Thai PM rejects protesters’ demand to step down

Thai PM rejects protesters’ demand to step down
Flood situation In Johor, Kelantan improving, no change in Terengganu
World unites for Mandela memorial
Five Malaysian auxiliary policemen injured in handling riot in Singapore
Sabah maritime industry urged to train locals as seafarers
India appeals for calm in Singapore

Posted: 09 Dec 2013 10:07 PM PST

BANGKOK: Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra on Tuesday refused demands by anti-government protesters to resign ahead of upcoming elections, urging them to abandon their "people's revolution".

Bangkok has been shaken by more than a month of mass opposition rallies aimed at ousting Yingluck and ridding the kingdom of the influence of her older brother, deposed former leader Thaksin.

Around 140,000 people were estimated to have gathered in Bangkok on Monday, calling for the elected government to step down.

The protesters are a loosely-allied group united by their animosity towards Thaksin, a billionaire tycoon-turned-politician who was overthrown in a military coup seven years ago but is widely thought to control the government from abroad.

Yingluck, who called an early election on Monday in an effort to calm the political turmoil, said her cabinet was legally-bound to act as an interim government until the polls are held.

"I would like the protesters to stop and to use the electoral system to choose who will become the next government," she told reporters after a cabinet meeting early Tuesday.

A visibly emotional Yingluck — who said she had not discussed with party colleagues whether she would run in the February 2 election — reacted angrily to protesters' calls that her family be removed from Thailand.

"I have retreated as far as I can — give me some fairness," she said.

Rally leader Suthep Thaugsuban has rejected elections and vowed to set up a parallel government that would suspend the democratic system in Thailand and redraw its constitution.

He issued an ultimatum late Monday calling on Yingluck and her colleagues to resign from the caretaker government.

Huge crowds converged on the government headquarters on Monday in one of the largest turnouts since the protests began, bringing with them a caravan of food stalls and vendors of a wide variety of protest paraphernalia — from t-shirts to tiaras.

Numbers had dwindled dramatically overnight after Bangkok-based protesters returned to their homes to sleep.

Thaksin is loathed by many in the royalist elite and Bangkok middle class, but loved among the working classes and those in his rural northeastern heartland.

His overthrow in 2006 by generals loyal to the king ushered in years of political turmoil and rival street protests by the royalist "Yellow Shirts" and Thaksin's supporters, known as the "Red Shirts".

Pro-Thaksin parties have won every election in more than a decade, but all governments linked to the divisive former premier since 2006 have been cut short by military or judicial intervention without serving a full term.

Observers have raised fears that if another Thaksin-allied government is forcibly removed it could trigger a fresh round of violence in the politically turbulent nation.

Yingluck's ruling Puea Thai Party is widely expected to win the upcoming vote, bolstered by Thaksin's enduring popularity.

The opposition Democrat Party — whose MPs resigned en masse Sunday because they could not achieve anything in parliament — has not won an elected majority in about two decades.

Democrat Party officials said Monday they had not yet decided whether to take part in the upcoming election.

Tensions remain high after several days of street clashes last week when police used tear gas, water cannon and rubber bullets against rock-throwing demonstrators.

The unrest has left five people dead and more than 200 injured. Authorities have said they would try to avoid fresh confrontation.

The demonstrations were triggered by an amnesty bill, since dropped by Yingluck's ruling party, which opponents feared would have cleared the way for Thaksin's return.

The former premier went into exile in 2008 to avoid jail for a corruption conviction which he says was politically motivated. - AFP

Flood situation In Johor, Kelantan improving, no change in Terengganu

Posted: 09 Dec 2013 09:33 PM PST

KUALA LUMPUR: The flood situation in Johor and Kelantan continues to improve this morning with the number of evacuees at the relief centres dropping, but the situation in Terengganu has not changed.

The number of flood evacuees in Terengganu remains at 14,609 from 3,195 families, with Kemaman district recording the highest number at 13,336 from 2,852 families, followed by Dungun with 1,251 from 235 families and Marang 28 from eight families.

According to the National Security Council's portal, 41 flood relief centres comprising 37 in Kemaman, three in Dungun and one in Marang were still operating as at 9am today.

The Drainage and Irrigation Department reported that the water level in most of the main rivers in Terengganu was at the alert level.

Meanwhile, the Public Works Department reported that the Kuala Terengganu-Kuantan road at the 5th milestone, near a polytechnic and Bukit Bauk, Dungun was inundated by flood waters and closed to light vehicles following heavy rain since last night.

In PAHANG, the number of flood victims has dropped to 12,579 this morning from 31,093 last night.

