Daily News on the Southeast Asian Region
2 July 2018
(pm) - 3 July
2018
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Greetings
This issue of Daily News Alert includes one citation attributed to Dr Vannarith Chheang, Visiting Fellow, ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute.
This is a daily information alert service containing articles and commentaries selected by eight ISEAS Library staff from 95 international and regional news sources every weekday morning. These news sources cover Southeast Asia and special topics relevant to the research interest/ direction/ agenda of ISEAS.
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 Cambodia
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PM hails China as strategic partner: Chheang Vannarith, the co-founder and vice-chairman of the Cambodian Institute for Strategic Studies, who was a speaker at the book launch in Phnom Penh, said political trust, economic interests, and strategic convergence are the foundation of Cambodia-China relations. He said Cambodia held a similar worldview to China, in which a multi-polar world order is being formed with China as one of the global powers.
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Phnom Penh's housing crisis: Phnom Penh is Cambodia's capital and most populous city by far, with 1.4 million residents, or 2.2 million if its larger metropolitan area is taken into account - 11 times greater than the next largest city, Battambang, with a population of 200,000. Rural-urban migration is a driving factor, as income disparity forces the rural poor to seek opportunities in the city.
Unfortunately, the influx of foreign developers such as Singapore's Oxley Holdings Ltd and China's Prince Real Estate Group has fuelled an ever-growing emphasis on luxury residences far out of reach of local home seekers. This scenario is not unique to Cambodia, with Chinese developer Country Garden's venture into Malaysia contributing to rampant oversupply in the high-rise luxury segment in the southern state of Johor.
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Hun Sen and his personality cult: For three decades, the man with humble beginnings as a pagoda boy has been crafting a cult of personality, a project that has reached hagiographic levels in recent years, in part due to the rise of social media use in Cambodia. In a country of only 15 million people, Hun Sen has amassed some 10 million Facebook "likes", although the legitimacy is questionable, and is the fourth most "liked" head of state in the world, behind the likes of India's Narendra Modi. He has also taken to handing out envelopes containing crisp 20,000 riel notes to more than half a million garment workers - and USD200 to pregnant labourers - during scores of speeches over the past year.
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Khmer Will Party seeks to rope in 3M voters before national poll: The KWP, which claims to be the "soul of the CNRP", is fielding 60 percent of its candidates who were previously with the now non-existent party [(Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP)]. In firing back at the KWP, former CNRP official Ou Chanrith questioned its plans, expressing skepticism that the fledgeling party could draw, let alone represent three million voters.
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CAMBODIA'S DIRTY DOZEN: HUN SEN RULES WITH ARMY OF USUAL SUSPECTS: Paul Chambers, a lecturer at Thailand's Naresuan University, said Hun Sen was finally taking what he's wanted from the start: "personalised control over a CPP and military, in which the RCAF acts as a partisan militia for the CPP". Rather than a new development, Chambers said Hun Sen was simply reverting back to Cambodia's traditional political status quo. Other than the brief period between the UN's occupation and Hun Sen's coup, all Cambodian leaders have tried to co-opt the military via personalised political parties. "Hun Sen's attempt to merge senior military officers into the CPP can be seen as trying to resurrect the complete control which he possessed over Cambodia's military from 1985 until 1992," Chambers said.
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Indonesia
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Indonesia committed to develop renewable energy-based power plants: President: The president on Monday inaugurated a wind farm in Sindereng Rappang district, South Sulawesi province. The wind farm is the first of its kind in the country and the largest in Southeast Asia. The wind farm has a total of 30 wind turbine generators (WTG) with each of them having a capacity of producing 2.5 megawatts of electricity. In total, the wind farm will produce 75 megawatts of electricity.
"It (the wind farm) will be developed not only in Sindereng Rappang district but also in Jeneponto district where the construction is now 80 percent completed. In addition, it is also being built in Tanah Laut district. We hope that a wind farm will soon be developed in Sukabumi district, West Java," the president was quoted as saying by deputy for protocol, press and media of the cabinet secretariat, Bey Machmudin, in a press statement released on Monday.
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Rights or repression -- Southeast Asia's choice: Indonesia shows democracy can advance but needs public backing and enlightened leaders
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Indonesia's Papua problem: The first miscalculation is the belief that economic development would remedy any political grievances especially self-determination efforts. This is because development does not always translate to poverty alleviation. Hence, Papua remains the poorest province in the country. Besides that, in spite of other measures to lower prices of basic goods, empower Papuan women and increased access to education, the independence movement in the province has only grown stronger. This shows that higher levels of income and education do not necessarily translate to greater loyalty to the Indonesian state.
