Asean morning news for July 19

Asean morning news

Compiled by Stella-maris Ewudolu          @stmarisewudolu

 

Southeast Asia organized crime profits unprecendented: UN office
Profits generated by organized crime groups in Southeast Asia have reached “unprecedented” and “dangerous” levels amid expanded operations, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) warned on Thursday.
— Newsd

Myanmar: Human rights violations affecting region and ASEAN must apply pressure, says UN expert
Human rights violations in Myanmar are creating increasingly serious issues for South and South East Asia, a UN expert said today, urging stronger action by regional countries to address potential peace and security concerns.
— AEC News Today/ PR Newswire (media release)

ADB upgrades growth forecasts for Southeast Asia
The Southeast Asian region is likely to record an economic growth rate of 4.8 percent this year and 4.9 percent in 2020, according to the Asian Development Bank (ADB).
— Vietnamplus

South China Sea Standoff Likely Signals China’s ‘Push of Maritime Claims’ Amid Vietnam Backdown
An ongoing standoff between Chinese and Vietnamese vessels in disputed waters of the South China Sea likely indicates that Beijing is “prepared to push its maritime claims” after Hanoi cancelled oil exploration activities in the area in recent years, according to experts.
— Spratly Islands

Chinese money grows again in Asean as supply chains move
CHINA has ramped up its investments in South-east Asia, even as its trade war with the United States wears on and spurs a supply chain move into Asean.
— The Business Times

Asean should follow M’sia and provide refugees with alternative learning centres
Asean should follow Malaysia’s lead in providing alternative learning centres for refugees, says United Nations Special Rapporteur Prof Yanghee Lee.
— The Sun Daily

Australian motorcycle gangs expanding into south-east Asia to get slice of drug market
Australian outlaw motorcycle gangs have expanded into south-east Asia to take advantage of a booming, multibillion-dollar methamphetamine export market in the region, a landmark report from the United Nations has warned.
— The Guardian

End of mission statement mission to Thailand and Malaysia: Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar – Kuala Lumpur, 18 July 2019
I have just completed my mission to Myanmar’s neighbours Thailand and Malaysia. I thank the Governments of both countries for facilitating my visit.
— ReliefWeb

PDC and ASEAN Member States kick-off program to enhance regional disaster management capabilities
The Pacific Disaster Center (PDC), ASEAN Centre for Humanitarian Assistance (AHA Centre) and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) member states are coming together to build disaster resilience throughout the region.
— ReliefWeb

After the voting, personality beats policy in Southeast Asia
It has been an unusually intense time for elections across Southeast Asia in the past year with both a stunning upset and more predictable returns of incumbents.
— The Interpreter

Southeast Asia VC funds on track to raise over $4.2bn
More than 35 venture capital funds with a complete or partial focus on Southeast Asia are currently in the market to raise over $4.2 billion, VC announcements and DealStreetAsia data show.
— Nikkei Asian Review (paywall)

India-ASEAN Trade Figure Jumps 13.6%
The India-ASEAN trade in the year 2017-18 stood at $81.33 billion, registering a jump of 13.64% over the year 2016-17, stated Minister of Development of North-Eastern Region (DoNER) Dr Jitendra Singh in written reply to a question in Lok Sabha on Wednesday.
— The Sentinel

ASEAN becomes China’s 2nd biggest trading partner
ASEAN became China’s second-largest trading partner in the first two quarters of 2019, overtaking the US for the first time since 1997.
— Vietnamplus

ASEAN holds talk on 4IR
The 4th Industrial Revolution might considerably affect developing countries. As ASEAN chair, Thailand has held an ASEAN meeting to discuss the 4IR issue and map a strategy to cope with it.
— Vietnamplus

Southeast Asia’s democracies must be reformed
The economies of Southeast Asia were largely colonized by European powers for many centuries due to their natural resources and abundance of labor.
— Asia Times

Oriente: Serving ASEAN’s unbanked
With Indonesia, Philippines and Vietnam alone hosting over 10 percent of the world’s unbanked population, providing the right infrastructure to bridge this gap is key to ASEAN’s sustained growth.
— The Asean Post

Neighbouring Asean operators biggest competition threat for Genting Malaysia
The biggest competition threat for Genting Malaysia Bhd’s (Genting Malaysia) mass and premium-mass segment is projected to come from the casinos in Cambodia, the Philippines and Vietnam.
— The Borneo Post

