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
President Lee Jae-myung’s recent call to review public access to North Korea’s Rodong Sinmun has reignited debate over media openness on the divided Korean Peninsula. Arguing that blocking information signals a lack of trust in citizens, Lee said broader access could help South Koreans better understand the realities of the North.
Critics, however, counter that Rodong Sinmun remains a central propaganda outlet, focused on regime glorification and the distortion of South Korean society. They warn that unrestricted access could amplify pro-North sentiment among a small but vocal fringe and further deepen internal polarization.
As a result, many analysts advocate a calibrated approach: maintaining controlled access through intelligence agencies, media organizations, and academic institutions capable of contextualizing and critically evaluating North Korean content. In their view, informed mediation—rather than blanket openness—offers the most responsible balance between democratic confidence and national security.
Norila Daud, Malaysia World News, Malaysia
Three Singaporeans were among those caught littering in Johor Bahru, the capital city of Johor state, since the start of the year under newly enforced anti-littering laws aimed at curbing irresponsible behavior in public spaces, the Solid Waste and Public Cleansing Management Corporation (SWCorp) said.
In a statement, SWCorp said the three Singaporeans were among 42 cases detected nationwide, involving 24 Malaysians, 18 foreigners, and two children. Most of the offences involved cigarette butts, plastic bottles, aluminium cans, tissue paper, and food wrappers discarded in public areas and on roads.
“Statements have been recorded from the Singaporeans, and full enforcement action will be taken under Section 77A of the Solid Waste and Public Cleansing Management Act 2007, which came into effect at 12:01 a.m. on Jan 1, 2026. “Under the provision, offenders face a maximum fine of RM2,000 upon conviction, with the court empowered to impose an additional community service order of up to six months, involving a total of 12 hours of work, capped at four hours per day. Community service may include cleaning drains, public toilets, public spaces, and grass-cutting duties,” the statement said.
Meanwhile, SWCorp chief executive officer Khalid Mohamed said enforcement operations under “Op Cegah” are ongoing and not limited to festive seasons or special campaigns. “Op Cegah is not a seasonal initiative, as it will be carried out continuously nationwide through sustained monitoring at the state and branch levels,” he said during enforcement operations at Larkin Sentral, one of Johor Bahru’s busiest transport hubs.
Chhay Sophal, Cambodia News Online, Cambodia
The Club of Cambodian Journalists on Monday distributed safety vests and helmets for the second time to 21 journalists from 20 organizations who have been reporting in the field during the Thai military’s attacks on Cambodia in July and December this year.
So far, nearly 100 sets of safety vests and helmets bearing the PRESS logo have been distributed to journalists to help protect them while working along the Cambodian-Thai border. Cambodia’s Ministry of Information has also provided such safety gear to journalists working for both state and non-state media organizations. The 21-day attack by the Thai army on Cambodia has killed 32 civilians and injured 95 others, including one journalist, while the total number of refugees has exceeded 640,000.
According to a report from Cambodia’s Ministry of Interior, the fighting damaged both private and public property, including 323 houses, 7 private civil buildings, 5 residential buildings or hotels, 3 gas stations, 1 private market, 33 vehicles, 5 motorcycles, 1 potato-carrying truck, 1 warehouse, 2 telephone antenna poles, 1 rice barn, 2 livestock, 25 schools, 7 health centers, 39 buildings, 6 pagodas, 1 school, 1 statue, 1 vehicle, 4 ancient temples, 5 bridges, 1 market, 4 roads, and 1 electricity supply system.
Bob Iskandar, Indonesia Global News, Indonesia
Finance Minister Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa expressed confidence that Indonesia’s national economy will grow above 6% in the near term, stating that the target is achievable given the country’s existing economic fundamentals.
“I am confident to say that 6% growth is relatively easy to reach. Even 6.5% is not excessively difficult,” Purbaya said during the opening of the 2025 KADIN National Leadership Meeting (Rapimnas) in Jakarta on Monday. However, Purbaya did not specify the exact timeframe he meant by “the near term.” Official data shows that economic growth between October and December 2025 did not reach the 6% level, despite his optimistic outlook.
Purbaya acknowledged that achieving higher growth targets of 7–8% would require significantly stronger efforts. In the third quarter of 2025, Indonesia’s economy grew by 5.04%, with expectations that growth could accelerate to 5.5% in the following quarter.
Looking ahead, Purbaya said the government plans to activate both engines of growth—the fiscal sector and the private sector—to reverse the economic slowdown of recent years. One key measure includes placing Rp 200 trillion in government funds into state-owned banks to boost liquidity and encourage stronger credit expansion.
Leo Nirsha Darshan, Express Newspapers, Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka’s Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) has issued a scathing condemnation of the United States’ military operation in Venezuela, describing the capture of President Nicolás Maduro and his wife as an “abduction” and a violation of international law.
In an official statement, the JVP characterized the U.S. action as an illegal intrusion into a free and sovereign state. The party asserted that the supreme authority to determine Venezuela’s leadership rests solely with its citizens, arguing that no external power has the right to override democratic sovereignty.
“Modern society and governance should be civilized,” the statement said, stressing that democracy and human rights cannot be invoked to justify military invasions. The JVP called on the international community to reject “forceful military aggression” and reaffirmed its solidarity with Venezuela’s independence. The reaction reflects growing concerns among countries in the Global South over the precedent set by the U.S. operation in Caracas.
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