20/06/2026

SATURDAY | JUNE 20, 2026

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Malaysian Paper

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forces are stepping up surveillance, intelligence-sharing and cross-border cooperation to address the threat of online scams as cyber-criminals expand operations across borders. Intelligence agencies are noting that transnational scam syndicates are relocating their operations to new destinations such as Laos and Sri Lanka as law enforcement pressure intensifies in traditional scam hubs. Regional police, or Aseanapol, is developing a practical training SINGAPORE: Singapore Prime Minister Lawrence Wong has called for Russia’s continued engagement in Asean-led mechanisms as the republic prepares to assume the Asean Chairmanship in 2027. Singapore’s Foreign Ministry said Wong, who participated in the Asean-Russia Commemorative Summit (ARCS) in Kazan, Russia, welcomed Russia’s support for Asean Centrality and encouraged Moscow’s continued participation in Asean-led mechanisms, including the Asean Regional Forum and the East Asia Summit. “Wong looks forward to working with Russia under Singapore’s Asean Chairmanship in 2027,“ the ministry said in a statement yesterday. Wong participated in ARCS on Wednesday and Thursday at the invitation of Russian President Vladimir Putin, and the two leaders later met on the sidelines of the summit and exchanged views on bilateral relations as well as regional and international developments. During the summit, Asean and Russia reaffirmed their commitment to deepening cooperation in areas of shared interest. – Bernama Thai man jailed for royal defamation BANGKOK: A Thai court has sentenced a man to 18 months in prison for royal defamation over a comment posted in a Facebook group discussing the monarchy, a rights group said yesterday. Thailand’s strict lese-majeste law shields the royal family from criticism, with penalties of up to 15 years’ prison for each offence, punishments critics say are used to stifle dissent. In the latest case, the Criminal Court sentenced a 43-year-old man to 18 months in prison over a comment he posted in the private Facebook group “Royalist Marketplace”, which has more than 2.2 million members. Founded by exiled royal critic and scholar Pavin Chachavalpongpun, the group was created as a forum for discussing the monarchy, an unprecedented development in Thailand. “The court initially sentenced him to three years but because he confessed, the sentence was reduced by half,“ said Thai Lawyers for Human Rights (TLHR) information officer Noppol Achamas. The man, whose name was withheld to protect his privacy, was granted bail at 100,000 baht (RM12,592) while awaiting an appeal, said Noppol. A total of 291 people have been charged under the royal insult law since 2020, according to TLHR data. – AFP S’pore calls for engagement in bloc by Russia

Indonesia to halt free meal scheme during holidays

JAKARTA: Indonesia will suspend its free meal scheme during holiday periods, after mass protests in the capital condemned wasteful spending and demanded that the goverment address worsening economic conditions. The meal scheme is one of President Prabowo Subianto’s policies but has been criticised for its high costs, with hundreds demonstrating in Jakarta last week to call for it to be scrapped. The National Nutrition Agency, the body tasked to distribute the meals, has ordered kitchens not to serve them in the June 22 to July 13 holiday period. The agency said this would continue to apply on public holidays,

o Move aims to ensure every resource owned by state provides optimal benefits for groups in need: Nutrition agency

70,000 foreigners engaged in nefarious activities between 2023 and 2025, and demolished dozens of buildings used as scam centres, according to its Home Ministry. Sri Lankan police arrested nearly 700 people involved in cybercrime this year, reported local media. Syndicates are shifting to new locations, lured by easy visa policies, reliable internet infrastructure, expanding air connectivity and the ease of moving their illicit funds across borders. – Bernama on Prime Minister Hun Manet’s visit to the border area with Vietnam. “It is an unjust ruling,“ he told reporters outside the court. He accused Cambodia’s rulers of trying to keep him out of local polls next year and a general election planned for 2028. “Just by today, I know that I am influential, that the rulers dare not grant me freedom to compete in upcoming elections in 2027 and 2028,“ said Rong Chhun. He said he would consult with his legal team on whether to seek a royal pardon. “We are not running out of hope yet,“ he said. About 200 supporters rallied at police barricades outside the court, chanting “drop the charge against Rong Chhun”. “It is unacceptable for the supporters. We want him to have freedom, democratic space and national reconciliation,“ supporter Prum Chantha told AFP. Rights groups have long accused Cambodia’s government of using legal cases as a tactic to silence opposition voices and legitimate political dissent. Opposition leader Kem Sokha, who had been sentenced to 27 years for treason, was pardoned last month but his political rights, including holding office and voting, remain revoked. – AFP started in January last year. This month, Prabowo fired Dadan Hindayana, the head of the agency since its inception in August 2024, along with two deputies. They stand accused of “crimes in management” of the agency. The free meal scheme had a goal of reaching at least 82.9 million children and pregnant and breastfeeding women, nearly a third of the country’s population. But it was among the first budget items to be cut back as Jakarta moved to counter the economic impact of the Middle East war. More than 20% of children in Indonesia are affected by stunting caused by severe malnutrition. – AFP

that this would present an opportunity to take stock and “ensure the free nutritious meal programme becomes more accurately targeted”. More than 61 million people have benefitted from the programme as of March, according to government figures. However, the scheme has been blighted by mass food poisonings and corruption claims since it

religious holidays and weekends. In a statement on Thursday, its spokesperson Agustina Arumsari said the move is not just about “budget efficiency”, but would also “ensure every resource owned by the state truly provides optimal benefits for the groups in need”. The state is expected to save more than three trillion rupiah (RM695 million) in the upcoming holiday period, she said, adding

Cambodia upholds ban on opposition figure PHNOM PENH: Cambodia’s top court yesterday suspended a prison sentence handed to opposition politician Rong Chhun but upheld a ban on him running for office, his lawyer said. years in jail last year for incitement to cause social unrest, a charge Cambodian authorities frequently use against activists.

on Monday and the Supreme Court suspended his jail sentence for three years but upheld the ban on voting, as well as holding and running for office, said his lawyer Em Chantha. The case was brought against Rong Chhun in 2024 after he met land dispute victims and commented

He was also banned from voting, running for office and holding office for five years. Rong Chhun lodged an appeal

The outspoken Nation Power Party adviser was sentenced to four

Rong Chhun speaking to supporters outside the court yesterday. – AFPPIC

Asean boosts measures against expanding scam centres PHNOM PENH: Asean police

battling to dismantle scam centres that have evolved into sophisticated crime networks siphoning billions of dollars from victims worldwide. Security forces in Cambodia and Myanmar, known epicentres of the scamming industry, are trying to banish syndicates that thrive by operating online scams and illegal online gambling. The Cambodian government has detained about 200,000 illegal workers involved in online scams. Myanmar has deported about

Combatting Operational Training Curriculum Development Workshop” in Semarang, Indonesia from Monday to Wednesday, during which they agreed on stern measures. Key areas of focus include intelligence-led probes, financial investigations and asset tracing, digital evidence collection, online fraud analysis, cross-border coordination, victim identification and protection, and public-private cooperation, according to Aseanapol. Governments across the region are

curriculum to strengthen Asean’s collective response against online scams and cyber-enabled fraud, the agency said on Thursday. “As online scam syndicates continue to expand their operations across borders, exploiting digital platforms, financial systems and vulnerable communities throughout the region, Asean law enforcement agencies face an increasing need for coordinated operational responses and enhanced probing capabilities.” Aseanapol held a “Scam