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The Star
2 hours ago
- The Star
Singapore arrests 44 for suspected prostitution, gambling activities in Geylang
SINGAPORE: Over forty individuals have been arrested for their suspected involvement in vice activities and the illegal conduct of lotteries at a food court near Geylang Lorong 23. An enforcement operation was conducted on May 29 by the authorities near the food court, and 42 people – aged between 25 and 63 – were arrested, the police said on May 30. Additionally, a 50-year-old woman was arrested at a hotel along Geylang Road for purportedly offering sexual services, and a 49-year-old woman for allegedly conducting unlawful lotteries, with both their illegal activities said to have taken place at the food court. If found guilty, those involved in the unlawful conduct of lotteries may be fined up to $500,000 (US$387,684), jailed up to seven years, or both. Those found guilty of prostitution offences may be fined up to S$100,000, jailed for up to five years, or both. Repeat offenders convicted of vice-related crimes may be fined up to S$150,000, jailed for up to seven years, or both. - The Straits Times/ANN
Hindustan Times
5 hours ago
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
CDS Anil Chauhan to address Singapore's Shangri La Dialogue on Saturday
Singapore, India's Chief of Defence Staff Anil Chauhan is in Singapore for the 22nd Shangri La Dialogue, one of the biggest defence fora being held here from Friday to Sunday. During the crucial dialogue, Gen Chauhan will speak on the 'Future Wars and Warfare' on Saturday. He will then participate in the simultaneous special sessions and speak on the topic 'Defence Innovation Solutions for Future Challenges'. Gen Chauhan is also scheduled to hold bilaterals with senior defence officials and military leaders from Australia, the EU, France, Germany, Indonesia, Japan, the Netherlands, New Zealand, the Philippines, Singapore, the UK, and the US, officials said. These interactions are expected to focus on strengthening military ties, enhancing defence cooperation, and addressing shared security challenges in the Indo-Pacific region. Shangri La Dialogue is a mega defence event where defence experts will seek insights and understanding into India and Pakistan relations, according to South Asian observers. French President Emmanuel Macron, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth will also address the dialogue, which is expected to see the participation of defence experts from 47 countries, including 40 minister-level delegates. According to reports, China will not send Defence Minister Dong Jun to the annual dialogue, a departure from Beijing's high-level representation at the annual security forum in recent years where issues related to the South China Sea were highlighted, often through presentations of views by US and Chinese experts. Instead, a People's Liberation Army National Defence University delegation will attend the three-day gathering that will hold intense deliberation on defence matters, especially the US-China stand on Taiwan and maritime jurisdiction in the South China Sea. This will be the first time since 2019 that China is not sending its defence minister to the forum, according to a report by The Straits Times. This is also the first time a European leader, Macron being the first, will give the keynote address at the security forum. Macron arrived in Singapore on Thursday as Singapore and France commemorate 60 years of diplomatic relations. Malaysian Prime Minister Ibrahim is set to make an address on Saturday. US Defence Secretary Hegseth's speech at the dialogue will be closely watched as he is expected to articulate the Trump administration's defence approach for the Asia Pacific during a session titled 'United States' New Ambitions for Indo-Pacific Security'. Hegseth and chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Dan Caine, the country's highest-ranking military officer, are leading the US' largest and 'most robust' delegation to the dialogue in years, head of the US Embassy in Singapore, Casey Mace, said. The US is committed to working with its allies and partners in the Indo-Pacific to ensure security and prosperity in the region, Mace said on Thursday. Highlighting that the US delegation is a high-level one, he emphasised that 'enduring American commitment and leadership in the region will make America and our allies and partners safer, more secure and more prosperous'. The region is 'a leading priority for US foreign policy', he added. A total of seven plenary sessions and three special sessions are planned for the weekend. The dialogue, being held since 2002 by the London-based International Institute for Strategic Studies , discusses critical security challenges in the Asia-Pacific region. In 2024, it was attended by representatives from 45 countries.
