Philippine prosecutors charge 43 suspected rebels

Asian Defense News: MANILA, Philippines – Philippine prosecutors Thursday charged 43 people arrested when troops interrupted alleged communist rebel training although they claim they were medical volunteers and have been tortured by the military.
Allegations of torture and illegal arrest led the Philippine Supreme Court to order the military to present the accused at a hearing Friday.
The military accused the group of belonging to the New People's Army, the armed wing of the underground Communist Party of the Philippines, which has waged a 41-year insurgency that has been marked by human rights abuses and has stunted economic development.
The 43 were charged with illegal possession of weapons and explosives after Rizal provincial police chief Jonathan Miano said security forces found three handguns, three grenades and six homemade bombs in the raid on a compound where the group said it was holding a medical training seminar.
Relatives of the accused and lawyers said the suspects are not rebels but volunteer health workers serving impoverished communities with very few government medical workers.
In a statement, the lawyers said soldiers and police planted the evidence. They also questioned the search warrant, saying it was directed at a person who wasn't among the 43 and was issued by a judge from another province.
The suspects were held incommunicado, kept blindfolded, and denied legal counsel, a violation of their constitutional rights, said Edre Olalia of the National Union of Peoples' Lawyers.
Maj. Gen. Jorge Segovia, commander of the 2nd Infantry Division that has custody of the suspects, denied anyone was tortured. He said they "suffered mental anguish" caused by their arrest. He did not elaborate.
The blindfolds were necessary to prevent them from planning an escape or resistance, Segovia said.
The rebels suffered a major setback and "they will not take this sitting down so they will use every trick that they know to discredit the operation, even concoct stories," he said.
Segovia said one member of the group admitted he was a rebel and was relieved he was arrested so he could return to civilian life. Several were involved in guerrilla ambushes and raids, he said.
The Supreme Court granted a petition for habeas corpus, ordering the military to present the 43 Friday at the Court of Appeals and answer allegations of torture, evidence-planting and illegal arrest and detention.
Peace talks between the 5,000-strong rebels and the government, brokered by Norway, collapsed in 2004 after the guerrillas blamed the Philippine government for their inclusion on U.S. and European lists of terrorist groups.
President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo has ordered the military to defeat the rebels by the end of her term in June. On Internet postings, the rebels have said the deadline was illusionary and part of psychological warfare efforts.
The rebels are fighting for a communist state. After reaching their peak strength during Ferdinand Marcos' dictatorship that ended in 1986, they failed to come to terms with a new democratic government, pointing to continuing deep social divisions and abject poverty.

(By OLIVER TEVES,Associated Press Writer - Friday, February 12)

Malaysia tribesman being paid to poach tigers: WWF

Asian Defense News: KUALA LUMPUR (AFP) - – Tribesmen in Malaysia are being paid by syndicates to trap wildlife, including critically endangered tigers, to meet insatiable demand from China, a conservationist said Wednesday.
"Local tribesmen are being used by the middlemen to collect the forest products as they are familiar with the jungle," said Dionysius Sharma, executive director with WWF-Malaysia.
"The demand for wildlife from Asia's forests to be used in China for traditional medicine is strong," he told AFP.
As China's society becomes more affluent, the demand for exotic animals to be used in traditional remedies for illnesses such as heart disease and asthma is expanding rapidly.
Sharma said the poachers, often members of Malaysia's indigenous peoples, do not have the resources to market the animal parts, or smuggle them out of the country.
"The tribesmen receive a small sum of money but the middlemen reap lots of profit," he said, adding that the syndicates were not identified, but likely involved both foreigners and Malaysians.
Sharma's remarks come after a four-year-old male tiger which had injured a Semai tribesman in northern Malaysia last week was found dead with gunshot, spear and snare wounds.
Yok Meneh, who sustained a deep gash on his back and injuries to his hands and legs, said he fought off the injured beast armed only with a rock after it attacked him while he was out picking wild beans.
But Shabrina Shariff, wildlife department director in Perak state told AFP Wednesday that Yok Meneh was in fact part of a group of seven men who had snared the tiger but came under attack when they tried to kill it.
"He was among the tribesmen who trapped the tiger. They shot the tiger four times. Then they used the poisonous spear and blowpipe darts to kill it," she said.
Shabrina said the tribesmen were "promised thousands of ringgit", the Malaysian currency, by unidentified middlemen and admitted to killing another tiger and a panther previously.
Sharma said poachers from other nations were also hunting for wildlife in Malaysian jungles.
"There is a lot of evidence that hunters from Thailand and Vietnam are setting traps in Malaysia. We have found their camps and hunting equipment. They spend a long time in the jungles. They are very organised," she said.
Loretta Ann Shepherd, coordinator with the Malaysian Conservation Alliance for Tigers, pressed for swift action.
"It is a sad way to welcome the Year of the Tiger. The authorities should prosecute those responsible. Let it be a lesson for other poachers," she said this week.
Conservationists last month called for a war on the poachers who are undermining Malaysia's ambitious goal to double its population of wild tigers to 1,000.
With 2010 declared the Year of the Tiger according to the Chinese zodiac, experts fear there will be a surge in tiger poaching.
In the 1950s, there were as many as 3,000 tigers in Malaysia but their numbers fell as the country opened up more land for agriculture.

Malaysia cautious of Iranians after drug arrests

Asian Defense News: KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia – Malaysian airport authorities have stepped up surveillance on Iranian travelers after dozens were held this year on suspicion of smuggling drugs, officials said Thursday.
Six Iranians were arrested this week alone for allegedly having methamphetamines while arriving on four separate flights at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport, said Nordin Kadir, head of the police narcotics department in central Selangor state.
"It is a very big number," Nordin said, adding there were indications the Iranians were catering to a rising demand for methamphetamines among Malaysian drug-users.
The suspects face death by hanging if convicted of drug trafficking, though none has been charged yet because police haven't completed their investigations.
Those detained all came from Tehran and made transit stops in Bahrain and Dubai, Nordin said. Most of the drugs were hidden in the suspects' luggage. One man allegedly had eight packets of methampethamines sewn into his jacket, he said.
So far this year, 41 Iranians have been held for allegedly smuggling nearly 200 pounds (90 kilograms) of methamphetamines worth up to $6.5 million into Malaysia, said Othman Harun, deputy police chief of the federal narcotics department. For the whole of last year, 24 Iranians were detained for similar offenses.
Police have deployed more officers to monitor Iranian travelers at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport, Othman said.
A Malaysian and two Singaporeans believed linked to Iranian smugglers were arrested Tuesday at an airport outside Kuala Lumpur, Othman said. They were on the way to the Philippines when allegedly found with 80 pounds (36 kilograms) of methamphetamines in their luggage, he said.

