple bills meant several due dates.

This idea served as the foundation for AXS’s key business model, which is both bill payments and payment aggregation. The business was even given a name to resemble how “access” is pronounced.

A longer list of items you can now pay for using AXS’ services includes utility bills, phone bills, credit card bills, medical bills, road tax, income taxes, membership membership fees, school fees, traffic fines, season parking fees, car loans, shipping costs, service and conservancy fees, and insurance premiums.

The government’s digital services were being provided for the people by this, but it’s being run by a secret company, not a government initiative, according to Mr. Goh. &nbsp,

Today, there are still about 640 AXS restaurants or facilities in Singapore, making up about 35 % of all trades. The remainder are accomplished online.

There were almost 800 AXS facilities at one stage scattered throughout the area. Mr. Goh was open to the difficulties of keeping these physical shops about; together, they cost” a bunch” in book, that is, millions of dollars. &nbsp,

Planning UPON THE Expenses

AXS made a brief appearance in the media earlier this year when dessert financing, a financial services company, removed its Visa debit card from the transaction platform in March, less than a fortnight after the collaboration began.

Users of Chocolate debit cards could immediately earn two miles per dollar on all purchases, including those that were typically exempted from the program like college expenses, bills, and AXS payments.

However, the relationship became “unsustainable” due to the surge in bill payment, particularly from AXS, according to Chocolate founder and CEO Walter de Oude. &nbsp,

People typically turn into AXS clients when they begin working, homeownership, and bill payments, according to Mr. Goh. &nbsp,

Paying energy, credit cards, and telco bills are AXS’s three most well-liked activities.

According to Mr. Goh, who gladly demonstrated paying his own expenses on his phone, almost all the features at a shop can also be accessed on AXS’ m-Station software. &nbsp,

However, even those who use wireless internet finance apps to pay their bills might be using AXS solutions without realizing it. &nbsp,

AXS processes the bills paid through the banks ‘ own internet banking functions for 11 banks in Singapore, including Standard Chartered, HSBC, and Maybank, according to Mr. Goh. &nbsp,

” We are the ones who provide all of these links,” the statement goes. Due to the fact that they only connect with AXS, it’s even simple for the billers, right? If not, they must communicate with 11 businesses, he said, noting that doing so increases productivity overall. &nbsp,

Essentially, AXS makes its money by charging bank and billers costs for sorting out all the necessary trades.

A twist has been added to the proliferation of online&nbsp scams as well: some customers are returning to natural AXS kiosks because they feel more secure entering their PIN numbers and receiving a notice right away. &nbsp,

REQUIRED FOR RECORDING

Mr. Goh was a member of the team that co-founded AXS 25 years earlier. Five years later, he left to lead the electronic payment service provider NETS, which was a DBS company. &nbsp,

After working for Grab for eight countries on payment infrastructure, he returned to AXS as part of a deal that saw the private equity firm Tower Capital Asia seizing control of a 77.8 % stake in the business from DBS. &nbsp,

” We need to reevaluate and completely change the business,” said Mr. Goh. &nbsp,

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