ASEAN HEADLINE: CAMBODIA: Cambodia sees spikes in drug arrests, seizures in first five months
.
CAMBODIA: Cambodia sees spikes in drug arrests, seizures in first five months
PHNOM PENH (XINHUA) – Cambodia recorded a significant rise in both the number of people arrested and the amount of narcotics seized in the first five months of 2024, according to an Anti-Drug Police Department’s (ADP’s) report yesterday. The authorities had detained 9,369 drug-related suspects during the January-May period this year, up 29 per cent from 7,230 over the same period last year, the report said, adding that 324 suspects were foreigners in 13 nationalities.
“A total of 4.71 tonnes of illicit drugs had been confiscated from those suspects during the January-May period of 2024,” the report said.
It added that merely 784.8 kilogrammes of illicit drugs had been seized during the first five months of 2023.
Most of the seized drugs this year were ketamine, crystal methamphetamine, methamphetamine tablets, heroin, ecstasy and cocaine.
The Southeast Asian country has ramped up efforts in combating illicit drugs since August last year when Prime Minister Hun Manet took office.
All armed forces and civil servants in the kingdom have been required to undergo drug tests.
Those with positive results will be dismissed without any exceptions.
Memento Maxima Digital MarketingMYANMAR: Prices soar to all-time high in Myanmar’s northernmost district
….
While some residents have left Putao, Kachin State due to extreme shortages, the town’s poorest residents have had to remain and face the scarcity and steeply rising cost of staple goods
Residents of the town of Putao, Kachin State say they can no longer afford fuel and food as roadblocks due to ongoing battles have cut off shipments and driven up prices since last month.
Putao is a district-level administrative seat less than 100 kilometres from Myanmar’s northern borders with India and China.
Both the Myanmar military and the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) have restricted unauthorised travel on the road between Putao and Myitkyina, the state’s capital, since fighting broke out in Sumprabum Township—some 50 miles south of Putao—in early March.
The Myanmar military has now been blocking the transport of needed commodities into Putao for. . .
SINGAPORE: Google’s latest data centre raises its investment in Singapore to $6.7 billion
SINGAPORE – Google has increased its investment in infrastructure in Singapore to US$5 billion ($6.7 billion) with the completion of its fourth data centre here.
This is up from US$850 million (S$1.1 billion) in 2022 when its third data centre in the Republic was launched.
This was announced on June 3 during an event at Google’s office in Mapletree Business City II in Pasir Panjang.
THAILAND: Thailand keen to learn from Malaysia’s success in managing haj pilgrims
MAKKAH: The success achieved by Lembaga Tabung Haji (TH) in managing and overseeing Malaysian haj pilgrims, earning various recognitions from the Saudi Arabian government, has sparked the interest of the Thai haj management authorities to learn more about it.
Thai haj delegation head Abdul Baziz Chema, who is also Yala Religious Council head, said the Muslim community in Southern Thailand described Malaysia as a big brother due to its extensive experience in handling haj pilgrims, which should be emulated by their country.
“TH represents the success of the Muslim community in Malaysia, and it is our obligation to learn from it. I am very confident that by acquiring knowledge from TH, insya-Allah, we will be able to match matters related to haj management someday,“ he said.
He spoke to reporters after meeting TH management officials at the TH headquarters here. He was accompanied by 15 individuals, including representatives from the Central Islamic Council of Thailand, the health office, and the Ministry of Interior.
Among the aspects they wish to learn include the savings system introduced by TH, pilgrim management, and other related matters.
Abdul Baziz said Thailand did not have a specific body overseeing all haj affairs and matters related to it were managed by 88 tourism agencies, with the cost of performing haj around RM40,000 without any subsidies.
This situation has led to only 7,000 out of 11,000 allocated quotas for Muslims in the country being filled.
Meanwhile, Malaysian haj delegation head Datuk Seri Syed Saleh Syed Abdul Rahman said the meeting enabled both sides to exchange views on haj management matters.
“We see opportunities for collaboration and the exchange of experiences and perspectives on haj affairs. This can enhance the performance and quality of services and facilities provided to the respective countries’ haj pilgrims.
“Undoubtedly, each country has strengths that can be learned from,“ he said.
@[email protected]
