Asean Morning News
Compiled by Stella-maris Ewudolu   @stmarisewudolu
Southeast Asian democracies face daunting, testing elections
Four pending general elections have the potential to reshape Southeast Asian political dynamics with the recent slide towards autocracy raising fears that the ballot box will become little more than a tool for entrenching authoritarian power structures.
— UCA News
Put brakes on ASEAN tilting too far toward China
Can these nations maintain unity in the face of China’s growing influence in the military and economic spheres?
— Myanmar Times
ASEAN seeks to tame data deluge with object storage
The potent combination of object storage in a private cloud had helped DreamWorks Animation to churn out popular movies like Shrek and Madagascar – even though the animators may not be in the same location accessing large animation files.
— ComputerWeekly.com
The daunting state of Southeast Asian democracy
As Malaysians go to the polls tomorrow, 9 May, observers are holding their. Many unexpected turns have already taken place, few of which provide optimism or confidence in the political scene.
— The Strategist
Asia’s largest cruise ship returns to SEA
The Voyager of the Seas, one of Asia’s largest cruise ships operated by American global cruise company, Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd, is now back in Southeast Asia for her longest-running programme from now until June 2019.
— New Straits Times
Address inequality in Asean
Achieving equality of opportunity should be the goal of social policies in Asean. However, if there are structural problems that are likely to prolong inequality indefinitely, then it may be necessary to address those problems first, writes Rashesh Shresta.
— Khmer Times
Asean PMI Rises
The Nikkei ASEAN Manufacturing Purchasing Managers’ Index accelerated to 51.0 in April from 50.1 in March, marking the highest reading in the past year, Nikkei reported.
— Financial Tribune
ASEAN: Embrace North Korea as dialogue partner
The inter-Korean summit in April was nothing short of significant. Kim Jong-un became the first North Korean leader to set foot in the South, North and South Korea agreed to work toward a peace agreement to formally end the Korean War and both have also agreed to (eventually) rid the peninsula of nuclear weapons.
— The Jakarta Post
China vows peacful end to S. China Sea dispute
Chinese Premier Li Keqiang said China is committed to a peaceful settlement with Asean nations of bilateral disputes over the South China Sea despite differing views.
— The New Paper
Preventing Dutch Disease in Southeast Asia
According to the World Bank’s classification, all of the economies of the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) except Brunei and Singapore now belong to the middle-income class.
— Policy Forum
A lack of consensus meant a muted response to Chinese aggression at the ASEAN summit
The South China Sea dispute looked set to feature prominently in the 32nd ASEAN Leaders Summit in Singapore.
— Asean Today
Reflecting on the ASEAN–Australian relationship
The latest ASEAN Summit at Singapore follows a significant inflection point in Australia’s relationship with ASEAN associated with the mid-March 2018 ASEAN-Australia Special Summit held in Sydney.
— East Asia ForumÂ
Asian productivity body aiming to boost output
The 60th session of the Asian Productivity Organisation (APO) Governing Body being hosted by Laos in Vientiane from May 8-10 will promote government and business sector productivity through new technologies, systems, techniques and innovation.
— Vientiane Times
China joins ASEAN countries’ chorus for free trade
Chinese Premier Li Keqiang on Monday pledged to jointly promote trade and investment liberalization and facilitation with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), so as to inject positive energy into the world economy.
— Xinhua NetÂ
Boosting infrastructure in Asean with ‘patient capital’
THE crucial role infrastructure plays in socioeconomic progress is not difficult to understand. Inadequate sanitation, blackouts and traffic gridlock adversely affect the social well-being and economic development of a nation.
— The Business TimesÂ
Clearing the air over Southeast Asia
In recent years Southeast Asia has seen a significant increase in the intensity and frequency of haze events, or days in which visibility falls below 10 kilometers. Caused by airborne particulates known as aerosols, such low-visibility days reduce air quality and endanger human health.
— MIT News
Six years after changing ecommerce in Southeast Asia, Lazada is ‘striving for the next frontier’
When Lazada first entered the ecommerce space in Singapore six years ago, most of the online selling in the country was focused on cheap deals and non-transparent fulfilment. So, it took on the challenge of showing Singaporeans that online retail can be a trustworthy alternative from offline retail, for all types of shopping.
