Indonesia

The Second Presidential Debate – Lively Arguments, Loose Facts (17 Feb)

Incumbent President Joko Widodo (“Jokowi”) and challenger Prabowo Subianto locked horns over energy, food, infrastructure, natural resources and the environment on Sunday, 17 February, during the second presidential debate. While Jokowi sought to burnish his image as a builder of key infrastructure, Prabowo criticised the projects for being carried out without thorough feasibility studies, leading them to be inefficient. The two also disagreed on land reforms, with Jokowi criticising Prabowo for owning hundreds of thousands of hectares of land despite calling for more equitable land distribution. Prabowo was also taken by surprise when questioned about Indonesia’s “unicorns” (E-Commerce companies with valuations in excess of US$1 billion). Both candidates did, however, offer some inaccurate information during the course of the debate, which was later pointed out by domestic and regional media outlets.

Sources: The Straits Times, Jakarta Globe, Jakarta Globe, The Jakarta Post

Trials Underway for Jakarta’s First MRT System (26 Feb)

The first phase of Jakarta’s new mass rapid transport (MRT) system, which connects Lebak Bulus in South Jakarta to the Hotel Indonesia traffic circle in Central Jakarta, will be opened for a full trial run for the public on 12 March. This first phase, built at a cost of US$1.2 billion, is expected to move 170,000 passengers a day for 10,000 rupiah (71 cents) or less per trip. Construction of the second phase is due to end by 2024. The completed phase will be one of the key deliverables for incumbent President Jokowi during the elections in April.

Sources: The Jakarta Post, Bloomberg

Indonesia-Australia Trade Deal to be Signed in Early March (28 Feb)

The Indonesia-Australia Closer Economic Partnership Agreement (IA-CEPA) will be signed in the first week of March, according to Indonesia’s Trade Ministry. Negotiations on the agreement were substantively concluded in August 2018, but the signing was delayed due to diplomatic tensions over Canberra’s contentious plan to move its Israeli embassy to Jerusalem. Bilateral trade between the two countries was worth US$11.7 billion in 2017, and the agreement is expected to spur both domestic industries and exports of timber, electronics and medicinal goods.

Sources: The Straits Times, The Sydney Morning Herald

Malaysia

PAS Still Working with UMNO on Semenyih, Despite Dr Mahathir’s Claims (16 – 28 Feb)

Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad claimed on 16 February that Parti Islam Se-Malaysia (PAS) would not support the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) in the Semenyih by-election, based on discussions between him and PAS President Abdul Hadi Awang. PAS separately claimed to have not agreed to such a promise, and that the discussions included a promise by them to support Dr Mahathir in the event of a no-confidence vote against him by his own coalition, Pakatan Harapan (PH). A round of denials from the other three PH parties followed. In the meantime, reportage by Malay Mail show that PAS supporters in the Semenyih by-election are still intending to vote for the UMNO candidate, Zakaria Hanafi, due to orders from their leaders.

Sources: Free Malaysia Today, The Star, Malay Mail

Warisan Will Respect PPBM’s Plans to Enter Sabah (18 Feb)

Parti Warisan Sabah (Warisan) President Mohd Shafie Apdal said that his party will respect PH’s mandate, and that it will not stop Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (PPBM) from expanding to Sabah. Prior to this, Shafie had expressed his concerns to Dr Mahathir after a series of defections from Sabah UMNO fuelled rumours of PPBM opening a charter in Sabah. The move was alleged to have been designed to allow the defectors to join PH through PPBM, instead of one of Sabah’s existing parties.  Dr Mahathir had previously threatened to switch parties if his PH partners were not “loyal to the country”.

Sources: The Straits Times, Free Malaysia Today

Water Talks “Overshadowed” by Issues of Territorial Waters and Airspace (19, 28 Feb)

Discussions between Singapore and Malaysia over the 1962 Water Agreement have been “overshadowed” by tensions regarding Johor Baru Port Limits and the Seletar Airport Instrument Landing System procedures, according to Singapore’ Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The talks, which began in January and involve the Attorney Generals of both countries, is hoped to be a fair and logical solution to an agreement that is considered unfair in Malaysia. In the meantime, Dr Mahathir has urged the Johor government to be more vocal about Singapore “exploiting water from Johor” with “ridiculous” water prices.