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How Indonesia's counter-terrorism force has become a model for the region: a bilateral initiative involving the Australian Federal Police (AFP) and Polri led to the establishment of a specialist centre for providing counter-terrorism training to police and government officials from across Southeast Asia - the Jakarta Centre for Law Enforcement Cooperation (JCLEC). This initiative worked in parallel with the development of Detachment 88. Nearly 15 years later, JCLEC has grown into one of the most robust counter-terrorism training facilities in the world, delivering training to more than 20,000 officials from 70 nations. And Detachment 88 has recently doubled in size to more than 1,300 officers, with plans to increase its operational presence from 16 of Indonesia's provinces to all 34.
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Banten wants more financial aid from Jakarta: Banten Governor Wahidin Halim claims the Jakarta administration has failed to provide a sufficient grant for Banten, one of the capital's satellite cities, making it hard for the province to execute programs, such as one centered on flood mitigation.
The administration has allocated funds for members of the Greater Jakarta Coordinating Board comprising Bogor, Depok, Bekasi and Cianjur in West Java and Tangerang in Banten. The grants are distributed to help the satellite cities mitigate flooding, improve education, health, sanitation, waste management and synchronize spatial planning.
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Govt cuts 2019 growth projection to be more realistic: According to Finance Ministry fiscal policy head Suahasil Nazara, the move was prompted by persisting external pressures on the country's economy, particularly the United States Federal Reserve's plan to hike its interest rate, which is estimated to continue in 2019.
Suahasil explained that the government's macroeconomic projection and draft fiscal policy (KEM-PPKF), part of the 2019 state budget bill, were made in February and submitted to the House in May. "We are aware that volatility in the global [market] is still high. The federal funds rate will go up [in 2019], which will likely affect the Indonesian economy," Suahasil said in Jakarta on Monday.
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Jokowi inaugurates first Indonesian wind farm in Sulawesi: The wind farm project was constructed by UPC Renewables in collaboration with a local firm, with a total investment of USD150 million. The electricity produced from the farm will be channeled to the networks of state-owned electricity company PLN and will be distributed to South Sulawesi, Southeast Sulawesi and West Sulawesi.
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Indonesia's Crackdown on LGBT Rights is Fueling an HIV Epidemic, Rights Group Warns: "What's shifted in the last two years is that the government and police have made it abundantly clear that it's perfectly okay to hate LGBT people and to act on it," Kyle Knight, LGBT rights researcher at Human Rights Watch and author of the report, tells TIME. "Unless certain steps are taken to dial back on these raids, to create safe spaces for those to gather to gain information, to get safety, sense of dignity, community and privacy, this will spin out of control not just from a human rights perspective, but also from a public health perspective."
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Indonesian Regional Elections, 27 June 2018
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PDI-P acknowledges vote decline in strongholds: PDI-P deputy secretary-general Utut Adianto said the party was evaluating the results of the elections held on June 27 in several areas long known as PDI-P strongholds, including Central Java. In the province, PDI-P gubernatorial candidate pair Ganjar Pranowo and Taj Yasin garnered 58.34 percent of the vote. During the 2014 election, presidential candidate Joko "Jokowi" Widodo, who was nominated by the PDI-P, gained 66 percent of the vote.
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Malaysia
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Malaysia freezes 408 bank accounts; summons ex-PM's stepson in probe: The frozen accounts included those of 81 individuals and 55 companies believed to have received funds from 1MDB and involved nearly 900 transactions between March 2011 and September 2015. "The accounts were believed to be linked to the misappropriation and misuse of 1MDB funds," the task force said. The task force had earlier said it had frozen accounts belonging to the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO), the political party once led by Mr Najib.
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Hope for refugees in the new Malaysia? What approach will the new PH government now take on the question of refugees and asylum seekers?Malaysian human rights defenders can only hope that our democratic renewal and our own experience with political persecution will somehow translate into a more compassionate refugee policy. Furthermore, a number of our current ministers and members of Parliament suffered political persecution and incarceration; let us hope that this issue will resonate well with them.
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G25: PAS man shouldn't have headed moderation group: Former PAS deputy president Datuk Nasharudin Mat Isa was a poor choice to lead the Global Movement of Moderates Foundation (GMMF), said the G25 group when commenting on his impending removal. The pro-moderation group comprising retired senior government officials said the position required the appointee to be a model of compassion and skilled at interacting with both the government and civil society.
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Sultan Nazrin launches book on rich history of Perak Sultanate: The book entitled Perak Sultanate: The Historic Royal Glory of Perak Tengah was published by the Universiti Teknologi Petronas (UTP) with The New Straits Times Press (NSTP).
