Asean Morning News
Compiled by Kongleaphy Keam @kongleaphy1
Ship for Southeast Asian and Japanese Youth Program participants set off for Indonesia
Participants in the Ship for Southeast Asian and Japanese Youth Program have set off on the Nippon Maru for Indonesia and Malaysia after engaging in a week of activities in Thailand.
— NBT World (video)
ASEAN sends aid to typhoon victims in Vietnam
An aid package from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations for victims of typhoon Damrey has arrived at Cam Ranh International Airport in the central province of Khanh Hoa.
— NBT world (video)
Crackdown: Australia joins new ASEAN intelligence sharing on terror financing
AUSTRALIA is teaming up with South East Asian countries in a new crackdown on terror financing to prevent ISIS and other terrorist groups gaining ground in the region.
— The Daily Telegraph (video)
ASEAN’s changing posture toward China
In recent years, China’s militarization efforts in the South China Sea took center stage in discussions at regular meetings between leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and its partners such as the United States, Japan and China. But ASEAN members took a softer approach on the issue at the meetings held last week in Manila and were reluctant to dwell on it.
— The Japan Times
Blockade ‘opens opportunity for Asean to help Qatar’
The blockade on Qatar has opened opportunities for the country and the Association of South East Asian Nations (Asean) to look at the “complementarities available” to further enhance their economic and trade relations, Commercial Bank Group CEO Joseph Abraham has said.
— Gulf Times
Asean rules for Mekong region urged as governments falter
ACADEMICS HAVE SUGGESTED there should be an international Asean declaration to control and enforce good governance and the protection of human rights in the region.
— The Nation
China’s Belt and Road Initiative to benefit ASEAN economy and nations, says Finance secretary
Member-states of the Association of South East Asian Nations stand to greatly benefit from China’s Belt and Road Initiative, especially in the infrastructure sector, according to Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez.
— Eagle News
ASEAN Community in Doha hosted a Seminar on Trade and Investment Opportunities in ASEAN
ASEAN Community in Doha hosted a Seminar on Trade and Investment Opportunities in ASEAN at Shangri-La Hotel Doha on Monday.
— Qatar Tribune (video)
ASEAN and China underline strategic tourism partnership
New levels of ASEAN-China tourism cooperation were lauded as a success and an indication of more to come, at the closing ceremony of the ASEAN-China Tourism Cooperation Year 2017, which took place in Kunming, China on 17 November.
— Travel Daily News
Asean army chiefs agree to hold first info-sharing workshop in Singapore next year
As the incoming chairman of Asean, Singapore will host the first workshop for armies of Asean countries to share information for mutual learning next year (2018).
— The Straits Times
Scholarship Available for ASEAN students
The Canadian government/DFATD is now giving scholarship to students from 10 ASEAN states to conduct short term research or study in Canada. The first competition is expected to open in Jan-Feb 2018. (Students from Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, The Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, or Vietnam)
— McMaster University
Cambodia Morning News
Compiled by Sreypov Men @MenSreypov
Hun Sen bids to buy a no-contest election
As Cambodia’s Supreme Court ruled last week to dissolve the country’s main opposition party, Prime Minister Hun Sen spent the day handing out US$2.50 cash envelopes to garment factory workers in the national capital.
— Asia Times
Government agrees to accept deportees from the US
Cambodia has agreed to reaccept deportees from the US but is requesting a delay for those who have serious illnesses, according to a Ministry of Interior official who briefed reporters on a wide-ranging meeting between Interior Minister Sar Kheng and US Ambassador William Heidt yesterday.
— The Phnom Penh Post
Cambodian business world shrugs off political crackdown
As Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen tightens the screws on democracy to secure a resounding win at next year’s election, the country’s business community has struck a grimly defiant tone amid political convulsions and controversy.
— Nikkei Asian Review
See here for more of today’s Cambodia Morning News
Indonesia Morning News
Compiled by Sreypov Men @MenSreypov
Pertamina to add 14 regencies to single fuel price program
State-owned oil and gas company Pertamina will include 14 more regencies in Maluku, North Maluku, West Papua and Papua on the single fuel price program to help people in remote areas purchase fuel at the same standardized price.
— The Jakarta Post
Gov’t Mulls Not Importing Gas until 2019
The government, through the Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources, projects that there would be no gas imports over the next two years due to limited infrastructure and uncommited gas for domestic gas needs.
— Netral News
Indonesian businesses prepare for the worst as they face up to universal halal law
Concerns are mounting over a controversial new law to bring across-the-board halal certification to Indonesia, as an unprepared government department and industry figures wonder how they will cope with its implementation.
— Food Navigator
See here for more of today’s Indonesia Morning News
Lao PDR Morning News
Compiled by Leakhena Khat @leakhenakhat
Minimum wage hike in the pipeline
A tripartite meeting held in Vientiane recently agreed to increase the minimum wage from the present 900,000 kip to 1.2 million kip a month, a senior official has confirmed.
— Vientiane Times
Laos affirms support for Asia-Europe connectivity
The government’s support for the realisation of Asia-Europe connectivity has been confirmed at a meeting of foreign ministers from the two continents in the belief it will help transform Laos from being landlocked to land-linked.
— Vientiane Times
Lao satellite will fulfil expectations: manager
The business operations generated by Lao Sat 1, the country’s first satellite, will overcome all current challenges and contribute to socio-economic development.
