Asean morning news for October 9,

Asean morning news

Compiled by Stella-maris Ewudolu @stmarisewudolu

Duterte to call for economic resilience in ASEAN
President Duterte is set to call the call for economic resilience in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) amid global challenges that affect the region’s economy.
— Manila Bulletin

PH to join ASEAN-China naval exercise
The Philippines will participate in the first naval exercise between ASEAN member states and the People’s Republic of China, which will take place in Zhanjiang from Oct. 22 to 29.
— Philippine News Agency

VN fastest growing ASEAN economy: SCB
Standard Chartered Bank continues to expect Việt Nam’s robust GDP growth of 7 per cent in 2018, driven by strong FDI-supported electronics manufacturing and rising consumption.
— Vietnam News

Use Dr Mahathir’s leadership to expedite aec agenda, Asean told
The Asean regional bloc should take advantage of the leadership of Malaysian Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, a great world leader with excellent entrepreneurial skills, to speed up the Asean Economic Community (AEC) Blueprint 2025 agenda, said the Asean Traders Association (Perda-Asean) President Datuk Moehamad Izat Emir.
— Daily Express

Duterte to meet with Asean leaders in Indonesia
PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte will fly to Indonesia on Thursday, October 11, to participate in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) Leaders’ Gathering.
— SunStar Manila

Call for more options in sentencing those with special needs in Singapore
In Singapore, there has been a similar debate about how to deal with people with special needs who behave lewdly in public, after a video of an autistic man masturbating on an MRT train there was posted online and went viral a few weeks ago.
— Star Online

Microsoft to invest in Southeast Asian ride-hailing firm Grab
Microsoft Corp is investing in Southeast Asian ride-hailing firm Grab as part of a partnership that the two companies said will allow them to collaborate on technology projects, including big data and artificial intelligence.
— Channel NewsAsia

South-East Asia puts gene editing on the agenda
South-East Asia, a major agricultural region with a regulated approach to genetically modified (GM) crops, is faced with a new debate on whether the relatively new technique of genome editing should be subject to the same safety and labelling regulations as GM organisms.
— SciDev.Net

Duterte to pitch support for MSMEs in ASEAN meeting
PRESIDENT Rodrigo R. Duterte will urge leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) during their gathering in Bali, Indonesia on Thursday, Oct. 11, to support the development of micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in the region.
— BusinessWorld Online

Swiss Re unveils parametric haze solution for Southeast Asia
Swiss Re’s commercial insurance unit Swiss Re Corporate Solutions has launched a standalone parametric-based haze insurance solution for businesses operating in Singapore.
— Intelligent Insurer

Japan and Mekong countries to boost economic cooperation
Japan agreed to deepen cooperation with countries in the Mekong region, as Tokyo aims to maintain its influence in Southeast Asia with more and more countries falling under the sway of China.
— Nikkei Asian Review (paywall)

Asean, Beijing to focus on youth exchanges
China will work more closely with Asean to develop people-to-people linkages, officials here said yesterday on the 15th anniversary of the Asean-China Strategic Partnership.
— The Straits Times

China calls for higher level strategic partnership with ASEAN
China has always seen the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) as a priority in its neighborhood diplomacy, said Chinese Premier Li Keqiang, calling to take China-ASEAN relations to a brighter future.
— CGTN (media release)

Brunei hosts ASEAN meet on transport issues, concerns
THE Land Transport Department under the Ministry of Communications (MinCom) is currently hosting the 36th ASEAN Transport Facilitation Working Group (TFWG) Meeting which began yesterday at The Centrepoint Hotel in Gadong.
— Borneo Bulletin

Riding Asean’s e-commerce wave: report
The Boston Consulting Group’s report, How the Digital Revolution Is Integrating Southeast Asia’s Consumers, looks at how the rise of e-commerce is complementing government efforts towards Asean integration, and how businesses can capitalise on this trend. ASEAN Business brings you a summary.
— The Business Times

Cambodia morning news

Compiled by Sreypov Men @MenSreypov

Cambodia’s Hun Sen defiant despite EU trade threat
Cambodia’s Prime Minister Hun Sen has taken a defiant stance following a European Union announcement last week that it would ramp up trade pressure on Cambodia over human rights concerns.
— Channel News Asia

Cambodia H1 garment exports reach two-year high
Cambodia saw its garment, travel goods, and footwear exports increase 16.1% year-on-year during the first half of 2018 – reaching a two-year high.
— just-style

UNDP says poverty rate in Cambodia falling at rapid pace
Poverty rate in Cambodia has fallen dramatically over the last two decades, said a joint statement released by Cambodia’s Ministry of Planning and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) on Monday.
— Xinhuanet

See here for more of today’s Cambodia morning news

Indonesia morning news

Compiled by Stella-maris Ewudolu @stmarisewudolu

Sulawesi Eartquake,Tsunami Death Toll Nears 2,000
Nearly 2,000 bodies have been recovered from Palu since an earthquake and tsunami struck the Indonesian city, an official said on Monday (Oct 8), warning the number would rise with thousands still missing.
— Indonesia Expat

IMF management, employees to donate Rp 2b to Lombok, Palu survivors
The management and employees of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) plan to donate Rp 2 billion (US$131,026) to survivors of the earthquake and the tsunami in Central Sulawesi and to survivors of the earthquake in Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara, a statement says.
— The Jakarta Post

IFC’s Inaugural Komodo Green Bond Raises $134m for Climate Investments in Indonesia
The International Finance Corporation, the private-sector arm of the World Bank Group, has raised Rp 2 trillion ($134 million) from its inaugural rupiah-denominated Komodo green bond to fund investment projects focused on tackling climate change.
— Jakarta Globe