"The Perak Tengah district, which has long been discriminated against, only started to enjoy a more meaningful development after 1982 when the state government was led by Mentri Besar from Pasir Salak, Orang Kaya-Kaya Seri Agar Diraja Tan Sri Ramli Ngah Talib. The injection of funds for more meaningful development has been a success in changing the Perak Tengah's landscape, thus helped changing the fate of its population where the majority are Malays," he said in a statement here yesterday.
[The title "Perak Sultanate: The Historic Royal Glory of Perak Tengah" will be included in ISEAS Library's July Acquisition List]
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The new FT Ministry's priorities: Kampung Baru, rivers, hawkers...third vote on backburner: The Shah Alam MP also said he would form a working group comprising all elected MPs in the Federal Territories, including Barisan Nasional (BN) representatives for Putrajaya and Labuan if they wanted to join, so that they would have greater decision-making powers in the development of the Federal Territories. "There are a few issues that are outstanding - River of Life, Kampung Baru, and so on and so forth. I'll have to study it and look into it," Khalid told Malay Mail in an interview yesterday.
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Why did a Selangor MP become FT Minister? Khalid Samad explains: The Amanah communications director pointed out that his party gave up its sole parliamentary seat in the Federal Territories, Titiwangsa, to Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (PPBM) to resolve the deadlock in seat negotiations for the 14th general election. "I think maybe Tun Mahathir, in recognition of our sacrifice, decided to give the ministry position to Amanah," Khalid told Malay Mail in an interview yesterday, referring to Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad. So instead of having no parliamentary seats whatsoever in Wilayah, now all the parliamentary seats in Wilayah fall under Amanah because I'm the minister."
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Opinion: I won't panic every time Dr M comments on Taib and S'wak: Although I am no longer active in politics, I remain politically conscious by keeping abreast with political developments in and around the country, like many are. I believe I am able to dissect and understand to a certain extent why political leaders say this or that at times. No, I'm not always right but I believe I'm not way off either on certain issues.
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Opinion: What does RM1.1b worth of BTN hate get you? Loads of images of Malay civil servants and the activities that BTN carries out. This provides a narrative that the dominant Malay majority are the ones who actually serve the state, serve the country and in essence, serve the political party - Umno - that supposedly serves the Malay community. This is a powerful narrative captured in images and it is amplified when minions of Umno used to claim that it is the non-Malays who are not patriotic, it is the non-Malays' religions which threatens Islam.
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Umno lebih layak jadi ketua pembangkang [Umno is more likely to be the opposition leader]: Timbalan Presidennya, Datuk Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man berkata, pihaknya tidak menerima sebarang surat rasmi, tetapi lebih elok memberi laluan kepada parti yang memenangi banyak kerusi untuk menyandang jawatan itu. Menurutnya, seperti biasa, parti mempunyai majoriti kerusi paling banyak layak dicalonkan sebagai pembangkang, namun permuafakatan antara Umno dan Pas boleh berlaku.
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Company offers third bridge with LRT as an alternative: Consortium Zenith Construction Sdn Bhd (CZC) senior executive director Datuk Lee Chee Hoe said they were looking at having a bridge with the LRT beneath it across the channel between Penang island and mainland. He said the feasibility studies for the undersea tunnel, which was 96% completed, was also "feasible" for the third bridge. "Most of you have visited the Sydney Harbour Bridge where there is an LRT running below it.
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Opinion: Do it like Penang: In Penang, for the World Water Day 2017, organised by Penang Water Watch, the theme was "Save water, use it wisely". The objective was to educate school children and the public about the importance of saving water. Continued logging activities there will threaten raw water supply for millions of people, thousand of businesses, and agricultural and industrial sectors in Perlis, Kedah and Penang.
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Idea-idea baharu mantapkan fungsi kementerian [New ideas establish the function of the ministry]: Menterinya, Datuk Saifuddin Nasution berkata, idea-idea baharu yang akan menentukan fokus utama kementerian itu akan diterjemahkan mengikut keadaan semasa. "Saya dan timbalan, Chong Chieng Jen akan dengar taklimat tentang struktur, hala tuju dan strategi semasa. Dari situ, saya dan timbalan akan meneliti di mana perlu beri nilai tambah dan pembaikan"
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Warga sukan nantikan idea segar Syed Saddiq [Sports people are looking forward to the fresh idea of Syed Saddiq
]: aguh lumba basikal negara, Azizulhasni Awang menyifatkan Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman sebagai pe
mimpin yang memiliki pemikiran jauh, dan tidak sabar untuk bertemu Menteri Belia dan Sukan yang baharu itu bagi berkongsi idea demi memajukan sukan. Juara dunia keirin 2017 itu berharap, pelantikan tokoh muda seperti Syed Saddiq mampu membawa idea segar dalam membangunkan sukan tanahair.
