Pakistan / S Asia / Philippines / SE Asia Wednesday, January 30, 2019 07 Mahathir seeks China’s understanding on scrapped $20-bn deal After 1MDB, Malaysia launches anti-graft plan to clean stables

KUALA LUMPUR: Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad on Tuesday asked for China’s understand- KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia on Tuesday unveiled an ambitious five-year plan to clamp down on cor- ing over Malaysia’s plan to cancel a $20-billion rail project that spearheads China’s infrastruc- ruption in government, months after a multi-billion-dollar graft scandal brought down the previous News ture push in the Southeast Asian nation, saying Kuala Lumpur could not afford it. administration. in brief Since winning power last May, Mahathir has repeatedly vowed to renegotiate or cancel what The plan, launched by Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, would involve sweeping changes to he calls “unfair” Chinese projects authorised by predecessor Najib Razak, whose near-decade the appointment process for key posts, require lawmakers and ministers to publicly declare their long rule ended in electoral defeat amid a massive financial scandal. The cabinet has decided assets, and introduce new laws to regulate political funding and lobbying. Mahathir said Malaysia to cancel the contract with China Communications Construction Co Ltd. (REUTERS) needs “all kinds of strategies, laws and restrictions” to curb corruption. (REUTERS)

Pakistan top court upholds Aasia Bibi’s blasphemy acquittal Nine killed, 21 hurt in attack worldwide attention, shone a gious hardliners calling for her preme Court decision, Sha- on Pakistan police station The decision allows the Christian woman to spotlight on Pakistan’s strict death and demanding that the feeq Ameeni, acting head of QUETTA: At least nine people died and 21 were wounded when blasphemy laws and the often government prevent her from the hardline Tehreek-e Labaik gunmen blasted their way into a police station in southwestern leave Pakistan and seek asylum abroad difficult conditions facing its leaving the country. group, which led the protests Pakistan on Tuesday while candidates were sitting for a police Christian minority who make Under pressure from days last year, issued a new warn- entrance exam, officials said. REUTERS disclosed location under tight up 1.6 percent of the largely of protests in the capital, Is- ing to the court not to rule in The Pakistani military said a group of three gunmen at- ISLAMABAD security, free to leave Pakistan Sunni Muslim country of over lamabad, and other cities, the favour of the “blasphemer”. tacked the entrance of the deputy police inspector’s office in and seek asylum abroad. 200 million. government agreed to stop Ameeni was not immedi- Loralai district in Balochistan, a volatile southern province which Pakistan’s Supreme Court “On merit, this petition is Bibi, a farm worker, was Bibi leaving the country until ately available for comment has seen a string of militant attacks. on Tuesday upheld the acquit- dismissed,” Chief Justice Asif convicted in 2010 of making the Supreme Court considered after the ruling but in remarks One gunman blew himself up and the others opened fire tal of Asia Bibi, a Christian Saeed Khosa told the court, derogatory remarks about Is- the petition. in court, Chief Justice Khosa on police and around 800 candidates taking an exam to join woman who spent years on saying the petitioners, led by lam after neighbours working Bibi has been in hiding was severely critical of the pe- the force, killing three police, five civilian employees and one death row after being convict- a village prayer leader, had in the fields with her objected since the Supreme Court freed titioners’ attempt to have the candidate. Twenty one people including 12 police and nine ed of blasphemy, dismissing a failed to point out any mis- to her drinking water from her in October, after eight judgment reversed. candidates were wounded. petition filed by Islamists who take in the original judgement their glass because she was years on death row. She has He said Bibi had been con- “During the clearance operation, the remaining two suicide have called for her execution. which he said had been based not Muslim. Her conviction always denied committing victed on false evidence and bombers have been shot dead and the area has been cleared,” The decision leaves Bibi, on false evidence. was overturned in October, blasphemy. pointed to discrepancies in a statement from the military said. (REUTERS) who has been staying at an un- The case, which drew prompting protests from reli- Hours before the Su- testimony in the original case.

