Asean morning news for June 29, 2020

Asean morning news

Compiled by Stella-maris Ewudolu @stmarisewudolu

COVID-19 in Asean: update for June 28 — 156 days: 10 mln infected, 500,000 dead
As of 00:48 GMT June 28 there was 58,721 active cases of COVID-19 throughout the 10 Asean member countries, an increase of 1,187, or 2.06 per cent, on the day prior.
— AEC News Today

Thai PM proposes three ways to reboot ASEAN economies
Thailand’s Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha has proposed three methods, which could be used to revive ASEAN economies post COVID-19, during the ASEAN Summit tele-conference on Friday morning.
— Thai PBS World

Asean virus fund, sea feud in spotlight in virtual summit
Southeast Asian leaders are holding an annual summit Friday by video to show unity and discuss a regional emergency fund to tame the immense crisis wrought by the coronavirus pandemic. The long-divisive South China Sea conflicts are also in the spotlight.
— Business Mirror

Vietnam PM warns of economic calamity at Asean summit
Vietnam warned Friday the virus pandemic had swept away years of economic gains as Southeast Asian leaders met online for a summit also dominated by anxiety over Beijing’s moves in the flashpoint South China Sea.
— The Daily Star

ASEAN position vs. China’s vast historical sea claims called a ‘significant shift’
Southeast Asian leaders said a 1982 U.N. oceans treaty should be the basis of sovereign rights and entitlements in the South China Sea, in one of their strongest remarks opposing China’s claim to virtually the entire disputed waters on historical grounds.
— The Japan Times

Southeast Asia bloc cites ’82 treaty
Southeast Asian leaders said a 1982 U.N. oceans treaty should be the basis of sovereign rights and entitlements in the South China Sea, in one of their strongest remarks opposing China’s claim to virtually the entire disputed waters on historical grounds.
— Northwest Arkansas

Are we ready to reopen our Asean borders?
THERE has been much talk of allowing our borders to reopen with a green-to-green allowance for travel and trade between Asean countries.
— The Malaysian Insight

Mekong Under Great Threat
Water levels in Southeast Asia’s largest river may be at its lowest in a century.
— The Asean Post

Thailand proposes guidelines for COVID 19 crisis in ASEAN
Thailand, during the 36th ASEAN Summit and Related Meetings, has vowed to support the initiative to ease travel restrictions between selected countries.
— Newsline (video)

ASEAN: Follow UNCLOS in South China Sea row
The Association of Southeast Asian Nations said Saturday international law must be followed, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, amid the South China Sea row.
— CNN Philippines

Malaysia urges ASEAN to resolve Rohingya crisis
Malaysia on Friday called on members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to find effective solutions to the Rohingya crisis.
— Anadolu Agency

Commentary: To facilitate regional air travel again, ASEAN needs to harmonise standards
Already devastated by COVID-19, air transport in Southeast Asia is being further set back by unharmonised standards and the failure to so far establish any travel bubbles or green lanes.
— CNA

Asean leaders vow to put economy back on track
Getting the sputtering Southeast Asian economy back on a growth path was the main focus of the meeting of Asean leaders in Hanoi on Friday, which discussed the social and economic impact caused by the Covid-19 crisis and post-pandemic recovery, threadbare.
— Gulf Times

China Plows Ahead with High-Speed Rail Line for Southeast Asia
The coronavirus pandemic sweeping the globe looks to have done little, at least in Laos, to slow China’s grand plans for a high-speed rail line linking its landlocked interior to the bustling ports of Singapore through mainland Southeast Asia.
— Voice of America

Mull ASEAN border opening, PM urges
Prime Minister Hun Sen has requested that ASEAN launch a scenario for gradually reopening cross-border travel and trade between countries in the region.
— The Phnom Penh Post

Interview: RCEP manifests free trade, multilateralism amid global difficulties: Vietnamese scholars
The Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) trade pact, once signed, will act as a meaningful symbol of trade liberalization and multilateralism, not only in the region but also in the world, said a Vietnamese scholar.
— Xinhuanet

