Indonesia’s Broadcasting Commission (KPI) said it will investigate Radio HangFM for possibly spreading radical teachings, after Singapore’s Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) said last week that it had detained two Singaporeans who claimed to have been radicalised by the station’s ultra-conservative broadcasts.

Radio HangFM had faced a protest in late 2013 by a group of Muslims who were disturbed by the station’s extreme religious sermons.

Its founder Mr Zein Alatas, 59, told The Straits Times on Monday that the station has changed its programming content and banned controversial hardline clerics following the protest.

The station’s preachers had disapproved of local traditions such as praying over the graves of dead relatives and holding days-long prayers during funerals, which they said were not the ways of Prophet Muhammad, he said.

Mr Zein had apologised to the protesters and signed an agreement promising to review its programmes and tone down its rhetoric.

“Our clerics were warned to stop saying that this or that ritual is not from the Quran and hadiths,” he said, referring to religious reports on the Prophet’s life. “To us, the case is closed.”

The station had also dropped some speakers such as Singaporean preacher Rasul Dahri, whom The Straits Times understands was jailed and fined in Johor Baru in May for teaching without a permit and spreading messages that were in conflict with Islamic doctrine.

Last week, Singapore’s MHA said that the station “sometimes features speakers who preach extreme views”, and the authorities are “looking into all options” on whether to block it.

But Mr Zein said the authorities “cannot judge us now for past incidents, and for which we had taken steps to rectify”, insisting that the two Singaporeans might have consumed radical materials from other sources.

“Like all Muslims, I condemn radicalism, terrorism and ISIS,” he added, referring to the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) terror group.

He said that the station has also invited several clerics approved by the government to give anti-terrorism talks.

Radio HangFM is one of nine religion-based stations in the Riau Islands province, and one of hundreds across Indonesia.

It had played Malay music in its early days in 2002 but became an Islamic radio station in 2005 after Mr Zein felt that he “was busy chasing worldly pursuits that I strayed away from God”, he said.

The station generates a steady stream of income on its own and does not receive any foreign funding, including from the Middle East, he said.

KPI’s Riau Islands provincial chief Azwardi Anas acknowledged to The Straits Times on Monday that the station had “changed a lot” in the past three years, airing the national anthem, running poetry and even inviting clerics recommended by the authorities to speak, besides its own.

But national KPI chief Yuliandre Darwis said the commission is waiting for a detailed report from the province on the station.

“The initial report by the local authorities is it is purely a religious station. But if violations are committed, we will surely intervene,” he told The Straits Times yesterday.

“We can ask it to stop its broadcasts, issue a verbal or written warning, axe its programmes or revoke its radio licence. But all this will only be done based on checks on the ground.”

aarlina@sph.com.sg

This article was first published on August 24, 2016.
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JAKARTA – A mob gathered outside the Singapore embassy in Jakarta on Tuesday (Aug 23) morning to protest against the alleged mistreatment of a retired Indonesian general at Changi Airport last week.

About 40 demonstrators, who identified themselves as the Pemuda Panca Marga (PPM), arrived at the embassy just as it was opening its doors to receive visitors who wanted to pay their respects to former president S R Nathan, who died at the Singapore General Hospital on Monday night.

The embassy, like many other of the Republic’s overseas missions around the world, had set up a condolence book for Singaporeans based abroad as well as friends of the country to pen tributes to the late Mr Nathan.

The members of the PPM, set up by descendants of veterans who fought against the Dutch during Indonesia’s war for independence in the mid-1940s, were carrying banners demanding “Singapore must apologise to Indonesia” over the Aug 17 incident involving former three-star general Suryo Prabowo.

Mr Suryo, who retired as chief of general staff of the Indonesian armed forces (TNI) in 2012, was in transit at Changi Airport last Wednesday when he claimed he was subjected to a lengthy interview and denied entry to Singapore because he was “blacklisted for reasons that are not clear”.

Singapore’s Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA), however, has since clarified that Mr Suryo was interviewed by its officers for about 30 minutes from 5.35am, and then allowed to continue on his journey.

“He was informed by ICA officers that the interview was part of the screening procedures for border security,” the ICA said in a statement last Saturday.

The Straits Times understands that the PPM demonstrators left the embassy area after its representatives handed over a note of protest to a Singapore embassy official.

The embassy said in a Facebook post on Tuesday that despite the demonstration, the signing of the condolence book proceeded uninterrupted inside the embassy.

“We would like to extend our thanks to the Jakarta police for ensuring law and order, as well as the safety of the embassy during this period,” added the embassy. “This was a suitable moment to recall what Mr S R Nathan had once said about the qualities needed to be a successful Foreign Service Officer of Singapore: patience, calmness, modesty, empathy and good humour.

“More importantly, he had also reminded us that Singapore foreign service officers must have patriotism and a sense of mission; integrity and honesty; and the ability to carry on with our work, even under pressure. Timeless advice.”

