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Former Malaysian PM Badawi, who extended political freedoms, dies at 85

14 Sept 17:58 Key points summarised by AI

Former Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, affectionately known as "Pak Lah," died at 85 from heart disease, having also suffered from dementia.
Serving from 2003 to 2009, he succeeded Mahathir Mohamad and was praised for extending political freedoms and promoting moderate Islam, providing a more open political environment.
Despite initial popularity and a landslide 2004 election victory, his leadership was criticized for being lackluster and failing to fully implement promised reforms, leading to his resignation in 2009 after significant electoral losses.
He notably ushered in limited freedom of speech and a more critical media, marking a significant shift from his predecessor's authoritarian rule, though some conservatives viewed this as contributing to his party's decline.

Today 14:58 Key points summarised by AI

Thailand's government will launch the "Chainat-Pasak-Gulf" water diversion canal project in fiscal year 2027, a seven-year mega-infrastructure initiative.
This permanent structural solution aims to mitigate recurrent central plains flooding by diverting water from the Chao Phraya River directly into the Gulf of Thailand, significantly reducing flow to major cities like Ayutthaya and Bangkok.
Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul justifies the long-term investment as a means to reduce future damages and fiscal burdens, contrasting it with the 40-50 billion baht spent annually on short-term flood relief.
Concurrently, the Prime Minister instructed officials to expand drainage capacity into the Tha Chin River and swiftly remove water hyacinths to improve immediate flood management.