(By JULIA ZAPPEI,Associated Press Writer - Thursday, February 12)

Honda airbag fault fuels Japan's auto woes

Asian Defense News: TOKYO (AFP) - February 12– Honda, Japan's second-biggest carmaker after crisis-hit Toyota, Wednesday recalled more than 400,000 vehicles to fix airbags that it said can explode and spray out potentially deadly metal shards.
The recall, the third related to the defect since late 2008, includes top-selling Accord and Civic cars sold in the United States and Canada as well as models marketed in Japan, Mexico, Taiwan and Australia.
Honda said the defective airbag inflators could rupture, "resulting in metal fragments passing through the airbag cushion material and possibly causing injury or fatality to vehicle occupants".
The expanded recall of 437,763 vehicles covers models made in 2001 and 2002, mostly in North America, and also includes family-friendly models such as the Odyssey and CR-V.
Honda said it knew of 12 incidents involving the defect and one fatality, but added that there had been no new reports since last year.
The latest safety recall adds to the woes of Japan's auto industry, a key export earner of Asia's largest economy, with Toyota making global headlines over its faulty accelerator and brake systems.
"The industry perspective of this is no one likes to see another competitor be put through that," said Mark Reuss, president of GM's North American division.
"We like to have a healthy industry and we like to be able to compete on a level playing field."
Toyota on Tuesday expanded its global recall to over 400,000 of its Prius and other petrol-electric hybrid models. The world's biggest car maker has now pledged to fix 8.7 million vehicles worldwide. Related article: Toyota announces mass Prius recall
Toyota dealers in Japan have started fixing software problems that can make brakes slow to respond in the third-generation Prius, the company's flagship hybrid.
The company will suspend production of Lexus HS250h and Sai hybrids from Saturday, after deciding to stop sales of those models in Japan while Toyota engineers work on improving the vehicles' safety.
Toyota has also said it is recalling more than 7,000 Camry sedans with power steering problems in the United States, while US authorities say they are "reviewing" complaints about steering problems from Corolla drivers.
Company president Akio Toyoda, the grandson of the Toyota founder, has publicly apologised and plans to fly to the United States soon, where his company faces a congressional grilling and a host of lawsuits. Related article: Toyota boss 'expected to testify' in Congress
US Representative Darrell Issa said Wednesday Toyoda should meet personally with US lawmakers eager to "hear directly" from him about the auto giant's woes.
Issa, the top Republican on a House of Representatives committee looking into the company's handling of dangerous defects, said he would ask the panel's chairman to invite Toyoda to Washington to take part in a February 24 hearing on the matter.
"Given the number of outstanding questions surrounding Toyotas relationship with US regulators and in the best interests of moving forward, Id like to help facilitate a dialogue between Mr Toyoda and lawmakers from both parties and both chambers," said the lawmaker.
Angry US consumers and Congress members claim Toyota knew about the dangerous problem of "sticky accelerators" for years but was slow to respond until it was forced into action by federal authorities.
Japan's centre-left government -- which took power last year promising to put the interests of consumers before those of big business -- has also ramped up pressure on Toyota, one of Japan's most iconic companies.
The Asahi Shimbun daily reported that a contrite Toyota had turned down an energy efficiency award from the government in light of the recall troubles.
Hans Greimel, the Asia editor of Automotive News, said Toyota, a company not used to crises, was enduring a "perfect storm" after looking unstoppable during its rise to global dominance. Related article: Toyota crisis hits hometown
"They are having their first operating loss in 70 years. Now their quality has been questioned like never before," he said. "It is a classic fall-from-grace story."

Japan FM apologises for colonial rule over Korea

Asian Defense News: SEOUL (AFP) February 12 - – Japanese Foreign Minister Katsuya Okada made a strongly-worded apology Thursday for his country's "tragic" 20th century colonisation of Korea, saying his government would not ignore history.
"I think it was a tragic incident for Koreans when they were deprived of their nation and identity," he told a press conference after talks with his South Korean counterpart Yu Myung-Hwan.
"I can fully understand the feelings of Koreans and I believe we must never forget such victims," Okada said.
The two countries, he said, should make a "meaningful turning point" in relations this year, the 100th anniversary of Japan's occupation which lasted until its wartime defeat in 1945.
Okada said his government "will look forward to the future without looking away from past history and sincerely develop a future-oriented relationship between Japan and South Korea".
South Korean officials have also said Okada's trip would mark the beginning of efforts by both countries to put the past behind them.
Yu said they would build a more forward-looking and friendly relationship while making sincere efforts to address thorny disputes of the past.
They would push for regular summits between President Lee Myung-Bak and Japanese Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama.
Japan has often been criticised by its neighbours for glossing over atrocities before and during World War II.
Hatoyama has sought to ease tensions by pledging not to visit a Tokyo war shrine at the centre of past rows.
Some older Koreans have bitter memories of the colonial period when Japan ruthlessly suppressed resistance movements and tried to eradicate Korean culture, even forcing people at one point to change their names.
Ties have also been strained by Japan's reasserted claims over a tiny chain of Seoul-controlled islands known as Dokdo in Korea and Takeshima in Japan.

Sanctions stay until North Korea talks - South, Japan

Asian Defense News: SEOUL - Sanctions on North Korea will not be removed until Pyongyang returns to disarmament talks and takes serious steps towards scrapping its nuclear arms programme, the foreign ministers of South Korea and Japan said on Thursday.
The comments come as the North's top nuclear envoy is in Beijing in a sign the destitute state may soon end its year-long boycott of six-country disarmament-for-aid nuclear talks hosted by its key ally, China.
North Korea has come under increasing pressure to return to the forum where it can win rewards for rolling back its nuclear programme as U.N. sanctions imposed after a nuclear test last year dry up its coffers and a currency revaluation in late 2009 adds to its economic woes.
"We shared the view that North Korea needs to take denuclearisation steps in order for there to be peace treaty talks and the lifting of sanctions," Japanese Foreign Minister Katsuya Okada told a briefing in Seoul.
North Korea has called for a peace treaty with United States to replace the armistice that ended the 1950-53 Korean War as a condition to returning to the disarmament deal that it signed in 2005 in return for massive economic aid.
South Korean Foreign Minister Yu Myung-hwan said the five countries in negotiations with the North aimed to keep up the pressure through sanctions while continuing to pursue dialogue to prod it back to the talks.
The talks involve the two Koreas, the United States, Japan, Russia and China and began in 2003. Japanese Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama's new government has no plans to contribute financially to the disarmament-for-aid deal until North Korea resolves the issue of Japanese nationals it kidnapped decades ago, a Japanese official said.
"The issue of abduction is as important as the nuclear or missile issues for Japan," Kazuo Kodama, director general for press relations for the Foreign Ministry, told reporters.
South Korea has criticised Japan for not joining other partners in providing aid to the North to reward it for reducing the security threat it poses to the region while Pyongyang has said Japan should be removed entirely from the talks.
North Korean leader Kim Jong-il told a visiting Chinese envoy this week that his country was willing to talk about how to restart the stalled international process.
Some analysts said the dispatch of Vice Foreign Minister Kim Kye-gwan, who represents the North at the six-way forum, to Beijing indicated that the two countries were working out a face-saving measure for Pyongyang to return to dialogue.

