Wednesday, March 21, 2018

The Irrawaddy Magazine

The Irrawaddy Magazine

A Bitter Budget Battle in Rakhine State Drags On

Posted: 21 Mar 2018 07:36 AM PDT

YANGON — “The game is not over yet,” U Min Aung told The Irrawaddy of the political power struggle between lawmakers and cabinet members in Rakhine State following his termination as the region’s minister of municipal affairs in January.

U Min Aung, who was appointed by the ruling National League for Democracy (NLD) and frequently appeared alongside fellow NLD appointee U Nyi Pu, the state’s chief minister, had submitted a state budget plan for the 2018-19 fiscal year to the local Parliament in December without consulting lawmakers.

The Arakan National Party (ANP), which dominates the state legislature, complained that the minister had violated Article 251 of the Constitution, which states that local parliaments must approve budget plans before projects are implemented. But by then the municipal affairs minister had already announced successful bids for the construction of new markets in Gwa, Tungup, and Kyauktaw townships at an estimated cost of about 1.5 billion kyats ($1.1 million) each.

Nearly two-thirds of the state’s lawmakers lodged a motion with the house speaker to have the minister impeached. The speaker set up a five-member team to investigate the complaint, and by Jan. 18 U Min Aung was officially terminated.

But as U Min Aung had predicted over the months that followed, the budget debate re-emerged when U Nyi Pu re-submitted the terminated minister’s draft budget at a meeting between lawmakers and state cabinet members on Monday.

Negotiating Budget Allocations

Three months ago, the cabinet brought its 75 billion kyats draft budget to Parliament. Because Myanmar’s fiscal year was shifted in 2017 from April-May to September-October, the state was preparing a transitional budget to cover April-September.

The draft allocates 20 billion kyats to the ministries and most of the rest to development projects in the state’s 17 townships. But Deputy Speaker U Mya Than said the constituencies of the speaker and ministers appeared to have gotten larger slices of the budget than others, in particular Tungup, Gwa, Ramree, Kyauktaw and Sittwe.

State lawmakers urged the cabinet to reconsider its draft in order to prevent mismanagement and to prepare a budget that actually serves the public’s needs, noting that some of the projects appeared twice.

“The draft budget was created by the government departments, not by themselves [cabinet members], and some [projects] are not actually needed on the ground. So the cabinet members and MPs had [agreed to change] about one-third of the budget", said independent lawmaker U Than Maung Oo, Ramree.

In February the union government okayed the draft budget and sent it back to the state for its final approval. But ANP lawmakers still don’t know for sure if the union government sent back the version they rejected or the one they eventually renegotiated. In either case, when lawmakers met the cabinet on Monday, Chief Minister U Nyi Py presented them with the old version they had rejected, before it was renegotiated.

Lawmakers, relevant department officers and cabinet members then set about renegotiating allocations to the 17 townships once again. However, U Nyi Pu abruptly rejected every single change and the meeting ended without an agreement, said U Than Maung Oo, who live-streamed the heated debate on Facebook.

In the video, Speaker U San Kyaw Hla asks both sides to prioritize the public interest over their egos. Another lawmakers can be seen standing up and telling U Nyi Pu: "This is a public budget, not a state government-owned budget."

"He [U Nyi Pu] told us that they will never change their stance whatever Parliament decides", U Than Maung Oo said.

Lawmaker U Phoe San, Kyaukphyu, who also joined the meeting, recalled that U Nyi Pu walked out of the meeting after refusing to keep negotiating and insisting that the cabinet would push ahead with its budget plan.

"It seems he will not accept anything less than their draft budget. We can't let that happen," U Phoe San said.

An artist’s rendition of the Tungup market. / U Nyi Pu / Facebook

Why Lawmakers Oppose the Budget

U Than Maung Oo said the government’s mismanagement was easy to see in Ramree. While downtown still lacks paved roads, he said, the draft budget includes 400 million kyats for a retaining wall along a little-used road the government built last year to block landslides.

"There are plenty of potholed roads in downtown Ramree. They should fix those first before building a retaining wall," he said.

U Than Maung Oo said the government has already spent a lot of money building embankments across Rakhine that have been destroyed by the sea tides.

"They can't prevent natural disasters, so instead of using that money in those places we would prefer that it be used for the public,” he said.

