Asean morning news
Compiled by Stella-maris Ewudolu @stmarisewudolu
ASEAN can no longer turn a blind-eye to Myanmar’s atrocities
After fighters attacked security targets in Myanmar’s northern Rakhine state on August 25, 2017, the Myanmar military responded by killing and maiming thousands of Rohingya civilians, raping hundreds of women and girls, and burning entire villages to the ground.
— Aljazeera
China says U.S. criticism over South China Sea is slander
Remarks by U.S. officials on China’s role in the South China Sea are slanderous, its foreign ministry said on Monday, after the United States voiced concern over reports of Chinese interference with oil and gas activities in the disputed waters.
— Thomson Reuters Foundation
Singapore top choice for Asean talent: survey
SINGAPORE is the top destination for working professionals in the region, according to a survey of some 3,500 jobseekers in 11 markets in Asia.
— The Business Times
Rohingya Crisis: Dhaka seeks NAM, ASEAN member states’ role
Permanent Representative of Bangladesh to the United Nations in New York Ambassador Masud Bin Momen has urged the NAM member states including the ASEAN neighbours of Myanmar to remain engaged and put in more efforts so that Myanmar authorities do not fail in taking the Rohingyas back.
— The Daily Star
ASEAN Region Is Projected to Become the World’s 4th Largest Economic Zone by 2030
Thailand hosted the 34th ASEAN Summit in Bangkok from June 20-23, 2019.
— Yahoo Finance
Multidrug-resistant malaria spreading in Southeast Asia: study
Strains of malaria resistant to two key anti-malarial medicines are becoming more dominant in Vietnam, Laos and northern Thailand after spreading rapidly from Cambodia, scientists warned on Monday.
— Reuters
Southeast Asia will be hardest hit by melting ice; governments urged to speed up change
Southeast Asia is around 11,000 km from the Arctic and 9,000km from Antarctica, but it will be hardest hit by rising sea levels caused by melting and collapsing ice sheets if carbon emissions remain at business-as-usual levels and temperatures continue to rise.
— Eco-Business
Countering Chinese Aggression in the South China Sea
There can be no doubt that the United States lacks an actionable maritime strategy with respect to the South China Sea, nor does the maritime force exist to effectively counter Chinese expansion in this economically and politically critical space.
— Spratly Islands
Pompeo Visit Important for Region, Not Just Thailand
When US Secretary of State Michael Pompeo stops in Bangkok for a three-day visit at the end of this month, he will find that Washington’s good old ally Thailand is ready to tango.
— The Irrawaddy
Asean the “real prize” for Singapore’s upcoming digital banks: Maybank Kim Eng
THE “real prize” for Singapore’s upcoming five challenger digital banks is the Asean market, where half of the population is underbanked and incumbent banks are still catching up, according to a recent report by Maybank Kim Eng.
— The Business Times
China, ASEAN to enhance education cooperation
China and ASEAN countries are seeking closer ties in education cooperation as the 2019 China-ASEAN Education Cooperation Week opened Monday in Gui’an New Area, southwest China’s Guizhou Province.
— Xinhuanet
Young athletes compete at Asean school games
A total of 56 Cambodian athletes, coaches, and delegates are representing the kingdom in Indonesia at the 11th ASEAN Schools Games which is taking place between July 17-25 in Semarang, Central Java.
— Khmer Times
Philippines vehicle production falls most in Asean
Motor vehicle production in the Philippines continued to fall behind the rest of Southeast Asia as it posted the biggest decline in output at 29.5 percent in the five months to May this year.
— The Philippine Star
Gojek rebrands with new logo
Indonesia-headquartered Gojek revealed a new logo in a rebrand to mark what the company is calling Gojek’s evolution from Jakarta-based ride-hailing service into one of Southeast Asia’s multi-service digital apps.
— KrAsia
SE Asia PA demand bearish; output cuts may support market
Southeast Asia’s phthalic anhydride (PA) prices retreated after a recent upswing, as buying failed to pick up as well as earlier expected, but the market may be supported by tightening supply amid output cuts.