Southeast Asian cloud communications platform Wavecell acquired by 8×8 in deal worth $125 million
Wavecell, a cloud-communications platform for companies in Southeast Asia, announced today that it has been acquired by 8×8 in a deal worth about $125 million.
— TechCrunch

2019 ASEAN School Games underway in Indonesia
Indonesia’s annual ASEAN School Games (ASG) multisport event opened on Wednesday in Semarang, capital of Central Java province, with local media reporting at least 1,600 student athletes from all 10 ASEAN nations taking part.
— Xinhuanet

Malaysian influencers see lower engagement compared to Indonesia and Thailand
Engagement with influencers in Malaysia is lower as compared to Indonesia and Thailand.
— Marketing

Cambodia morning news

Compiled by Justhine De Guzman Uy         @justhine.aecnews

 

Breaking: Speed cameras to installed on national roads
Speed cameras are to be installed on four national roads and other main thoroughfares in a move to reduce the appalling death toll on the Kingdom’s roads.
— The Phnom Penh Post

African Swine Fever Kills about 3k Pigs in Cambodia: Report
African swine fever has killed about 2,960 pigs in five provinces across Cambodia, including 120 pigs in Tbong Khmum, 90 pigs in Svay Rieng, 40 Takeo, 40 in Kandal and 1,980 in Rattanakiri province, according to the report of the Ministry of Agriculture on Thursday.
— Fresh News Asia

UN report: Deadly mob justice thrives in Cambodia
Deadly mob justice is a “chronic social disease” in Cambodia, a justice official said today at the launch of a UN report which highlights the fatal consequences stemming from Cambodians’ distrust of the justice system.
— Malaymail

See here for more of today’s Cambodia morning news

Indonesia morning news

Compiled by Justhine De Guzman Uy         @justhine.aecnews

 

Ministry encourages use of trenchless technology
The Public Works and Housing Ministry encourages the use of trenchless technology as an important component in the country’s 2015-2019, US$460 billion infrastructure development programme, through the Trenchless Asia 2019 international exhibition held at the Jakarta International Expo (JIExpo), July 17-18.
— Antara News

Malnutrition, disease kill at least 139 displaced in Indonesia’s Papua – group
Thousands of people in Indonesia’s easternmost province of Papua have been displaced by fighting between soldiers and separatists, and at least 139 of them have died from malnutrition and disease, an aid group said on Thursday.
— Euronews

Indonesia Pledges More Rate Cuts as It Moves to Spur Growth
Indonesia’s central bank cut its benchmark interest rate for the first time in almost two years and pledged more easing to come as it shifts focus to supporting growth in Southeast Asia’s biggest economy.
— Bloomberg

See here for more of today’s Indonesia morning news

Lao PDR morning news

Compiled by Justhine De Guzman Uy         @justhine.aecnews

 

UK provides over 9 billion kip for UXO clearance
The government of the United Kingdom will provide grant aid worth more than 9 billion kip (US$1,078,253) for long-term commitment to supporting the Unexploded Ordnance (UXO) clearance activities in Laos implemented by Norwegian People’s Aid.
— Vientiane Times

Govt to allocate more funds to repay debts owed to companies
The amount owed by the government to private enterprises has been put as high as 10.14 trillion kip, putting considerable pressure on the government to address this issue and sustain economic growth.
— Vientiane Times (paywall)

Mekong Water Levels Reach Low Record
The Mekong water levels during this early flood season from June to July are among the lowest on record, falling below their historical long-term minimum levels.
— AKP

See here for more of today’s Lao morning news

Malaysia morning news

Compiled by Sreypov Men           @MenSreypov

 

Chinese nationals most attracted to MM2H programme
The Chinese have taken to Malaysia in a big way. They account for the lion’s share of participants in the Malaysia My Second Home (MM2H) programme, according to Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Datuk Mohamaddin Ketapi (pix).Of the 43,943 people from 131 countries who have qualified for the programme, 13,892 are from China.
— The Sun Daily

AirAsia to pay at least RM40.6m in uncollected PSC to MAHB unit
AirAsia will have to pay at least RM40.6 million to Malaysia Airports (Sepang) Sdn Bhd, a subsidiary of Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd (MAHB), over unpaid passenger service charges (PSC) from July to December last year.
— The Edge Markets