(Reuters - Friday, February 12 By Jack Kim)

Indonesian said "God is great" as hotels attacked

Asian Defense News: JAKARTA - An Indonesian suspect went on trial on Wednesday charged in connection with bomb attacks on two luxury hotels in Jakarta and a plan to assassinate President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.
Amir Abdillah, 34, is the first to appear of a group of defendants believed to have taken orders from Noordin Mohammad Top, the head of a violent wing of militant Islamic group Jemaah Islamiah, which police said was behind the attacks.
State prosecutor Totok Bambang told South Jakarta Court Abdillah helped other group members to launch suicide bomb attacks at the Ritz Carlton and J.W. Marriott hotels in July 2009, in which 11 people were killed, including the suicide bombers, and 53 wounded.
"The defendant was involved and was aware of the plan and the implementation of the terror acts... The defendant also knew there would be another bombing targeting President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono," another prosecutor, Kiki Ahmad Yani, told the court.
Prosecutors said Abdillah was nearby on the morning of the hotel attacks, and, according to his statements to police, said "Allahu Akbar," or "God is great," before and after the bombs exploded.
Abdillah had told police that Top, who was killed by police in a raid in September, had ordered the attacks on the hotels, and had planned to assassinate the president using a car bomb shortly afterwards.
Under Indonesian law, the maximum penalty for abetting acts of terrorism is death.
Jemaah Islamiah, which is believed to want to create an Islamic state linking Muslim communities in Southeast Asia, has in the past been linked to al Qaeda.
It was blamed for a string of attacks that killed hundreds of civilians, including the bombing of the Australian embassy in Jakarta in 2004 and of the Marriott Hotel in Jakarta in 2003.
Although many of the leaders of Top's ring have been killed in police raids, the special anti-terror detachment police say Indonesia still faces a considerable threat.

(Reuters - Wednesday, February 12 By Telly Nathalia)

Fortune tellers: Year of Tiger isn't Tiger's year

Asian Defense News: HONG KONG – It's the Year of the Tiger, but Chinese fortune tellers say it'll be a rough patch for the world's most famous one: disgraced golfer Tiger Woods.
Other predictions: trying times for U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, turmoil in the financial markets, spikes in fire-related natural disasters and a crucial period for U.S. President Barack Obama.
Under the school of feng shui _ the traditional Chinese practice of predicting fortunes through dates and classical Chinese texts _ the new lunar year starting Sunday is associated with the natural elements of metal, wood, thunder and fire. Metal is a symbol of righteous action _ like waging war. Thunder and fire symbolize volatility, while wood feeds the fire.
It's a recipe for geopolitical tensions and drastic market movements, feng shui experts say.
"People will try to take on the strong and help the weak. They will try to help their fellow brothers. They will help friends who are being bullied. This year will be more violent," Hong Kong feng shui adviser Raymond Lo said, noting that the previous Year of the Tiger associated with metal was 1950 _ the year the Korean War broke out.
Fellow Hong Kong soothsayer Chow Hon-ming expects more terrorist attacks.
Fires and explosions are more likely in the coming year, Lo said, also warning that Iran and North Korea may step up their nuclear ambitions. Kuala Lumpur-based Yap Boh Chu said beware of earthquakes, volcanoes and "metal-related accidents" like car crashes, armed robbery and industrial accidents.
Markets will remain topsy-turvy as the world recovers from the U.S. financial crisis, but on balance they will post decent results, the forecasters say.
"When the markets rise, they will rise fiercely and when they drop, they will drop dramatically," Chow said.
Yap said investors will be jittery throughout the year.
"You're always in firefighting mode. You're always reacting," the Malaysian said. "It's like a tiger stalking you. You always have to be aware of it."
The Chinese zodiac operates on a rotation of 12 different signs, or animals. People who are entering a year whose sign is the same as their birth year's are considered "in clash" and may have bad luck, according to feng shui belief. But while Chinese fortune tellers give tigers a conservative outlook this year, the zodiac sign that causes the most serious conflict this year is the monkey.
The most notable monkey in world politics is Ban. The South Korean "will face a lot of trouble this year," Lo said. Other famous monkeys include Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, NBA star Yao Ming, singers Diana Ross, Celine Dion and actors Elizabeth Taylor, Tom Hanks, Michael Douglas, Owen Wilson and Daniel Craig.
The world's best-known "tiger" _ American golfer Tiger Woods _ actually isn't a tiger nor a monkey, according to the lunar calendar. Born Dec. 30, 1975, the 14-time major winner is a rabbit.
But Woods' birth date is associated with metal, which clashes with the presence of metal in the coming lunar year. So after admitting to cheating on his wife and taking an indefinite leave from golf in December, the 34-year-old can expect more personal trouble this year, predictions say.
"His long-term fortune is on the decline," Lo said.
As for Obama, there are differing interpretations. The American president's birthday is Aug. 4, 1961, making him an ox. According to Lo, the tiger is a lucky "nobleman" for people born in years ending in the digit "1" and Obama's birth date is associated with the natural element of earth, which is complementary with metal because minerals come from the earth.
"He will shine with flying colors," Lo said, adding that the American leader will become more aggressive in pushing his agenda. "His foreign policy may be tougher."
Yap disagrees, saying that the presence of thunder and fire traditionally represents the "arrival of the king" _ a metaphor for a fierce battle for leadership. The Malaysian called the Year of the Tiger a turning point for the Democrat, whose push for health care reform was threatened by the recent election of a Republican senator in Massachusetts that denied Democrats a 60-vote majority in the chamber.
"He will have a bloody hard time this year. If he survives this year, the rest of his term will be no problem. This is a crux year," Yap said.