At Monday’s meeting, U Min Aung — who now represents Tungup (2) in the state legislature — said that developers have already built a foundation for the new Tungup market. Lawmakers asked the cabinet to at least reduce the size of the draft budget if the state was going to go ahead with the markets, but they said the chief minister refused.

Making Cuts

U Than Maung Oo said that if Parliament votes down the draft budget, residents and contractors alike could suffer from stalled projects.

"If the Rakhine Parliament rejects the budget plan, they have to send it again to the union government. It will be delayed until next year, and then businesspeople would be in trouble," he said.

U Mya Than, the deputy speaker, said lawmakers were in the process of reviewing the draft budget to see whether it ignores all their suggestions and whether any of the projects show up in the union budget as well. He said they were flagging projects that appear in both in hopes of having them cut from the state budget.

"We have an estimated 7 billion kyats to deduct from the draft," he said.

And although most lawmakers would prefer to drop all the market projects, the one in Tungup at least was likely to go forward as 500 million kyats has already been spent on it foundation, paid for with surplus funds from the previous fiscal year.

U Mya Than said a financial official suggested setting up a surplus fund separate from the transition budget, to be spent on parts of Rakhine that need it most. But he noted that the suggestion had not been settled on and would be debated at an upcoming session of Parliament next month.

While lawmakers still hope to trim the draft budget, U Min Aung said he was standing by the chief minister. He said once the union government approves a draft, it can’t be cut.

"I will object if there are deductions, decreases and denials in the union government-approved budget," he said.

The post A Bitter Budget Battle in Rakhine State Drags On appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

U Htin Kyaw’s Two-Year Presidency in Pictures

Posted: 21 Mar 2018 06:08 AM PDT

On Wednesday, U Htin Kyaw, the president of Myanmar's first democratically elected government since 1962, resigned from his post. The reason for his sudden departure, according to an announcement from the President's Office, was that the 71-year-old needs rest—probably due to a long-suspected illness. A confidant of National League for Democracy leader Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, he assumed the country's top job after the party won the general election in 2015, as Suu Kyi is constitutionally barred from holding the presidency. U Htin Kyaw was in office from March 30, 2016 to March 20 of this year. To bid farewell to the outgoing president, The Irrawaddy presents a photographic look back at his two-year tenure.

The post U Htin Kyaw's Two-Year Presidency in Pictures appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

New Tourism Push Targets Japanese Travelers

Posted: 21 Mar 2018 05:37 AM PDT

The Myanmar Tourism Marketing Association (MTM) is targeting Japanese tour and media companies in an effort to attract more travelers from the country.

The association is currently holding a familiarization trip — the first ever organized by the MTM — for a Japanese group, which is touring marine and diving sites in Kawthaung.

The group arrived in Yangon on March 15 and explored the city first. The next day, the group headed to Kawthaung where they visited hilltop pagodas and the Bayint Naung View point. Later they headed to Nyaung Oo Phee Island for snorkeling and diving.

The trip, which lasts until March 29, is supported by the Ministry of Hotels and Tourism.

"MTM is organizing this FAM trip. We are supporting them because we believe such trips can achieve really good results. They are starting with Japan, and will organize more trips with people from other countries like South Korea," said U Ohn Maung, the hotels and tourism minister.

"In terms of beauty, the islands of Kawthaung are world class, and really pretty. There's no damage to the coral and the marine life is diverse. My experience on this trip has been amazing and I will share it with other Japanese for sure," said a representative from Japanese Dive Magazine.

Yasuyuki Suzuki, general manager of All Nippon Airways, said that "Japanese tourists don't usually take long holidays like people from Europe, so they don't have much time to stay in one place. Japanese travelers want easy access to destinations for short periods. Currently, we have daily flights between Yangon and Japan, but the flights are not always full. So, we can't add more flights. If the travelers can make a direct transit flight to Kawthaung or other destinations, that would be super."

The MTM chose the Tanintharyi Region on the Andaman Sea coast because it boasts 800 islands, most of which are still unspoiled. The underwater environment around the islands is pristine, the beaches are covered in white sand, and the coral reefs are amazing.