— Vientiane Times
See here for more of today’s Lao Morning News
Malaysia Morning News
Compiled by Kongleaphy Keam @kongleaphy1
Malaysia becomes Asia’s worst stock market as election looms
Malaysia’s FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI Index has turned out to be the worst Asian equity gauge so far this year with less than 5 per cent growth. And an undetermined election date isn’t helping.
— The Business Times
Muslim World Should Embrace the Changes of the Digital Industrial Revolution: Malaysia PM
Change is coming. For Malaysia’s Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, there is no way to avoid the disruption carried by the world’s Fourth Industrial Revolution (“Industry 4.0”), and the Muslim world must prepare for the challenges of this new technological innovation.
— Morocco World News
Malaysia calls EU to accept MSPO cert
Malaysia is calling upon 18 European ambassadors lead by the European Union (EU) ambassador Maria Castillo Fernandez to accredit and accept the Malaysian Sustainable Palm Oil (MSPO) certification.
— New Straits Times
See here for more of today’s Malaysia Morning News
Myanmar Morning News
Compiled by Kongleaphy Keam @kongleaphy1
Myanmar’s discrimination against Rohingya Muslims is ‘apartheid’: Amnesty International
Myanmar’s policies that restrict ethnic Rohingyas from travelling, visiting a hospital or going to school amount to apartheid, Amnesty International says.
— ABC News
Suu Kyi takes a populist, paranoid turn
Myanmar’s increasingly internationally maligned de-facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi signaled a neo-populist turn in her speech on Monday to the Asia Europe Foreign Ministers (ASEM) meeting held at Naypyitaw.
— Asia Times
US Senator: Myanmar Crisis Bears ‘All the Hallmarks’ of Ethnic Cleansing
A United States Senate delegation to Myanmar said Tuesday that the crisis in the Rakhine state “has all the hallmarks of ethnic cleansing.”
— VOA
See here for more of today’s Myanmar Morning News
Philippines Morning News
Compiled by Leakhena Khat @leakhenakhat
Foreign firms generating super-profits from PH telecom duopoly
IN my column of October 30, I showed that one major reason why we have such poor telecoms in this country is because PLDT and Globe Telecom – the two firms making up the duopoly here – have been so greedy.
— The Manila Times
Youth unemployment in PH to remain high
The youth unemployment rate in Southeast Asia and the Pacific is expected to show the second-largest increase worldwide, with the joblessness rate among the youth in the Philippines expected to increase, a report released by the International Labour Organization (ILO) said.
— Malaya
Surging growth draws focus from Philippines’ war on drugs
While human rights campaigners are keeping a grim body count of Filipinos killed during Rodrigo Duterte’s war on drugs, economic managers in the populist president’s government are trying to call the world’s attention to another number: surging GDP growth.
— The Financial Times
See here for more of today’s Philippines Morning News
Singapore Morning News
Compiled by Leakhena Khat @leakhenakhat
Dairy industry faces uphill battle to persuade Singaporeans to drink milk
The dairy industry has a battle on its hands to increase milk consumption in Singapore, with a recent report revealing that half of Singaporean adults seldom consume it and are content to ignore its important health benefits.
— FoodNavigator-Asia
Singapore set for tax hike: What could it be and when?
A rise in the goods and services tax (GST) is one way the Government could raise revenue to finance the country’s spending needs, though economists are divided on when that could happen if this option was pursued.
— Channel NewsAsia
Commentary: Indonesia and Singapore, leading the way in infrastructure financing
An estimated US$2.1 trillion of infrastructure investment is required across ASEAN but current budgets will cover only US$910 million.
— Channel NewsAsia
See here for more of today’s Singapore Morning News
Thailand Morning News
Compiled by John Le Fevre @photo_journ
Tourist generate 2.1 trillion baht during first 10 months
The Permanent Secretary for Tourism and Sports, Pongpanu Svetarundra, said arrivals to Thailand generated tourism revenue of more than 2.1 trillion baht during the first 10 months of 2017.
— NBT World (video)
Tax incentives pondered to promote domestic tourism
The Ministry of Finance is pondering tax incentives to promote domestic tourism by Thais.
— Thai PBS
Prayut threatens media outlets with strict cyber law
The Computer Crime Act will be rigorously enforced against online media that distort facts and disseminate “fake reports and hate speech”, Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha threatened Tuesday.
— Bangkok Post
See here for more of today’s Thailand Morning News
Vietnam Morning News
Compiled by Sreypov Men @MenSreypov
Investment-paradise Vietnam catches eye of Silicon Valley venture capital firm
The fund’s regional head asserted Vietnam shall be the next target as a follow-up business tactic of wading deeper into Asia, according to an exclusive interview conducted by newswire Deal Street Asia.
— VietnamNet Bridge
Vietnam approves bill letting banks be declared bankrupt
Vietnam’s national assembly on Monday gave authorities the ability to declare troubled banks bankrupt, through an amendment to a law on the operation of credit organisations, the government website said.
— Tuoi Tre
HCMC exports to top $35b this year
HCM City is likely to achieve exports of US$35.2 billion this year, a 15.1 per cent increase from last year, and imports of $43.1 billion, a 13.2 per cent rise.
— Bizhub
See here for more of today’s Vietnam Morning News
Asean Morning News is the most comprehensive selection of reports on what you need to know from around the Asean Economic Community (AEC) published. All articles are hand curated by the team at AEC News Today. It is published M-F by AEC News Today: Governance, not government; policies not politics.
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