Asean morning news
Compiled by Stella-maris Ewudolu @stmarisewudolu
Southeast Asia’s seed investors evolve in era of ‘mega’ fundraising
Southeast Asia is seeing a rush of fundraising by local startups driven by “megarounds” worth more than $100 million, a trend that is pushing the region’s veteran venture capital firms to deploy more firepower.
— Nikkei Asian Review (paywall)
Thailand to host “World Skills ASEAN Bangkok 2018”
Thailand is preparing to host the 12th ASEAN Skills Competition, which, this year, will be known as “World Skills ASEAN Bangkok 2018.”
— NNT
Mekong countries attend friendship border exchange program in Vietnam
Delegations from all six members of the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS), including Cambodia, China, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam participated in the third friendship border exchange program in Vietnam’s Hanoi capital on Saturday evening.
— Xinhua
Illegal migrant workers rounded up – employers fined
The government’s Department of Employment has started rounding up illegal foreign workers following last year’s amnesty.
— The Thaiger
EU firms in Asean see region as having greatest potential
A GROWING majority of European firms in South-east Asia believe further Asean economic integration will be important to their business, with many finding the current pace too slow, the fourth EU-Asean Business Sentiment Survey has found.
— The Business Times
Religious freedom violations in Asia increasing – UN Rapporteur
Religious freedoms in Asia are “eroding”, with an increase in religious fundamentalism across much of the continent, according to UN Religious Freedom rapporteur Ahmed Shaheed.
— Sight
A blockchain boost for the airline industry
Blockchain refers to a shared, public ledger of records or transactions that is open to inspection by every participant while not being subject to any form of central control.
— The Asean Post
ASEAN: Working toward resilience and sustainability
In the last regular meeting of the ASEAN Committee in Washington (ACW) with the Philippines as chair, I hosted a forum on environmental policy and public-private cooperation that would, hopefully, provide a deeper understanding of the priorities and initiatives toward sustainable and resilient development.
— The Philippine Star
ASEAN FACES TEST IN HANDLING CHINA: EX-INDONESIAN FM
How ASEAN handles China’s rise will be a crucial test for a block which has failed to find its voice as a community on critical issues, a former Indonesian foreign minister said earlier this week.
— Khaosod English
China’s Risky Play for Global Power
Over the past year, Chinese officials reportedly have been surprised by how quickly the Trump administration has undermined U.S. influence in East Asia, creating a leadership void that could potentially be filled—by China.
— Washington Monthly
Overflowing rivers boost cruises
Pandaw’ river and coastal expeditions are sailing the Mekong region during the Christmas New Year season.
— TTR Weekly
Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership: ‘Understanding China key to a better position’
The Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) is an ASEAN-centered proposal for a regional free trade area.
— The Indian Express
Cambodia morning news
Compiled by Michael Johansen @mfjohansen47
Chinese scammers set to be deported
The Interior Ministry’s Immigration Department has announced the deportation order of 18 Chinese nationals suspected of running online scams from Sihanoukville.
— Khmer Times
Where have all the Tarantulas gone?
After making a wave of appearances on television shows featuring celebrity chefs getting their taste of tarantulas boiled, deep fried or tempura fried, the popular arachnid has been the making its rounds on the Instagram accounts of tourists visiting Cambodia.
— The Asean Post
Cambodia hail a golden weekend
After waiting 60 years for a first gold medal, Cambodia claimed two more in the space of two days as Jessa Khan and Ou Moeut Saly won the kingdom’s second and third gold medals at the 18th Jakarta-Palembang Asian Games at the weekend.
— Khmer Times
See here for more of today’s Cambodia morning news
Indonesia morning news
Compiled by Michael Johansen @mfjohansen47
Scott Morrison to travel to Jakarta to announce Australia-Indonesia free trade deal is imminent
Prime Minister Scott Morrison will make his first trip overseas less than a week after being sworn in, flying to Jakarta to announce Australia and Indonesia are on the brink of signing a free trade deal.
— ABC News
Indonesia optimistic during best ever Asian Games
It is only the halfway stage of the Asian Games yet hosts Indonesia have already secured their best-ever showing after surpassing the 11 golds they won at their first home Games in 1962.
— Reuters
State assets office to confiscate assets of delinquent companies
The Jakarta III State Assets and Auction Service Office (KPKNL) will confiscate assets of companies that have arrears or have not paid their obligations to the Social Security Administrator (BPJS) for Employment, as part of fulfilling workers` rights.
— Antara
See here for more of today’s Indonesia morning news
Lao PDR morning news
Compiled by Stella-maris Ewudolu @stmarisewudolu
Laos Next Target For Chinese Tourist “Invasion”
With hordes of Chinese tourists overrunning one Southeast Asian country after the other as a result of a new travel freedom and rising spending power, Laos is the next destination on the map for them.
— Investvine
Thai, Lao authorities to turn border area into arms-free zone
Nong Khai province in northeastern Thailand and the Lao capital of Vientiane have reached an agreement to turn a riverside border area into an arms-free zone.
— Global Times
Lao government, World Bank assess renewable energy development in southern river basin
The Lao government and the International Finance Corporation (IFC), a member of the World Bank Group, are conducting a basin-wide Cumulative Impact Assessment (CIA) of renewable energy development in southern Laos’ Xekong River Basin.
— Xinhua
See here for more of today’s Lao morning news
Malaysia morning news
Compiled by Sreypov Men @MenSreypov
Government to review several subsidy systems
The government is expected to review several subsidy systems by next year, says Maybank Investment Bank Bhd (Maybank IB) Group chief economist Suhaimi Ilias.
