Malaysia’s marginalised Sabah sea nomads left homeless after security crackdown
By Hadi Azmi
The plight of indigenous yet stateless sea nomads in Malaysia’s Sabah has again come under the spotlight as authorities return to demolish more homes and villages, urging the community to abandon their traditional lifestyle in exchange for official recognition.
The Bajau Laut, an indigenous seaborne community numbering around 3,000, have lived off eastern Sabah for centuries in wooden homes built over water in what have been gazetted as the Tun Sakaran Marine Park since 2004.
A security crackdown on cross-border crime since June has left around 500 Bajau Laut homeless, after authorities burned down and demolished alleged illegal structures in the park in Semporna district.
On Wednesday, Sabah-based activist group Borneo Komrad reported that state authorities were evicting the community in Budgaya island, off the coast of Semporna, and chopping down fruit trees grown by the community there.
“They have been here for over 50 years. [The marine park] came in only in 2004 and they were guaranteed their traditional rights,” the group said.
“But today they are beng evicted and the Tun Sakaran Marine Park has the power to turn the area into a commercial tourism spot.”
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By Hadi Azmi
The plight of indigenous yet stateless sea nomads in Malaysia’s Sabah has again come under the spotlight as authorities return to demolish more homes and villages, urging the community to abandon their traditional lifestyle in exchange for official recognition.
The Bajau Laut, an indigenous seaborne community numbering around 3,000, have lived off eastern Sabah for centuries in wooden homes built over water in what have been gazetted as the Tun Sakaran Marine Park since 2004.
A security crackdown on cross-border crime since June has left around 500 Bajau Laut homeless, after authorities burned down and demolished alleged illegal structures in the park in Semporna district.
On Wednesday, Sabah-based activist group Borneo Komrad reported that state authorities were evicting the community in Budgaya island, off the coast of Semporna, and chopping down fruit trees grown by the community there.
“They have been here for over 50 years. [The marine park] came in only in 2004 and they were guaranteed their traditional rights,” the group said.
“But today they are beng evicted and the Tun Sakaran Marine Park has the power to turn the area into a commercial tourism spot.”
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Hong Kong shelves plan to use ‘smart ballot boxes’ for elections
By Ambrose Li
Hong Kong authorities have shelved the introduction of “smart ballot boxes” to help voters check the validity of their ballot papers in coming elections following concerns raised by lawmakers regarding privacy and secrecy.
Lai Tung-kwok, chairman of the Legislative Council’s panel on constitutional affairs, on Wednesday welcomed the decision, saying that the government had been quick in responding to concerns raised two days earlier.
“The government made a proposal, consulted the Legco and they listened. This is a very good thing. They’re very responsive this time around and the bureau secretary really listened,” Lai said two days after officials briefed lawmakers on the proposal on Monday.
In a reply to the Post on Wednesday, the Constitution and Mainland Affairs Bureau said that the initial intention of “smart ballot boxes” was to help voters check that their ballots were valid to further protect their voting rights.
“After consulting the Legco and the community, the government is willing to heed good advice and has decided to continue to use ballot paper detection machines for voluntary use by voters in the electoral arrangements later on if necessary, instead of promoting the use of smart ballot boxes,” the statement read.
Lai welcomed the revised plan that would allow voters to use optical mark recognition (OMR) machines instead, to voluntarily check their ballot papers.
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By Ambrose Li
Hong Kong authorities have shelved the introduction of “smart ballot boxes” to help voters check the validity of their ballot papers in coming elections following concerns raised by lawmakers regarding privacy and secrecy.
Lai Tung-kwok, chairman of the Legislative Council’s panel on constitutional affairs, on Wednesday welcomed the decision, saying that the government had been quick in responding to concerns raised two days earlier.
“The government made a proposal, consulted the Legco and they listened. This is a very good thing. They’re very responsive this time around and the bureau secretary really listened,” Lai said two days after officials briefed lawmakers on the proposal on Monday.
In a reply to the Post on Wednesday, the Constitution and Mainland Affairs Bureau said that the initial intention of “smart ballot boxes” was to help voters check that their ballots were valid to further protect their voting rights.
“After consulting the Legco and the community, the government is willing to heed good advice and has decided to continue to use ballot paper detection machines for voluntary use by voters in the electoral arrangements later on if necessary, instead of promoting the use of smart ballot boxes,” the statement read.
Lai welcomed the revised plan that would allow voters to use optical mark recognition (OMR) machines instead, to voluntarily check their ballot papers.
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Xi Jinping on his way to Macau for 25th anniversary of return to China
By Kahon ChanWilla Wu
President Xi Jinping will arrive in Macau within hours to kick off a three-day visit which will mark the 25th anniversary of the gaming hub’s return to Chinese administration and conclude with the inauguration of the city’s incoming leader.
Chief executive-designate Sam Hou-fai, incumbent leader Ho Iat-seng and a delegation of top officials are expected to welcome the president at the Macau airport on Wednesday.
Xia Baolong, director of the Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office, was also spotted in Macau ahead of Xi’s arrival.
