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
A day before the Lunar New Year holiday, major train stations, bus terminals and airports across South Korea were already packed with early travelers heading home on Feb. 13. Seoul Station, Suwon Station and Daejeon Station saw steady streams of passengers carrying gift boxes and large suitcases, while many tickets for key routes were sold out by morning. Some commuters said they took a day off to travel “more comfortably,” while others spoke of the excitement of sharing homemade meals with family. At bus terminals, families waited for departures with coffee and quick snacks, adding to the festive mood. Traditional markets were also bustling as shoppers bought ingredients for holiday dishes and ceremonial food. This year’s Lunar New Year holiday runs through Feb. 18. Highways remained relatively smooth in the morning, but traffic was expected to surge from late afternoon due to the shorter break.
Norila Daud, Malaysia World News, Malaysia
Sixty-one undocumented people from the Philippines were detained during a two-day integrated operation conducted with the cooperation of the police, army, the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA), federal and state departments, and local authorities.
According to the Eastern Sabah Security Command (Eastern Sabah Security Command) commander Datuk Victor Sanjos, those detained were handed over to the Immigration Department. He added that the operation involved inspections of 1,125 individuals and 375 houses and business premises, including hotels and resorts, carried out around Semporna as well as in squatter colonies, suburban settlements, and villages across Sabah.
“The operation aimed to curb the smuggling of controlled, subsidised, and untaxed goods, illegal entry by undocumented immigrants, and to enforce action against other offences, including the misuse of social visit passes by foreigners.
“Besides targeting undocumented immigrants in settlements, Sabah Electricity also carried out the disconnection of illegal electricity connections,” he said in a statement on Friday.
Chhay Sophal, Cambodia News Online, Cambodia
The Cambodian Ambassador to the Republic of Korea this week asked a Korean Member of Parliament representing Asan to provide coordination and cooperation in organizing programs, and to invite the Embassy and the Cambodian community to participate in various events in Asan.
Asan has a large Cambodian community, and Cambodian citizens in the city have organized many major events, such as the Songkranta (New Year) festival and football matches, Ambassador Khuon Phonrattanak said. He added that Bok Ki-wang could also explore the possibility of establishing a friendship alliance between Asan and a Cambodian city or province.
During a courtesy call and working discussion with MP Bok Ki-wang at the Cambodian Embassy in Seoul on Wednesday, Khuon Phonrattanak also briefed him on the efforts of the Cambodian government and the Cambodia–Korea working group to combat online crime in Cambodia. To date, many Korean criminals have been arrested and deported to Korea.
In response, Mr. Bok Ki-wang said that the Korean government and people fully understand the efforts of both governments to restore normalcy, and that the situation has improved significantly.
Bob Iskandar, Indonesia Global News, Indonesia
President Prabowo Subianto and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, together with the heads of government of around 20 countries, will sit together at the inaugural meeting of the Board of Peace (BOP), scheduled to be held next week in Washington. Israel officially announced its participation in the BOP, which was formed by President Donald Trump, on Wednesday, 11 February 2026, while Indonesia had already declared its participation on 22 January 2026.
Indonesia does not have diplomatic relations with Israel because it supports the full independence of Palestine. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has confirmed that President Prabowo will attend the inaugural BOP meeting. Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto stated yesterday that, in addition to attending the inaugural BOP meeting on 19 February 2026, President Prabowo will also sign a reciprocal tariff agreement between Indonesia and the United States.
Kuban Abdymen, Centralasianlight, Kyrgyzstan
President Sadyr Japarov has announced a major reorganization of Kyrgyzstan’s national security architecture following the dismissal of Kamchybek Tashiev. To prevent the concentration of power and modernize the service, the State Committee for National Security (State Committee for National Security, GKNB) has been split into three independent entities reporting directly to the President: the GKNB (Security Service), the State Border Service, and the State Guard Service, which is tasked with protecting officials and strategic facilities. Japarov emphasized that this “qualitative transformation” ensures that no officer is above the law. Any abuses by GKNB officers will be strictly suppressed, he underlined.
Meanwhile, Kamchybek Tashiev has quietly returned to Bishkek from a medical trip to Germany. Despite his return, intense public debate continues over his removal and the recent detentions of participants in the “Appeal of 75,” a group of former officials and academics accused of organizing mass unrest after calling for snap elections.
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