"We have a plan to renovate several airports including Heho, Pakokku, Kawthaung and Ngapali. This will allow direct flights, making the destinations easier to reach for tourists," U Ohn Maung said.

The MTM plans to organize two more FAM trips to Inle and Bagan.

The post New Tourism Push Targets Japanese Travelers appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Analysis: Who Will Be Myanmar’s Next President?

Posted: 21 Mar 2018 05:22 AM PDT

The resignation of President U Htin Kyaw came as no surprise but ended months of speculation in Myanmar. U Htin Kyaw has been receiving medical treatment in Bangkok and Singapore since late last year and his condition has not improved.

His resignation was announced as State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi returned from Australia. But news that his belongings had been moved from the presidential residence had previously circulated among officials and political observers.

Since early this year, de facto leader Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and some senior National League for Democracy (NLD) leaders advised U Htin Kyaw to avoid regular state functions.

But in public, Suu Kyi glossed over her trusted friend's failing health.

"There is no need to worry. We have the first lady who will take care [of the president]. Why do we need to worry when there is someone to take care of him?" she asked.

The son of a respected national poet, U Htin Kyaw is loyal to Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and previously served as an adviser to her and the party. According to the Constitution, he has executive power. But he was seen as simply a puppet president.

The ailing president or now former president, is a former schoolmate of Aung San Suu Kyi and a respected writer, holds an economics degree and studied computer science at the University of London. Even though it was sudden departure, Suu Kyi and NLD party leaders must have thought it was possible long before. There were even reports that she and her aides or go-between reached out to army top brass and other key political leaders to strike a deal.

When Htin Kyaw resigned over health reasons, he was seen as a gentleman with a soft-spoken style and few enemies; the military generals don't have issues with U Htin Kyaw and seem to respect him. A top general once said the military had no problem with the president, as he had never antagonized the army.

According to the Constitution, if the president passes away while in office or retires, the first vice president becomes acting president and an election must be held to elect a new vice president. The president is then elected from among the three vice presidents. Former army General Myint Swe, who is from the military faction, is the current first vice president. He will now be acting president.

The new president will be appointed by Parliament within seven working days, according to the country's Constitution.

Win Myint, 67, the Lower House Speaker and a senior NLD member trusted by Suu Kyi, submitted his resignation shortly after U Htin Kyaw's sudden departure the same day, prompting speculation that he will be Myanmar's next president.

He is believed to be one of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi's favorites among other senior NLD members. There are many more on the list – Dr. Myo Aung, chairman of the Naypyitaw Council, Dr. Zaw Myint Maung, chief minister of Mandalay Region, and Dr. Aung Moe Nyo, chief minister of Magwe Region. There are also several capable women candidates, ethnic leaders and even Min Ko Naing – who is now in his early 50s and was one of the leading figures of the 1988 pro-democracy uprising but not a member of NLD. He is seen as close to Suu Kyi.

But it seems that Win Myint might be the likely choice.

He became the Lower House speaker in February 2016 after the NLD won the general election in 2015. It is still unclear who will replace Win Myint in the powerful parliamentary position.

The current deputy house speaker is T Khun Myat, an ethnic Kachin and descendent of a prominent Kachin traditional ruling Duwa family. He was a member of the opposition Union Solidarity Development Party but he is close to Shwe Mann, former general, former house speaker and powerful ally of Suu Kyi.  In procedure, he will succeed Win Myint but no one knows yet.

When he was Lower House speaker, Win Myint's relations with army representatives were up and down.

Known to be conservative and loyal to the party, he was seen to defend the government and Parliament during his term.

In the past, The Irrawaddy has predicted that in order to improve relations with the armed forces, the state counselor will likely choose someone who can maintain cordial relations with top brass. More importantly, she will need someone she can trust and from who she can expect absolute loyalty – like her friend and confidante U Htin Kyaw.

Observers will also watch the army's reaction to the sudden departure of U Htin Kyaw. In this game, it will be wise if they preserve the status quo and take credit for accommodating the transition and election of the new president.

The generals are unlikely to rock the boat but instead will see how Suu Kyi and NLD leaders make their next move.

The post Analysis: Who Will Be Myanmar's Next President? appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Rakhine Leaders Abolish Political Dialogue Panel, Citing Govt Interference

Posted: 21 Mar 2018 04:16 AM PDT

Rakhine leaders have decided to dissolve their working committee on national-level political dialogue after the government and the military prevented them from holding public meetings, according to local sources.

