Visually impaired woman fights to save endangered gibbons in remote Indonesian village - CNA

SUKABUMI, Indonesia: With her trusty walking cane in hand and a backpack filled with ripe bananas, Tini Kasmawati trudged through the slippery, mud-caked paths of a dwindling forest near her village, unfazed by the drizzling rain, frigid morning air and most of all: Her deteriorating vision.

Occasionally, the visually impaired woman lost her footing on the hilly terrain. But she pressed onward, eager to encounter the elusive creatures that called this forest home: The silvery gibbons, an endangered species endemic to Indonesia’s most populous island, Java.

For the past nine years, Kasmawati, a 51-year-old food vendor from Lengkong village in West Java’s Sukabumi regency, has been providing food to a family of gibbons that roam a once lushly canopied hill. 

That hill is now slowly being converted into rubber plantations and human settlements.

“The gibbons only eat ripe (fruits), but before (the fruits) are ripe, they are either harvested by the farmers (who grow them) or stolen by others,” Kasmawati told CNA.

With virtually nothing they could eat aside from leaves and insects, conflicts with humans became rampant in Lekong village, threatening the survival of a species with a population of just around 2,000 left in the wild.

The silvery gibbons are territorial and rarely venture out of their respective areas, unless to find a suitable partner with which they mate for life.

Kasmawati’s efforts to provide food for the gibbons – using a bucket hoisted onto a makeshift bamboo platform – not only prevented these conflicts from happening but also improved the gibbons’ welfare.

“The gibbons have very good instincts. If they feel that a long drought is coming and food scarcity is imminent, they would hold off from producing more offspring,” she said.

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2023-04-21 22:01:00Z
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Indonesia's PDI-P picks Central Java governor Ganjar Pranowo as presidential candidate - CNA

JAKARTA: The Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) on Friday (April 21) announced that Central Java governor Ganjar Pranowo will be its presidential candidate for the upcoming election next year.

Head of PDI-P Megawati Soekarnoputri made the announcement during a meeting of her party which was streamed online.  

“(In the name of God), I appoint Ganjar Pranowo, current governor of Central Java and party cadre, I add his duties to become a presidential candidate ...,” said Mdm Soekarnoputri.  

She was accompanied by President Joko Widodo and her daughter Puan Maharani, who is the head of PDI-P’s political and security unit.

After Mdm Soekarnoputri’s announcement, Mr Widodo said that the next leader needs to continue the fight of the Indonesian people and carry out visions such as uniting the citizens and maintaining tolerance in the country.

Jokowi, as the president is popularly known, said he appreciates Mdm Soekarnoputri’s announcement as the public has a right to know the presidential candidates since the election is nearing.

“Mr Ganjar (Pranowo) is a leader who is close to the people, who always approaches them and is very ideological,” he said.

Following the announcement, Mr Pranowo said he is honoured to have received the appointment.

“Of course this will not be easy … therefore, I ask for your support,” he said.

Mr Pranowo added: “Hopefully, I will be capable (of running). God willing I will fight.”

Last year, Mr Pranowo indicated his readiness to run for the presidential race during an interview with local media BeritaSatu. Pollsters had also continuously ranked Mr Pranowo as a strong potential presidential candidate.

Prior to the Friday announcement, local media reported that Mdm Soekarnoputri wanted to nominate Puan Maharani - who is also the parliamentary speaker - as PDI-P’s presidential candidate. However, polls had shown that Puan Maharani’s electability is below 10 per cent.

To nominate a presidential candidate, a party must obtain at least 20 per cent of the total seats in parliament or obtain 25 per cent of votes in the previous legislative election.

PDI-P is the only party that meets this criterion as it has 22.26 per cent of the seats in parliament. Other parties must form a coalition if they want to nominate a presidential candidate.

Potential presidential and vice-presidential candidates must then register themselves with the elections commission this October if they want to contest in the polls on Feb 14, 2024.

According to analysts, a grand coalition for the upcoming Indonesian election may be on the cards. The parliament’s second biggest party Golkar has formed a coalition with Partai Amanat Nasional (PAN) and Partai Persatuan Pembangunan (PPP). Named Koalisi Indonesia Bersatu (KIB), it holds 25.73 per cent of the parliament seats.

Meanwhile, the third largest party in parliament, Gerindra, has formed a coalition with the National Awakening Party (PKB). Together, the Koalisi Kebangkitan Indonesia Raya (KKIR) has 23.66 per cent of parliament seats.

The two coalitions and Jokowi had met earlier this month, triggering speculation that a grand coalition may be in the works.

