Asean morning news
Compiled by Stella-maris Ewudolu @stmarisewudolu
US threat to rethink sharing information with nations using Huawei has implications for Thailand and Philippines
Washington will rethink connectivity and information sharing with any nation using equipment made by Chinese tech giant Huawei – including its allies in Southeast Asia, according to the United States cybersecurity official leading Washington’s campaign against Huawei.
— South China Morning Post
Asean to implement plan to transfer convicts faster
With the majority of 15,000 foreign inmates in Thailand hailing from Asean countries, the government is discussing a plan to facilitate regional efforts to fast track their transfer back home.
— Bangkok Post (annoying pop-ups)
Sino-U.S. trade war clouds growth outlook for East Asia: think-tank
Sino-U.S. trade tensions could slow growth in East Asia this year and next but strong domestic demand and growing intra-regional trade should keep the region’s underlying prospects solid, an economic think-tank said on Wednesday.
— Reuters
Social organisations core to community building: ASEAN
An annual forum held in Jakarta, Indonesia, on April 29 highlighted social organisations’ role in promoting the building of the ASEAN Community.
— Viet Nam News
Thai Mice standards to be adopted by Asean
Thailand has strengthened its role as a regional Mice hub by pushing the country’s venue standards to cover a wider range such as regional and international levels.
— Bangkok Post
Asean initiative to address changing nature of work
Asean will be banding together to boost the region’s ability to prepare for the changing nature of work.
— The Straits Times (annoying pop-ups)
AMS eyeing simplified process for cross-border trading
THE 1st ASEAN Building Construction Working Group Meeting (BCWG) was officially opened yesterday by Deputy Permanent Secretary (Construction Industry and Development) at the Ministry of Development (MoD) Hajah Siti Aidah binti Haji Mohammad.
— Borneo Bulletin
South-east Asia a rising star for cross-border deals: Poll
SOUTH-EAST Asia is the top destination for mergers, acquisitions and investments in the next two years, according to a new poll of business leaders in the Asia-Pacific.
— The Business Times
Philippines, Asean join disaster risk insurance facility
Member countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) including the Philippines are joining Japan in the establishment of a disaster risk insurance facility to build the financial resilience against climate and disaster risks.
— The Philippine Star
Regulator approves guidelines on issuance of Asean Bonds
THE guidelines on the issuance of bonds in line with the standards of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) secured regulatory approval.
— Business Mirror
China’s Digital Silk Road: A Game Changer for Asian Economies
The Second Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation that took place April 25 to 27 saw 37 world leaders gather in Beijing to discuss more bilateral project opportunities with China.
— The Diplomat
Fluor JV completes offshore modules for South China Sea project
The COOEC-Fluor Heavy Industries (COOEC-Fluor) fabrication yard, a joint venture (JV) between COOEC and Fluor, has completed building offshore modules for CNOOC’s gas field development project in the South China Sea.
— Spratly Islands
Can the Yen and Yuan strengthen ASEAN currency safety nets?
Global economies face an uncertain year in 2019. With the ongoing US-China trade war, Brexit impasse, and the general trend towards populism in major nations, there are plenty of things to keep global markets jittery.
— Asean Today
What it means for Cambodia to be an Asean member state
Two years after the Paris Peace Agreement, Cambodia paved its way to become a guest country in Asean from 1993 to 1995 and an observer from 1995 to 1996.
— Khmer Times
Could this tool nudge Southeast Asian shoppers to switch to green palm oil?
One of the main reasons why the uptake of sustainable palm oil has been slow is ignorance.
— Eco-Business
Greater Southeast Asia Mobile Games Report & Five Year Forecast 2018-2022 – ResearchAndMarkets.com
Southeast Asia’s mobile games market is booming, representing a lucrative opportunity for mobile developers and publishers.
— Yahoo Finance
The Korean – ASEAN waves looks set to continue
The Korean Wave was the topic of the day at the Asean-Korea Media Forum held in Seoul recently, with experts saying that it has, in fact, enhanced cultural exchanges between the republic and the region.
