tier-1



STORY OF THE DAY • Apr 01, 2021 • 3 min read

Culture [Photos] Malaysia’s weird and wonderful Tomb Sweeping Day paper items

By Patrick Lee/AFP • Apr 01, 2021
In a Covid-themed Tomb Sweeping Day, surgical masks and hand sanitiser are just two of an array of weird and wonderful paper replicas of everyday items that will burned by Malaysia's ethnic Chinese population during this year's festivities

STORY OF THE DAY • Apr 01, 2021 • 5 min read

Myanmar coup Myanmar ‘traitors’ hounded in online anti-coup campaign

By Lisa Martin/AFP • Apr 01, 2021
As Myanmar descends into chaos and the military harshly cracks down on protestors, smartphone warriors in the anti-coup movement are seeking revenge online against the junta, hounding people with family ties to the military as a form of "social punishment"

STORY OF THE DAY • Mar 31, 2021 • 8 min read

Myanmar coup In Karen State, refugees flee bombs as funds for displaced CDM run low

By Ryan Anders • Mar 31, 2021
As the military ramps up its bloody crackdown on protests, some 2,000 have fled to Karen-controlled territory in eastern Myanmar seeking refuge. But as the ethnic group attempts to host the new arrivals, essential funds needed to support them are dwindling fast

STORY OF THE DAY • Mar 31, 2021 • 3 min read

Myanmar coup US orders diplomats out of Myanmar as violence spirals

By Agence France-Presse • Mar 31, 2021
The United States on March 31 ordered the departure of non-essential diplomats from Myanmar, amid growing violence following the military coup to oust civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi and her National League for Democracy party

Mar 30, 2021 • 11 min read
Myanmar coup

Blocked from protesting, Singapore’s Burmese take democracy fight online

Cut off from their homeland, Singapore’s 200,000-strong Burmese community are navigating strict prohibitions on protests in the city-state, taking their pro-democracy fight online as they show their solidarity with those resisting the coup back home
By Toh Ee Ming • Mar 30, 2021

Mar 29, 2021 • 11 min read
Arts and culture

Huddled together: Keeping Thailand’s independent cinema alive

With major cineplexes increasingly dominating Thailand's cinema landscape in recent decades, the kingdom's independent film scene was already struggling pre-Covid. Now, amidst the pandemic, efforts are being made to keep Thailand's rich cinematic heritage alive
By Wanpen Pajai • Mar 29, 2021

Mar 29, 2021 • 3 min read
Health

Mr Muscles: Malaysian bodybuilder still going strong at 72

Despite his advancing years, Malaysian champion bodybuilder Arokiasamy still pumps iron every day, and believes staying healthy with a vigorous routine is the best defence against the coronavirus
By M. Jegathesan/AFP • Mar 29, 2021

Mar 26, 2021 • 9 min read
Land rights

Island of Gold: Is Koh Meas the latest mega-development of Phnom Penh?

This week it emerged that Koh Meas, 'Gold Island', could be the latest patch of undeveloped land within a stone’s throw of Phnom Penh to be consumed into the urban sprawl, as the Khun Sea Import/Export Company was granted a 50-year lease for the area
By Andrew Haffner • Mar 26, 2021

Mar 26, 2021 • 2 min read
Myanmar coup

Firebomb attack at Suu Kyi’s party headquarters in Myanmar

A fire from a hurled Molotov cocktail broke out early Friday March 26 at the National League for Democracy headquarters in Yangon, as protests across the country continue against the military.
By Agence France-Presse • Mar 26, 2021

Mar 25, 2021 • 7 min read
Opinion

The way forward for vaccine development in Southeast Asia

Vaccine development and procurement in Southeast Asia is no easy task, and though the region has worked to develop its indigenous sectors to inoculate against more traditional diseases, the Covid-19 pandemic has exposed the immoral practice of vaccine nationalism
By Nur Izzaty Badrol Hisham • Mar 25, 2021

Mar 25, 2021 • 2 min read
History

[Photos] The Saigon Zoo’s enduring serenity in the 1970s

Over the years, Saigon has changed as drastically, and yet, the Saigon Zoo remains relatively the same. Its lush, tree-filled grounds have been a haven for carefree visitors for over a half-century, as exemplified by these photos taken in 1970
By Saigoneer • Mar 25, 2021