Straits Times
12 hours ago
- Straits Times
Labuan Bajo on Indonesia's famed Komodo island is buzzing but overtourism could hurt it
Experts have warned that allowing visitors to have close encounters with Komodo dragons would reduce reproductive fitness of the ancient lizards. ST PHOTO: WAHYUDI SOERIAATMADJA – A small seaside town known as the gateway to the land of the dragons – specifically the Komodo kind – has roared to life over the past decade, after it was first positioned as one of Indonesia's '10 New Balis' in a 2016 tourism push by the government. Located at the western tip of Flores Island in East Nusa Tenggara, Labuan Bajo is most famous for being the stepping stone to the famed Komodo National Park, a Unesco World Heritage site that is the largest habitat of its namesake reptile, the Komodo dragon. But amid the buzz of a busy airport runway and waters studded with hotel boats and modern vessels, experts warn that it must avoid falling into overtourism, overdevelopment and environmental negligence – issues that affect tourist hot spot Bali. The '10 New Balis' strategy targets specific locations such as Labuan Bajo to receive funding for infrastructure development. The aims are to alleviate overtourism in Bali, and spread tourist revenue and boost regional economies within South-east Asia's most populous country . Other locations include Lake Toba in North Sumatra, Mandalika in Lombok and Likupang in North Sulawesi. The focus on these new areas has led to significant changes, such as the construction of an international motorcycle racing track in Mandalika that has hosted the FIM Superbike World Championship since 2021 and MotoGP Grand Prix motorcycle races since 2022. But Labuan Bajo, which is a three-hour flight from Singapore and 2½ hours from Jakarta, stands out as it booked the largest incremental gains in terms of foreign tourist visits. Its main attraction, Komodo National Park, welcomed 334,206 visitors in 2024, two-thirds of whom were foreign tourists. In 2016, it saw about 100,000 visitors. Almost all tourists going to Labuan Bajo visit Komodo National Park. In the past decade, Labuan Bajo has seen the rise of new roads and amenities such as shopping centres, brand-name hotels and foodcourts, all built by the national government. Its main marina and airport have also been refurbished and revamped in the past four years, with the latter's runway being extended by 100m. Hotel operator Marriott International has built a luxury resort there, and it will soon be joined by another by the InterContinental Hotels Group. In 2024, Labuan Bajo's Komodo Airport was declared an international airport, allowing the operation of direct flights to and from foreign cities. Previously, most overseas visitors would have to fly through Jakarta to get to Labuan Bajo, which is part of the West Manggarai regency. The national focus on developing the small fishing village has propelled Labuan Bajo into a rapid phase of development, Mr Stefanus Jemsifori , the most senior bureaucrat overseeing tourism affairs in the regency, told The Straits Times. 'Investment growth has since been growing tremendously fast, evidenced by the spawning of five-star hotels and 'pinisi' vessels offering luxury rooms on board,' he said , adding that tourism revenue has also contributed to economic growth. A pinisi vessel is a traditional Indonesian watercraft that typically carries seven to eight sails on two masts. Puncak Waringin viewing point offers a picturesque sunset in Labuan Bajo. ST PHOTO: WAHYUDI SOERIAATMADJA According to visitor surveys in 2024, an individual foreign tourist to the town spends an average of 8 million rupiah (S$632) daily, staying an average of four to five days, while a domestic tourist spends about 2.7 million rupiah daily, spending an average of three days there. During a visit to Labuan Bajo in early May, ST spoke to several Chinese and Singaporean tourists there. 'We get both the exercise and breathtaking scenery,' said a Singaporean man named Wilson, in his early 20s. He spoke to ST during a short visit to Labuan Bajo with his family, which included a hiking trip. Mrs Shana Fatina, who runs a tour agency in Labuan Bajo, said the town has become popular with foreign tourists in the region. 'Singaporean tourists like to take a weekend getaway trip, staying in resorts or sailing vessels. They like shopping and enjoying food here,' said Mrs Shana, who noted that many foreign tourists in Labuan Bajo also travel to the town through Singapore. While Labuan Bajo has benefited from a push to increase tourist footfall in the past decade, Professor Azril Azhari, a tourism expert from Trisakti University in Jakarta, said that going forward, there must be less emphasis on mass tourism. This is especially because the trend and behaviours among global travellers have now shifted towards ecotourism. Prof Azril said that the '10 New Balis' strategy was developed some time ago based on mass tourism models, and a thorough evaluation of the programme has not been done. Although these models typically draw tourists and investment, there are instances where local communities do not reap these benefits . Bali, often regarded as Indonesia's crown jewel of tourism, saw 6.33 million foreign tourist arrivals in 2024, an increase from 5.27 million in 2023. Before the Covid-19 pandemic, it had 6.28 million visitors in 2019. Although Bali frequently ranks as a top holiday destination, the problems of overtourism have become more apparent in recent times. Large amounts of Bali's groundwater are channelled to hotels, pools and golf courses, leaving local residents struggling for access to clean water. Meanwhile, its iconic padi fields are vanishing as the land is transformed into commercial or residential property. Prof Azril warned about the risks of Labuan Bajo following in Bali's footsteps, especially when it comes to balancing conservation, development and tourism. As Komodo National Park and its ancient lizards gain popularity, Prof Azril emphasised the need to manage both visitor numbers and interactions with the reptiles. Failing to do so could lead to stress for these endangered animals. The Komodo National Park, welcomed 334,206 visitors in 2024, two-thirds of whom were foreign tourists. ST PHOTO: WAHYUDI SOERIAATMADJA Mrs Shana said that perhaps a no-visitor season should be implemented annually to reduce overtourism. 