ALSA Magazine 2nd Edition, May 2020

A-MAG ALSA MAGAZINE | ISSUE 02 | MAY 2020

H O L D YO U R G R O U N D.

Staying at home does not mean you can’t be productive.

The Global Quest Global solidarity plays an important role in finding a solution in dire times.

Books and Games, You Name It Our contributors have compiled several books and entertainment for you to enjoy

Adapt and Overcome Being ordered to stay at home does not mean you should not be productive.

The Press Briefing All you need to know from the International Board, compiled here

THE GLOBAL QUEST

“The unexamined life is not worth living”

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THE GLOBAL QUEST

Socrates

Picture by: Aryo Pradhana ALSA MAGAZINE 3

Hello Readers!

O

n behalf of the International Board, we would like extend our warmest regards for ALSA members who celebrate Eid Al-Fitr’ during the holy month of ramadhan. We hope that this year’s celebration, though it might be different than the ones we used to have, will surely be a moment of reflection that gives us courage to celebrate life as it is.

This month’s edition is a little late than expected, due to the unforseen circumstances regarding Covid-19, alongside other matters. Nevertheless, A-MAG team still commits to bring a better and bolder edition of magazine, with a wide array of articles and contents that surely can be enjoyed by ALSA members and the general public.

On this edition, we will talk about how the Covid-19 pandemic effects people from around the globe. Global solidarity in the fight against Covid-19, is one of the main topic that we will discuss in this edition. In addition, our members from various National Chapters have come up with innovative solutions to combat boredom and staying productive in this turbulent time. They also suggest some movies, books, and even games, that you might find interesting to try during this summer.

Other than Covid-19, the Editorial Team also included several other topics, such as legal articles from our contributors and updates from International Board on our future and past activities.

You can see them in the end of this edition.

We hope this edition brings you a new inspiration and motivation!

Aryo Pradhana Putrasatriyo Editor-in-Chief

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A-MAG ALSA MAGAZINE | ISSUE 02 | MAY 2020 Aryo Pradhana Putrasatriyo Editor-in-Chief

Editorial Board of The Department of Academic Activities

Nathania Emily Reshina Kusumadewi Owen Maskintama

Legal Articles Editor

Features and Entertainment Editor

Ho Man Cheng | Putri Artanti Batrisyia | Javier Benjamin M. Tongol Karizza Kamille M. Cruz | Reggie B. Llanto Contributors for “The Global Quest” section

Stanislaus Demokrasi Sandyawan | Gugashini Sivakumar Contributors for “Adapt and Overcome” section

Afong XONGCHAIYUA | Tran Thi Thuy Linh Thipphaphone Vongphachanh | Manivanh Chanthabouala Contributors for Legal Articles

Ghina Raihanah | Thipphaphone Vongphachanh Contributors for “Books and Games, You Name It” section

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Table of Content Hello Readers!

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The Global Quest 8 » Legal Technology – Embrace It Or Restrain It After The COVID-19 Pandemic? » A Global Solution to an International Pandemic » Beyond Lip Service: Filipino Nurses in Time of the Covid-19 » Pandemic » Of Fake News and Viruses: Wrong Information Kills

Legal Articles

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• Laos as Labour Market in ASEAN • European Union - Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) Opportunities and Challenges • The Worrisome Air Pollution Problem in Laos

Adapt and Overcome

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• Managing Ourselves During This Difficult Time • Keeping a Healthy Routine while Working From Home

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Books and Games, You Name It

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• Drowned and Survived with the Ascendancy of Books A short review of “To Kill A Mocking Bird” • Searching the Facts: (Virtually) Being a Law Enforcer • The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time - A Book Review

Fun Time with the International 34 Board Press Briefing

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THE GLOBAL QUEST

THE GLOBA

A pandemic that comes once in As governments tries to find a rapid cure, many are In the meantime, the Youth sees a different perspect how we can finish the quest o

UN Secuity Council Chamber (britannica.com) 8 ALSA MAGAZINE

THE GLOBAL QUEST

BAL QUEST

n a lifetime suddenly emerges. e still reeling in from the impact to various sectors. tive on how this event changes the field of law and on on eliminating this pandemic.

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THE GLOBAL QUEST

Legal Technology – Embrace It Or Restrain It After The COVID-19 Pandemic?

Written by Ho Man Cheng (ALSA Hong Kong)

Illustration of technology and law (google.com)

The novel coronavirus has generated much anxiety among the public, disrupted countless industries, and caused the global economy in turmoil. On a positive side however, it creates more opportunities for the legal tech business. Due to the highly contagious nature of COVID-19, the social-distancing policy catalyzes the legal sector’s greater usage of the technology.

Since January, the Hong Kong courts had been shut down intermittently to follow the government’s work-from-home arrangements. Law firms also let their lawyers work remotely to avoid any physical interaction. To sustain operational continuity, many law firms adopt cloud computing like never before; the High Court unprecedentedly conducted a hearing via telephonic conferencing in February; the government introduced the LawTech Fund to support law firms in procuring information technology systems. The growing importance of technologies in the legal world has been widely recognized amid the pandemic. Now, it is high time for us to rethink its pros and cons before letting it fully transform the legal landscape.

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Legal tech should be embraced Although the use of legal tech may shrink once the epidemic abates, its impact on the legal market can be long-lasting. First, COVID-19 alerts law firms to keep up with technological advancement or else they will get eliminated. Prior to the epidemic, many law firms were reluctant to employ legal tech widely. They were used to the traditional work arrangement which involves physical interaction and paperwork, and were worried about the information security issues. Because of the unexpected outbreak of the virus, they were forced to switch to a virtual practice quickly without sufficient research and training on the use of the legal tech. This abrupt change can result in a higher risk of human error and mechanical failures. Therefore, law firms are recommended to adopt legal tech widely as soon as possible. In this way, in case another disruptive circumstance upsets the typical work arrangement again, law firms can bounce back easily because they already have a disaster plan in place and are familiar with the technology used. For example, this time, law firms that had implemented cloud computing before COVID-19

THE GLOBAL QUEST would have a smoother transition than the ones without. Embracing legal tech earlier enables law firms to be well-prepared to survive and recover quickly from future unplanned disruptions.

The coronavirus also lets the legal sector experience the efficiency enhanced by legal tech. Accompanied by innovative tools, lawyers can get access to the firms’ document at anytime and anywhere, contact clients through web conferencing, and save time significantly by automating work; law firms can go paperless – this enables instant service of documents, synchronizes with the environmental-friendly initiative, and frees up lots of space for document storage, thereby allowing a cut-down on the exorbitantly high rental expenses in Hong Kong. All these examples are just the tip of the iceberg of the advantages brought by legal tech. Surely the benefits will keep increasing as technology evolves.

Legal tech should be restrained Granted, legal tech is not all perfect.

Massive convenience comes with a price – information technology insecurity. Increasing reliance on technology can be very risky since a tiny glitch on the software can be sufficient to leak confidential data.