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28
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Why Umno wanted Zahid to win: Umno members wanted someone who could stand up and have the guts to protect the party's traditions and status quo. They did not want their leader to appear as weak and to publicly admit to mistakes. They would rather blame other team members in the event of defeat. They wanted their leader to explore the possibility of teaming up with PAS and materialising the Malay-Muslim agenda. They desperately wanted a hero.
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Malaysia remains a success story, says World Bank: "What we have emphasised in this report (Malaysia Economic Report) is really the importance of looking at the quality of growth, inclusiveness of this growth going forward and how every Malaysian can benefit from the economic success the country has achieved," she told reporters after the launch of the report here today.
Meanwhile, Lead Economist Dr Richard Record said the most important thing for the new government to do is ensure that the debt is addressed with transparency, vigilance, as well as careful and prudent management. He said the vastness of the debt which is 97.7 per cent in ringgit denomination, should provide a limited risk to the government, when it comes to foreign exchange exposure. He also said almost 70 per cent of the debt is medium-term with a maturity of above three years, so "there is a limited risk on rollover terms".
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Malaysian Bar calls on government to form Child Commission: Varughese said the Malaysian Bar also looked forward to the government instituting law reform and taking proactive steps to increase public awareness of the detrimental effects of marriage upon a child's physical and mental health, education and economic opportunities as well as risk exposure to domestic and sexual abuse. He added that the government bears a critical obligation to ensure the healthy development and protection of all children in the country, pursuant to its accession of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC).
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Opinion: Thwarted revolt in Umno: The struggle between "old" politics - money, warlord pressure, insularity, entitlement, racial rhetoric and unquestioned loyalty to the leader - and "new" politics - ideas and policies, more national and substantive engagement on issues and with communities, and greater empowerment of the grassroots - played itself out in the party campaign. The dominant narrative of the party election was one of reform.
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Malaysia PMI slows in June: The Nikkei Malaysia Manufacturing Purchasing Managers' Index, or PMI, rose from 47.6 in May to 49.5 in June, indicating the weakest deterioration in business conditions since March. A reading above 50 indicates economic expansion, while a reading below 50 points toward contraction. "Anecdotal evidence highlighted weak underlying demand for Malaysian goods from both domestic and international markets," said Aashna Dodhia, economist at IHS Markit, which compiles the survey.
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Malaysian reforms give economy ministry new powers: As part of the ruling party's election promise to make institutional reforms, the Prime Minister's Department -- a powerful bureaucracy of more than 80 agencies -- has been reorganized with an independent parliament taking over some of its functions.
The department, which comes directly under the purview of the prime minister, who is being assisted by two ministers, has seen more than 60 of its agencies merged, transfered or scrapped effective Sunday. Among the agencies gaining independence are the offices for anti-graft, election, judicial appointment and human rights. These offices will now report directly to parliament, a move intended to ensure their competence and freedom from political influence.
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World Bank urges Malaysia to hasten fiscal reforms: "The historic outcome of Malaysia's recent elections provides an unprecedented opportunity for change," the World Bank said. "Malaysia is entering into a new period that offers an opportunity to strengthen structural reforms and to accelerate its convergence with high-income economies." The World Bank kept its 2018 economic growth forecast for Malaysia at 5.4% and said inflation could lag expectation. While private consumption is expected to strengthen in the near term, public consumption is likely to slow, the World Bank said.
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巫统党选与阿末扎希
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若论领导魅力，扎希胜於低调的希山慕丁，论辩能力跟安华有得比，经歷也比平庸的纳吉出色。不得想起，当年的「宏愿团队」虽然已各分西东、分崩离析，但以目前的政治局面看来，「宏愿团队」仍在主宰著我国的政治主流。纳吉已退出舞台是必然的，但慕尤丁成功退党、另组土团党，並成为当今政府的內政部长；老马这个团队顾问则再度任相，重启「宏愿」；安华更加不用说了，即將东山再起。弔诡的是，如今风水倒著转，「宏愿团队」过继到希盟內去了，待在巫统的残余份子，只剩扎希、希山这批尾隨又被拋在后头的「宏愿」人士，究竟如何再抬头，值得期待。
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MALAYSIA'S MILLENNIAL MINISTER: SYED SADDIQ IS KEY TO MAHATHIR'S YOUTH OUTREACH: The rapport between the prime minster and Syed Saddiq is clear. In one 29-minute YouTube video from earlier in the year, the two discuss how young Malaysians can benefit from learning English. At one point, Syed Saddiq jokingly called Mahathir cikgu Mahathir ("teacher Mahathir") - something few would dare do. Despite the recent Cabinet appointment, it's still too early to canonise him as one of Mahathir's potential "heirs" - anyone who knows Malaysian political history knows what a poisoned chalice such an anointing could bring. Can he survive the realities of government? Will his considerable charm be enough? Given the fickleness of public life and the speed with which the social media cycle passes, can this moment in the sun, be sustained?