'Good communications with the tour operators to carry out such an endeavour must be done because many sell trip packages a year ahead,' she said. The national government had earlier planned to limit the number of visitors to Komodo National Park to 219,000 a year to conserve the ecosystem and protect the wildlife. It had also planned to raise the price of entrance tickets to the park to 3.75 million rupiah each for international visitors starting on Aug 1, 2022, from as low as 250,000 rupiah now. B ut the plan did not proceed due to opposition from the local residents and tourism businesses, arguing that the move would reduce their income. Labuan Bajo's natural landscapes and waters rich with marine life are precisely what will keep tourists returning. Chinese tourist Yang Guang Li, 25, said that his final stop at Labuan Bajo was the highlight of his seven-day trip through multiple places in Indonesia, as he had the chance to encounter a reef manta ray during a diving tour. 'I was most satisfied with my Komodo National Park trip. Unfortunately, we were brought here for only one night. I still want to go back to Komodo (Labuan Bajo) ,' said Mr Yang. Wahyudi Soeriaatmadja has been Indonesia correspondent at The Straits Times since 2008, and is based in Jakarta. Join ST's WhatsApp Channel and get the latest news and must-reads.
Straits Times
18 hours ago
- Business
- Straits Times
Trump's move to revoke Chinese student visas could undermine US-China trade talks
While not directly related to trade issues, the latest US moves aimed squarely at China will not be viewed kindly by Beijing, say analysts. PHOTO: REUTERS – Barely three weeks after Washington and Beijing reached a truce in their trade war, the Trump administration has moved to revoke the visas of Chinese students studying in the US and restrict the export of key technologies for jet engines and semiconductors to China. While not directly related to trade issues, the latest US moves – aimed squarely at China – will not be viewed kindly by Beijing, analysts say, and could also invite Chinese retaliation that would damage conditions for future economic talks. US-China ties have already been volatile under US President Donald Trump's second term. But in a ramp-up of pressure against China on May 29, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced that the government will 'aggressively' revoke visas for Chinese students and tighten scrutiny on future applicants from China. The Trump administration's previous moves against international students, such as the termination of the records of about 1,800 students in April, which jeopardised their visa statuses, did not specifically target those from China. Shanghai-based international relations scholar Shen Dingli noted that the children of many Chinese leaders study in the US. The latest move is akin to 'striking at China's weakness', he told The Straits Times. As at 2024, there were about 277,000 Chinese students in the US – the highest of any country besides India, with around 331,000 . On May 29, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning issued a strongly worded response to the visa revocation move, which Mr Rubio said includes students who have 'connections to the Chinese Communist Party or (are) studying in critical fields'. She said: 'The US has unreasonably cancelled visas for Chinese students under the pretext of ideology and national security, severely infringed upon the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese students and disrupted normal people-to-people exchanges between the two countries. 'China firmly opposes this and has lodged representations with the US.' The US has also tightened the screws on technology. On May 28, it was reported that the US has suspended sales of critical technologies to China, including those related to jet engines for China's state-owned plane maker Comac. The US government also reportedly ordered companies providing software used to design semiconductors to stop selling to China without first getting an export licence. Such software, called electronic design automation, is a choke point in the semiconductor supply chain. Dr Sun Chenghao, who researches US foreign policy and US-China relations at Tsinghua University, said such US actions threaten to undermine the 90-day trade truce between the two great powers, reached in Geneva earlier in May. China may perceive these actions as violations of the spirit of the Geneva agreement, potentially prompting retaliatory measures such as expanding export controls on rare earth elements or imposing additional tariffs on US goods, he said. 