The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission has stated that the RM2.6b in Najib’s account from ‘donors’, not 1MDB. Buggered if I know who the donors are and how much money they have. There are some cars I'd like to import and some advanced driving courses I'd like to attend...
The Myanmar government has admitted to a "weak" response to the floods that have struck the country.
I have disagreed with her a lot, but comparing her to republicans and propagandists of dictatorships is really low. - An idiot
Kissinger for not having the integrity of his co-awardee...
Schild und Schwert der ParteiCross-posting from the economics thread:
The Malaysian Ringgit has declined beyond 4 per US dollar for the first time since 1998.
Malaysia's Q2 economic growth is at the slowest pace in more than 2 years as well.
I have disagreed with her a lot, but comparing her to republicans and propagandists of dictatorships is really low. - An idiotBangkok bomb: Deadly blast rocks Thailand capital
I'm reading this because it's interesting. I think. Whiskey, Tango, Foxtrot, over.Thai police have released a detailed sketch of the main suspect of the bombing near the Erawan shrine in Bangkok. They have noted that the bombing does not match the modus operandi of the southern insurgents.
Former Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir has apologised for his choice of Prime Ministers.
Indonesian rescuers have found no survivors in the wreckage of the crashed ATR 42-300.
I have disagreed with her a lot, but comparing her to republicans and propagandists of dictatorships is really low. - An idiotFerdinand Marcos Jr. is apparently considering running for President.
Singapore will be holding a general election on the 11th of September 2015.
I have disagreed with her a lot, but comparing her to republicans and propagandists of dictatorships is really low. - An idiotI'm an anti-Marcos guy, so no go for me. Glad there's abstaning.
The PAP's gonna have a real challenge if they can still maintain their seats in Parliament.
https://sg.news.yahoo.com/happens-don-t-vote-singapore-070048335.html
An interesting article on what happens to Singaporeans who can't/don't vote.
http://opinion.inquirer.net/88517/singapore-democracy-trumps-the-philippines
An editorial positively comparing Singaporean democracy to Philippine democracy.
Malaysia’s prime minister is a questionable ally
Since then, however, Mr. Najib has been evolving into an increasingly unseemly pal. In February, the country’s opposition leader, Anwar Ibrahim, was imprisoned on blatantly trumped-up charges, just under a year after the coalition Mr. Anwar led won the popular vote in national elections. That was the tip of a broader campaign to suppress the opposition; key leaders were indicted under a sedition law that Mr. Najib once promised to repeal, and a leading cartoonist was prosecuted for tweets. Mr. Anwar’s daughter, parliament member Nurul Izzah Anwar, was recently told she was being investigated under an anti-terrorism law.
Then came the news that close to $700 million had been transferred to personal bank accounts of Mr. Najib before the 2013 election. The Wall Street Journal reported in July that Malaysian investigators believed the money came from companies linked to a troubled state investment fund headed by the prime minister. Mr. Najib responded with a brazen crackdown on those investigating the fund, firing a deputy prime minister and the attorney general and gutting a parliamentary investigative committee. Two newspapers that had been pursuing the scandal were shut down. When the opposition organized a massive protest demonstration last month, authorities banned the movement’s signature yellow color.
Mr. Najib once positioned himself as a reformer who would lead a quasi-authoritarian state to genuine democracy. Now he is trying to consolidate his position by appealing to the worst currents in Malaysian politics: ethnic chauvinism and Islamic fundamentalism. In answer to the opposition, the ruling party, which relies on support from the majority Malay population, staged its own rally in which senior officials crudely attacked the Chinese and Indian minorities. Mr. Najib is meanwhile toying with the idea of allowing Islamic sharia law to be imposed in one province, a key goal of Malaysia’s fundamentalists.
In a visit to Kuala Lumpur last month, Secretary of State John F. Kerry said he had “raised concerns” with Mr. Najib about freedom of expression and Mr. Anwar’s imprisonment. But mostly the Obama administration is sticking with the sullied prime minister. In July, the State Department delivered a questionable promotion to Malaysia in its human trafficking ratings; Mr. Obama is still scheduled to visit Malaysia for an Asian summit in November. The administration appears to be counting on Mr. Najib to deliver Malaysia’s support for the Trans-Pacific Partnership, an Asian free trade deal that Mr. Obama hopes to make part of his legacy.
