https://www.scmp.com/rss/323052/feed Find out what Asia’s movers and shakers are up to ­– and how they spend their private time en https://assets-v2.i-scmp.com/production/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Julian Ryall Julian Ryall A month-long police campaign in Japan to track down hundreds of suspects sought over the nation’s most notorious crimes, some dating back decades, underscores what analysts describe as the surprising ease with which individuals can vanish, even in the country’s highly bureaucratic society. The nationwide drive, officially designated the “Month for Strengthening Investigations into Wanted Suspects”, began on November 1. Through official websites and social media appeals, authorities are urging... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3373382/how-japans-660-most-wanted-stay-hidden-slums-day-labour-and-forged-ids https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3373382/how-japans-660-most-wanted-stay-hidden-slums-day-labour-and-forged-ids Fri, 06 Nov 2026 01:30:12 +0000 SCMP’s Asia desk SCMP’s Asia desk South Korea’s government has announced it will revise a youth counselling manual that categorised homosexuality as a form of juvenile delinquency, after facing a backlash sparked by local media reports earlier this week. Homosexuality was grouped alongside sexual violence, theft and drug abuse under “delinquency-related issues” in the manual, the Korea JoongAng Daily reported. Published by the Korea Youth Counselling and Welfare Institute – a body affiliated with the Ministry of Gender Equality... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3373429/south-korea-apologises-classing-gay-teens-delinquents https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3373429/south-korea-apologises-classing-gay-teens-delinquents Fri, 06 Nov 2026 01:00:05 +0000 Iman Muttaqin Yusof Iman Muttaqin Yusof A young Malaysian Muslim who took part in Hindu rituals to pray for his ailing mother publicly repented on Thursday in a ceremony live-streamed by state religious authorities, a day after a sharia court ordered him to undergo three months of faith rehabilitation. The spectacle has raised questions about the enforcement of Islamic orthodoxy in Muslim-majority Malaysia, where state religious departments wield significant influence to police the personal conduct and religious beliefs of... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3373417/malaysia-hindu-rites-row-live-stream-muslim-youths-repentance-fuels-fury https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3373417/malaysia-hindu-rites-row-live-stream-muslim-youths-repentance-fuels-fury Thu, 05 Nov 2026 10:23:18 +0000 Joseph Sipalan Joseph Sipalan Lawyers for Malaysia’s jailed former prime minister Najib Razak on Wednesday dismissed speculation about his imminent transfer to house arrest, as his former ruling party struggles to raise the 50 million ringgit (US$12.3 million) fine needed to bring him home. The rumours came as Najib’s United Malays National Organisation (Umno) seeks to build on recent electoral victories, with analysts saying his return to house arrest could give the party a boost among supporters ahead of the next general... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3373283/lawyer-dismisses-rumours-malaysias-najib-settling-us123-million-fine https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3373283/lawyer-dismisses-rumours-malaysias-najib-settling-us123-million-fine Wed, 04 Nov 2026 11:00:31 +0000 Julian Ryall Julian Ryall A new public opinion poll released on the eve of the US midterm elections indicates that while few Japanese favour President Donald Trump’s policies, most say they wish Japan had a “strong” head of state who could make difficult decisions. Analysts suggest that while many Japanese believe a strong leader will stand up for the nation on the world stage and not shy away from bold policies, this does not mean they want someone with the bombast, showmanship and arrogance associated with... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3373131/japanese-voters-yearn-strong-politician-trump-without-his-showmanship https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3373131/japanese-voters-yearn-strong-politician-trump-without-his-showmanship Tue, 03 Nov 2026 09:15:08 +0000 SCMP’s Asia desk SCMP’s Asia desk An organiser behind a fundraiser for a boy whose parents died in an alleged hit-and-run accident in Singapore has vowed transparency, thanking donors for their “overwhelming” kindness amid debate over the campaign’s authenticity. Farah Diyanah Razid, who identified herself as a family member of the victims on the crowdfunding platform Give.Asia, said all contributions collected through the drive were intended solely for the child’s welfare and future. The clarification came after social media... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3373119/singapore-hit-and-run-organiser-fund-orphaned-boy-vows-transparency https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3373119/singapore-hit-and-run-organiser-fund-orphaned-boy-vows-transparency Tue, 03 Nov 2026 08:50:20 +0000 Sam Beltran Sam Beltran The discovery of dozens of pet remains dumped in sacks along a roadside in the Philippines has sparked public outrage and raised questions over whether the country’s animal welfare laws adequately protect pets after death. A pet crematorium in Bacoor, Cavite province – nearly three hours’ drive from the dumping ground in neighbouring Bulacan province – has been ordered to shut following complaints from pet owners, as police investigate allegations that the business improperly disposed of animals... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3373098/outrage-philippines-cremated-pets-found-dumped-sacks-vacant-plot https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3373098/outrage-philippines-cremated-pets-found-dumped-sacks-vacant-plot Tue, 03 Nov 2026 06:53:23 +0000 Ushar Daniele Ushar Daniele Malaysian police have launched an investigation into a fight at a shopping centre in Kuala Lumpur after a viral video showed a man slapping a woman who allegedly assaulted his two young children. While police have not officially identified the venue, social media users claim the incident took place at the Ombak KLCC shopping centre. The 35-second clip circulating on social media shows a heated argument between the pair after the man confronted the woman over her actions. The altercation turns... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3372936/malaysian-police-probe-viral-video-father-slapping-woman-who-allegedly-hit-his-children https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3372936/malaysian-police-probe-viral-video-father-slapping-woman-who-allegedly-hit-his-children Mon, 02 Nov 2026 04:32:58 +0000 SCMP’s Asia desk SCMP’s Asia desk Recent school attacks across Malaysia have shone a light on a troubling trend of teenagers joining an online subculture that glamorises real-life killers, according to a prominent security analyst. Three violent incidents in Malaysian schools – in Kuching on October 21, Banting in July and Bandar Utama in October last year – could be linked to the True Crime Community (TCC), said Munira Mustaffa, founder of Kuala Lumpur-based security consulting firm Chasseur Group. In the Kuching case, the... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3372749/toxic-online-subcultures-fuelling-asias-school-attacks https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3372749/toxic-online-subcultures-fuelling-asias-school-attacks Fri, 30 Oct 2026 10:06:36 +0000 Ushar Daniele Ushar Daniele While many parents still question whether to give their children access to artificial intelligence, Malaysian tech worker Pravin Ganesan has embraced it to solve a very practical problem: helping his eight-year-old daughter with homework he sometimes struggles to explain. Pravin, 42, taught her a few basic prompts and checked the answers closely, finding that generative AI is particularly good at breaking down difficult concepts into child-friendly terms. “It has helped her learn and understand... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3372605/can-ai-teach-kids-think-malaysias-classroom-tech-push-faces-reality-check https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3372605/can-ai-teach-kids-think-malaysias-classroom-tech-push-faces-reality-check Fri, 30 Oct 2026 00:00:26 +0000 SCMP’s Asia desk SCMP’s Asia desk The estranged half-brother of Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex, has called their father a “disgusting monster” after handing over a trove of alleged child abuse material belonging to their shared parent to police in the Philippines. The four boxes containing mobile phones, computer equipment and other personal belongings were handed over to the Philippine National Police’s Women and Children Protection Centre last week by Thomas Markle Jnr, who was previously his father’s full-time carer. Markle... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3372251/disgusting-monster-meghan-markles-dad-slammed-son-amid-philippine-police-probe https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3372251/disgusting-monster-meghan-markles-dad-slammed-son-amid-philippine-police-probe Tue, 27 Oct 2026 05:11:53 +0000 SCMP SCMP We have selected seven stories from the SCMP’s coverage of Asia over the past week that resonated with our readers and shed light on topical issues. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscribing. 1. Filipinos split on Marcos’ sea handling amid row over Chinese envoy’s remarks Filipinos are almost evenly divided over the Marcos administration’s handling of the maritime dispute with China, even as nearly three in four favour diplomacy over confrontation, according to... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/article/3372227/why-paper-straws-are-worse-plastic-japans-silver-divorce-rise-7-asia-highlights https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/article/3372227/why-paper-straws-are-worse-plastic-japans-silver-divorce-rise-7-asia-highlights Tue, 27 Oct 2026 04:30:07 +0000 Jim Au Yeung Jim Au Yeung A Singaporean woman pleaded guilty on Monday to conspiring with a friend and the friend’s boyfriend to abuse four-year-old Megan Khung, and helping to dispose of the child’s body after she died following months of abuse. Nouvelle Chua Ruoshi, 36, pleaded guilty to three charges, including conspiracy to commit child abuse, intentional disposal of a corpse and methamphetamine consumption, The Straits Times reported. Three further charges for conspiracy to commit child abuse will be considered when... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3372195/singaporean-woman-admits-conspiring-abuse-megan-khung-disposing-her-body https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3372195/singaporean-woman-admits-conspiring-abuse-megan-khung-disposing-her-body Mon, 26 Oct 2026 12:40:38 +0000 David D. Lee David D. Lee “How can South Korea’s law be this weak? Twenty-three people died!” Those were the words of Chinese mother Li Shun-ji after South Korea’s Supreme Court upheld a reduced four-year prison sentence for Aricell CEO Park Soon-kwan over a 2024 factory fire that killed 23 workers, including Li’s then 24-year-old daughter, Yan Jing-jing. The blaze at the lithium battery manufacturer’s factory in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi province, killed 17 Chinese nationals, one Laotian national and five South Koreans,... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3372044/south-korean-ceos-4-year-jail-term-over-plant-fire-killed-23-spurs-anger https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3372044/south-korean-ceos-4-year-jail-term-over-plant-fire-killed-23-spurs-anger Mon, 26 Oct 2026 00:00:19 +0000 Vincent Tan Vincent Tan Tran Dai Thang spotted two young people who had picked up their drinks at a pop-up cafe beside his travelling bookstore and were about to leave, so he called them over. One of them said they did not read books, Thang recalled. But he kept the conversation going and eventually persuaded the visitor to buy a book for 10,000 dong (US$0.40) – heavily discounted from its original price of 45,000 dong. For Thang, an artist and publisher, the small sale mattered far less than the fact that someone who... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3371941/novel-idea-thailand-vietnam-take-books-road-reading-drive https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3371941/novel-idea-thailand-vietnam-take-books-road-reading-drive Sun, 25 Oct 2026 05:00:09 +0000 Julian Ryall Julian Ryall Ayumi lives alone in a spacious suburban house originally bought to raise a family, her two cats now her only full-time companions. Her two daughters have grown up and left home, and her husband of more than two decades moved out nearly a year ago as they finalise a divorce. For the 62-year-old Kawasaki resident, who spoke on condition that her surname be withheld, this was not how she envisioned her later years. “He worked very long hours, including on weekends, and I was always busy taking... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3371898/why-more-japanese-women-are-choosing-silver-divorce-after-decades-marriage https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3371898/why-more-japanese-women-are-choosing-silver-divorce-after-decades-marriage Sun, 25 Oct 2026 02:00:13 +0000 Anand Mathai,Johannes Nugroho Anand Mathai,Johannes Nugroho When 35-year-old Bekasi resident Ika Kartika voted for Prabowo Subianto in Indonesia’s 2024 presidential election, she hoped the former general would restore a “Suharto-like” era of stability, when everyday essentials were affordable and life felt more predictable. Growing up, she had often heard her parents reminisce about the “good old days” under the late strongman, whose rule had brought a sense of order to their lives. Two years into his presidency, however, rising food prices have left Ika... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3371953/big-dreams-growing-pains-indonesia-prabowos-turbulent-2-years-power https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3371953/big-dreams-growing-pains-indonesia-prabowos-turbulent-2-years-power Sat, 24 Oct 2026 00:00:19 +0000 SCMP’s Asia desk SCMP’s Asia desk Malaysian police have arrested a 16-year-old student after he live-streamed an attack on a teacher with an axe at a private school in Kuching, the capital of Sarawak state. CCTV footage shows the teenager entering a classroom at around 7.50am on Wednesday, hitting the female teacher with an axe before leaving. He re-enters through a second door and swings the axe at students as they flee the room. As the teacher tries to intervene, he attempts to hack at her again but is subdued by two male... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3371718/malaysian-teen-arrested-after-live-streaming-axe-attack-teacher-class https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3371718/malaysian-teen-arrested-after-live-streaming-axe-attack-teacher-class Thu, 22 Oct 2026 03:17:26 +0000 Sam Beltran Sam Beltran A Gen Z jet-setter in the Philippines has been named commissioner for the urban poor, raising eyebrows over her qualifications for a position dealing with issues such as food and housing insecurity. Zofia Canlas took her oath as commissioner for the Presidential Commission for the Urban Poor (PCUP) on Monday, but drew widespread attention for social media photos depicting a fashion-forward lifestyle and lavish getaways, such as posing in front of the Eiffel Tower in Paris, and other trips around... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3371647/nepo-baby-uproar-philippines-after-gen-z-jet-setter-named-urban-poor-commissioner https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3371647/nepo-baby-uproar-philippines-after-gen-z-jet-setter-named-urban-poor-commissioner Wed, 21 Oct 2026 09:27:00 +0000 Iman Muttaqin Yusof Iman Muttaqin Yusof Malaysia’s border control chief pleaded not guilty on Wednesday to two charges of assaulting junior police officers at the country’s main international airport last month, after a video of the confrontation went viral. Mohd Shuhaily Mohd Zain, director general of the Malaysian Border Control and Protection Agency, was filmed confronting two men at Kuala Lumpur International Airport on September 28. He previously linked the incident to an operation against airport touts following complaints about... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3371584/malaysias-border-chief-charged-assaulting-police-viral-airport-clash https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3371584/malaysias-border-chief-charged-assaulting-police-viral-airport-clash Wed, 21 Oct 2026 03:58:29 +0000 Iman Muttaqin Yusof Iman Muttaqin Yusof A Malaysian ruler known for being reserved has publicly berated his chief minister over efforts to unseat him, telling the politician to “go away” and withdraw his claim that the monarch no longer holds the throne. Negeri Sembilan, south of Kuala Lumpur, has been caught in a dispute since April over who is its rightful ruler, bringing down one state government aligned with Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s ruling Pakatan Harapan (PH) coalition and leaving its newly appointed chief minister without... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3371185/malaysias-negeri-sembilan-ruler-orders-chief-minister-out-sight-rare-public-rebuke https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3371185/malaysias-negeri-sembilan-ruler-orders-chief-minister-out-sight-rare-public-rebuke Fri, 16 Oct 2026 10:58:20 +0000 Aidan Jones Aidan Jones Authorities in Thailand have uncovered an audacious scheme involving hundreds of metres of internet cable sent over the Thai border to keep a suspected Myanmar scam compound online, after finding two ramshackle village homes using enough daily bandwidth to power an entire village. Officers raided the homes in Nong Lu, a Thai border village in Kanchanaburi province, which is the gateway to the Three Pagodas Pass in Myanmar – now a notorious hub for cyber scammers. Many scam centre leaders have... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3371148/thai-raid-foils-cross-border-cable-ruse-powering-myanmar-scam-centre https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3371148/thai-raid-foils-cross-border-cable-ruse-powering-myanmar-scam-centre Fri, 16 Oct 2026 08:31:20 +0000 Sam Beltran Sam Beltran Lorelai Jacinto had worked as a domestic helper in Riyadh for two and a half years before she flew home to the Philippines on September 19, increasingly worried that the conflict in the Middle East was making it unsafe to stay. “When the conflict with Iran happened, I started feeling like it wasn’t safe there any more because I was right there in Riyadh myself, so the bombing, the missiles, were closer to us,” Jacinto told This Week in Asia. “I got worried, I got scared that maybe I wouldn’t be... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3370917/filipino-migrants-torn-between-safety-and-survival-risks-amid-middle-east-dangers https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3370917/filipino-migrants-torn-between-safety-and-survival-risks-amid-middle-east-dangers Thu, 15 Oct 2026 04:00:12 +0000 Park Chan-kyong Park Chan-kyong A stabbing rampage by a repeat violent offender wearing an electronic ankle monitor has raised questions about whether South Korea’s criminal justice system can adequately supervise those deemed high-risk and prevent attacks before they happen. The 59-year-old suspect told investigators he had become frustrated over what he perceived as mistreatment at a hospital, police said on Wednesday. Three criminal profilers were helping investigators establish the motive for Tuesday’s attack at a shopping... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3370927/south-koreas-offender-tracking-under-scrutiny-after-stabbing-spree-exposes-serious-gaps https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3370927/south-koreas-offender-tracking-under-scrutiny-after-stabbing-spree-exposes-serious-gaps Thu, 15 Oct 2026 01:30:18 +0000 Iman Muttaqin Yusof Iman Muttaqin Yusof A Malaysian court on Wednesday rejected Najib Razak’s bid to suspend his 15-year jail sentence in the 1MDB scandal pending the jailed former prime minister’s appeals, ruling that his health and other grounds did not justify a stay. The decision means his sentence is set to begin after his current prison term ends in August 2028. Najib, 73, received a conditional royal pardon last month allowing him to serve that separate sentence in the SRC International case at home, but he must first pay a 50... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3370860/malaysias-najib-loses-bid-suspend-15-year-1mdb-sentence-medical-grounds https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3370860/malaysias-najib-loses-bid-suspend-15-year-1mdb-sentence-medical-grounds Wed, 14 Oct 2026 08:19:32 +0000 SCMP SCMP We have put together stories from our coverage last weekend to help you stay informed about news across Asia and beyond. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscribing. 1. Trump’s new spokeswoman is a ‘devoted fan’ who lived in Beijing and speaks Chinese 2. Hong Kong hiker dies, Singaporean teen discharged after 2 trail emergencies 3. How a museum masterpiece’s life-size replica sparked rare US-China collaboration 4. Why Malaysian doctors are turning down... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/article/3370528/trumps-china-savvy-spokeswoman-hong-kong-trail-emergencies-5-weekend-reads-you-missed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/article/3370528/trumps-china-savvy-spokeswoman-hong-kong-trail-emergencies-5-weekend-reads-you-missed Mon, 12 Oct 2026 04:15:05 +0000 Aidan Jones,Vincent Tan Aidan Jones,Vincent Tan On a recent Friday night in a Bangkok dive bar, a group of young Myanmar exiles sang softly along to a mournful ballad played on an acoustic guitar. None among the crowd had any plans to leave, either for their homeland or home for bed. They fled war, a broken economy and forced conscription into a military that seized power in the 2021 coup. While their future in Thailand is uncertain, their ties to home are kept alive by the hard currency they send back each month to parents and siblings left... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3370370/how-shadow-banking-feeds-myanmar-while-starving-its-military https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3370370/how-shadow-banking-feeds-myanmar-while-starving-its-military Mon, 12 Oct 2026 00:00:12 +0000 Vincent Tan Vincent Tan On Facebook, public hospitals in Malaysia’s Bornean states have been rolling out “Selamat Datang” [welcome] banner posts to embrace medical staff reporting for duty. Tawau Hospital on Sabah’s east coast recently published a group photograph welcoming newly arrived medical officers. Kinabatangan Hospital posted similar banners hailing arrivals across various departments, while in neighbouring Sarawak, Kapit Hospital accompanied its greeting with a portrait of a newly arrived doctor. But behind... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3370432/why-warm-welcomes-cant-stop-malaysias-doctor-exodus-borneo https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3370432/why-warm-welcomes-cant-stop-malaysias-doctor-exodus-borneo Sun, 11 Oct 2026 02:00:15 +0000 Sam Beltran Sam Beltran The Philippines is developing a national road map to combat child labour as part of a broader push across Southeast Asia, where poverty and insecure livelihoods continue to drive children into work despite government efforts to stamp out the practice. But analysts warn that policy commitments alone will not be enough without stronger support for vulnerable families, better access to education and more effective enforcement of child protection laws. On September 23 and 24, government officials,... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3370369/can-philippines-lead-southeast-asias-fight-against-child-labour https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3370369/can-philippines-lead-southeast-asias-fight-against-child-labour Fri, 09 Oct 2026 10:33:52 +0000 Kolette Lim Kolette Lim Grace often hears other Singapore mothers debating how much private tuition their children need. Some rush to enrol their offspring in multiple classes before they turn five, while others try to resist the pressure to add lessons outside school. She enrolled her two children, now aged four and seven, in Chinese tuition when they were three to give them greater exposure to their ancestral tongue. “Neither of their parents speaks fluent Mandarin at home … I guess there is some degree of pressure... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3370328/why-asian-parents-are-trapped-private-tuition-arms-race https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3370328/why-asian-parents-are-trapped-private-tuition-arms-race Fri, 09 Oct 2026 08:23:49 +0000 Ushar Daniele Ushar Daniele Chew Kin Wah spent seven seasons gracing Malaysian television screens as “Kee Tat” in the hit sitcom Kopitiam in the late 1990s and early 2000s. Now 61, the Malaysian actor is still working, albeit more selectively, taking projects when the right offers land on his table. “There is no thought of retiring when you are doing something you enjoy,” he told This Week in Asia, adding: “Money helps. Never fight with money.” For Chew, working beyond 60 is a choice. But for many Malaysians, the question... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3370171/retire-or-not-retire-malaysia-divided-over-working-past-60 https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3370171/retire-or-not-retire-malaysia-divided-over-working-past-60 Thu, 08 Oct 2026 09:00:04 +0000 Maria Siow Maria Siow Malaysia’s repatriation of Myanmar nationals ahead of a visit to Kuala Lumpur by the war-torn country’s leader appears to mirror efforts by other Asean countries seeking to mend ties with Naypyidaw. Several Asean members have stepped up engagement with Myanmar at the bilateral level recently, raising questions about whether a gradual normalisation between the bloc and the country could undermine efforts to end its civil war, according to analysts. Nearly 1,500 Myanmar nationals repatriated from... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3369953/malaysias-myanmar-bet-repatriations-pave-way-diplomacy https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3369953/malaysias-myanmar-bet-repatriations-pave-way-diplomacy Wed, 07 Oct 2026 01:30:13 +0000 SCMP’s Asia desk SCMP’s Asia desk A Singaporean woman has been added to a US list of “the worst of the worst criminal aliens,” becoming the third citizen from the city state to appear on the register, after convicted sex offender Amos Yee and money launderer Lim Seok Pheng. Jing Emtage, 54, was sentenced in July last year to two years and two months in prison on seven counts of second-degree promoting prostitution across multiple Washington state massage parlours she ran with her husband, Gerald Emtage. Gerald Emtage, 49, was... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3369934/singaporean-massage-parlour-boss-added-us-worst-worst-criminal-aliens-list https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3369934/singaporean-massage-parlour-boss-added-us-worst-worst-criminal-aliens-list Tue, 06 Oct 2026 10:51:26 +0000 SCMP’s Asia desk SCMP’s Asia desk AirAsia co-founder Tony Fernandes has caused a stir online after taking aim at Singapore Airlines’ (SIA) in-flight meals, claiming the food served by the carrier lagged behind his own airline’s offerings. “Just flew with Singapore Airlines, couldn’t get AirAsia, service was great, internet amazing, food was poor, Santan is far far better and crew admitted. Great flight but we are not far off,” Fernandes wrote in a social media post on Thursday, referring to AirAsia’s in-flight dining brand. The... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3369583/airasia-chief-mocks-singapore-airlines-food-and-social-media-hits-back https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3369583/airasia-chief-mocks-singapore-airlines-food-and-social-media-hits-back Fri, 02 Oct 2026 09:59:11 +0000 SCMP’s Asia desk SCMP’s Asia desk An Indian pilot’s extraordinary bravery during an apparent mid-air hijack attempt has ignited a wave of national pride, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailing the pilot as a hero for saving 174 lives on a Flydubai plane – adding a dramatic chapter to a career that began almost by chance. Captain Smit Machchhar was critically injured after taking the brunt of a knife attack on Wednesday, but managed to open the cockpit door so crew and passengers could overpower the attacker. “Captain Smit... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3369424/indian-pride-swells-flydubai-pilot-who-saved-174-lives-hailed-absolute-hero https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3369424/indian-pride-swells-flydubai-pilot-who-saved-174-lives-hailed-absolute-hero Thu, 01 Oct 2026 05:18:44 +0000 SCMP’s Asia desk SCMP’s Asia desk Residents of a district in the South Korean capital of Seoul are up in arms over plans to build a permanent school for North Korean defectors in their neighbourhood. The dispute escalated to the point where the school’s principal dropped to her knees to beg protesters to “embrace the children”, the Korea JoongAng Daily reported. Yeomyung School, which educates middle and high school students who fled North Korea or are children of North Korean defectors, has been unable to afford its own... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3369326/seoul-residents-arms-over-school-north-korean-defectors https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3369326/seoul-residents-arms-over-school-north-korean-defectors Wed, 30 Sep 2026 08:35:55 +0000 Ushar Daniele Ushar Daniele The death of a 14-year-old student at a Malaysian boarding school has renewed scrutiny over student safety, raising questions over whether reforms introduced after the high-profile death of Zara Qairina Mahathir last year have changed what happens behind dormitory doors. Police in Kuala Pilah, Negeri Sembilan, have detained two 16-year-old students as they investigate the death of Muhammad Idlan Fareeq Shahril. They said Idlan was caught vaping by a hostel warden on September 23. Two days later,... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3369315/behind-closed-doors-fatal-beating-exposes-malaysias-parallel-boarding-school-rules https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3369315/behind-closed-doors-fatal-beating-exposes-malaysias-parallel-boarding-school-rules Wed, 30 Sep 2026 07:44:20 +0000 SCMP’s Asia desk SCMP’s Asia desk Philippine senators have urged the Department of Tourism to stick with a single marketing campaign to build long-term international recognition, pointing to long-running successes such as Malaysia’s “Truly Asia” tagline. Newly appointed Tourism Secretary Dita Angara-Mathay was asked about her plans for the current slogan, “Love the Philippines”, during a departmental budget hearing on Monday, the Philippine Star reported. Senate finance subcommittee chairman Erwin Tulfo suggested keeping the... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3369297/philippines-urged-adopt-malaysias-lasting-tourism-strategy https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3369297/philippines-urged-adopt-malaysias-lasting-tourism-strategy Wed, 30 Sep 2026 06:16:10 +0000 Vincent Tan Vincent Tan A Singapore-based education financing programme is testing whether income-linked funding can widen access to higher education without an unmanageable debt burden, a model analysts say could help ease repayment pressure faced by graduates across Southeast Asia. Global Financing for Education’s (GFE) Pay It Forward scheme, publicly launched in September, provides students with funding for their education in return for 3 to 10 per cent of their subsequent income for one to 10 years. The... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3369266/can-pay-you-earn-funding-fix-southeast-asias-higher-education-debt-problem https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3369266/can-pay-you-earn-funding-fix-southeast-asias-higher-education-debt-problem Wed, 30 Sep 2026 01:59:47 +0000 Bac Pham Bac Pham A Vietnamese pro-democracy organisation has alleged that two of its members, who hold Norwegian and Australian citizenship, were abducted in Cambodia and taken to the border with Vietnam, where Hanoi authorities later accused them of illegally entering the country. Vietnam has charged the two men, along with a third alleged member of the organisation, with terrorism and document forgery, saying they were caught crossing the border from Cambodia with forged identity documents. The organisation,... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3369232/vietnam-charges-3-men-terrorism-abduction-claim-emerges https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3369232/vietnam-charges-3-men-terrorism-abduction-claim-emerges Tue, 29 Sep 2026 12:37:08 +0000 SCMP’s Asia desk SCMP’s Asia desk As Siti Hasmah Mohamad Ali, wife of former Malaysian prime minister Mahathir Mohamad, was laid to rest on Monday, one poignant image stood out. Footage of her family members sobbing served as a reminder that before the 100-year-old was “Ibu Negara” (Mother of the Nation), she was first a mother of seven, grandmother to 18 and great-grandmother to four. Her latest great-grandchild, Eden Zakaria, was born just last month to granddaughter Meera Alyanna Mukhriz, better known as Ally. In a social... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3369197/mahathir-lonely-family-and-malaysia-mourn-siti-hasmah https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3369197/mahathir-lonely-family-and-malaysia-mourn-siti-hasmah Tue, 29 Sep 2026 09:13:12 +0000 SCMP’s Asia desk SCMP’s Asia desk The governor of an Indonesian prison has been suspended after authorities uncovered a suspected luxury compound for VIP inmates within the grounds, prompting a parliamentary inquiry. However, Director General of Corrections Mashudi denied the accusations during a House of Representatives commission hearing on Monday. Cibinong Prison in Bogor, West Java, came under investigation after inspectors from the Ombudsman’s office discovered a fenced-off compound behind the prison chief’s house during a... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3369180/indonesian-prison-chief-suspended-over-secret-vip-compound-inmates https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3369180/indonesian-prison-chief-suspended-over-secret-vip-compound-inmates Tue, 29 Sep 2026 08:14:44 +0000 Sam Beltran Sam Beltran The Philippines has 20,000 teaching vacancies to fill, a budget hearing has revealed, with sector insiders warning that the gap signals a mounting education crisis. Those in the industry are calling for transparency in the teacher hiring process, including clear figures on budget allocation and positions filled amid problems of mismatch and improper targeting of job applicants. At a House of Representatives plenary session last week, Antonio Tinio from the Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT)... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3369126/philippines-struggles-fill-20000-teaching-jobs-we-are-facing-learning-crisis https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3369126/philippines-struggles-fill-20000-teaching-jobs-we-are-facing-learning-crisis Tue, 29 Sep 2026 08:00:07 +0000 Iman Muttaqin Yusof Iman Muttaqin Yusof Malaysia began an operation to send nearly 1,500 Myanmar nationals back to their war-torn homeland on Tuesday, pressing ahead with a government-to-government repatriation deal despite warnings that returnees could face persecution and forced conscription. The first group of 1,476 is part of an agreement to return 5,000 people held in Malaysian immigration facilities under a programme Kuala Lumpur describes as voluntary, though human rights groups say it lacks adequate safeguards. Those being... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3369167/malaysia-begins-sending-thousands-myanmar-nationals-back-war-torn-homeland https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3369167/malaysia-begins-sending-thousands-myanmar-nationals-back-war-torn-homeland Tue, 29 Sep 2026 07:00:01 +0000 Julian Ryall Julian Ryall Japan risks being pulled into a spiral of online disinformation about foreign crime that is stoking xenophobia and playing into the hands of the far-right, researchers warn. The trend is reportedly deepening divisions within Japanese society and creating a feedback loop that experts say will be difficult to break. In August, Constella Security Japan, a Tokyo-based cybersecurity firm commissioned by the government to counter online disinformation, hosted a webinar for officials and media on fake... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3369091/japan-anti-foreigner-fake-news-drives-far-right-gains https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3369091/japan-anti-foreigner-fake-news-drives-far-right-gains Tue, 29 Sep 2026 00:00:24 +0000 Aidan Jones Aidan Jones A Thai man who zipped a jet ski across flooded Bangkok streets received a suspended jail sentence on Monday for causing a public nuisance after he used the capital – where tens of thousands of households remain submerged – as a backdrop for social media content. The stunt, widely shared on social media on Sunday evening, became a conduit for public anger over both the handling of the flood response and how climate calamities are experienced unevenly in the capital of one of Asia’s least equal... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3369083/thai-mans-jet-ski-stunt-fuels-anger-unequal-bangkok-poor-hit-hardest-floods https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3369083/thai-mans-jet-ski-stunt-fuels-anger-unequal-bangkok-poor-hit-hardest-floods Mon, 28 Sep 2026 11:20:33 +0000 Sam Beltran Sam Beltran Migrant rights advocates have hailed the release of Filipino trafficking victim Mary Jane Veloso after 16 years in detention as a victorious milestone, but warn that her case exposes the dangers that still confront many vulnerable workers overseas. After coming harrowingly close to being executed years ago in Indonesia, Veloso walked free on Friday night from the Correctional Institution for Women in Mandaluyong City, grateful for the absolute pardon granted by Philippine President Ferdinand... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3369068/how-mary-jane-velosos-case-exposes-gaps-filipino-migrant-protection https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3369068/how-mary-jane-velosos-case-exposes-gaps-filipino-migrant-protection Mon, 28 Sep 2026 09:35:39 +0000 Joseph Sipalan,Ushar Daniele,Iman Muttaqin Yusof Joseph Sipalan,Ushar Daniele,Iman Muttaqin Yusof Dr Siti Hasmah Mohamad Ali, the wife of former Malaysian prime minister Mahathir Mohamad, died on Monday aged 100. Her family confirmed her death after she was admitted to the National Heart Institute in Kuala Lumpur. The cause of death was not immediately clear. Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, whose decades-long feud with Mahathir defined modern Malaysia’s politics, said on Monday that Siti Hasmah would be granted a state funeral. “The nation will always remember her maternal presence and cherish... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3368993/siti-hasmah-wife-malaysias-mahathir-mohamad-dies-aged-100 https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3368993/siti-hasmah-wife-malaysias-mahathir-mohamad-dies-aged-100 Mon, 28 Sep 2026 02:36:00 +0000 Iman Muttaqin Yusof Iman Muttaqin Yusof In a village on the outskirts of Kota Bharu, in Malaysia’s deeply conservative northeastern state of Kelantan, Rozi* has learned to ignore what people say about her daughter. She had known for years that Hana* was different. As a child, Hana preferred girls’ clothes and spent most of her time with girls. Later, after leaving Kelantan to study, she began transitioning and eventually returned home, living openly as a woman. Rozi, 58, struggled to accept it at first, but what troubled her more was... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3368824/malaysia-mothers-love-offers-her-trans-daughter-refuge https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3368824/malaysia-mothers-love-offers-her-trans-daughter-refuge Sun, 27 Sep 2026 01:30:12 +0000 Iman Muttaqin Yusof Iman Muttaqin Yusof A veteran Malaysian politician pleaded not guilty on Friday to a sedition charge over remarks backing a rival claimant to the Negeri Sembilan throne amid the months-long royal crisis. Rais Yatim, 84, a former cabinet minister and president of Malaysia’s Senate, was charged at the Sessions Court in Ayer Keroh, Melaka, for his comments on June 5, during a ceremony proclaiming Tunku Nadzaruddin Tuanku Ja’afar the state’s 12th ruler. Rais is accused of uttering seditious words at the Parkroyal... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3368760/ex-malaysian-minister-charged-sedition-over-negeri-sembilan-royal-crisis https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3368760/ex-malaysian-minister-charged-sedition-over-negeri-sembilan-royal-crisis Fri, 25 Sep 2026 05:03:55 +0000