'Such tit-for-tat measures could derail ongoing negotiations and exacerbate the trade conflict,' he told ST. The US and China had held talks in Geneva that resulted in them slashing tariffs on imports from each other for 90 days, starting from May 14. Both sides also committed to continuing dialogue on economic and trade issues. The unexpected breakthrough was greeted with relief by global markets, but any further progress might now be in jeopardy. Both countries have not started trade negotiations since May 14, nor have they indicated that they are prepared to extend the period, noted Professor Shi Yinhong of Renmin University. The actions by the US government will 'certainly make it more difficult to seriously begin negotiations and reach an agreement', he said. On the other hand, Dr Shen believes the US' tech curbs and trade demands are not necessarily related . The US' tariff war against China is meant to expand US exports to China, reduce the trade imbalance between the two countries and open up China's industrial sector, he said. These objectives cannot be achieved through visa restrictions or decoupling of technology, he added. Associate Professor Hoo Tiang Boon, of Singapore's Nanyang Technological University, sees the latest set of US moves as creating additional bargaining chips, which Washington could possibly use in trade negotiations. China could also play 'hardball' and pull out of the trade negotiations, he warned. But he believes the Chinese are unlikely to do so, as they might think that it is better to have a communication channel with the US, which they had struggled to establish earlier in 2025. Still, Beijing would likely retaliate in some way, in particular against the technology restrictions, said Prof Hoo. 'I expect them to respond with various curbs of their own, in a calibrated way, designed to hurt Trump's political base,' he said. They could also revoke American visas or make it more difficult for Americans to get them, as a matter of principle, even if the outcomes and consequences are asymmetrical, he said. There were only about 800 American students studying in China in 2024, down from a peak of about 15,000 in 2014. Lim Min Zhang is China correspondent at The Straits Times. He has an interest in Chinese politics, technology, defence and foreign policies. 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The Star
19 hours ago
- Business
- The Star
Asia must not ‘rest on its laurels', and continue to reinforce partnerships amid turmoil: S'pore DPM Gan
TOKYO: Singapore's Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong on Thursday (May 29) appealed to Asia to form agile partnerships and double down on regional integration amid deepening global strife. While many countries in Asia are already part of overlapping partnerships of varying permutations – bilateral, regional, plurilateral – the inherent danger is if they rest on their laurels and not work on growing and strengthening these links, he said. 'We should recognise the challenges of the current turmoil and raise the ambition of each of these mutually reinforcing partnerships,' DPM Gan said in a speech during the 30th Nikkei International Forum on the Future of Asia in Tokyo. Exercising agility and flexibility in building ties is increasingly vital as the world grapples with what DPM Gan described as 'the greatest uncertainty confronting us today', with questions lingering over what will happen after the US' 90-day reprieve over 'reciprocal tariffs' ends on July 8. 'Things are changing all the time, every morning when (you) open the newspaper, there is always big news on trade and tariffs, and sometimes shocking news, and that is the first dish on your breakfast table,' DPM Gan, who is also Singapore's Trade and Industry Minister, said in conversation with the Nikkei's Singapore bureau chief Fumika Sato. While he noted that the risk of a recession cannot be ruled out, another bad-case scenario was that it would be difficult to undo the damage caused by the sweeping Liberation Day tariffs. 'At the end of 90 days, whatever outcome that may be, the uncertainty remains that tariffs can be raised or reduced at any point in time,' he said. 'This will result in weakening of the global trading system, and that is going to be the new order of the day. In time to come, this will be the new landscape.' Trade-reliant economies, such as Singapore – whose trade is three times the size of its economy – would be vulnerable to these headwinds. This was why it is essential for Asean and its partners to double down and expand existing relationships, he said. Doing so would 'demonstrate to the rest of the world that despite this contestation and competition, there is still room for cooperation and collaboration'. The Straits Times is a media partner for the two-day event, whose theme for 2025 is Asia's Challenge In A Turbulent World. DPM Gan, who leads Singapore's tariff negotiations with Washington, used his 20-minute address to emphasise that a winner-takes-all approach towards trade goes against the spirit of a level playing field that the World Trade Organisation (WTO) has been advocating. In such a climate, larger economies with stronger bargaining chips can leave smaller economies in the dust. 'This is why recent moves by some countries to impose and remove tariffs at will are concerning,' he told an audience of more than 200 diplomats, bureaucrats, executives and academics. Singapore faces the baseline 10 per cent reciprocal tariff imposed by the US, although some countries across South-east Asia were hit harder with rates of more than 40 per cent. 