Asia

The door is fast closing on Malaysia’s reform experiment after nearly a decade of false starts and political intrigue, with Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s ruling coalition facing the real possibility of being booted out of office as the country’s ethnic majority seeks the return of strong Malay leadership. Anwar’s Pakatan Harapan (PH) suffered bruising losses in three state elections since last November, most significantly losing control of Negeri Sembilan on Saturday after nearly eight years in...

Foreign travellers arriving in South Korea through Incheon International Airport can expect a long wait at the immigration counters. The lengthy queues were apparent at Incheon International Airport’s Terminal 1 on Friday, where foreign visitors stood waiting to clear immigration. The line stretched beyond the 10 waiting lanes marked out by retractable belt barriers. Chaos ensued near the entrance as 300 to 400 new arrivals spilled into an already packed waiting area. Three or four guides from...

The glass door closes, and a curtain of cool air spills over your head, neck and shoulders, delivering instant relief from the punishing summer heat. This is what it is like to chill in the Do Hiemon Box, an oversized stainless-steel refrigerator that looks big enough to fit a human being, because that is exactly what it is designed to do. Trusco Nakayama has sold about 200 of the 1.5 million yen (US$9,500) booths to steel mills, construction sites, golf courses, universities and leisure...

Sanctioned and wanted for war crimes in the West and reviled at home by the millions fighting his army, Myanmar’s leader Min Aung Hlaing is this week set for a red-carpet welcome in Thailand, as the diplomatic deep freeze begins to thaw. The former general toppled Aung San Suu Kyi’s elected government in a 2021 coup, sparking a civil war that has killed an estimated 100,000 people – mostly civilians – and cratered its economy, which had only just opened up after five decades of military...

France’s offer to share nuclear expertise with the Philippines could potentially boost Manila’s long-term energy security, as analysts say any push to revive nuclear power in the country would have to overcome safety and governance concerns. Marie Fontanel, the outgoing French ambassador to the Philippines, said last week that France was ready to share its nuclear energy expertise with Manila, while deepening defence cooperation, according to a report by ABS-CBN News. Her remarks came just after...

North Korea said it will pursue unspecified “additional military options” in response to Japan’s expanding defence capabilities, accusing Tokyo of reviving the ambitions of a “war criminal state”. Kim Yo-jong, the sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, said that Pyongyang would not remain a “passive onlooker” to what she described as Japan’s accelerating transformation into a military power, according to a statement published on Wednesday by the official Korean Central News Agency. “War...

A silver Montblanc fountain pen owned by Singapore’s founding prime minister Lee Kuan Yew is up for auction with a starting bid of S$20,000 (US$15,600). Singapore auction house Hotlotz said on Wednesday that the pen, engraved “SM Lee Kuan Yew”, was previously sold at the Lee Kuan Yew Family Collection charity auction in July 2003. Hotlotz has valued the silver Montblanc Meisterstuck No 146 fountain pen at S$30,000 (US$23,000) to S$50,000 (US$39,000). At the 2003 charity auction, it was estimated...

A recent interview featuring English celebrity chef Jamie Oliver, 51, has struck a chord with Singaporeans, for the unlikeliest of reasons. On Saturday, British publication The Telegraph uploaded a clip of its interview with Oliver, where he declared that if he could ban one thing, it would be chewing gum. “I was walking up the street the other day and the whole street was ruined with a patchwork quilt of chewing gum. So I wouldn’t ban a flavour combination, but I would ban chewing gum, unless...

Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto’s push to reorganise Southeast Asia’s largest economy around a stronger, more interventionist state has put him increasingly at odds, analysts say, with the country’s so-called Nine Dragons. Known locally as Sembilan Naga, the label is a loose shorthand for some of Indonesia’s richest tycoon families – many of them Chinese Indonesian – with interests spanning banking, tobacco, property, palm oil, mining and consumer goods. It has never referred to a formally...

A viral clip renews the headlined question for me. Jameela Jamil, a British actress of Pakistani and Indian descent, caused a public row in the UK for her interview last month on Yestergays, a pop culture podcast. She said: “Americans think British people are so sweet, which is crazy because British people are truly the most evil people in history. Like, they are Thanos. They owe 43 trillion to India … We colonised the world.” A similar figure came from Indian economist Utsa Patnaik. Based on...