A spokesman for the flood operations room, state police contingent headquarters, said as at 9am today, there were still 2,480 families at 111 flood relief centres in eight affected districts in the state.

"Kuantan still has the biggest number of evacuees at 6,454, housed at 21 relief centres," he told Bernama, here, today.

In Pekan, there were still 3,408 evacuees at 36 relief centres, Temerloh 1,233 (19), Maran 724 (15), Jerantut 433 (nine), Bera 267 (seven), Rompin 33 (two) and Lipis 27 (two).

At the moment, only one road at Km14 Temerloh-Triang is still closed to all traffic.

In JOHOR, seven flood relief centres are still operating in Segamat but the number of evacuees has dropped to 273 (64 families) from 303 (72 families) last night.

The relief centres are the Kampung Sanglang community hall, Kampung Tandong community hall, SK Kampung Spang Loi, Gemereh IV community hall (Batu Badak), Kampung Gemereh III community hall, Pogoh 2 community hall and Sekolah Agama Kampung Kuala Paya. – BERNAMA

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World unites for Mandela memorial

Posted: 09 Dec 2013 09:30 PM PST

SOWETO, South Africa: Huge crowds of grieving South Africans converged on Soweto's World Cup stadium Tuesday, to sit side-by-side with presidents, priests, queens and sheikhs at a memorial service for unifying global icon Nelson Mandela.

Close to 100 world leaders were among 80,000 people expected to cram into the venue in Soweto — the crucible of Mandela's anti-apartheid struggle — to bid farewell to a man whose life story earned uncommon universal respect.

Five hours before the memorial began, large crowds had already gathered in a light drizzle, hoping for one of the first-comer tickets.

Wrapped in the South African flags or yellow-green coloured shawls printed with the slogan "Mandela Forever," they danced and jogged towards the stadium entrance, some singing in Zulu: "Mandela is not sleeping, just kneeling."

Thousands more were boarding free trains from central Johannesburg, mixing excitedly together on the platform and in the compartments — men and women of all ages and races.

"I am going to the memorial to be closer to the national mood, to come out of my bubble," said white Afrikaans speaker Marcel Boezaart, 26.

News of Mandela's death at his home in Johannesburg on Thursday resonated around the world, triggering a wave of loving admiration from political and religious leaders, some of whom agree on little else.

The presidents of the United States and Cuba are among those who will share the memorial stage, pausing rivalries that date back to the Cold War to pay tribute as millions around the world look on.

The event is part of an extended state funeral that will culminate in the prisoner-turned-president's burial on Sunday in the rural village of Qunu where he spent his early childhood.

Some 11,000 soldiers have been deployed as part of a massive security operation to ensure order as South Africans grab their final chance to unite in a mass celebration of Mandela's life ahead of the more formal lying in state.

The Indian and Brazilian presidents will also deliver eulogies Tuesday, reflecting the extraordinary global reach, popularity and influence of one of the 20th century's towering political figures.

Four of Mandela's grandchildren will speak for his family, while neither his widow, Graca Machel, nor his ex-wife Winnie Madikizela-Mandela are listed on the programme.

Some 120,000 people were able to watch the event on giant screens set up in three overflow stadiums in Johannesburg.

Although Mandela had been critically ill for months, the announcement of his death was a body blow for this recently reborn nation.

He had been out of public life for more than a decade, but South Africans looked to his unassailable moral authority as a comforting constant in a time of uncertain social and economic change.

On the eve of the memorial Nobel laureate Desmond Tutu described Mandela as a "magician" who conjured a united nation out of a country teetering on the brink of civil war.

"Everybody was saying we would go up in flames," he said.

"He really was like a magician with a magic wand, turning us into this glorious, multi-coloured rainbow people."

A single candle was lit Monday in Mandela's tiny prison cell on Robben Island, where he spent the harshest of his 27 years in apartheid jails, before emerging to lead his country out of the shadow of apartheid into a multi-racial democracy.

On Monday, his eldest daughter Makaziwe Mandela told how her father spent a "wonderful" week surrounded by family before he died.

"The children were there, the grandchildren were there, Graca was there, so we are always around him, even at the last moment," she told the BBC.

Ahead of the burial in Qunu, Mandela's body will lie in state for three days from Wednesday in the amphitheatre of the Union Buildings in Pretoria where he was sworn in as president in 1994.

Each morning, his coffin will be borne through the streets of the capital in a funeral cortege, to give as many people as possible the chance to pay their final respects.