Along with the proliferating populace of legal tech, it is also conceivable that there will be more hacking incidents. Therefore, it is necessary for tech users to make sure they have robust cybersecurity measures.

However, the high cost resulted from these measures, the software and workflow restructuring will be a substantial hurdle for many small and medium-size law firms to overcome.

COVID-19 has unprecedentedly roiled the legal sector. It forces and accelerates the legal tech innovation and adoption.

This kind of large-scale changes may seem scary, yet agility is pivotal for law firms to succeed in the ever-changing digital age.

Vigilant to the pros and cons of legal tech, the legal sector must carefully assess the extent of use in order to get ready for the tech-enabled new normal.

A Global Solution to an International Pandemic Written by Putri Artanti Batrisyia (ALSA Indonesia)

Illustration (clipdealer.com)

It’s undeniable that the COVID-19 pandemic that has ravaged the world these past few months has deeply affected various spheres of our lives both private and public. No one could have expected that in 2020 we’d see not only the very real threat of a life-threatening virus but also countless countries and economies close to collapsing in its wake, with citizens all around the world struggling to survive. In handling this crisis, governments have considered and implemented varied methods of approach, from total lockdowns to relying on herd immunity and everything in between.

However, this pandemic has proven to be a force to be reckoned with. Even wealthy countries with their well-equipped health infrastructures and solid social initiatives have struggled to handle its consequences. Poorer countries with fewer resources at hand are in a much more vulnerable position. It would be convenient for us to believe that our respective governments should focus only on handling the pandemic within the nation and let other countries deal with their issues independently as ideally what matters is only that our country can successfully suppress the virus. But in truth, such an approach will never be enough to stifle the crisis in the long run.

Other than the clear humanitarian consequences of letting those worse-off than ALSA MAGAZINE 11

THE GLOBAL QUEST us suffer, from a purely pragmatic standpoint, when another country struggles, their problems will be reflected on the global economic stage, creating an impact felt worldwide. More than that, we need to keep in mind the highly infectious nature of COVID-19 and the fact that a vaccine for it has yet to be found. Perhaps we will be able to quell cases within our country, but if the virus continues to run rampant elsewhere, either we run the risk of re-infection, this time with possibly a more lethal pathogen, or we keep our borders closed for an unidentified amount of time, leading to dire social, economical and political consequences. What we need now is to set our differences aside and work together in a system of global solidarity to overcome this pandemic.

Global solidarity can take on many forms.

Financial and technological aid could be crucial for poorer countries or those whose systems are severely underprepared. But even for those ‘better’ off, international cooperation is still crucial. There’s a need to maintain a coordinated global research effort regarding the virus and its possible cures. This would help increase the effectiveness of research as well as allow countries to make decisions based on a holistic point of view. In addition, seeing the shortages of tests, ventilators, and other medical equipment in countries around the world, the global supply chain needs to be maximized to cater to those increased demands. This has and continues to be done, with countries that have managed to overcome the virus donating and exporting much-needed supplies to countries still battling the pandemic.

Amid this great uncertainty, one thing’s for sure, if humanity aims to return to some semblance of ‘normal’ then a movement of global solidarity needs to take hold. In the globalized world that we live in, our existence is tied with the bonds of interdependence between nations. Thus, a collaborative and coordinated effort between nations is essential in ensuring that the human race triumphs over this pandemic.

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Beyond Lip Service: Filipino Nurses in Time of the Covid-19 Pandemic

Written by Javier Benjamin M. Tongol (ALSA Philippines)

Illustration (clipdealer.com)

After years of studying and working as a staff nurse in a hospital in the Philippines, Arjay left the country to seek greener pasture abroad. He is currently working in Singapore where the salary is much higher than the one he had back home . Before leaving, he had to make the most of his salary to support his family, apart from that, he had to pay a “training fee” to volunteer before being hired by the hospital. During his shift, he is also in charge of attending to plentypatients with different conditions and needs. Sometimes he can work beyond his eight-hour shift if the next person assigned failed to appear.

Arjay’s story is just one of the many growing numbers of nurses leaving the Philippines. His experiences are the tip of the iceberg of the multitude of issues affecting the profession. Low income,, high nurse-to-patient ratio, and exploitation

THE GLOBAL QUEST are just a few of the issues that are faced

by Filipino nurses.

In a 2017 study, the Philippine Overseas Employment Agency (POEA) reports that 92,277 nurses have left the country to work abroad since 2012, which is equivalent to 19,000 nurses leaving annually.

The Department of Health standards the nurse-patient ratio to 1:12 but the actual nurse to patient ratio ranges from 1:50 to 1:80. This is attributed to the growing number of nurses leaving abroad. As the global demand for nurses increases over the years, the amount of compensation drives a key factor among nurses opting to work abroad. The monthly salary of nurses in the

enacted into law and was never prioritized in the subsequent sessions of Congress.

In 2019, in the case of ANG NARS vs.

Executive Secretary (GR No. 215746, October 8, 2019), the Supreme Court upheld the validity of the provision of Republic Act 9173 (Philippine Nursing Act of 2002), which provides anappropriate monthly salary for entry-level nurses in the government sector at Salary Grade 15 or 32,000 Pesos ($630). The Court further ruled that Executive Order No. 811, which was based on Congress’ Joint Resolution No. 4, cannot amend or repeal a prior law for being an executive directive based on a mere resolution. Nevertheless, the Court stated

Photo from: https://www.imoney.ph/articles/nurse-salary-philippines-abroad/

Philippines is around 18,000 to 21,000 Pesos ( $350-$414) in government hospitals and around 8,000 to 12,000 Pesos ($157$236) in private hospitals. This is very low compared to other countries such as the United States, with an average salary of $6,129.

The fight for an increased salary for Filipino nurses has been going on for years.

In 2013, ANG NARS, the sectoral representative of nurses in the House of Representatives, filed the bill calling for a Comprehensive Nursing Law, which includes the increase of salaries of nurses in both government and private sector. However, the said bill was vetoed in 2016 by President Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III. It was never

that it cannot compel the implementation of the provisions of the Philippine Nursing Act since its implementation requires a law passed by Congress to provide the necessary funds for it. In the 2020 General Appropriations Act, funds were allocated by Congress to implement the ruling, however, the same is subject to the issuance of the Supreme Court of the Finality of Judgment on the above-mentioned case still pending to be issued to date.

With the COVID-19 pandemic affecting the Philippines, Filipino nurses along with other medical professionals rise to the occasion and serve in the frontlines. They have endured not only the risk of being infected but also the problems affecting the ALSA MAGAZINE 13

THE GLOBAL QUEST Philippine health care system for years aggravated by the pandemic. Despite the high risk of COVID-19 infections among health care workers, a number of nurses adhered to the call of the Department of Health for volunteers, even if the compensation is at 500 pesos ($10) a day. In March 22, 2020, President Rodrigo Duterte approved Republic Act 11469 known as the “Bayanihan to Heal As One Act”,providing public health workers “COVID-19 Special Risk Allowance” in addition to the hazard pay granted under the Magna Carta of Public Health Workers.

