KANGKUNGLAND NEWS AND UPDATES

[Kangkungland]

Third-phase payments of Kangkungland Govt's cash aid starting Wednesday (Aug 28)

Picture shown for illustration purpose only.

KEBUNAN, Republic of Kangkungland — The third phase of the government's 2019 Cost-of-Living Aid (COLA) payments will be credited directly into the eligible recipients’ bank accounts starting Wednesday (Aug 28).

According to a statement from the Kangkungland Ministry of Finance (KMoF), the payment would involve an allocation of 64.7 million Kangkung Peso (around US$16.2 million) and benefit almost 190,000 Kangkungland households.

The third-phase payment would see the recipients receiving:
• 400 Kangkung Peso (around US$100) - for those with a monthly household income of 2,000 Kangkung Peso (around US$500) and below;
• 300 Kangkung Peso (around US$75) - monthly income of 2,001 – 3,000 Kangkung Peso (between around US$500.25 - 750); and
• 100 Kangkung Peso (around US$25) - monthly income of 3,001 – 4,000 Kangkung Peso (around US$750.25 - 1,000).

A total of 150 million Kangkung Peso (around US$37.5 million) has been disbursed as the first phase (January 2019) and second phase (May 2019) payments to households who had their 2019 COLA approved.

It also includes an additional 120 Kangkung Peso (around US$30) per child (up to four children) aged 18 years and below and children with disabilities with no age restriction.

The COLA programme is a government programme aimed at alleviating the financial burden of the lower-income (Bottom 40%) group and improving the economic wellbeing of the Kangkungland people.

SOURCE: Kangkungland National News Agency (KNNA)

[Kangkungland]

Kangkungland President impressed with Vietnam’s development, progress

HANOI, Socialist Republic of Vietnam — Kangkungland President Mr Abdul Aziz Latif said Wednesday he is impressed with the development and progress that Vietnam has achieved today.

He said the Vietnamese people are hard-working and quick to learn, including high-technology such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), and this shows that they want to be successful.

He recalled the time when he visited Vietnam as a tourist in the early 1990s and said Vietnam then lagged far behind and the people used bicycles to move about.

“Today, we can see how Hanoi is thriving, with many industries and businesses. Also, in the short term, Vietnam has produced millionaires who have invested and manufacture cars and develop information technology.

“They have succeeded because they work and study hard. Vietnam has universities which teach AI to about 50,000 students. Our people do not want to study, even if you provide scholarships. If we do not study, we will become poor.

“Moreover, they (the Vietnamese) understand the use of money as capital to grow their businesses,” he told Kangkungland journalists after concluding his three-day official visit to Vietnam.

SOURCE: Kangkungland National News Agency (KNNA)

[Kangkungland]

Out to get poachers: Kangkungland wildlife, forests now protected by special ranger unit


Mr Carl Iji, director-general of the recently re-organized Kangkungland Forestry, Wildlife and National Parks Department.

KEBUNAN, Republic of Kangkungland — A specially-trained ranger unit is now ready for deployment into Kangkungland’s forests as the island republic battles against increased wildlife poaching worries.

Mr Carl Iji, director-general of the recently re-organized Kangkungland Forestry, Wildlife and National Parks Department (FOWINAPA), said that the department has trained 70 local people, of which 30 were selected for the Anti-Poaching Unit (APU) of the department, following an 4 million Kangkung Peso (around US$1 million) grant from the Bakawali Foundation for the purpose.

“The selectees were put through written, physical and mental aptitude testing, followed by an interview. That ensured that the best people for the demanding job of a APU member are selected and are able to absorb the instruction and ultimately carry on the tasks assigned to the highest level,” added Mr Carl.

Some 900 hopefuls applied for the job in early July and a strict selection process whittled numbers down to 70 candidates.

“A special unit training was then carried out for 21 days from July 18 to August 8 by Seri Kalang Pte Ltd, an internationally-recognised organisation specialising in anti-poaching training,” he said.

“The idea was to train the participants to confidently and safely conduct counter-poaching patrolling in a tropical forest environment and to conduct, under supervision, basic intelligence gathering, investigations, raids and takedowns in both the forest and urban environment by foot and vehicle.