— ANN
Cambodia morning news
Compiled by Piseth Pov @piseth6666
Alarming: video shows Sihanoukville’s Independence Beach awash with sewage *updated
Alarming video has been posted to YouTube showing more sewage-polluted water flowing across the sand and into the ocean at Sihanoukville, just days after the Cambodian government order a Chinese-owned casino on Koh Rong Somlem shuttered for the same thing.
— AEC News Today
UN Expert Says She Should Have Access to Cambodia Opposition Leader
UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in Cambodia Rhona Smith expressed her regret Tuesday that she had been refused permission by Cambodia’s government to meet and speak with detained political opposition leader Kem Sokha while she visits the country from April 29 to May 9.
— Radio Free Asia
Despite higher yields, fish exports down
Fishery yields increased in the first quarter of the year, but did result in higher exports, the latest report from the Ministry of Agriculture shows.
— Khmer Times
See here for more of today’s Cambodia morning news
Indonesia morning news
Compiled by Piseth Pov @piseth6666
Asian Development Bank agrees to finance power plant in Indonesia
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has agreed to finance Indonesia’s largest combined-cycle gas turbine (CCGT) power plant, Jawa-1.
— Power Technology
Moving capital will not ease Jakarta’s traffic congestion: Anies
Traffic congestion will continue to plague the streets of Jakarta even if it is no longer the capital city of Indonesia, Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan has said in response to President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo’s plan to move the capital.
— The Jakarta Post
Indonesia’s iron and steel imports reach all-time high in 2018
Indonesia’s iron and steel imports recorded the highest increase of 30 percent in 2018 owing to the massive infrastructure development in the country.
— Antara News
See here for more of today’s Indonesia morning news
Lao PDR morning news
Compiled by Stella-maris Ewudolu @stmarisewudolu
China-Laos railway achieves tech breakthrough
The Yuanjiang Railway Bridge, which has the tallest bridge pier in the world and the longest span between two piers, and is part of the Chinese section of the 925.5-kilometer China-Laos railway, has got a major boost after builders finished installing 18 out of the 56 steel truss complexes forming the bridge.
— ChinaDaily
Xi holds talks with Lao president to promote ties
Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and Chinese president, held talks here on Tuesday with Laotian President Bounnhang Vorachit, who is also general secretary of the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party Central Committee.
— Xinhuanet
Lao gov’t promulgates new law for railway development
Lao President Bounnhang Vorachit has issued a presidential ordinance promulgating the new Law on Railways, which provides guidance on railway development, local media reported on Tuesday.
— Xinhuanet
See here for more of today’s Lao morning news
Malaysia morning news
Compiled by Sreypov Men @MenSreypov
Over 30% increase in unsold residential properties in Malaysia
The year-on-year residential overhang in Malaysia increased to 32,313 units valued at RM19.86bil in 2018, an increase of 30.6% in volume and 27% in value, according to the Valuation and Property Services Department (JPPH).
— The Star Online
Malaysia’s fresh produce traders cry foul over May 1 deadline for safety certification to export to Singapore
Malaysia’s exporters of vegetables and fruits are finding it difficult to meet a May 1 deadline imposed by the Health Ministry for safety certification before they can transport their produce to Singapore.
— Channel NewsAsia
Malaysia’s reserves at US$103 billion at end-March 2019
Malaysia’s reserves remained usable as at end-March 2019, with official reserve assets at US$103.01 billion (RM426.19 billion), in accordance with the International Monetary Fund’s Special Data Dissemination Standard format.
— New Straits Times
See here for more of today’s Malaysia Morning News
Myanmar morning news
Compiled by Sreypov Men @MenSreypov
EU extends ban on arms sales to Myanmar over Rohingya crisis
The European Union has extended a ban on selling arms to Myanmar and prolonged sanctions against high-ranking officials over their role in the Rohingya crisis.
