Indonesia candidates turn to K-pop to pull votes - CNA

JAKARTA: Indonesia holds its presidential election on Wednesday (Feb 14) but candidates are looking to another country's export to win votes - K-pop, the South Korean sensation that has swept much of the world.

At an event held by young volunteers for candidate Anies Baswedan in the capital Jakarta, die-hard K-pop fans had photoshopped his face with sunglasses on merchandise fashioning him in the style of a South Korean pop star.

In Indonesia, megastars BTS and other K-pop groups are extremely popular, giving politicians another route to appeal to young people. Millennials and Gen Zers make up more than half of the country's electorate.

Hundreds gathered in a noisy crowd on Thursday evening, some holding posters, paper fans and stickers emblazoned with Baswedan's face in a K-pop style.

"It is funny, very contemporary," said tax analyst Nurul Hidayah, a supporter of Baswedan.

"Usually the campaign materials are old-fashioned, too boring. But this is very fun."

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2024-02-09 09:32:22Z
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Malaysia's top court declares several Islamic laws in Kelantan state unconstitutional - CNA

Kelantan, which lies just south of Thailand in Malaysia's north, is governed by Parti Islam Se-Malaysia (PAS) which has advocated for a stricter interpretation of Islamic law.

PAS has seen increased popularity in recent years amid growing Islamic conservatism among Malaysia's majority ethnic Malay Muslims, and is seen as a challenge for Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim's multi-ethnic ruling coalition. PAS holds more seats in parliament than any other party.

The constitutional challenge was filed by a Kelantanese lawyer and her daughter against laws covering Syariah offences that were passed by the state and came into force in 2021.

The case has sparked uproar among some conservative Muslim groups, who fear the challenge could undermine Islam or the Syariah courts in Malaysia.

Security was tight around the court complex in Malaysia's administrative capital, Putrajaya, as about 1,000 demonstrators gathered outside to protest the case. They prayed and chanted "God is great" as the judgement was delivered.

Justice Tengku Maimun said the case did not have anything to do with the position of Islam in the country, only on whether the Kelantan legislature had acted beyond its powers.

"Seen from this position, the issue of the civil court not upholding Islam or the Syariah courts does not arise," she said.

After the judgement, Religious Affairs Minister Mohd Na'im Mokhtar said in a statement the government's Islamic authorities would take immediate steps to strengthen Syariah courts, adding that the Islamic judiciary remained protected under the federal constitution.

Kelantan government official Mohamed Fazli Hassan expressed disappointment with the ruling, saying the state would consult with its royal ruler, Sultan Muhammad V, on the decision and further matters of Islamic law. Nine of Malaysia’s 13 states are headed by monarchs who act as the guardians of Islam.

Nik Ahmad Kamal Nik Mahmod, a law professor at Malaysia-based Taylor's University, said Friday's decision could have a "domino effect" with Syariah laws in other states likely to see similar challenges.

"There is a need to rewind and reconsider the existing states’ jurisdiction on Islamic law," he said, adding that Malaysia's constitution should be amended to avoid conflicts between Syariah and civil laws.

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2024-02-09 02:04:24Z
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Are young women more woke than their male peers? In Singapore, it's not so clear-cut - CNA

SINGAPORE: Women are “more susceptible to believing in the woke side of things”. That’s what Mr Ng, a 30-year-old Singaporean who only wanted to be known by his surname, believes.

The finance executive identifies as politically conservative. “I guess the left has gone so far left that anyone in the moderate spectrum becomes conservative,” he told CNA.

For a few years now, Mr Ng has regularly got his news from, in his own words, “conspiracy theorists” like Alex Jones, the US far-right media personality and owner of the InfoWars fake news website.

Some of his views are influenced by the preoccupations of US politics. For example, he believes that allowing children to transition to another gender before they reach adulthood is “child abuse”.

He also holds opinions that are outright controversial in Singapore. He thinks the COVID-19 vaccine is dangerous and should not be taken, and that people should have the freedom to say that without being censored.

Mr Ng has noticed that among his friends – most of whom are male – the men are more likely to share his views than the women.

He belongs to a reportedly growing group of young men around the world who align with right-wing, more conservative worldviews. And they are veering away from female peers who are trending in the opposite direction towards left-wing, more liberal worldviews.

This is opening a “dramatic” ideological gap between young men and women – a “new global gender divide”,  according to the Financial Times in January.