Perak PKR chairman claims he was not given food for almost 24 hours of detention
Perak PKR chairman, Farhash Wafa Salvador Rizal Mubarak has claimed that he was not given food for almost 24 hours when he was under police detention.
— The Sun Daily

See here for more of today’s Malaysia Morning News

Myanmar morning news

Compiled by Sreypov Men           @MenSreypov

 

Increase Coal Power Plants in 2030 is Myanmar’s Goal
Myanmar Electric Power Convention— Deputy Director for thermal power planning, Aye Min, said that most hydropower generators were up north in their country.
— Gineers Now

GDP growth expected at 7pc, deficit at 5.9pc for next fiscal year
Myanmar expects its economy to grow by 7 percent as measured by GDP for the upcoming 2019-20 fiscal year compared to the 7.6pc expected for fiscal 2018-19.
— Myanmar Times

Military Launches Helicopter Assault During Clash in Buthidaung, AA Says
Ethnic armed group says gunship bombed, strafed its positions after Tatmadaw sustained heavy losses in fierce clash; military denies ordering air strikes.
— Irrawaddy

See here for more of today’s Myanmar morning news

Philippines morning news

Compiled by Stella-maris Ewudolu          @stmarisewudolu

 

Philippine authorities contradict own death toll in drugs war
Authorities in the Philippines have been accused of manipulating official data after publishing conflicting figures on the number of people killed during President Rodrigo Duterte’s three-year so-called “war on drugs”.
— Aljazeera

Philippine police file sedition case against vice president
Philippine officials say police have filed sedition and other criminal complaints against the vice president, three opposition senators, four Roman Catholic bishops and a university president for allegedly conniving to destabilize President Rodrigo Duterte’s administration.
— The Washington Post

7,800 police in Philippines punished for deadly drug raids
Thousands of Philippine police officers have received administrative punishments with more than 2,000 dismissed for wrongdoings during raids where drug suspects were killed under the president’s crackdown, officials said Thursday.
— The Washington Post

See here for more of today’s Philippines morning news

Singapore morning news

Compiled by John Le Fevre          @photo_journ

 

Fewer credit card holders amid tighter rules to rein in debt
Credit cards are on the decline, a trend analysts attribute to tighter regulations to curb excessive debt and the growing use of e-payments.
— Straits Times (annoying popups)

Enterprise Singapore expands alliance network to Ho Chi Minh City
Enterprise Singapore has expanded the Global Innovation Alliance network to Ho Chi Minh City, plugging Singapore technology start-ups into the emerging innovation scene in Vietnam.
— Straits Times (annoying popups)

Singapore returning more than S$50 million of 1MDB-related money to Malaysia: Police
About S$50.3 million of seized 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB)-related money have either been transferred to Malaysia or are being processed by the banks for repatriation, said the Singapore Police Force on Thursday (Jul 18).
— Channel NewsAsia (very annoying popups)

See here for more of today’s Singapore morning news

Thailand morning news

Compiled by John Le Fevre          @photo_journ

 

UPDATE: Thai PM tells Phuket people to “stop ripping off tourists”
Two Australians file their report with Karon police this morning Everyone is having their say about a van charging two Australian tourists 3,000 baht for a trip from the Phuket International Airport to Kata, even the Thai PM.
— The Thaiger

15 year old Thai student dies following attack in SOTUS hazing tradition
Anti-hazing activist Panuwat Songsawatchai/Facebook Khaosod English is reporting that a high-school student, who was in a coma following ritual hazing at a Nakhon Pathom school, has died today.
— The Thaiger

Anutin to list pot as essential drug
Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul has vowed to make cannabis-based medicine widely available by incorporating it into the national essential drugs list.
— Bangkok Post

See here for more of today’s Thailand morning news

Vietnam morning news

Compiled by Sreypov Men           @MenSreypov

 

ADB maintains Vietnam’s 2019 growth forecast at 6.8 percent
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) retained its growth projections for Vietnam at 6.8 percent for 2019 and 6.7 percent for 2020 in a report released on July 18.
— VietnamPlus

Viettel creates digital subsidiary in Vietnam
Viettel has unveiled a new subsidiary dedicated to digital services as the telecommunications provider targets new markets in Vietnam.
— Channel NewsAsia

Is Huawei a Security Threat? Vietnam Isn’t Taking Any Chances
As the world splits along U.S.-China fault lines, telecom companies in Vietnam appear to be quietly avoiding the Chinese tech giant in their 5G plans.
— New York Times

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.