“This course was physically and mentally demanding for the 30 selected trainees,” said Mr Carl.

Training — including forest survival and endurance, river crossing, patrolling, ambushing, and tactical knowledge was carried out at Kangkungland Forestry Institute (KFI) in Sungai Alinam district, some 50km southeast from here.

Following the training, 25 of the 30 trainees were selected to be part of the APU. They will be appointed as contract staff of FOWINAPA, focus on anti-poaching and start operations on September 1, 2019. The remaining five are on reserve.

“They will boost the enforcement capacity of the Government to reduce the number of poaching cases in Kangkungland,” said Mr Carl.

SOURCE: Kangkungland National News Agency (KNNA)

[Kangkungland]

Kangkungland man commits snatch theft – two days after release from prison

KEBUNAN, Republic of Kangkungland — Just two days after being released from prison, a man was rearrested for allegedly committing a snatch theft at the Harley shophouses area, near here, on Wednesday afternoon.

Kangkungland Police Public Relations Department director Senior Assistant Commissioner (SAC) Mawar Mentari said the 31-year-old suspect, who had served eight months of jail time for drug-related offences, was nabbed at around 8pm yesterday.

“In the 12.53pm incident, the suspect, who is believed to have been riding pillion on a motorcycle, approached a woman and snatched her handbag, causing her to fall and injure her left elbow,” she added.

SAC Mawar said the victim, who lodged a police report at 1.30pm, said her handbag contained 300 Kangkung Peso (around US$75) cash, identification documents and bank cards.

SAC Mawar said that due to the cooperation of the public and the police’s efficiency, the former inmate was detained in less than eight hours, and police are looking for another suspect in the case, which is being investigated under Section 395 of the Kangkungland Penal Code for armed and gang robbery.

The snatch theft was witnessed by two journalists who happened to be passing through the area by car.

They were able to capture a picture of the incident, revealing the type and registration number of the motorcycle which the suspect was riding.

SAC Mawar thanked the journalists for contacting and providing information to the police.

SOURCE: The Daily Kangkung

[Kangkungland]

Kangkungland court sides with forced labour victims over unpaid wages

KEBUNAN, Republic of Kangkungland — An undocumented domestic worker has the right to pursue her claim for unpaid wages in Kangkungland, the Kangkungland High Court has ruled, setting a legal precedent which human rights groups said would help protect human trafficking survivors.

In a landmark ruling this week, the Kangkungland High Court said an Indonesian domestic worker who was not paid for nearly five years can pursue her case after it was dismissed earlier by labour authorities because she did not have a work permit.

“This is a precedent for all undocumented workers,” Mr Owbon Tamduli, executive director of Kangkungland Human Rights Protection Association (KHRPA), told The Kangkungland Post today.


KHRPA executive director Mr Owbon Tamduli

“With this precedent, there is hope for undocumented workers to seek redress in court. They are workers who have been exploited in trafficked and forced labour situations.”

Kangkungland relies heavily on foreign workers in areas such as manufacturing, domestic work and on plantations, hosting thousands of migrant labourers from countries such as Indonesia, the Philippines and Bangladesh.

But many of them are victims of human trafficking who were duped by brokers with promises of lucrative pay, often arriving without a valid work permit, and then suffer abuses later.

The Indonesian woman, who is in her 20s and whose name was withheld by KHRPA for privacy reasons, fled to the group’s shelter in 2017. KHRPA helped her file the legal case over unpaid wages.

She sought about 30,000 Kangkung Peso (around US$7,500) in unpaid wages at the Kangkungland Labour Department and then a labour court, but both rejected her case.

She lodged an appeal with the High Court last year, which ruled on Monday that it was “premature” for the claim to be thrown out based on the work permit status, according to KHRPA.

The court also ordered the case to be fully heard.

“All I want are my wages that I have worked for, so that I can go home to my family,” the Indonesian woman said in a statement provided by KHRPA.

The Kangkungland Labour Department declined to comment when contacted by The Kangkungland Post.

