Bun Chhay was arrested yesterday at noon at his home in Chroy Changvar district and was taken to the municipal police headquarters, with a Phnom Penh Municipal Court arrest warrant accusing him of conspiracy to produce drugs and of importing drug components in relation to a major drug bust in April 2007.

National Police Deputy Chief Mok Chito and Interior Ministry spokesman Khieu Sopheak both confirmed the arrest, saying it was linked to a drug-related case, but declined to offer details.

“The warrant was issued by the Phnom Penh court and the case is now with the Phnom Penh Municipal Police,” Chito said yesterday, declining to comment further.

However, a senior police official, who requested anonymity, said the arrest was over a 2007 drug case, and said that it was linked to another 2012 bust of a drug production racket as well.

Following the arrest yesterday, Sopheak said Bun Chhay was taken into custody for a 2012 drug case, but could not be reached later in the day for clarification.

The senior official added that 17 other people were involved in the case and their fortunes rested on Bun Chhay’s questioning.

“Wait to see how Grandfather Chhay answers. This story is very big,” he said.

Bun Chhay was at the receiving end of the government’s displeasure after the leak of an alleged phone call to CNRP Deputy President Eng Chhay Eang in which he appeared to offer votes to the CNRP in communes that the KNUP was not contesting.

Despite denying he had intended to speak to Chhay Eang or colluded to offer votes, the ex-royalist was abruptly stripped of his title as adviser to the government in June, with more than a dozen other party members meeting the same fate in the following weeks. The sacking came on the same day as what appeared to be a surrender of firearms from Bun Chhay to the Ministry of Defence.

The 2007 incident referred to by the police officers took place in Kampong Speu’s Phnom Sruoch district, where two tonnes of “precursor” chemicals, including a reported 400 to 500 kilograms of chloroephedrine, were seized at a clandestine operation posing as a cow farm. In all, 14 were arrested. At the same time, police stormed a house in Phnom Penh’s Tuol Kork district where they found another tonne of precursors and arrested a 28yearold Chinese woman.

Chea Chung – an adviser to Bun Chhay when the latter was co defence minister in the FuncinpecCPP coalition government – was convicted and sentenced to 25 years in the high-profile case, with others implicated as well.

Bun Chhay was linked to the case for allegedly owning the land where the drug racket was based in Kampong Speu, but in an interview with The Post in 2007, he distanced himself from Chung and denied owning the land.

The 2012 case, meanwhile, was an apparent reference to a raid in the same district in Kampong Speu in which around 1,000 litres of precursor chemicals stored in 82 tanks used for methamphetamine production were seized from a warehouse While KNUP spokesman Run Meatra could not be reached for comment yesterday, Chong Chuoy, a party councillor from Thma Puok commune in Banteay Meanchey, refused to believe the accusations and said the arrest must have been linked to the CNRP call.

“This is intimidation for the party,” he said. “This took place only after his conversation with the opposition.”

Political analyst Cham Bunteth said the circumstances leading up to the arrest of Bun Chhay were baffling, and while the alleged phone call to the CNRP could be one of the reasons, he speculated there had to be more happening behind the scenes.

“I don’t know why they are targeting people that they have worked with so nicely for all this time,” he said. “To bring a case against a [former] deputy prime minister who you have been working with – I am speechless.”

He said the modus operandi of resurrecting an old case was not surprising, as it had been done with others who had rubbed the government the wrong way – perhaps most visibly in the case of the legal troubles faced by self-exiled former opposition president Sam Rainsy.

He said if the move was to send a message to Hun Sen’s allies to remain loyal ahead of the next elections, it could have the opposite effect.

“They may bow their head before you, but they will be doing something behind your back,” he said. “I don’t think Prime Minister Hun Sen will do this to get loyalty. You don’t get loyalty from fear and hate.”

VISITING AUSTRALIAN Foreign Minister Julie Bishop yesterday called on Asean to tackle rising tensions on the Korean peninsula ahead of tomorrow’s Asean ministerial meetings in Manila.

“We recognise challenges must be embraced by like-minded countries,” Bishop said. “North Korea presents threats in this region and beyond. It will take a number of countries to work on [it].”

