Page 2 n THE ASIAN REPORTER
ASIA / PACIFIC
March 17, 2014
Urawa removes discriminatory banner from stadium
TOKYO (AP) — Japanese soccer club Urawa Reds have removed a banner
from their home stadium over fears the sign could be considered racist. The
banner, which was next to an entrance gate, had the words “Japanese Only”
written on it but was taken down before the game against Sagan Tosu. A
statement on the team’s official website read: “As far as the club is concerned,
racist language or behavior is totally inexcusable.” It was not known who put the
sign up, but the team said they are “working to establish the facts of the
incident.” Most teams in the J-League have foreign players on their rosters, but
Urawa did not have a single foreigner on its squad for the match, which Urawa
lost 1-0. The team is coached by Serbian Mihailo Petrovic.
Chinese urge Canada to keep immigration program
BEIJING (AP) — Chinese millionaires are urging the Canadian government
to keep its investor immigrant program and not eliminate the thousands of
backlogged applications from Chinese nationals. Ten applicants to the program
said at a news conference that their faith in Canada as a “trustworthy country,”
with its attractive rule of law, environment, and welfare system, was wavering.
Canada said last month that it intended to end the immigrant investor program
and eliminate the longstanding backlog of applications for more than 65,000
people, most of whom are Chinese. Investor applicants, some of whom had
applied five years ago, said they are discussing with lawyers whether to claim
compensation for the years they have been waiting.
East Timor PM Gusmao plans to quit in September
JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) — East Timor Prime Minister Xanana Gusmao
plans to step down in September so a younger generation can lead the tiny
nation. Vice Prime Minister Fernando La Samma De Araujo said the resistance
leader just wants to be the father of the nation to oversee the administration as
an observer. De Araujo said the 67-year-old Gusmao expressed his intention
informally to both his cabinet ministers and the people. He added that the
decision is based on deep thought and reflection, inspired by the late South
African leader Nelson Mandela and Singapore’s first Prime Minister Lee Kwan
Yew. The former resistance leader became the first president of East Timor and
its fourth prime minister since August 2007.
Malaysia bans Ultraman book over use of Allah
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) — Malaysia has banned an Ultraman
comic book because it uses the word “Allah” to describe the Japanese action hero.
The Home Ministry said in a statement that the Malay-edition of Ultraman, The
Ultra Power contained elements that can undermine public security and societal
morals. It said “Ultraman is idolized by many children” and equating the lead
character, Ultraman King, with Allah would especially “confuse Muslim
children and damage their faith.” Allah, the Arabic word for god, is commonly
used in the Malay language to refer to god. The government says Allah should be
exclusively reserved for Muslims because of concerns its use by others would
confuse Muslims and tempt them to convert. Malay Muslims account for about
60 percent of Malaysia’s 30 million people, while Christians makeup about nine
percent of the country’s population. The ministry said Allah is holy for Muslims
and warned that such irresponsible use of the word can provoke the community
and threaten public safety. Ultraman is a fictional Japanese superhero who
fights monsters and first appeared on television in the 1960s. A line in the book
says Ultraman “is considered and respected as Allah, or the Elder, to all ultra
heroes.”
Canada ends military operations in Afghanistan
KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — Canada ended military operations in Afghani-
stan this month, finishing a 12-year mission as the international community
winds down its role in the country ahead of an end-of-year deadline for foreign
combat operations to end. The Canadians formally ended their combat role in
southern Afghanistan in July 2011 but maintained a small training operation in
Kabul. “Canada played a critical role in securing Kandahar Province and had a
strategic impact across the country with their contribution to the NATO
training mission,” the top U.S. commander in Afghanistan, Gen. Joseph Dun-
ford, said during a flag-lowering ceremony at the headquarters for international
forces in Kabul. At its peak, Canada was the sixth largest troop-contributing
nation, behind the U.S., Britain, Germany, France, and Italy. It deployed more
than 40,000 service members to Afghanistan since the mission began in 2001.
Like Americans and Europeans, Canadians have grown weary of the war.