— Aljazeera
China to Provide 1 Billion Yuan Socioeconomic Grant to Myanmar
YANGON—China will provide a grant of 1 billion yuan (225.39 billion kyats, or approximately US$148 million) for socioeconomic development projects under an economic and technical cooperation agreement signed in Beijing last week.
— The irrawaddy
Myanmar has an energy problem
Ever since Myanmar undertook a series of political, economic and administrative reforms in 2011, the country’s economy has steadily improved.
— The Asean Post
See here for more of today’s Myanmar morning news
Philippines morning news
Compiled by Stella-maris Ewudolu @stmarisewudolu
Economy likely grew ‘above 6%’ in Q1
The Philippine economy likely grew slightly above the lower end of the administration’s target in the first three-months of the year after the national government operated under a re-enacted budget, the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) said yesterday.
— Manila Bulletin
Philippines records over 31,000 measles cases since January
The Philippines recorded a total of 31,056 measles cases since January this year, the Philippine Department of Health (DOH) said on Tuesday, adding that the outbreak was almost over as the number of cases was on a downward trend.
— Xinhuanet
Philippines police to launch probe on Huawei spying claims, despite country’s welcoming stance
The Philippine National Police (PNP) will probe claims that Beijing could use Huawei for spying, its top law enforcement officer has said, in a rare deviation from the Southeast Asian country’s welcoming stance toward the Chinese tech giant.
— South China Morning Post
See here for more of today’s Philippines morning news
Singapore morning news
Compiled by Piseth Pov @piseth6666
Singapore workers more anxious about change than losing their job to automation
Singapore workers are less anxious about potentially losing their jobs due to automation than they are about having to learn new skills or change the way they perform their tasks. Most also welcome workplace automation as a positive progress as these tools simplify work processes and reduce repetitive.
— ZD Net
Employment agency fined S$78,000 after uploading insensitive maid ads on Carousell
Employment agency SRC Recruitment was fined S$78,000 on Tuesday (Apr 30) after uploading insensitive advertisements of foreign domestic workers on online marketplace Carousell.
— CNA (very annoying popups)
Singapore manufacturers, services firms less upbeat about next 6 months
MANUFACTURING and services firms in Singapore have become less optimistic about business prospects in the next six months, although both sectors expressed overall slight positive sentiment, two surveys released on Tuesday have found.
— The Business Times
See here for more of today’s Singapore morning news
Thailand morning news
Compiled by John Le Fevre @photo_journ
Thai private sector lowers 2019 export growth projection to 2.1%
The Thai Chamber of Commerce and Board of Trade have reduced Thailand’s 2019 export growth projection from 3.1% to 2.1% citing several unfavorable external factors.
— Thai PBS News
March exports drop 4.2% y-o-y, trade surplus narrows
Thailand’s current account surplus was $6.08 billion in March, compared with February’s $6.51 billion surplus, the Bank of Thailand said on Tuesday.
— Bangkok Post
Thanathorn threatens to sue EC
The Future Forward leader has threatened to take legal action against the Election Commission after a four-hour meeting with its panel handling his media shareholding case on Tuesday.
— Bangkok Post
See here for more of today’s Thailand morning news
Vietnam morning news
Compiled by Sreypov Men @MenSreypov
Vietnam’s rice export prices rise for first time in six weeks
Rice export prices in Vietnam rose for the first time in six weeks as domestic buying picked up and fears of water scarcity in the country’s rice bowl grew, while weaker local currencies weighed on rates in other top Asian exporting hubs. In Vietnam, rates for 5 percent broken rice rose to $360-$370 a tonne on Thursday from $360 last week.
— Business Recorder
Low-cost housing projects face big losses
Investors in low-cost housing projects in some southern localities are complaining about big losses due to unfair regulations.
— Vietnam Insider
Vietnam’s four-month industrial production rises 9.2%: GSO
In the first four months of 2019, 59/63 provinces and cities in Vietnam had an increase in IIP over the same period last year.
— 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.