Asean morning news

Compiled by Stella-maris Ewudolu          @stmarisewudolu

RCEP ministers vow “upmost effort” to reach deal this year
Ministers from 16 countries negotiating for an Asia-wide free trade pact vowed on Saturday to speed up their collective efforts to achieve the target set by their leaders of concluding the ongoing negotiations this year.
— Bangkok Post

ASEAN manufacturing PMI shows deteriorating conditions
The health of the manufacturing sector in ASEAN countries deteriorated for the second month running in February. The Nikkei ASEAN Manufacturing Purchasing Managers’ Index, or PMI, edged down to 49.6 in February, from 49.7 in January.
— Nikkei Asian Review

China, partner countries to bring BRI to new heights
Countries under the China-led Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) are expected to bring this cooperation to new heights as the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation will take place here in April.
— Philippine News Agency

Tourism industry players not keeping abreast with the times
Last year, 25,832,354 foreigners visited Malaysia, a minuscule drop of 0.4 percent, while Singapore registered 18,506,619 tourists, a healthy increase of 6.21 percent.
— Malaysiakini

Growth in tourism sector under threat
Tourism is a powerful tool for development. It represents 10 percent of the world’s gross domestic product (GDP) and provides 10 percent of jobs globally.
— The Asean Post

EU envoy seeks to strengthen trade with ASEAN
THE European Union (EU) signed several free trade agreements (FTAs) early this year – particularly with Singapore – and is negotiating with Vietnam and Indonesia, while also expanding the FTA negotiations with Malaysia, Thailand and the Philippines in a bid to further enhance the ties between the EU and Asean.
— Borneo Bulletin

China remains Asean’s top trading partner for over a decade
China has been Asean’s top trading partner for 10 consecutive years, registering a strong growth of over 14% last year.
— The Star Online

UOB AND OCTOROCKET TO HELP SMES IN ASEAN APPLY FOR FINANCING
UNITED Overseas Bank (UOB) and OctoRocket.asia (OctoRocket), a business to business e-commerce platform, announced that they have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to enable small businesses in Asean on OctoRocket to apply for financing quickly and easily.
— Digital News Asia

Southeast Asia’s fixation with Nazi iconography alarms world
Thai teen idol Namsai feared being booted from her band after a photo of her wearing a t-shirt with a Nazi swastika went viral, but without the uproar she says she would have remained ignorant about the offensive implications of her fashion choices.
— New Straits Times/ AFP

Consumerism in Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia’s rapid urbanisation and increasing affluence has led to concerns about the growth of consumerism and its impact on sustainability.
— The Asean Post

Lost jobs in the future
Thanks to digital transformation and the Fourth Industrial Revolution, it will be possible for the
same output from ASEAN’s top six economies today to be produced using 28 million fewer workers by 2028.
— The Asean Post

ESL Asia announce National Championships for Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia & Singapore
ESL continue to expand their support for Southeast Asia with a series of new Dota 2 National
Championships.
— VPEsports (media release)

Subic Bay to host 17 SEAG events
Areas within the Subic Bay Metropolitan Freeport are being readied to host a total of 17 events in the coming 30th Southeast Asian Games which the Philippines will host from Nov. 30 until Dec. 11.
— manilastandard.net

Bangkok to host ASEAN-themed Olympic Day 2019
The National Olympic Committee of Thailand will host a pan-ASEAN Olympic Day in Bangkok this year to celebrate the unity of the Southeast Asian nations.
— Around The Rings

Cambodia morning news

Compiled by Piseth Pov          @piseth6666

Workers blocked on way to PM’s home
Hundreds of security forces yesterday prevented almost a thousand garment factory workers from marching to the residence of Prime Minister Hun Sen in order to seek intervention.
— Khmer Times

Cambodia’s PM Hun Sen Defends Embrace of China Amid Concerns of ‘Occupation’
Cambodia’s Prime Minister Hun Sen on Friday dismissed concerns that increased investment and aid from China would result in the “occupation” of his country by the Asian power, as observers urged him to balance Beijing’s influence by nurturing relations with other nations.
— Radio Free Asia