Malaysian couple to hang for murder of maid
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) — A Malaysian court has sentenced a cou-
ple to death by hanging for murdering their 26-year-old Indonesian housemaid
three years ago, according to a lawyer. Defense lawyer Thong Seng Kong said
the High Court found electrician Fong Kong Meng, 58, and his wife Teoh Ching
Yen, 56, guilty of killing their maid, Isti Komariyah. He said the court ruled that
Isti had died of starvation because the couple failed to provide sufficient food and
medical attention. Isti, who had worked for the couple for nearly two years, was
declared dead after being taken to a hospital in June 2011. Prosecutors said she
weighed only 57 pounds and had bruises and scratch marks on her body. “The
court has sentenced the couple to hang for murder,” said Thong, adding they are
expected to appeal the sentence. Cases involving employers who assaulted their
domestic workers, mainly from Indonesia, have occasionally strained
Malaysia’s ties with some of its Asian neighbors over the past decade.
REFUSE RULES. A climber prepares to descend the Hillary Step while making his way down from the summit of
Mount Everest in the Khumbu region of the Nepal Himalayas. The Mount Everest climbing season began this month with
new rules that require climbers to bring down their personal garbage, and more security officials at the mountain’s base
camp to help climbers. (AP Photo/Alpenglow Expeditions, Adrian Ballinger, File)
New rules in place as Everest
climbing season begins
By Binaj Gurubacharya
The Associated Press
ATHMANDU, Nepal — The Mount
Everest climbing season began this
month with new rules that require
climbers to bring down their personal garbage,
and more security officials at the mountain’s
base camp to help climbers.
Tourism ministry official Maddhu Sudan
Burlakoti said individual climbers going
beyond the base camp are required to bring
down at least 17.6 pounds of their personal
garbage and hand it over to officials stationed
there.
It is the latest attempt by the Nepalese
government to clean up the world’s highest
mountain, which draws hundreds of western
climbers and a steady income for the local and
national economy, and produces lots of
garbage. Until now, climbing teams were
asked to bring down their trash or risk losing a
$4,000 deposit — which wasn’t very effective
as this wasn’t widely enforced.
More than 4,000 climbers have scaled the
8,850-meter (29,035-foot) summit since it was
conquered in 1953 by Sir Edmund Hillary and
K
his Sherpa guide Tenzing Norgay. Over the
years, climbers have left tons of garbage on the
slopes of the mountain, and some have called it
the “world’s highest garbage dump.”
Burlakoti said officials posted at the base
camp would check climbers to make sure that
each brings down food wrappings, tents, ropes,
clothes, crampons, pegs, and gas cans. It was
not clear how climbers failing to comply would
be punished.
The government is also opening up a contact
office tent at the base camp with officials
stationed there throughout the spring
climbing season, which begins in March and
ends in May. They will offer help to climbers,
resolve any problems between climbers, and
monitor the garbage situation.
Last year, a brawl between western climbers
and their Nepalese guides on the mountain
sparked safety concerns.
Nepal officials say the rules will protect the
environment, better manage climbers, and
increase their safety, especially as their
numbers grow.
Nepal has eight of the 14 highest mountains
in the world.
K-pop group managed by Jackie Chan to debut album
HONG KONG (AP) — Jackie Chan is
transforming himself from action film
superstar to K-pop band manager.
The group named JJCC plans to release its
debut album March 24 in South Korea, before
promoting it in China. JJCC has five men in
their early 20s. Four are South Korean, while
one is Australian-Chinese.
Sha-sha Lee, CEO of the Jackie Chan Group
South Korea, said Chan was involved in
auditioning the band members and will
manage the group personally.
The band name is a tribute to Chan as well
as his effort to “join cultures” in Asia.
Lee said all five members are triple threats
who can sing, dance, rap, and might act
alongside Chan on the silver screen in the
future.
Chan, 59, learned acting, singing, and
Continued on page 4
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4005.0
6.1499
1.8725
7.7655
61.19
11356
24768
101.36
8036.0
3.2801
97.699
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44.655
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1.2653
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130.64
30.355
32.297
21100