And it upends a well-established pattern that “every generation tends to move as one in terms of its politics and general ideology”.

“Gen Z is two generations, not one,” said the British paper, citing data from South Korea, Germany, Poland, the United Kingdom and the United States.

In Singapore, despite the views held by Mr Ng and some other young people interviewed by CNA, studies of the wider population show that this global gender divide does not seem to be prevalent here.

Instead, the picture is mixed. One researcher even said the trend of young women being more liberal could be the reverse in Singapore.

What the surveys do show, however, are some gender differences in views on issues like racism, marriage and parenthood – which can in turn inform political beliefs.

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2024-02-08 22:00:00Z
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A complete guide to the Year of the Dragon 2024: 10 essential reads - South China Morning Post

The Lunar New Year is the biggest holiday in the Chinese calendar. It is a time for family gatherings, feasts and temple visits, and people are eager to know the fate predicted for them in the coming lunar year according to the zodiac sign they were born under.

Read on to learn details of Chinese traditions surrounding the festival, and to find out your lucky number, stone and colour, and what fortune holds for you at work and home in the Year of the Dragon.

1. Year of the Dragon 2024: is your luck in? All 12 Zodiac sign predictions

How will your Chinese zodiac animal fare in 2024? Your luck could be helped by the presence of lucky stars and the intervention of bringers of good luck, or could fall victim to the presence of cursed stars.

Feng shui master, author and television host Tong Pik-ha gives her predictions for all 12 zodiac signs for the coming Year of the Dragon, which starts on February 10. Read the full story.

2. What to wear for Chinese New Year? The clue is in one of those 3 words

To ensure good luck in the year to come, wear red clothing that’s new at Chinese New Year, like this family. Photo: Shutterstock

What to wear for Chinese New Year? You can’t go wrong with a new set of clothes that are red or gold in colour.

The key word here is “new”. In Chinese culture, buying and wearing new clothes to welcome the Lunar New Year symbolises a fresh start. New clothes are representative of a clean slate and help usher in plenty of good fortune in the coming year. Read the full story

3. Why you should wear your lucky red underwear for Lunar New Year

Wearing red underwear is one way people can bring themselves good luck in the Year of the Dragon 2024 - especially if their Chinese zodiac animal faces predictions of bad luck. Photo: AFP

Columnist Luisa Tam says she burst out laughing when she saw the words “bright red underwear for Chinese New Year” in a promotional email she received. It was as if a divine power from above was reminding her that it was time to prepare for the Lunar New Year, she wrote.

In Chinese culture, red symbolises life and its many positive aspects. Therefore, it is often associated with the vitality of life and happiness, as well as wealth, luck and success. Read Luisa’s column in full

4. Chinese Lunar New Year traditions we rarely observe – like not showering

Traditionally, people would not wash their hair during the first two days of the Lunar New Year because they believed it would wash away their prosperity for the coming year. Photo: Shutterstock

But there are other folk customs that we have largely abandoned in modern times. Read the full story

5. Year of the Wood Dragon: predictions, personalities, wood element’s meaning

Craftsmen make dragon-shaped lanterns for a Lunar New Year lantern fair in Shenyang, China. Photo: Getty Images. Photo: Getty Images

Enter the Year of the Dragon. Or, to be more precise, the Year of the Wood Dragon.

In Chinese astrology, the 12 zodiac animals are each affiliated with an element – metal, wood, water, fire, earth – as they move around the zodiac cycle, and when an animal reappears after 12 years its elemental affiliation will shift. So what does the Wood Dragon mean? Read the full story

6. What Chinese animal am I? Their characteristics and when their years fall

Illustration: Victor Sanjinez Garcia

The roots of the Chinese animal signs are still debated, but one widely accepted legend tells of how the Jade Emperor sought 12 animals to guard time’s cycles. A race to the Heavenly Gate ensued, crowning the Rat, followed by the Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat, Monkey, Rooster, Dog and Pig in that order.

7. The top 10 ways to say Happy New Year in Chinese – Cantonese and Mandarin

From “happy new year” to “may you be prosperous” to “wishing you good health”, there are many traditional greetings to say to people during Chinese New Year. Photo: Shutterstock

How do you say Happy New Year in Chinese? The most common way in Cantonese is to say san nin faai lok, and in Mandarin, xin nian kuai le.