Rakhine leaders from the Arakan Liberation Party (ALP), the Arakan National Party (ANP), and civil society groups have abolished the committee, which was formed last year, in frustration at the government's refusal to allow it to hold public consultations, ALP secretary Saw Mra Razar Lin told The Irrawaddy on Wednesday.

"We had a gentlemen's agreement with the UPDJC [Union Peace Dialogue Joint Committee] that we would be allowed to hold public meetings. But when we tried to do it, we were denied permission. This has been very demoralizing. So we discussed the issue with the RNP and decided to abolish our working committee on public meetings," she said.

The ALP signed the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA) along with eight other armed groups in October 2015. Under the NCA, the ALP has the right to hold a national-level political dialogue. It planned to hold public meetings before opening the political dialogue in the region.

"When we signed the NCA, we had no idea we would face these restrictions. We believed we would be able to consult and discuss with our people at any time," Saw Mra Razar Lin said.

The government said the ALP could not hold public meetings, despite signing the NCA, because the conflict with Rohingya militants had affected the stability of the state.

"Our region has conflicts. But the public is able to travel, and it is safe to hold public meetings. It [the government] is afraid of coming under international pressure over the conflict in Rakhine. They have blocked us from holding public meetings, but our situation is not related to the international issue," Saw Mra Razar Lin said.

The ALP cooperated with the Union government to work for peace in the country after signing the NCA, the party secretary said. Since the first session of the 21st-Century Panglong Peace Conference in 2016, the ALP has not be able to submit its own proposals on the type of political system to be implemented in the region in the future. This situation continued when it was denied permission to hold public meetings by the second Panglong session in 2017.

"[The government] just told us that it could not permit us to hold public meetings because of the conflict with the Bengalis [Rohingya]. We asked them if the Bengali conflict would lead to our being denied democracy or a federal system," she said.

The ALP, ANP, and civil society groups in Rakhine were deeply disappointed by the repeated denials of the ALP's requests, Saw Mra Razar Lin said.

"We signed the NCA because we want peace in our region. We have waged an armed revolution since 1988. We drafted a federal system along with other ethnic armed groups, as we understand our country needs a federal system. Without one, our country will continue to see fighting," she said.

She urged the government to view the eight armed groups as actors who seek peace and want to work hard for the country, adding that if it believes there is a problem with holding public meetings, the government should sit and meet with the Rakhine leadership informally so they can discuss the root causes of the problem. The government should say honestly why it doesn't want to allow public meetings in Rakhine, and needs to build trust with the state's leaders, she said.

ANP vice chairman Khaing Pyi Soe said, "We should be able to hold public consultations, even though they denied us permission to hold a national-level political dialogue."

"The government only let civil society groups organize public consultations, but not the ALP or ANP. Therefore, we have decided not to work towards that anymore; we are no longer interested," he said.

The post Rakhine Leaders Abolish Political Dialogue Panel, Citing Govt Interference appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Parliament Approves Funds for Internet Oversight Body

Posted: 21 Mar 2018 02:53 AM PDT

NAYPYITAW — The Union Parliament on Monday approved more than 6.4 billion kyats (US$7.8 million) to monitor the internet for people who use it to “harm the stability” of the country.

U Thant Sin Maung, Union minister for transport and communications, said a monitoring body had been formed to identify those who instigate political instability on the Internet and social media and that the money would be spent on monitoring the Internet.

In November, the Lower House approved a proposal granting the government power to monitor the internet and social media for misuse.

The proposal, from National League for Democracy lawmaker Daw Yin Min Hlaing, urges the Union government to look for uses of information technology that may harm the character and morality of youth and disrupt tranquility.

"An agency formed in accord with the law will monitor and identify, with the use of advanced technologies, cases that harm the stability and tranquility of the country," U Thant Sin Maung told Parliament.

The Social Media Monitoring Team was formed with the approval of the Union government on Feb. 7, according to the minister.

At a meeting in early March, the cabinet approved 6.462 billion kyats from the emergency funds of the 2017-18 fiscal year to purchase hardware and software for monitoring purposes.