Lack of sincerity doubts the U.S.’ engagement in ‘Indo-Pacific’
A report by a Chinese think tank, the National Institute for South China Sea Studies (NISCSS), said that the Trump administration has been trying to exert U.S. security, political and economic influence in the Asia-Pacific through the troop deployment from its Indo-Pacific Command, large-scale high-tech and latest weaponry and a broad series of controversial “Indo-Pacific” strategies.
— CGTN

Duterte urges Asean leaders to find ‘innovative’ ways to end sea disputes
President Rodrigo R Duterte enjoined the other members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) to look for “innovative” ways to resolve the long-standing disputes in the resource-rich South China Sea.
— Gulf Times

ASEAN Leaders’ Interface with Representatives of AIPA a success: Official
The ASEAN Leaders’ Interface with Representatives of ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA) as part of the virtual 36th ASEAN Summit on June 26 was a success particularly in terms of the government – parliament connection, according to the Chairman of the National Assembly (NA) Committee for External Relations Nguyen Van Giau.
— Nhan Dan

PM calls for collective Asean response to virus pandemic
Amid the global pandemic Prime Minister Hun Sen has called for a “collective response and solidarity” based on multilateralism in the Southeast Asia region to fight the coronavirus.
— Khmer Times

Asean Business Advisory Council: Private sector plays crucial role in regional recovery
The 17th Asean Business Advisory Council (Asean-BAC) — which was held via videoconferencing on Friday under the chair of Vietnam — has highlighted the crucial role of the private sector in mitigating the devastating economic and social impact of the Covid-19 pandemic and expediting the region’s economic recovery, and urged for more public-private sector cooperation.
— The Edge Markets

Japan Defense Ministry to create post for ASEAN affairs
The Defense Ministry will create a new post in the Defense Policy Bureau on Wednesday to address issues related to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and Pacific islands.
— The Japan Times

ASEAN commodity purchasing center opens in Chongqing
A purchasing and procurement center, featuring goods from the ASEAN member countries, opened on Sunday in southwest China’s Chongqing Municipality.
— Xinhuanet

Civil Society Seeks Humanitarian Response over Rohingya Crisis
The Coalition of Civil Society Organizations has praised the local people and Government of North Aceh for their initiative and lead in rescuing Rohingya refugees in distress at sea on Thursday (June 25).
— Tempo

Duterte seeks more roles for women in Asean
RECOGNIZING that the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic “aggravates existing gender inequalities,” President Rodrigo Duterte pushed for a “gender-responsive recovery plan” for the Southeast Asian region to “ensure more women’s active participation as we go into the new normal.”
— The Manila Times

U.S. aircraft carriers hold joint drills after ASEAN lambastes Beijing over South China Sea
Two U.S. aircraft carriers kicked off joint exercises in the Philippine Sea on Sunday, a day after Southeast Asian leaders delivered some of their strongest remarks opposing Beijing’s claim to virtually the entire South China Sea on historical grounds.
— The Japan Times

Russia-ASEAN strategic partnership in action amid Covid-19
ON June 17, foreign ministers of ASEAN member states and Russia held a special meeting via video conference to discuss current tasks on countering unprecedented challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic and its adverse impact on the political and economic landscape of the Asia-Pacific region and the whole world.
— The Phnom Penh Post

Southeast Asia’s cloud kitchens swell, powered by Grab and Gojek
A voice reads out the number of a finished order at a GrabKitchen in Bangkok during lunchtime on Monday.
— Nikkei Asian Review (paywall)

South East Asian countries seen importing more coal
Despite the push in renewable energy development, Southeast Asian countries are expected to continue increasing their coal imports amid coal power plant investments in the region.
— Philippine Star

Southeast Asian qualifiers for WUCL 2020 kicks off
Tencent Sports is turning to Mineski Global for its expertise in handling esports tournaments for the Southeast Asian qualifiers of the World University Cyber League (WUCL) 2020, featuring Clash Royale, League of Legends, and PUBG Mobile.
— ABS-CBN News