The coastguard rescued the crew of an Indian-flagged commercial ship that sank in the Red Sea on Tuesday after an attack, a local official in the Yemeni city of Mokha said, with New Delhi condemning the “unprovoked” aggression. Yemen’s internationally recognised government blamed the Iran-backed Houthi rebels for the attack, according to the official Saba news agency. Last month, the Houthis declared a Red Sea maritime blockade of Saudi Arabia, the world’s largest exporter of crude, and have...

The detention of a Chinese national accused of posing as a Filipino for more than two decades has sharpened concerns in the Philippines that identity fraud could be used to gain access to sectors vital to national security. Immigration authorities arrested Lawrence Ke Sy, president, largest incorporator and majority shareholder of Maxipro Development Corp., on June 27, although the arrest was only disclosed to the public on Monday. Maxipro is a contractor involved in projects for the National...

South Korea’s President Lee ‌Jae Myung urged on Tuesday authorities to step up support for people affected by a record heatwave in the country, calling it a national disaster after scorching conditions were blamed for 19 deaths. Speaking at a cabinet meeting, Lee ordered officials to take necessary measures to protect the daily lives of people and inspect power systems as demand for air conditioning surges. “An even greater concern is that abnormal weather conditions make it highly likely ⁠that...

When Fifa president Gianni Infantino pushed a plan to bring private investors into a new commercial entity tied to the World Cup, critics warned it risked selling part of football’s most valuable asset. Erick Thohir, chairman of the Football Association of Indonesia (PSSI), disagreed. He backed the now-scrapped scheme – despite opposition from regional bodies including the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), PSSI’s own parent body – as he felt Indonesia owed Fifa a debt of gratitude for standing...

Japan’s immigration agency on Tuesday proposed tougher requirements for granting permanent residency to foreigners, including requiring applicants to maintain income above the average for Japanese households and a certain level of projected pension benefits. The proposed guidelines are part of Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s push to create an “orderly society” in which Japanese and foreign nationals coexist while cracking down on illegal activities. The Immigration Services Agency will solicit...

A US vow to fund a port in the Solomon Islands could offer clues to Washington’s intentions in a region that has reeled from American aid cuts, yet remains part of the tug of war between superpowers. Analysts say the latest bid reflects a desire to ensure Honiara partners with Western allies in sectors with security implications, while renewing the once “anaemic” relationship with the region as Chinese influence grows. According to observers, the current security tilt of the Pacific island...

The banning of British band Massive Attack from Singapore for pro-Palestine acts during their concert has split opinion in the city state, with some lamenting what they see as laws that are too strict and others urging foreigners to comply with local rules. At their gig on Wednesday, the two-man band held up a Palestinian flag and shouted “Free Palestine” along with members of the audience. Under the Foreign National Emblems (Control of Display) Act, it is illegal to display non-Singaporean...

The internet cafe was supposed to become obsolete. Instead, it has become indispensable. Across East Asia, these businesses are quietly evolving into temporary homes, budget hotels, co-working spaces and, for some, an unofficial social safety net. The debate in Hong Kong over overnight internet cafes is simply the newest chapter in a much bigger regional story. Hong Kong authorities have stepped up inspections after some internet cafes began offering overnight packages, private booths, showers...

Malaysian police have identified a Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) security screener as a person of interest after a Malaysia Airlines pilot allegedly carried more than 70,000 Ecstasy pills through four layers of checks before the drugs were intercepted in Jakarta. Bukit Aman narcotics chief Hussein Omar Khan said on Tuesday that the airport employee assigned to the screening area used by the pilot would be summoned and could face legal action. “We will call him in for questioning and,...

Three lions have died of suspected heatstroke at Tokyo’s Tama Zoological Park amid Japan’s record-breaking “cruelly hot” summer as officials boost animal welfare measures to cope with climate-fuelled extreme weather. The zoo’s lion exhibit has been suspended since July 23 when 10 out of its 16 big cats started showing “loss of appetite and decreased activity” from the heat, a spokeswoman told Agence France-Presse on Tuesday. The sick animals received treatment, but three lionesses succumbed to...

