Asean Morning News
Compiled by Kongleaphy Keam @kongleaphy1
Asean ignores civil society… again
Malacañang’s spokesperson has termed Asean’s commemoration of its 50th year a “tremendous success,” but based it mainly on the absence of any “untoward incident” rather than on the concrete and clear outcomes.
— Inquirer.net
ASEAN manufacturing PMI inches up to 50.8 in November
The Nikkei ASEAN Manufacturing Purchasing Managers’ Index, or PMI, edged up to 50.8 in November from October’s 50.4.
— Nikkei Asian Review (paywall)
Communication: Key to Asean integration
This column is not for government leaders of the Association of South East Asian Nations (Asean), nor their policy makers and development planners, because I am sure most of them have thought of this or are actually doing it.
— The Manila Times
Is China chipping away at the Asean bloc?
There’s been a flurry of top diplomatic and military engagement between China and Myanmar, Vietnam and various other members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean).
— South China Morning Post
ASEAN Rice Bowl Startup Awards Announces 2017 Regional Finalists
The New Entrepreneurs Foundation (myNEF) reveals eighty-nine finalists that will be competing at the ASEAN Rice Bowl Startup Awards (Rice Bowl) finale in Kuala Lumpur on 13 December 2017.
— Markets Insider
Cambodia Morning News
Compiled by Sreypov Men @MenSreypov
Cambodian strongman leader joins thousands in ‘stability’ ceremony
Thousands of monks have joined the Cambodian prime minister, Hun Sen, for a prayer ceremony at the famous Angkor temple, lauding “political stability” after the main opposition party was dissolved, an act that has cemented the strongman’s grip on power.
— The Guardian
Cambodian Garment Unions Fear Possible End of EU, US Trade Preferences
Cambodian garment unions expressed concern on Friday that access to vital European Union and U.S. trade preferences could be under threat following the dissolution of the main opposition party under Prime Minister Hun Sen’s government last month.
— Radio Free Asia
Agriculture players discuss insurance
Officials in the agriculture sector yesterday called on relevant stakeholders to scale up initiatives for crop insurance schemes to help Cambodian farmers mitigate the risks of having their fields destroyed by flooding and drought.
— The Phnom Penh Post
See here for more of today’s Cambodia Morning News
Indonesia Morning News
Compiled by Sreypov Men @MenSreypov
EU asking for ‘trade war’ with palm oil curbs: Indonesian minister
Southeast Asia’s palm oil exporters have the means to retaliate if the European Union imposes restrictions on the commodity, Indonesia’s trade minister warned on Wednesday in an exclusive interview with the Nikkei Asian Review.
— Nikkei Asian Review
Govt Seeks More Possibility to Export Tea to Europe
The Indonesia Tea Trade Mission (ITTM) comprising government officials and stakeholders left for Europe to pay a week-long visit aimed at increasing the market access of Indonesian tea to the continent.
— Tempo
Indonesia’s Liberal Democratic Reforms’ Slide to a ‘Neo-New Order’
On 16 September, police broke up an academic discussion at the offices of renowned activist NGO the Jakarta Legal Aid Foundation (LBH).
— AEC News Today
See here for more of today’s Indonesia Morning News
Lao PDR Morning News
Compiled by Leakhena Khat @leakhenakhat
IFC Supports Business-Enabling Infrastructure, Promoting Investment, Creating Jobs in Laos
IFC, a member of the World Bank Group, is lending US$ 2 million to Aanandi Lao Co. Ltd, a property development company, for the construction of one of the first of its kind, international best practice, multi-story serviced apartment building in Vientiane Capital.
— Lao News Agency
Lao Front, Phongsavanh Groupjoin forces to lift rural folk out of poverty
The Lao Front for National Development (LFND) this week took villagers and officials on a three-day study tour to two agricultural development centres in Sakonnakorn and KhonKaen provinces of Thailand to observe production and management methods.
— Vientiane Times
Most youths don’t understand traffic regulations: police
Most young people aged between 15 and 20 still lack knowledge of the traffic regulations and this is contributing to road accidents, according to traffic police.
— Vientiane Times
See here for more of today’s Lao Morning News
Malaysia Morning News
Compiled by Kongleaphy Keam @kongleaphy1
Malaysia agrees to extend oil output cut to end of 2018
Malaysia will continue to cut oil production by 20,000 barrels a day until Dec 31, 2018, as agreed at the 3rd Opec and Non-Opec ministerial meeting held in Vienna, Austria, on Nov 30, 2017, in accordance with the decision to extend the “Declaration of Cooperation” for nine months agreed at the meeting.
— The Sun Daily
Malaysia data breach: Probe takes in Netherlands, HK
The Malaysian authorities probing a huge online data breach involving 46 million cellphone users have widened their search to the Netherlands and Hong Kong, the national police chief said yesterday.