If you plan to attend a Chinese New Year gathering in February and are looking to expand your repertoire of greetings for family and friends, look no further. We’ve compiled a list of the top 10 Chinese New Year greetings in Chinese and how to say them. Read the full story

8. Why you should pay your debts before Chinese New Year

The rear entrance of the Standard Chartered Bank Building, in Central, was daubed with red paint in 2005, allegedly by debt collectors chasing payment from an employee of the bank. Photo: SCMP

When Lunar New Year rolls around, so does the customary Chinese practice of paying off one’s debts, columnist Jason Wordie writes.

In part, this reflects a traditional symbolic wish to “close the books” at the end of the year and start life afresh on another, hopefully more fortunate, page of the celestial ledger. But what happens when personal debts have mounted beyond the capacity to pay? Drastic remedial action will follow. Read Jason’s column in full

9. Lunar New Year lucky foods: everything you need to know

Lunar New Year pudding cakes. Photo: Jonathan Wong

Chinese people are practical food lovers.

The dishes and ingredients served over Chinese New Year are meant to bring wealth, health and happiness in the coming year (along with some babies, too) – but they’re also delicious. Read the full story

10. How long is Chinese New Year and what does each day hold?

Worshippers offer incense at Wong Tai Sin Temple in Hong Kong on Lunar New Year’s Eve in 2019. Photo: Edmond So

Chinese New Year celebrations last 16 days, from the eve of the first lunar month to the Lantern Festival marking the first full moon of the new lunar year.

Different traditions are attached to each day of the new year, from offering greetings and family feasts to honouring Taoist deities and dos and don’ts at home. Read the full story

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2024-02-08 09:15:09Z
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China's spy agency warns students studying, visiting and holidaying abroad against foreign espionage - CNA

SINGAPORE: China’s top spy agency has warned Chinese students studying abroad against working with foreign spies as Beijing’s national security drive continues apace amid tensions with the West.

The Ministry of State Security sounded the alarm on Wednesday (Feb 7) on its WeChat account, cautioning Chinese nationals to be alert and avoid contact or cooperating with foreign intelligence agencies - be it studying or travelling overseas, or just paying a visit abroad.

This will help people to be timely in “uncovering the ulterior motives of seemingly cordial interactions”, it said in the post which had more than 100,000 views.

“In the face of all kinds of solicitation and counter-intelligence activities by foreign espionage agencies, it is necessary to maintain a line of defence and avoid falling into the traps set by (them)”, the ministry wrote.

At the same time, the ministry assured that for people who are coerced or tricked into joining foreign espionage organisations and carrying out activities which endanger China’s national security, they may not be prosecuted if they “promptly and truthfully” explain the situation to Chinese authorities.

EMBROILED IN ESPIONAGE

The post details a “real case” involving a Chinese student who was “severely punished” for leaking Chinese scientific research after graduating.

The student, referred to only by the surname Zhang, is said to have become involved in espionage while studying at a top-ranked college overseas in 2006. The ministry did not identify the country.

Zhang had been tasked to liaise with other Chinese students at the college due to his outstanding academic performance. This gained the attention of a senior figure in the college.

This person went on to introduce Zhang to two people who turned out to be foreign spies, the ministry wrote.

They convinced Zhang to provide intelligence on Chinese international students and eventually other “sensitive information” in return for money.

With their help, Zhang secured a job in a Chinese research institution in China even though his grades were below the entry requirement. In return, Zhang continued feeding information to them, including confidential data, the WeChat account said.

Eventually, Zhang’s actions were found out and he was punished for committing espionage, the ministry said, adding that Zhang had essentially “buried his promising prospects and youth” by giving in to the foreign intelligence agency’s “emotional manipulation and monetary temptation”.

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2024-02-08 08:18:00Z
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Mahkamah pulangkan sementara pasport Muhyiddin untuk ke Bangkok - Malaysiakini

Mahkamah Sesyen Kuala Lumpur membenarkan permohonan bekas perdana menteri Muhyiddin Yassin untuk mendapatkan semula pasportnya secara sementara untuk ke Thailand pada 15 Februari ini.

Hakim Azura Alwi membenarkan permohonan itu hari ini.

Pasport Muhyiddin ditahan selepas dia berdepan dua pertuduhan menerima wang hasil daripada aktiviti haram berjumlah RM195 juta.