Sources: Malay Mail, The Edge Markets, Free Malaysia Today

Finance Ministry to Study Claims of Cost Increases due to SST (28 Feb)

A poll by the Federation of Malaysian Manufacturers (FMM) and the Malaysian Institute of Economic Research found that the sales and service tax (SST) has increased the cost of doing business among manufacturers by up to 10%. The SST was introduced in September 2018, a month after the abolishment of the goods and service tax (GST) scheme. Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng said his ministry would hold a meeting with FMM to study their complaints, while maintaining that “the government did not say prices would not increase”. Earlier, in August 2018, he had said that the substitution of GST with SST was mean to “ease the people’s burden”, while Tony Pua had expressed his belief that goods would be cheaper after the implementation of SST.

Sources: The Star, New Straits Times,

(Previous Statements) The Star, Free Malaysia Today

BN Secretary General Nazri Investigated for Seditious Comments (24 Feb)

Barisan Nasional (BN) Secretary General Nazri Aziz is being probed for sedition over alleged statements about non-Malays and vernacular schools, as criticism from PH and the Malaysian Chinese Association (MCA) continues to rain down on him. He is said to have questioned the appointment of non-Muslims as the Attorney General, Chief Justice and Finance Minister, reasoning that they would not be able to be sworn in using the Quran. He also warned non-Malays not to question Malay special privileges, as the former group is allowed to run vernacular schools. The statement was construed that he was aiming to shut down the vernacular schools by outlets such as Malaysiakini, prompting a fierce rebuke from MCA Secretary General Chew Mei Fun that called for Nazri to be stripped of his post. Nazri has since denied that he called for the schools to be closed, and instead questioned the loyalty of the MCA to BN. Separately, acting UMNO President Mohamad Hasan said that Nazri’s views did not represent those of UMNO.

Sources: The Star, Free Malaysia Today, Malaysiakini

Myanmar

State Counsellor Pledges Scrutiny of Short and Long Term Impacts of BRI Projects (19 Feb)

At the first meeting of the Steering Committee for Implementation of the BRI, State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi emphasized the need to ensure that “selected projects are in conformity with national plans, policies and domestic procedures.” The State Counsellor also emphasized, however, that as a nation situated at a strategic location for the BRI, “Myanmar needs to participate in the initiative.” The Steering Committee is made up of 25 members, including 18 Union Ministers, five Chief Ministers (of Kachin, Mandalay, Rakhine, Yangon and Shan), the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the Chairman of the Naypyidaw council.

Source: Irrawaddy

State Counsellor seeks to promote investment into Rakhine State (21-23 Feb)

State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi emphasized the opportunities available in Rakhine State at the inaugural Rakhine State Investment Fair, held from the 21^st to the 23^rd of February. Over 600 business representatives were in attendance at the event, hailing mainly from Japan, Thailand, South Korea and China. While opening the event, the State Counsellor took pains to emphasize that “much of Rakhine’s economic potential still remains untapped”, further asserting that “the international community’s attention has been focused narrowly on negative aspects related to problems in North Rakhine.”

Source: Irrawaddy, Nikkei Asian Review

Large rally held in Yangon in support of constitutional change (27 Feb)

Large crowds of people rallied in Yangon to proclaim their support for the NLD’s efforts to amend the 2008 constitution to reduce the military’s influence in parliament. This came just as the committee for the amendment of the 2008 constitution announced that it was beginning its discussions on the first chapter of the document at its second meeting, on the 25^th of February. MPs from all parties, as well as those appointed by the Tatmadaw, were reportedly present at the meeting. Earlier in the week, a spokesperson restated the Tatmadaw’s commitment to remaining politically active and relevant until “there is no ethnic armed organization and the country is in peace.”

Sources: Channel NewsAsia, Frontier Myanmar, Myanmar Times, Irrawaddy

NLD purchases plot of land in Naypyidaw to house new branch office (27 Feb)

The NLD has purchased a 16-acre plot of land in Naypyidaw to house its new branch office in the city. The land was acquired for a sum of approximately 240 million kyats, which was gathered from party lawmakers who are obliged to contribute 250,000 kyats a month – or 25% of their salaries – to the party’s coffers. The NLD had earlier announced that they had collected nearly 6 billion kyats from their lawmakers, which were to be put to use during its 2020 election campaign.

