39 years ago in Bangkok on this day, five countries that later many would identify as the Asian tigers - Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand - gathered together to form the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (tag). It's ASEAN.



August is such a fun month. It's the month Malaya gained its independence - and also North Borneo - it's the month when Singapore was voted out of the Malaysian Federation by the Malaysian Parliament. By the way, all these three states with Sarawak later formed Malaysia on September 16. And then, it's also the month of Indonesian independence. Remember, Indonesia tried to absorb Malaysian states into Indonesia.

Yes, again, it's also the formation of ASEAN month. Happy birthday ASEAN.

  

p/s - goodbye friend:

BANGKOK, Aug 7 (Bernama) -- The endangered leatherback turtle population is effectively extinct in Malaysia and has deprived the country one of its most charismatic tourist lures, says a United Nations Environment Programme report.

Shedding light on the plight of the turtle species in the Indian Ocean and Southeast Asian region, it says Malaysia offers one of the most dramatic, best-documented examples of decline in the nesting population of marine turtles.

I last saw a real leatherback on the coast of Terengganu more than ten years ago. Now, it seems, the younger generation may never have the chance that I had.

  

pp/s - re: government takeover of Coliseum, what the... From Bernama:

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 8 (Bernama) -- The Coliseum Theatre at Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman here, which will be taken over by the government, will not be converted into an arts film theatre.

Culture, Arts and Heritage Minister Datuk Seri Dr Rais Yatim said instead, the 84-year old building with Roman architecture would be transformed into a National Heritage Centre to exhibit Malaysian arts, culture and heritage.

I don't think Dr Rais Yatim gets it. It's the act of stealing from private citizens that makes this an issue; not the act of converting it into arts film theater or a heritage center.

Please Dr Rais Yatim, listen to us. There's an opposition to the move yes, but please do know what the opposition is about. Get to know the why there's an opposition.