— ICIS
Ha Long to host ASEAN+3 singing contest
Twenty-two professional pop singers from ten member countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) will compete at the ASEAN+3 singing contest slated for July 26-29 in Ha Long city, the northern province of Quang Ninh.
— Vietnamplus
Cambodia morning news
Compiled by Justhine De Guzman Uy @justhine.aecnews
Cambodia Denies ‘Secret Agreement’ With China For Naval Base Use
Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen on Monday denied a Wall Street Journal report that Cambodia had signed a secret agreement with China to allow the Chinese Navy use of its Ream Naval base in southwestern Sihanoukville province.
— VOA Khmer
Journalists nabbed over land dispute
Preah Sihanouk provincial military police on Friday arrested two journalists and five others over a land dispute in Sihanoukville.
— Khmer Times
Tycoon in ‘millions of dollars’ fraud case
The Siem Reap provincial court on Sunday charged a businessman with fraud and issuing fake cheques after he was
arrested for deceiving people from various provinces out of millions of dollars through an investment scheme.
— The Phnom Penh Post
See here for more of today’s Cambodia morning news
Indonesia morning news
Compiled by Justhine De Guzman Uy @justhine.aecnews
IT error causes changes in Bank Mandiri customer accounts
Many customers of state-owned lender Bank Mandiri are complaining about transaction failures after attempting to use ATMs on Saturday morning.
— The Jakarta Post
Indonesia, facing a waste crisis, plans to burn it for electricity
The Indonesian government plans to burn waste to fuel power plants in four cities on the island of Java this year as part of efforts to tackle the country’s plastic waste crisis.
— Mongabay
Fears over Indonesian president’s demand for unfettered investment
Environmental activists say they fear for what’s left of Indonesia’s tropical rainforests, following a fiery call by President Joko Widodo threatening action against anyone hindering investment in the country.
— Mongabay
See here for more of today’s Indonesia morning news
Lao PDR morning news
Compiled by Justhine De Guzman Uy @justhine.aecnews
Survivors of Dam Collapse in Laos to Receive Half Compensation on Anniversary of Disaster
On the night of July 23, 2018, water poured over a saddle dam at the Xe Pian Xe Namnoy (PNPC) hydropower project in Champassak, Laos, sweeping away homes and causing severe flooding in up to 12 villages downstream in Champassak and neighboring Attapeu province.
— RFA
Germany grants 8.3b kip to bolster food security in Xieng Khuang
The Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development of Germany (BMZ) in cooperation with the Adventist Development and Relief Agency Germany (ADRA) has granted more than 8.3 billion kip (US$961,493) to fund a three-year food security and livelihoods project in Phoukoud district, Xieng Khuang province.
— Vientiane Times
Laos Vows to Continue to Bolster Rehabilitation Services and Investment
Laos will continue to bolster services and investment in rehabilitation, including supporting the attainment of universal health coverage.
— The Laotian Times
See here for more of today’s Lao morning news
Malaysia morning news
Compiled by Sreypov Men @MenSreypov
SME Corp targets digitalisation of all SMEs by 2024
SME Corporation Malaysia (SME Corp) expects all small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the country to embrace digitalisation in their business operations within five years compared with the current 32 per cent.
— The Sun Daily
Jho Low personally called when Najib faced credit card woes in Hawaii, court told
Former AmBank account relationship manager Joanna Yu Ging Ping told the High Court today that she would be contacted personally by Low Taek Jho on behalf of Datuk Seri Najib Razak when the then prime minister’s credit.
— Malay Mail
Fitch Ratings affirms Maybank’s IDRs at A minus, outlook stable
Fitch Ratings has affirmed the long-term foreign- and local-currency issuer default ratings (IDRs) of Malayan Banking Bhd at “A-“.
— The Star Online
See here for more of today’s Malaysia Morning News
Myanmar morning news
Compiled by Sreypov Men @MenSreypov
Myanmar Military Proposes Larger Budget for ‘Stronger’ Armed Forces
The Defense Ministry on Monday requested more than 3.37 trillion kyats (US$2.22 billion) for fiscal year 2019-20, which begins Oct. 1.