Commerce Ministry Slams US Congressmen Over Trade Sanctions Bill
A senior commerce ministry official has called on the United States to carefully consider the consequences of imposing trade sanctions on Cambodia over its human rights record.
— VOA Cambodia

See here for more of today’s Cambodia morning news

Indonesia morning news

Compiled by Piseth Pov          @piseth6666

Indonesia has 10 areas with potential oil, gas reserves
The Special Task Force for Upstream Oil and Gas Business Activities (SKK Migas) has identified 10 working areas with potential oil and gas reserves.
— Antara News

Indonesia exempts Palestinian dates, olive oil from import taxes
Indonesia has now implemented zero tariffs on dates and olive oil from Palestine, as a continuous commitment to support the social and economic development of the Palestinian people.
— Middle East Monitor

Indonesia, Australia set to ink long-awaited trade deal
Indonesia and Australia are set to ink a long-awaited trade deal on Monday (Mar 4), after months of diplomatic tension over Canberra’s contentious plan to move its embassy to Jerusalem.
— Channel NewsAsia (very annoying popups)

See here for more of today’s Indonesia morning news

Lao PDR morning news

Compiled by Stella-maris Ewudolu          @stmarisewudolu

Japan grants 2.3 billion kip for empowerment of disabled people
The Government of Japan has provided grant assistance worth more than 2.3 billion kip (US$274,459) to support a project dedicated to the empowerment of disabled people in Huaphan province.
— Vientiane Times (paywall)

Child Malnutrition Rates Still High in Laos Despite Best Efforts
Large numbers of children remain malnourished in Laos, especially in poorer rural parts of the country, despite efforts by the U.N. World Food Programme and other concerned organizations to provide better food, sources in Laos say.
— Radio Free Asia

City urged to speed up urban planning
The cabinet has instructed Vientiane authorities to speed up zoning for the development of different areas of the capital so that management of the country’s urban heart can be better regulated.
— Vientiane Times

See here for more of today’s Lao morning news

Malaysia morning news

Compiled by Sreypov Men href=”https://twitter.com/@MenSreypov” target=”_blank” rel=”nofollow noopener noreferrer”>@MenSreypov

Malaysia’s New Attraction: Durian Tourism
Malaysia, well known as a country with delicious durian fruits, now plans to go big on durian tourism, Deputy Agriculture and Agro-based Industries Minister Sim Tze Tzin said, according to The Star. He added that this will be done with the cooperation of the Tourism, Arts and Culture Ministry (Motac).
— Investvine

Malaysia Airlines: Lower losses in 2018
Malaysia Airlines Bhd (MAB) said the group ended 2018 on a marginally lower losses compared to a year ago, impacted by several factors including the crew shortages in the second half of 2018.
— The Sun Daily

4G speed fluctuations still prevalent for mobile internet users in M’sia
The latest report from Opensignal, the independent global standard for analysing consumer mobile experience, shows that across 77 countries studied, 4G Download Speeds are between 31.2 Mbps and 5.8 Mbps faster at the best hour of day compared with the slowest hour of the day.
— The Borneo Post

See here for more of today’s Malaysia Morning News

Myanmar morning news

Compiled by Sreypov Men href=”https://twitter.com/@MenSreypov” target=”_blank” rel=”nofollow noopener noreferrer”>@MenSreypov

Rural areas to receive electricity powered by renewable sources: Minister
Rural areas far from the national grid will get electricity through renewable energy sources, says Minister of Electricity and Energy U Win Khine.
— Myanmar Times

Rakhine State has lowest workforce, highest unemployment rate: survey
Despite having abundant natural resources such as a vast oil and gas deposits, Rakhine State has the lowest workforce and the highest unemployment rate among all other states and regions in Myanmar, according to an investment opportunity survey for the state.
— Eleven Myanmar

