Asean Morning News

Compiled by Sreypov Men    @MenSreypov

 

Is Southeast Asia really in an arms race?
While countries in many parts of the world are reducing their military spending, Southeast Asian countries are bucking the trend. Total defence spending of ASEAN states doubled over the last 15 years in absolute terms, with countries like Indonesia and Thailand witnessing military expenditure growth rates of 10 per cent on a year-by-year basis.
— East Asia Forum 

Southeast Asia faces speed bumps to export-driven growth
Southeast Asia’s strong exports and consumption, which helped sustain rapid growth throughout the region in 2017, are in a delicate spot as demand for electronic parts falls and interest rate hikes threaten to cool spending.
— Nikkei Asian Review 

Industrial development meets environmental risk at the Lancang Mekong Cooperation Summit
The second Lancang Mekong Cooperation Summit (LMC) concluded in January. Six national leaders met in the capital of Cambodia, Phnom Penh. The six leaders were from countries situated alongside the Mekong River. Chinese Prime Minister Li Keqiang was among them. They signed an agreement on the development of the area.
— Asean Today 

Asean SMEs to invest more in technology to boost business performance
SMALL and medium enterprises (SMEs) in Singapore and the Asean region see the need to invest more in technology in order to succeed under increasingly challenging conditions. These are the findings of the Asean SME Transformation Study by United Overseas Bank (UOB), EY and Dun & Bradstreet.
— Digital News Asia

Indonesia Unlikely to Join US-Led-Coalition to Contain China
The United States needs to bring its expectations in line with reality.
— The Diplomat (paywall)

Can India-Japan Relations enhance India’s position in the ASEAN Countries?
The fragile India-China ties have deeply impacted India’s Act East policy and India’s position and strength amongst the ASEAN member countries. China enjoys a much higher trade hold than India and also enjoys a high position amongst the ASEAN countries.
— Eurasian Times 

How can ASEAN developers benefit from the Belt and Road initiative?
When Xi Jinping became Secretary of the Communist Party in 2008, China was facing hardships triggered by the global financial crisis. Meanwhile, the Washington-driven Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) coalesced Pacific nations into a trading bloc aligned to the US to compete with China’s influence on its neighbours.
— Property Guru

U.S. intel agencies say Duterte a ‘regional threat’ in Southeast Asia
US intelligence agencies, including the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), said Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte is among the “regional threats” to US national security in Southeast Asia as democracy in the region is expected to “remain fragile” this year.
— Rappler

Assam looking to increase trade ties with ASEAN countries: Guv
Assam Governor Prof Jagdish Mukhi today said the state government is pushing for development of infrastructure facilities and increasing trade ties with Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) countries.
— Money Control

Higher education sector has much to gain from ASEAN links
Australia’s tilt towards the Association of South-East Asian Nations will be boosted next month with the ASEAN-Australia Special Summit in Sydney, when Malcolm Turnbull will host the leaders of the 10 member-states at an event symbolising closer engagement with the region.
— The Australian 

Where to best invest in real estate in Asia Pacific
“The Philippines’s real-estate market remains healthy,” said emerging Trends in Real Estate Asia Pacific 2018. “Manila growth may be held back by lack of good partners and political controversies.”
— Business Mirror

Renewable energy and its impact on rural health
Renewable energy is set to change the landscape of Southeast Asia. The goal is to ensure 23 percent of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations’ (ASEAN) primary energy mix is made up of renewable energy by 2025.
— The Asean Post

How can ASEAN developers benefit from the Belt and Road initiative?
When Xi Jinping became Secretary of the Communist Party in 2008, China was facing hardships triggered by the global financial crisis. Meanwhile, the Washington-driven Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) coalesced Pacific nations into a trading bloc aligned to the US to compete with China’s influence on its neighbours.
— Property Guru

Developers race to house Southeast Asian middle class
Property developers are charging into the market for affordable housing in Southeast Asia, seeking to profit as rising incomes make homeowners of the middle class.
— Nikkei Asian Review

Malaysia says in talks with Thailand over detained Uighur Muslims
Malaysia’s deputy prime minister on Tuesday said Kuala Lumpur was in talks with Thailand over the fate of 11 Uighur Muslims held in the country after escaping from a Thai detention centre last year.
— Business Insider

Cambodia Morning News

Compiled by Sreypov Men    @MenSreypov

 

Government plans to inspect employers of foreigners
The government will strengthen its inspection of employers to ensure they have work permits and proper paperwork for their foreign employees, according to an announcement from the Ministry of Interior and Ministry of Labour released earlier this week.
— The Phnom Penh Post

Cambodia’s embrace of China stirs local tension
Casinos including the Oriental Pearl and the New Macau line the streets of Sihanoukville, a Cambodian port and resort town.
— Financial Times

UN urges Cambodia to reconsider constitutional changes amid fears for human rights
U.N. rights experts urged Cambodia on Tuesday to reconsider constitutional amendments, including a law that forbids insulting the monarchy, saying the changes were too vague and failed to meet international standards.
— Channel NewsAsia

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Indonesia Morning News

Compiled by Sreypov Men    @MenSreypov

 

Indonesia to regulate domestic coal price to curb electricity costs
The Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry says it will issue a regulation on the domestic price of coal to curb production costs as the government has decided not to increase electricity rates.
— The Jakarta Post

Indonesia slows infrastructure construction after another accident
The Indonesian government on Tuesday said it will temporarily halt the construction of elevated toll roads and railway tracks while probing a string of recent construction accidents.
— Nikkei Asian Review

US says Indonesia forgoing billions of dollars in investment
Indonesia is foregoing billions of dollars on offer from American companies eager to invest in Southeast Asia’s biggest economy, US Ambassador to Indonesia Joseph Donovan said.
— Gulf News