'We must do all we can to reinforce a shared rules-based order, so that global trade can continue to be conducted on a free, fair and non-discriminatory basis,' DPM Gan said. In this regard, Japan and Singapore are partners, given the convergence in their strategic outlooks and a shared agenda to strengthen and reform multilateral institutions. The two countries mark 60 years of diplomatic ties in 2026, an occasion that lends itself to the opportunity for new areas of collaboration such as digital trade, supply chain resilience and the green transition. DPM Gan reiterated Singapore's hopes for Japan to play an even bigger role in the upkeep of regional peace and stability – a point that Singapore's political leaders have made repeatedly in recent years. 'Singapore stands ready to work with Japan as a trusted and reliable partner, and we hope to step up our economic and security cooperation in time to come,' he said. Japan's expanding role in regional security comes despite its history as a wartime aggressor. But the tides have changed 80 years since its surrender, with Japan now relied upon as a staunch defender of a rules-based multilateral order. This order is now under attack, with assertive behaviour in regional waters, as well as international conflicts both on the battlefield and in trade. DPM Gan said the world is facing three key fundamental challenges today: - How can Asia maintain strategic autonomy amid intensifying US-China contestation? - How can we preserve the rules-based, multilateral trading system that underpins Asia's economic growth and development? - How do we address global threats and protect the global commons? For one thing, the persistent risk of flare-ups between the world's two largest economies could well spread beyond trade into other areas such as investments, supply chains and critical technology, DPM Gan warned. 'While both powers claim that they do not wish to force countries to take sides, each seeks to draw others closer to their respective orbits,' he said. This makes it all the more paramount for Asian countries, which maintain close ties with both powers, to 'continue to maintain our strategic autonomy and act in a principled and consistent way on the basis of our own national interests', he added. It was also in Asia's interests to modernise the WTO, DPM Gan said, noting: 'While the system is not perfect, we must not abandon it. Instead, we should reform it and make it better.' Among his suggestions were to review the existing consensus-based decision-making processes such that they do not 'end up a recipe for gridlock' and to update the WTO rulebook to address emerging issues. Other institutions such as the World Health Organisation, International Monetary Fund and World Bank cannot be allowed to fail, DPM Gan said, as this would impair the world's ability to respond to future crises like pandemics or recessions. The key way to prevent this was to entrench relationships – especially in areas where the collective commitment already seems to be waning, such as in climate change – by deepening existing ones and forging new ties. He noted how Asean, which earlier this week concluded talks on upgrading its trade in goods agreement, was looking to deepen economic ties with the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). This includes a potential free trade agreement between Asean and the GCC, as well as its possible admission to the 15-nation Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership, which now comprises Asean, Australia, China, Japan, New Zealand and South Korea. The more vigorous Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), too, is looking at how to broaden economic partnerships, including with Asean and the European Union. The CPTPP comprised 11 founding members after the US pulled out – Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore and Vietnam – with Britain acceded as the 12th member in 2024. Singapore supports cementing multilateralism, including by expanding the CPTPP if countries can meet its stringent criteria, with DPM Gan noting China and Indonesia as among countries that have indicated interest. 'These new alliances will facilitate effective and timely collaboration on key trade policy issues, and signal our commitment to a rules-based trading system,' he said. There are also measures driven by like-minded countries, such as a WTO Joint Statement Initiative on E-commerce that Japan, Singapore and Australia co-led in 2019 and now involves 91 members, accounting for more than 90 per cent of global trade. Despite unsuccessful efforts to formally incorporate the initiative within the WTO in February, the countries are exploring how to implement the agreement in the interim. 'This is one example of 'flexible multilateralism', where we allow like-minded partners to move ahead on important issues of mutual interest, such as e-commerce, while leaving the door open for others to join as and when they are ready,' DPM Gan said. Other areas for collaboration with Asean include deeper digital integration and cross-border payment connectivity, and what DPM Gan described as a 'cross-border flow of electrons'. Referring to plans for an Asean Power Grid by 2045, which would facilitate the flow of renewable energy across borders and reduce the reliance on fossil fuels, he said: 'Asia is at the epicentre of the battle against climate change'. He added: 'There is urgency to galvanise global action not only for climate mitigation measures, but also to accelerate the green transition.' During his three-day visit to Tokyo ending on May 29, DPM Gan also met Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi, Economic Security Minister Minoru Kiuchi, as well as Economic Revitalisation Minister Ryosei Akazawa, who is leading Japan's tariff negotiations with the US. - The Straits Times/ANN