The Irrawaddy contacted several directors of the Ministry of Transport and Communications for details, but all said they knew no more than what the minister had said in Parliament.

U Thant Sin Maung also said that his ministry had drafted a cyber law with the help of international experts.

"We have drafted a cyber law together with experts from the EU. The draft law aims to prevent rather than punish cyber crimes. It is for the protection of people," U Ye Naing Moe, director of the ministry’s National Cyber Security Center, told The Irrawaddy.

"[Monitoring] will not impact ordinary internet users but target those who spread hate speech and slander," said Ko Thiha, an IT technician.

Translated from Burmese by Thet Ko Ko.

The post Parliament Approves Funds for Internet Oversight Body appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Nearly Half of Yangon’s Water Supply Lost Daily Before Reaching Residents

Posted: 21 Mar 2018 01:55 AM PDT

YANGON — Some 100 million gallons of water, which is nearly half of the daily amount supplied by the Yangon municipality to its residents, is wasted daily in the supply process, said the water and sanitation branch of the Yangon City Development Committee (YCDC).

While the municipality supplies 205 gallons of water each day, nearly 100 million gallons goes to waste daily because of shortcomings in the water delivery system and the illegal piping of water, officer U Aung Hsan Win of the branch told The Irrawaddy.

"Currently, the population of Yangon is between 5 and 6 million. We provide 205 million gallons of water per day, but people only get about 100 million gallons. This means that only 50 to 60 percent of Yangon residents get water," said U Aung Hsan Win.

"Some businessmen illegally pipe the water supplied by us, as we charge differently for industrial use and household use," he added.

This problem exists not only in Yangon but also in Mandalay, said U Win Myo Thu, the managing director of Economically Progressive Ecosystem Development Group (EcoDev), which advocates for environmental governance.

"There are many causes including management and technology problems. We may need millions of dollars to fix this," he said.

He also suggested that YCDC design a plan to meet the growing demand for water in the future, as Yangon's population is expected to grow to 10 million by 2040.

"We are checking non-revenue water (NRW) with the technical assistance of Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA)," said U Aung Hsan Win.

NRW is water that has been produced and is lost before it reaches the customers either because of leaks, theft or metering inaccuracies.

The Yangon municipality has carried out NRW pilot projects in Mayangone, South Okkalapa, Insein and Yankin townships so far, he said.

"And we are now conducting it in North Okkalapa Township," he said.

Joe Phyu, Phu Gyi, Hlawga, and Nga Moe Yeik reservoirs supplies 185 million gallons, and 20 million more gallons come from artesian wells, according to YCDC.

According to the Yangon Region Parliament, YCDC spent more than 64 billion kyats (US$47 million) to supply water in the 2016-17 fiscal year.

The post Nearly Half of Yangon's Water Supply Lost Daily Before Reaching Residents appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

‘You Can Label Us As Nationalist,’ USDP Chairman Says

Posted: 21 Mar 2018 12:02 AM PDT

NAYPYITAW — U Than Htay, chairman of the opposition Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP), said his party did not mind being labeled “nationalist” because it was dedicated to protecting national interests.

The chairman made the remark at an event honoring former party chairman and Union President U Thein Sein in Naypyitaw on Sunday.

"Every citizen must protect his religion, race and faith. We are not liberal. You can label us as nationalist. Our party has to protect and promote the interests of 135 ethnic groups living in the Union of Myanmar," said U Than Htay.

He said the Young Men's Buddhist Association, which started the independence struggle after Myanmar lost its independence in 1885, and the General Council of Burmese Associations strived for independence as nationalist organizations.

"We never betray [the national interests]. Liberal democracy preaches co-existence, but we can't allow the loss of our sovereignty because of it. We can't let our race be harmed. But this remark is not racial or religious instigation," he said.

At a press conference on Friday, a USDP spokesman denied recent claims that the party was inciting religious feelings to foment political unrest, insisting that it never used religion to further its interests.

The spokesman also said that the USDP was changing its flag — which features a white star in a red square on a green background — because the party felt it was being surrounded by red, an apparent reference to the dominant color of the ruling National League for Democracy.

Former President U Thein Sein and some senior leaders of the USDP’s Central Executive Committee retired from their posts of their own volition, said U Than Htay, adding that U Thein Sein was no longer involved in the party’s decision-making.