See here for more of today’s Indonesia Morning News

 

Lao PDR Morning News

Compiled by Leakhena Khat    @leakhenakhat

 

Chinese to build large tourism complex in Laos’ prime party town
A Chinese developer, Yijin Group, is readying to construct a more than $200-million tourism complex at an abandoned airfield in Vang Vieng district, one of the top tourist destinations in Laos, some 160 kilometers north of the capital Vientiane.
— Investvine 

Ministry pledges transparent exam system for new State employees
The Ministry of Home Affairs has been instructed to study and enact appropriate legislation to streamline the examination process when hiring new State employees.
— Vientiane Times 

Lao firms identify high tax rates as investment constraint
Lao enterprises have highlighted the perceived unprofessional practices of firms in the informal sector and high tax rates as the top constraints in investing in the country, according to a report from the World Bank.
— Vientiane Times

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Malaysia Morning News

Compiled by Sreypov Men    @MenSreypov

 

PM: Malaysia’s economic policies recognised internationally
Malaysia’s economic policies continue to be recognised internationally with the latest praise coming from the World Trade Organisation (WTO), said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak.
— Malay Mail Online

Skyways Technics to expand into Malaysia
The huge growth of ATR turboprop aircraft market in Asia-Pacific has prompted Skyways Technics, a Denmark-based maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) specialist, to expand its facility in Malaysia.
— New Straits Times

Malaysia to help local security firms boost R&D
Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said Malaysia is committed to help local security firms in their Research and Development (R&D) programmes in producing competitive security products internationally.
— The Borneo Post

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Myanmar Morning News

Compiled by Leakhena Khat    @leakhenakhat

 

Rohingya need an ‘autonomous region’, not repatriation
As Myanmar’s Rohingya continue to trickle into neighbouring Bangladesh, extending a six-month exodus, talk of repatriation simmers at the diplomatic level.
— Al Jazeera

Bangladesh, Myanmar officials visit Rohingya trapped at border
Myanmar and Bangladeshi representatives held talks about 5,300 Rohingya Muslims trapped on a strip of unclaimed land between their two countries and visited the area on Tuesday (Feb 20), officials and Rohingya refugees told Reuters.
— Channel NewsAsia

Amara to launch 4G+ data service in Myanmar
Myanmar wireless infrastructure provider turned mobile broadband operator Amara Communications has launched the brand campaign for a new 4G+ data service under the brand name ananda.
— Telecom Asia

See here for more of today’s Myanmar Morning News

 

Philippines Morning News

Compiled by Leakhena Khat    @leakhenakhat

 

Duterte bans Rappler reporters from presidential palace
The president of the Philippines has ordered that two journalists be banned from entering the presidential palace, an act one Filipino reporters’ rights group described as “appalling and extremely unbecoming” of a president.
— Al Jazeera

Duterte: I invited India to be 3rd PH telco player
President Rodrigo Duterte said he is also inviting India to be the Philippines’ third telecommunications (telco) provider.
— CNN Philippines 

Another Marawi possible, MILF chief warns
The chief of the Philippines’ main Muslim rebel group warned on Tuesday, February 20, that jihadists loyal to the Islamic State group (ISIS), flush with looted guns and cash, could seize another Filipino city after Marawi last year.
— Rappler 

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Singapore Morning News

Compiled by Leakhena Khat   @leakhenakhat

 

StanChart robbery: Singapore agrees to UK request to not cane suspect if found guilty
The Government has agreed that a sentence of corporal punishment will not be carried out if suspected bank robber David Roach is found guilty by a Singapore court, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) said in a press release on Tuesday (Feb 20).
— Channel NewsAsia 

1MDB’s criminal case in Singapore hearsay according to Najib and deputy
The Malaysian PM Najib Razak and his deputy Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said the 1MDB’s criminal case in Singapore were hearsay!
— The Independent Singapore 

685,000 users affected after HardwareZone hit by security breach
Local online technology portal HardwareZone (HWZ) has been hit by a security breach that affected around 685,000 registered users.
— Today Online 

See here for more of today’s Singapore Morning News

 

Thailand Morning News

Compiled by John Le Fevre    @photo_journ

 

IDC: Digital shift to add $9bn to GDP
Digital transformation should add 0.4% compound average growth annually to Thailand’s GDP for an estimated US$9 billion (284 billion baht) by 2021, says Michael Araneta, associate vice-president of IDC Financial Insights.
— Bangkok Post

Cabinet approves B6.34bn for nationwide upgrades
The cabinet on Tuesday approved a combined 6.34 billion baht for projects to facilitate the ease of doing business and upgrade the country’s competitiveness.
— Bangkok Post

EEC investment to boost Thailand’s GDP growth by 5%
The projected substantial investment in eastern provinces under the government’s Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC) project could help boost the country’s economy by 5 percent in 2018, according to officials.
— Pattaya Mail

See here for more of today’s Thailand Morning News

 

Vietnam Morning News

Compiled by Sreypov Men    @MenSreypov

 

Why are foreign banks fleeing Vietnam?
Vietnam has seen a growing number of foreign banks withdraw from its under-banked economy, the latest indication that all is not as well as Communist Party officials often claim.
— Asia Times

VN aims to expand meat exports
Viet Nam is trying to tackle the weakness of the pig industry, including the processing and distribution of pork, to promote the export of high-quality meat products to the world market.
— VietnamNet Bridge

Aviation sector opens new opportunities for investment
The Ministry of Transport (MoT) has completed a draft plan to expand the aviation sector for the 2018-20 period with a vision to 2030 and is currently collecting feedback from related agencies before submitting the draft to the Prime Minister.
— VietnamNet Bridge

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.