Jokowi, who is a member of PDI-P, became Indonesia’s president in October 2014. He is constitutionally barred from a third term in office. This means that Indonesians will be electing a new head of state to lead the world’s third-largest democracy next year.

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2023-04-21 07:01:00Z
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Sudan deaths mount as army chief rules out talks - CNA

KHARTOUM: Explosions and gunfire resounded in Sudan's capital on Thursday (Apr 20) as fighting between the forces of two rival generals showed no signs of abating ahead of festivities marking the end of Ramadan.

More than 300 people have been killed since the fighting erupted Saturday between forces loyal to Sudan's army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and his deputy, Mohamed Hamdan Daglo, who commands the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF).

Some of the fiercest fighting has been in Khartoum, a city of five million people, most of whom have been sheltering at home without electricity, food and water.

As battles raged for a sixth day, Burhan dismissed any prospects for negotiations with Daglo, telling Al Jazeera he sees no option but "decisive military" action.

"I do not think there is any room for talks over politics again with the Rapid Support Forces," he told the Qatar-based broadcaster, but said he was open to mediation.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called for a ceasefire of "at least three days" over Eid al-Fitr, beginning Friday and marking the end of the holy month of Ramadan.

Two ceasefires in as many days have failed to take hold, with witnesses saying "shelling did not stop" in Khartoum, as another ceasefire was breached Wednesday within minutes of its supposed start.

Gunfire continued Thursday, with columns of thick black smoke rising from buildings around Khartoum International Airport and the army headquarters.

"We were awoken ... to the roaring sound of fighter jets and air strikes," said Nazek Abdalla, a 38-year-old in southern Khartoum. "We locked our doors and windows, hoping no stray bullets would hit our building."

While many sheltered at home, others were venturing out and risking it "to protect themselves and their families", said architect Tagreed Abdin.

Beyond Khartoum, witnesses reported loud explosions in the city of Obeid, in the central state of North Kordofan.

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2023-04-20 18:17:00Z
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Singapore stops import of live pigs from Indonesian island after African swine fever detected in shipment - The Straits Times

SINGAPORE – A consignment of live pigs from Indonesia’s Pulau Bulan to Singapore has been found to be infected with African swine fever (ASF).

The virus was detected on Thursday in pig carcasses in an abattoir in Jurong where the animals are slaughtered for food, the Singapore Food Agency (SFA) said on Thursday.

The deadly swine disease, which does not infect humans, is highly contagious among wild boars and pigs.

This is the first time ASF has been detected in pigs imported into Singapore, said SFA.

SFA added that it has stopped the import of live pigs from Pulau Bulan, which accounts for about 15 per cent of Singapore’s total pork supply. This makes up about two-thirds of Singapore’s supply of freshly slaughtered pork.

Investigations are ongoing at the farm in Pulau Bulan, which is near Batam.

SFA said: “Due to the current situation, there will be temporary disruptions to the supply of freshly slaughtered pork from Sunday.”

Meanwhile, SFA said it will work with partners in the industry to increase the availability of chilled and frozen pork from other sources.

Singapore imports pork from more than 20 sources, including live pigs from Sarawak in East Malaysia, as well as chilled or frozen pork from Australia, Brazil and other countries.

SFA said: “Consumers can choose a variety of food types and from different sources, and opt for other forms of meat such as frozen or chilled pork or other protein options.

“There will be ample supplies for everyone if we buy responsibly and do not hoard.”

SFA said it is also working with the abattoir to maintain biosecurity measures and sanitise the premises as well as the surrounding areas after the pigs have been slaughtered.

It said pork available in Singapore remains safe for consumption as ASF does not affect humans and is not a food safety concern.

It added: “Pigs that are not sick and passed SFA’s inspections can be eaten. SFA and the Animal and Veterinary Service, a cluster of the National Parks Board, will continue to monitor the situation closely.”

Singapore’s import conditions for pigs, pork and pork products are based on science, and take reference from guidelines and standards from the World Organisation for Animal Health.

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2023-04-20 15:10:27Z
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Singapore halts import of live pigs from Pulau Bulan after African swine fever detected in carcasses - CNA

SINGAPORE: Singapore has stopped the import of live pigs from Pulau Bulan in Indonesia after African swine fever was detected in some pig carcasses.

The Singapore Food Agency (SFA) said on Thursday (Apr 20) that the carcasses were from a consignment of live pigs from Pulau Bulan. They have been removed from the abattoir line.

SFA has halted the imports while investigations are ongoing.