— The DrumÂ
Officials Tell Asean to Do More to Ensure Market Access for US Companies
The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) remains an important trading partner for the United States, but more should be done to ensure US companies can access Southeast Asian markets, officials said.
— VOA Khmer
Renewable energy cooperation in ASEAN
Members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) are currently faced with a development dilemma. On the one hand, most of its economies are still developing and will need to sustain immense growth rates – upwards of five percent – in the long run to maintain their current pace of progress.
— The Asean Post
PM inspects development of Chong Chom border crossing in Surin
Prime Minister Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha today visited the Chong Chom border crossing in Surin province, following up on the project to turn it into a gateway for regional trade.
— NNT
Cambodia Morning News
Compiled by Sreypov Men   @MenSreypov
New Phnom Penh Post Owner Turns Terminator Decrying Sabotage, Ethics
Editor-in-chief, Kay Kimsong, business editor Brendan O’Byrne, and sub-editor Ananth Baliga are the first casualties at The Phnom Penh Post following its sale to Malaysian businessman Sivakumar S Ganapathy last week and announced over the weekend.
— AEC News Today
Tax cuts promised for SMEs that register with GDT
In order to bring more businesses into the regulatory fold, the government has promised attractive new incentives for companies that register before December, including a two-year break on tax revenue.
— Khmer Times
US trade reform and dispute with China good for exports: Ministry
Cambodia must move fast to make the most of the recent tax reform in the US and its ongoing trade dispute with China, said a high-ranking official at the Ministry of Economy and Finance.
— Khmer Times
See here for more of today’s Cambodia Morning News
Indonesia Morning News
Compiled by Stella-maris Ewudolu   @stmarisewudolu
Indonesia’s Presidential Election May Only Have One Candidate
Indonesian President Joko Widodo may find himself without a challenger in the next election.
— BloombergQuint
Australia’s Crown Group Announces First, $500m Project in Indonesia
The Crown Group, a Sydney-based property developer, has joined forces with Pembangunan Jaya Ancol, a public company controlled by the Jakarta provincial government, to develop a Rp 7 trillion ($500 million) waterfront apartment complex in North Jakarta.
— Jakarta Globe
China ready to import 2 million tons of palm oil from Indonesia
China is ready to import 2 million tons of palm oil from Indonesia as part of efforts to increase trade relations between the two countries, Chinese Prime Minister Li Keqiang said.
— Antara News
See here for more of today’s Indonesia Morning News
Lao PDR Morning News
Compiled by Leakhena Khat   @leakhenakhat
Four-month revenue collection amounts to only 20 percent of 2018 target
The collection of revenue throughout the nation over the past four months has reached 5,297 billion kip, equal to only 20.81 percent of the figure targeted for the whole of 2018.
— Vientiane TimesÂ
‘Visit Laos Year 2018’: A Real Boost for the Tourism Industry?
The appearance of Laos as a land with beautiful nature, peaceful temples, and historical architecture with a French touch often misleads people into thinking that the tourism industry is a considerable part of the tiny, landlocked Southeast Asian state’s economy.
— The Diplomat (paywall)Â
Vientiane-Vung Ang railway to cost more than US$5 billion
More than US$5 billion is needed to build a railway linking Vientiane to a seaport in Vietnam’s Ha Tinh province, Vietnamese media reported on Friday, citing study results.
— Vientiane TimesÂ
See here for more of today’s Lao Morning News
Malaysia Morning News
Compiled by Sreypov Men   @MenSreypov
Malaysia’s trade numbers driven by exports
MALAYSIA’S trade has not been impacted by the global trade tensions, despite the country’s lower total trade revenue recorded in March.
— The Malaysian Reserve
Foreign funds sell RM438.4mil of Malaysian shares ahead of GE14
Global investors turned net seller for the first time in four weeks in the penultimate week before the 14th General Election (GE14), according to MIDF Research.
— The Star Online
7-Eleven sees 11.5% stake traded off-market
7-Eleven Malaysia Holdings Bhd saw more off market trades today, as 130 million shares crossed off-market, representing 11.52% of the company’s total outstanding shares.