(By MIN LEE,Associated Press Writer - Tuesday, February 12)

Malaysia: Anwar sodomy judge mulls stepping down

Asian Defense News: KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia – Malaysian opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim's sodomy trial was suspended for a week Wednesday, pending a decision whether the judge should step down because of defense claims that he is biased.
The ruling on High Court Judge Mohamad Zabidin Diah's alleged bias will be made by the judge himself. He said he will announce on Feb. 18 whether he would exit the case if he feels he is biased against Anwar in the politically explosive case.
Anwar could be jailed for up to 20 years if he is convicted of sodomizing a 24-year-old male former aide, effectively ending his career and his aspirations to become prime minister.
Opposition leaders have decried the charge as a government conspiracy to hobble their three-party alliance, which harbors hopes of winning power in the next national elections due in 2013. Prime Minister Najib Razak and other officials have denied plotting against Anwar.
The trial began last week with testimony from Anwar's accuser, Saiful Bukhari Azlan, who claimed Anwar had anal sex with him at a condominium on June 26, 2008. Key details of the alleged incident were not made public because explicit portions of Saiful's testimony were recorded in court without public observers.
Anwar's lawyer, Karpal Singh, on Wednesday criticized the judge's refusal to penalize a newspaper owned by Najib's ruling party that published a photograph and headline last week that Anwar's lawyers believe were misleading and tantamount to contempt of court.
"The judge must not only be beyond suspicion and (be) honest but also not fear (showing his impartiality)," Singh said.
Government lawyers said there was no need for the judge to step down because they believed the newspaper had not done anything wrong.
The judge previously defended his decision, saying Anwar should file a police complaint against the newspaper if he believed its coverage was malicious.
Anwar claims Malaysia's mainstream media, which are generally pro-government because of their close links to parties in the governing National Front coalition, are trying to make him appear guilty of sodomy, a crime in this Muslim-majority country even if consensual.
A sentence of at least a year would bar Anwar, 62, from politics for five years from the date of his release. He claims the charge was concocted by Najib and his allies to undermine Anwar's People's Alliance, which severely dented the National Front's parliamentary majority in March 2008 elections.
Anwar, who is married with six children, was previously tried for sodomy in 1998 when he was deputy prime minister under then-leader Mahathir Mohamad. He spent six years in prison for alleged corruption and sodomy before the sodomy conviction was quashed. Anwar insists he was framed by Mahathir, who has denied it.

(By EILEEN NG,Associated Press Writer - Wednesday, February 12)

Verdict expected in Indonesia corruption case

Asian Defense News: JAKARTA, Indonesia – An Indonesian judge prepared a verdict Thursday on the country's former anti-graft chief, who stands accused of masterminding the murder of a state businessman.
Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty against Antasari Azhar, a former head of the independent Corruption Eradication Commission, better known as the KPK.
Azhar, 56, was arrested in May, two months after Nasrudin Zulkarnaen _ director of pharmaceutical company PT Putra Rajawali Banjaran _ was shot through the window of his car as he left a golf course on the outskirts of the capital, Jakarta.
In South Jakarta District Court, prosecutors said Azhar wanted Zulkarnaen killed because he threatened to expose an incident of alleged sexual harassment between Azhar and Zulkarnaen's wife.
Azhar has denied wrongdoing, and described his arrest as a smear campaign in retaliation for his efforts to put high-ranking officials behind bars for corruption.
In separate trials Thursday, police colonel Williardi Wizar was convicted and sentenced to 12 years for recruiting the hit men, and businessman Sigit Haryo Wibisono sentenced to 15 years for financing the operation. Prosecutors had asked for the death penalty for both.
Jerry Hermawan Lo, another businessman who introduced the hit men to Wizar, received the lightest sentence of five years. Prosecutors had asked for 15.
The five hit men involved in Zulkarnaen's killing have each received between 17 and 18 years' imprisonment.
As head of the anti-graft commission for two years, Azhar oversaw a series of high-profile probes into government officials and institutions, including the father-in-law of one of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's sons.
The case against Azhar came amid a high-level plot to undermine the KPK, in which two of the commission's deputies were arrested on bogus charges of bribery and blackmail.
Anti-graft watchdogs regularly rank Indonesia as one of the most corrupt countries in the world.

(By IRWAN FIRDAUS,Associated Press Writer - Thursday, February 11)

Indonesia anti-graft official convicted in killing

By IRWAN FIRDAUS,Associated Press Writer - Friday, February 12
Asian Defense News: JAKARTA, Indonesia – Indonesia's former anti-graft chief was convicted of plotting the murder of a businessman and sentenced to 18 years in prison on Thursday, in a case that has undermined the country's fight against corruption.
Prosecutors had demanded the death penalty for Antasari Azhar, a former head of the independent Corruption Eradication Commission, but the judge cited Azhar's politeness, dedication to the commission, and lack of a prior record in delivering the lighter sentence.
"The sentence is not intended as revenge, but to make the defendant aware of his mistakes," Judge Herri Swantoro said in South Jakarta District Court. Azhar, 56, said he would appeal.
Swantoro found Azhar guilty of plotting the March 15 killing of Nasrudin Zulkarnaen, director of pharmaceutical company PT Putra Rajawali Banjaran. He was shot through the window of his car as he left a golf course on the outskirts of Jakarta.
"The defendant has been proven guilty of conspiring to plot a premeditated murder," Swantoro said.
Prosecutors say Zulkarnaen was blackmailing Azhar over an alleged sexual encounter between Zulkarnaen's wife and Azhar.
Azhar denied wrongdoing and described his arrest as a smear campaign in retaliation for his efforts to put high-ranking officials behind bars for corruption.
"I respect the verdict, but as a good citizen, give us a chance to seek justice," he told the court after being sentenced. "We will appeal."
Several dozen Azhar supporters erupted into a chorus of boos after the judge read the sentence, the conclusion of a four-month trial. Azhar showed little emotion, but hugged his two daughters before being led out of the courtroom.
The case attracted huge interest across the country, and the verdict was broadcast live on national television with the banner, "The end of the Antasari drama." Several hundred police stood guard and around 200 journalists jammed the courthouse.
In his two years as head of the anti-graft commission _ better known as the KPK _ Azhar oversaw a series of high-profile probes into government officials and institutions, including the father-in-law of one of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's sons.
Anti-graft watchdogs regularly rank Indonesia as one of the most corrupt countries in the world, and the case against Azhar came amid a high-level plot to undermine the KPK in which two of the group's deputies were arrested on bogus charges of bribery and blackmail.
Azhar's lawyer, Juniver Girsang, said the judges ignored evidence in the case.
"They said the verdict would only be based on evidence revealed at the hearing instead of what was contained in the police documents," Girsang said outside court. "In fact, the verdict did not touch on the evidence."
Five alleged hit men in Zulkarnaen's killing have each received between 17 and 18 years' imprisonment.
In separate trials Thursday, police Col. Williardi Wizar was convicted and sentenced to 12 years on charges of recruiting the hit men, and businessman Sigit Haryo Wibisono was sentenced to 15 years for allegedly financing the operation. Prosecutors had asked for the death penalty for both. Jerry Hermawan Lo, another businessman who was accused of introducing the hit men to Wizar, received the lightest sentence of five years. Prosecutors had asked for 15 years.

Indonesian plane makes emergency landing in Borneo

Asian Defense News: JAKARTA, Indonesia AP - Friday, February 12 – A domestic passenger plane has made an emergency landing on the Indonesian side of Borneo island due to engine trouble, injuring one person on board.
Sepinggan Airport spokesman Ariyanto said the turboprop plane operated by the privately run Trigana Air was carrying 47 passengers and five crew. It landed in a field in East Kalimantan Thursday.
Ariyanto, who uses a single name, says one person suffered a broken leg and others were slightly injured.
The plane was on a flight from Berau to the province's capital Samarinda.
Indonesia has one of Asia's worst aviation records due to poor maintenance, rule-bending and a shortage of properly trained pilots.

