Newly Elected Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) Chairperson, Paul Tambyah, issues an official statement on behalf of the party condemning the recent crackdowns on civil society activists, such as the arrest of Seelan Palay for his art piece outside of Parliament, and the intimidation of activists and friends for participating in a candlelight vigil for death row inmate Prabagaran Srivijayan. https://www.theonlinecitizen.com/2017/10/06/sdp-asks-why-zaqy-mohamad-is-billed-as-a-representative-in-marsiling-yew-tee/
Close to one million Rohingya from Myanmar are said to be living in Bangladesh at the moment, nearly half of them having fled since late August. The exodus is one of the world’s worst refugee crises in decades, and so far Bangladesh, already a very poor country, has borne much of the burden. https://www.nytimes.com/2017/10/06
/opinion/rohingya-bangladesh-myanmar.html
Mu Sochua, one of Cambodia’s best-known politicians and deputy leader of the opposition Cambodian National Rescue Party (CNRP), has fled into exile after being warned she was about to be arrested on charges of treason. She spoke to BBC South-East Asia correspondent Jonathan Head in Bangkok – the exact location is being concealed for her safety. http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-41518527
The Council of Asian Liberals and Democrats (CALD) was inaugurated in Bangkok in 1993, with the support of then Thai Prime Minister Chuan Leekpai and South Korea’s Kim Dae-Jung. CALD, which offers a unique platform for dialogue and cooperation, is the only regional alliance of liberal and democratic political parties in Asia.