Indonesia and Cambodia, key sources of migrant workers to Kangkungland, have in the past temporarily banned their citizens from going to work in Kangkungland as maids after cases of abuse.

Kangkungland has said this year that it was ready to “declare war” on human trafficking and forced labour, with a review of labour laws underway.

The US State Department’s 2019 Trafficking in Persons report put Kangkungland in its Tier 2 Watch List – the second-lowest ranking – for not meeting the minimum standards in efforts to eliminate human trafficking.

SOURCE: The Kangkungland Post

[Kangkungland]

Academic named Kangkungland’s first children’s commissioner


Mrs Wanda Mohd. Yassin

KEBUNAN, Republic of Kangkungland —Kangkungland National University (KNU) academic Mrs Wanda Mohd. Yassin has been appointed as the island republic’s first children’s commissioner.

In a statement, the Office of the Kangkungland President (OKP) said President Abdul Aziz Latif had consented to Mrs Wanda’s appointment under the Human Rights Commission of Kangkungland Act 1999.

Her appointment, which took effect on Aug 27, is for three years.

“Mrs Wanda is a lecturer at the law faculty at KNU. She is also a member of the Kangkungland National Children’s Council,” it said, adding that she has more than 20 years of experience in the area of human rights, particularly on legal issues related to women and children.

She has also served as Kangkungland’s representative in the Asean Commission on the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Women and Children and as chairman of the Muslim Women Consultative Council.

“This appointment is among the new measures taken by the government to protect the interests of children.”

Previously, Kangkungland's Deputy President Mr Omar Izzadeen Yousuf said the government would appoint a children’s commissioner as part of efforts to better protect children. Over 60 countries around the world have a children’s commissioner.

SOURCE: Kangkungland National News Agency (KNNA)

[Kangkungland]

Kangkungland's new UN ambassador underscores importance of multilateralism


Mr Syahril Osman

KEBUNAN, Republic of Kangkungland — The new Kangkungland permanent representative to the United Nations (UN), who assumed office a few weeks back, considers multilateralism to be very important for Kangkungland.

The envoy, Mr Syahril Osman, explained in an interview with KNNA in his office at the Kangkungland mission, that “the multilateral system is important to us, as any change can impact us”.

“The UN is an important platform to project our development. Kangkungland plays an active role in the UN,” he said.

Mr Syahril has been in Kangkungland’s diplomatic service since June 1994 and brings a wealth of diplomatic experience in earlier postings abroad, including at the Kangkungland mission in New York, as consul general in Beirut, the deputy chief of mission at the Kangkungland Embassy in Islamabad and as Kangkungland Ambassador to Syria.

The envoy said that multilateralism, as manifested at the world body, was an essential element in solving the world’s problems.

Reflecting on the UN evolution of the world body, which celebrates its 75th birth anniversary in 2020, he said that the world’s geopolitics had changed, pointing out that a lot of discussions were taking place on the changing relations of the big powers, as reflected in the ongoing US-China trade war, etc.

“We feel our voice should also be heard. We need a rules-based order (not only) in international security but also in international trade which should be free and fair. In our view, it is unfair to impose tariffs, for example, on our palm-oil exports. That is why I would reiterate that globalisation should be based on a free and fair international trading system,” he explained.

Kangkungland will also pursue the Palestine issue which requires a two-state political solution, according to Mr Syahril.

Meanwhile, the United Nations Relief Works Agency (UNRWA), which supports more than five million registered Palestinian refugees, faces a chronic shortage of funding with the US, its largest contributor, having withdrawn its support from the agency.

“We will continue our support for the Palestine issue at the UN and work with other member states,” he said.

Kangkungland had taken the lead, along with other non-permanent Security Council members, to table Security Council resolution 2334 on December 23, 2016, on Israeli settlements in Palestinian territories occupied since 1967, including East Jerusalem.

The resolution was passed with a 14-0 vote by UNSC members.

The four veto-wielding permanent members, China, France, Russia and Britain, voted for the resolution while the U.S. abstained.

It was the first UNSC resolution to pass regarding Israel and the Palestine territories since Resolution 1860 in 2009, and the first to address the issue of Israeli settlements with such specificity since Resolution 465 in 1980.