The law also provides for compensation for public and private health care workers who may contract severe COVID-19 infection alongside other workers who may die while fighting the COVID-19 pandemic.

People have also shown appreciation and gratitude to health care front liners; social media sites are filled with posts of appreciation saluting healthcare workers, othersbrought food to hospitals, while supermarkets and other establishments set up priority lanes for them.

Despite the majority expressing help and support, there are still acts of discrimination occurring against healthcare workers, such as an incident of a man riding a motorcycle throwing chlorine to a nurse walking in a street in Cebu City.

An attempt to temper the exodus of nurses and other healthcare workers going abroad, the government decided to issue a ban on the deployment of nurses.

However, it received backlash among nursing groups such as ANG NARS and Filipino Nurses United. This resulted in the relaxation of the guidelines wherein those who have signed contracts before March 8, 2020 are allowed to leave.

The pandemic has given the opportunity to finally listen to the predicaments faced by nurses typically disregarded. Yet, other matters need to be addressed, and it takes a collective effort to advocate and call out for reform well beyond the healthcare system.

Another challenge lies in the professionalorganization, Philippine Nurses’ As14 ALSA MAGAZINE

sociation (PNA), to step up in promoting the welfare of nurses and their views and concerns. Additionally, they must address issues hurled against them including their lack of empathy to the plight of nurses, , opposition to the ban of volunteerism in hospitals in 2011 and support on the deployment ban on nurses going abroad as early as 2019, as stated by the Secretary of Labor. Members of the PNA do not need lip service and symbolic gestures of wearing ribbons, rather, they need a tangible approach in addressing their concerns. The PNA should actively lobby in government the matters affecting nurses and be more inclusive to members in crafting its policies and position on various subjects.

Contrary to the statement of a PNA officer stating how the concerns affecting the nursing profession should take a back seat in lieu of the COVID-19 pandemic, the call for better salary and benefits for nurses should always be prioritized until the objective is accomplished.

As the COVID-19 pandemic reminded us on the importance of our nurses and other healthcare workers – the best way to show our gratitude is by tackling the issues that has affected them the most. In the near future, we hope that the nursing profession in the Philippines will be far better than in the past. By then, Filipino nurses like Arjay would no longer need to work abroad andseparated from family and friends to earn better compensation and benefits. If there is a take-away in this crisis, it’s that we have learned to value our nurses far more greatly.

THE GLOBAL QUEST

Of Fake News and Viruses: Wrong Information Kills Written by Karizza Kamille M. Cruz and Reggie B. Llanto (ALSA Philippines)

Illustration (http://bbc.com/)

“Ma, may lunas na!”

Juana shouted in awe as she rushed to the kitchen to let her mom know about the good news. Juana learned from her Facebook newsfeed that bananas can battle against the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19). Exhilarated, she quickly typed a response, clicked ‘Share to wall’, and shared the link to her family and friends’ group chats.

“Saging daw! Saging daw! Tara bili tayo ng marami!” she exclaimed. The Facebook post Juana shared was a video of research conducted by scientists from the University of Queensland in Australia, which has proven that bananas improve a person’s immune system due to the super source of vitamins B-6 and ultimately helps prevent coronavirus. It claimed how consuming “a banana a day keeps the coronavirus away.”

Desperate to protect themselves from the virus, Juana and other people flocked to the nearest supermarkets to buy the alleged cure. As a result of the immediate panic buying, social distancing protocols

were violated and the risk of exposure to the virus rose exponentially.

Eventually, it turned out the news was fake. The Department of Health (DOH) was prompt to reject the information, explaining that while bananas are beneficial in boosting the immune system, there is insufficient evidence that it can be directly used to protect the body against the virus.

The University of Queensland also denied publishing the said video and discouraged everyone from sharing it. This is just one of the many impacts fake news can cause to people. It goes without saying that during a pandemic, fake news can be as dangerous as the virus itself.

Battles of today: pandemic and infodemic “While the virus spreads, misinformation makes the job of our heroic health workers even harder. It diverges attention from our decision-makers and it causes confusion and spreads fear to the general public,” said the director-general of the World Health Organization (WHO), Dr. Tedros ALSA MAGAZINE 15

THE GLOBAL QUEST Adhanom Ghebreyesus. He adds, “We’re not just fighting an epidemic; we’re fighting an infodemic. Fake news spreads faster and more easily than this virus and is just as dangerous,” concluding that if this infodemic is not tackled, “we are headed down a dark path that leads nowhere but division and disharmony”.

One wrong information can spell the difference between life and death.

Fake news and misinformation were a recipe for disaster ever since the 1918 Influenza Pandemic. During those times, misinformation was faulted for the pandemic’s cataclysmic spread. Americans were “dying by the thousands, while public health officials continually lied about the scope and severity of what was going on. Moreso, the lack of access to information is almost certainly responsible for prolonging the pandemic.”

When artist Jordan Baseman researched for his project called “Radio Influenza”, he looked into newspaper archives to find traces of peoples’ everyday experiences during the pandemic. He discovered many examples of fake news and misinformation, specifically about the way the virus spread: “The flu was blamed on foreigners (anywhere in the world, not just the UK), on Jewish people, on dancing, on jazz music, on the bombing of the soil as a result of the war, and on pretty much anything else you could think of.” Because of misinformation, the Spanish flu “killed more soldiers in 1918 than were killed on the battlefield.”

Fast forward to a century later, what makes the COVID-19 pandemic different from its predecessors is the dominance of social media and the internet. Information becomes easily accessible through smartphones and other computer devices. Yet, along with this convenience, there exists a perennial danger of being misled to incorrect information.

In the Philippines, the government ordered an Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) on the entire island of Luzon and directed everyone to stay inside their 16 ALSA MAGAZINE

homes. As a result, the Internet has inevitably become the primary source of information for every Filipino. Now, more than ever, Filipinos have become more dependent on cyberspace; while it has proven to be beneficial to a lot of people, there are several incidents where fake news has led to life-threatening situations.

On March 7, 2020, an image of a document allegedly from St. Luke’s Hospital of Kansas City made rounds in social media.

It asserts that drinking alcoholic beverages, especially Vodka can help reduce coronavirus risk. Days after, the Hospital itself debunked it and denied that it issued the false advisory. Similarly, more than seven hundred (700) people in Iran died from drinking toxic alcohol after they saw claims which circulated online that the substance could potentially treat COVID-19, the official Irna news agency reported.

Later on, the use of colloidal silver was proposed to eliminate the virus. A guest in The Jim Bakker Show in the US promoted that consuming the solution could kill some strains of coronavirus within 12 hours while admitting it hadn’t yet been tested on COVID-19. However, the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, said that silver is harmful and evidence about the medical benefits of the said solution are lacking, not to mention its side effects, including a blue-gray skin discoloration called “argyria”. Several companies were warned to stop selling products, including colloidal silver, that suggested cure or prevention against the virus.

