Asean morning news for February 14

Asean morning news

Compiled by Stella-maris Ewudolu @stmarisewudolu

‘Asean stands ready to provide healthcare to Rohingyas’
Asean cannot discuss with Myanmar on how to provide citizenship to the Rohingya, but stands ready to provide healthcare and education, said Singapore’s Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan today.
— The Daily Star

Goal! UEFA Champions League live on Twitter for (some) Asean fans
Football fans in four Asean member countries will be able to catch all of the action of the UEFA Champions League Round 16 direct on their smartphones or computers as the result of a deal between Goal media, Twitter, and the UEFA League.
— AEC News Today

Asean manufacturing sees subdued start to the year
Manufacturers across Asean entered the new year with subdued activity, with only the Philippines and Myanmar seeing increased Year-on-Year (YoY) output. Both, however, saw the majority of their annual increase eroded in the first month of 2019, with only Malaysia seeing month-on-month (MoM) growth.
— AEC News Today

U.S.-China Trade War Boosts Fast-Growing Southeast Asia
Trade tensions between the U.S. and China are adding rocket fuel to the liftoff of Southeast Asian economies.
— Forbes

Parliament: Asean ready to support Rohingya refugees but can’t impose repatriation deadline, says Vivian Balakrishnan
The Rohingya refugees who fled Myanmar need to have sufficient confidence before their repatriation can start “in a voluntary, safe and dignified way”, said Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan in Parliament on Wednesday (Feb 13).
— The Straits Times

These are Southeast Asia’s best universities for 2019
According to the recently released 2019 QS World University Rankings, two of Singapore’s universities dominate the top three spot in Asia.
— Mashable SE Asia (blog)

How a single user-centric approach unlocked Southeast Asia for us
Southeast Asia’s e-commerce industry is growing rapidly and is a key driver in the digital economy.
— Yahoo News

Ambassador affirms ASEAN’s efforts to narrow development gap
Vietnamese Ambassador Dang Dinh Quy noted the efforts by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to narrow development gaps among its members at a session of the Commission for Social Development of the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC).
— Vietnam Plus

Two new customs offices designated under ASEAN agreement
The Myawady and Tachileik border crossings have been designated as customs offices to meet the requirements of an ASEAN agreement, said U Maung Maung Win, deputy minister of Planning and Finance.
— Myanmar Times

ASEAN – Hong Kong FTA likely to come into force in 2019
The ASEAN – Hong Kong Free Trade Agreement (FTA) is now in its final stage and is hoped to take effect within 2019, according to Xinhua news agency.
— Vietnam Plus

Slowing SE Asian economies will test social cohesion
Economics is too often under-estimated as a pillar of social cohesion. Southeast Asia’s growth is slowing alongside that of its biggest investor, China.
— La Croix

USAID hosts Southeast Asia traceability workshop
The USAID Oceans and Fisheries Partnership has showcased seafood traceability innovations at a traceability “Trackathon” organised by its partner, the Global Dialogue on Seafood Traceability (GDT).
— Undercurrent News

Experts, academics weigh common values vs shared interests for Indo-Pacific initiative
Two differing views emerged from discussions at an international relations forum on Wednesday (Feb 13) on what kind of concept the new regional Indo-Pacific initiative should adopt: should it stress common values, such as democracy and human rights, or should it go bold on shared interests like economic benefits.
— The Straits Times

Choices will be the theme for Asean bond markets in 2019
GOING by January developments, 2019 looks to be a year of heightened volatility with risk themes across rates, trade, and general economic growth continuing to ebb and flow in the global financial markets.
— The Business Times

Challenges on the rise, but opportunities are present in US-Asean ties
Young leaders convening during the US-Asean Partnership Forum say there are growing challenges with the United States’s reduced involvement in South-east Asia, which has opened the way for China to exert greater power over the 10-member Asean group.
— The Straits Times

Why video content marketing is the next frontier in SEA
Video content was massive in 2018. According to the new Global Internet Phenomena Report by Sandvine, video streaming accounted for nearly 58 percent of the total downstream volume of internet traffic around the world.
— Tech in Asia

2019 ASEAN Photo & Video contest accepting submissions
The Asean Culture House in Haeundae is accepting submissions for its 2019 “ASEAN in Korea, Korea in ASEAN” photo and video contest.
— Stars and Stripes Korea

