AJA Newsbites is a curated roundup of major news and developments from across Asia, brought to you by members of Asia Journalist Association (AJA)
Lee Sang-ki, THE AsiaN, Korea
Young people in their 20s and 30s have emerged as a new civic force during rallies protesting ballot shortages in South Korea’s June 3 local elections. Participants focused on fairness and voting rights rather than party politics or ideology.
Using social media, they shared information, organised activities, and coordinated support, with handwritten signs, livestreams, and donations largely driven through digital networks. Experts describe them as “social citizens” — individuals who engage in public affairs through online connections rather than traditional political organisations.
Rally participants sought to keep the movement nonpartisan and resisted attempts by politicians and activists to dominate the event. They called for stronger protection of voting rights and improvements in election administration, highlighting a new model of citizen participation in the digital age.
Norila Daud, Malaysia World News, Malaysia
The United States Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is intensifying cooperation with Southeast Asian law enforcement agencies to dismantle scam compounds and transnational criminal syndicates operating across the region.
FBI Co-Deputy Director Andrew Bailey said scam centres in Southeast Asia had evolved into highly organised criminal enterprises responsible for stealing billions of dollars, trafficking people, and exploiting emerging technologies including cryptocurrency. “These enterprises are highly organised criminal syndicates, and they are running industrial-scale fraud operations across the globe,” he said during a virtual press briefing from Bangkok on Wednesday, June 10, as reported by Bernama.
Bailey said investigations had uncovered strong links between scam compounds throughout Southeast Asia and sophisticated criminal organisations based in China. He said the syndicates were moving people, money, technology, and illicit proceeds across countries including Thailand, Myanmar, Laos, and Cambodia, while exploiting weak governance structures, corruption, and technological vulnerabilities.
The FBI is pursuing a strategic, intelligence-led approach targeting not only individual scam compounds but also the broader criminal ecosystem supporting them — including application developers who create fraud tools, recruiters who lure workers under false pretences, and networks that trap individuals in debt bondage.
Bailey said the FBI’s Scam Centre Strike Force was targeting both operators and facilitators of scam compounds, including networks linked to the Thai Chang scam compound in Myanmar. The bureau recently seized websites used by the syndicate to defraud victims and recovered approximately US$30 million in cryptocurrency linked to the operation.
The FBI’s legal attaché office in Bangkok is working closely with the Royal Thai Police Anti-Cyber Scam Centre to disrupt and dismantle scam operations in Myanmar, Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam. The bureau is also cooperating with Cambodia’s Commission for Combating Online Scams and several Philippine agencies, including the Presidential Anti-Organised Crime Commission, Bureau of Immigration, National Bureau of Investigation, Philippine National Police, and Department of Justice.
Chhay Sophal, Cambodia News Online, Cambodia
Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet told ASEAN leaders at the ASEAN Future Forum in Hanoi, Vietnam on Tuesday, June 9, that Cambodia absolutely does not accept any change to its border line or sovereignty through the use of force or the creation of facts on the ground.
Speaking directly to Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul in front of the ten-nation gathering, Hun Manet warned that the ceasefire between Cambodia and Thailand remains fragile. He called on Thailand to immediately begin measuring and marking the border in accordance with existing agreements, saying that would be the clearest proof of Thailand’s commitment to the ceasefire.
Hun Manet’s remarks came amid repeated Thai refusals to attend Joint Border Committee meetings and allow border demarcation, while Thai forces have continued to create facts on the ground. Thailand has cited Cambodia’s referral of the overlapping maritime dispute to the compulsory conciliation mechanism under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) as a pretext for not sending experts to border measurement meetings.
Leo Nirosha Darshan, Express Newspapers, Sri Lanka
Australia and Sri Lanka have launched the third phase of Operation Disi Rela, a joint maritime initiative aimed at combating transnational crime in the Indian Ocean.
The week-long operation focuses on strengthening intelligence-sharing and countering human trafficking, drug smuggling, and illegal fishing across key coastal locations, including Trincomalee and Mirissa. To bolster Sri Lanka’s operational capacity, the Australian Government donated five high-performance all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) and 12 long-range drones to the Sri Lanka Coast Guard. The equipment is expected to significantly enhance coastal surveillance and real-time threat detection.
Australian High Commissioner Matthew Duckworth and Sri Lankan defence officials inaugurated the exercise. “Disi Rela,” meaning “keeping a watchful eye,” builds on previous bilateral successes to secure critical trade routes and foster closer engagement with local coastal communities to safeguard regional stability.
Bhanu Ranjan Chakraborty, Asia Journalist Association, Bangladesh
Germany has expressed interest in increasing investment and energy cooperation with Bangladesh, following a meeting between Frank Hartmann, Director General for Asia and the Pacific at the German Federal Foreign Office, and Commerce Minister Khandaker Abdul Muktadir in Dhaka on Wednesday, June 10.
The two sides discussed various aspects of bilateral trade relations in detail. Muktadir said the export sector, particularly the ready-made garment industry, is one of the main drivers of Bangladesh’s economy, while rapid job creation and increased productive investment remain key challenges.
Hartmann praised Bangladesh’s economic progress and ongoing reform initiatives, saying the German government and private sector are interested in supporting Bangladesh in these areas. Both sides expressed their determination to further deepen Bangladesh-Germany economic relations.
Kuban Abdymen, Centralasianlight, Kyrgyzstan
Tajikistan holds one of the largest hydropower potentials in Central Asia, much of which remains untapped, according to the Tajik State Committee on Investments and State Property Management.
The country’s estimated annual hydropower capacity stands at around 527 billion kWh, supported by vast water resources that account for nearly 60% of Central Asia’s total. Despite this, only about 5% of the potential is currently being exploited.
Beyond hydropower, Tajikistan has significant renewable energy resources, including an estimated 369,600 MW of solar potential and 4,485 MW of wind capacity, though both sectors remain underdeveloped. Currently, approximately 98% of the country’s electricity is generated from renewable sources.
The government aims to achieve 100% green electricity by 2032 and attain “green country” status by 2037. Officials highlight strong investment opportunities in generation, infrastructure, storage, and electricity exports.
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THE AsiaN Korean : 아자뉴스바이트 20260611 – 아시아엔 THE AsiaN