Terror group faces retribution after Church bombings Philippine bishops Suu Kyi’s party clashes seek forgiveness with Myanmar military for long silence on over move to change Philippine army launches Duterte’s drug war REUTERS army-drafted charter MANILA REUTERS sent about 730,000 peo- IN a rare move, the largest NAYPYITAW air strikes on ‘terrorist’ ple fleeing to neighbouring group of Catholic bishops in Bangladesh. the Philippines has sought for- Myanmar’s ruling party Constitutional reform giveness for its lengthy silence clashed with military law- was a central pillar of the over “disturbing issues”, such makers on Tuesday as it NLD’s platform ahead as the president’s bloody war proposed steps towards of the 2015 general elec- group’s hideouts in Sulu on drugs and his attacks on the changing the constitu- tion, but little progress has church and its doctrines. tion, its biggest challenge been made as leaders have The church is highly influ- in nearly three years to the proved reluctant to con- Reports say strikes hit the towns of Patikul and Indanan in the South ential and an important source army’s power over politics front the military. of moral guidance in the Phil- as enshrined in the charter. With another election ippines, where about 80 per- Military members of looming in 2020, analysts cent of a population of 105 parliament, clad in green see Tuesday’s move as an million are Roman Catholic. uniforms, rose to their feet effort to shore up support Although known for speak- and stood in silence as par- for Suu Kyi’s party and de- ing out in times of crisis and liament voted to approve liver on election pledges. to rebuff doctrinal challenges, the first stage of a proposal “It is the election prom- the bishops’ silence over Presi- to form a committee on ise,” Ye Htut, an NLD mem- dent Rodrigo Duterte’s lam- amending the constitution. ber of parliament told Reu- basting of the church and God, The proposal could fo- ters ahead of the vote. as well as his bloody crack- ment tension between the In recent weeks Suu Kyi down on drugs, have raised army and Aung San Suu has also toured ethnic minor- questions about their unity Kyi’s National League for ity areas, where support for and commitment to values. Democracy (NLD), who her party is weakest, and on “Forgive us for the length have been at loggerheads Monday touted Myanmar’s of time that it took us to find over the charter since the potential to global investors. our collective voice,” the Cath- party’s historic landslide “As the 2020 elections olic Bishops’ Conference of the election win in 2015. are starting to influence Philippines (CBCP) said in a The surprise bid to re- political calculations in pastoral letter, issued late on form the constitution comes Myanmar, it is not surpris- Monday. “We too needed to be as both civilian and military ing that the NLD wants to guided properly in prayer and leaders face growing inter- show progress on one of its discernment before we could national pressure over an key manifesto pledges,” said guide you.” army crackdown on Roh- Yangon-based political ana- In the letter headlined, ingya Muslims in 2017 that lyst Richard Horsey. “Conquering Evil with Good”, the bishops admitted silence over “disturbing issues about which you may have felt you urgently needed our spiritual and pastoral guidance”. Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte (centre) meets relatives of explosion victims in Jolo, Sulu province, southern Philippines, on Monday. (EPA) It was not immediately clear why the CBCP issued the PhilStar/Agencies Infantry Division at Barangay letter, which followed a plena- MANILA Church bombing was ‘suicide’ attack: Duterte Bus-bus in Jolo, Sulu. ry assembly. MANILA: A male suicide bomber and his wife carried out a Catho- Presidential spokesperson THE Armed Forces of the Phil- lic cathedral attack that killed 21 people in the country’s restive Salvador Panelo confirmed on ippines on Tuesday launched south, Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte said on Tuesday. Tuesday that Duterte has de- Military members of parliament leave the Union Parliament in airstrikes targetting two Sulu Duterte told reporters a woman who remains at large left a clared an all-out war against Napyidaw, Myanmar, on Tuesday. (REUTERS) towns where Abu Sayyaf mem- device that exploded during mass at the cathedral in the remote terror groups after he visited bers were sighted following Muslim-majority island of Jolo on Sunday, and her husband later the blast site in Jolo. President Rodrigo Duterte’s blew himself up outside. “He just said all-out war, Bangladesh rejects Pakistani envoy’s order to crush the terror group. The president’s account differed from earlier statements by se- maybe against the perpetra- A report by GMA News curity officials. He said military intelligence told him on Tuesday the tors and for that matter all credentials a year after appointment said that one airstrike was second bomb was strapped on to the body of the male suspect who enemies of state in the region,” ISLAMABAD: In a sign of persistent strain in bilateral relations, unleashed on Patikul and the detonated it as survivors of the first explosion ran for their lives. Panelo said. Bangladesh on Tuesday refused to accept the credentials of other in Indanan. “They (investigators) could not find any part of the body The blast on Sunday killed Saqlain Syedah as Pakistan’s high commissioner in Dhaka, The A ‘24 Oras’ news report, because it exploded, because that was terrorism and that was a at least 21 people who were Express Tribune has learnt. meanwhile, showed footage suicide,” the president said. mostly churchgoers attend- According to diplomatic sources, the government of