— The Borneo Post
Cyberattack on Malaysia: Imminent or imagined?
Cybersecurity firm FireEye made Malaysian businesses anxious when it warned they could be the next targets of state-sponsored hackers. The new Malaysian government’s unfavourable stance towards China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) projects may attract the attention of cyber espionage hackers.
— The Asean Post
Malaysia to go ahead with CPTPP
TOWARDS the end of an interview with a Thai television network last week, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad was asked his position on the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP).
— The Star Online
See here for more of today’s Malaysia Morning News
Myanmar morning news
Compiled by Joanne Encantador @encantador_jo
Myanmar court to deliver verdicts on jailed Reuters reporters
A court in Myanmar is set to hand down verdicts on Monday in the case of two Reuters journalists accused of obtaining secret state documents.
— Reuters
Myanmar’s Print Media Struggles to Survive
We are going to talk about the dwindling numbers of newspapers and journals at newsstands during the National League for Democracy-led government term. I have invited U Ko Ko (RIT) of Democracy Today and the Yangon Times, and Ko Zaw Thet Htwe of Tomorrow and the Healthcare Journals.
— The Irrawaddy
Pompeo decries ‘abhorrent ethnic cleansing’ in Myanmar on anniversary
The United States will continue to hold accountable those responsible for what he described as the “abhorrent ethnic cleansing” of Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Saturday.
— Channel NewsAsia
See here for more of today’s Myanmar morning news
Philippines morning news
Compiled by Stella-maris Ewudolu @stmarisewudolu
P2.5-B USAID grant to help DOH, LGUs fight TB
The Philippines is among the five countries hardest-hit by the tuberculosis (TB) pandemic, along with Indonesia, China, Pakistan and India, which accounts for a quarter of cases, a World Health Organization (WHO) report on TB said.
— Philippine Daily Inquirer
FOR 2019 BUDGET: Tax package to raise P37B
About a fifth of the P181.4 billion in revenues to be raised next year from the implementation of the government’s comprehensive tax reform program (CTRP) will depend on the passage of Package 1B, which includes provisions in the first tax package that were not passed into law last year, government data showed.
— Malaya
Davao City records highest number of rape cases in Q2, 2018
President Rodrigo Duterte’s Davao City has the highest number of rape cases among major cities in the country, a recent Philippine National Police record shows.
— Philippines Magazine
See here for more of today’s Philippines morning news
Singapore morning news
Compiled by Joanne Encantador @encantador_jo
Does Singapore have the right environment for ride-hailing services? | Video
Ride-hailing services have transformed the way people commute, but with some of them having exited as quickly as they had entered, Elizabeth Neo finds out if Singapore has the right environment for these disruptors to succeed.
— Channel NewsAsia
Singapore’s manufacturing output slows for second month in July
Manufacturing output slowed for a second consecutive month in July, dragged down by a decline in five out of six clusters, according to preliminary figures released by the Economic Development Board (EDB) on Friday (Aug 24).
— Channel NewsAsia
Lazada partners Finaxar to offer financing for its merchants
In partnership with Singapore fintech startup Finaxar, Lazada launched this latest service on Friday (Aug 24) to its online sellers in Singapore.
— Channel NewsAsia
See here for more of today’s Singapore morning news
Thailand morning news
Compiled by John Le Fevre @photo_journ
Gen Chatchai is confident Thailand to be deleted from IUU watchlist
Deputy Prime Minister Chatchai Sarikulya is optimistic that Thailand will be removed from the IUU (illegal, unreported, unregulated) fishery watchlist after the scheduled arrival in Thailand in late September or early October of a delegation from the European Union to assess Thailand’s performance in addressing IUU problem.
— The PBS
Bank of Thailand’s Hawkish Tilt Adds Another Tailwind for Baht
The Bank of Thailand is giving the baht — the most-loved emerging-market currency this month — one more reason to keep up its outperformance.
— Bloomberg
Attracting international talent to SEA’s next tech hub
A mismatch of talent in Thailand is slowing down its ability to go forward with Thailand 4.0. However, initiatives are being put in place to address this.
— OpenGov
See here for more of today’s Thailand morning news
Vietnam morning news
Compiled by Sreypov Men @MenSreypov
Locals boycott thermal power projects as electricity shortages loom
The electricity outages that occurred in the dry season may return and become even more serious as provincial authorities do not want to build more thermal power plants in their localities.
— VietNamNet Bridge
Forbes includes 8 banks among top 40 Vietnam valuable brands
Forbes Vietnam compiled the list based on the contribution of each brand to company`s business performance.
— The Hanoi Times
Chinese digital wallets pick Vietnamese tax pockets
Vietnamese tax and provincial authorities are concerned that Chinese digital wallet services are bypassing them, easily and illegally.
— VnExpress
See here for more of today’s Vietnam morning news
The Asean morning news roundup and its individual country morning news round-ups are the most comprehensive hand-curated selection of news reports from around the Asean Economic Community (AEC) published. We scour hundreds of local and international news and websites to find the things that you need to know to start your working week day.
We clearly identify the source of the story, whether it is behind a paywall, a media release, or whether the site uses annoying pop-up advertising or auto-play video, in case those things annoy you. It’s all then packaged up in an easy to read format enabling you to make an informed choice of whether you want to learn more by clicking directly through to the original source, or keep on reading the headlines. AEC News Today: Governance, not government; policies not politics.
Asean morning news for August 27 added by Digital Editor on
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