Craig Hill Media and Consulting
Malaysia
Dharma Initiative denies responsibility for missing Malaysian flight
The secretive scientific research organisation known as “The Dharma Initiative” has denied responsibility for the disappearance of Malaysia Airlines Flight 370. In a statement released today on the group’s website, Dharma‘s CEO Hugh McIntyre said that despite the similarities between this case and that of the infamous Oceanic Flight 815, the two incidents do not share … Continue reading
Australia forms anti-people smuggling deal with Malaysia
Australia has struck a series of deals with Malaysia to limit the transit of asylum-seekers across its territory to Indonesia. Immigration Minister Scott Morrison, the first Abbott government minister to visit Malaysia, has returned from meetings with Home Affairs Minister Ahmad Zahid with agreements on “operational co-operation” under his belt. “I was pleased to reboot … Continue reading
Australian government allows Malaysia to prevent free speech on Australian soil
Imagine this: Australian Opposition Leader Bill Shorten is visiting Malaysia to speak to Australian students studying at Malaysian universities. The Australian High Commission in Kuala Lumpur then issues a written threat to all Australian students, saying that if they hear Mr Shorten speak they will lose any government-funded scholarships. Such an action would be met … Continue reading
Malaysian rights campaigner to be guest of Australian senator deported from Malaysia
Independent senator Nick Xenophon still smarts from being deported and banned from Malaysia earlier this year. The South Australian senator has got his own back by arranging for Malaysian opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim to join him in Adelaide this week as a speaker at the Festival of Ideas. Senator Xenophon described Mr Anwar as a … Continue reading
Australia’s Prime Minister apologises to Malaysia for second time in a week
Tony Abbott has apologised to an Asian leader for the second time in a week over his robust political campaigning before he was elected, offering an “act of contrition” for Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak. The Australian Prime Minister acknowledged in a meeting with Mr Najib at the APEC conference late on Monday that … Continue reading
Australian senator wants to charge asylum seekers $50,000
Australia‘s Liberal Democratic Senator David Leyonhjelm has proposed a radical plan to charge asylum-seekers $50,000 to come to Australia “through the front door”. Mr Leyonhjelm, who will join the Senate on July 1, will be one of eight crossbench senators who will hold the balance of power in the new Senate. Speaking on Sky … Continue reading
Australia bans Malaysian human rights activist; government’s new stance
A leading Malaysian rights activist who faces sedition charges at home says he was denied a visa to enter Australia, raising suggestions Canberra had buckled to pressure from Kuala Lumpur. Haris Ibrahim, a strident campaigner against the Malaysian government now headed by Prime Minister Najib Razak, said he was seeking a meeting with Australian officials … Continue reading
Australia puts bounty on heads of people smugglers
The Australian government will award bounty payments of up to $200,000 for those individuals who can provide information that will help the AFP crack down on people smugglers. The announcement by Home Affairs Minister Jason Clare follows a breakthrough deal under which asylum seekers who come to Australia by boat will be resettled in Papua … Continue reading
Indonesian president vows it’s military will outgun Australia
Indonesian president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono says his country should strive to have a more powerful military than Australia. About 16,000 Indonesian troops are preparing for joint military exercises in East Java. Meeting with military commanders, Mr Yudhoyono told them that Indonesia‘s military should be bigger and more modern than countries like Australia, Singapore and Malaysia. … Continue reading
Australian expert warns of more asylum seeker deaths at sea unless changes made
The Australian governments own immigration expert Paris Aristotle says it is ”absolutely certain” there will be more asylum-seeker deaths at sea unless the government implements the full suite of measures recommended to it last year. In the wake of the deaths of two asylum-seekers this week Mr Aristotle, who is currently visiting the Nauru detention … Continue reading
Adultery is now a reason for asylum in Australia
An adulterous Iraqi taxi driver has been awarded an Australian refugee visa after he convinced the Refugee Review Tribunal he would be hunted down by an infuriated husband who caught him in an tryst with his wife. The Shia refugee, who arrived by boat from Indonesia in December 2011, claimed the husband, an Iraqi soldier, … Continue reading
Australia condemns Malaysia for arrest and deportation of Senator
Australia’s Foreign Minister Bob Carr has condemned Senator Nick Xenophon‘s detention by the Malaysian government as “surprising and disappointing”. Senator Carr said Australian officials in Kuala Lumpur were seeking the immediate release of Senator Xenophon, who was detained and held pending deportation when he entered the country this morning. As well, Australian officials have raised … Continue reading
Craig Hill Media and Consulting 