VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

Malaysia's Foreign Minister Saifuddin Abdullah on Monday called on the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to act more urgently in its efforts to provide humanitarian assistance and spur a peace process in junta-ruled Myanmar.

The 10-nation bloc has been pushing Myanmar's military rulers to follow a peace "consensus" they agreed to last year, with some member countries expressing disappointment over a lack of progress on the plan.

Malaysia's Foreign Minister Saifuddin Abdullah on Monday called on the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to act more urgently in its efforts to provide humanitarian assistance and spur a peace process in junta-ruled Myanmar.

The 10-nation bloc has been pushing Myanmar's military rulers to follow a peace "consensus" they agreed to last year, with some member countries expressing disappointment over a lack of progress on the plan.

"They (the ASEAN secretariat) must have a full-time team working on the conflict, otherwise people get killed in between all of our meetings... We must buck up."

The ASEAN Secretariat in Jakarta did not immediately respond to an emailed request for comment.

Saifuddin also called on ASEAN countries to decide on whether they would continue to work with the junta in providing humanitarian assistance, as he said many aid agencies in Myanmar were unwilling to work with the military or organisations linked to it.

"ASEAN must decide - where do we stand?" Saifuddin said.

"Do we continue with the junta? Or do we work without the junta and support the people who we know are doing good work? These are big questions and we have to decide urgently." (Reuters)

Sri Lanka's government has appointed a committee to facilitate the repatriation of Sri Lankan refugees from India, according to a statement from the government on Monday.

The government said about 58,000 Sri Lankans are currently residing in Tamil Nadu, India, as refugees and only 3,800 of them are ready to return at present. (Reuters)

Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has said her country will not face a situation like the economic crisis in Sri Lanka although her government has sought loans from global agencies amid a fall in its reserves and surging import costs. 

In an interview with Reuters partner ANI, aired ahead of her visit to India on Monday, Hasina said that Bangladesh's economy remained strong despite the impact of COVID-19 and the Russia-Ukraine war.

Bangladesh's $416 billion economy has been one of the fastest-growing in the world for years but dwindling foreign exchange reserves due to inflated import bills have prompted the government to seek loans from global agencies, including the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

"Bangladesh has always timely (in paying) our debt; our debt rate is very low in the context of Sri Lanka," Hasina said. "Some people have raised this issue that Bangladesh will be Sri Lanka, but I can ensure that that will not happen."

Sri Lanka reached a preliminary agreement with the IMF on Thursday for a loan of about $2.9 billion, after the country plunged into a crisis due to economic mismanagement and the COVID-19 pandemic wiped out its key tourism industry.

During her four-day visit to India, Hasina will meet her Indian counterpart and other leaders. (Reuters)

Former Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak has applied for a royal pardon, the speaker of parliament said on Monday, less than two weeks after he was sent to jail for 12 years for corruption.

Malaysia's top court on Aug. 23 had rejected an appeal by Najib, 69, to set aside his conviction on graft and money laundering charges in a case linked to a multibillion-dollar scandal at state fund 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB). 

Najib, who has also been fined nearly $50 million, has consistently denied wrongdoing.

According to Malaysia's constitution, any lawmaker sentenced to more than a year in prison will automatically lose their seat in parliament, unless they apply for a pardon from the monarch within 14 days.

Parliament Speaker Azhar Azizan Harun said on Monday Najib will remain a legislator until his petition for a pardon, filed on Friday, was decided on.

Najib would lose his seat "only if the petition was rejected" Azhar said in a statement.

A lawyer for Najib confirmed the petition had been filed but declined to provide further details.

The petition is expected to be reviewed by a pardons board headed by the king, which could also consider advice from the the prime minister.

A son of Malay nobility, Najib is believed to be close to some of Malaysia's sultans - the country's traditional rulers who take turns to be the monarch in a unique rotational system.

A full pardon would allow him to return to active politics and even make a comeback as premier, as some of his supporters have called for.

Najib however still faces four other cases, all of which carry jail terms and heavy financial penalties.

Najib was hospitalised on Sunday but local media said he was back in court on Monday.

He was stable and undergoing routine medical checks, his aide told Reuters on Sunday, without elaborating on why he was admitted. (Reuters)