Asean Morning News For December 11

Asean Morning News

Compiled by Kongleaphy Keam @kongleaphy1

Build sustainable cities, Asean urged
Environment Secretary Roy Cimatu urged member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) to build sustainable cities and urban areas, noting that they could play a vital role in fight a climate change.
— The Manila Times

Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP): India pushes for greater market access, ASEAN irked
The Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) leaders who met on the sidelines of the 31st ASEAN Summit in Manila recently have expressed their commitment to resolve differences and conclude the ASEAN+6 country free trade agreement (FTA) by 2018.
— Financial Express

Asean ‘must take stand on Rakhine crisis’
Calling the Rakhine crisis a humanitarian disaster, Singapore Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan yesterday called on Asean to take a stand “for stopping the violence and stopping the violence now and making sure humanitarian assistance actually flows”.
— The new paper

Opportunities with China, Asean
China’s infrastructure initiatives and innovation efforts hold opportunities for Singapore, Finance Minister Heng Swee Keat said.
— The Straits Times

Better financial and bond markets in Asean, says Zeti
Asean has illustrated that it has developed better financial and bond markets, enhanced regulation and supervisory oversight and strengthened financial surveillance capabilities, says Tan Sri Dr Zeti Akhtar Aziz (pix).
— The Sun Daily

ASEAN PMI hits 50.8 in November
ASEAN Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) hits 50.8 in November, a marginal increase from last month’s 50.4, according to HSBC Research.
— Singapore Business Review

Vivian Balakrishnan gave a lecture on what’s ahead for ASEAN. Here’s what you need to know
Singapore has officially taken over chairmanship of ASEAN at the 31st ASEAN summit last month, our fourth time doing so.
— Mothership

PH to host 4th ASEAN Network of Regulatory Bodies on Atomic Energy meeting
Representatives from various nuclear regulatory bodies of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) are expected to attend the fourth annual ASEAN Network of Regulatory Bodies on Atomic Energy (ASEANTOM) meeting and technical session on nuclear security. The Philippines is hosting the regional meet from December 7 to 8 in Quezon City.
— Manila Bulletin

Thailand to host regional cybersecurity training centre
Southeast Asia’s telecom and IT ministers and Japan have agreed to set up in Thailand an Asean centre for enhancing cybersecurity expertise among IT personnel, Digital Economy and Society Minister Pichet Durongkaveroj said this week.
— The Nation

Famous last words by an Asean giant
Research, policy, business and civil society communities across Southeast Asia have reacted with shock and sadness to the sudden death of former Thai foreign minister Surin Pitsuwan, 68, on Thursday (Nov 30).
— Today Online

Cambodia Morning News

Compiled by Sreypov Men @MenSreypov

Opposition Officials in Cambodia’s Kep Province Increasingly Pressured to Defect to Ruling Party
Opposition commune councilors in southern Cambodia’s Kep province are facing increasing pressure from local authorities to defect to the ruling Cambodian People’s Party (CPP), they said Tuesday, including through 24-hour surveillance and restrictions on their freedom of movement.
— Radio Free Asia

The Eternal Win-Wins of Hun Sen’s Power in Cambodia
There is some remarkable continuity in the rhetoric that the ruling party has adopted to sustain its legitimacy.
— The Diplomat

NBC warns against fraudulent digital coin schemes
A representative from the central bank warned yesterday of increased fraudulent activities linked to local firms promoting cryptocurrencies, claiming that

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Indonesia Morning News

Compiled by Sreypov Men @MenSreypov

Indonesia pushes for establishment of oil and gas holding company
The government will soon establish a state-owned oil and gas holding company led by state-owned energy firm Pertamina, according to an official, as reported by tribunnews.com.
— The Jakarta Post

Easy cash ends for Indonesia state firms
Indonesia is shutting off the public funding tap for state-owned companies, pushing them to turn to the markets for capital.
— The Star Online

Central bank cuts merchant discount rates for debit card transactions
Bank Indonesia reduced Tuesday merchant discount rates (MDR) to 1 percent from between 2 and 3 percent for debit card transactions made using ATMs and electronic data capture (EDC) machines.
— The Jakarta Post

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Lao PDR Morning News

Compiled by Leakhena Khat @leakhenakhat

China: Pineapple seedlings from Basuo sold to Laos for the first time
Recently, the Hainan Wanzhong Industry Company Ltd. produced 10,000 pineapple seedlings, worth 11,000 US dollars, and sold them to Laos for the first time. These seedlings have successfully passed AQSIQ’s examination in Henan province and have been transported to Myanmar for further transportation to Laos.
— Fresh Plaza

Legal sector development building gets assistance from Japan Times Reporters
Laos and Japan will join forces to enhance efforts to develop institutional and individual capacities in the legal sector to realise the government’s master plan of building the country into a state governed by the rule of law.
— Vientiane Times