The president is expected to attend a gala dinner and a variety performance on Thursday evening before he swears in the new leader on Friday morning.
Xi’s visit to Macau is his third as president. His previous trips in 2019 and 2014 included organised meetings with residents.
Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu will also arrive in Macau on Thursday to take part in celebratory events.
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By Kahon ChanWilla Wu
President Xi Jinping will arrive in Macau within hours to kick off a three-day visit which will mark the 25th anniversary of the gaming hub’s return to Chinese administration and conclude with the inauguration of the city’s incoming leader.
Chief executive-designate Sam Hou-fai, incumbent leader Ho Iat-seng and a delegation of top officials are expected to welcome the president at the Macau airport on Wednesday.
Xia Baolong, director of the Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office, was also spotted in Macau ahead of Xi’s arrival.
The president is expected to attend a gala dinner and a variety performance on Thursday evening before he swears in the new leader on Friday morning.
Xi’s visit to Macau is his third as president. His previous trips in 2019 and 2014 included organised meetings with residents.
Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu will also arrive in Macau on Thursday to take part in celebratory events.
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Hong Kong’s first pyrotechnic drone show to light up sky on December 28
By Elizabeth Cheung
Hong Kong will host its first pyrotechnic drone show on December 28, with the event set to feature patterns of giant pandas as the city taps into the bear-driven economy.
The 10-minute drone show, set to be held at 8.15pm at the West Kowloon Cultural District, will mark the conclusion of the first phase of “Panda Go! Fest HK” exhibition which featured 2,500 panda sculptures in various tourist spots this month.
AllRightsReserved, organiser of the panda-themed exhibition, said on Wednesday the show would feature 1,000 drones which would create different panda images and showcase designs with Hong Kong characteristics.
A 3D panda and “Panda Friends and Family Hong Kong” characters that AllRightsReserved created based on the six pandas in the city would be featured in the show.
The show is expected to have seven scenes, including three with pyrotechnic effects.
The pyrotechnics will show waterfall effects in two scenes and flashing effects in one scene. Each scene will last from around 20 to 50 seconds.
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By Elizabeth Cheung
Hong Kong will host its first pyrotechnic drone show on December 28, with the event set to feature patterns of giant pandas as the city taps into the bear-driven economy.
The 10-minute drone show, set to be held at 8.15pm at the West Kowloon Cultural District, will mark the conclusion of the first phase of “Panda Go! Fest HK” exhibition which featured 2,500 panda sculptures in various tourist spots this month.
AllRightsReserved, organiser of the panda-themed exhibition, said on Wednesday the show would feature 1,000 drones which would create different panda images and showcase designs with Hong Kong characteristics.
A 3D panda and “Panda Friends and Family Hong Kong” characters that AllRightsReserved created based on the six pandas in the city would be featured in the show.
The show is expected to have seven scenes, including three with pyrotechnic effects.
The pyrotechnics will show waterfall effects in two scenes and flashing effects in one scene. Each scene will last from around 20 to 50 seconds.
via SCMP Full Text Feed
China-EU trade ties ‘on hold’ ahead of Trump’s White House return: Spanish envoy
By Sylvie Zhuang
Tariff talks between China and the EU are unlikely to progress before US president-elect Donald Trump returns to the White House in January, Spain’s ambassador to Beijing suggested, as she called for improved trade relations with the bloc.
Speaking at Renmin University on Tuesday, Marta Betanzos Roig said that both China and the European Union had put forward tariffs bilaterally but “this is not the last word”.
“I believe that no outcome is to be reached until we see [president-elect] Trump in office,” she said. “We are all waiting to see what is going to be the implementation of all the announcements that he has made concerning tariffs.”
Roig made the remarks during a reflection on the diplomatic relationship between Spain and China, ahead of next year’s 20th anniversary of the bilateral comprehensive strategic partnership.
Trump has already promised massive tariff increases on several countries, including China, and warned the EU member states that they will “pay a big price” if they do not buy enough American products.
Some analysts have suggested that Trump might push the EU to adopt a harder stance on Beijing, while others believe that he could impose tariffs on the bloc, a move that could bring Brussels and Beijing closer together.
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By Sylvie Zhuang
Tariff talks between China and the EU are unlikely to progress before US president-elect Donald Trump returns to the White House in January, Spain’s ambassador to Beijing suggested, as she called for improved trade relations with the bloc.
Speaking at Renmin University on Tuesday, Marta Betanzos Roig said that both China and the European Union had put forward tariffs bilaterally but “this is not the last word”.
“I believe that no outcome is to be reached until we see [president-elect] Trump in office,” she said. “We are all waiting to see what is going to be the implementation of all the announcements that he has made concerning tariffs.”
Roig made the remarks during a reflection on the diplomatic relationship between Spain and China, ahead of next year’s 20th anniversary of the bilateral comprehensive strategic partnership.
Trump has already promised massive tariff increases on several countries, including China, and warned the EU member states that they will “pay a big price” if they do not buy enough American products.