Pada 31 Januari lalu, dia memfailkan permohonan untuk mendapatkan semula pasportnya secara sementara untuk ke Bangkok, Thailand atas tujuan menziarahi ahli perniagaan Malaysia di sana yang akan menguntungkan hubungan dua hala kedua-dua negara, sekan melawat beberapa pemimpin, pemikir dan tokoh masyarakat Islam.

Dia juga berkata diundang melancarkan sebuah restoran masakan Thai bernama Phrigkiao, milik kenalan rapatnya yang juga rakyat Malaysia.

Menurut afidavit sokongannya, pengerusi PN itu berkata dia ingin ke sana selama lapan hari, iaitu sehingga 23 Februari.

Bagaimanapun pendakwaan membantah permohonan itu, antaranya atas dasar Muhyiddin tiada keperluan mendesak untuk ke Thailand.

Dalam prosiding hari ini, Azura membenarkan Muhyiddin mendapatkan semula pasportnya sehingga 23 Februari dan berkata Muhyiddin tiada risiko untuk meninggalkan Malaysia bagi mengelak perbicaraan mahkamah.

Katanya, walaupun sebab yang dinyatakan Muhyiddin tidak mendesak, mahkamah ada budi bicara yang luas untuk memulangkan semula pasport secara sementara mengikut keadaan.

"Walaupun ada sekatan perjalanan terhadap pemohon, tidak wajar untuk menghalangnya daripada terus menjalani kehidupannya, selagi dia belum disabit bersalah," katanya kepada peguam Muhyiddin, Amer Hamzah Arshad dan timbalan pendakwa raya Nuralis Mat.

Pada 29 Disember tahun lalu, mahkamah sama turut memulangkan sementara pasport Muhyiddin untuk bercuti di London dan membuat pemeriksaan kesihatan di Singapura, namun menolak permohonan agar pasport dipulangkan secara kekal.

Muhyiddin berdepan dua pertuduhan menerima wang hasil daripada kegiatan haram berjumlah RM195 juta daripada Bukhary Equity Sdn Bhd yang dimasukkan ke akaun CIMB Bank milik Bersatu.

Dia juga berdepan satu lagi pertuduhan pengubahan wang haram melibatkan RM5 juta daripada kegiatan haram.

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2024-02-08 03:33:11Z
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Chinese firm behind 'news' websites pushes pro-Beijing content globally, researchers find - CNA

It is rare for researchers to link such operations to specific entities. Citizen Lab said the campaign began in mid-2020 and traced the network to public relations firm Shenzhen Haimaiyunxiang Media Co Ltd, also known as Haimai.

The company did not respond to a Reuters request for comment and a phone number listed on an archived version of its website was not reachable.

"As a principle, it is a typical bias and double standard to allege that the pro-China contents and reports are 'disinformation', and to call the anti-China ones 'true information,'” a spokesperson for China's embassy in Washington said in an emailed statement.

Citizen Lab said one of the websites in the campaign was Roma Journal, which looks every bit like a local Italian news outlet: Headlines discuss the Italian prime minister’s political prospects, a hot air balloon festival in a northern province and a book launch.

But a "press releases" button at a corner of its homepage leads to a range of Chinese state media articles on topics such as China's contribution to the global economic recovery and its push towards technological innovation.

Much of the content on the sites Citizen Lab found was sourced from a press releases service called Times Newswire, which analysts at cybersecurity firm Mandiant last year found to be at the centre of a separate Chinese influence operation that targeted US audiences.

While online influence campaigns are increasingly common as powerful people and governments around the world seek to manipulate public opinion, experts tracking such operations say China is one of the biggest sources of such drives alongside Russia and Iran.

Chinese influence operations have increased and expanded well beyond Asia, social media giant Meta said in a report in November, calling it "the most notable change in the threat landscape" since 2020.

Citizen Lab dug deeper into the network it found after a series of such websites popped up in South Korea and Italy.

South Korea's National Cyber Security Center (NCSC) – part of the country's national intelligence agency – exposed 18 of the sites in a report in November, also linking the operation to Haimai. Roma Journal was not legally registered as a news outlet in Italy, the country's Il Foglio newspaper reported.

It was not unusual the campaign was found to be low-engagement, said Dakota Cary, a China-focused consultant at cybersecurity firm SentinelOne.

"I think that's really important, because they still think that it's worthwhile to fund these campaigns," he said. "And so I think, if anything, we should expect to see this continue."

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2024-02-07 23:09:30Z
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