Amusement is one thing you might rarely find in a military base.

But this was not the case at the Subdistrict Military Command (Koramil) 1123 in Cisewu, West Java, when a smiling tiger statue at the base generated laughter and glee around the country. On Monday, however, the odd-looking statue located at the base’s main entrance was taken down into pieces.

The tiger is the symbol of the Siliwangi Military Command, which oversees the entire West Java province.

For a few days prior to Monday, netizens shared the hashtag #MacanCisewu (Cisewu Tiger), with the picture of the statue going viral.

With its wide smile, the tiger would surely put a smile on the face of any visitor to the base.

Social media users had every reason to post hilarious comments on the statue, but high-ranking military officers felt irritated by the online fuss.

The cheeky netizens were deemed bullies by the military and alas, the military eventually decided to dismantle the tiger.

However, the tiger remains alive in the hearts of netizens. His charms have inspired the birth of numerous hilarious memes.

Yes, his fame could have attracted attention the director of Box Office movie Life of Pi.

But, wait. Oh, no. You have just messed up in your first film, tiger!

Right, acting could be a wrong option. Got a good voice? A duet album with Raisa would have been nice.

The online frenzy seems to have cut across different backgrounds. Such as this one, who appears to be a designer, offering the right way to design a tiger statue.

RIP, Tiger. You have made our days.

KUALA LUMPUR – Interpol has issued a “red notice”, the closest instrument to an international arrest warrant, on four North Korean suspects wanted in connection with the murder of Kim Jong Nam, Malaysia’s police chief said on Thursday.

Kim Jong Nam, the estranged half-brother of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, was killed on Feb 13, when Malaysian police say two women smeared super toxic VX nerve agent on his face at Kuala Lumpur International Airport.

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2017-02-15 09:27:54

Photo Gallery

Half-brother of N Korean leader assassinated in Malaysia

Source:

AFP

Reuters

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Police requested Interpol’s help last month to apprehend North Korean suspects who they believed had fled Malaysia shortly after the murder.

They have identified seven North Korean wanted in connection with the murder, including four who are believed to have made their way back to Pyongyang.

Thai actress and model Sutatta Udomsilp loved Indonesia’s Bandung so much that she decided to send a message to the city’s mayor.

But Bandung mayor Ridwan Kamil has come under heavy fire for his reply, when he implied that the actress may not be a woman.

Udomsilp was photographed holding up a slip of paper that read “I love Bandung”, and addressed to “Kang Emil”, which is the mayor’s nickname.

Mr Ridwan reposted the photograph on his own Instagram account. But instead of reciprocating the kind message, he instead wrote: “Received a greeting from this Thai artiste. Hope she is not a man.”

Although he has since replaced the caption by thanking Udomsilp and apologising, his original message received heavy criticism from netizens.

Journalist Yenni Kwok wrote on Twitter that the message had been sexist, racist and transphobic, with many others tweeting similar sentiments.

Translated: Pak @ridwankamil, this joke is really inappropriate.

Translated: A joke doesn’t mean it is not discriminatory. There are many jokes that are sexist, homophobic, transphobic, racist…

However, there were also many users who pointed out that Mr Ridwan’s message was meant to be taken as a joke.

Mr Ridwan is an award-winning architect and urban designer, and has been highly praised for his work in transforming Bandung, The Star reported. On his Twitter account, he describes himself as “the caretaker of lovable Bandung”.

However, he had previously stated his belief that people should not promote lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender rights on social media. He told Indonesian publication Tempo: “To me, what people do in private is not a problem. It only becomes a problem when such private matters, which is not the norm is publicised. If there are such publications, then I will try to block it.”

seanyap@sph.com.sg

BEIJING – Saudi Arabia’s King Salman oversaw the signing of deals worth potentially US$65 billion (S$91.2 billion) as he began a visit to Beijing on Thursday, as the world’s largest oil producer looks to cement ties with the world’s second-largest economy.

The octogenarian monarch, who has overseen the launch of an ambitious economic reform plan since his accession two years ago, is on a month-long Asian tour.

The visits to countries that are some of world’s fastest growing importers of Saudi oil aim to promote investment opportunities in the kingdom, including the sale of a stake in its giant state firm Saudi Aramco.

Saudi Arabia has sought to boost oil sales to China, the world’s second-largest oil market, after losing market share to Russia last year, by working mostly with China’s top three state oil firms.

