The week ahead: Singapore's almost-corruption case sentencing

Hello friends!

Prosecutors hatched a pretty sweet deal with former minister S Iswaran in Singapore, but he’s still got to do a bit of time. This week we’ll find out if the courts agree seven months is fair or if his legal team will trump with just a couple of weeks. 

Elsewhere, investigations into GISB will continue in Malaysia and the government wants underprivileged Thais to get spending. And, finally, last week the Myanmar junta may have given us a peek at their cards — what does that mean for the months ahead?

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Erin Cook

🇸🇬 S Iswaran readies for sentencing

Singapore’s former transport minister S Iswaran is back in court this week for sentencing. Initial corruption charges were amended to receiving gifts as a public servant in a shocking courtroom twist last week. That slashes the expected jail time, with prosecutors seeking up to seven months down from the two-year maximum per count previously on the table. He faces sentencing on Thursday. 

Well, that was anti-climactic, wrote Kirsten Han over the weekend. She took on the twist in the most recent edition of We, the Citizens and flagged raised eyebrows. A case in 2019 saw a forklift operator jailed for two months after taking bribes of up to $1 from drivers, netting nearly $5,000 in the scheme. He wasn’t a sitting lawmaker and some loose change is hardly flights and posh hotel stays. 

🇲🇾 Remands and investigations in Malaysia’s GISB case

Seven more suspects in Malaysia’s horrendous GISB child abuse investigations were remanded on Friday, Bernama reports (via Malaysiakini). The seven are aged between 18 and 55 and are facing charges related to trafficking, lawyer Rosli Kamaruddin said. Of the seven, six are women and four of those are believed to be married to GISB higher-ups. Suspects who had previously been remanded saw their remand periods extended the same day. 

It’s foreshadowing for what is expected to be a big few weeks as investigations continue. Inspector-General of Police Razarudin Husain said 10 investigation papers had been opened with a focus on trafficking and migrant smuggling, the Star reports (via the Straits Times). He also said police will be probing ‘quarantine centres’ run by the organisation, as alleged by posts to Facebook. “These centres are believed to be places for indoctrination purposes and to hold problematic members. The police are also tracing other assets linked to GISB,” he said.

🇹🇭 Thai economy takes a punt on stimulus (finally!)

There we go! After two prime ministers, we’ve finally gotten to the first tranche of stimulus payments for around 14.5 million Thais — 12.4 million welfare cardholders and 2.1 million registered disabled individuals, Thai Enquirer reports. Phase 1 launched last week, dropping 10,000 baht into the bank accounts of 4 million people on Wednesday. The rest has been rolled out daily, wrapping up today. It’s expected the stimulus will prompt a 0.35% bump in GDP over the year and economists are curious to see what Phase 2 will involve and how much it will shift the needle on Thailand’s sputtering economy. 

I feel like we’ve talked about this happening-not-happening cycle so much that I forgot why Pheu Thai even proposed the dang thing in the first place. The digital wallet angle has been ditched with Sretta Thavisin, the former PM who spruiked the plan, and is instead a straight-up cash injection stimulus (for this stage at least). “[The cash handout] will truly benefit the people, help distribute economic opportunities to the people. There will be many more stimulus policies following this one. The government will continue and move forward with the digital wallet project,” Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra said last week at the program launch, Financial Times reports. 

🇲🇲 Opposition rejects junta proposal — now what?

A curious, if short-lived, one from Myanmar may prove interesting in the coming weeks. The generals Friday suggested everyone lay down their arms and have a chat about the political future of the country. Not a chance, opposition and resistance forces said, understandably. 

“What we see is that their inviting offers are the ideas from more than 70 years ago. We won’t accept and discuss it, and looking back at the statements we have repeatedly expressed, I would like to say that there is no need to think about this,” Padoh Saw Kalae Say, a spokesperson of the Karen National Union, told the Associated Press. Unequivocal. 

What this says about how the junta is currently faring or thinking about its own future is beyond me. This week I’ll be sticking closely to the nerds who can read the tea leaves here. It’s, I think, important to note that it comes just weeks after the junta asked for foreign aid following the devastating Typhoon Yagi. It was an extremely rare, if not unprecedented, moment for the junta and is certainly adding to the impression that the military is on the ropes. 

Reading list:

New Hanoi rail line wins over commuters in Vietnam's capital — Nikkei Asia

For some, a ride on the new line is like taking a minitrip.

"The train is painted beautifully with the green of rice fields and the red of dragon fruit," said one passenger waiting at Cau Giay Station. "I feel like I'm in Europe."

Many of the riders are younger, since there are 10 or so universities along the line. The Cau Giay area is also home to a number of technology companies.

"I'm going to Nhon Station, even though I'm not sure what's there," said a student who had moved to Hanoi this autumn to attend university.

A rare book on the Marcoses is finally republished — Rappler

The book was initially published in December 1991, but only a few copies were printed. It was thus only available in public libraries and private collections. Due to the limited access, some enterprising owners tried selling the book for an astronomical price of $4,995 or P279,720 on Amazon! 

After the victory of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. in the May 2022 elections, the Aruiza family decided to republish the book, with a new cover plus a foreword by the new president. 

So long, Pasar Glamour: Why veteran actresses behind charity bazaar are closing shop for good — The Straits Times

The annual pop-up bazaar that retails donated, second-hand designer goods was founded by theatre practitioners Janice Koh, 50, and Pam Oei, 52, as well as former radio DJ Petrina Kow, 48, in 2017. It went on hiatus after a 2021 edition held at pre-loved luxury marketplace Huntstreet Singapore.

No one is happier about the end of Pasar Glamour than Oei. Each edition had been “the last one” for her, say partners Koh and Kow drolly.

Later, when Kow ruminates on where they can “take this next”, Oei interjects: “No, no, we’re not taking this anywhere. We’re going to be normal friends after this – have meals, play mahjong, go for walks.”