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 said on February 1 that “the more difficult an issue is, the more it requires open and reasoned debate,” referring to the controversy surrounding a proposed sugar levy. In a post on X, Lee noted that complex policy issues—such as sugar-related health charges, real estate tax reform, and measures to reduce inequality—are often distorted by misunderstanding and political framing, underscoring the need for fact-based public discussion.
Citing reports that the World Health Organization has recommended a so-called “sugar tax,” Lee emphasized the distinction between general taxation and purpose-specific levies. He explained that the proposed sugar burden charge is aimed at curbing excessive sugar consumption, with revenues earmarked for the prevention and treatment of related diseases, ultimately helping to ease pressure on national health insurance costs. Lee called for a calm and substantive debate focused on policy objectives and public health outcomes, rejecting what he described as politically motivated attempts to frame the issue as merely a simple tax increase.
Norila Daud, Malaysia World News, Malaysia
Johor Immigration Department Director Datuk Mohd Rusdi Mohd Darus said that attempts by 45 undocumented migrants to flee and hide in toilets failed when all of them were detained near Senai early Saturday morning.
According to Mohd Rusdi, the migrants, aged between 20 and 45, were arrested during an operation dubbed “Op Sapu,” which involved 27 enforcement officers and was conducted at 1.05 a.m. He said the operation was carried out based on intelligence and public complaints regarding the presence of migrants believed to be living in shop houses and working illegally at eateries in the area.
“The raid was conducted while all the foreigners were resting at the premises used as their residence. There were attempts to flee and hide in toilets, but all were arrested,” he said. Those detained included 25 men from Myanmar, four from Bangladesh, three from Pakistan, and one man each from India and Nepal, as well as 11 women from Myanmar.
He added that the migrants failed to produce valid travel documents and were found to have overstayed their permitted period. All detainees are suspected of offences under the Immigration Act and have been placed at the Setia Tropika Immigration Depot for further investigation.
Chhay Sophal, Cambodia News Online, Cambodia
Cambodia’s Anti-Corruption Unit (ACU) has hunted down masterminds and bribery workers involved in medical school admissions.
The two-day medical school entrance examination last Saturday-Sunday was organized by the National Examinations Committee in the Health Sector to select 7,110 first-year undergraduate students.
The two-day exam was observed by 262 officers and the mastermind received US$8,000 from a candidate and gave the substitute exam takers $2,000 to $3,000 per candidate who impersonated him to take the exam. According to an ACU official, ACU arrested 2 masterminds for the first exam day and is searching for substitute exam cheats and masterminds on the second exam day.
Bhanu Ranjan Chakraborty, Asia Journalist Association, Bangladesh
Norway has donated an additional $1 million for humanitarian assistance and protection services for Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh.
The United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) has welcomed the Norwegian government’s donation to support nearly 1.2 million Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh. In a press release issued on February 1, UNHCR in Dhaka said the contribution is crucial to sustaining the agency’s life-saving operations and addressing growing protection and humanitarian needs. UNHCR Representative in Bangladesh Ivo Freijsen said that, now in the ninth year of the crisis, the Rohingya population requires more international support than ever before to survive. Since 2017, Norway has provided more than $55 million in core assistance.
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