Some analysts have suggested that Trump might push the EU to adopt a harder stance on Beijing, while others believe that he could impose tariffs on the bloc, a move that could bring Brussels and Beijing closer together.
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Drone swarms, stealth fighters, missiles: 10 China military developments in 2024
By SCMP
Catch up on some of SCMP’s biggest China military stories of the year. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscribing.
The Chinese military has created a new information support unit that analysts say will help boost its gathering and sharing of information to support other units.
Miao Hua, one of the top generals in charge of Communist Party work at China’s powerful Central Military Commission (CMC), has been placed under investigation for suspected “serious violations of discipline”, the defence ministry said on Thursday.
Advanced drone combat swarms and the systems to counter them – deemed crucial in a possible war scenario over Taiwan – are among the new weapons on display at China’s giant air show in Zhuhai.
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By SCMP
Catch up on some of SCMP’s biggest China military stories of the year. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscribing.
The Chinese military has created a new information support unit that analysts say will help boost its gathering and sharing of information to support other units.
Miao Hua, one of the top generals in charge of Communist Party work at China’s powerful Central Military Commission (CMC), has been placed under investigation for suspected “serious violations of discipline”, the defence ministry said on Thursday.
Advanced drone combat swarms and the systems to counter them – deemed crucial in a possible war scenario over Taiwan – are among the new weapons on display at China’s giant air show in Zhuhai.
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US hunter dies in Virginia after a bear shot in a tree falls on him
By Associated Press
A US hunter has died after a bear in a tree shot by one of his hunting partners fell on him, state wildlife officials said.
The incident occurred December 9 in Lunenburg County, which is between Richmond and Danville, Virginia’s Department of Wildlife Resources said in a statement.
A hunting group was following the bear when it ran up the tree, the department said. As the group retreated from the tree, a hunter shot the bear. The animal fell onto another hunter who was standing about three metres (10 feet) from the bottom of the tree.
The department identified the man as Lester C. Harvey, 58, of Phenix, Virginia. A member of the group rendered first aid before Harvey was rushed to two different hospitals. He died from his injuries Friday, the wildlife department stated.
An obituary for Harvey, a married father of five with eight grandchildren, said he was a self-employed contractor and avid outdoorsman.
Similar incidents have occurred in recent years.
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By Associated Press
A US hunter has died after a bear in a tree shot by one of his hunting partners fell on him, state wildlife officials said.
The incident occurred December 9 in Lunenburg County, which is between Richmond and Danville, Virginia’s Department of Wildlife Resources said in a statement.
A hunting group was following the bear when it ran up the tree, the department said. As the group retreated from the tree, a hunter shot the bear. The animal fell onto another hunter who was standing about three metres (10 feet) from the bottom of the tree.
The department identified the man as Lester C. Harvey, 58, of Phenix, Virginia. A member of the group rendered first aid before Harvey was rushed to two different hospitals. He died from his injuries Friday, the wildlife department stated.
An obituary for Harvey, a married father of five with eight grandchildren, said he was a self-employed contractor and avid outdoorsman.
Similar incidents have occurred in recent years.
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Prabowo’s proposal to scrap regional elections in Indonesia stirs fears for democracy
By Amy Sood
A proposal by Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto to scrap direct regional elections has sparked alarm among activists and political analysts who warn such a change could reverse the country’s hard-won democratic reforms.
Instead of holding a public vote for mayors and governors, Prabowo has suggested that local legislatures appoint these regional leaders. He justified such a move by saying that funds typically allocated for regional elections could be redirected to public welfare projects, including his initiative to provide free meals for schoolchildren.
“Let’s think and ask, what is this system? How many tens of trillions were spent from the state budget and the pockets of politicians in one or two days?” Prabowo said on Thursday while speaking at a national meeting of Golkar, Indonesia’s oldest political party.
“We feel the democracy that we have … there are things that we need to fix together.”
This is not the first time Prabowo has criticised direct elections. In 2014, he described them as a “Western idea” incompatible with Indonesia’s cultural traditions, claiming they lead to vote-buying and moral decline.
His remarks last Thursday mark his first advocacy for a change to the electoral system since taking office in October.
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By Amy Sood
A proposal by Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto to scrap direct regional elections has sparked alarm among activists and political analysts who warn such a change could reverse the country’s hard-won democratic reforms.
Instead of holding a public vote for mayors and governors, Prabowo has suggested that local legislatures appoint these regional leaders. He justified such a move by saying that funds typically allocated for regional elections could be redirected to public welfare projects, including his initiative to provide free meals for schoolchildren.
“Let’s think and ask, what is this system? How many tens of trillions were spent from the state budget and the pockets of politicians in one or two days?” Prabowo said on Thursday while speaking at a national meeting of Golkar, Indonesia’s oldest political party.
“We feel the democracy that we have … there are things that we need to fix together.”
This is not the first time Prabowo has criticised direct elections. In 2014, he described them as a “Western idea” incompatible with Indonesia’s cultural traditions, claiming they lead to vote-buying and moral decline.
His remarks last Thursday mark his first advocacy for a change to the electoral system since taking office in October.
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