Before the Philippines was afflicted by the virus, one Facebook post claimed how the country is immune to corona virus because of the volcanic ash spewed by the Taal volcano last January 2020. However, a representative of WHO refuted the post, explaining how “there is no evidence that volcanic ash can destroy the new coronavirus. The purported anti-viral properties of volcanic ash have not been established. [It] is hazardous to health and may result in respiratory issues, eye problems and skin irritation.”

THE GLOBAL QUEST Recently, a Facebook user went live on April 19, 2020 implying how he became cured from COVID-19 after he mixed a teaspoon of salt in a glass of hot water and drank it in three (3) gulps. After fifteen (15) minutes, he drank another glass of warm water, this time without salt, to allegedly wash the virus away and release it via urine.

According to Rappler, his post accumulated over 2.4 million views, 137,000 shares, 60,000 reactions, and 17,000 comment and was reposted by at least 7 Facebook accounts and pages since April 20. However, the said post was later on declared as false, as the WHO clarified that there is no cure to the virus yet.

These are just some of the hundreds of false information circulating online regarding the COVID-19. Because of these, experts struggle not only to combat the pandemic, but also the infodemic war.

The Philippines’ legal safeguards against fake news.

Under Philippine laws, spreading or peddling fake news is punishable as a crime.

Art. 154 (1) of the Revised Penal Code of the Philippines (Act No. 3815), as amended

by Republic Act No. 10951, specifically provides that: Art. 154. Unlawful use of means of publication and unlawful utterances. - The penalty … shall be imposed upon: “1. Any person who by means of printing, lithography, or any other means of publication shall publish or cause to be published as news any false news which may endanger the public order, or cause damage to the interest or credit of the State;

Furthermore, Republic Act No. 10175 or the “Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012” adds that when the crime is committed by means of computer and other communications technology, the penalty of the said crime will be increased to one (1) degree higher.The most recent law that criminalizes the proliferation of fake news and false information is Republic Act No. 11469 or the

“Bayanihan to Heal as One Act”, was signed into law on March 24, 2020 to squarely address the crisis brought by coronavirus to the country. Section 6, paragraph (f) of the law states: Sec. 6. Penalties. - … the following offenses shall be punishable….: (f) Individuals or groups creating, perpetrating, or spreading false information regarding the COVID-19 crisis on social media and other platforms, such information having no valid or beneficial effect on the population...

It may be argued that Sec. 6 of R. A. No. 11469 affirmed the freedom of expression guaranteed under Section 4, Article III 1987 Philippine Constitution. The said provision was the subject of various forms of debate from several persons and even media personalities. The Supreme Court has not ruled on the validity and the constitutionality of the Bayanihan Act yet. Hence, it remained a valid law despite the criticisms that are being hurled against it.

Embracing uncertainty, responsibly.

Nothing is certain in this pandemic. It is normal that we want to help our family and friends and keep them updated about the news on the virus. However, while we do so, we must help in preventing the proliferation of false information by following these simple steps: First, re-read and think twice before you click share. If you are skeptical about a certain post, do not share it immediately. Read the post in its entirety first and do not rely on the headlines. Take the time to reassess why you are sharing the post. Is the post just an emotional expression of anger or other feelings? Is it true? Or do you just agree with the post?

Second, identify the source. The most reliable sources of information regarding the virus remain to be public health bodies like the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Department of Health (DOH). Moreover, it is recommended to follow the offiALSA MAGAZINE 17

THE GLOBAL QUEST cial social media pages of ABS-CBN, GMA News, CNN, Inquirer, Manila Bulletin, and other legitimate news providers.

Third, practice cross-checking. If you are still doubtful about a post, you should at least read two (2) other posts covering the same topic from other legitimate publications. This is to confirm that the facts that are being reported by the first post is true and that there were no omissions or alterations made. You can also check and verify the post by accessing legitimate websites that combat misinformation like the AFP website among others.

Fourth, if you are still doubtful, do not share the post. Mahatma Gandi once said, “Speak only if it improves upon the silence.”

If you did not observe the first three (3) steps or you still remain unsure despite observing precautions, it is highly advisable to refrain from sharing posts online. As a gentle reminder, one can be held liable for creating, perpetuating, or spreading false information regarding COVID-19 under RA 11469, so in case of doubt, it is better to keep silent than to risk being prosecuted.

Making the truth “louder”.

In one way or another, each and every one of us has waged a battle against this invisible enemy: governments around the world implemented lockdown and community quarantines; medical experts and nurses put their own health at risk while treating patients; scientists research for long hours to find the vaccine.

As a responsible citizen, one of the things that we can do to help win this war is to become more vigilant and circumspect with regard to the information that we access and share online. Guided by the enumerated instructions, we hope to overcome the dangers brought forth by fake news and misinformation.

This way, we can take part in this battle even within the confines of our home.

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Legal Articles A short comperhensive legal review by our contributors from the Academic Activities Department.

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LEGAL ARTICLES

Laos as Labour Market in ASEAN Afong XONGCHAIYUA (ALSA Laos) Lao People’s Democratic Republic (Lao PDR) is a small country which has a population of nearly 7 million. Laotians are a potentially great labour force for economic growth, and this can be a challenge for the Government to provide full and effective employment for them. Up until now, the Government of Lao PDR has exerted enormous effort to create and enable an environment for investment, through the improvement of the legal framework and job opportunity incentives for Lao youth.

To date, there has not yet been a comprehensive study on youth unemployment in the Lao PDR. However, recently there has been an issue of migration that is directly associated with the youth’s seasonal unemployment. The number of migrant workers moving from rural areas to cities, particularly Vientiane City, has increased rapidly with 54% migrating from the North, 29% from central Laos, and 17% from the southern part of the Lao PDR. Furthermore, the report on migrant workers from the Lao PDR to the neighbouring countries have shown that most of these migrant workers are young. The lack of permanent jobs after harvest season and the misperception about job opportunities elsewhere have lured many young boys and girls, particularly in rural and remote areas, to migrate to urban areas. This remains an issue to be addressed. On the other hand, the Lao Government has taken measures to drastically reduce the unemployment rate in Laos.

The Lao labor law in 1994 aims to regulate employment relationships and make the best use of workers abilities. This step would in turn potentially accelerate national, social, and economic development that will enhance the efficiency and productivity of society and improve workers conditions.

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Article 2: “Principle of mutual interest of employers and workers”, stipulates that the Government shall ensure that employers and workers derive mutual benefit from their relationship without discrimination of race, colour, sex, religion, political opinion or social status; the workers shall respect and observe work rules and comply with all labour regulations; the employers shall provide workers with fair wages, safe working conditions and social protection.

In addition, the policy on labour has been launched as following: (i) provide youth with vocational training courses and jobs; (ii) upgrade labour skill development and working style; (iii) pay attention to labour law implementation inspection, and (iv) improve management of local and foreign labourers simultaneously.

Lao PDR deserves to be known as a country with a lower unemployment rate compared to neighbouring Southeast Asia countries. A contributory factor for this low unemployment rate is that many people are involved in the agricultural sector.

