Audio Overview of East Asia Pacific Issues, Wednesday, 02 January 2019

APAC Assistance Director Paul Quaglia discusses East Asia Pacific security issues.

SINGAPORE-MALAYSIA

  • Singapore’s transport ministry raised concerns with Malaysia over the latter’s establishment of a permanent Restricted Area for military activities over Pasir Gudang from 2 January.

SOUTH KOREA DEMONSTRATIONS

  • Economic based
  • Attempt to reduce work time to achieve employability achieved the opposite

NORTH KOREA

  • Kim Jong Un willing to have second summit meeting with Trump but threatens nuclear confrontation if sanctions persist
  • September 2017 nuclear test triggered 2019 earthquake in North Korea’s North Hamgyong province

THAI ELECTIONS

  • An election process controlled by the system itself
  • The 2,761 road accidents nationwide over the first five days of the New Year holidays have claimed 314 lives.
  • A son in law not feeling welcomed shoots dead six family members including his two small children

CAMBODIA

  • Cambodia continues to be a democracy only in name
  • Cambodia is now more under Chinese influence than it has ever been. It has been economically more and more under the control of China

INDONESIA

  • In Yoygyakarta, an anti-terror policeman was found dead
  • Elections in May where the one-term incumbent faces a challenge from yet another rightwing populist candidate.
  • Two police officers were shot at by suspected members of the East Indonesia Mujahidin (MIT)while attempting to move the body of a beheaded person at the village of Salubanga in Sausu, Parigi Moutong, Central Sulawesi on Monday.
  • Indonesia’s tsunami early warning system:
    • Donated by the world post the Aceh tsunami
    • Not maintained
    • Sold for valuable parts
    • The system failed Lombok, Palu and Krakatau tsunamis
    • Now Indonesia will install their own one
    • Still no capability to police it

JAPAN

  • Nine people were hurt, when a man deliberately ploughed his car into crowds celebrating New Year’s Eve along Harajuku street in Tokyo
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