Asean morning news for September 19,

Asean morning news

Compiled by Stella-maris Ewudolu @stmarisewudolu

Asean office space Q2 2018: Manila rallies, Bangkok balloons, Phnom Penh flat, KL in the red
Amidst the slow growth of property markets across the Asia-Pacific region the Philippine capital of Manila leads recording the strongest growth in the second quarter of this year (Q2 2018).
— AEC News Today

Asean listed companies’ debt burden at all-time high
Sound liquidity and high cash balances will provide a buffer against growing external headwinds and all-time high corporate leverage in Asean, according to S&P Global Ratings.
— The Star Online

Growth across South-east Asia expected to cool in H2 2018 into 2019: report
Economic growth across South-east Asia is expected to cool in the second half of 2018 into 2019, according to the latest Economic Insight: South-East Asia report commissioned by The Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW) and produced by Oxford Economics.
— The Business Times

How Southeast Asia Firms Fare in Managing Fraud
In order to meet the demands in an ever-changing consumer landscape, firms in the South East Asia region are growing their businesses via multiple channels
— CDO Trends

74th joint patrol on Mekong River starts
The 74th joint patrol on the Mekong River by law enforcement from China, Laos, Myanmar and Thailand began on Tuesday.
— Xinhua

Gross rights violations rife in ASEAN’s backyard
Twenty days after the 51st anniversary of ASEAN, the United Nations Independent International Fact-Finding Mission on Myanmar (the mission) reported on Aug. 28 that genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes had been committed by the Tatmadaw in Kachin, Rakhine and Shan states.
— The Jakarta Post

Developing an appetite for whale conservation
Recent images of the Faroe Islands’ pilot whale hunt have again sparked renewed anger from conservationists and animal activists from around the world.
— The Asean Post

Genocide and the moral crisis gripping Asean
Just 20 days after Asean celebrated its 51st anniversary, the United Nations Independent International Fact-Finding Mission on Myanmar reported on August 28 that genocide and other atrocities had been committed by the military in Kachin, Rakhine and Shan states.
— The Nation

US-China trade tussle is creating winners in Southeast Asia
“No one wins from a trade war,” is a standard refrain among economists. Southeast Asian businesses are trying to prove that maxim wrong.
— Free Malaysia Today

AEC Feed
A universal QR code has been launched in Singapore to free merchants from the need to display multiple QR codes to accept different cashless payment schemes.
— The Nation

Social security organizations in ASEAN discuss new industrial revolution
The 35th ASEAN Social Security Association (ASSA) Board Meeting kicked off on Tuesday in Vietnam’s central Khanh Hoa province, discussing opportunities and challenges posed by the fourth industrial revolution and the free movement of labor in Southeast Asia.
— Xinhua

Inclusive business is Asean’s future
We, the people of Asean, our leaders, governments, businesses and activists want an Asia that works for all of us.
— Bangkok Post

Chinese tech giants scramble for Southeast Asia
Alibaba and Tencent are two household names in the global technology sphere.
— The Asean Post

China’s gaze shifts to southeast Asia
When China’s president Xi Jinping floated the idea of a New Silk Road in 2013, eyes turned to the original route that had linked imperial China with India, central Asia and the Mediterranean Sea.
— Asia Money

ICAO and EASA come together to support aviation in South East Asia
ICAO, the European Union and South East Asia are working together for cheaper, safer and more sustainable aviation.
— International Airport Review

Contribute to Pak Lay prior consultation process
On Thursday the Mekong River Commission will host its 5th Regional Stakeholder Forum to give all stakeholders the opportunity to discuss, provide, and exchange views on planned and proposed hydropower projects on the Mekong River mainstream, aiming to ensure the sustainable and equitable development of the basin, writes Pham Tuan Phan.
— Khmer Times

Here’s how to prepare South-East Asia’s young people for the future
Young people can drive our economies and societies to be more vibrant and productive.
— The European Sting

Visiting These 6 Countries Won’t Burn A Hole In The Pocket
Travelling within the country sometimes is an expensive affair, forget international trips. But knowing that a few countries have a weaker currency values can change our travel game.
— India

CASSAVA MOSAIC DISEASE (CMD) IN SOUTHEAST ASIA
In December 2015, a journal publication reported evidence of Sri Lankan cassava mosaic virus (SLCMV) in a single plantation in Ratanakiri province in northeast Cambodia.
— CIAT

Cambodia morning news

Compiled by Michael Johansen @mfjohansen47

Crop of new legislators sworn in to parliament
Thirty-eight lawmakers are due to take their seats in the National Assembly on Wednesday to replace those from the previous mandate who had resigned in order to take up other posts in the government.
— Phnom Penh Post

Cambodia’s Former Opposition Chief Sam Rainsy Blasts ‘Attempt to Break Up CNRP Leadership’
Cambodia’s former opposition chief Sam Rainsy on Tuesday dismissed recent comments by Minister of Interior Sar Kheng who said the release of current opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP) president Kem Sokha from pre-trial detention last week would create a power struggle between the two men.
— Radio Free Asia

See here for more of today’s Cambodia morning news

Indonesia morning news

Compiled by Michael Johansen @mfjohansen47

Indonesia Billionaire Family Reshuffles Empire on Currency Rout
Southeast Asia’s billionaire Riady family is reshuffling its health-care holdings as its core property business grapples with the emerging-market rout.
— Bloomberg

Indonesia foreign worker reform unlikely prior to election
Controversy has surrounded revision of Indonesia’s foreign worker regulations ever since a presidential regulation (PP20) on the subject was issued on March 26.
— AEC News Today

