KUALA LUMPUR , Malaysia (AFP) — A Malaysian court has convicted three locals and 14 Filipinos of terror-related offences, some punishable by death, following an armed incursion that left scores dead and paralyzed a remote corner of Borneo for weeks, a lawyer said Monday. The 2013 siege, inspired by a self-proclaimed Filipino sultan who tried to resurrect long-dormant land claims, saw clashes between Malaysian forces and some 200 Filipino militants who had arrived by boat […]
Tag: Malaysia
Eight dead, 20 missing in Malaysia boat accident
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AFP) — Malaysia’s coast guard said Monday they had retrieved eight bodies after a boat capsized off the southern state of Johor at the weekend with another 20 people believed to be missing. Local media reported that the boat carrying 62 people — all Indonesians and thought to be illegal immigrants — capsized due to strong waves late on Saturday night. So far, 34 passengers have been rescued and a search was […]
“Do more,” families of MH370 passengers tell Malaysia, China
(Eagle News) — Relatives of people aboard the missing Malaysia airlines flight MH370 urged governments on Thursday (July 21) to step up the hunt for the aircraft, a day before a meeting where ministers could decide to call off the search. Malaysian, Chinese and Australian ministers will meet in Kuala Lumpur today to discuss the future of the search for MH370, which disappeared during a flight from the Malaysian capital to Beijing in march 2014, […]
“The nation must demand the removal of the Prime Minister”- Mahathir
Former Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad called for the removal of current Prime Minister Najib Razak after United States’ prosecutors filed lawsuits linked to state-owned fund 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB). “The time has come when the nation must demand for the removal of the prime minister, must demand for investigations to be carried out by a Malaysian body, the setting up of a tribunal, independent tribunal, not set up on the advice of the prime […]
Malaysia, Singapore team up on bullet-train project
by Satish Cheney KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AFP) — Malaysia and Singapore signed an agreement Tuesday to pursue an ambitious high-speed rail link touted as a first for Southeast Asia that would knit the historically fractious neighbours more closely together. The 350-kilometer (217-mile) bullet-train line from the regional financial hub of Singapore to Malaysia’s capital Kuala Lumpur is expected to slash travel times to 90 minutes from the five or more hours by road today. The […]
Eight injured in Malaysia hand grenade attack: police
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AFP) — Eight people were injured after a hand grenade was thrown at a restaurant in Malaysia’s central Selangor state, police said Tuesday, citing business rivalry rather than terrorism as the likely motive. Abdul Rahim Jaafar, state deputy police chief, told AFP that the attack on the Movida restaurant in busy Puchong district was probably the result of a business conflict or revenge. “Eight people were injured in the hand grenade attack […]
China plans first regular civilian cruises to disputed Spratlys by 2020
(REUTERS) China will offer its first regular civilian cruises to the Spratly Islands in the South China Sea by 2020, state media said on Wednesday, a move likely to irk other claimants to the disputed waters. China’s activities in the contested area, such as building artificial islands, airfields and other military facilities, have fueled tension in Southeast Asia, although it says most of the construction is for civilian purposes. The island province of Hainan […]
29 Filipinas rescued from trafficking in Malaysia
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AFP) — Malaysian police have rescued 29 Filipinas who had been trafficked into work in bars, the Philippine embassy in Kuala Lumpur said on Wednesday. The women were rescued from two bars in the town of Bintulu in the Malaysian state of Sarawak on June 9 after the embassy brought reports of trafficked women to Malaysian police, a statement by the embassy said. Also arrested during the raid were three Filipinos who served […]
Cambodian PM denies role in ASEAN U-turn on South China Sea
PHNOM PENH / AFP- Cambodian Premier Hun Sen lashed out Monday at claims his government had bowed to Chinese pressure to help scupper a joint statement by Southeast Asian nations on the South China Sea. In an angry speech Hun Sen also accused an international court of political bias as it prepares to rule on a sea dispute between the Philippines and China. The Hague-based Permanent Court of Arbitration is widely expected to rule […]
Southeast Asian countries retract statement expressing concerns on South China Sea
(REUTERS) Southeast Asian countries withdrew a statement that expressed the region’s deep concerns over tension in the South China Sea, where China is involved in protracted territorial disputes with some of its neighbors. The strongly-worded statement by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), released by the Malaysian foreign ministry, did not name China directly but warned against raising tension in the waters, where Beijing has been building artificial islands and increasing its military presence. […]
Malaysia shuts down first sharia-compliant airline
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysian (AFP) — Rayani Air, Malaysia’s first Islamic-compliant airline, has been shut down, regulators said Monday, months after it was suspended from flying for breaching aviation regulations. The carrier launched only in December with Muslim flight crew wearing the hijab while non-Muslim members were forbidden from wearing revealing clothing. In-flight meals were completely halal and alcohol consumption banned. But after an “investigation into the administration and safety audit” of the airline, the Department […]
China urged to cooperate as Asia worries about South China Sea row
(Reuters) China came under pressure from the United States and Asian powers to rein in its actions in the South China Sea, with the U.S. defense secretary urging Beijing to join in on regional cooperation or risk erecting a “Great Wall of self-isolation.” U.S. Defense Secretary Ash Carter encouraged China to participate in a “principled security network” for Asia to help counter concerns about its strategic intentions following “expansive and unprecedented actions” in the South […]