— Irrawaddy
Internet Cutoff in Myanmar’s Rakhine Enters Fifth Week
A sweeping internet shutdown in Myanmar’s conflict-hit Rakhine state went into its fifth week Monday as residents called on the government to end an information blackout that rights groups say could provide cover for rights abuses.
— VOA
More than 45,000 people affected by first monsoon flood
Flooding caused by the first monsoon of the season displaced more than 45,000 people, according to a statement issued by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs-Myanmar (OCHA) on Thursday.
— Myanmar Times
See here for more of today’s Myanmar morning news
Philippines morning news
Compiled by Stella-maris Ewudolu @stmarisewudolu
Philippines’ Duterte defends China gambit, calls for return of death penalty in annual address
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte launched a spirited defence of his relationship with China on Monday (Jul 22), insisting that his refusal to challenge its maritime assertiveness was not capitulation, but an avoidance of conflict.
— CNA
Highlights of Duterte’s 4th State of the Nation Address
President Rodrigo Duterte delivered on Monday an almost expletive-free fourth State of the Nation Address (Sona) that lasted for an hour and 33 minutes.
— Inquirer.net
Goverment incurred P41.8-b budget deficit in June
The government incurred a budget deficit of P41.8 billion in June, lower by 22.9 percent or P12.5 billion than the P54.3-billion shortfall in the same month last year as revenue collections rose 4.3 percent and expenditures dropped 1 percent during the month, the Treasury said Monday.
— Manilastandard.net
See here for more of today’s Philippines morning news
Singapore morning news
Compiled by John Le Fevre @photo_journ
Singapore employees seek 17% pay raise when switching jobs: report
JOB seekers in Singapore are looking to get a 17 per cent bump in pay when they switch jobs, after averaging across industries and levels, said a report by RGF International Recruitment.
— The Business Times
Tag-team tack keeps Singapore businesses sustainable, fighting fit
AS companies recognise the need to innovate and transform their businesses to remain sustainable and competitive, partnerships between traditional enterprises and innovative tech startups are proving key in achieving these goals.
— The Business Times
Singaporean film-maker hypothesises how China can easily take over Singapore by 2050
Renowned local film-maker Martyn See took to his Facebook on Sunday (21 July) to explain how China can effortlessly take over Singapore from 2040 to 2050, without any interference from any military.
— The Online Citizen
See here for more of today’s Singapore morning news
Thailand morning news
Compiled by John Le Fevre @photo_journ
Thailand’s June foreign tourist arrivals rise 0.89% y/y – ministry
Thailand saw a rise of 0.89% in tourist arrivals in June from a year earlier, after a drop of 1.03% in May, the tourism ministry said in a statement on Monday.
— Reuters
Ex- Deputy PM stunned by the words ‘intelligent country’ in government policy
Former deputy prime minister Korbsak Sabhavasu said today (Monday) that he was stunned that the government dared to use the words ‘intelligent country’ in the policy statement to be presented to parliament on July 25th and 26th by Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha.
— Thai PBS News
Rescued human trafficking victims in Thailand nears record high
The number of human trafficking victims rescued in Thailand is set to hit a record high this year, according to government data, with demand for cheap labour in neighbouring Malaysia causing a jump in the illegal trade.
— CNA
See here for more of today’s Thailand morning news
Vietnam morning news
Compiled by Sreypov Men @MenSreypov
Vietnam cracks down on tariff-dodging export detours
The Vietnamese government has begun taking steps to clamp down on shipments of products from China and elsewhere that pass through Vietnam and are relabeled as Vietnamese to avoid U.S. tariffs.
— Nikkei Asian Review (paywall)
HCM City firms’ exports increase by 9.2 percent
Export revenues by Ho Chi Minh City-based enterprises in the first six months of the year reached 19.6 billion USD, a 9.2 percent increase year-on-year, according to the municipal People’s Committee.
— VietnamPlus
Vietnam targets to have 100,000 agribusinesses by 2030
Vietnam’s agricultural sector is facing three major challenges, including low productivity, risks from climate change, and fierce competition from the global integration process.
— The Hanoitimes
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.