Asean morning news
Compiled by Stella-maris Ewudolu @stmarisewudolu
Investors upbeat but scepticism over BRI growing
The ongoing Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) that’s taking place all over the world has got investors excited.
— The Asean Post
Commentary: Russia floods Southeast Asia with arms
Russia’s “hard” power is generally well-understood.
— Channel NewsAsia
ASEAN Subregionalism in Focus with BIMP-EAGA Anniversary
This week, a commemoration was held to mark the 25th anniversary of the decades-old subregional grouping known as the Brunei Darussalam-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines East ASEAN Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA).
— The Diplomat
Xi sees larger media role in ASEAN ties
President Xi Jinping on Wednesday encouraged more and better stories to be told about the friendship between China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.
— Eleven
ASEAN-China announce Year of Media Exchanges
ASEAN nations and China have declared this year to be the ASEAN-China Year of Media Exchanges in a bid to produce information and form mass media networks that connect people.
— NNT
Southeast Asia is lighting up with smart cities
Southeast Asia is home to some of the fastest growing cities. Governments and organizations in the region are doubling their efforts to make their cities better equipped, connected, and accessible to citizens.
— The Sociable
More than half of reports still done manually, say SEA programmatic traders
Programmatic traders worldwide felt they spend a lot of time on reports.
— Marketing Interactive
ASEAN ‘stronger’ when strongmen still around: PM Mahathir
Mahathir Mohamad (JP/Wendra Ajistyatama) Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, one of the last remaining members of Southeast Asia’s old guard who fought colonialism and transformed their respective nations into “tiger economies”, said ASEAN was stronger when he and his peers — Indonesia’s Soeharto and Singapore’s Lee Kuan Yew — were still around.
— The Jakarta Post (paywall)
A new paradigm for a changing world order
The latest air pollution crisis has been a wake-up call to the way we in this country think about the need for a more environmentally friendly development strategy.
— Bangkok Post
Reporter’s diary: Chinese men marry Southeast Asian wives due to lack of options at home
China’s disproportionate ratio of men to women has prompted many bachelors to seek wives outside the country.
— CGTN
4G just isn’t enough anymore
Recently, Opensignal – a United States (US)-based company that specialises in mapping wireless coverage – presented its first report titled “How 5G will solve the congestion problems of today’s 4G networks”.
— The Asean Post
Southeast Asian Streamer HOOQ Unveils Filmmakers Guild Contenders
Southeast Asian streaming platform HOOQ has unveiled the 2019 contenders for its annual HOOQ Filmmakers Guild program.
— The Hollywood Reporter
Subsidies by local governments to marry foreign brides fuelling women trafficking
Some local administrations want to to counter rural exodus through financial incentives, ranging from US$ 2,700 to US$ 8,900.
— AsiaNews.it
Dress for the pagoda, not the dancefloor
It’s a story that never seems to go away. Year after year we hear and see the same things.
— Viet Nam News
Cambodia morning news
Compiled by Piseth Pov @piseth6666
Provinces hit by drought, PM advises farmers on growing rice
Prime Minister Hun Sen yesterday called on local authorities to advise farmers to cultivate dry-season rice once due to the dry spell and water shortage this year.
— Khmer Times
US Is Obliged to Demine Cluster Munitions in Cambodia, Says US Embassy Phnom Penh
US Embassy in Cambodia’s Chargé D’Affaires Michael Newbill, acknowledged that demining landmines (massive contamination), cluster munition remnants (heavy contamination), and other unexploded ordnance (UXO) in Cambodia is the US’s obligation, speaking in a meeting with First Vice-President of the Cambodian Mine Action and Victim Assistance Authority (CMAA) Ly Thuch on Wednesday.
— Fresh News
A Pillar of the Paris Peace Accords, on “Seeking Justice in Cambodia”
One of the greatest disappointments of my public life has been the international community’s failure – and my failure, the failure of all of us – to match the achievement of peace in Cambodia, which so many of us worked so hard to achieve, with any comparable achievement in relation to democracy and human rights.
— VOA Cambodia
See here for more of today’s Cambodia morning news
Indonesia morning news
Compiled by Stella-maris Ewudolu @stmarisewudolu
January Debt at 30.1% of GDP, Finance Ministry Says
The Finance Ministry announced that the total debt owed by the central government as per January 2019 reached Rp4,498.56 trillion.
— Tempo.co
Bank Indonesia keeps rate at 6 percent in February
Bank Indonesia (BI) announced its plan to maintain its policy rate for the third successive month after a two-day board of governors meeting on Thursday.
— The Jakarta Post
GDP in agricultural sector increases to almost half of state budget
Agriculture Minister Andi Amran Sulaiman has claimed that the national gross domestic product (GDP) from the agricultural sector has increased significantly to almost half of the state budget since President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) took office in October 2014.
— Antara News
See here for more of today’s Indonesia morning news
Lao PDR morning news
Compiled by Piseth Pov @piseth6666
Inactive investors to lose land concession licences
The government has given the green light for state agencies to revoke land concession licences held by investors who fail to develop state land in accordance with agreements.
— Vientiane Times
Provincial Lawmakers in Laos Call for More Scrutiny of Foreign Firms
Lawmakers in Laos are urging the government to be stricter on foreign business entities in the country in an effort to protect the environment and protect the livelihood of the people.