"After their resignation, U Thein Sein no longer comes to the party. When I heard he was looking for a venue for this ceremony, I offered him this place," he said.

The chairman compared himself to a substitute on a losing football team, saying he accepted the party chairmanship without any hope of victory.

But he boasted of making the party stronger since taking the reins in August 2016 and of increasing party membership.

The USDP says membership has increased by some 30,000 since 2015, and it now claims a membership of more than 5 million across the country.

The military originally formed the USDP to be a government-led social organization, but it was transformed into a political party for the 2010 general election. It is still led by former military officers.

At Friday’s press conference, USDP spokesman U Hla Thein said retired military officers currently account for only 0.02 percent of party members. He added that the proportion of military officers would gradually decrease if the party won the general election in 2020.

"Regarding the role of the military in the party, the relationship will remain unchanged because it was founded by the military," said U Hla Thein.

Translated from Burmese by Thet Ko Ko.

The post ‘You Can Label Us As Nationalist,’ USDP Chairman Says appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Myanmar Lower House Speaker Resigns, Tipped as Next President

Posted: 20 Mar 2018 11:50 PM PDT

YANGON — Myanmar's Lower House Speaker U Win Myint submitted his resignation on Wednesday after President U Htin Kyaw's sudden departure the same day, prompting speculation that he will be Myanmar's next president.

If this is true, U Win Myint, a National League for Democracy (NLD) senior member, will be the tenth President of Myanmar since independence in 1948.

The new president will be appointed by Parliament within seven working days, according to the country's Constitution.

The house speaker's resignation was announced during a meeting of Parliament on Wednesday, while U Win Myint was on official leave.

The 67-year-old is believed to be one of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi's favorites among other senior NLD members. He became the Lower House speaker in February 2016 after the NLD won the general election in 2015.

During his time in the Lower House, the former lawyer was known for his strict discipline. He did not tolerate discussions that were off topic during parliamentary meetings. Even Union ministers were not free from his stern warnings, not to mention lawmakers, including those from the military.

The post Myanmar Lower House Speaker Resigns, Tipped as Next President appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Myanmar President U Htin Kyaw Resigns, Cites Need for Rest

Posted: 20 Mar 2018 11:08 PM PDT

Myanmar President U Htin Kyaw resigned from his post, the President's Office announced on Wednesday, just shy of two years in office.

The short announcement made on Wednesday morning stated that the president was stepping down "as he wants to retire from his duties."

Constitutionally, the new president will be appointed within seven working days, according to the statement.

Currently, the country's Vice President 1, U Myint Swe, a former lieutenant general, will serve as acting president.

U Htin Kyaw was the first head of the state elected by Parliament after the Daw Aung San Suu Kyi-led National League for Democracy government came to power in 2016 after a landslide victory in the previous year's general election. He is a close confidant of de facto leader Daw Aung San Suu Kyi.

In his critics' eyes, the soft-spoken elderly man was merely a "puppet president." While he is formally the head of state and constitutionally the highest authority in the land, the amount of actual power he wields is questionable. "The Lady," as State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi is known, had already made it known during the election campaign that she would be "above the president," as the Constitution bans her from holding the office. It is an open secret in Myanmar who has the final say on matters of state.

Since last year, the public knew of the 71-year-old president's ill health due to his frail appearance and absence from some state functions. He also received medical treatments overseas.

The post Myanmar President U Htin Kyaw Resigns, Cites Need for Rest appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

China Sends Carrier Through Taiwan Strait After Xi Warning: Report

Posted: 20 Mar 2018 10:18 PM PDT

TAIPEI — China has sent its sole operational aircraft carrier, the Liaoning, through the narrow Taiwan Strait that separates China from the self-ruled island, Taiwan’s defense minister said on Wednesday, according to local media.

The move comes on the heels of a warning from Chinese President Xi Jinping that Taiwan would face the “punishment of history” for any attempt at separatism. China claims Taiwan as its sacred territory and considers it a wayward province.

Speaking at Taiwan’s parliament, Defense Minister Yen Teh-fa said the Liaoning entered the Taiwan Strait on Tuesday, according to Taiwan’s Central News Agency.

The ministry is keeping a close watch on its progress, the report cited Yen as saying.