PUBG Corporation to Further Expand PUBG LITE Beta Test Service to Bangladesh, Brunei, Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar
PUBG Corporation (PUBG Corp.) today announced that the PUBG LITE Beta Test will be further expanding their service to Bangladesh, Brunei, Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar, in addition to Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines and Singapore.
— AEC News Today/ PR Newswire (media release)

SBI Neo Financial Services and AntWorks™ Announce Joint Venture to Provide Intelligent Automation to ASEAN Market Through SBI Antworks Asia
Global provider of artificial intelligence and intelligent automation solutions, AntWorks™ powered by fractal science, has today announced a joint venture with SBI Neo Financial Services Co., Ltd., to supply AntWorks’™ integrated intelligent automation platform to East Asia and South East Asia markets.
— AEC News Today/ PR Newswire (media release)

Cambodia morning news

Compiled by Piseth Pov @piseth6666

Cambodian Economists See Positive Growth amid EU’s Threat to Withdraw EBA (Video inside)
Both government officials and economic analysts all agreed that the European Commission will sooner or later eliminate Everything But Arms (EBA) trade scheme from Cambodia after she graduated from the LDCs; however, that does not stop Cambodia from growing.
— Fresh News

Cambodia PM blasts EU interference
Cambodian premier Hun Sen warned against interference in the country’s affairs on Tuesday, his first comments since the European Union (EU) launched steps to cancel trade benefits that would hammer the local garment industry.
— The Asean Post

Goal! UEFA Champions League live on Twitter for (some) Asean fans
Football fans in four Asean member countries will be able to catch all of the action of the UEFA Champions League Round 16 direct on their smartphones or computers as the result of a deal between Goal media, Twitter, and the UEFA League.
— AEC News Today

See here for more of today’s Cambodia morning news

Indonesia morning news

Compiled by Stella-maris Ewudolu @stmarisewudolu

Domestic issues behind Indonesia’s stunted growth
Indonesia has achieved almost 20 years of continuous economic growth. It navigated the 2008 global financial crisis with little difficulty, and effectively weathered the emerging market volatilities of 2018.
— AEC News Today

Indonesia to pump in billions into airports expansion amid travel boom
Indonesia’s largest airport operator is looking to spend billions of dollars to build a new facility in Jakarta and upgrade the existing one to cater to an unprecedented travel boom and compete with neighbouring countries for tourism revenue.
— South China Morning Post

Following accusations of unpreparedness, disaster agency set to spend IDR7 trillion on early detection tools
Indonesia was hammered by some 2,374 natural disasters last year, the biggest and most deadly being the 7.5-magnitude earthquake and tsunami that hit Sulawesi in late September and killed more than 1,400 people and the 7.0-magnitude quake that rocked the island of Lombok in August, killing nearly 400 people.
— Coconuts Jakarta

See here for more of today’s Indonesia morning news

Lao PDR morning news

Compiled by Piseth Pov @piseth6666

Advancing EU-ASEAN Partnership For Sustainability
In January I joined Federica Mogherini, the EU’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, in Brussels as she co-chaired the 22nd EU-ASEAN Ministerial Meeting.
— KPL

Survivors of Laos’ PNPC Dam Disaster Still Struggling
Survivors of a July 2018 dam disaster described as Laos’ worst flooding in decades are still dealing with physical and mental hardship, according to an official of a South Korean-led relief effort.
— Relief Web

See here for more of today’s Lao morning news

Malaysia morning news

Compiled by Sreypov Men @MenSreypov

Malaysia can post 4.8-4.9pc GDP growth for 2018, deputy minister says
Malaysia is capable of achieving gross domestic product (GDP) growth of between 4.8 per cent and 4.9 per cent in 2018 on the back of stronger economic figures recently, says Deputy Minister of International Trade and Industry Ong Kian Ming.
— Malay Mail

Malaysian company plans to invest in furniture factory in southern Myanmar
A Malaysian company is planning to invest in building an acacia mangium furniture factory in Myanmar’s Bago region, the official Global New Light of Myanmar reported Wednesday.
— Xinhua

Malaysia saw boost in exports for Q4 2008 despite worries over US-China trade war
Malaysia’s economy probably grew faster in the fourth quarter with exports and private consumption helping to snap four quarters of slowing growth, a Reuters poll showed.
— FMT