Chinese President Xi Jinping told Salman in Beijing’s cavernous Great Hall of the People that his visit showed the importance he attached to relations with China.

“This visit will push forward and continue to improve the quality of our relations and bear new fruit,” Xi said in comments in front of reporters.

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2017-03-02 11:50:22

Photo Gallery

Saudi king visits Indonesia bringing along huge entourage, limos, escalators

Source:

AFP

Reuters

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‘OLD FRIENDS’

Deputy Chinese Foreign Minister Zhang Ming said the memorandums of understanding and letters of intent were potentially worth about US$65 billion, involving everything from energy to space, but he did not give details.

“President Xi Jinping and King Salman are old friends,” Zhang said. “Practical co-operation between China and Saudi Arabia has already made major achievements, and has huge potential.”

For Saudi Aramco, the potential investments fit with its strategy to expand its refining and chemicals portfolio in its bid to diversify assets and secure long-term agreements for its oil.

An MoU with state-run Norinco will look into building refining and chemical projects in China, while Saudi Basic Industries Corp (SABIC) and Sinopec have agreed to develop petrochemical projects in China and Saudi Arabia.

The Norinco deal could involve exploring the possibility of a greenfield refinery and chemical plant in Panjin, Liaoning province, while also upgrading an existing refinery and petrochemical facility in the same location, an industry source said.

Sinopec and SABIC, one of the world’s largest petrochemical companies, jointly run a refinery in Tianjin.

‘HONEST BROKER’

China has traditionally played little role in Middle East conflicts or diplomacy, despite its reliance on the region for oil. But it has been trying to get more involved in efforts to end Syria’s six-year-old civil war, where Riyadh supports rebels battling President Bashar al-Assad.

Last year China also offered support for Yemen’s government, which is backed by a Saudi-led Gulf Arab coalition in a war against the Iranian-aligned Houthi movement that controls much of the country.

Zhang said both the Yemen and Syria crises were discussed by Salman and Xi, and both leaders agreed that these issues must be resolved politically via talks.

China has had to tread a careful line, though, as it also has close relations with Iran. Xi visited both Saudi Arabia and Iran in January last year.

Next week Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visits China.

One Beijing-based diplomat from a Muslim-majority country told Reuters that China was trying to play the role of “honest broker” in the Middle East, as it lacks the historical baggage of the Americans or the Europeans.

“China does not take sides and that is appreciated,” said the diplomat, speaking on condition of anonymity.

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2017-02-26 15:01:21

Photo Gallery

Saudi King Salman visits Malaysia on Asian tour

Source:

AFP

Reuters

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Dubbing Pakistan as the ‘world’s terrorism factory’, India on Wednesday hit out at the neighbouring country for alienating its people through continued mistreatment of people belonging to the minority groups such as Hindus, Christians, Shias and Ahmadiyas.

”Pakistan has referred to the situation of minorities in India. Minorities in India have been Prime Ministers, Presidents, Vice-Presidents, senior Cabinet Ministers, senior civil servants, cricket team captains, Bollywood superstars ~ can the minorities of Pakistan claim even a shadow of this? All they have are blasphemy laws and relentless abuse and violation of their human rights,” the Indian representative said at the 34th session of the UN Human Rights Council (HRC) currently under way in Geneva.

The Indian official was exercising New Delhi’s right of reply in response to a statement made by Pakistan in which Islamabad made ‘fallacious references’ to Jammu and Kashmir.

Denouncing Pakistan’s statement as interference in the internal matters of India, the Indian official said terrorism was the grossest violation of human rights and should be so acknowledged by any impartial and objective observer.

”A part of the territories of our state remains under the forcible and illegal occupation of Pakistan. It is unfortunate that in recent times the people of Pakistan Occupied Kashmir have become victims of sectarian conflict, terrorism and extreme economic hardship because of Pakistan’s occupation and discriminatory policies,” New Delhi said.

India asserted that the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir was part of a pluralistic and secular democracy, where an independent judiciary, an active media and a vibrant civil society guarantee freedoms. In contrast, PoK was administered by a ‘deep state’ and has become a hub for the global export of terror.

Pakistan’s continued support for terror groups operating in J & K was the main challenge to protecting the human rights of Indian citizens in the state. Pakistan’s selective approach in tackling terror groups operating outside Pakistan and within, despite the numerous solemn promises made, underscored the continuing unwillingness to acknowledge the truth.

