Asia in 3 minutes: Indonesia scolded for dog meat trade, Cambodia grilled for North Korean fare

Celebrities call on Indonesia to lose its taste for dog and cat meat

Musicians, actors and television personalities this week urged Indonesian President Joko Widodo to ban the “brutal” trade in dog and cat meat for human consumption. A letter from campaign group Dog Meat-Free Indonesia said Indonesia would improve its reputation and be “celebrated” if it joined other nations in banning the trade. “These animals, many of them stolen pets, are subjected to crude and brutal methods of capture, transport and slaughter, and the immense suffering and fear they must endure is heartbreaking,” the letter said. Cameron Diaz, Ellen DeGeneres, Ricky Gervais, Indonesian pop singer Anggun and musician Moby were among the celebrity backers.

What next: Dog meat is eaten by only a small percentage of Indonesia’s 250 million people. According to anti-animal cruelty groups, thousands of animals are blow-torched alive to remove their hair and bludgeoned before onlookers, including children, in North Sulawesi. After recent bad publicity, the Tomohon Extreme Market stopped the public slaughter, but video shot by campaigners showed dog carcasses still being delivered.

Malaysian hitman offers to reveal all in killing that dogged Najib

Former Malaysian hitman Sirul Azhar Umar, who is being held in Australia’s Villawood detention centre, offered to return home and reveal details about a murder that dogged Malaysia’s former leader Najib Razak. He said he would help the new Pakatan Harapan government by saying what transpired in the case of Altantuya Shaariibuu – a Mongolian model murdered in 2009 – provided he was given a full pardon. Sirul, a former commando, and a fellow officer were found guilty of the 2006 murder of Altantuya, who was the lover of, and translator for, one of Najib’s close associates. She was killed after allegedly demanding payment for her role in securing a French submarine deal. Sirul was convicted and sentenced to death, but fled to Australia.

What next: The murder dogged Najib’s presidency, though there is no evidence linking him to the case, and he has said that he never met Altantuya. Sirul’s application for a temporary protection in Australia requires him to prove he is of sufficient good character, meaning he’ll need to prove he did not plan the killing.

North Koreans still serving up dishes in Cambodia despite sanctions

At least three North Korean restaurants are operating in Cambodia’s capital in apparent violation of United Nations sanctions that took effect earlier this year. The restaurants in Phnom Penh, which all have names that include the word “Pyongyang” are staffed by North Korean workers and offer products from that country, including blueberry wine and ginseng. They are part of a well-documented global network of businesses that have been generating cash for the North Korean regime for years. All three Phnom Penh restaurants have waitresses wearing name tags in the red and blue colours of North Korea’s flag. The women have similar shoes and hair styles, and they sing songs, play music and dance as well as serve food.