Indian president's husband accused of land-grab: reports

Asian Defense News: NEW DELHI (AFP) AFP - Friday, February 12- – Indian President Pratibha Patil's husband has been accused of illegally procuring land belonging to a farmer in western India, reports said Thursday.
The allegations came to light when a court in the president's home state of Maharashtra ordered the names of Patil's husband Devisingh Shekhawat, and five other family members, to be struck off the local land records, the Press Trust of India news agency reported.
The order came in response to a petition filed by farmer Kishore Bansod, who said the Shekhawats had fraudulently added their names to the title deed of a 3.2 acre (1.3 hectare) site he had refused to sell them.
"The Shekhawats own almost 200 acres in the village and were interested in owning this land too," Bansod's lawyer, Sunil Gajbhiye, was quoted as saying by the Hindustan Times newspaper.
"My client wasn't willing to sell the land. So the Shekhawats got it fraudulently transferred in their names."
There was no comment from the president's secretariat or India's ruling Congress party which nominated Patil for the post of president in 2007.
But Shekhawat rubbished the charges of fraud saying: "The land officers measured the land in a wrong manner and showed it as ours when my father bought it."
This is not the first time Patil has been embarrassed by accusations of corruption.
Prior to her appointment as India's first woman president, she was accused of protecting her brother in a murder probe and shielding her husband in a suicide scandal.
There were also charges of nepotism and involvement in a slew of financial scams.

China says it has 'no dissidents'

Asian Defense News: BEIJING (AFP) - – China declared Thursday it had "no dissidents", just hours after a Beijing court upheld an 11-year jail term for one of the country's top pro-democracy voices.
"There are no dissidents in China," foreign ministry spokesman Ma Zhaoxu told reporters at a regular news briefing.
Ma made the comment in answer to a question about leading Chinese dissident Liu Xiaobo, whose appeal of his conviction on subversion charges was denied early Thursday. Related article: China upholds jail for dissident
When asked to elaborate, Ma said: "In China, you can judge yourself whether such a group exists. But I believe this term is questionable in China."
Activists have said the treatment of Liu, who co-authored a bold petition calling for political change, is just one example of what they say is an increasing Chinese crackdown on dissent in the country.
On Tuesday, Chinese activist Tan Zuoren was jailed for five years for subversion, his lawyer said, after he probed whether shoddy construction linked to offical corruption caused school collapses in the 2008 Sichuan earthquake.
Liu's case has sparked calls around the world for his release, and the upholding of his sentence on appeal triggered swift US and EU condemnation Thursday.
China has numerous dissidents fighting for various causes who face the constant threat of jail or even physical attacks by authorities.
In one case, activist lawyer Gao Zhisheng has not been seen or heard from since he was taken into custody in February 2009, rights groups have said.
US-based Christian rights group ChinaAid said recently the police officer who detained Gao had told the attorney's brother that Gao had been "missing" since September 25, sparking concern he may have died in custody.

(AFP - Friday, February 12)

China upholds jail term for leading dissident

Asian Defense News: BEIJING (AFP) - – A Beijing court on Thursday upheld on appeal an 11-year prison term against leading Chinese dissident Liu Xiaobo on subversion charges, triggering swift US and EU condemnation.
Washington and Brussels called for the immediate release of the 54-year-old Liu, a writer and onetime professor who was first detained in December 2008 after co-authoring a bold manifesto calling for political reform in China.
The United States also hit out at what it called the "persecution" of individuals for expressing their political views, saying it was inconsistent with globally recognised human rights standards.
"The sentence was confirmed," one of Liu's attorneys, Shang Baojun, told AFP after a brief hearing at the Beijing High People's Court.
The initial December conviction of Liu, who was previously jailed over the 1989 Tiananmen pro-democracy protests, also sparked international condemnation and even some domestic criticism. Facts: Key Chinese dissidents convictions
Last month, four retired Communist Party officials signed an open letter to the government calling for a review of Liu's case, suggesting his conviction violated some of the principles for which they had fought.
The charge of "inciting subversion of state power", which was also related to anti-government articles written by Liu that were posted online, is commonly brought against those who voice opposition to the ruling party.
The dissident's wife Liu Xia, who was in court Thursday, told AFP she was not surprised by the verdict.
"I had prepared myself," she said, adding she had been allowed to visit her husband in detention after the hearing.
"He was doing well. We didn't talk about the case. He asked me what I was doing for (Chinese) New Year, that kind of thing."
US ambassador Jon Huntsman said in a statement after the ruling that Washington was disappointed and lamented what he called the persecution of citizens expressing their political views. Related article: China says has no dissidents
"We believe that he should not have been sentenced in the first place and should be released immediately," he said.
"Persecution of individuals for the peaceful expression of political views is inconsistent with internationally-recognised norms of human rights."
Simon Sharpe, an official from the European Union delegation in China, told reporters at the courthouse that the EU was also calling for Liu's unconditional release.
The EU also urged Beijing to "end the harassment and detention of other signatories of Charter 08" -- which called for the overhaul of China's one-party communist system and the protection of human rights.
According to China Human Rights Defenders, an activist network, more than 10,000 people have signed the petition, which has been widely circulated on the Internet.
In Hong Kong, a Chinese territory which runs on a different political system, a dozen activists -- outnumbered three-to-one by police -- protested and called for Liu's release.
The group taped a letter with its demands on a railing outside the central government liaison office, the body responsible for the city's ties with Beijing, after officials refused to accept its petition.
Rights group Amnesty International said that by upholding Liu's verdict, the court had "missed an opportunity to right the wrong."
"The message is clear -- if you criticise the system outside the parameters set by the authorities or independently try to organise civil society, you will be stopped," said Roseann Rife, the group's Asia-Pacific deputy director.
When Liu was convicted in December, China had slammed the West for meddling, saying the case -- which included a trial that lasted just half a day -- had been "handled in strict accordance with the law".