Sources: Irrawaddy, Myanmar Times

Myanmar’s Parliament votes to abolish Shwe Mann-led legal affairs commission (28 Feb)

Myanmar’s parliament overwhelmingly voted against the extension of the term of the Legal Affairs and Special Cases Assessment Commission, which was led by U Shwe Mann. This move comes soon after U Shwe Mann moved to form his own political party – the Union Betterment Party – earlier in February. Tatmadaw-appointed parliamentarians had long opposed U Shwe Mann’s commission on constitutional grounds. NLD parliamentarians interviewed on the issue have directly referenced U Shwe Mann’s re-entry into politics as a potential factor affecting his partiality, and thus necessitating this move.

Sources: Irrawaddy

South Korea-Myanmar Industrial Complex officially approved by MIC (1 Mar)

The Myanmar Investment Commission has approved the establishment of a South Korea-Myanmar Industrial Complex in Hlegu township, northeast of Yangon. The development and operation of the first phase of the project will be managed by the Korea-Myanmar Industrial Complex Development Company, and utilise 127 hectares out of the 224 hectares allocated. The KMIC will be 60% owned by South Korea’s Land and Housing Cooperation, and 40% owned by Myanmar’s Department of Urban Housing and Development. US$110 million has been earmarked for the project, which is projected to create between 50,000 and 100,000 jobs when complete.

Source: Myanmar Times

Bangladesh informs UN Security Council that it can no longer accept more Rohingya (1 Mar)

Bangladesh’s Foreign Secretary Shahidul Haque has stated in a council meeting on the Rohingya Crisis that Bangladesh is no longer able to accept more Rohingya. Haque also noted the Bangladesh government’s position that repatriation efforts had gone from “bad to worse”, and urged the council to take “decisive” action. Representatives of China have instead emphasized the utility of development aid in reducing tensions and stated that it was for Myanmar and Bangladesh to come to a mutually acceptable solution, absent the UNSC’s intervention.

Sources: Channel NewsAsia, South China Morning Post

Thailand

Thai Baht Soars to Post-Coup High (23 Feb)

The Thai baht soared to its highest level against the dollar since the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) seized power in a coup in 2014, trading at 31.19 to the US dollar on 23 Feb (it is now at 31.60 to the US dollar on Friday, 1 March). The appreciation has been attributed to the difference in policy direction between the US Fed and the Thai central bank, which holds a hawkish stance on rate hikes, as well as robust economic growth of 4.1% in 2018. If the baht continues to appreciate, there are concerns that Thailand’s economy will be affected adversely. Exports account for 60% of the country’s GDP, while tourism adds another 20%.

Sources: Nikkei Asian Review

Future Forward Under Fire from Multiple Angles (25-28 Feb)

The Future Forward party and its leaders, especially Thanatorn Juangroongruangkit, are facing one potential court case and at least two requests for their dissolution. The Attorney General accepted a case accusing Future Forward leaders of “spreading false information online” under the Computer Crime Act, with the first hearing scheduled for 26 March (two days after the election date). The Attorney General’s office said it would announce whether they would be indicted that day, and they could face up to five years in prison if found guilty. Separately, activists such as Srisuwan Janya have submitted requests to dissolve Future Forward based on alleged false information sharing and threats to the constitutional monarchy. If found guilty, the court would revoke their electoral rights for 20 years on top of a potential jail term and fine. Thanatorn maintains that these moves are the “dictatorship’s last struggle for life”, and a sign that his party is worrying those who want to see the military retain their broad powers.

Sources: Channel NewsAsia, Khaosod English, The Nation, Bangkok Post

Fate of Thai Raksa Chart to Be Announced on 7 March (27 Feb)

The Constitutional Court declared that the ruling on the fate of the Thai Raksa Chart Party will be announced on 7 March, as there is sufficient evidence to reach a ruling. The Election Commission had formally requested that the court dissolve Thai Raksa Chart over actions that were hostile to the monarchy. In other words, the party’s nomination of Princess Ubolratana as their sole Prime Minister candidate. The Central Administrative court also rejected a plea by Thai Raksa Chart to halt the proceedings, rationalising that it does not have the authority to rule on party dissolution. In the meantime, Thai Raksa Chart is continuing to participate in election activities.

Sources: Bangkok Post, The Nation, The Straits Times

PM Prayuth Refuses Offer to Participate in Policy Debate (27 Feb)

Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha rejected calls for him to take part in policy debates on Tuesday, 27 February, reasoning that he is too busy with work to waste time with political rhetoric. Other parties are expected to participate in debates on topics set by the Election Commission from 26 February to 4 March. These topics would include the economy, social development, education, agriculture, national security and public health.

Sources: The Nation, Bangkok Post