A tough place for opposition

Critics of ASEAN governments struggle to speak

We will maintain our stance of criticising corruption”

- Hang Chakrya speaking about his the newspaper Khmer Machas Srok’s new website kmsdaily.com. The print edition, which is scheduled to relaunch in November, ceased publishing in June when he was jailed on disinformation charges.

Does this mean a satire or a joke is now illegal in Malaysia? What has become of our country?”

- Lim Guan Eng, secretary general of the opposition-aligned Democratic Action Party, reacting to the jail sentence handed down to a Malaysian blogger who joked that the state-run power firm Tenega would protest earth hour, an energy-saving initiative.

I think overall a more competitive political scene should be beneficial to Singapore.”

- Eugene Tan, a law professor at the Singapore Management University specialising in local politics, on the expanded use of Facebook and Twitter for political activism among youth, such as Bernard Chen (pictured right).

Developing digits

555 metres

The height of a proposed skyscraper on Phnom Penh’s Diamond Island. The structure, if built today, would be the second tallest in the world.

30 megawatts

The amount of additional power that Vietnam has agreed to supply to Cambodia. Vietnam already supplies 40 megawatts of an estimated 300 megawatts consumed each year in Cambodia.

$30 million

The cost of a bridge to be built linking Kandal town with the province’s Kien Svay district. The bridge, to be funded by Chinese loans, will allow the exchange of more goods and agriculture products.

300 Kilometres

The length of the stretch of highway near the Thai border that will be renovated with the use of Chinese grants, expanding trade opportunities for merchants in the west of the country, according to Cambodian officials.

10$ million

The cost of Sihanoukville’s first significant shopping complex, scheduled to open early next year.

The Mittapheap Shopping Centre will be completed over the next three months, according to Tous Saphoeun, project manager of the Pearl City Asia development.

• Real-life Romeos & Juliets

Heart-ache won’t kill you, but it’s real

The college students participating in psychologist Art Aron’s study on romantic rejection were in pain.

“I can’t sleep,” one told an interviewer.

“It hurts so much,” said another.

Aron and his four fellow researchers discovered that they were experiencing something similar to what a cocaine addict endures when giving up the drug.

“It’s very substantial and very real,” says Aron, co-author of a report published in May.

Frustrated lovers saved by doctor

A pair of star-crossed lovers tried to take their own lives because their parents refused to let them wed, officials in Kratie province said. However, a doctor saved the lovers’ lives after they had both swallowed poison. The man was reportedly injured “a little bit”, whereas the woman’s injuries were more serious. KOH SANTEPHEAP

• Anarchy among the animals

Violent monkeys kicked out of town

Two japanese towns have declared war on a group of monkeys that have attacked more than 60 people in the area. AFP

Men praised for corraling croc

POLICE in Banteay Meanchey province on Sunday praised the efforts of 11 men they said contributed to the capture of a runaway pet crocodile on Friday.

The 20-kilogramme reptile had dug its way out of a dirt-floor cage and escaped following heavy rains on Wednesday.

Big Stories

America’s war with Iraq is over, but the outcome of America’s seven-year militry operation will remain “cloudy”, according to US secretary of Defence Robert Gates. “We are still going to do alot of training and advising,” he said.

Thailand’s king formally appointed a tough new military chief to the top position in the country’s armed forces last week. General Prayut Chan-O-Cha is expected to give the government a firm hand in a country that recently saw mass rallies from the Red Shirt movement and has had 18 actual or attempted coups since 1932.

After more than two weeks of political deadlock, Australian Labor Prime Minister Julia Gillard will find out this week if she has regained office.

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Laugh a little

SMOKE and drink more. This was the message from Russia’s finance minister, Alexei Kudrin.

“People should understand: Those who drink, those who smoke are doing more to help the state,” he said.

Alcohol and cigarette consumption are already high in Russia, where 65 percent of men smoke cigarettes and people consume 18 litres of alcoholic beverages per capita.