Prime of the Philippine Army’s Al- If Duterte’s account is confirmed it would be among the few ing mass as well as responding Minister Sheikh Hasina Wajid did not cite any reason for refus- pha Battery 8th Field Artillery suspected cases of suicide bombings in the Philippines. troops and a Coast Guard per- ing to accept Syedah’s credentials. Battalion firing a canon at an The Islamic State group has claimed responsibility for the sonnel. Meanwhile, 100 others The ambassadorial position had fallen vacant after the area where the Abu Sayyaf is cathedral blast, saying two suicide bombers detonated explosive were wounded, latest data from The ‘French Spiderman’ Alain retirement of Rafiuzaman Siddiqui in February last year. Sub- located. belts, according to the SITE Intelligence Group which monitors the Western Mindanao Com- Robert is pictured on the side of sequently, Syedah was named as new high commissioner to “We are utilising all the jihadist activities. (AFP) mand showed on Tuesday. the 47-storey GT Tower in Manila’s Bangladesh. She is a PBS-20 officer in the Foreign Service of military or AFP might against The military said it is financial district of Makati on Pakistan. Abu Sayyaf... the intensity is dered the military to crush the “I order you now, crush looking into a certain alias Tuesday. (AFP) Ties between Islamabad and Dhaka have been deteriorat- intense as before,” Brigadier Abu Sayyaf which is believed the Abu Sayyaf by whatever ‘Kamah’, who it suspects as the ing since Hasina Wajid’s government resumed the trial of 1971 General Divino Rey Pabayo, to be behind the twin bomb- means,” Duterte said during bomber. ‘Kamah’ is an alleged ‘French Spiderman’ ‘war crimes’ that had been suspended after the 1974 accord commander of Joint Task ings that hit the Cathedral of his visit to military and police bombmaker and is the brother arrested after between Pakistan, Bangladesh, and India. (Tribune.com.pk) Force Sulu, said. Our Lady of Mount Carmel in forces at the headquarters of of slain Abu Sayyaf sub-leader scaling Manila On Monday, Duterte or- Jolo, Sulu. the Philippine Army’s 11th Surakah Ingog. skyscraper Manila: French urban freeclimber Alain Robert was arrested on Nearly 5,000 garment workers Tuesday, police said, after he NATO, Pentagon ‘encouraged’ by Taliban talks progress scaled one of Manila’s tallest tow- sacked over Bangladesh strikes ers in his latest high-risk ascent. DPA The militants will “We will not stay longer The 56-year old adventurer AFP clashes in Ashulia, a key in- WASHINGTON than necessary, but we will dubbed the “French spider- Dhaka dustrial town outside Dhaka not win on the not leave before we have a man” climbed the 47-storey GT where clothes are sewn for NATO and the Pentagon are battlefield, so they have situation which enables us to Tower without safety equipment, Nearly 5,000 low-paid retail giants H&M, Walmart “encouraged” by the progress to sit down at the leave or reduce the number of leaving watchers on the ground Bangladeshi garment work- and many others. of talks with the Taliban in Af- troops without jeopardizing staring in amazement. ers stitching clothes for glob- Police say thousands of ghanistan, NATO Secretary negotiating table, and the main goal of our presence, “This is my path, this is my al brands have been sacked factory workers accused of General Jens Stoltenberg told therefore we are encour- and that is to prevent Afghani- way of living. It is as important by factory bosses for joining looting and vandalism during reporters at a meeting with stan from becoming a safe ha- to me as eating, sleeping. I strikes over wages this month the protests have been fired, acting US Secretary of De- aged by what we see ven for international terrorists need that. It keeps me alive,” that turned violent, police said but unions have accused the fence Patrick Shanahan late now, the progress and once again,” he added. he told reporters after complet- on Tuesday. industry of intimidation and a on Monday. talks with Taliban The comments came hours ing the climb. Thousands of labourers crackdown. Stoltenberg said US Special after Afghan President Ashraf Police were less enthusi- walked out of factory floors “So far the factories have Representative for Afghani- NATO Secretary-General Ghani, referencing his briefing astic about the stunt and took across the country in days- dismissed 4,899 workers due stan Reconciliation Zalmay Jens Stoltenberg with Khalilzad, called for the him into custody as soon as he long protests that disrupted to the unrest,” a senior police Khalilzad had “briefed all al- Taliban to enter into “serious” reached the ground after the the $30 billion industry -- and officer told AFP on condition lies a few weeks ago” ahead of the battlefield, so they have talks with the government. roughly two-hour climb up and saw police fire rubber bullets of anonymity. the six-day talks he held with to sit down at the negotiating It was too early to specu- The Taliban have yet to down the building. He is be- and tear gas at demonstra- More than 1,200 garment Taliban representatives in the table, and therefore we are en- late about the number of directly sit down and talk ing held on a charge of public tors. workers -- whose wages start Qatari capital Doha last week. couraged by what we see now, NATO troops which would re- with the Afghan government, disturbance but will post bail on One worker was killed at $95 a month -- were dis- The Norwegian added that the progress... and talks with main in Afghanistan, Stolten- which they consider a “puppet Wednesday, his lawyer Howard and more than 50 injured in missed from a single factory. the militants “will not win on Taliban.” berg said. regime.” Calleja said. (AFP)