Myanmar-Thailand bilateral trade up 5.5% in Q1
Myanmar-Thailand bilateral trade in the first three months of the 2018-2019 Fiscal Year exceeded US$1.3 billion, up by $69.5 million, or 5.5 per cent, from the corresponding period last 2017-2018 FY, according to the Ministry of Commerce.
— Global Newlight of Myanmar

See here for more of today’s Myanmar morning news

Philippines morning news

Compiled by Stella-maris Ewudolu          @stmarisewudolu

Philippine measles epidemic tops 14,000 cases
The number of cases of measles in the Philippines has exceeded more than 14,000 and the count is still rising even as the government steps up its campaign against a vaccine scare that was triggered by deaths allegedly caused by Dengvaxia, a vaccine against dengue.
— Bangkok Post

GOCC subsidies rise 4% in 2018; PhilHealth top recipient
SUBSIDIES granted to state corporations rose in 2018, with the bulk going to the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth), the Bureau of the Treasury said.
— BusinessWorld Online

Economists see Feb inflation at 2 to 4% range
Inflation likely eased last month back to within the two to four percent target set by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) due to easing food prices, particularly that of rice, according to economists.
— The Philippine Star

See here for more of today’s Philippines morning news

Singapore morning news

Compiled by Piseth Pov          @piseth6666

MOH to review the taking of informed consent by doctors, SMC’s disciplinary process
The Ministry of Health (MOH) will review the taking of informed consent by doctors as well as the Singapore Medical Council’s (SMC) disciplinary process, it said in a press release on Saturday (Mar 2).
— Channel NewsAsia (very annoying popups)

MOE’s “holistic” sex education programme accused of being discriminatory
The Ministry of Education’s Sexuality Education (SEd) programme has drawn flak among some quarters after a picture of a consent form for the programme turned up online.
— The Independent

Parliament: Correct the perception that Singapore is an arrogant nation, says Low Thia Khiang
Singapore needs to deepen relations with its ASEAN neighbours to correct the perception it is an arrogant nation that looks at developing nations with a condescending eye, said veteran opposition MP Low Thia Khiang (Aljunied GRC).
— Asia One

See here for more of today’s Singapore morning news

Thailand morning news

Compiled by John Le Fevre          @photo_journ

Thailand preparing CPTPP application
TOKYO: Thailand will apply this month to join the new trans-Pacific free trade agreement, aiming to ensure it is not left behind by its competitors in the vibrant region, according to the country’s trade negotiations chief.
— The Bangkok Post

UN for first time places day’s focus on threats to undersea ecosystem
THE UNITED NATIONS has identified over-fishing and islands of plastic pollution as the major threats not only to ocean biodiversity but also to the livelihoods of billions of people who rely on bountiful seas.
— The Nation (very annoying popups)

E-cigarette users urge quick solution after tourist’s bribery accusation
A NETWORK of e-cigarette users has called on the authorities to quickly come up with appropriate solutions to regulate e-cigarettes in order to protect the country’s image among foreign tourists.
— The Nation (very annoying popups)

See here for more of today’s Thailand morning news

Vietnam morning news

Compiled by Sreypov Men href=”https://twitter.com/@MenSreypov” target=”_blank” rel=”nofollow noopener noreferrer”>@MenSreypov

Industry 4.0 to boost GDP: experts
The Fourth Industrial Revolution could increase Viet Nam’s GDP by between US$28.5 billion and $62.1 billion – equivalent to a rise of 7 to 16 per cent – by 2030, Director of the Central Institute for Economic Management (CIEM) Nguyen Dinh Cung said at a seminar in Ha Noi on Friday.
— Bizhub

High quality needed for Vietnam’s exports to China
Unofficial exports over the border to China will face technical barriers since the two nations have agreed to limit them and increase official exports, heard a recent seminar in Ho Chi Minh City.
— VNA NET

Vietnam’s Danang poaches tourists from Phuket and Bali
A central Vietnamese port city made infamous by a war that ended more than 40 years ago is now stepping up to compete with some of Southeast Asia’s most famous beach resorts.
— Nikkei Asian Review (paywall)

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.