— Radio Free Asia
Thailand, Laos launch forest fire prevention campaign
Thailand and Laos have launched an annual campaign to prevent and address forest fire between both countries.
— Vietnam Plus
See here for more of today’s Lao morning news
Malaysia morning news
Compiled by Sreypov Men @MenSreypov
Minister: Putrajaya wants Malaysia to be leading aerospace nation by 2030
The government is targeting for Malaysia to be among the region’s aerospace pioneers by 2030, said International Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Ignatius Darell Leiking.
— Malay Mail
Technological innovation to boost oil palm planters’ productivity
The palm oil sector needs to mechanise and automate further to raise productivity, said Dr Shariman Alwani, who is head of strategy, innovation and renewables at Sime Darby Plantation Bhd.
— New Straits Times
China’s demand for durian sparks environmental concerns in Malaysia
It’s a notorious fruit that has plenty of fans in China. But that’s leading to worries in one country that’s supplying them.
— CGTN
See here for more of today’s Malaysia Morning News
Myanmar morning news
Compiled by Sreypov Men @MenSreypov
Creation of new ministry part of Myanmar’s plan to incentivise FDI
In an attempt to reverse a recent decline in foreign investment, Myanmar has set up a new ministry tasked with attracting and facilitating fresh inflows, though concerns over the re-imposition of import tariffs by the EU could cool investor appetite.
— Myanmar Times
Myanmar-US trade touches $230 mln in Q1
The bilateral trade between Myanmar and the US totalled US$230 million in the October-December period in the current fiscal, with exports surpassing imports, according to data released by the Ministry of Commerce.
— Global Newlight of Myanmar
Delayed dam project awaits resolution in Myanmar
Though Myanmar officials have expressed their appreciation for the benefits of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), Chinese analysts noted that more practical outcomes should be delivered apart from optimistic plans, as some BRI projects still face uncertainty in the Southeast Asian country.
— Global Times
See here for more of today’s Myanmar morning news
Philippines morning news
Compiled by Stella-maris Ewudolu @stmarisewudolu
2018 fiscal deficit hits P558.26 billion
THE national government reported a budget deficit of P558.26 billion for 2018, as its expenditures of P3.408 trillion outpaced its revenues pegged at P2.85 trillion.
— Business Mirror
Jan. budget utilization accelerates to 60%
THE national government posted a budget utilization rate of 60% in January, well above the year-earlier rate of 33%, the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) said.
— BusinessWorld Online
UNICEF-WHO Philippines: Measles Outbreak, Situation Report 2, 20 February 2019
Between 1 January and 18 February 2019, 9,267 measles cases including 146 deaths were officially reported through the routine surveillance system from the Philippines Department of Health (DoH): a 266% increase with the same time period in 2018 (see Table 1).
— ReliefWeb
See here for more of today’s Philippines morning news
Singapore morning news
Compiled by John Le Fevre @photo_journ
Singapore wants more ‘sustainable’ foreign labour dependency
Singapore’s Minister for Trade and Industry Chan Chun Sing said the tightening in foreign worker rules announced in the budget this week was a “surgical” move targeted at specific industries to make the labour market more sustainable.
— The Edge Singapore
Motorists to face harsher penalties for serious offences as MHA reviews traffic laws
Motorists found guilty of serious traffic offences will face harsher penalties as part of proposed changes to the Road Traffic Act.
— Channel NewsAsia (very annoying popups)
Singapore Has a Better Bali on Its Doorstep, Developer Says
Singapore’s second-largest developer has a suggestion for the government: re-position the billionaire enclave of Sentosa as a tourism mecca like Bali.
— Bloomberg
See here for more of today’s Singapore morning news
Thailand morning news
Compiled by John Le Fevre @photo_journ
Auto output up 8% in January
Automotive output in January stood at 179,595 units, up year-on-year by 8.06%, on increased production for domestic and overseas markets, the Federation of Thai Industries said on Thursday.
— Bangkok Post
Rights advocates worry cyber bills a major threat
Some tweaks made after outcry, but sweeping state powers raise fears of invasion of privacy
— The Nation (very annoying popups)
Thailand reveals plans for ‘ASEAN’s biggest digital innovation hub’
Thailand is set to launch Digital Park Thailand, which its says will be the biggest digital innovation hub in Southeast Asia.
— KrASIA
See here for more of today’s Thailand morning news
Vietnam morning news
Compiled by Sreypov Men @MenSreypov
Hanoi values World Bank’s support in transport development
Hanoi appreciates the World Bank (WB)’s assistance and collaboration in improving local people’s living standards and developing urban infrastructure, particularly in transport, stated the city’s leader.
— VNA NET
Viet Nam’s economic freedom up 2.2 points: Heritage Foundation index
Viet Nam’s economic freedom score is 55.3, making its economy the 128th freest in the 2019 Index. Its overall score has increased by 2.2 points, with a sharp increase in fiscal health and higher scores for investment freedom, according to the Heritage Foundation’s Index of Economic Freedom.
— Bizhub
Blue chips save Vietnam stock market blushes
Strong growth in blue chip stocks raised the VN-Index by 17 points Thursday despite most other stocks falling in value.
— VietnamPlus
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.
Asean morning news for February 22 added by Digital Editor on
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