— The Straits Times
Malaysia to abolish mandatory death sentence for drug-related cases
A bill to amend the Dangerous Drugs Act, which will abolish the mandatory death sentence for drug-related offences, was passed in Dewan Rakyat on Thursday, according to a report in the New Straits Times Online.
— Thai PBS
See here for more of today’s Malaysia Morning News
Myanmar Morning News
Compiled by Kongleaphy Keam @kongleaphy1
Myanmar Is Using Trump’s “Fake News” Catchphrase To Deny The Existence Of Rohingya People
The term “fake news” is a nearly constant fixture in the American lexicon these days.
— Bustle
Commentary: Amid global criticism on the Rohingya crisis, Myanmar finds a friend in China
As the United States and the United Nations grow critical of Myanmar’s approach toward the Rohingya crisis, Myanmar turns to China for support, says O P Jindal Global University’s Nehginpao Kipgen.
— Channel News Asia
Myanmar social media anger after Pope uses ‘Rohingya’ word
Pope Francis’s embrace of the Rohingya during a trip to Bangladesh has sparked some angry comment on social media in Myanmar, where just days earlier he chose not to publicly air their plight.
— Daily Nation
See here for more of today’s Myanmar Morning News
Philippines Morning News
Compiled by Leakhena Khat @leakhenakhat
US to export $3 B worth of agricultural goods to PH in 2018
As it sees its total agricultural exports going up to US$140 billion in 2018, the United States is expecting the Philippines to eat up a 2-percent share anew in its agriculture exports for next year.
— Minila Bulletin
Adamson U Grabs 2017 Cheerdance Title Despite Wardrobe Fail (HD video)
While cheerleading is primarily associated with America, it is also taken pretty seriously in the Philippines where an annual cheerdance competition attracts tens of thousands of spectators.
— AEC News Today
Duterte’s thinking about a revolution
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, elected on a firebrand populist ticket, is threatening to install a full-fledged authoritarian regime in response to rising criticism of his policies, including a lethal drug war that has cost thousands of lives.
— Asia Times
See here for more of today’s Philippines Morning News
Singapore Morning News
Compiled by Leakhena Khat @leakhenakhat
Emerging Skepticism a Real Risk to PAP Longevity
Singapore’s new President, Halimah Yacob, is a widely liked and respected former speaker of parliament, as well as the first female ever and first Malay in five decades to become the largely ceremonial head of state.
— AEC News Today
Nets may succeed in unifying e-payment
The push for cashless payments in Singapore may revolve around QR codes and mobile e-wallets today.
— The New Paper
#Fail: Singaporean Jetstar Passengers’ Bangkok Meal Voucher Melt Down (video)
There is no shortage of video clips on the internet of Chinese tourists behaving badly in Asean, with Singaporean netizens being equally as scathing as their Thai counterparts at times.
— AEC News Today
See here for more of today’s Singapore Morning News
Thailand Morning News
Compiled by John Le Fevre @photo_journ
Banthoon questions govt’s subsidy programme for the poor
Kasikornbank chief executive officer Banthoon Lamsam has expressed doubt over the government’s subsidy programme for the poor if it will really help to bolster local economy.
— Thai PBS
Election faces delay to 2019
The regime’s possible delay of lifting the political ban could cause a general election to be postponed to 2019, critics say.
— Bangkok Post
#Fail: Singaporean Jetstar Passengers’ Bangkok Meal Voucher Melt Down (video)
There is no shortage of video clips on the internet of Chinese tourists behaving badly in Asean, with Singaporean netizens being equally as scathing as their Thai counterparts at times
— AEC News Today
See here for more of today’s Thailand Morning News
Vietnam Morning News
Compiled by Sreypov Men @MenSreypov
Vietnam’s PV Oil aims to raise at least $122m in Jan IPO
Vietnam state oil distribution firm PetroVietnam Oil Corp (PV Oil) plans to offer 20 percent of its shares in an initial public offering (IPO) in January that aims to raise at least $122 million, its parent firm said on Friday.
— DealStreetAsia
Deputy PM pushes SOE equitisation
Deputy Prime Minister Vuong Dinh Hue called for speeding up the equitisation of State-owned enterprises (SOEs) at a recent meeting of the Steering Committee for Business Renovation and Development.
— VietnamPlus
Big potential in logisitics industry
Increasing competition among private and foreign enterprises shows the market’s attractiveness towards suppliers and the potential for development in the growing Vietnamese consumer market.
— Bizhub
See here for more of today’s Vietnam Morning News
Asean Morning News is the most comprehensive selection of reports on what you need to know from around the Asean Economic Community (AEC) published. All articles are hand curated by the team at AEC News Today. It is published M-F by AEC News Today: Governance, not government; policies not politics.