Japan to offer patrol planes to Malaysia: report

Japan plans to donate retired military patrol aircraft to Malaysia, a report said Friday, as alliances strengthen in response to China's maritime claims. Beijing insists it has sovereign rights to almost all of the South China Sea -- strategically vital waters, where the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan also have claims. Responding to a request by Kuala Lumpur, Tokyo plans to offer decomissioned P-3C patrol aircraft, the Nikkei business daily said, quoting an unnamed official at the defence ministry.

from Yahoo News Singapore - Latest News & Headlines http://ift.tt/2peXmIi

IGP confirms third Turkish man’s arrest

KUALA LUMPUR, May 5 — The police have confirmed that Turkish academic Ismet Ozcelik was arrested yesterday in connection to activities threatening Malaysia’s security. Inspector-General of...

from Yahoo News Singapore - Latest News & Headlines http://ift.tt/2pbCZLi

Malaysia's clogged oil shipping lanes underscore failure to reduce glut

By Henning Gloystein and Florence Tan SINGAPORE/DUBAI (Reuters) - Oil industry leaders meeting in Malaysia next week to discuss extending production cuts won't have to look far for evidence the market remains awash in supply. While not on the official agenda at the bi-annual Asia Oil and Gas Conference in Kuala Lumpur from Sunday to Tuesday, the attendance of top oil executives and policy makers including Saudi Arabian energy minister Khalid Al-Falih, ensures the production cut will be a major talking point. Crude prices languishing near 2017 lows are also keeping the over-supply issue to the fore.

from Yahoo News Singapore - Latest News & Headlines http://ift.tt/2qx7ksr

IGP confirms Turks not abducted, detained under SOSMA

KUALA LUMPUR, May 4 — Two Turkish men allegedly abducted Monday are under police custody instead for posing a threat to Malaysia’s security, Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar...

from Yahoo News Singapore - Latest News & Headlines http://ift.tt/2q1uuHc

High alert after report IS suspect fled to Thailand

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha yesterday instructed relevant agencies to be on alert after Malaysia revealed that a suspect linked to the Islamic State (IS), Muhammad Muzaffa Arieff Junaidi, had possibly fled to Thailand's deep South.

Muhammad, 27, from Malaysia's Kelantan state, is believed to have been running an IS cell. Six suspects linked to that cell were arrested in March in several Malaysian states.

"He managed to escape to southern Thailand with an M4 Carbine rifle and a pistol on March 22. He is also involved in smuggling weapons from southern Thailand," Inspector-General of Police Khalid Abu Bakar said.

Prayut said Thai authorities were ready to co-operate with Malaysia on a joint investigation and extradition of the suspect, but he urged the media not to play up the issue.

"Please don't play up the security matter. It's dangerous," Prayut said.

The Thai Army has contacted Malaysia for more information, Fourth Army Region Commander Lt-General Piyawat Nakwanich said.

There is no active IS movement in the deep South, he said, adding that border control authorities are very strict on cross-border movements.

There have been no reports of Muhammad entering the Kingdom, chief of Thai Immigration Bureau Natthorn Prausoonthorn said.

More than 6,800 people have been killed in the ongoing violence in Thailand's deep South since 2004. Authorities in Bangkok have said the situation in the predominantly Muslim region is a domestic affair.

In Malaysia, four men and two women, aged between 26 and 41, were picked up by Bukit Aman Special Branch Counter Terrorism Division following raids in five states, according to The Star newspaper.

The first arrests involved two men in Kelantan on March 24 and 25, Khalid said.

"We believe they were involved in smuggling weapons from southern Thailand for the terror group," he said yesterday.

A 26-year-old student was picked up at Kuala Lumpur International Airport on April 4 after she went to Turkey on August 29 last year with the intention of going to Syria to join IS, Khalid said.

"However, while waiting for further instructions from militant Muhammad Wanndy Mohamed Jedi, the suspect was detained by Turkish authorities on February 5," he said.

Two more arrests were made - of a 41-year-old jobless man, and a 32-year-old woman who worked as a factory technician - in Malacca and Johor respectively, Khalid said.

"We believe they were actively promoting IS propaganda via the Google Plus app," he said.

The sixth arrest was of a 41-year-old man in Penang state on April 25. He is believed to have promoted the IS struggle via 15 Facebook accounts since 2014.

It is believed he was also planning to attack Shi'ite mosques in Penang, Khalid said.