Therefore, unemployment represents a challenge for the Government of the Lao PDR, specifically for the development planners and policymakers who need to provide enough employment and develop a skilled labour force in every sector in order to be able to respond to the labour demands from other countries.

LEGAL ARTICLES

European Union - Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) Opportunities and Challenges

Tran Thi Thuy Linh (ALSA Vietnam)

Illustration (sites.google.com)

After 10 years negotiation for EVFTA, the European Parliament ratified the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) and the Investment Protection Agreement (IPA) between Vietnam and European Union (EU) on February 12, 2020. On Vietnam’s side, the National Assembly will be voted on the ratification of the agreement at its 44th session which takes place in April 2020. The EVFTA is expected of tremendous opportunities for both sides’ business.

The EVFTA is the second agreement in ASEAN region, after Singapore. “This is an historic moment for Vietnam – EU relations, and one which will open the door to a new chapter of increased trade and investment between our two sides.” – Mr. Nicholas Audier, chairman of the EuroCham in Vietnam said. This is the most comprehensive and ambitious commitments which be expected to promote strong growth of exports from both sides by eliminating over 99% of customs duties over the next 10 years and reducing non-tariff barriers.

After the official entry into force of this

agreement, tariffs of Vietnam’s exports to EU will be eliminated within a short period time. Currently, the EU is one of Vietnam’s largest export markets such as clothing, textile, and footwear. Thus, Vietnamese enterprises will have the chance to tap the commitments on access to goods markets, services, investment and sustainable development to propel sustainable and inclusive growth, as well as step-up widespread global economic integration. The level of commitments in the EVFTA can be considered the highest that Vietnam has achieved among its free trade agreements.

Along with these opportunities, the agreement also poses many challenges.

Domestic businesses will see increased pressure not only from the EU but also from the domestic market as well, taking competition to the next level in every industry, sector, and product category. Hence, Vietnamese business should be proactive and well prepared to invest in the technology, products’ qualities and finance resources to meet the EU markets’ requirements.

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LEGAL ARTICLES

The Worrisome Air Pollution Problem in Laos Written by Thipphaphone Vongphachanh and Manivanh Chanthabouala (ALSA Laos)

Background: Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment has been observing on the air quality in Vientiane among the forest fire in Laos at Sangthong district and neighboring countries are extremely creating hazardous of air pollution in many regions in Laos, especially in the capital which is exceeding the safety level of the country.

Besides, people in many areas in the country are burning rice filed and bush which is increased the smoke atmosphere and it is affected to our health and environment.

“According to air-quality monitoring station readings on Thursday, the level of air pollution was 140 micrograms per cubic metre of air over 24 hours, exceeding the safety level of 50 micrograms per cubic metre over 24 hours” said Director General of the Pollution Control Department under the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment. That was published by the notifying of Climate Change on 15 March 2019.

Issues: However, there are some positive affect from air pollution, one of them is raising awareness of the air pollution and cope with the problems as if it’s likely to happen in the future. Also, it is making people realized how air pollution effected the environment and their health. It affected our health and environment. The number of people needed therapeutic treatment from such hospitals and other medical organizations has been unanticipatedly rising. The hospitals are overcrowded with patients, making some people especially people in the countryside avoided going to the hospitals for the treatment. Therefore, it is one of the issues continually a growing number of sicknesses from air pollution in Laos.

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Solution: The government has assigned the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment to monitor airborne particulates to keep the air clean by installing equipment to monitor the quality of air in Vientiane.

The Ministry’s decision to test air quality in Vientiane came after some of Asian cities have faced and experienced rising levels of particulates. Another solution the government introduced to people is garbage burning ban due to the outnumbered than anticipated of garbage burning, which causes participates increased. On the other hand, we also have some environmental law and related regulations as the measures of conservation and assessments.

By March 2019, the pollution in Laos had also rapidly increased. Appeared with the most worrisome level of participates spread over the region especially in Vientiane with the intensity of 172.1 micrograms which was higher than 2020’s circumstances Laos is facing. A year ago, the government’s solutions were introduced people to basic remedy is avoiding outdoor activities, being aware of overusing transports and so forth.

In my perspective, the latest solution given in 2020 is such inadequate act. Small sized polluted actions that have caused influential affects are needed to be more recognized by the public and the government right away. However, the mentioned solutions are gratifying since they are being accomplished as it is planned in the coming forward future.

THE GLOBAL QUEST

Adapt and Overcome

See how our contributors (and you) can stay active, both physically and mentally, during these uncertain period.

Characters of famous cartoons and movies (Owen Maskintama) ALSA MAGAZINE 23

ADAPT & OVERCOME

Managing Ourselves During This Difficult Time Written by Stanislaus Demokrasi Sandyawan (ALSA Indonesia)

Illustration (freeagile.org)

How are you doing lately? In the midst of cities being locked down, malls and stores closed, big events postponed, plans canceled, and families quarantined, it is important to always stay in touch with what’s going on with the world – and that includes you, too.

Looking at the current situation, it is no exaggeration to say that the COVID-19 pandemic affects everyone, no matter where they are living in. Alongside the widespread of the virus come the inevitable changes it brought upon our society.

We, as living and social creatures, are constantly striving (and struggling) to adapt our daily life to fit in the new environment, and since the pandemic brought rather sudden and huge changes, the measures taken are often drastic, unwelcomed, but of paramount importance.

Even though the pandemic affects everyone, it doesn’t do so equally. Some are already well-off, but others are still in the heart of the storm – they don’t adapt and recover as quickly. For an example that is relevant to many people, working from home or studying in an online class may provide a mild challenge for some, but for 24 ALSA MAGAZINE

others, those changes can be incredibly stressful and may lead to lower productivity.

Pandemic and Stress Stress in this context is defined as a feeling of not being able to cope with conditions, demands, or pressures that the individual deems too overwhelming or unmanageable. It is a perfectly natural feeling to the inability of handling certain things.

Although a type of stress called eustress can result in pleasant emotions, such as a new drive to work harder, a more familiar and noticeable kind of stress called distress draws unpleasant emotions. This unpleasantness may manifest through physical forms like losing appetite or trouble sleeping; psychological, such as anxiety, overthinking, lack of motivation; or social, for instance keeping a distance from friends or family or becoming more silent in a group talk. Distress – or negative stress – is the one people should watch out for, especially during this time.

The sudden changes being brought by the pandemic naturally become a potential source of stress to anyone as they force the society to do things outside their comfort

ADAPT & OVERCOME zone or normal routine. The government, in an effort to combat its widespread, has no choice but to take necessary measures.

The most popular one is basically telling people not to go outside their house, whether it is a lockdown, self-quarantine, regional quarantine, curfews, or any other names. As a result, people have to bring their activities, otherwise done outside their house, to their home. Working from home becomes the “new normal” – at least momentarily.

Many people are actually fine with it and took a little impact from it, if not, they very much welcome the new changes, especially in the first weeks of working from home.