— The Edge Markets
See here for more of today’s Malaysia Morning News
Myanmar Morning News
Compiled by Leakhena Khat   @leakhenakhat
Dissent in the Naga Hills as India-Myanmar Border Follies Linger
Even as India is busy courting Myanmar to advance its much-touted Act East Asia Policy, with promises and talks to open up borders and enhance people to people contact, far away in the remote Naga hills a slow but definite dissent is brewing against both New Delhi and Naypyitaw.
— The Irrawaddy
Fighting escalates in Myanmar’s Kachin State, trapping civilians in conflict zones
While international eyes focus on what the UN has called the ethnic cleansing of Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar, another deadly conflict is heating up in the mountains of the country’s north.
— ABC
Environmental concerns in Myanmar amid growing mining industry
Mining in Myanmar is an attractive and lucrative industry, but current projects have provoked the ire of affected residents and conservationists.
— Channel NewsAsia (video)Â
See here for more of today’s Myanmar Morning News
Philippines Morning News
Compiled by Stella-maris Ewudolu   @stmarisewudolu
`UNDER DUTERTE, U.S. AND PHILIPPINES KICK OFF LARGEST MILITARY DRILLS EVER
Around 8,000 U.S. and Philippine soldiers kicked off joint military drills Monday, the largest held so far under the Asian nation’s leader Rodrigo Duterte.
— Newsweek
Malabon City allots P422.9M to build, repair school buildings
THE administration of Mayor Antolin A. Oreta III has allotted more than P422 million for the construction of 11 school buildings and the repair, rehabilitation and renovation of old classrooms and other public-school facilities in different parts of Malabon City this year.
— Business Mirror
Duterte fires Tourism Secretary Wanda Teo
President Duterte fired Tourism Secretary Wanda Teo at the end of the 25th Cabinet meeting at Malacañang late Monday night.
— Philippines Magazine
See here for more of today’s Philippines Morning News
Singapore Morning News
Compiled by Leakhena Khat  @leakhenakhat
President’s address 2018: Key priorities of the Government
In her first President’s address, held on Monday evening, President Halimah took the opportunity to lay out the global and local scenes as well as the issues that our government intends to address.
— The Independent Singapore
MAS and key government agencies collaborate to strengthen the AI ecosystem in Singapore’s financial sector
MAS is collaborating with the EDB, IMDA and IBF to accelerate the adoption of AI in Singapore’s financial sector through: (1) developing AI products, (2) matching users and solution providers, and (3) strengthening AI capabilities.
— Open Gov AsiaÂ
Singapore MVNO offers public transit riders free data
Singapore mobile virtual network operator (MVNO), Circles.Life, is offering public transit riders free data of up to 1GB a month.
— ZDNet
See here for more of today’s Singapore Morning News
Thailand Morning News
Compiled by John Le Fevre   @photo_journ
Thailand to increase taxes on crypto-currency while most countries make it easier
An increasing number of countries are looking at the cryptocurrency space, with three national governments launching efforts to regulate and examine projects in the last two weeks. – with a particular focus on tax policy.
— The Pattaya News
BOT calls for calm over valuation loss on foreign reserves
The Bank of Thailand (BOT) on Monday said there was no need for alarm over a news report concerning its foreign reserves, explaining that that the valuation loss that had been made was the natural result of its responsibility for currency stability during a period of baht appreciation.
— The Nation
Private sector forecasts this year’s growth estimate of 4%
The Joint Standing Committee on Commerce, Industry and Banking has predicted that the overall Thai economy will likely expand by 4% in the first quarter this year or the same rate as the last quarter of 2017.
— NNT
See here for more of today’s Thailand Morning News
Vietnam Morning News
Compiled by Sreypov Men   @MenSreypov
Zero cases of illegal fishing since 2018 beginning
No Vietnamese fishing boats have indulged in illegal fishing since the beginning of 2018.
— Bizhub
Electronics industry key to exports
Vietnam has reached a four-month record trade surplus, with firms operating in the electronics industry acting as one of the key drivers of the country’s export-import activities.
— Nhan Dan Online
New deep-sea port to boost logistics capacity in Vietnam
The new terminal will double the current loading capacity of the biggest port in northern Vietnam. A new deep-water port is set to open this month in Vietnam’s northern city of Hai Phong.
— Retail News
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.