Bishop spoke before Asean ministerial meetings in Manila, which will be attended by ministers from 10 Asean states and several Asean partners, including Australia, the United States and China. US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson is expected to seek greater cooperation to sanction North Korea, which last Friday launched an intercontinental ballistic missile, putting Asia-Pacific countries on the alert.

Tillerson will raise issues relating to the nuclear programme on the peninsula, South China Sea conflicts and terrorism during meetings in Manila, Bangkok and Kuala Lumpur next week.

Bishop will also underline the same issues during the Philippine meetings, including the Asean-Australia Ministerial Meeting. “The region faces challenges and a shift of power. There is also rising tension in the South China Sea,” she said. “It tests norms and rules about security and prosperity. The rule-based order in the region is essential to maintain these norms.”

Under close observation by the US, the Declaration of Conduct in the contested sea was declared in 2002 between China and Asean, but its non-binding nature has been enough to tone down tensions between claimants.

In Manila, a draft of framework of the long-sought Code of Conduct (CoC) will be considered by Asean and Chinese ministers, paving the way for actual negotiations on the CoC.

Prior to the Asean meetings, Bishop arrived in Thailand on Wednesday to strengthen Thailand-Australia diplomatic ties, which will realise their 65th anniversary this year.

She also paid respects to the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej, opened the new Australian Embassy in Bangkok and consulate in Phuket, and planned discussions with Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha and top Thai officials.

At the Foreign Ministry in Bangkok yesterday, she signed a bilateral agreement on air traffic services with Thai Foreign Minister Don Pramudwinai and provided a special lecture on Asean’s 50th anniversary to be celebrated on Tuesday.

She identified multilateral successes such as the Asean-Australia-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement (FTA), the Asean-Australia Development Cooperation Program and the Australia-Asia Program to Combat Trafficking in Persons.

The 2010 FTA was Australia’s first, involving multiple countries. In 2015, the overall GDP of the 12 countries involved hit US$3.9 trillion (Bt130 trillion), contributing $120 billion to Australia.

Thailand also has had a bilateral FTA with Australia since 2005 and has more than doubled trade between the two countries since its implementation. Thailand’s trade volume with Australia of 20.8 billion Australian dollars (Bt584.4 billion) in 2015 resulted from the elimination of almost all Thai tariffs on imports from Australia.

Bishop also emphasised the |New Colombo Plan, which enables Australian undergraduates to |study and take internships in |the Indo-Pacific region. Over the first four years, it supported about 17,500 students to complete overseas studies.

Deputy District Governor of Pakxe district, Champassak province,  Khonesavanh Vannivongkham told Vientiane Times yesterday that currently 37 families in Phonsa-art village are living at the school because the village is still flooded.

Tropical Storm Sonca brought thunderstorms and heavy rains to the district from July 25, with 808 families in 22 villages of Pakxe district affected.

The authorities have moved 53 families to schools in the district and some families have moved to live with their relatives but currently the level of water has already decreased and many families have already to return to their houses.

“On this occasion, some 80.5 hectares of the rice fields were affected by flooding. However, the authorities are assessing the damage and surveying the affecting areas,” Khonesavanh said.

Pakxe district authorities are continuing mobilising essential materials, including food, rice, and clothing to help the affected residents. During the flooding, many government sectors and members of the private sector from Champassak and other provinces have provided essential materials, including food, rice, and water.

Meanwhile, 99 families in Nong and Thongdaeng villages of Kaenthao district, Xayboury province were affected by flash floods which damaged 60 houses and caused the deaths of two people.

The damage to property was estimated at 15 billion kip, according to an official in-charge in Kaenthao district. Over 122 hectares of farmland was also damaged by the floods and many roads around district were also damaged.

Recent floods caused by heavy rains in Khamkeuth district of Borikhamxay province also killed a 16-year-old boy and affected 900 families in 43 villages.

The damage to property was estimated at four billion kip, according to an official in-charge of the Natural Resources Office in Khamkeuth district.

The flooded areas included 100 hectares of rice fields, 230 hectares of cassava crops, 114 hectares of maize, 12 hectares of chilli and 103 hectares of peanuts.

In Savannakhet province, some 245 families in eight villages of Xayphouthong district and more than 520 hectares of rice fields were affected by floods and 220 hectares of rice fields were damaged, according to district authorities.

In Saravan province, 30 villages of Vapy district were affected by flash floods and 1,511 hectares of rice field were affected by floods according to provincial authorities.