On the other side, many people are definitely not fine with it, took a much greater impact, and are being affected negatively out of stress because of the new changes. They become less productive, show a lack of motivation to do anything, have a messed up sleeping schedules, tend to be easily worried, overthink, feel isolated, become helpless for not being able to take control of him/herself, and many others.

Usually the stress comes from psychological damage or loss that has already occurred due to the pandemic and working from home policy, for instance being out of touch with friends or not being able to take classes or work in preferable conditions like before the pandemic. The stress can also come as a threat, as in worrying about the future and thinking something bad will happen because of the current condition, such as bad work performance assessment, grades dropping, or broken relationship with significant other. Stress may also come from previous experience or feeling that is triggered by the pandemic.

For example, the feeling of isolation due to working from home may lead to self-pity and insecurity.

If you are feeling any of this, do not worry because it is completely okay and understandable for you to feel so. Your feeling is a natural response towards the abnormality that is happening in the world. As such, it is entirely not your fault for feeling that way

and you do not have to compete against people who have already adapted – it is not, by any means, a competition. You can surely overcome it by learning to cope with it one step at a time.

Coping Stress The action you actually take to cope with stress will differ from others as different person deals with negative things differently. You can take a problem-focused approach to take on the root of the source of stress directly. Identify the problems by listing all the things that make you feel stressed and then tackle them one by one.

If you feel disconnected from others, try having a call with your close friends. If you feel unproductive, bored, or can’t stand staying at home for weeks, try something new and fresh to do. If you are worried that your grades will drop, study harder or have an online study session with your peers.

This approach will provide a long-term solution for your stress as you are aiming to reduce or completely remove the source itself.

If you can’t take the problem-focused approach right away, you can take an emotion-focused approach. Instead of facing the problem head-on, you may first seek comfort in your situation, be it doing fun activities, such as binge-watching a TV series, reading a book, or working out. You can also seek comfort from spiritual guidance, for example, praying or meditating.

This provides a short-term solution as you keep a distance from your problem momentarily to actually regain your strength and motivation back. This is usually the only realistic approach you may take when your source of stress is outside your control, for example, how will the world turn out to be after the pandemic is over, how out of control the virus has spread, how bad the government handles the situation, and so forth.

Another key to emotion-focused coping is self-compassion. There are three elements of self-compassion: mindfulness, common humanity, and self-kindness.

Mindfulness means you accept and look ALSA MAGAZINE 25

ADAPT & OVERCOME at all of your negative emotions as they are without actually denying or suppressing it. Common humanity makes you realize that the negative feelings you may feel are also felt by other people, therefore you and many other people are feeling shared and mutual feelings, so you are not always alone in fighting against them. Self-kindness is the act of treating, understanding, and overall being kind to yourself to try comforting and healing all of your negative emotions. With self-compassion, you find comfort within yourself.

Which approach works best depends on what suits you based on your behaviors, characteristics, environment, preferences, situations, and so on. The most important thing to remember is to accept your negative emotions, focus on the things that you can control, and act on them. You cannot predict the future nor correct the past, but right now you certainly can finish your task, do your hobby, call a friend, or even relax and start appreciating the good things that come with the pandemic, maybe the time you spend with your family, the comfortable bedroom you always long for when you’re out, the new series you can watch to fill your free time, and the list is seemingly endless. Focusing on those might bring a good result as you are more focused on the positive side of things that are pleasant and puts you in a good mood.

Keep in mind that if you feel that the stress is too much for you to handle by yourself, seeking help from others – close friends, family, or professionals – is perfectly fine and often necessary. It is easy to forget about maintaining proper care for mental health to have a healthy lifestyle during pandemic, when its importance is just as much as physical health. Keeping it together will not always be an easy task in this difficult time, but just like how all the things in the world are – this too shall pass.

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Keeping a Healthy Routine while Working From Home Written by Gugashini Sivakumar (ALSA Malaysia)

Illustration (99designs.com)

You’re up for a new project that is due in another week. You’ve found yourself a good spot, and you go on to have your seat and get working on it. Just when you’re about to begin, a notification pops up on your phone. It’s Netflix’s new series that is being released tonight. Feeling a strong urge to binge-watch, just like how you did for the rest of the shows? Well, you’re not alone. For some, distraction is in the form of entertainment. For others, it could be their very own family members.

During these trying times of the Covid-19 pandemic, many of us are left with no choice but to work from our homes.Whether you’re a white-collar employee, an educator,or a student, we’re all indifferent.

Isn’t working from home a blessing?

This seems to be more of a misconception rather than a depiction of the actual reality. A study conducted by the Institute of Employment Studies (IES) showed that 50 percent of the respondents were unhappy with working from home. We have science to back up to stating how it is not necessarily a blessing for almost half the population working from home. It is unde-

ADAPT & OVERCOME niable that you’d have more time at home to juggle many tasks. What more could one ask for? Why are people still unhappy while working from home?

First and foremost, identifying the right work-life balance has proven to be a rather big challenge for most of us. Truth be told, how many of us have been practicing a proper work-life balance prior to this pandemic that forced us to work from home? The current Movement Control Order (MCO) implemented in many countries all over the globe has forced people to adapt to changes and the “new normal” is being promoted. Quoting Canada’s chief public health officer, Theresa Tam, “We will not go back to what life was like before January last year.” People are having adaptation difficulties within their homes.

For instance, previously, numerous people adhered to a typical 9-To-5 grind. Housewives, on the other hand, had their routine to follow suit.

What about the social butterflies who love the outdoors and were constantly up and about pre-Covid? This certainly is not an ideal situation for them. Well, indeed, there isn’t a complete halt to socializing, since social media apps are still around and new ones have flourished. However, nothing beats a face-to-face, in-person conversation at a social lounge or your favorite coffee shop. Have we ever wondered about people with broken families or those without? For them, working from home would be a daily struggle physically and emotionally. With fights probably ensued each day or the pin-drop silence in others may slowly begin to get into their heads.

Considering these, working from home is certainly no easy feat for quite a number of them.

Potential consequences from working from home A study by the United Nations in 2017 showed that many people find working from home stressful. This may come off as a surprise to many, as the assumption is generally on the contrary. As mentioned

earlier, people face adaptation difficulties when working from home. Those difficulties can bring about some negative consequences to the person and at times to their co-habitants.

For instance, working from home correlates to having sleep deprivation.

When people weren’t working from home, having a fixed and proper sleeping schedule was relatively easier. However, now that working from home is the norm, there is usually a high tendency to stay up late, due to the feeling that we have ample time to spare. Perhaps, people take this opportunity to binge-watch their favorite TV shows, movies, TV series, documentaries, and so on. This happens due to a lack of having a proper sleeping schedule. Along with binge-watching TV shows comes binge-eating and late-night snacking. Who wouldn’t want to have a bowl of freshly-made popcorn while watching a horror movie? This creates a chain reaction, and the final consequence would simply be irregular sleeping hours with insufficient rest, plus gaining a few extra pounds.

