Asia Briefs: Sri Lanka military returns Tamil port

Sri Lanka military returns Tamil port

COLOMBO • Sri Lanka's military said yesterday it has ended its occupation of a major fishing harbour after 27 years and allowed Tamil civilians in the former war zone to take back their land.

Security forces withdrew from the Mayliddy harbour in the Jaffna peninsula on Monday, bowing to the longstanding demands of fishermen and their families from the minority Tamil community who have been living in camps for displaced people since June 1990.

"Accordingly, 187 families... are able to return to their original lands and resume their fishing livelihood after an absence of nearly 30 years," the army said in a statement.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE


Malaysia bans import of cats, dogs from Sarawak

KUALA LUMPUR • Peninsular Malaysia has banned the entry and import of cats and dogs from Sarawak following an outbreak of rabies in Serian. The Malaysian Quarantine and Inspection Services Department (Maqis) issued the ban yesterday to prevent the possibility of the outbreak spreading to the peninsula.

"The ban comes into effect immediately and will be in place until Maqis issues further notice," said Maqis director-general Mokhtaruddin Husain.

Three children in Sarawak were reported to have been infected with rabies last week.

THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK


Indonesia looking to relocate capital

JAKARTA • Indonesia's government is strongly considering relocating the capital city from Jakarta to another region, but it has not made any final decision on the possible location.

President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo has ordered the National Development Planning Agency (Bappenas) to undertake a technical study for the relocation of the capital city, Agrarian and Spatial Plan Minister Sofyan Djalil said yesterday.

Mr Sofyan, however, declined to confirm that Palangkaraya in Central Kalimantan has been chosen to become the new capital city, as previously mentioned by many experts and government officials.

THE JAKARTA POST/ASIA NEWS NETWORK

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on July 05, 2017, with the headline Asia Briefs: Sri Lanka military returns Tamil port. Subscribe