Also in Khammuan province, over 600 families in 15 villages in Xebangfay district were affected by flooding, according to a local official. Some 1,151 hectares of rice fields were flooded. Many provinces affected by flooding are still assessing damage and surveying flood-affected areas.

In the current bill, which is being discussed by the government, e-commerce transactions must be reported so that the government can calculate the amount of tax that should be paid from the transactions.

However, Center for Indonesia Taxation Analysis (CITA) executive director Yustinus Prastowo said on Thursday the government could not collect taxes based on the transactions that had been made because not all transactions ended with payment.

“We should apply the Korean system, where the authority collects the taxes in the payment gateway because e-commerce transactions are paid through online systems,” Yustinus said at a seminar on taxation in Jakarta on Thursday.

Under Director General of Taxation Regulation No. SE-62/PJ/2013, the government collects income tax and value added tax (VAT) from four kinds of e-commerce: online marketplace, classified ads, daily deals and online retail.

According to the regulation, the taxes for online marketplaces and daily deals are collected from the places sellers sell their goods and from the transactions between buyers and sellers. Meanwhile, for classified ads, the taxes are collected from the places producers promote their products and for online retail the taxes are collected per the transaction between buyer and seller.

Over the past six months, 51 companies have registered to invest in the SEZs with a total recorded capital of US$54.7 million, according to the latest report from the Ministry of Planning and Investment.

Of these companies, 29 are from China, which has emerged the largest foreign investor in the SEZs over the past six months.

China was followed by Thailand and Laos (five companies each), Malaysia (three companies) and Japan (two companies).

Of the total of 51 companies, 18 invested in Boten Specific Economic Zone in Luang Namtha province, followed by Savan-Seno special economic zone in Savannakhet province (13 companies) and Saysettha Development Zone (eight companies).

The services and trade sectors represented the largest proportion of these investment, accounting for 44 per cent and 42 per cent respectively.

The industrial sector made up only 14 per cent of the total investment in the zones.

Though more companies were interested in investing in the SEZs, their registered capital was lower than the target set by the government.

The Ministry of Planning and Investment planned to attract private investments worth US$148.5 million for the zones in 2017, but was able to source only US$54.7 million in the past six months.

Economists have said much more needs to be done if Laos wants to entice more investors to its special and specific economic zones.

Given that Asean economic integration has led to freer markets and higher competition, Laos’ neighbours, including Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam, also offer similar incentives to attract foreign investment.

Economists said Laos needs to work harder to review its investment promotion policies to attract foreign investment.

Over the past few years, the government has restructured the management of SEZs and developed human resources to better facilitate foreign investment in Laos.

The management authorities of SEZs have also worked with Lao embassies in foreign countries, particularly in China, Japan and European nations, to help attract investment.

Currently, there are 12 special and specific economic zones across the country. About 352 companies from Laos and overseas have invested, with a total registered capital of US$8 billion, of which US$1.6 million has been spent.

SEZs have generated revenues of US$17 million for the government’s budget and 18,000 jobs for local residents and foreign workers.

The government has attached great importance to the development of SEZs, aiming to attract investment from the private sector in Laos and overseas, as well as to create diverse investments in Laos, generate more jobs for Lao people and boost socio-economic development.

Ali AhKao dan Muthu was uploaded on Name­wee’s YouTube channel on Saturday; it is now trending at No. 3 on YouTube Malay­sia and has garnered close to 800,000 views to date.

With Malaysia celebrating its 60th year of independence, the homegrown musician said he is glad that his patriotic National Day theme is helping to foster muhibbah.

“Ali, Ah Kao and Muthu are familiar names that we keep seeing in our textbooks during our schooldays. So, I decided to cast these characters to tell a story of how they lived together in harmony,” the 34-year-old singer, whose real name is Wee Meng Chee, said in an exclusive interview yesterday.

To record the song, Namewee roped in 67-year-old Alleycats vocalist Datuk David Arumugam and 11-year-old singer Aniq, the champion of ceria popstar 2016, to represent three generations of three different races living together in unity.

The six-minute video shows the three main characters – Ali, Ah Kao and Muthu – growing up together as good friends and contains footages of Malaysia’s historical moments.

The music video has received comments from fans around the world.

Spurred by the response to his music video, Namewee announced an Ali AhKao dan Muthu singing competition.