(AFP - Friday, February 12)

'Milkshake murder' conviction quashed by HK court

Asian Defense News: HONG KONG (AFP) - – Hong Kong's top court on Thursday quashed the conviction of American woman Nancy Kissel for drugging and bludgeoning her banker husband to death, one of the city's most sensational murder cases.
Kissel was dubbed the "milkshake murderer" and sentenced to life in prison in 2005 after being convicted of giving her high-flying husband, Robert, a sedatives-laced strawberry milkshake and then clubbing him to death with a lead ornament in 2003.
"The court unanimously allows the appeal, quashes the conviction and orders a re-trial," Chief Justice Andrew Li said.
The 45-year-old's three-month trial featured a heady mix of adultery, violence, spying, greed and enormous wealth, gripping the former British colony and even inspiring books and films.
Grisly details emerged in the trial, including that Kissel rolled up her husband's body in a carpet and left it in the bedroom of their luxurious apartment for days before hiring workmen to carry it to a storeroom.
"Mrs Kissel killed Mr Kissel. That much is not in dispute. But was the killing certainly murder or might it have been in self defence?" the court said in its judgment.
The court said it was clear that Kissel concealed her husband's body after the killing.
"But is it certain that she did that to hide a murder? Or might it be that she panicked and tried to hide the fact of the killing even though it had been in self-defence?"
The question is "whether such a jury would inevitably feel sure that Mrs Kissel was lying from start to finish and that she had planned and carried out a coldly calculated murder."
The court, which also held that the prosecutors had made "grossly prejudicial and quite improper" submissions at the trial, ordered Kissel be remanded in custody pending a bail hearing.
Simon Clarke, Kissel's lawyer, told AFP that they were considering asking for a permanent stay of proceedings on the grounds that it would be impossible for Kissel to have a fair trial following media coverage of the case.
"Basically, we are saying "Can the 'milkshake murderer' get a fair trial in Hong Kong?" Probably not," Clarke said.
Kissel could walk free if the court granted the request.
The lawyer added that his client was "psychologically injured by the whole process" and had not decided whether to apply for bail before the re-trial.
Kissel, who wept both before and after the ruling, was "elated', her friends said.
"She's very very happy," her friend Nancy Nassberg told reporters outside court.
"Justice has been served. It's what it should have been a long time ago," said Geertruida Samra, who testified for Kissel at the trial.
Prosecutors had claimed Michigan-born Kissel stood to gain up to $18 million in insurance payouts from the death of her husband, a senior investment banker at Merrill Lynch.
The prosecution also argued that Kissel, a mother-of-three, wanted to take her husband's money and run away with a TV repairman with whom she admitted having an affair in the United States.
Kissel admitted from the witness box that she killed her husband but claimed she was acting in self-defence after he attacked her with a baseball bat on the night of the murder.
She painted herself as a loving but long-suffering wife who had been subjected to regular violent attacks by a husband who abused cocaine and alcohol.
Kissel's last appeal was dismissed in 2008 by the Court of Appeal, which ruled that the case was "as cogent a case of murder as might be imagined."
Robert Kissel's family suffered a further tragedy in 2006, when his brother Andrew was found murdered in his house in Connecticut, bound and with multiple stab wounds. He was reportedly about to plead guilty to bank fraud charges.
The double tragedy inspired the book "Never Enough" by American author Joe McGinniss, who is most famous for his best-selling debut about the 1968 election campaign of Richard Nixon, "The Selling of the President".
It also led to the production of US television movie "Killing Mr Kissel".

(AFP - Friday, February 12)

Australia cyber attacks could last 'months': hackers

Asian Defense News: SYDNEY (AFP) - – A shadowy group of cyber-activists who succeeded Thursday in jamming key Australian government websites for a second consecutive day warned they could shut down the sites for months.
The group, Anonymous, blocked the main government website http://www.australia.gov.au/

and http://www.aph.gov.au/, the Australian parliament's homepage, for a second day running in protest over controversial plans to filter the Internet.
Codenamed "Operation: Titstorm", the hacking campaign involves hundreds of people from around the world and used a technique called Distributed Denial of Service to jam web traffic, one of the protesters said.
"It is effectively a lot of computers around the world all trying to access the same sites all at once making so that no one can access them," the activist, who calls himself Coldblood, told AFP.
"I believe that the government websites will remain down as long as we can keep them down. That could be anywhere from a few hours to a few months at the most," he added.
Coldblood, who would reveal only that he was based in Europe, said the campaign would last "as long as the individuals that make up Anonymous decide that action needs to be taken to protect the freedom of the internet."
Anonymous has previously campaigned against the Church of Scientology and helped get information out of Iran during last year's election unrest.
Coldblood said its members wished to "keep the internet a place that is open and available to everyone without censorship".
"Titstorm" follows Australia's announcement in December that it plans to introduce a sweeping national Internet filter blocking access to sites featuring material such as rape, drug use, bestiality and child sex abuse.
Close to 1,000 people from across the globe were believed to be involved in the campaign, which Coldblood said "allows us to impact something as large as a government with a handful of people.
"Going through the official channels you just get pushed aside, this way they have to listen," he said.
"I believe it won't completely get the government to remove the filter they are planning on, but as long as something changes -- for example the list (of banned sites) being made public -- we will have succeeded anyway."
Canberra has condemned the cyber-attacks as irresponsible and not a legitimate form of political protest against the filter, which is opposed by Internet groups and the pornography industry.
Search engine Google has said it could block harmless material on areas of legitimate debate such as euthanasia, sexuality and terrorism.

(AFP - Friday, February 12)

Thailand to deport crew of NKorean weapons plane

Asian Defense News: BANGKOK – Thai prosecutors dropped charges against the five-man crew of an aircraft accused of smuggling weapons from North Korea, saying Thursday the men might be guilty but would be deported to preserve good relations with their home countries.
The Attorney General's Office said the decision was made after the governments of Belarus and Kazakhstan contacted the Thai Foreign Ministry and requested the crew's release so they can be investigated at home.
"To charge them in Thailand could affect the good relationship between the countries," said Thanaphit Mollaphruek, a spokesman for the Attorney General's Office. "We have decided to drop all the charges and deport them."
The decision is likely to spark international criticism. The weapons' ultimate destination remains a mystery, though Thailand has said it may have been Iran. Experts have also voiced concern that authorities in the former Soviet republics have turned a blind eye to illicit activities of air freight companies that use Soviet-era planes to fly anything, anywhere for a price.
The crew was arrested Dec. 12 when the Ilyushin Il-76 cargo plane they were flying from the North Korean capital Pyongyang landed in Bangkok. Thai authorities, acting on a tip from the United States, found 35 tons of weapons on board _ a violation of U.N. sanctions against North Korea.
"To charge them in this case would not be a benefit to Thailand," Thanaphit told a news conference, saying the men had planned to transit the weapons through Thailand and had no intention of using them in the country. "They were only here for refueling."
The U.S. Embassy had no immediate comment, spokeswoman Cynthia Brown said.
The crew _ four Kazakhs and a Belarusian _ left the prison where they were being held Thursday evening. They were to be turned over to immigration police who would arrange their deportation, said lawyer Somsak Saithong.
The U.N. imposed sanctions in June banning North Korea from exporting any arms after it conducted a nuclear test and test-fired missiles. North Korea is believed to earn hundreds of millions of dollars every year by selling missiles, missile parts and other weapons to countries such as Iran, Syria and Myanmar.
The crew has denied knowledge of arms aboard the plane, which Thai authorities say included explosives, rocket-propelled grenades and components for surface-to-air missiles. The crew says they believed they were carrying oil-drilling equipment.
"We are not saying that they're not guilty, just that we will not indict them in Thailand," Kayasit Pissawongprakan, director-general for the Attorney General's criminal litigation division, told reporters.
Hugh Griffiths, a researcher at the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, said it is unlikely the men will be prosecuted in Kazakhstan.
"There have been very, very few prosecutions for brokering arms or transporting arms to or from embargoed destinations. Certainly there have been none in Kazakhstan," he said.
"It would be a first for the Kazakh authorities to prosecute anyone associated with those air cargo companies that are registered by their authorities, which have been documented again and again in United Nations sanctions committee reports," he said.
The crew was initially charged with five counts relating to illegal arms possession, but Thai authorities had repeatedly said the charges were expected to be stiffened once an investigation wrapped up.
In recent weeks, however, the tone from Thai authorities changed.
Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya indicated earlier this month that the men would be released, saying the government had "suggested to the office of the Attorney General to release them because the U.N. resolution does not oblige Thailand to ... bring up charges on the pilots and the crew."
A Thai government report to the U.N. Security Council leaked to reporters in late January said the aircraft was bound for Tehran's Mahrabad Airport.
But Thai government spokesman Panitan Wattanayarkorn subsequently said "to say that the weapons are going to Iran, that might be inexact."
Iran's Foreign Ministry has denied the weapons were destined for Iran, saying it has no need to import such arms because of its own sophisticated weapons production capability.
Investigations by The Associated Press in several countries showed the flight was facilitated by a web of holding companies and fake addresses from New Zealand to Barcelona designed to disguise the movement of the weapons.