China’s Defense Ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

In January, the Liaoning sailed twice through the Taiwan Strait, in what China said was part of routine drills.

Taiwan says China has ramped up military exercises around the island in the past year or so. The island is one of China’s most sensitive issues and a potential military flashpoint.

China’s hostility toward Taiwan has risen since the 2016 election of President Tsai Ing-wen, a member of the island’s pro-independence Democratic Progressive Party.

China suspects Tsai wants to push for formal independence, which would cross a red line for Communist Party leaders in Beijing, though Tsai has said she wants to maintain the status quo and is committed to ensuring peace.

China’s Taiwan Affairs Office on Monday expressed anger at comments by Taiwan Premier William Lai that Taiwan is a sovereign independent country, saying it was a “serious provocation” and that Taiwan was not and could never be a country.

China has also been infuriated by US President Donald Trump’s signing into law last week legislation that encourages the United States to send senior officials to Taiwan to meet Taiwanese counterparts, and vice versa.

US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Alex Wong is in Taiwan this week, where he is due to speak at a business event in Taipei later on Wednesday with Tsai.

The post China Sends Carrier Through Taiwan Strait After Xi Warning: Report appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Malaysia Says it Never Hired British Data Firm at Center of Scrutiny

Posted: 20 Mar 2018 09:59 PM PDT

KUALA LUMPUR — The Malaysian government and the ruling party on Tuesday denied they had ever hired Cambridge Analytica, the British data analytics firm accused of improperly harvesting personal data from millions of Facebook users.

The New York Times and the British Observer reported that Cambridge Analytica had acquired private data harvested from more than 50 million Facebook users to support Donald Trump’s 2016 presidential election campaign.

In a secretly recorded video by Britain’s Channel 4 News, Cambridge Analytica officials were also recorded saying they have used a web of shell companies to disguise their activities in elections in Malaysia, Mexico and Brazil, among various countries where they have worked to sway election outcomes.

“Contrary to media reports, neither Cambridge Analytica nor its parent company SCL Group have ever — now or in the past — been contracted, employed or paid in any way by Barisan Nasional, the Prime Minister’s Office or any part of the Government of Malaysia,” the office of Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak said on Tuesday. Barisan Nasional (BN) is Malaysia’s ruling coalition.

SCL and Cambridge Analytica did not respond to requests by Reuters for comment regarding their work in Malaysia. Cambridge Analytica had earlier denied all the media claims and said it deleted the data after learning the information did not adhere to data-protection rules.

Malaysia is gearing up for national elections that have to be called by August, with sources telling Reuters that polls may be held as early as April. Najib’s coalition is widely expected to retain power.

Najib’s office also said SCL has informed the government that “Cambridge Analytica’s advice on the 2013 general election was provided personally to Mukhriz Mahathir,” who was then with the ruling coalition but is now part of the opposition.

“The SCL representative also confirmed that he reported directly to Mukhriz Mahathir, not BN or the government,” Najib’s office said.

Mukhriz told Reuters that the statement by PMO was misleading.

“I categorically deny any contact with Cambridge Analytica at any time,” he said. Earlier in the day, he denied receiving any analysis, data or advice from the firm.

Mukhriz is the son of the former Malaysian Premier Mahathir Mohamad, who is now the opposition’s prime ministerial candidate.

According to Cambridge Analytica’s website, the firm “supported Barisan Nasional in Kedah state with a targeted messaging campaign highlighting their school improvements since 2008.” It also notes how BN wrested power back from the opposition in the 2013 elections.

Mukhriz was appointed chief minister of Kedah after the 2013 win, but he was sacked by the ruling party in 2016 after being critical of Najib in a corruption scandal.

The post Malaysia Says it Never Hired British Data Firm at Center of Scrutiny appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Carbon Prices Too Low to Protect SE Asian Forests from Rubber Expansion: Report

Posted: 20 Mar 2018 09:47 PM PDT

KUALA LUMPUR — The price of carbon credits must rise drastically if they are to help protect Southeast Asia’s tropical forests against rubber plantation expansion, according to researchers.

Individuals, companies and countries purchase carbon credits to offset their greenhouse gas emissions.