“The performers must be from three different races. The song must have a music video and must be Ali AhKao dan Muthu,” he said when asked about the rules of the competition.

“They can rearrange and change anything as long as it is creative.”

The deadline for submission of entries is Aug 19. The winners will be announced on Aug 26.

There will be cash prizes totalling RM20,000 up for grabs. To find out more, fans may tune into his latest Namewee Tokok talk show on Youtube, uploaded last night.

Dozens of firefighters scrambled to battle the blaze at Tsukiji’s outer market, which is crowded with small shops and restaurants, but local media said there were no immediate reports of injuries.

The fire broke out at a three-story building around 4:50 pm (0750 GMT), burning around 200 square metres (2,150 square feet) of the area, public broadcaster NHK said.

A total of 43 fire engines were deployed to extinguish the fire, NHK said.

“I could tell immediately that it’s a fire,” said Kiyoshi Kimura, the head of the Sushizanmai restaurant chain, who was at his office in the area when the fire broke out.

“So I called managers and had everyone evacuated from our restaurants,” Kimura told AFP.

The fire comes after Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike said in June that the fish market will be moved to a new location.

Plans to uproot the decades-old market have been in the works for years, with advocates citing the need for upgraded technology as they pointed to Tsukiji’s antiquated refrigeration systems.

Koike said last summer that the current site would eventually be redeveloped to capitalise on Tsukiji’s globally recognised brand.

Another journalist in Bangladesh has been sued under section 57 of the Information and Communication Technology Act for giving a status on Facebook.

A person in Brahmanbaria’s Nabinagar upazila (sub-district) filed the case with Nabinagar Police Station on Tuesday night against Shimanto Khokon, the district correspondent of the English daily Observer, for “defaming and creating confusion among public by giving baseless information on Facebook”.

The filing of the case comes hard on the heels of the arrest of a reporter of a Khulna based daily newspaper, also under Section 57, for a Facebook post.

According to Tuesday night’s case statement, the plaintiff’s’s wife and daughter had an altercation with his elder brother and sister-in-law over a trifle matter on July 24. His wife and daughter were injured.

The next day, Shimanto on his Facebook status said the plaintiff’s elder brother “raped his own niece and confined both the victim and her mother in their house.”

Shimanto, on his Facebook status, added that he informed the matter to the local police, but they covered up the incident instead of taking any measures.

The status was baseless and provocative and it humiliated the family, reads the case statement.

Contacted, the accused journalist said he informed police after receiving information from a relative of the alleged “rape victim”. The case was filed intentionally.

Officer-in-charge of Nabinagar Police Station Aslam Shikdar confirmed the filing of the case.

The plaintiff could not be reached for his comment despite repeated attempts.

With the latest incident, 25 journalists have so far been accused under the section since March 1 and most of them had been sued for their reports.

Journalist leaders and rights activists have been demanding repeal of the section saying it had vague wording, allowing it to be used for silencing newspersons and social media users.

Amid widespread criticism, Law Minister Anisul Huq on several occasions said section 57 would be removed. The minister on July 9 said the government would decide on the matter while finalising the draft of “Digital Security Act” this month.

But cases filed under the section are piling on. According to a source at the Cyber Tribunal in Dhaka, around 700 cases have so far been filed under section 57 since 2013 when the act was amended with a provision for stringent punishment.

But Haizi started showing interest in courtship this spring, resulting in a blind date with a male panda suitor and — four months later — twin cubs that have made her the world’s oldest panda mom, China’s Giant Panda Conservation and Research Center announced Thursday.

A 23-year-old giant panda is equivalent in age to an 80-year-old human.

According to the centre, Haizi gave birth to a 175-gram (6 ounces) female and a 123.1-gram male on July 30 at southwest Sichuan province’s Wolong National Nature Reserve, where 21 panda cubs have been born this year.

Haizi last delivered a pair of panda twins when she was 19 years old.

In Chinese culture, a set of boy-girl twins are called “dragon-phoenix babies.”

“Generally, the maximum breeding age for giant pandas is 20 years old, and pandas older than that are not encouraged to participate in breeding,” Li Desheng, a giant panda expert at the breeding centre, said in a statement.

“But Haizi’s success demonstrates the advanced degree of care offered at our centre — it is a breakthrough in panda breeding.”