Garuda Indonesia Sues Rolls Royce for Rp640.94bn
Garuda Indonesia has filed a lawsuit against Rolls Royce for allegedly committing frauds for an agreement signed by the two companies. Garuda submitted the lawsuit to the Central Jakarta District Court on September 13.
— Tempo

See here for more of today’s Indonesia morning news

Lao PDR morning news

Compiled by Stella-maris Ewudolu @stmarisewudolu

55 dead, 100 missing in Laos storm across three months
Over 2,000 villages across Laos had been affected by floods after two tropical storms lashed Laos from July to September so far.
— Malaysiakini

Korea’s Kumho E&G to build energy self-sufficient town in Laos
Kumho E&G Co., a South Korean energy management solution provider, will lead a development aid project to create an energy self-sufficient town in Laos as it tries to recover from a dam disaster that has devastated the country.
— Pulse

ADB Finances Improvement Of Water Supply, Sanitation In Laos
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) is to provide additional financing of $30.5 Million USD in grant funding to help the Laos government improve water supply and sanitation.
— OOSKA News

See here for more of today’s Lao morning news

Malaysia morning news

Compiled by Sreypov Men @MenSreypov

Malaysia sets new goal of 18% clean energy generation by 2030
The Energy, Science, Technology, Environment and Climate Change Ministry has set a target of 18% of the country’s electricity to be generated from renewable sources by 2030, an increase from 2% currently.
— The Edge Markets

No nuclear plants for Malaysia: Dr M
In his speech to over 2,000 delegates attending the Conference of the Electric Power Supply Industry (CEPSI) 2018, Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad said Malaysia did not believe in using nuclear power to generate electricity because of the drawbacks involved.
— The Sun Daily

See here for more of today’s Malaysia Morning News

Myanmar morning news

Compiled by Joanne Encantador @encantador_jo

Democratic transition in Myanmar ‘at standstill’: U.N. rights panel
Myanmar’s democratic transition has ground to a standstill as authorities seek to silence critics while allowing hate speech, particularly against Muslim Rohingya, the head of the U.N. human rights mission said on Tuesday.
— Reuters

‘Genocidal’ Myanmar army must leave politics: UN probe (video)
Myanmar’s powerful army should be removed from politics, UN investigators said Tuesday in the final version of a damning report reiterating calls for top generals to be prosecuted for genocide against the Rohingya Muslim minority.
— Bangkok Post

War crimes prosecutor begins examining alleged Rohingya deportations
The prosecutor of the International Criminal Court on Tuesday said her office had begun a preliminary examination into whether alleged forced deportations of Rohingya from Myanmar into Bangladesh could constitute war crimes or crimes against humanity.
— Reuters

See here for more of today’s Myanmar morning news

Philippines morning news

Compiled by Stella-maris Ewudolu @stmarisewudolu

Ompong death count rises to 73
The death toll from Typhoon Ompong has risen to 73, according to the Philippine National Police (PNP), even as rescuers continue to search for victims of the massive landslide in Barangay Ucab, Itogon, Benguet.
— Business Mirror

PAGASA: Brace for 4-5 more typhoons as powerful as ‘Ompong’
Filipinos should brace for four to five more tropical cyclones that could be as powerful as Typhoon Ompong (international name Mangkhut) in the last quarter of the year, an official of the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said yesterday.
— The Philippine Star

See here for more of today’s Philippines morning news

Singapore morning news

Compiled by Joanne Encantador @encantador_jo

Singapore’s CapitaLand buys U.S. rental housing assets for $835 million
CapitaLand Ltd (CATL.SI), one of Singapore’s largest property developers, said on Tuesday it bought a portfolio of rental apartments in the United States for $835 million, marking its foray into the multifamily asset class.
— Reuters

Singapore and France to see more joint projects on technology, innovation
More cross-border collaboration between Singapore and French companies on technology development and co-innovation is in the works, which could potentially see firms expanding into new markets in Europe and Asia.
— The Straits Times

Why Facebook bet US$1 billion on Singapore data centre
Facebook’s announcement that it is investing more than US$1 billion in building a new data centre in Singapore underlines how multinational technology firms are re-examining their operations as they face regulatory headwinds in Asian countries increasingly concerned with protecting their own data and data flows.
— SCMP

See here for more of today’s Singapore morning news

Thailand morning news

Compiled by John Le Fevre @photo_journ

The cost of corruption: Bt100 billion
CORRUPTION in the bureaucracy will cost the country up to Bt100 billion this fiscal year, an expert on graft revealed yesterday.
— The Nation

Prayut dithers over political ambitions
Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha remained non-committal about his political future Tuesday despite a pledge to make his stance clear this month.
— Bangkok Post

See here for more of today’s Thailand morning news

Vietnam morning news

Compiled by Sreypov Men @MenSreypov

Vietnam’s Top IT Companies Reach Over $16 Billion In Revenue
The turnover of Vietnam’s top 50 IT companies topped $16 billion last year and employment reached roughly 93,000 people, according to the Vietnam Software Association (VINASA).
— Investvine

Electronic waste poses risks to Vietnam environment: auditor general
The issue would impact Vietnam`s effort towards sustainable development. Vietnam will not harm the environment in exchange for economic benefits, while electronic waste is posing risks to the country’s environment, said Ho Duc Phoc, auditor general of the State Audit Office of Vietnam (SAV).
— The Hanoi Times

Vietnam Airlines to launch direct air service to US in 2020
National flag carrier Vietnam Airlines is set to open a direct air link between Vietnam and the United States in 2020, with the destination being either Los Angeles or San Francisco.
— VietnamNet Bridge

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.