As well as Obama and three previous occupants of the White House, British Prime Minister David Cameron, French President Francois Hollande and Afghan President Hamid Karzai were all on the guest list.

Parliament met for a special tribute session Monday, with MPs carrying single red roses as they entered the assembly building that was flanked by giant portraits of Mandela in tribal dress and as an elder statesman.

Opposition leader Helen Zille said every politician had a duty to carry forward Mandela's ideals of justice and equality for all.

"He has handed the baton to us and we dare not drop it," Zille said.

Africa will be represented at the funeral by Nigeria's Goodluck Jonathan and more than a dozen other heads of state and government.

Talk show queen Oprah Winfrey and singer-activist Bono, as well as British billionaire Richard Branson and musician Peter Gabriel were expected to be among the celebrity mourners. – AFP

Five Malaysian auxiliary policemen injured in handling riot in Singapore

Posted: 09 Dec 2013 09:16 PM PST

KUALA LUMPUR: Five auxiliary police personnel who are Malaysians with permanent resident status in Singapore suffered minor injuries while assisting the Singapore police in handling the riot that took place at Little India, Singapore on Sunday.

The Foreign Ministry in a statement, here, Tuesday said this was unofficially informed by the Police Command Post of Singapore to the Malaysian High Commission in Singapore.

"The five Malaysians are working with three major security firms employed by the government of Singapore to assist Singapore police in its operation," it said.

According to the Singapore Police Command Post, one Malaysian national has been detained for investigation for possible involvement in the riot.

The Malaysian High Commission will render the necessary consular assistance to the affected Malaysians in coordination with the authorities of Singapore.

The incident on Dec 8 was an internal matter of Singapore, and Wisma Putra said it had frequently reminded Malaysians visiting, working or residing overseas "to respect the laws of their host countries, just like Malaysians expect foreigners residing in our country to abide by our laws".

On Sunday night, a riot erupted in Little India, following a fatal accident involving a 33-year-old Indian national.

In the incident, the first in Singapore's history since its independence, 27 foreigners from South Asia were detained to facilitate investigations.

Ten police officers were injured and five police vehicles, an ambulance and several private vehicles were damaged. – Bernama

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Sabah maritime industry urged to train locals as seafarers

Posted: 09 Dec 2013 09:12 PM PST

KOTA KINABALU: The Sabah state government has called on relevant maritime industry players to find ways to encourage Sabahans to be trained as future seafarers.

Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Aman said the many opportunities in the shipping sector have not been taken up by the locals probably due to ignorance of what the maritime industry could offer.

"Sabah shares the government's aspiration for Malaysia to be a strong maritime nation and supports policies to increase the nation's participation in the maritime industry.

"More needs to be done to encourage the participation of Malaysians, in particular from Sabah, to own ships registered in Malaysia and to undertake the many opportunities available in the maritime transportation regime and the oil and gas sector," he said when opeing a seminar on Sabah maritime here today.

His speech was delivered by Sabah Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Masidi Manjun.

According to Musa, Sabah's vast 1,440 km. coastline with three seas surrounding the state holds great economic value, providing employment, valuable protein as well as oil and gas that are key contributors to the economy.

"In addition, the bulk of Malaysia's international trade, the lifeline of the country's economy, is transported by ships through major ports in the country including in Kota Kinabalu, Kudat, Lahad Datu, Sandakan and Tawau in Sabah," he said.

Musa also said the government places great importance on its role in safeguarding Sabah's maritime borders against threats, curbing illicit trade such as drug and human trafficking, and preventing the entry of illegal immigrants.

"The immediate setting up of the Eastern Sabah Security Command (ESSCOM) was necessary to remove external threats that have damaging social and economic impacts and which could jeopardise national security, hence distracting investors in the process," he said. – Bernama

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India appeals for calm in Singapore

Posted: 09 Dec 2013 09:09 PM PST

NEW DELHI: India has appealed for calm in Singapore where the death of a 33-year-old Indian construction worker in a road mishap sparked the worst riots in the country in decades, Xinhua news agency reported.

"The Singapore authorities have confirmed the identity of the Indian national who died in an accident in Little India. The High Commission has informed his family members," the Indian High Commission in Singapore said in a statement on Monday.

The Indian national has been identified as Sakthivel Kuravelu who hailed from the southern state of Tamil Nadu.

He was hit by a speeding bus, driven by a Singaporean, at a junction in Little India on Sunday following which more than 400 South Asians clashed with police and vandalised buses.

Police have arrested some 27 South Asians including 24 Indians for rioting on the streets as Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong announced a panel to investigate the incident. – Bernama

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