Cambodia morning news

Compiled by Mark Henry Uy

Two More COVID-19 Cases On Malaysian Flight
The Ministry of Health announced on June 28, 2020 that it has identified new cases of COVID-19 on passengers who returned from Malaysia on June 26.
— CNE

83,000 poor households to receive food assistance from WFP
The World Food Programme (WFP) in collaboration with the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports (MoEYS) will distribute milled rice and vegetable oil to vulnerable households in five provinces of Cambodia.
— Khmer Times

Economic fallout to challenge Cambodia’s COVID-19 success
Unlike Europe, North America and recently Brazil, Mexico, and India, Southeast Asia does not seem to have been hit as hard by the COVID-19 pandemic in terms of total deaths and confirmed cases.
— AEC News Today

See here for more of today’s Cambodia morning news

Indonesia morning news

Compiled by Justhine De Guzman Uy @justhine.aecnews

Indonesia sees 1,385 new Covid-19 cases in 24 hours
Covid-19 infections in Indonesia exceeded 52,000 cases on Saturday after 1,385 new cases were reported over the preceding 24 hours.
— New Straits Times

Indonesia Issues Regulation on Taxing Digital Services
Indonesia’s Ministry of Finance issued Regulation No. 48/PMK.03/2020 (Reg 48/2020) in May 2020, which imposes a 10 percent value-added tax (VAT) on digital services on non-resident companies, starting July 1, 2020.
— ASEAN Briefing

Indonesian Listed Companies to Pay Lowest Tax Rate in Southeast Asia
Some of Indonesia’s listed companies will enjoy a lower income tax rate of 19 percent this year and next year, with a further 3 percent cut starting in 2022 that would make the rate lower than Singapore’s corporate income tax rate, the Finance Ministry said last week.
— Jakarta Globe

See here for more of today’s Indonesia morning news

Lao PDR morning news

Compiled by Mark Henry Uy

Laos reports one more death from dengue fever
The Lao Ministry of Health on Saturday reported 41 new confirmed cases of dengue fever and one more death from the disease.
— The Laotian Times

Thousands of Jobless Lao Workers Return Home From Thailand in Last Two Months
As many as 3,000 Lao workers have returned home during the last two months, crossing the border from Thailand after losing their jobs amid business shut-downs due to coronavirus fears, sources in Laos say.
— RFA

Tourist numbers drop 17 percent in first five months of 2020
The number of domestic and foreign tourists holidaying in Laos during the first five months of this year fell sharply compared to the same period last year.
— Vientiane Times (paywall)

See here for more of today’s Lao morning news

Malaysia morning news

Compiled by Sreypov Men @MenSreypov

Miti: Malaysia calls for cohesive economic measures among Asean members in mitigating impact of Covid-19
Malaysia has called for cohesive economic measures among Asean member states to build socioeconomic resilience in mitigating the impact of Covid-19, said the International Trade and Industry Ministry (Miti).
— Malay Mail

Singapore asked to consider allowing Malaysian workers to commute daily – Muhyiddin
Malaysia has asked Singapore to consider allowing Malaysians working in the republic to commute daily between the two countries, said Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin (pix).
— The Sun Daily

Petronas refutes report on alleged conflict over tax payment to Sarawak
Petroliam Nasional Bhd (Petronas) has categorically refuted a newswire report titled “Malaysian energy giant’s board at odds with prime minister over payment to Sarawak state.
— The Sun Daily

See here for more of today’s Malaysia Morning News

Myanmar morning news

Compiled by Sreypov Men @MenSreypov

Myanmar Extends Travel Ban, Curfews to Contain Covid-19 Spread
Myanmar is imposing a 15-day extension of its virus measures and directives until July 15 to prevent the spread of the pandemic from inbound travelers and within the country, according to a statement Saturday by the Central Committee on Covid-19 Control.
— Bloomberg

IMF Executive Board Approves a US$356.5 Million Disbursement to Myanmar to Address the COVID-19 Pandemic
The IMF Executive Board approves the 72nd request for emergency financial assistance to help its member countries address the challenges posed by COVID-19.
— IMF