An adult man wearing a pink women’s one-piece swimsuit at a South Korean swimming pool has sparked debate online. The photo of the man circulated on social media Sunday with a caption describing a visitor as a public nuisance at the Han River pool in Seoul. The image shows the man from behind wearing a pink swimsuit and a matching swim cap as visitors cool off during a summer heatwave. The original poster questioned why a man was wearing a women’s swimsuit at the pool, adding that they were...

Bangladesh has asked India to clarify its stance on exiled former prime minister Sheikh Hasina’s planned virtual address from New Delhi, warning that allowing political activities by a fugitive could hurt ‌improving bilateral relations. The remarks were Bangladesh’s first official response to Hasina’s planned appearance at Wednesday’s event hosted by the Foreign Correspondents’ Club of South Asia (FCCSA) in Delhi, marking the second anniversary of the student-led uprising that toppled her...

We have selected seven stories from the SCMP’s coverage of Asia over the past week that resonated with our readers and shed light on topical issues. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscribing. 1. What Negeri Sembilan loss means for Malaysian PM Anwar’s political strategy The crushing defeat of Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s Pakatan Harapan (PH) coalition in the Negeri Sembilan polls has raised doubts about his political strategy, as state rival but...

India’s tech titan Nandan Nilekani faces an uphill battle overhauling the country’s education system amid exam scandals, student protests and rising youth unemployment. Nilekani, co-founder of technology behemoth Infosys, was appointed head of a national task force for exam reforms following widespread anger and controversies over alleged paper leaks involving the competitive exam for aspiring doctors, the National Eligibility Entrance Test. Analysts say the real test for a reformer best known...

North Korea’s state media has recommended dog meat soup as protection against summer heat, reviving Pyongyang’s long-running effort to promote the controversial dish as record-high temperatures grip both sides of the Korean peninsula. Rodong Sinmun, the ruling Workers’ Party newspaper, published health advice on Sunday offering tips for coping with the heatwave and first aid guidance for heat-related illnesses. In an interview with a senior doctor at Pyongyang General Hospital, the newspaper...

In countries like France and Norway, the government census strictly avoids asking about race and ethnicity. Governed by a desire for national unity, these states operate on a firm premise: categorising citizens by skin colour risks creating divisions and reinforcing prejudice. Across the Atlantic and in the Commonwealth, you find a different philosophy. The United States, United Kingdom and Canada measure race and ethnicity. In these societies, data collection isn’t seen as a wedge to divide...

Democratic Action Party (DAP) secretary general Anthony Loke has announced his resignation as the party’s Negeri Sembilan chairman following its performance in the recent Malaysian state election. Loke announced his decision after a DAP central executive committee (CEC) meeting on Monday night, saying it was the right time for new leadership to take over the state chapter. “In the Negeri Sembilan state election that just ended, we managed to retain nine seats,” he said. “Comparatively, we are...

South Korea’s financial authorities are weighing tighter curbs on high-risk leveraged exchange-traded funds (ETFs) as part of broader efforts to stabilise the country’s notoriously volatile stock market, which has left many investors with heavy losses and mounting debt. The proposals could include giving regulators the power to reduce the leverage ratio of single-stock ETFs and raising the minimum investment requirement to discourage inexperienced retail investors from taking excessive risks,...

United Nations rights experts have urged Canada to take all feasible measures to protect the Sikh activist Moninder Singh, who has been repeatedly warned by the Canadian authorities of credible threats to his life. In a letter to the Canadian government dated June 3, and made public two months later, as per regular procedure, the five UN experts raised “concerning allegations of foreign intimidation and reprisals” against Singh, a Canadian national. It recalled that since 2022, Singh has...

India’s property market has gone from strength to strength. All the main sectors continue to perform extremely well. Last year, take-up of shopping centre and warehouse space reached record highs. In the first half of this year, office leasing volumes rose to their second-highest level for the period on record, while new flat sales in the eight largest cities delivered one of the strongest half-yearly performances in 12 years. Even the institutional investment market, the least liquid among the...