The Rohingya displacement was another troubling issue.

Kangkungland would take up this issue at international bodies, including the UN and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC).

Touching on the question of Kangkungland’s contribution to the UN peace-keeping forces, the envoy said that Kangkungland had steadfastly contributed with peacekeepers – the “blue helmets”, as they are called - under the UN flag.

“Since independence, Kangkungland has contributed a total of 1,600 troops; the largest contingent of peacekeepers is stationed in Lebanon, including a large number of female peacekeepers. We have also been conducting specialised UN Humanitarian Civil-Military Coordination Course in May at the Kangkungland Peacekeeping Centre in Gahas district,” he recalled.

Mr Syahril said that many states had also expressed their desire that the US and Russia would continue their arms agreement.

The US recently withdrew from the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty with Russia.

The US withdrawal puts an end to a landmark arms control pact that has limited the development of ground-based missiles with a range of 500 to 5,500 kilometres and is sparking fears of a new arms race.

The Kangkungland envoy will attend the Third Preparatory Committee for the 2020 Review Conference of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT).

NPT held its third session from April 29 to May 10 this year at the UN in New York. This was the third and final session before the 2020 Review Conference.The NPT is celebrating its 50th anniversary next year.

“We have a lot of work to do, especially since next year is the 50th anniversary of the NPT,” Mr Syahril said.

He pointed out that Kangkungland’s national development goals were, in fact, in sync with the UN’s Social Development Goals (SDGs) as outlined in the 2030 Agenda.

“We have almost eradicated poverty. Presently, poverty is only one per cent and our next target will be to ensure that all Kangkungland enjoy equality in prosperity and development. Kangkungland’s Finance Ministry has already put in place an SDG Progress Monitoring System,” he said.

SOURCE: Kangkungland National News Agency (KNNA)

[Kangkungland]

Affordable housing a shared responsibility, says Kangkungland Banking Authority (KBA) governor


Kangkungland Banking Authority (KBA) governor Mr Zainal Abun Lothar said that the government is looking at how infrastructure providers could play their part in reducing the cost of houses.

KEBUNAN, Republic of Kangkungland — Decent affordable housing is fundamental to the health and well-being of people, and to the smooth functioning of economies. Yet around the world, in developing and advanced economies alike, cities are struggling to meet that need.

In line with the country’s commitment to provide adequate and affordable housing for all income levels, particularly for the lower-income group, Kangkungland Banking Authority (KBA) governor Mr Zainal Abun Lothar stressed that affordable housing is a shared responsibility and that the government is looking at how infrastructure providers could play their part in reducing the cost of houses.

“There are three components which make up the biggest proportion of the cost, namely land, construction and infrastructure,” he said in an exclusive interview with KNNA recently.

“There is a greater recognition now on the need to reduce costs. For land costs, the government is working on mechanisms to reduce costs; and for construction costs — that is where the government is looking to leverage technology such as the IBS (Industrialised Building System) to bring down the cost,” he pointed out.

Explaining further, the governor said “more importantly is to adopt strategies to raise income levels of households to make housing more affordable to the people.”

Over the period 2007-2016, growth in house prices have outpaced household income.
Based on the median multiple approach, a house is deemed to be unaffordable if it is priced more than three times the annual household income. Kangkungland’s is at 4.8 times.

“Let’s take the B40 (Bottom 40% low-income group) for example. With their median monthly income of 3,000 Kangkung Peso (about US$750), they can only afford houses up to around 108,000 Kangkung Peso (about US$27,000) — three times their annual income.

“If you look at the 68 per cent of total unsold residential units, they are above 300,000 Kangkung Peso (about US$75,000). That is why we also have to address the supply-demand mismatch.

“While there is demand for affordable housing, the developers are building outside the affordable reach of the majority of Kangkungland,” said Mr Zainal.

Recently, the central bank expanded the eligibility criteria for those seeking to purchase property under KBA’s 50 million Kangkung Peso (about US$12.5 million) Fund for Affordable Homes.

