26/05/2025

MONDAY | MAY 26, 2025

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Indonesia, China agree to strengthen ties

Filipinos upset at removal of beloved cat from hiking trail MANILA: A feral white cat, often spotted on Philippines’ third-highest mountain peak, has been removed by authorities, sparking a flurry of online protests from the animal’s fans. Pugal, the cat with distinct orange markings seen on Mount Pulag in northern Philippines, became popular after her photos were shared by hikers and campers. The cat was confirmed to have been removed by environmental officials who said the area was a protected zone due to its rich biodiversity. “Pugal is being taken care of by one of our Pulag Protected Area Management Office staff. A veterinarian is being sent to check on the cat,” the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) said yesterday. The move came shortly after a local news outlet called the cat “an invasive predator that needs to be removed from the area”. “Is it cute and adorable? Yes. But it’s also an unwanted predator. It’s an invasive species that hunts down native and endemic wildlife that live within the Mount Pulag Protected Landscape. These include birds, small mammals like cloud rats, and small reptiles,” the outlet reported. This has caused the celebrity cat’s followers to condemn the move. “Lol haha a harmless small animal is a threat now? I think your concerns are misdirected, DENR. There are tons of problems to focus on,” said a Facebook user on the post by DENR. Another user said: “It is deeply disappointing that while animals simply try to enjoy their natural habitats, some tourists continue to damage these ecosystems through careless behaviour and pollution.” “Environmental experts say cats should not be allowed to roam free in the wild because they pose significant threat to native wildlife and ecosystem. We also cannot be sure that they would be safe from larger wildlife and predators. They can be exposed to different illnesses, or be a carrier of diseases,” said Heidi Marquez Caguioa, programme director of the Animal Kingdom Foundation. Animal welfare organisation Furvent Animal Rescue and Advocacy said the cat is in good health and will be receiving veterinary check ups. – The Independent Bangladesh interim govt calls for unity DHAKA: Bangladesh’s interim government, which took over after a mass uprising last year, warned on Saturday that unity was needed to “prevent the return of authoritarianism”. After a week of escalation during which rival parties protested on the streets of Dhaka, the government led by Muhammad Yunus said political power struggles risked jeopardising gains that have been made and pleaded for people to give it their full support. “Broader unity is essential to maintain national stability, organise free and fair elections, justice and reform, and prevent the return of authoritarianism,” it said in a statement. Yunus, 84, who returned from exile at the behest of protesters last year, says he has a duty to implement democratic reforms before elections due by June next year. However, the government warned that it had faced “unreasonable demands, deliberately provocative and jurisdictionally overreaching statements”, which it said had been “continuously obstructing” its work. Sources in his office and a political ally said on Thursday that Yunus had threatened to quit. “If the government’s autonomy, reform efforts, justice process, fair election plan and normal operations are obstructed to the point of making its duties unmanageable, it will, with the people, take the necessary steps,” Saturday’s statement said, without giving further details. Wahiduddin Mahmud, who heads the finance and planning ministry, insisted that Yunus will not step down early. – AFP

o Prabowo hails support for Palestinian cause

Palestinian people – remains an inspiration to us all,” he said during the Indonesia-China Business Reception 2025 held on Saturday. Prabowo praised China’s ancient civilisation and enduring cultural values, highlighting its emphasis on “the common good, mutual benefit” and its pursuit of peace and harmony. He acknowledged China’s historical support for liberation movements, even during its own early stages of development, and expressed admiration for Beijing’s opposition to oppression, imperialism, colonialism and apartheid. He called for broader cooperation beyond trade to include education, healthcare, tourism and scientific research. China has intensified engagement with countries in the region since the United States announced hefty import tariffs on its global trading partners earlier this year. Some levies have since been delayed, while China and the US agreed this month to pause some of their tariffs. Jakarta, whose biggest trading partner is China, has offered the US a number of concessions in a bid to soften tariffs against Indonesia. – Agencies

and good” friendship with China. “Indonesia is ready to create a safe and prosperous region. Indonesia is ready to strengthen cooperation with China for us to create a peaceful region, which is safe for all,” Prabowo said. The Chinese premier is headed next to Malaysia for an Asean summit among members of the 10-country bloc, China and oil-producing countries. Prabowo had visited Beijing last year, during which Chinese President Xi Jinping told him that he hoped for a “new chapter” in bilateral relations. The two countries have in the past sparred verbally over disputed claims in the South China Sea, which China claims almost entirely. Beijing has for years sought to expand its presence in the contested waters, brushing aside an international ruling that its claim has no legal basis. Prabowo earlier praised China’s support for developing nations and its long-standing advocacy for the Palestinian cause. “To this day, China’s leadership – particularly in defending the rights of the

JAKARTA: Chinese Premier Li Qiang reaffirmed Beijing’s ties with Jakarta yesterday during his visit to Indonesia ahead of a regional summit in Kuala Lumpur. Beijing and Jakarta are key economic allies, with Chinese companies pouring capital into extracting Indonesian natural resources in recent years. But the two countries’ disputed claims in the strategic waterways of the South China Sea and its nearby territories have weighed on their relationship in recent years. In a meeting with Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto yesterday, Li said Beijing was keen to further advance cooperation with Southeast Asia’s largest economy. “China is willing to work together with Indonesia ... to carry forward our tradition of friendship, and to strengthen solidarity and cooperation,” Li said. Prabowo also echoed Indonesia’s “close

Prabowo and Li reviewing a guard of honour at the Presidential Palace yesterday. – AFPPIC

WFP warns of food scarcity in Myanmar PHNOM PENH: The World Food Programme (WFP) warns that about one million people in earthquake-hit areas in Myanmar urgently need aid – foodstuff, medicine, and shelter – as the monsoon season has begun. than 100 tonnes of food from Yangon to Mandalay, Nay Pyi Taw and Sagaing states following the earthquake.

“They need psychosocial support. Coming back to these (damaged) premises might be scary for younger children,” he said. Over 200 schools have been reported damaged. In Mandalay alone, some 60 schools have been destroyed. WFP has fortified biscuits pre-positioned in its warehouses that can support 20,000 people during emergencies. For the whole food programme, it has been able to support close to 400,000 people in Sagaing, Mandalay, southern Shan State and Nay Pyi Taw with food and cash for food for less than six weeks. The agency plans to support up to 150,000 people through June, and urgently requires RM85 million to continue its emergency work and RM254 million to address the hunger crisis across Myanmar. – Bernama

Joshi said: “Monsoon has begun, this will only add pain to the misery. We have a lot of people who are still displaced in temporary shelters. Many of them have nowhere to go. Many in Sagaing and parts of Mandalay were already displaced by the conflict. “Many are also staying in monasteries, religious institutions and public spaces. A lot of that has also been damaged and there is no place to go.” Children will face the brunt of this crisis, said Joshi, as they are exposed to all sorts of risks, especially when monsoon peaks. “A lot of schools have been damaged and the children traumatised.

“We estimated roughly one million people would immediately need assistance, at least food security assistance,” said WFP Emergency Coordinator and Team Leader in Mandalay Sudip Joshi. Donor-fatigue, civil war, damaged infrastructure and weather threats will trigger widespread hardship for the displaced people, said aid workers. According to WFP, 15 million were already facing food insecurity even before the earthquake due to the armed conflict. The UN-led agency has dispatched more