FRIEDRICH NAUMANN FOUNDATION

“Filipinos are truly enjoying more freedom now than two decades ago. But if the question is ‘are we satisfied with this freedom?,’ to my mind, the answer is ‘not yet.'”

In her Freedom Speech at Enderun Colleges in Taguig on 4 December 2014, Congresswoman Leni Robredo said that there was a need to give people more choices and to empower them so that they can truly enjoy their freedom. She narrated the classroom situation in one of the poorest barangays in her district where there were 38 students and only nine chairs. The teacher would schedule the days when a child can sit on a chair.

http://fnf.org.ph/news/fnfnews.php?id=147&article=Robredo_Not_Satisfied_with_Freedom

BURMA

Daw Aung San Suu Kyi says she is hopeful for a “good result” from proposed six-way talks between national political leaders, despite a government spokesperson declaring such a meeting “impractical”.
The National League for Democracy leader said the planned talks should focus on constitutional change and removing the military’s veto powers, a proposal the Tatmadaw has so far rejected.
http://www.mmtimes.com/index.php/national-news/12441-suu-kyi-optimistic-about-six-way-talks.html

CAMBODIA

1. What are the reasons behind the creation of the Minority Group at the National Assembly?

The Minority Group that groups National Assembly members from the political party outside the executive branch of government, is meant to be a perennial institution whose role, rights and privileges will be specified in the Assembly internal rules. On the other hand, individual Assembly members hold their positions for only a limited period of time corresponding to legislative terms. Moreover, in a recent past, individual opposition parliamentarians could be easily/arbitrarily deprived of their rights or even expelled from parliament in an authoritarian system designed to eliminate any form of dissent. Therefore, the way the Opposition is now organized as an officially recognized institution will make it less vulnerable and more effective and will strengthen the checks and balances system that is inherent to any democracy.
http://www.nationalrescueparty.org/most-frequently-asked-questions-about-the-to-be-formed-minority-group-at-the-national-assembly/

Sam Rainsy Visits Activists in Phnom Penh Prison
December 9 2014

CNRP President Sam Rainsy on Sunday visited 17 people sent to Phnom Penh’s Prey Sar prison over the past few months over charges the opposition leader says are political in nature.

https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/sam-rainsy-visits-activists-in-phnom-penh-prison-73772/

Rainsy to Get Rank ‘Equal’ to PM
December 3 2014

Opposition leader Sam Rainsy today obtained an analog TV license for his party and a future parliamentary position as the officially recognised minority leader, in return for a major concession on election reform to the ruling Cambodian People’s Party.

A joint statement released after a closed-door meeting between Prime Minister Hun Sen, Rainsy and high-ranking officials from both sides at parliament confirmed that the premier had agreed to grant an analog TV license to a private company on behalf of the CNRP.

http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/rainsy-get-rank-equal-pm-0

HONGKONG

Hong Kong Protests Divide Along Generations
December 4 2014

 A day after urging student protesters to abandon their street occupation, to no avail, the founders of the prodemocracy group Occupy Central With Love and Peace attempted to surrender to police, who declined to arrest them.

http://www.wsj.com/articles/hong-kong-protests-divide-along-generations-1417610873

Leaders of Hong Kong Democracy Urge Students to Retreat
December 3 2014

Three co-founders of a pro-democracy campaign that paved the way for civil disobedience demonstrations in Hong Kong’s streets told protesting students on Tuesday that it was time to go home, saying that the students’ beleaguered protest camps faced too many dangers of worsening violence.

The leaders of Occupy Central With Love and Peace urged the retreat a day after the main remaining street camp, in the Admiralty district, was shaken by rifts and clashes with the police after student leaders began an unsuccessful effort to besiege the nearby city government offices. The police drove the crowds back and pushed into the area controlled by the protesters.

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/12/03/world/asia/hong-kong-protests.html?_r=1

PHILIPPINES

December 9 2014

Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa Jr welcomes guests to the Philippines as senior officials discuss priorities for APEC 2015

The Philippines officially kicked off its chairmanship of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) as dark skies loomed overhead, in anticipation of Ruby (international name: Hagupit), which has been downgraded into a tropical storm.
http://www.rappler.com/nation/77395-apec-isom-ochoa-opening?utm_content=bufferb6eeb&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=buffer

US: China Failed to Clarify 9-dash Line with Law
December 9 2014

The US State Department said China failed to clarify its controversial 9-dash line claim over the South China Sea in a way consistent with international law.

The Department’s Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs published a study on Friday, December 5, assessing the consistency of China’s maritime claims with international law.
http://www.rappler.com/nation/77456-us-study-nine-dash-line?utm_content=bufferd8dec&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=buffer

#RubyPH: One of  ‘largest peacetime evacuations’ in PH History
December 9 2014

One million Filipinos – roughly one percent of the entire country’s population – in the path of Typhoon Ruby (Hagupit) were preemptively evacuated before the fickle typhoon made its 4 landfalls.

http://www.rappler.com/move-ph/issues/disasters/typhoon-ruby/77421-ruby-large-peacetime-evacuation-philippines?utm_content=buffer0143a&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook.com&utm_campaign=buffer

SINGAPORE

There are indications that PM Lee Hsien Loong will call for elections in 2015. As such, the SDP will get underway our preparations for the electoral campaign.

The GE, widely anticipated to be held at the end of next year, is crucial as it will determine the future direction of our country. Depending on circumstances, Mr Lee may call for one as early as the second quarter of 2015.

It is, therefore, not early at all for the SDP to step up our campaign and prepare ourselves for the much anticipated contest.

http://yoursdp.org/news/sdp_to_launch_ge2015_campaign/2014-12-05-5913

TAIWAN

December 8 2014

Taiwan’s opposition Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) chairperson Tsai Ing-wen called Thursday for the government to grant medical parole to the country’s former president Chen Shui-bian, to allow him to receive convalescent care at home following her visit to Taichung Prison.

According to Tsai, Chen’s case for medical parole is a matter of upholding human rights and the appeal is not motivated by the outcome of recent local government elections that saw the ruling Kuomintang (KMT) suffer a humiliating defeat.

http://www.wantchinatimes.com/news-subclass-cnt.aspx?id=20141205000042&cid=1101

Taiwanese Send ‘Democratic Message’ To Ruling Kuomintang

December 3 2014

Taiwanese voters feel their island’s economic rapprochement with China is going too fast. They are also angry over the growing levels of social injustice. Now they have punished the ruling Kuomintang party at the polls.

In a widely expected move after the ruling Kuomintang (KMT) party’s landslide defeat in the November 29 local elections, Taiwan’s President Ma Ying-jeou said on Tuesday, December 2, he was stepping down as party chairman. Ma’s resignation from the post, however, does not affect his position as Taiwan’s president. The politician is serving his second, and final, four-year term as president, which ends in 2016.

http://www.dw.de/taiwanese-send-democratic-message-to-ruling-kuomintang/a-18106103

Ma Ying-jeou resigns as chairman of KMT
December 3 2014

Taiwanese President Ma Ying-jeou resigned as chairman of Kuomintang (KMT) today, just three days after the party’s major loss in Taiwan’s local elections.
http://shanghaiist.com/2014/12/02/ma-ying-jeou-resigns-kmt-chairman.php