"Due to the current situation, there will be temporary disruptions to the supply of freshly slaughtered pork from Apr 23 onwards," said the food agency.

"SFA is working closely with the abattoir to sanitise the premises and surrounding environment after the slaughter of pigs that are currently at the abattoir has been completed, as well as to maintain the biosecurity measures at the abattoir."

It added that pork in Singapore is safe for consumption, as African swine fever does not affect humans and is not a food safety concern.

Pigs that are not sick and have passed SFA's inspections can be eaten, it said.

"SFA and the Animal & Veterinary Service ... will continue to monitor the situation closely," said the agency.

AFRICAN SWINE FEVER

While African swine fever is a highly virulent and contagious disease in pigs, it does not infect humans, said SFA. 

To mitigate the risk of incursion of African swine fever, SFA requires regions exporting raw pork to Singapore to be free from the disease as raw meat from infected pigs is a possible vehicle of transmission of the virus. 

Processed pork products from approved establishments in areas affected by African swine fever are allowed to be imported and sold, provided they have been "heat-treated to inactivate" the virus, said SFA. 

"Singapore’s import conditions for pigs, pork and pork products are based on science, and take reference from guidelines and standards from the World Organisation for Animal Health," the agency added.

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2023-04-20 10:46:00Z
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PM Anwar: Muhyiddin should not have issued inflammatory statements in GE15 - Malay Mail

KUALA LUMPUR, April 20 — Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin as a veteran politician and former prime minister ought to have known that it is undesirable to make public statements that have a tendency to inflame and promote feelings of ill-will during the 15th general election (GE15).

In his reply to Muhyiddin’s defence statement against his defamation suit, the Pakatan Harapan (PH) chairman claimed that Muhyiddin had distorted the truth and disseminated scurrilous falsehoods in respect of his salary as the Selangor Government Economic Adviser, more so when the same had been publicly rebutted by Anwar years ago.

Thus, the plaintiff claimed that Muhyiddin’s statement during an election campaign in Padang Serai in GE15 last year was defamatory and malicious.

“Muhyiddin ought to have known that it is undesirable to make public statements that have a tendency to inflame and promote feelings of ill-will, discontent or hostility between persons and candidates, to induce any elector or voter before, during and after election, more so when such statements are defamatory and malicious in nature.

“Nonetheless, the defendant had proceeded to make the same (impugned slanderous and/or libellous words) via his speeches in an election campaign which are clearly indisputably a contravention of the Election Offences Act 1954,” Anwar said in his reply to the Perikatan Nasional chairman, filed through SN Nair & Partners dated February 16, 2023.

He further claimed that it was not difficult for Muhyiddin to access the publicly available parliamentary Hansard record before making the allegation.

The Tambun MP contended that Muhyiddin has no legal duty to issue allegedly false and malicious statements in the Padang Serai constituency, which is not even the latter’s parliamentary constituency of Pagoh.

In the suit, Anwar, 75, claimed that last December 5, Muhyiddin made the slanderous remarks against him in a speech during the ‘Grand Finale Perikatan Nasional Padang Serai’ in Taman Selasih, Kulim, in support of PN candidate in GE15 Datuk Azman Nasrudin, which was attended by a large crowd.

Anwar is seeking, among others, general damages, aggravated damages, exemplary damages and an injunction to prevent Muhyiddin from continuing to publish or distribute similar defamatory statements.

On January 17, Muhyiddin in his statement of defence claimed, among others, that Anwar should not be offended by the criticisms and questions he raised in his speech. — Bernama

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2023-04-20 06:45:00Z
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China COVID-19 protesters released after four months' detention: Sources - CNA

BEIJING: At least two Chinese women who joined historic "white paper" demonstrations in Beijing calling for an end to COVID-19 curbs were released on Wednesday (Apr 19) after almost four months in detention, two of their friends told Reuters.

The protests, unprecedented in President Xi Jinping's decade in power, began in late November in cities across China. They were suppressed by police within days but helped hasten the end of three years of tough COVID-19 restrictions, sources have previously told Reuters.

Immediately following the protests, in which hundreds took to the streets across the country, many holding up blank sheets of paper as a symbol of their discontent, police interrogated and detained dozens of participants, according to rights groups, lawyers and friends of those individuals.

Many were only held for 24 hours or less, or were released after a few weeks.

Cao Zhixin, a 26-year-old book editor, and Zhai Dengrui, a 27-year-old teacher, were released on Wednesday, according to two friends of the individuals.

Reuters could not immediately reach the pair for comment or establish why they were released.

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2023-04-20 04:16:39Z
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