See here for more of today’s Indonesia morning news

Lao PDR morning news

Compiled by Maria Mirasol Rasonable @Maria Rasonable

IFC’s $3.4 Billion Investment in East Asia, Pacific to Develop Infrastructure, Steer Green Growth, Create Jobs
IFC, a member of the World Bank Group, committed US$3.4 billion in fiscal year 2018 in East Asia and the Pacific, spurring the growth of a thriving private sector in the region to ensure sustained growth through innovation, job creation, and infrastructure development, among others.
— Lao News Agency

Laos Announces US$ 100,000 Relief Aid For Indonesia
The Government of the Lao PDR has announced 100,000 US dollars as relief aid for the victims of recent earthquakes and tsunami in Sulawesi, Indonesia.
— Lao News Agency

Lao-Thai cooperation targeting better treatment for gastrointestinal patients
Mahosot Hospital is cooperating with experts from Asean countries including Thailand aiming to improve treatment for patients with gastrointestinal problems.
— The Nation

See here for more of today’s Lao morning news

Malaysia morning news

Compiled by Sreypov Men @MenSreypov

MoF approves 45 PPP projects (updated)
Some 45 out of the 67 public private partnership (PPP) projects under the Public Private Partnership Unit (UKAS) that are under review have been approved.
— The Star Online

Govt not selling affordable housing units in cities
Housing and Local Government Minister Zuraida Kamaruddin called on state governments to submit their respective lists of land that will be used to build affordable housing by the end of October.
— The Star Online

GDP growth is not considered successful: Azmin
The country’s gross domestic product (GDP) growth alone cannot be considered successful unless it is translated into real benefits for the people, said Economic Affairs Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali.
— New Straits Times

See here for more of today’s Malaysia Morning News

Myanmar morning news

Compiled by Maria Mirasol Rasonable @Maria Rasonable

World Bank cuts Myanmar’s growth forecast to 6.2%
The World Bank has revised downwards its forecast for Myanmar’s economic growth by 0.5 percentage points to 6.2 percent in the fiscal year 2018-19.
— Myanmar Times

Mandalay Port to modernise with grant
Myanmar’s Directorate of Water Resources and Improvement of River Systems (DWIR), under the Ministry of Transport and Communications, has signed an agreement with Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) for a grant worth ¥6 billion (K79.8 billion) that will be used for the development of Mandalay port.
— Myanmar Times

Myanmar removes St Martin’s Island from their map
Myanmar has removed Bangladesh’s St Martin’s Island from their map, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed.
— Dhaka Times

See here for more of today’s Myanmar morning news

Philippines morning news

Compiled by Stella-maris Ewudolu @stmarisewudolu

Duterte under fire for Hong Kong trip as Filipinos reel from soaring inflation
Social media users hit President Rodrigo Duterte for going on an unannounced trip to Hong Kong with his family while Filipinos grapple with steep prices of commodities.
— The Philippine Star

Malaysia eliminates mother-to-child transmission of HIV and syphilis
Malaysia today became the first country in the World Health Organization (WHO) Western Pacific Region to be certified as having eliminated mother-to-child transmission of HIV and syphilis.
— World Health Organisation

PH, Japan sign P2B loan for Bohol airport
The governments of the Philippines and Japan have signed a supplemental agreement extending a 4.376 billion yen (about P2.1 billion) loan to the Philippines to support the second phase of the New Bohol Airport Project, to cover the expansion of its runway and passenger terminal building.
— Malaya

See here for more of today’s Philippines morning news

Singapore morning news

Compiled by Maria Mirasol Rasonable @Maria Rasonable

10 Access Medical clinics suspended from CHAS participation
Ten Access Medical clinics have been suspended from participating in the Community Health Assist Scheme (CHAS), the Ministry of Health (MOH) announced on Monday (Oct 8).
— Channel News Asia

Singapore falls further ahead of policy review; Philippines recovers
Singapore shares extended falls on Monday ahead of a central bank policy review this week, while Philippine stocks rose after two straight sessions of declines.
— The Star

States Times Review announces it is closing down in response to S’pore’s new fake news laws
States Times Review, an anti-establishment website allegedly run by a Singaporean living overseas, has announced it is shutting down on Oct. 8, 2018.
— mothership

See here for more of today’s Singapore morning news

Thailand morning news

Compiled by John Le Fevre @photo_journ

Airport officers transferred over bribes
A police superintendent and three deputy chief inspectors at Don Mueang airport have been transferred as they face a probe in connection with a bribery allegation made against them, said Immigration Bureau (BI) acting commisioner Surachate Hakparn.
— Bangkok Post

PM assures Abe of February poll
Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha has reassured Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe that the general election will be held in February next year.
— Bangkok Post

No visa, lapsed visa means deportation within a month
Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister General Prawit Wongsuwan has told the Immigration Bureau to intensify its crackdown on foreigners without visas or overstaying visas and deport those arrested within one month.
— The Nation (annoying popups)

See here for more of today’s Thailand morning news

Vietnam morning news

Compiled by Sreypov Men @MenSreypov

Vietnamese exports aim for US$239 billion by year-end
The Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT) forecasts that Vietnam could earn a total export revenue of US$237 – US$239 billion in 2018, an increase of 10-12% over the previous year and enjoy a trade surplus of approximately US$2 billion, due to high export growth in the first nine months of this year.
— Nhan Dan Online

Foreign investors snap up prime office space in downtown Saigon
Foreign investors currently own majority stakes in about 50 percent of high-end office buildings in downtown Saigon.
— Vietnam Insider

Vietnam’s latest fuel price hike spikes inflation concerns
Last weekend’s increase in fuel prices has stoked fears that Vietnam might not meet its 2018 inflation target.
— 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.