Malaysia imprisons

Malaysia imprisons
Al-Arqam members

KUALA LUMPUR (AFP): Malaysia said yesterday four former
followers of a banned Islamic sect, Al-Arqam, had been imprisoned
for trying to revive the movement.

The four will be held under the powerful Internal Security Act
(ISA) for at least two years, Bernama news agency reported.

Al-Arqam was founded in 1968 by leader Ashaari Muhammad and
crushed by the authorities in 1994 when Malaysia's Moslem clergy
ruled its teachings to be in conflict with Islam.

The four people imprisoned were identified as Hashim Ahmad,
42; Haji Ahmad Salim Omar, 49; Hasyim Jaafar, 40; and Pahrol Mohd
Goui, 36, a director of a publishing firm.

After the 1994 ban, Ashaari and seven leaders were detained
under the ISA and in October that year Ashaari confessed on
national television to straying from Islamic teachings and
misleading his followers.

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ANPAu..r..
Aglance-Cambodia-Philippines
Cambodian FM visits Philippines
JP/6/ASEAN2

Cambodian FM
visits Philippines

PHNOM PENH (Reuter): Cambodia's Foreign Minister Ung Huot
flies to the Philippines today for an official visit aimed at
strengthening bilateral ties and cooperation.

Ung Huot said yesterday he was not scheduled to sign any
agreements but would hold talks with President Fidel Ramos and
other top officials and "meet the business people to talk about
investment opportunities (in Cambodia)".

The minister will also visit the Manila headquarters of the
International Rice Research Institute, which operates in
Cambodia. He said the goodwill visit was aimed at "strengthening
relations. He will return home on Thursday having completed his
round of goodwill visits to all the seven members of ASEAN.

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ANPAu..r..
Aglance-Singapore-ban
Airlines opposes gambling ban
JP/6/ASEAN3

Airlines opposes
gambling ban

SINGAPORE (UPI): Singapore Airlines plans to oppose a U.S. ban
against in-flight gambling on international carriers serving the
United States, an airline spokesman said Monday.

Singapore Airlines has joined a coalition of international air
carriers that plan to contest the U.S. ban, which opponents say
could lead to losses of millions of dollars in revenue.

The coalition is more concerned with U.S. efforts to impose
the ban on other countries' airlines than it is with promoting
gambling, Singapore Airlines spokesman Rick Clements said.

"We're just against the principle of the United States trying
to impose its own national laws extraterritorially," Clements
said. Some coalition members also are concerned about U.S.
attempts to ban in-flight smoking, he said.

Earlier this year, Singapore Airlines, along with several
other carriers, announced plans to launch electronic gambling as
part of an expansion of its entertainment and multimedia
services.

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Aglance-Philippines-crime
Manila dismisses 57 corrupt officers
JP/6/ASEAN4

Manila dismisses
57 corrupt officers

MANILA (DPA): The government has dismissed 57 corrupt officers
from the Philippine National Police (PNP), including seven
believed to be responsible for the kidnapping and slaying of two
businessmen, a top official said yesterday.

The dismissals were "in line with our relentless campaign to
weed out scallywags in the PNP," Interior and Local Government
Secretary Robert Barbers said.

In addition to the seven linked to the kidnapping-murder
earlier this year, other policemen were dismissed because of
cases filed against them for robbery, extortion, assault, drug
trafficking, homicide, being absent without leave and other minor
offenses.

Five of the dismissed police officers have appealed their
cases to the National Police Commission. Barbers said the
government has dismissed more than 200 policemen for various
criminal and administrative offenses since he assumed office in
April.

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ANPAu..r..
Aglance-Vietnam-Adoption
Baby traders arrested in Vietnam
JP/6/ASEAN5

Baby traders
arrested in Vietnam

HANOI (DPA): Law enforcement officers in Tien Giang province
in southern Vietnam have arrested nine people on "baby trade"
charges, official media reported yesterday.

The suspects allegedly bought 21 new-born babies from poor
families in the Mekong delta, paying an average of some five
million dongs (US$450) per infant, the Quan Doi Nhan Dan
(People's Army) newspaper reported.

The offenders reportedly resold 15 babies to unspecified
foreigners for adoption, and made a profit of several thousand
dollars profit in each particular case.

The police department of Tien Giang province declined to
disclose, whether the babies have been smuggled out of the
country.

The alleged ring-leader, 41-year-old Tran Huu Phuoc, worked as
judicial advisor for the Women's union of Ho Chi Minh City, and
was able to provide assistance in adoption process.

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ANPAu..r..
Aglance-Malaysia-Fiji
Fijian PM given warm welcome
JP/6/ASEAN6

Fijian PM given
warm welcome

KUALA LUMPUR (AFP): Visiting Fijian Prime Minister Sitiveni
Rabuka was accorded a state welcome yesterday before holding
talks with his Malaysian counterpart Mahathir Mohamad, officials
said.

Rabuka, who arrived on Sunday for a three-day official visit
accompanied by his wife, is leading an 18-member entourage to
enhance trade and economic relations between Malaysia and the
Pacific republic.

He is scheduled to have an audience with Malaysia's King
Tuanku Ja'afar Abdul Rahman later yesterday before talks with
Mahathir at the prime minister's office.