Laos, China collaborate on ICT development
The Ministry of Post and Telecommunications of Laos and the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology of China have inked an agreement to support the development of information and communications technology.
— Vientiane Times

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Malaysia Morning News

Compiled by Kongleaphy Keam @kongleaphy1

Malaysia to use QR codes to ensure authenticity of Musang King durians
The Malaysian government will be introducing Radio-Frequency Identification (RFID) technology in the future to identify and differentiate Musang King durians from other varieties.
— Channel News Asia

Pharmaniaga to spend RM100m to develop halal and cost effective vaccines
Pharmaceutical player Pharmaniaga Bhd will spend RM100 million over a period of five years to develop halal and cost-effective vaccines for the public.
— The Sun Daily

Uncontrolled influx of foreign workers keeping Malaysians from sleep, study shows
A study conducted by an independent global market research and opinion firm have found that the majority of Malaysians are most troubled by what they perceive as lax immigration control on foreign workers.
— Yahoo/Malay Mail Online

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Myanmar Morning News

Compiled by Kongleaphy Keam @kongleaphy1

Myanmar’s foreign trade hits over 16 bln USD in 1st half of FY 2017-2018
Myanmar’s foreign trade hit 16.3 billion U.S. dollars in the first half of fiscal year 2017-2018 which started in April, but suffered a trade deficit of 1.86 billion U.S. dollars, the official Global New Light of Myanmar reported Tuesday.
— Xinhua Net

New industrial zones planned at 11 townships in Yangon Region
The Yangon Region Government is planning to construct new industrial zones in 11 townships outside the Yangon, according to U Nay Win, representative of Pyithu Hluttaw in Thongwa township of Yangon region.
— Myanmar Times

UN Human Rights Council Condemns Myanmar’s ‘Crimes’ Against Rohingya Muslims
The United Nations Human Rights Council strongly condemned Myanmar at a special session on Tuesday for the “very likely commission of crimes against humanity” by state security forces assisted by non-state actors in the country’s troubled Rakhine state.
— Radio Free Asia

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Philippines Morning News

Compiled by Leakhena Khat @leakhenakhat

‘997 children got sick after vaccination’
Nearly a thousand children in public schools had fallen ill over a five-month period after receiving their first dose of the controversial dengue vaccine Dengvaxia, The STAR learned yesterday.
— Philstar

ADB hikes funding for infra in PH
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has increased available funding for the Philippines’ infrastructure-related investments from 34 percent of actual lending approvals covering the 2011 to 2016 period, to 48 percent over the next three years in recognition of the government’s resolve to bridge the country’s massive infrastructure gap.
— Malaya

Duterte declares NPA terrorist organization
President Duterte yesterday signed a proclamation classifying the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) and its armed wing the New People’s Army (NPA) as terrorist groups following the cancellation of peace talks.
— Philstar

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Singapore Morning News

Compiled by Leakhena Khat @leakhenakhat

Amazon launches full Prime membership in Singapore after ending free US shipping
Amazon has today launched its membership-based program Amazon Prime in Singapore, marking the US giant’s latest major incursion into the Southeast Asian ecommerce market.
— Tech In Asia

Singtel signs smart nation R&D partnership
Singtel yesterday entered into a five year partnership with Nanyang Technological University Singapore (NTU Singapore) and the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR) aimed at accelerating Singapore’s transformation into a smart nation.
— Telecom Asia

Branding Singapore as a talent hotbed is a passionate goal
Singapore’s new brand platform “Passion Made Possible” is an attempt at authenticity — taking an approach that conveys a facet of the Singapore spirit that both Singaporeans and visitors admire.
— Asia Times

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Thailand Morning News

Compiled by John Le Fevre @photo_journ

Thailand flood death toll rises to 15
Fifteen people have died and one million have been affected by flooding in Thailand’s deep south, authorities said Tuesday (Dec 5).
— Channel NewsAsia

Sugar industry bows to WTO pressure
The cabinet has agreed in principle on four sugar-related regulatory announcements which pave the way for the revocation of the fixed retail price so as to meet World Trade Organisation (WTO) rules.
— Bangkok Post

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Vietnam Morning News

Compiled by Sreypov Men @MenSreypov

US hits Vietnam with huge duties on steel made with Chinese material
The United States on Tuesday (Dec 5) imposed huge duties on some steel imports from Vietnam, saying they were produced with Chinese material already subject to retaliatory penalties.
— Channel NewsAsia

Vietnam to remove tariffs on autoparts from January
The Vietnamese government plans to eliminate tariffs on key autoparts from January. The move follows the planned termination of tariffs on cars within the region, as the Association of Southeast Asian Nations Economic Community becomes fully effective in the same month.
— Nikkei Asian Review

How deep is Vietnam’s rot?
At a meeting of Vietnam’s main anti-corruption body held late last month, the country’s leading politician instructed it to quicken the pace of its investigations into corrupt officials.
— Asia Times

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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.