Myanmar reports three new COVID-19 cases and one recovery
The total number of COVID-19 cases in Myanmar is nearing 300 with the Ministry of Health and Sports reporting three new cases at 8am on June 28, bringing the total number of cases to 296.
— Myanmar Times

See here for more of today’s Myanmar morning news

Philippines morning news

Compiled by Stella-maris Ewudolu @stmarisewudolu

Rise of COVID-19 cases in Philippines fastest in W. Pacific region -WHO data
The Philippines has the fastest-growing number of new COVID-19 cases among over 20 countries and territories in Western Pacific Region, based on the data of World Health Organization since June 16.
— GMA Network

Doctors in remote barrios protest sudden reassignment to Cebu City
Doctors under the government’s Doctors to the Barrios (DTTBs) program were not informed about what they called an “abrupt exploitative order” to assign them to private hospitals in Cebu City.
— Philippine Star

DOH-CHD Ilocos records 44.1% decrease in dengue suspected cases
The Department of Health – Center for Health Development (DOH-CHD) in Ilocos recorded a 44 percent decrease in dengue suspected cases in the region as of June 16.
— Philippine Information Agency

See here for more of today’s Philippines morning news

Singapore morning news

Compiled by Justhine De Guzman Uy @justhine.aecnews

Singapore’s factory output falls 7.4% in May after 2 months of growth
Singapore’s manufacturing output fell 7.4 per cent year-on-year in May after two straight months of increase as demand weakened across most segments, with only the biomedical manufacturing cluster reporting gains.
— Channel NewsAsia (very annoying popups)

Casinos, Universal Studios, Singapore Zoo among 13 attractions to reopen in July during Phase 2
Tourism-linked businesses will be allowed to reopen in stages during Phase 2 of the COVID-19 circuit breaker reopening, beginning with 13 attractions from Jul 1, said the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) on Sunday (Jun 28).
— Channel NewsAsia (very annoying popups)

213 new Covid-19 cases in Singapore, including 11 in the community
Among the community cases, five are work pass holders and six are Singaporeans or permanent residents.
— Straits Times (annoying popups)

See here for more of today’s Singapore morning news

Thailand morning news

Compiled by John Le Fevre @photo_journ

Thailand Covid-19 Center to finalize Phase 5 restrictions tomorrow, dismisses criticism on rules being “too strict”
The Center for COVID-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) will on Monday disclose details of the easing of Phase 5 restrictions, due to begin on the first of July, while stressing the need for effective disease control measures to prevent a second wave.
— The Pattaya News

Prosecutors say it’s police’s duty to find wanted Red Bull heir
Prosecutors have reminded Thailand’s constabulary that it’s the their responsibility to speed up finding and arresting Red Bull heir Vorayuth “Boss” Yoovidhya, who is wanted in a high-profile 2012 hit-and-run case, before the case expires.
— The Thaiger

See here for more of today’s Thailand morning news

Vietnam morning news

Compiled by Sreypov Men @MenSreypov

COVID-19: Vietnam PM warns of economic calamity at ASEAN summit
Vietnam warned Friday (Jun 26) the virus pandemic had swept away years of economic gains as Southeast Asian leaders met online for a summit also dominated by anxiety over Beijing’s moves in the flashpoint South China Sea.
— CNA

Hanoi grants investment certificates to 229 projects totalling $17.6 billion today
Hanoi has granted investment certificates to 229 projects worth VND405.57 trillion ($17.63 billion) at today’s investment promotion conference, quintupling the figures of four years ago despite the COVID-19 pandemic restricting investment flows across the globe.
— VIR

Việt Nam lures US$6 billion FDI into industrial parks
Nearly US$6 billion in foreign direct investment was poured into Việt Nam’s industrial parks (IPs), processing zones and economic zones (Ezs) in the first half of the year, according to the Ministry of Planning and Investment (MPI).
— Viet Nam News

See here for more of today’s Vietnam morning news

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