Asia

Thursday, May 4, 2017 - 16:09

More about

ISIS THAILAND

The Nation/ANN

Others

from Asia http://ift.tt/2qHPGhJ

China warships to call on Penang port

GEORGE TOWN, May 4 — In a historic act, three Chinese warships will call on a Penang port next Friday to improve bilateral and military relations between China and Malaysia, an official from...

from Yahoo News Singapore - Latest News & Headlines http://ift.tt/2q1408P

‘Negaraku’ soars the skies with Malaysia Airlines

PUTRAJAYA, May 4 — Malaysia Airlines Berhad (MAB) has pledged its support for the “Negaraku” initiative, a nationwide movement aimed at fostering unity in the spirit of patriotism. In...

from Yahoo News Singapore - Latest News & Headlines http://ift.tt/2qAK7CC

Teach for Malaysia co-founder: Pay teachers well so we can get better students

KUALA LUMPUR, May 4 — How do we get better students? How about paying teachers better for a start, said Transformasi Nasional 2050 (TN50) ambassador Dzameer Dzulkifli. The Teach for Malaysia...

from Yahoo News Singapore - Latest News & Headlines http://ift.tt/2panjsk

Malaysia arrests 2 Turks suspected of threatening national security

KUALA LUMPUR - Malaysian police have arrested two Turks, including the head of an international school, suspected of activities threatening national security, police chief Khalid Abu Bakar said.

The men, school head Turgay Karaman and businessman Ihsan Aslan, were arrested on Tuesday under a section of the penal code related to "terrorist acts", he said in a Tweet.

No further details of their alleged activities in Muslim-majority Malaysia were immediately available.

The police confirmation came after Karaman was seen on CCTV recordings circulated on social media being forced into an unmarked car by five unknown men at a carpark in a suburb of Kuala Lumpur.

A police report was filed on Karaman's disappearance by a friend on Tuesday night.

Aslan was also reported missing by his wife on Tuesday night after she failed to hear from him for more than a day.

Karaman's lawyer, Rosli Dahlan, told Reuters that the disappearances bore similarities to a case in October when two Turks were reported missing and later discovered to have been deported to Turkey.

He denied speculation that the men were supporters of U.S-based Muslim cleric Fethullah Gulen, who is being blamed by Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan for orchestrating a failed coup last year.

Gulen denies any involvement in the failed coup in which more than 230 people were killed. "They are academics.

They have not been charged for any Gulen activities," Rosli said.

Turkey has applied pressure to other countries that are home to institutions backed by Gulen, whose Hizmet movement runs about 2,000 educational establishments around the world.

Human Rights Watch on Wednesday said the two men should not be forcibly sent to Turkey, and called for an urgent investigation.

"There is little doubt that if they are returned to Turkey, they will face torture in detention, and if charged with crimes there, be subjected to a trial that will fall far short of fair trial standards,"

Malaysia, Asia

Wednesday, May 3, 2017 - 17:14

More about

arrested TURKEY Recep Tayyip Erdogan

Reuters

Others

from Asia http://ift.tt/2qxHSQp

Malaysia police arrest Turks over 'security threat'

Two Turkish nationals who went missing in Malaysia have been arrested as a security threat, the police chief announced on Wednesday, but a rights group raised concerns of possible pressure from Ankara for the detentions. National police chief Khalid Abu Bakar tweeted that Turgay Karaman and Ihsan Aslan were arrested "because they threatened the security of Malaysia." No further details were provided by authorities and the Turkish embassy refused to comment. Another Turkish national Suheyl Ozcelik on Tuesday lodged a police report saying he had seen CCTV footage of five men abducting Karaman, a physics teacher, at a Kuala Lumpur carpark.

from Yahoo News Singapore - Latest News & Headlines http://ift.tt/2qD8fUx

Runners from 28 countries to take part in extreme marathon on Mount Rinjani

Malaysia Airlines reaches settlement with family over MH17

Malaysia Airlines announced Tuesday it has an Australian family who lost four family members on Flight MH17. Perth couple Anthony Maslin and Marite Norris lost their children Evie, 10, Mo, 12, and Otis, 8, along with their grandfather on the Boeing 777 which was shot down over Ukraine in 2014. The airline said in a statement it has reached "an amicable and confidential settlement with the Maslin family and therefore the suit has been withdrawn".

from Yahoo News Singapore - Latest News & Headlines http://ift.tt/2pCPkf7

Girl barred from Malaysia chess competition over 'seductive' dress

A 12-year-old girl was barred from a Malaysian chess tournament over her "seductive" dress, her coach has claimed, igniting public outrage against the organisers of the competition in the Muslim-majority nation. The Malaysian Chess Federation on Tuesday said it would investigate and denied that religious sensitivities had prompted the decision to exclude the young player, as it seeks to curb the public backlash. In a widely-shared Facebook post, trainer Kaushal Khandhar said his pupil felt "harassed and humiliated" after being forced to withdraw in the middle of the the National Scholastic Chess Championship on April 14.

from Yahoo News Singapore - Latest News & Headlines http://ift.tt/2pCDhi1

Girl barred from Malaysia chess competition over 'seductive' dress

A 12-year-old girl was barred from a Malaysian chess tournament over her "seductive" dress, her coach has claimed, igniting public outrage against the organisers of the competition in the Muslim-majority nation. The Malaysian Chess Federation on Tuesday said it would investigate and denied that religious sensitivities had prompted the decision to exclude the young player, as it seeks to curb the public backlash. In a widely-shared Facebook post, trainer Kaushal Khandhar said his pupil felt "harassed and humiliated" after being forced to withdraw in the middle of the the National Scholastic Chess Championship on April 14.

from Yahoo News Singapore - Latest News & Headlines http://ift.tt/2pqD5lk