In other words, due to adaptation difficulties faced while working from home, there is a tendency to adopt negative habits rather than inculcating positive ones.

Another thing to note here is that some may face emotional problems due to the lack of communication with the outside world.

For instance, employees unable to mingle with their colleagues as usual during work might cause them to feel rather lonely in terms of working and this impact would be more apparent on people living alone. Their esteem needs, technically, are not fulfilled.

So what shall we do?

Considering the potential negative repercussions of working from home, it is only wise if proper remedial actions are taken to ensure that we keep ourselves healthy while working from home. What are the possible ways we ow can help ourselves?

Firstly, adopting a healthy lifestyle is not as difficult as it seems. The primary key is to train our minds to think positively. The mindset is of extreme importance when it ALSA MAGAZINE 27

ADAPT & OVERCOME comes to doing a lot of things, and that includes keeping ourselves healthy. This would be the initial stage or starting point to a healthier you. As Andrew Evans said, “We think positive thoughts and become a positive person.”

A research conducted by Phillippa Lally, a health psychology researcher from University College London, showed that it takes around 2 months or approximately 66 days to form a habit. On the face of it, this seems like a long time. However, once we get ourselves engaged in a particular routine, it would be as easy as a walk in the park.

Alterations should be made to a current routine if it is in tatters. For instance, if you have an irregular sleeping schedule, start by sleeping at the same time daily for a consistent number of hours.Sleeping for consistent periods provides sufficient rest, and in a way, prevents you from binge-watching movies the whole night when you should have taken the time to sleep. Additionally, it is vital that healthy eating is ensured. If you have more time to spare, preparing your meal before-hand help watches your calorie and nutrition intake . Together with nutritious eating, workouts shouldn’t be neglected. Physical health is very important, especially during periods with restrictive movement. There is a high tendency for people to laze around in the house. Hence, it is important to incorporate at least a 30-minute workout weekly, if not daily. Keeping yourself fit and healthy has a greater importance now than it is before the pre-Covid period.

Mental health is equally important.

For those staying alone at home, it can get quite solitary. To avoid that, ensure there is sufficient communication of assurance and support with your loved ones at least once per day. Make sure to socialize virtually as well . Use social media platforms wisely to keep yourself motivated and to tune down a little from all the work pressure. Make sure not to get too carried away with it, as too much of a good thing is never a good thing. Once you got your routine on track, 28 ALSA MAGAZINE

try a beneficial habit to constantly evolve your mind, such as reading an educational book, magazine or articles, listening to podcasts, or watching documentaries .

For those who like to keep a proper schedule, the major challenge would be to make these changes and commit to a new routine. However, for those who don’t, add a spontaneous twist to a particular routine and make sure to change it weekly, if not daily, to cure boredom and add some spice to your routine. However, never be discouraged if there are instances where you can’t adhere to your routine. Unforeseen circumstances do come up. It is all in our hands to get back on track and persevere.Why should you keep a healthy routine?

The obvious answer is to curb the negative repercussions of working from home.

However, on a deeper angle, the benefits are abundant.

Maintaining a holistic health approach is a very important concept to implement while working from home. This approach regards your body as a whole and helps to ensure better overall health for the long-term. Apart from that, keeping a healthy routine increases your productivity at work, and simultaneously, you would see yourself as a more vibrant person at home.

You will be a healthier person physically and mentally, which in turn improves your appearance and mental health and puts less stress and pressure on you.

On the move towards a healthy routine Instead of viewing working from home as a bane, let us all look at it as a boon.

Use this golden opportunity to work on yourself,,wind down a little, re-vamp, and rejuvenate. Time is plenty now, but it would only seem so if we learn to use it wisely.

Quoting B.K.S. Iyengar, “Health is a complete state of harmony of the body, mind and spirit. When one is free from physical disabilities and mental distractions, the gates of the soul open.”

THE GLOBAL QUEST

Book and Games, You name it.

Our contributors have compiled several books and games to keep you in company.

ALSA MAGAZINE 29

BOOKS & GAMES

Drowned and Survived with the Ascendancy of Books A short review of “To Kill A Mocking Bird” Written by Ghina Raihanah (ALSA Indonesia)

Hundreds of pages, thousands of sentences, and millions of words could influence your life. It is beautifully crafted in what we call “books.”. The supremacy of books are often overlooked. Nonetheless, it powers haunt us in the decision-making process because our minds have trained and shaped to picture possible scenarios.

Therefore, books unarguably help us live our life.

As we have mentioned about the superiority of books, it was undeniable not to allude the eye-opening, awe-inspiring, and the winner of Pulitzer Prizes for fiction back in 1961 ; To Kill a Mockingbird. To Kill a Mockingbird is amazingly written by American Novelist Harper Lee, based on her personal experience. Thus, it has a strong sense of the complexity and reality that we regularly encounter. Moreover, it holds multiple values that still exist in the present civilization, even though the book was published in 1960.

There’s always more to the story than you know.

The first value that we could learn from To Kill a Mockingbird; don’t be prejudiced, notably on someone you never know personally. Recalling the moving messages 30 ALSA MAGAZINE

of Atticus Finch, a principled lawyer, to his daughter, Scout, “You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view, until you climb into his skin and walk around in it.”. Scout had a difficult time perceiving the meaning behind it; she had to experience a horrible incident when Bob Ewell, a bigoted man who accused an innocent black man raped her daughter tried to kill her. However, he failed when Boo Radley, who Scout and her brother Jem judged to be a scary and unfriendly neighbor, suddenly saved Scout and Jem’s life from Bob Ewell.

Henceforth, Scout and Jem realized that although Boo Radley chose to stay inside his house most of the time, it doesn’t represent his character nor his kindness. On the contrary, he had his motives, and there is an obligation to respect it. Furthermore, all people have their battles, and they molded by their experience, be it a splendid or terrible one. Thus, it is unwise to preconceived ideas before you comprehend the entire story.

Fight for what’s right, not what’s easy.

Another life lesson from the book; The world is undoubtedly unfair, but Harper Lee told us that we could choose to fight the

BOOKS & GAMES injustices and inequality of the world. As a lawyer, Atticus Finch upholds the principle of equality before the law, which was proven by his actions towards Tom Robinson, a black man who was accused of raping and torturing Bob Ewell’s daughter, Mayella Ewell. Atticus believes that a square deal could be achieved through the courtroom.

Thus, he accepted the case of Tom Robinson. In contrast, most people thought he was irrational, and there was only a slight chance that he could win due to the racism that occurs.

Sorrowfully, everyone was right, Tom Robinson lost, although all the evidences and witnesses were not against him. Remarkably, Mayella’s bruises were on her right side, which indicates a left-handed person did it, however, Tom’s left hand was maimed. Thus, he could not hit her. Atticus expressed his most profound disappointment to his children, Scout and Jem who witnessed the unfair trial, after the verdict of Tom Robinson who was found guilty of the crime Tom didn’t commit, and most certainly because he was black, by saying “As you grow older, you will see white men cheat black men every day of your life, but let me tell you something and don’t you forget it. Whenever a white man does that to a black man, no matter who he is, how rich he is, or how fine a family he comes from, that white man is trash.”.