Nevertheless Ms. Nurul, who visited Washington this week, had a good question for the administration officials she met: “For all that you are investing in Malaysia, are you getting your money’s worth?” Mr. Najib may cooperate with U.S. intelligence agencies and the trade representative, but his repression and pandering to racists and Muslim extremists risks destroying the foundations of the alliance. The next time Mr. Obama meets his golfing buddy, he ought to make that clear.
Then who should US rely on when it comes to South East Asia, then? Singapore? But this article could be taken as Malaysia could be an US proxy, something that certain groups of people would not take this well.
On a different note, there is a myth in Malaysia that eating pork will ward off ghost from possessing people. I consider this statement blatantly false because by this logic, vegetarians are prone to such a thing yet we don't see stories of them being possessed. Does this actually have basis in reality other than "we see those Malay people gets possessed by ghost so their lack of pork must have something to do with it"?
Obama does not seem to be a big fan of Anwar since even before Anwar got jailed. The last time he was here, Obama snubbed Anwar's attempt to meet him.
If a chicken crosses the road and nobody else is around to see it, does the road move beneath the chicken instead?Considered how there has been no research done by locals as to whether it's garden variety mass hysteria, I doubt it has basis in anything other than racism.
I have disagreed with her a lot, but comparing her to republicans and propagandists of dictatorships is really low. - An idiotNASA data suggests that Indonesia's forest fires could become the worst on record. Granted, the wind pattern changes courtesy of the typhoon are currently offering a respite from the haze, but that won't last forever either.
I have disagreed with her a lot, but comparing her to republicans and propagandists of dictatorships is really low. - An idiotOi, Indonesia - kill those fires already.
We weren't sure before, but Philippines definitely affected also.
Plants are aliens, and fungi are nanomachines.Well, efforts to combat the flames are being done here - albeit with low effectiveness. Pardon my somewhat uninformed guessing, but it may be because of any (or even all) of these:
- the sheer intensity of the fires coupled with the extended dry season,
- the ineffectiveness of firefighters in trying to stave off the fires, or
- the willful continuation of the forest fires by unscrupulous companies who wish to build oil palm farms on the burnt remains of the land.
The second is what most of the people here believe to be the cause - and these fires just so happen to occur around the one-year mark of Widodo's presidency. Thus, cue the storm of both ordinary people on social networks and the politicians pinning the blame for this squarely on Widodo and only Widodo, although in fairness his handling of the situation is indeed a bit subpar.
Don't stop, just proceed, 'cause this is what you need-proceed, just proceed, 'cause this is what you need!Yep there is now an advisory in our southern provinces to wear masks.
I'm reading this because it's interesting. I think. Whiskey, Tango, Foxtrot, over.When it comes to #3, I happen to recall reading articles claiming that almost half of the fires were started by small-scale farmers. I'm told that the lack of a land title system in some parts of Kalimantan and Sumatra results in "land owners" doing things with the land in a bid to stake a claim - and setting it alight is one of the cheaper ways of doing so.
I have disagreed with her a lot, but comparing her to republicans and propagandists of dictatorships is really low. - An idiotAFAIK, Singapore wants to implement strict laws that would ensure Singaporean companies would comply if they're involved in the haze. Not sure if it's law by now.
https://sg.news.yahoo.com/no-nudity-please-were-singaporeans-130017030.html
Here's something interesting from Singapore.
Is America helping with those forest fires yet? We get bad fires in Cali and other states pretty often, and have gotten pretty good at fighting them. If nothing else we should be lending a water-drop plane and crew or something
I'm baaaaaaackLast I noted Singapore and Malaysia are offering help, including water bombers. The nearest US-based aircraft will be on contracts out in Australia.
Keep Rolling OnApparently five countries have so far agreed to help Indonesia:
...
He said Australia, Russia, Malaysia, Singapore and China had all agreed to assist.
"They indicated they would co-operate and develop the terms of reference of what assistance would be given," he said.
edited 27th Nov '15 12:55:21 AM by editerguy
Eh, they're just following in the footsteps of the Nobel Peace Prize. Arafat awarded for his organization temporarily pausing its killing of civilians, Gorbachev when he sent armed forces into Azerbaijan and later the Baltic states, Obama for not being George Bush, Jr...
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