”We do not accept attempts by Pakistan to denigrate the democratic choice that has been regularly exercised by the people of J & K over the last six decades since our independence. We ask Pakistan to stop inciting and supporting violence and terrorism in any part of India and refrain from meddling in our internal affairs in any manner. Pakistan must rein in its compulsive hostility towards India,” the Indian official said, adding Islamabad must fulfil its obligation to vacate illegal occupation of PoK.

A former soldier turned lawmaker on Thursday filed an impeachment complaint against President Rodrigo Duterte, the first move to oust the Chief Executive just a few months after his election into office.

Magdalo Rep. Gary Alejano filed the impeachment complaint before the Secretary General of the House of Representatives, who would determine if the form and substance of the complaint is sufficient to have the President impeached.

Among the basis of impeachment are culpable violation of the Constitution, bribery, betrayal of public trust, graft and corruption, and other high crimes.

It remains to be seen if the impeachment complaint would survive the lower house dominated by a supermajority of allies of the administration.

In a press conference, Alejano said Duterte should be impeached for bribing the vigilante squad Davao Death Squad to kill drug pushers and users when he was Davao city mayor and at the height of his administration’s war on drugs.

“Ang pinakamahalaga dito ‘yung state policy of killing of drug offenders, ang pagpatay ng kapwa Filipino na di man lang dumadaan sa democratic na prosesong mayroon tayo ngayon,” Alejano said.

(The biggest reason here is the state policy of killing drug offenders, the killing of Filipinos without going through the democratic process that is currently in place.)

Duterte, he said, should also be impeached for graft and corruption for alleged ghost employees when he was Davao city mayor, and a P2.2 billion (S$61.8 million) alleged hidden wealth in his bank transactions which was not declared in his Statement of Assets and Liabilities Networth (SALN).

“Sa graft and corruption, nakapaloob dito ang kaniyang bank accounts… Sa kabuuan ay P2.2 billion na hindi man lang niya na-declare sa kaniyang SALN,” Alejano said.

(For graft and corruption, included here are his bank accounts. In total, he has P2.2 billion which he did not declare in his SALN.)

Alejano filed the impeachment complaint as he earlier denounced the entry of Chinese ships in Benham Rise, a 13 million-hectare mineral-rich undersea region east of Luzon, urging Duterte to fight for our country’s territorial rights instead of making sweet deals with China.

Alejano said Magdalo will study the possibility of filing a supplemental impeachment complaint over Duterte’s sweet deals with China.

In a press briefing at the House of Representatives on Tuesday, Alejano scored Duterte for selling out the country’s territory while making sweet deals with China in exchange for foreign investments and loans.

“Kailangang maging transparent ang pangulo dahil parang pinagpapalit sa pera ang ating teritoryo,” Alejano said.

(The President should be transparent about this because it seems he is trading our territory for money.)

The lawmaker then said Duterte may be liable for treason, an impeachable offence, if the administration does not defend its sovereignty over the Benham Rise.

“Kasama ang treason as basis for impeachment. Dapat pangalagaan ang ating teritoryo. ‘Pag ang pangulo na mismo ang nag-va-violate niyan, he should be accountable,” Alejano said.

(Treason is a basis for impeachment. We should protect our territories. If the President is the one violating that, he should be accountable.)

Alejano denounced the entry of Chinese ships in the Benham Rise, a biodiversity hotspot, even though this was not part of China’s nine-dash line which an arbitration court earlier ruled as invalid.

China has said the Philippines could not claim Benham Rise as its own territory and that the passage of the Chinese survey ships supposedly to look for submarine stations was an innocent passage” supported by international law.

Duterte took a soft stance on the issue, adding that the Philippines should not fight China about sovereignty or ownership over the Benham Rise especially because the Philippines could not match China’s might.

“Why would I pick a fight, I’d rather talk,” Duterte said on Monday.

Alejano said China misled the Philippines when it built illegal structures over the Mischief Reef and the Scarborough Shoal which China claims is part of its territory.

“China fooled us in Mischief Reef, fooled us in Scarborough Shoal. Are we going to let China fool us again in Benham Rise?” Alejano said.

Alejano urged the administration to defend the country’s territory and not bow down to the whims of China.

“We won’t be able to assert our rights even in Benham Rise in the future if we want to always appease China,” Alejano said.