(By JOCELYN GECKER,Associated Press Writer - Friday, February 12)

Rio Tinto voices concern over China trial

Asian Defense News: SYDNEY (AFP) - – Rio Tinto voiced concern Thursday after China said it will try four staff on industrial espionage charges, reviving jitters about the potential pitfalls for foreign companies doing business with Beijing.
Australia urged China to show transparency in its handling of the trial of Australian executive Stern Hu and three Chinese colleagues who were arrested in Shanghai seven months ago.
Beijing insisted the case would be handled by the book and that it would "fully guarantee" the rights of the employees, but said the trial was likely to be held behind closed doors.
Their detention in July came during fractious iron ore contract talks which later lapsed and just weeks after Anglo-Australian giant Rio Tinto snubbed a near 20-billion dollar cash injection from a state-run Chinese company.
Analysts said business leaders would keep a close eye on the proceedings to gauge the pitfalls of engaging with China, the world's top exporter whose breakneck growth defied the global slowdown.
"We are very concerned about the nature of these charges, however, as this is part of an ongoing legal process, it is inappropriate to comment any further," Rio Tinto's iron ore division chief Sam Walsh said in a statement, calling for "transparent and expeditious" resolution of the case.
Rio Tinto, the world's third biggest miner, has previously said it was not aware of any wrongdoing by its employees, who have been charged with bribery and stealing trade secrets. Related article: Rio profits soar 33%
No trial date has been announced but a Chinese court official said the case could begin by the end of the month at the earliest.
"We continue to emphasise to the Chinese authorities the need for the case to be handled transparently and expeditiously," said a spokesman for Australian Foreign Minister Stephen Smith.
The four are accused of using their "positions to obtain benefits for others and on many occasions solicited or accepted bribes," China's state Xinhua news agency said late Wednesday.
Xinhua said they had also "on many occasions obtained the trade secrets of Chinese steel companies, leading to serious consequences for the relevant steel companies".
The case briefly snarled diplomatic ties between Beijing and Canberra, which have become major trading partners as China seeks commodities and energy to feed its rapid industrialisation.
"I think the business community will try to talk as if the Stern Hu situation is a unique one, but I they will realise that it's more than that," said John Lee, fellow of the Centre for Independent Studies think-tank.
"It's a commentary on the general risk of doing business with China."
At the time of the arrest of the four in July, analysts warned that the case would make international firms more cautious in their dealings with the world's third largest economy.
China needs iron ore for its massive steel industry, which with annual output of almost 570 million tonnes last year is the world's biggest.
A spokeswoman for Shanghai's Number One Intermediate People's Court said the trial was likely to be held behind closed doors.
"The case involves infringing commercial secrets, so the trial is unlikely to be open to the public," she told AFP. "If it is decided to be a closed-door trial, no media will be allowed."
Foreign ministry spokesman Ma Zhaoxu said China would handle the case "according to China-Australia consular agreements and relevant international conventions."
"The rights of the defendants will be fully guaranteed," he added.
A lawyer for one of the accused told AFP the trial was likely to be held in February or March. Wang Yong, Ge Minqiang, and Liu Caikui are the three Chinese nationals involved.
Analyst Lee, who has personally investigated the case, said Hu had little chance of being acquitted and expected a sentence of five to seven years.
"The mere possession of the information that Stern Hu had is illegal. I think there's no prospect of finding him innocent," he said.
Australian Deputy Prime Minister said Hu and his family were being provided with consular assistance.
"I don't want to speculate on the timing of the trial of Mr Hu and I certainly don't want to speculate on any matters which might occur during the trial."
(AFP - Friday, February 12)

2 blasts in NW Pakistan wound police officers

Asian Defense News: PESHAWAR, Pakistan – Police say two explosions in a northwest Pakistani city have wounded several police officers.
Police official Saleem Khan says the blasts went off minutes apart Thursday near a police facility in Bannu, a town near Pakistan's tribal belt.
The exact nature of the explosions was unclear, and no militant group immediately claimed responsibility.
However, the explosions follow a suicide bombing that killed 17 people _ most of them police _ in the Khyber tribal region on Wednesday.
Pakistan has waged an army offensive against Taliban fighters in the tribal areas, while the U.S. has pursued the militants with missile strikes.

(By RIAZ KHAN,Associated Press Writer - Friday, February 12)