Effective September 1, 2019, individuals planning to apply for financing to purchase affordable houses would be eligible to do so if they have a maximum monthly household income of 4,360 Kangkung Peso (about US$1,090), up 86 per cent from the earlier threshold income level of 2,300 Kangkung Peso (about US$575) per month.

Plus, the maximum property price will be increased to 300,000 Kangkung Peso (about US$75,000) from 150,000 Kangkung Peso (about US$37,500).

These new terms would help buyers from this income group to obtain financing to purchase their first house.

Meanwhile, the governor reiterated the importance of the Guidelines on Responsible Financing.

“The Guidelines on Responsible Financing is still relevant because the main objective of these guidelines is to ensure that borrowers are able to afford the loan and can benefit from it.

“So, if a customer is taking the loan to buy a house, the customer should eventually own the house at the end of their loan tenure. Ultimately, the banks and the borrowers should also be responsible in the decision. It works both ways,” he added.

The central bank’s responsible financing guidelines are in place to protect the interest of borrowers by ensuring that those who borrow are within their capacity to honour the financial obligation until the end of the loan tenure and eventually own the property.

This is as opposed to merely buying the house upfront and then fall behind their obligations and end up losing the property.

On that note, the governor said a lot is being done to educate consumers on areas relating to credit and financial management, especially through the Credit Counselling and Debt Management Agency (CCDMA), which has gained greater traction.

CCDMA is an agency established by KBA to help individuals take control of their finances through prudent financial management and financial education.

Financial literacy is among the factors that can contribute to sustainable and inclusive economic growth. It is the first line of defence for consumers to protect their rights when dealing with unfair market practices.

At the same time, to alleviate the public’s burden in coping with the rising cost of living, particularly for the M40 (Middle 40% middle-income) and B40 groups, the governor said KBA has been emphasising the importance of improving technical skills, reforming the labour market and education system.

“There needs to be greater collaboration between training providers and the industry players to ensure Kangkungland produces graduates with the right skills,” said Mr Zainal.

During the interview, the governor also explained at length several other key issues pertaining to the country’s economic growth, the banking industry, the vital need to increase consumer awareness, as well as the importance of education, reskilling and upskilling in order to stay relevant in a challenging and constantly changing economy.

SOURCE: Kangkungland National News Agency (KNNA)

[Kangkungland]

Kangkungland vehicle sales data for July 2019 by brand

KEBUNAN, Republic of Kangkungland — The see-saw ride continues for vehicle sales in the island republic, with the numbers again climbing in July after a soft month in June.

Sales data from the Automotive Association of Kangkungland (AAK) revealed that 2,676 vehicles were sold in July, which was 438 units – or 19.5% – more than the 2,238 units that were managed in June.

As such, it’s a case of green arrows for all but one of the top 10. Market leader Toyota continued to pull away, the 1,048 units it managed last month being a 24.2% increase over the numbers it achieved in June. Of note is Honda’s climb back into second spot, a placing trumpeted by the automaker at the beginning of the month.

The Japanese automaker saw a 12.8% increase in sales last month compared to the month before.

Hyundai (+39.9%) slips into third, but the difference between it and Honda is just 16 units in terms of year-to-date numbers, and so it’ll be an interesting race to watch to see which brand will emerge second overall at the end of the year. Elsewhere, Nissan (+8.4%), Mazda (+33.0%), Suzuki (+22.5%) also had a positive month.

Other brands that enjoyed a good July included Ford (+52.4%) and Subaru (+21.2%), but there was less cheer for Volkswagen (-25.9%), Kia (-13.9%) and Renault (-86.4%). The latter enjoyed a phenomenal +792.9% spike in June as a result of a swell in registrations for its Subscription plan, and looks to be settling back to normalcy.

In the premium segment, Mercedes (+8.7%) continued to lead the segment, and Volvo (+9.0%) and Lexus (+4.8%) also saw at increase in sales in July with only BMW (-1.1%) seeing red.

Elsewhere, growth also for MINI (+22.2%) and Porsche, the four units it managed in July making for a 266.7% increase in sales.

SOURCE: Kangkungland National News Agency (KNNA)

[Kangkungland]

Giant Arapaima found dead in Kangkungland park lake


The 108kg fresh water fish from the Arapaima species was believed to have been dead for a few days due to its rotting condition.