A sin to kill a mockingbird — a sin to harm the innocence.

Lastly, the hidden message of the title itself; To Kill a Mockingbird. Harper Lee didn’t explicitly state what it meant and why conflicts such as discrimination and presumption are relevant to the divine mimicker, namely Mockingbird? Mockingbird does nothing but produces a fantastic melody for us to enjoy; they are inoffensive.

In this setting, Mockingbird represents Tom, Boo, Jem, and Scout. Tom, the victim of the flawed justice system. Boo, who has been bigoted by his community. Jem and Scout who lost their innocence after witnessing how the trial and furthermore the

world works. Therefore, to kill a mockingbird means to kill the purity, the hushed, and the neglected. That is why Atticus said, “It is a sin to kill a mockingbird.”.

In the present circumstance, there’s a highly contagious virus known as COVID-19 is spreading through boundaries. Nonetheless, a large disparity due to the virus occurs and involving racial discrimination.

The anxiety built by the COVID-19 has stoked xenophobia encouraging people to blame certain ethnicities, whereas it is indeed the virus that we need to eliminate, not the person who gets infected. Thus, discrimination and racism still connected to our current condition, and we could tackle it if we reaped as well as implemented moral values from To Kill a Mockingbird.

Conclusion Taking everything into account, To Kill a Mockingbird exposed our eyes to the problems that persist in our surroundings and teach us many moral values. It starts from the racial hierarchy that still exists in the eyes of the law until the necessity to understand someone from their point of view.

It is flabbergasting that one book could give many insights and enhance our minds.

As we have discussed how life-determining one book is and how it strengthens our perspectives, we definitely could compare reading a book and breathing air; you don’t know how much you demand it until you can’t occupy it anymore. Thus, please take pleasure in reading books and allow it to carry you. As Scout said, “Until I feared I would lose it, I never loved to read. One does not love breathing.”.

ALSA MAGAZINE 31

BOOKS & GAMES

Searching the Facts: (Virtually) Being a Law Enforcer Written by Aryo Pradhana

LA Noire promotional poster (rockstargames.com)

Ever wondered how you might actually, one day, pursuing a career as a law enforcer? That sometimes your integrity as a law student might actually pays off in fighting crime? Although this is no-near, nor an endorsement, that you should pursue a career as a part of the police force, LA Noire invites you to see the some aspects that a law enforcer does in fighting crime.

Created by Rockstar Games and Team Bondi in 2013, LA Noire is a 1940s set video game that lets you explore a rendition of the famed “City of Angels” during that period. The game invites you to see the city from the lense of a Cole Phelps, a distinguished war veteran who climbs up the ranks of the force in an unspeakable feat.

As a member of the LAPD, you – as Phelps – are invited to solve cases, ranging from Grand Theft Auto, illegal narcotics, up until Arson, that has ravaged Los Angles, in the game of course.

The game provides players alike an indepth experience on finding clues, connecting cases and clues, as well as interrogation techniques. Players will be able to judge evidences and eyewitness reports, based on minor details such as the movement of the witness or suspect face. Play32 ALSA MAGAZINE

ers will also be able to use common arsenal found back in the 40s during shootouts, a standard for every cop-and-bad-guy entertainment.

The game features an excellent ambiance that has replicated the feels and the vibes from the past of Los Angeles, which can be seen by the cars, outfits, and advertisements that players won’t surely miss during their playtime inside the game. The game also features a different feature, facial technology, that allows player to judge whether a person is telling the truth or the opposite.

However, the game lacks some features that might have made it an excellent game to play. Free roam feature that is offered in-game somewhat lacks the dynamics of being a patrolman of the city. Driving experiences, a notable feature from Rockstar Games, is a bit off comparing to other games that the publisher have published.

With those factors being taken into account, I would say that nevertheless this is an interesting game to play. Out of a scale of 10, I probably will go with an 8.5 for LA Noire.

THE GLOBAL QUEST

ALSA MAGAZINE 33

Fun Time

With the International Board

34 ALSA MAGAZINE

Puzzles!

FUN TIME

This edition’s puzzle: Guess the City!

Guess the city based on where these international organizations are based

Fill in the puzzle and tag us on instagram! (@alsainternational)

ALSA MAGAZINE 35

Press Briefing

All you need to know about the International Board and ALSA beyond.

36 ALSA MAGAZINE

ALSA Forum 2020

ALSA Forum 2020 was supposed to be held in Jakarta early August this year. With the Covid-19 still of much a big threat to the global community, including asian states, holding a physical event will become a major obstacle both from the logistics and participation of ALSA member states.

During the Governing Council Meeting of the month of May, Indonesia as the host country, alongside consultations by the International Board, laid out 3 options in responding the current international events. First option was to have only General Assembly and Governing Council Meetings as per the usual monthly meetings. Second option was to add applicable ALSA Forum activities, such as table discussions, on top of the first option. The last option was to postpone the event by January 2021, therefore also extending the term of the International Board.

The decision was made by the Governing Council to opt for the second option. This decision was made by a decisive vote from the International Board, as option 1 and option 2 has equal votes (6 each) and option 3 has only 1 vote. The Board voted in favour of option 2, and therefore finalizing the decision regarding the status of ALSA Forum 2020.

ALSA International Moot Court Competition ALSA International Moot Court Competition (AIMCC), hosted by Vietnam, was scheduled to be held later this year. However, because of the current circumstances regarding Covid-19, the same as ALSA Forum, having the physical event will be a big challenge for both participants and organizing committee.

During the Governing Council Meeting of the month of May, the decision was made by the Governing Council to postpone the competition by next year. In regards to this decision, the Council also noted that ALSA Vietnam shall retain the rights to hold this event next year.

Talks With Like-Minded Organizations During the month of May, the President of ALSA International had productive talks with like-minded organizations that we have become a partner of. Representatives of European Law Students’ Association (ELSA), Dominical Law Students’ Association (DLSA), and Australian Law Students’ Association (AUSLA), and Asian Law Students Association (ALSA), talked about the current affairs of Covid-19 in regards to international events that each organization hosted. Furthermore, representatives also underlined how members are dealing with this matter as well, showing great grassroots initiatives of each organization.

In this meeting, all representatives underlined the importance of global solidarity from the international community to effectively combat this disease. Representatives also underlined how student organizations, such as ALSA, ELSA, DLSA, and AUSLA, also plays a role in securing a better future post-pandemic.

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ABOUT ALSA ALSA is an international consortium of around 14,000 law students and alumni located in 16 countries all over the Asian region. Formally established in 2002, the association is a merger between the previous ASEAN law students association, as well as the East Asian law students association, which were two student bodies that had similar goals of fostering stronger ties and greater understanding of the different legal systems among its member Asian countries. Recognizing their common goals, as well as the ever increasing onset of globalization in the region, these two associations signed an agreement in 2002, thus forming ALSA into the organization that is known to be today.

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