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
South Korean Go legend Cho Hun-hyun attended the funeral of his lifelong rival and close friend, Chinese grandmaster Nie Weiping, paying tribute to a friendship that spanned five decades. The memorial service for Nie, who died on Jan. 14 at the age of 74, was held on Jan. 18 at Babaoshan Funeral Hall in Beijing. Senior figures from China’s Go community and public life were in attendance. From South Korea, Cho was joined by officials from the Korea Baduk Association to honor the late master.
In comments to Chinese media, Cho recalled meeting Nie in Singapore last March, saying that he had appeared healthy at the time. “I lost a friend of 50 years,” Cho said. “I hope we meet again in the next world and play another game of Go.”
Nie was a central figure in modern Chinese Go, renowned for his 11 consecutive victories in the China–Japan Super Match and for helping define the golden era of Asian Go rivalry. Go, also known as Baduk, is a 3,000-year-old East Asian board game that emphasizes balance, territory, and strategic foresight, where success depends on patience and long-term judgment rather than immediate confrontation.
Norila Daud, Malaysia World News, Malaysia
The Ministry of Defence has lodged a police report following the alleged leak of information involving the names, positions, and movements of senior armed forces officers. An internal investigation was initiated after the information was publicly disclosed before appointments to top military posts had received the consent of His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim, King of Malaysia.
According to Defence Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin, decisions on appointments to the highest positions in the armed forces must first be deliberated by the Armed Forces Council, which is responsible for making recommendations to the King.
“For every position discussed, two or three names are recommended, not just one. However, what was circulated to the public mentioned only a single name, creating the impression that a decision had already been made,” he told reporters after handing over keys for the armed forces’ ‘One Personnel, One Home’ (Sasar) housing programme on Monday.
He stressed that any appointment can take effect only with the consent of the King, adding that the disclosure of such information prior to royal approval was inappropriate and posed security risks, as such details are never made public due to their sensitivity. “The armed forces do not disclose who commands specific camps, who is responsible for logistics or artillery units, or the operational roles of senior officers, as this could expose critical security details. These are all security matters. Revealing who these individuals are, the positions they hold, and how they move creates risks that should not exist,” he said.
Earlier, the Defence Ministry warned that it would not hesitate to take legal action against any individual found spreading classified or internal government information on social media. This follows the circulation of speculative narratives and lists of senior armed forces officers linked to strategic postings and leadership matters online.
Chhay Sophal, Cambodia News Online, Cambodia
Cambodia’s Minister of Information, Neth Pheaktra, has affirmed that both state-run and private news agencies, from national and international media outlets, have actively conveyed accurate information to the world, showing that Cambodia is a genuine victim of the Thai military’s invasion.
Speaking at the opening of the ministry’s three-day annual congress, which began on Monday, Neth Pheaktra said that information gathered directly from national and international journalists at the Cambodia–Thailand border—who themselves were victims of the Thai military’s violation of Cambodia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity—has clearly demonstrated to the international community that Thailand has invaded and violated Cambodia.
Cambodia is a victim of abuse by the Thai military, Pheaktra said, adding that the world has so far recognized Cambodia as the victim, while the Royal Government of Cambodia has remained patient and has strictly implemented the ceasefire and related agreements.
He further stated that Thailand’s war of aggression on Cambodian territory was premeditated, systematic, and targeted, involving the use of disproportionate weapons and the conduct of multiple forms of warfare simultaneously: military war, diplomatic war, legal war, and information war.
Bob Iskandar, Indonesia Global News, Indonesia
M. Rizal T, Head of the Center for Macroeconomics and Finance at INDEF, stated that the economic disruptions caused by the disaster in Sumatra are temporary in nature. However, their impact on the national economy is significant, as Sumatra contributes around 22 percent of Indonesia’s GDP. Disruptions to economic activity lasting 10–15 days lead to short-term contractions driven by the breakdown of logistics chains, declines in agricultural output and natural resource–based industries, and weakening household consumption. The pressure would intensify if the recovery process were to extend beyond 15 days.
According to Rizal, in the absence of the disaster, economic growth in the fourth quarter of 2025 could have reached around 5 percent. However, due to the flooding and landslides, growth is estimated to decline by about 0.27 percentage points, bringing realized growth to approximately 4.73 percent. Fiscal stimulus can only help cushion the economic slowdown to prevent a deeper contraction, but it is not sufficient to fully offset the loss in output. While fourth-quarter growth remains positive, its quality becomes more fragile and carries the risk of creating supply-side pressures at the beginning of 2026.
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