Hope fades as Afghan avalanche toll hits 171

Asian Defense News: KABUL – Using bulldozers, shovels, and satellite images, rescue teams dug through mounds of snow Thursday searching for victims of an avalanche disaster in Afghanistan as the death toll rose to 171 and the hope of finding more survivors faded.
Some 3,000 people have already been rescued from the snowbound, 12,700-foot (3,800-meter) -high Salang Pass, which is the major route through the Hindu Kush mountains that connects the capital to the north.
Public Works Minister Suhrab Ali Safari said five more bodies were discovered Thursday on the pass, 70 miles (115 kilometers) north of the capital, bringing the total to 171. It was unclear how many more bodies may be buried in the snow.
Sniffer dogs, usually used in de-mining efforts, were brought in to help rescuers locate more victims as satellite imagery pinpointed eight more vehicles buried deep in the mountain gorge, he said. However, fresh snowfall and darkened skies brought a halt to efforts for the day, though the rescue operation is "not yet finished," he said.
Defense Ministry official Ahmad Zia Aftali said the Afghan side plans to ask the international coalition for additional equipment, including metal detectors, to aid the search. He said they did not expect to find anyone still alive.
Hundreds of soldiers and police plowed through huge snowdrifts to clear the 2 miles (3.5 kilometers) of road that had been blocked off when a series of avalanches Monday sent tons of snow and ice crashing down onto hundreds of vehicles along a treacherous stretch of highway.
The avalanches had pushed vehicles hundreds of feet (meters) from the road and covered them so it was likely there were still many cars submerged in snow that they had not reached, Aftali said.
Though the road has now been cleared, it remains closed to the public to allow for emergency efforts, Aftali said. The highway that winds through the mountainside remains littered with abandoned or snow-packed cars.
Interior Ministry spokesman Zemari Bashary said late Wednesday that the rescue operation was "95 percent over."
He said some of the victims were found frozen to death inside their vehicles. Other bodies were strewn along the road. He said about 125 people were given medical treatment at provincial hospitals.
The avalanches have closed off the 1.6 mile (2.6 kilometer)-long Salang Tunnel, a Soviet-built landmark dating from the 1960s, and the roads on both sides.
The casualty toll makes this perhaps the deadliest disaster to occur along the Salang Pass. Last year, avalanches claimed nearly a dozen lives.
(By AMIR SHAH,Associated Press Writer - Friday, February 12)

New aviation gallery to open at Changi Airport’s Terminal 2 on Fri

Asian Defense News: SINGAPORE : A new aviation gallery at Changi Airport’s Terminal 2 opens on Friday.
The gallery has interactive displays designed to intrigue both young and old.
Visitors can also get insights into the airport’s ground operations.
One highlight is the more than 600 miniature aircraft hanging from the ceiling, to show the number of flights handled at the airport daily.
Admission is free and the gallery is open 24 hours.
Foo Sek Min, executive vice—president, Airport Management, Changi Airport Group, said: "We have noticed that more and more Singaporeans are visiting Changi Airport as a destination. They are not travellers, but they come here over the weekends with their families, as dating couples, as students studying, and they visit Changi Airport.
"And we thought that we would engage them further by bringing a bit of Changi Airport’s history and Singapore’s aviation history to this place." — CNA/ms

(Channel NewsAsia - Friday, February 12)

Opening of Resorts World Sentosa adds to Singapore’s tourism landscape: Iswaran

Asian Defense News: SINGAPORE : The opening of Resorts World Sentosa and its attractions would add to Singapore’s tourism landscape, says Senior Minister of State for Trade and Industry S Iswaran.
This would result in more opportunities to attract tourists and repeat visitors to Singapore.
He was commenting on the announcement of the soft launch of the casino at Resorts World this Sunday, the first day of the Lunar New Year.
Mr Iswaran said: "It is good that Resorts World has announced that they are going to start operations of the casino and other aspects of the IR (integrated resort), in particular in relation to Universal Studios. I think this is part of a progression of activities they have started to launch, starting with the hotels and restaurants and other attractions, and they plan to progressively open this.
"So it is a good development. It adds to our tourism landscape in terms of the kinds of attractions that we have, and that means of course more opportunities to attract visitors, tourists and repeat visitors to Singapore. That has always been the objective of this IR and the other in Marina Bay, and also the other tourism products in the pipeline."
He added: "The important thing is that the opening of these important additions to our tourism landscape are done in a smooth manner and in a manner that preserve the visitor experience, so that people will have memorable experiences and they will come back.
"As far as the economy is concerned, as the IRs open up, we would see a progressive impact. I think the full impact would be felt when they are fully open and in their steady state. But I think we can see their progressive impact, already significant hirings have taken place. And once the visitors start flowing in, in terms of visitors to the theme parks, that will have a consequential impact on the economy."
On the phased opening of the Universal Studios attractions, Mr Iswaran said: "It is not uncommon for theme parks to open in a progressive way. I believe that is the practice of Universal Studios in other locations as well. They want to phase—in the rides, phase in the whole operations so that it is smooth, so that by the time it opens in a complete manner to the public, it has been tested out, and they are satisfied that the total visitor experience would be a good one.
"It is in that context that they are doing this phased opening. As far as the government agencies are concerned, they have been working very closely with Resorts World to facilitate their opening as early as possible, subject to the regulatory requirements. They will continue to work closely with them." — CNA/ms

(Channel NewsAsia - Friday, February 12)

Singapore's first casino to open February 14

Asian Defense News: SINGAPORE - Singapore opens its first casino on Sunday, coinciding with the start of the Chinese New Year, as the city-state makes the latest roll of the dice to turn itself into a playground for the rich.
Genting Singapore said its Resorts World Sentosa casino in Singapore would have its "soft opening" -- to a restricted number of guests -- on Feb 14 and welcome the first member of the public at what the casino says is the auspicious time of 12.18 p.m. the same day.
The casino is part of a S$6.59 billion resort located on Sentosa Island -- off Singapore's southern coast and a former Malay graveyard turned British military base during the colonial period.
Singapore is betting on casinos to increase tourism revenue and boost business for its wealth management industry.
Resorts World Sentosa hopes to lure gamblers away from lavish facilities in Macau, Malaysia and Australia and has already opened four of the resort's six hotels as well as a number of restaurants and shops.
Known for shopping malls, efficiency, cleanliness and a "nanny state" social environment, Singapore is already home to the highest density of millionaires in the world.
Resorts World Sentosa, and a rival casino likely to open nearby later this year, will add to the glamour generated in the Southeast Asia state by an annual Formula One night street race.
MID-DAY BEST FOR BUSINESS
A Chinese astrologer said a midday opening time, which falls on the Year of Metal Tiger under Chinese zodiac signs, is supposed to be the most propitious for business.
"Midday is supposed to be the hottest time of the day," Thai Feng Shui master Panuwat Punvichartkul told Reuters.
"And this year is the year of a high-spirited Tiger. This will give a double boost to the casino with a very brisk and bright business future."
The casino secured its licence on February 6, but a purported opening on Thursday or Friday this week never materialised.
"Month ends, particularly year-ends, aren't considered to be particularly auspicious for the truly traditional Chinese, as they mark an end," said blogger auntieLucia.
Genting, a unit of Malaysian casino operator Genting Bhd, will also allow the public to visit its Universal Studios theme park on Feb 14, although the rides will only be operational in early March.
Resorts World secures bragging rights as Singapore's first casino ahead of Las Vegas Sands, whose facility at Marina Bay Sands is under construction and unlikely to open before June.
Deutsche Bank on Monday forecast Genting would make S$1.7 billion in gross gaming revenue in its first year. But it also suggested Genting shares may later fall, as happened with Hong Kong-listed firms after the opening of their Macau casinos.

(Reuters - Friday, February 12 By Nopporn Wong-Anan)