See here for more of today’s Malaysia Morning News

Myanmar morning news

Compiled by Sreypov Men @MenSreypov

PTTEP to raise investments in Myanmar offshore projects to maintain gas production
Since 2014, a total of 345 million cubic feet of natural gas for daily domestic consumption and export to Thailand is channeled from the offshore Zawtika Project in the Gulf of Moattama to the Zawtika Operation Center (ZOC) in Kanpauk Township, Tanintharyi, said Mr Piya Sukhumpanumet, general manager of PTTEP Myanmar Assets.
— Myanmar Times

Myanmar to drop charges against ethnic minority protesters in Aung San statue dispute
Myanmar will drop charges against dozens of ethnic minority protesters who demonstrated against a statue of independence hero General Aung San and will hold talks with them, state media said on Wednesday, offering a rare concession.
— South China Morning Post

Rohingya refugee repatriation: Why Asean cannot impose deadline
The Rohingya refugees who fled Myanmar need to have sufficient confidence before their repatriation can start “in a voluntary, safe and dignified way”, said Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan in Parliament yesterday.
— The Straits Times

See here for more of today’s Myanmar morning news

Philippines morning news

Compiled by Stella-maris Ewudolu @stmarisewudolu

Rappler CEO Maria Ressa arrested for cyber libel
Officers from the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) arrested Rappler CEO and executive editor Maria Ressa early Wednesday evening, February 13, in connection with a cyber libel case filed by the justice department.
— Rappler

Senate, House to share P99-billion ‘pork barrel’ in 2019
Senators and congressmen will share a total of nearly P99 billion in pork barrel funds this year – that is, if President Duterte ignores the appeal of anti-“pork” Sen. Panfilo Lacson for him to excise fat in his administration’s proposed P3.757-trillion budget.
— The Philippine Star

See here for more of today’s Philippines morning news

Singapore morning news

Compiled by John Le Fevre @photo_journ

European Parliament approves EU-Singapore free trade, partnership agreements
Three landmark agreements between Singapore and the European Union (EU) were given the go ahead after a vote in Strasbourg, France on Wednesday (Feb 13).
— Channel NewsAsia (very annoying popups)

Novartis leverages digital transformation to address most pressing health challenges in Asia
Novartis in Asia seeks to leverage data, digital and exponential technologies to address the most pressing health challenges in the region.
— AEC News Today/ PR Newswire (media release)

Singapore is Asia’s most ready nation for autonomous vehicle adoption
Singapore continues to remain at No.1 in Asia in terms of readiness to embrace autonomous vehicles (AVs) and second in the world after the Netherlands, unchanged from a year ago.
— The Edge Markets

See here for more of today’s Singapore morning news

Thailand morning news

Compiled by John Le Fevre @photo_journ

Calls for schools in Chiang Mai to close as haze crisis worsens
WITH CHIANG MAI entering the global list for worst air pollution, calls are growing for schools and educational institutes in the northern province to close down temporarily for the sake of students.
— The Nation (very annoying popups)

Yellow-shirt leaders lose final appeal over Govt House seizure
The Supreme Court has upheld the sentencing of six former leaders of the yellow-shirt People’s Alliance for Democracy to eight months in jail each for breaking into Government House in 2008.
— Bangkok Post

See here for more of today’s Thailand morning news

Vietnam morning news

Compiled by Sreypov Men @MenSreypov

Strengthening e-payments in Vietnam
2018 proved to be a fantastic year for the Vietnamese economy. Figures from the government showed that the socialist state’s gross domestic product (GDP) grew by 7.1 percent year on year in the first six months of 2018 – the fastest growth recorded since 2011. Vietnam’s impressive growth rate is expected to continue this year.
— The Asean Post

Vietnam exports 550 mln USD worth of animal products in 2018
Vietnam gained 550 million U.S. dollars from exporting animal products, mainly pork, chicken, eggs, honey and fresh milk, in 2018, according to its Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development on Wednesday.
— Xinhua

How will Bamboo Airways affect the aviation market?
The national flag air carrier Vietnam Airlines and the private Vietjet Air continue to dominate the domestic aviation market, but newcomers may begin to take away some market share.
— Vietnam Insider

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.