24/03/2026

TUESDAY | MAR 24, 2026

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DENPASAR: Indonesia has arrested a Swiss man accused of using expletives to denigrate a religious holiday observed in Bali, a police official said. Luzian Andrin Zgraggen risks up to five years in prison on hate speech charges, Bali police spokesman Ariasandy said in a statement late on Sunday that did not specify the suspect’s age. Bali’s Day of Silence or “Nyepi”, was celebrated on Thursday and requires locals and tourists on the island to stay at home for 24 hours for self reflection. No work, travel, entertainment and even electricity use is discouraged. Zgraggen was arrested on Saturday after he was reported to police over an Instagram post, said Ariasandy. In the post, he repeatedly used the “f” word to refer to the holiday. The tourist stands accused of spreading hate speech online, an offence which under Indonesia’s new criminal code can land him as many as five years in prison. Ariasandy said police would seize Zgraggen’s iPhone and question witnesses. Bali attracts millions of foreign visitors each year but has seen recent high-profile cases of misbehaving tourists. Last week, authorities on the island arrested two French nationals and an Italian on accusations of producing and distributing pornography. – AFP Bali police arrest Swiss over hate speech Pakistan shelling kills Afghan civilian KABUL: The Afghan government said one person was killed by a shell from Pakistan in eastern Afghanistan on Sunday, despite a temporary truce between the two countries. “Today, Sunday, a mortar shell fired by the Pakistani military regime struck the Shanpat area in the Nari district of Kunar province, killing one civilian and injuring a woman,” said deputy government spokesman Hamdullah Fitrat. A local medical source, who requested anonymity, confirmed that a civilian had died. Pakistan and Afghanistan announced on Wednesday a halt in fighting. The truce came after a Pakistani strike on a drug rehabilitation centre in the Afghan capital, which the Afghan authorities said killed more than 400. An international NGO, the Norwegian Refugee Council, said “there were hundreds of killed and wounded”, in the strike. Afghanistan and Pakistan have been locked in conflict for months over claims from Islamabad that Kabul is harbouring extremists behind cross border attacks on its territory. Afghanistan denies the allegation. According to a UN toll last Tuesday, not taking into account the drug rehabilitation centre strike, at least 76 Afghan civilians have been killed in the fighting since it intensified on Feb 26. – AFP Myanmar starts WFH Wednesdays YANGON: Myanmar introduced work-from-home on Wednesdays for government departments staring tomorrow until further notice to help reduce fuel consumption, according to a statement published in the state-owned daily The Mirror on Monday . The Information Team of the National Defence and Security Council said the primary objective is fuel conservation. Officers and staff were told to refrain from non-essential travel or vehicle use on work-from-home days. It also encouraged private organisations and businesses to adopt similar arrangements where possible. In response to potential fuel shortages linked to the conflict in West Asia, the government had previously implemented odd-even vehicle rotation systems and fuel rationing. Additionally, the government is working to secure fuel imports through various channels to ensure continued supply. – Bernama

BLAST OF COLOUR ... Hot air balloons decorated with traditional motifs taking off during a hot air balloon festival held to celebrate Hari Raya at Semayu village in Wonosobo, Central Java yesterday. – AFPPIC

No US$1b commitment to Board of Peace: Prabowo

Lam said the urgent tasks for the country were to cope with the impact of wars and conflicts and a possible global economic crisis. “The global and regional situation continues to change very rapidly, very strongly, and is very difficult to predict,” Lam said. Strategic competition among major powers is becoming increasingly fierce, he said, while conflicts over geopolitics, geoeconomics, technology, energy, supply chains, data and markets are profoundly changing the development environment of nations. – Reuters part further. We have the National Alms Agency, and we have previously built a hospital there, as well as provided other forms of assistance in Palestine,” he said. Prabowo said Indonesia’s decision to join the board was driven by its commitment to supporting a pathway towards an independent Palestinian state. He said he had reviewed the 21-point plan proposed by the United States in September, noting particular interest in points 19 and 20, which outline steps towards Palestinian statehood and the establishment of dialogue between Israel and the Palestinians for peaceful coexistence. These provisions align with Indonesia’s longstanding position that a two-state solution is essential for lasting peace in Palestine, he said. However, he said Indonesia would not hesitate to withdraw from the board if its decisions ran counter to national interests or failed to benefit the Palestinian cause. – Bernama

the nominees by the end of the meeting, which is scheduled to last until Friday. Parliament will need to confirm the nominees at a plenary session that starts on April 6. The party’s anti-corruption drive and Vietnam’s socio-economic development plans for the 2026–2031 period will also be discussed at the meeting. “These issues are particularly important and of fundamental significance ... as they directly relate to the quality of leadership and governance, as well as the country’s fast and sustainable development,” Lam said. Vietnam targets economic growth of over 10% a year during the 2026-2030 period and in the founding donors meeting held on Feb 19 in Washington, DC, where financial pledges were made. “There was a founding donors meeting on Feb 19 in Washington, DC, but Indonesia was not there. From the beginning, when we were invited to join the board, I said we had never committed to contributing financially at all,” he said. Earlier, media reports said the meeting resulted in an initial pledge of US$17 billion for reconstruction, emergency relief and security stabilisation in the Gaza Strip, with the United States committing US$10 billion, while nine countries – including the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and Qatar – pledged a combined US$7 billion. Prabowo said Indonesia’s main contribution would be the deployment of peacekeeping forces to support lasting peace in Palestine and help safeguard civilians in Gaza, adding that the country could expand its contribution once reconstruction begins. “If a ceasefire is achieved and reconstruction begins, Indonesia may take

JAKARTA: President Prabowo Subianto has reaffirmed that Indonesia has made no financial commitment to contribute US$1 billion (RM3.9 billion) to the Board of Peace. Instead, he said the board had only asked about Indonesia’s readiness to deploy peacekeeping forces. “Therefore, we did not say we want to contribute US$1 billion,” he was quoted as saying in a statement issued by Indonesia’s Government Communication Agency on Sunday. On March 17, Foreign Minister Sugiono clarified that Indonesia did not pay the US$1 billion, as the figure was not a mandatory membership contribution and participation is not contingent on any fixed financial commitment. Prabowo said Indonesia was not involved o Indonesia committed to Palestinian state

Vietnam to tap new leaders HANOI: Vietnam’s Communist Party started a week-long meeting yesterday that is set to make key state and government personnel decisions. The plenum is widely expected to nominate the country’s top leadership posts for the next five years, including prime minister, president and National Assembly chair.

Party chief To Lam is widely expected to be nominated as state president, holding two posts. “The plenum will review personnel matters for leadership positions in state agencies for the 2026–2031 term,” Lam said in his opening speech. It is unclear if the party will announce