News Updates for Week of February 14th

Happy Valentine's! Hope you had a good one with many exchanges of chocolates and letters lol!

Malaysia - Young Suicides Cause for Concern

A rash of suicides in Malaysia has raised concerns over the problems that ail its youngsters, who appear to make up the bulk of the victims. In the past two weeks, seven cases have been reported in the media. In the whole of 2008, there were 290 cases of suicide, according to the National Suicide Registry, which began collecting figures in mid-2007. Last year saw 445 cases in the first eight months alone.
The registry estimates there are now about 60 suicides every month. More than half those in 2008 involved Chinese. Experts have linked it to stress, increasing mental health problems and Internet escapism.
http://www.straitstimes.com:80/BreakingNews/SEAsia/Story/STIStory_636673.html

Thailand – Thousands of Red Shirts Rally in Bangkok


8,000 Thai 'Red Shirts' gathered in Bangkok on Saturday to mark nine months since a bloody crackdown on their anti-government rally and to press for the release of detained leaders. ‘We came today to ask for justice for our people who died exactly nine months ago at this place,' said Thida Thavornseth, leader of Red Shirt movement. More than 90 died and nearly 1,900 were injured in clashes between protesters and the army during the two-month rallies in 2010 calling for immediate elections
http://www.straitstimes.com:80/BreakingNews/SEAsia/Story/STIStory_636773.html

Myanmar – Suu Kyi Must Apologize for Sanctions


Myanmar’s military rulers called on Saturday for the party of pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi to apologize to the public for backing Western sanctions it said were restricting the country's development. Analysts believe she is using her influence on the West as leverage to coax the reclusive generals towards reforms, but their latest rebuke suggests they are still unwilling to cooperate.
http://www.straitstimes.com:80/BreakingNews/SEAsia/Story/STIStory_636737.html

Singapore – All Singaporeans Will Get up to SGD800 (USD630)

A total of SGD3.2 billion (USD2.5 billion) will go into the 'Grow And Share' package that will benefit more of the middle and lower-income groups, said Finance Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam. A sum of SGD3.4 billion will also be spent on longer-term investments to enhance the well-being of Singaporeans.
Growth dividends stand at SGD1.549 billion and will benefit about 2.5 million Singaporeans. Each Singaporean will receive between SGD100 and SGD800 in cash, based on assessable income.
http://www.straitstimes.com:80/BreakingNews/Singapore/Story/STIStory_636654.html

Thailand – Attacks Would 17


Seventeen people were wounded in Thailand's insurgency-ridden far south when insurgents launched a grenade attack on a karaoke bar and then detonated a bomb nearby, police said on Sunday.
Two women were injured in the M-79 attack on the bar in Narathiwat town on Saturday night, which was followed 25 minutes later by a bomb blast in front of a massage parlour just 100m away, wounding 15 people. Shadowy Islamic insurgents have waged a bloody campaign in Thailand's southernmost region since early 2004, leaving more than 4,400 people dead, including both Muslims and Buddhists, in near-daily attacks.

http://www.straitstimes.com:80/BreakingNews/SEAsia/Story/STIStory_637034.html

Singapore – Low Birth Rate


The Singaporean Government will look at ways to help single men and women find partners, in a bid to tackle the problem of falling birth rates.
More people are staying single and those who are married are putting off having babies, said Dr Vivian Balakrishnan, Minister for Community Development, Youth and Sports, on Sunday.
It was announced last month that Singapore's total fertility rate hit a historic low of 1.16 last year.
http://www.straitstimes.com:80/BreakingNews/Singapore/Story/STIStory_637106.html

Indonesia – Controversial Film Tax


Under fire for a potential new tax on foreign films that has led distributors to halt their importation, the government on Sunday promised to review the move. 

The Minister of Culture and Tourism, Jero Wacik, said the government wanted to support the development of the domestic film industry with the proposed new tax. 

“We will review the Directorate General of Taxation’s circular issued in January on the new levy on imported films,” he said. “This is because we are not going to pursue regulations that have a bad effect on the public and threatened to kill the cinema industry here with their implementation.” 

The minister said the government, if necessary, would also invite distributors to discuss how much they were prepared to pay. Imported films already pay a 23.75 percent excise duty and another 10 percent income tax. Local governments also levy up to a 15 percent tax on ticket sales.
There has been a barrage of criticism, both here and abroad, over the proposed tax. The Motion Picture Association, which represents some of the biggest studios in Hollywood, on Thursday told journalists in Jakarta that it would stop movie exports to the country because of the possible new levy, which was rumored to cost as much as 43 cents per meter of film imported.
http://www.thejakartaglobe.com/home/govt-pledges-review-of-controversial-new-indonesianfilm-tax/423848

Have a good week ahead!
SEASA <3's