This article was first published on August 23, 2016.
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Around 900 Malaysians rode the bullet train from Beijing to Tianjin on Tuesday to experience the trademark Chinese technology in the wake of last month’s announcement of a planned Malaysia-to-Singapore high-speed rail link.

Fauwati Abdul Rahman, a businesswoman from Malaysia, said she was excited to ride the train.

“It is the first time I have visited China and my first time in Beijing. Actually, it my first time to take a train. In my country, I usually drive,” she said.

Rahman and her friends took selfies to post on social media.

“I like the high-speed train. It is very nice and fast,” she said.

Rahman was part of a trip organised by the Malaysia-China Friendship Association, which invited Malaysians－especially those with high social and economic status－to visit China and experience its high-speed rail.

“It is a great opportunity for Malaysians to experience the high-speed train since Malaysia is planning to invest in a new urban transportation system, such as the Malaysia-Singapore high-speed rail plan,” said Abdul Majid Ahmad Khan, president of the Malaysia-China Friendship Association.

Most of the tour members had never been to China before, and they were interested to see the railway, Khan said.

“I have taken high-speed trains in many countries, such as in Japan and in Europe. China’s bullet train is comfortable,” he said, noting that China has the technology and skills to build them well.

Zhou Li, director of China Railway Corporation’s science and technology administration department, said, “China has mastered world-leading technology to build high-speed railways. In addition, it has experience in various environments, including extremely hot and cold weather conditions.”

China’s high-speed rail network covers more than 19,000 kilometers, accounting for 60 per cent of the world’s high-speed rail tracks.

Last month, the Singapore and Malaysia governments announced plans for a high-speed rail linking Singapore with the Malaysian capital, Kuala Lumpur. Chinese companies have shown an interest in bidding on the project, as are others from Japan, Europe and South Korea, said Khan, who served as the Malaysian ambassador to China from 1998 to 2005.

China has eyed high-speed rail projects overseas in recent years. It built the Jakarta-Bandung railway in Indonesia and the Moscow-Kazan railway in Russia.

Khan said many factors are involved in awarding the project, including technology, finance and management.

“Whoever can offer the best package will win. China has a good chance,” he said.

Many Southeast Asian countries, such as Thailand, Laos and Indonesia, also have plans to construct high-speed railways.

Singapore-Malaysia ink landmark High Speed Rail MOU

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The Straits Times

BANGKOK  – Thai traffic police rounded up 42 motorists for playing Pokemon Go behind the wheel on the first day of crackdowns on 10 main Bangkok streets.

Bangkok traffic police arrested 42 motorists on the first day of the “Pokemon Traffic No Go” campaign Monday.

Acting Metropolitan Police chief Lt-General Sanit Mahathavorn said 18 drivers were nabbed on Sukhumvit Road, nine on Rama IV Road and four on Yaowarat Road for using their mobile phones while driving.

Pokemon Go fever

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Reuters, AFP

He said the arrested drivers face a fine of between 400 baht (US$11) and 1,000 baht (US$28) each for using their cellphone while driving, as it is in violation of Article 43(9) of the Land Traffic Act.

“Officers contact and coordinate with each other before arresting the motorists. Though the motorists were waiting at the traffic light and their cars were stationary, it is still illegal for them to pull out their phone and catch a Pokemon,” he said.

The anti-Pokemon Go campaign is being implemented on 10 major roads in Bangkok, including Rama IV, Sathorn, Vibhavadi Rangsit, Phaholyothin, Sukhumvit, Phaya Thai, Petchaburi, Henri Dunant, and Rama I.

The volume of traffic is high on these roads and the campaign aims to prevent accidents that can be caused by drivers distracted by Pokemon Go players.

Hundreds of Pokemon Go fans gather in Yokohama for Pikachu parade

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AFP, Reuters

NAYPYITAW – Myanmar’s Lower House of Parliament currently has seven vacant seats, and the Upper House has three. A total of seven constituencies across the country were unable to hold elections last year.

Myanmar is expected to hold a by-election in early 2017, said Aung Myint, a member of the Union Election Commission (UEC).

He spoke in response to a question posed by MP Sai Tun Aung from Shan State Constituency-2 in the Upper House on August 22. The MP asked whether there is a plan to hold an election in Shan State’s Monghsu and Kyethi townships, which were excluded from the 2015 general election for security reasons.

“There is a law about by-elections. We expect a by-election will be held in early 2017. The exact date will be officially announced later. Currently, Monghsu and Kyethi have no parliamentary representatives,” he said.

Myanmar’s Lower House of parliament currently has seven vacant seats, and the Upper House has three. A total of seven constituencies across the country were unable to hold elections last year.

The UEC announced on October 27 last year that the November 8 general election would not be held in Monghsu and Kyethi, claiming they were not in a position to hold free and fair elections.