Putting a cost on carbon emissions provides an incentive to do business more sustainably, and a disincentive to engage in environmentally damaging activities – like clearing forests.

But researchers found that credits bought and sold on international markets would need to rise from $5-$13 per ton of carbon dioxide to $30-$51 per ton if they are to safeguard Southeast Asian forests from rubber.

At current prices, carbon credits cannot compete with the profits to be made from felling forests and developing rubber plantations, according to the report published this month in the journal Nature Communications.

“We looked at rubber as an economic driver of deforestation,” said Eleanor Warren-Thomas, the lead researcher who was at Britain’s University of East Anglia when she worked on the study.

“What kind of profits can you make from rubber plantations, and what kind incentive (to preserve forests) do you need to provide through carbon finance?”

Such a large study has not been done before, she told the Thomson Reuters Foundation.

Most forest conservation efforts in the region tend to focus on palm oil expansion, and the growth of rubber plantations has received little attention, said Warren-Thomas.

Rubber demand rose over the last 20 years, as emerging markets like China and India became wealthier and more people were able to buy cars and motorcycles.

Rubber plantations cover about 11 million hectares around the world, two-thirds of which are in Southeast Asia, while annual expansion rates roughly doubled between 2003-2013, said Warren-Thomas.

Converting forests to rubber plantations results in net carbon emissions, as the carbon stored in the cut-down trees is released into the atmosphere – but that is not widely recognized in the industry, the researchers said.

“Rubber is (from) trees, and so it looks like you’ve replaced one kind of forest with another,” said Tom Evans, an Oxford-based conservation director at the Wildlife Conservation Society, which was involved in the report.

“But really you’ve replaced a high carbon system that provides a lot of other ecosystems services with a much lower carbon ecosystem.”

Zero-deforestation pledges made by governments and large tyre companies, as well as the enforcement of forest protection laws, are crucial to curb rubber expansion, the report said.

Besides higher carbon credit prices, it also recommended further development of synthetic alternatives to natural rubber and improvements in recycling of natural rubber.

The researchers focused on forests in Cambodia, but those in China, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam are also under threat from rubber, Warren-Thomas said.

The post Carbon Prices Too Low to Protect SE Asian Forests from Rubber Expansion: Report appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Thai Graft Agency Investigates Suspected Theft of Funds for the Poor

Posted: 20 Mar 2018 09:32 PM PDT

BANGKOK — A Thai anti-corruption agency is investigating the suspected misappropriation of up to 85 percent of money from a state fund for the poor in a new scandal to hit the military government, which has promised to clean up graft.

The Office of Public Sector Anti-Corruption Commission (PACC) said on Tuesday it had found evidence of irregularities amounting to about 100 million baht (US$3.2 million).

“We have found that there are corrupt practices involving money destined for low-income people which the state allocates every year,” Korntip Daroj, secretary-general of the Office of Public Sector Anti-Corruption Commission (PACC), told Reuters.

“We have investigated and found corruption-related instances and evidence in about 49 out of 76 provinces.”

The funds, which are given directly to those deemed in need in grants of up to 3,000 baht ($100), are disbursed through the Social Development and Human Security Ministry. Reuters was unable to reach officials at the ministry for comment.

Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha, who heads the junta that seized power in 2014, said he had ordered the dismissal of all those involved in misappropriating funds and called for an investigation by the ministry.

Prayuth told reporters after a cabinet meeting that the government had always been stringent about corruption.

“I don’t want you to think that it has become worse,” he said.

The latest investigation comes as Prayuth’s deputy, Prawit Wongsuwan, is under investigation for failing to declare among his assets a collection of luxury watches.

That has partly fueled recent protests calling for an end to military rule, with elections set for February 2019 after repeated delays.

The junta took power in the name of ridding Thailand of corruption as well as ending a decade-long political deadlock between rival factions, but government critics say it has failed to tackle a culture of impunity for the rich and powerful.

Thailand ranked 96 out of 180 countries in Transparency International’s Corruptions Perceptions Index 2017, a slight improvement from 2016.

Korntip said the fraud over the fund for the poor was allegedly committed by faking copies of national identification cards. It was later found that money never reached the intended recipients, he said.

The post Thai Graft Agency Investigates Suspected Theft of Funds for the Poor appeared first on The Irrawaddy.
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