28/01/2026

WEDNESDAY | JAN 28, 2026 7 Prabowo’s nephew moves to key post JAKARTA: Indonesia’s parliament yesterday appointed President Prabowo Subianto’s nephew, Thomas Djiwandono (pic) , as a deputy governor of the central bank, adding to concerns about the institution’s operational independence. The decision was

Philippines grounds ferry operator after sinking

unanimously agreed during the House’s plenary session yesterday, said deputy house speaker Saan Mustopa. On Monday, a parliamentary commission overseeing finance had endorsed Thomas as the new deputy governor, eliminating two other career central bankers.

o ‘32 recorded safety incidents involving firm’

and a remotely operated vehicle were being flown in from Manila to assist in the investigation. A coast guard press aide said the ship was believed to be sitting at a depth of about 76m. An Aleson Shipping Lines employee who answered the phone said the company would release a statement addressing the situation within the day. On Monday, a survivor of the sinking said “no one from the crew alerted us”, describing the panic that gripped passengers as the ship began tilting in the water. Aquino Sajili said passengers had raced to one side of the ship in a desperate attempt to rebalance it before he heard a “loud snap” that preceded the ship’s rapid sinking. Those who survived then spent hours bobbing in life jackets or clinging to other floatation devices while awaiting rescue, the 53-year-old lawyer said. “I think we can gather enough evidence to prove that the crew members of the ship were negligent,” Sajili said, adding he believed a lawsuit was likely. – AFP

ships were owned by locally based Aleson Shipping Lines. Transport Secretary Giovanni Lopez said the company’s passenger fleet would be kept at port pending an investigation. “The entire passenger fleet of Aleson Shipping Company (is) grounded,” he said, adding that the country’s maritime regulator and coast guard would conduct a safety audit over the next 10 days. “The president has ordered a full-blown investigation, so all the angles will be looked at to determine what really happened,” he said. “If it turns out the shipowners were deficient, they will expect the full force of the law.” He said there had been 32 recorded safety “incidents” at sea involving the company but offered no specifics. The coast guard’s Gavan said search-and rescue efforts remained the immediate priority. “The most important thing at this point is lives,” he said, adding that 16 technical divers

MANILA: The Philippines said it had grounded the passenger fleet of a local shipping line yesterday pending an investigation, as rescuers scoured the ocean for survivors of a ferry sinking that killed at least 18 people. The MV Trisha Kerstin 3 was carrying 344 passengers and crew when it went down off southwestern Mindanao on Monday. Most people were rescued in the immediate aftermath. The 10 passengers still unaccounted for include the ferry’s captain, eight crew members and a safety marshall, Philippine Coast Guard Commandant Ronnie Gavan said at a press briefing yesterday. The triple-decker vessel sank on nearly the same route where 31 people died in 2023 after a fire aboard the Lady Mary Joy 3 ferry. Both

“Hopefully, this mandate can be carried out with integrity and wisdom to give significant contribution to strengthening monetary policy, maintaining financial stability and supporting sustainable economic growth,” Mustopa said. After the appointment, Thomas will be formally sworn in by the Supreme Court, though the timing is still unclear. Thomas’s nomination had already sparked investor concerns about the independence of Bank Indonesia, driving the rupiah to a record low of 16,985 (RM1.64) per dollar last week. It later recovered after BI kept rates unchanged in an effort to shore up the currency. When asked about the market’s concerns on Monday, Thomas said he can only be judged on his work, adding that he had already resigned from Prabowo’s Gerindra party last month. He also emphasised the importance of “synergy” between the central bank, fiscal policymakers and other authorities in supporting the country’s economic growth. But he stressed that nothing should compromise the central bank’s independence. “The law (which regulates) Bank Indonesia’s independence is very strong,” he said. “Second, I went through all the processes required by the law.” Lawmaker Mukhamad Misbakhun said Thomas was approved because he was seen as a figure who “can be accepted by all parties” and has the vision of creating synergy between fiscal and monetary policies. – Reuters ICC finds Duterte fit to attend hearings THE HAGUE: Judges at the International Criminal Court have ruled that former Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte, 80, is fit to attend pre-trial hearings and will hold a confirmation of charges hearing on Feb 23. His defence had said that Duterte, who is being held in The Hague over murders committed during his war on drugs, could not stand trial due to cognitive decline. Judges said in a statement that a report by independent medical experts found that Duterte would be able to understand and take part in his case. They recalled that for someone to be deemed fit to take part in their case it is enough that they have a broad understanding of the procedures, not that they operate at their highest level. “The Chamber is satisfied, in law, that Mr Duterte is able effectively to exercise his procedural rights and is therefore fit to take part in the pre-trial proceedings,” the judges said. It is rare for international courts to find suspects, even elderly ones, wholly unfit for trial. The ICC has never found a suspect unfit for trial despite several other defendants’ petitions. Duterte served as president of the Philippines from 2016 to 2022 and was arrested and taken to The Hague last March. Duterte’s counsel Nicholas Kaufman said the defence was disappointed after being denied the chance to present its own medical evidence and question the findings in court. “The defence will seek leave to appeal this decision and argue that Mr Duterte was denied due process,” Kaufman said. – Reuters

Japan’s beloved last pandas leave for China TOKYO: Two popular pandas left Tokyo for China yesterday, leaving Japan without any of the beloved bears for the first time in 50 years as ties between the Asian neighbours fray. Panda twins Lei Lei and Xiao Xiao were transported by truck out of Ueno Zoological Gardens, their birthplace, disappointing many Japanese fans who have grown attached to the furry four-year-olds.

“Although I can’t see them, I came to share the same air with them and to say, ‘Hope you’ll be OK’,” one woman visiting the zoo told public broadcaster NHK. The pandas’ abrupt return was announced last month during a diplomatic spat that began when Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi hinted that Tokyo could intervene militarily in the event of an attack on Taiwan. Her comment provoked the ire of Beijing, which regards the island as its own territory. The distinctive black-and-white animals, loaned out as part of China’s “panda diplomacy”, have symbolised friendship between Beijing and Tokyo since they normalised diplomatic ties in 1972. Their repatriation comes a month before their loan period expires in February, according to the Tokyo Metropolitan Government, which operates Ueno Zoo. Japan has reportedly been seeking the loan of a new pair of pandas. However, a weekend poll by the liberal Asahi Shimbun newspaper showed that 70% of those surveyed do not think the government should negotiate with China on the lease of new pandas, while 26% would like them to. On Sunday, Ueno Zoo invited some 4,400 lucky winners of an online lottery to see the pandas for the last time. Passionate fans without tickets still turned out at the park, sporting panda-themed shirts, bags and dolls to demonstrate their love of the animals. China has discouraged its nationals from travelling to Japan, citing deteriorating public security and criminal acts against Chinese nationals in the country. Beijing is reportedly also choking off exports to Japan of rare-earth products crucial for making everything from electric cars to missiles. However, China routinely removes pandas from foreign countries and the latest move may not be politically motivated, said Masaki Ienaga, a professor at Tokyo Woman’s Christian

Panda fans gather to see off Xiao Xiao and Lei Lei at Ueno Zoo in Tokyo. – REUTERSPIC University and an expert in East Asian international relations.

Other countries use animals as tools of diplomacy, including Thailand with its elephants and Australia with its koalas. “But pandas are special,” he said. “They have strong customer-drawing power, and ... they can earn money.” – AFP

“If you talk about (Chinese) politics, the timing of sending pandas is what counts,” and pandas could return to Japan if bilateral ties warm, he said.