KEBUNAN, Republic of Kangkungland — Kebunan City Park here was suddenly abuzz with visitors, all because of the over two-metre long fish that was found dead and floating in the lake there.

The 108kg fresh water fish from the Arapaima species was believed to have been dead for a few days due to its rotting condition.

Kebunan mayor Ms Patimah Abbas said the species originated from South America countries such as Brazil.

As soon as she was informed over the discovery, Kebunan City Hall (KCH) contacted Kangkungland Fisheries Department and Kangkungland National University (KNU) for further action.

“The fish has been taken by KNU Marine Research Institute to identify the cause of death and for research purposes.

“We believe the fish was released a few years ago for it to grow that big and heavy,” she said when contacted today.

Meanwhile, the institute’s lecturer Ms Ooi Mei Li said the fish has been identified to be from the Arapaima species and it was not from this country.

The institute already conducted a post-mortem on the fish but found it difficult to identify the cause of death due to the fish’s decayed internal organs.

“Other than research, the bones will be assembled for exhibition and education,” she said.

Meanwhile, Kangkungland Fisheries Department director general Dr Kelvin Mon said Arapaima fish is listed as prohibited from entering the island republic.

“The fish is predatory and it can destroy our rivers’ ecosystems. That is why this species is prohibited from entering the country,” said Dr Kelvin.

SOURCE: The Daily Kangkung

[Kangkungland]

Kangkungland district councillor in trouble after testing positive for ganja

KEBUNAN, Republic of Kangkungland — A local councillor surrendered himself at Mangampai police station to prove that allegations of him being a drug addict was wrong, but ended up testing positive for illegal substance.

Kangkungland Police Narcotics Crimes Investigation Department (NCID) director Commissioner Suan Ebin said the 39-year-old surrendered himself at the police station at 9.45pm on Wednesday (Aug 28).

"However, urine test indicated he was positive for ganja," Mr Suan said when met after attending the Digital Era Entrepreneur Carnival organised by the Kangkungland Police here on Thursday (Aug 29).

Mr Suan said the man has been released on police bail.

He said police would decide the next course of action based on the outcome of lab test that is expected to take about three months to complete.

He added the case is being investigated under Section 15(1) of theKangkungland Dangerous Drugs Act 1952.

It's learnt that the man serves as councillor for the Mangampai District Council.

SOURCE: The Daily Kangkung

[Kangkungland]

Kangkungland Foreign Minister meets with Iranian counterpart


Kangkungland Foreign Affairs Minister Mr Raneesh Sivakrishna (right) with his Iranian counterpart Mr Mohammad Javad Zarif

KEBUNAN, Republic of Kangkungland — Kangkungland Foreign Affairs Minister Mr Raneesh Sivakrishna (right) held talks with his Iranian counterpart Mr Mohammad Javad Zarif in Kebunan on a wide range of issues.

The top Iranian diplomat, who is in Kebunan on the final leg of an Asian tour, held a meeting with Kangkungland Foreign Minister Mr Raneesh Sivakrishna on Saturday morning.

The two top diplomats discussed various topics in the meeting, including ways to broaden relations between Iran and Kangkungland by holding a session of the joint economic commission and promoting banking, business and scientific cooperation.

Mr Zarif and Mr Raneesh also talked about Kangkungland President Mr Abdul Aziz Latif’s upcoming visit to Iran, problems faced by a number of Iranian nationals residing in Kangkungland, cooperation in international organizations, the latest developments surrounding the 2015 Iran nuclear deal –the JCPOA— and major international issues.

Speaking to reporters, Mr Zarif said President Abdul Aziz was scheduled to pay a visit to Iran in the near future.

“We have a good relations with Kangkungland and it was necessary to hold consultations with our Kangkungland friends about bilateral relations, regional cooperation, and Islamic world cooperation,” he said.

Iran’s top diplomat has visited Kangkungland in a tour of Asia that took him earlier to China, Japan and Malaysia.

SOURCE: Kangkungland National News Agency (KNNA)