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Kit Siang: Pakatan Harapan must not be seen on a path of revenge: Lim said that the Government must ensure that the public won't perceive its plans to purge top executives from GLCs and government agencies as an attempt to replace them with individuals aligned with Pakatan. "Pakatan is different and has to show that it is different from Barisan," he added. At the same time, Lim also said the newly appointed ministers and deputy ministers must be humble, down-to-earth, approachable, hardworking, clean, honest, and be role models of service to the people and the nation.
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PM's choice over Cabinet appointments 'not right', says DAP Youth: In a statement on Monday, Wong said a few candidates suggested by DAP, including Teluk Intan MP Nga Kor Ming and Stampin MP Chong Chieng Jen, were dropped from the list of ministers. Nga was left out of the Cabinet entirely, while Chong became the Deputy Domestic Trade and Consumerism Minister. "The Prime Minister's actions were not right, as the arrangement did not tally with the number of seats won by a party, and it does not show respect for the suggestions by a fellow coalition party leadership," he said.
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Sultan Mizan calls for PAS state and Pakatan federal govt to put aside differences to develop Terengganu: He also called for better cooperation with other government agencies and expressed his hopes for better economic growth for Terengganu under the new PAS-led state government.
In his address at the opening of the state assembly on Monday (July 2), Sultan Mizan hoped that state revenue would hit the RM1.8bil mark this year after the state showed a 5.9% growth in the state's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in 2017 compared to 3.9% in 2016. "With a strong commitment for progress and a solid development plan, I hope the state government will be able to attract more investors, particularly in the manufacturing sector," he said.
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Opinion: Get set for constitutional reforms: With Sabah and Sarawak lawmakers now out of the Barisan Nasional, it is possible for the Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad-led government to get the two-thirds majority required to amend the Federal Constitution. That being said, reforming the laws as read in the Buku Harapan, as well as constitutional reforms to make government appointees answerable to Parliament, can be achieved in this "new Malaysia".
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Buang mentaliti feudal dalam UMNO - Khairy [Remove feudal mentality in UMNO - Khairy]: Menurut Khairy statistik undi popular menunjukkan majoriti ahli UMNO mahukan perubahan.
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社论
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巫统须尝试浴火重生
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巫统党主席选举结果也表明，既有的党内权力格局和政治文化惯性仍然有强大生命力，要浴火重生，势必得经历痛苦的双重考验。一方面，执政的希盟内部开始呈现的不和谐现象，意味着巫统有可能卷入马哈迪政府内部权力斗争，成为被利用的棋子。一些巫统投机政客已经陆续跳槽，加入马哈迪所领导的土团党。从净化巫统的角度看，这当然不是坏事。但是，一旦作为少数的土团党，在政府内部面对占多数的公正党的挑战，不能排除巫统出身的马哈迪会通过收买巫统来抗衡安华。巫统能否经得起这个政治诱惑，将决定其未来的走向。
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Kewajaran ekonomi meneruskan HSR, ECRL [Economic well-being continues HSR, ECRL]: Kajian-kajian ini tidak melibatkan penilaian berkaitan HSR dan ECRL secara khusus, namun lebih tertumpu kepada perancangan pertumbuhan strategik untuk meningkat tahap pembangunan dan daya saing wilayah berkenaan.
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Malaysia's Former Ruling Party Veers Right on Religion and Race: The choice of Zahid Hamidi, 65 years old, as the new president of the United Malays National Organization came in a vote by party division leaders late Saturday and represents a rightward turn to rebuild a foundation of Malay support, which splintered in recent years toward Islamist parties as well as the multiethnic alliance that captured power in the May 9 elections.
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Myanmar
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Number of days for tourist visits to Bagan cut: "If tourists stay here for more days, locals can earn more money. If they are here, the drivers of horse carts and motorcycle taxis have more opportunities to earn a living. Now, the officials have suddenly reduced the number of days visitors can stay. They decided to do this as though this will be a good thing," said U Myint Soe, a horse cart driver in Bagan.
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Burmese press face 'threats' and 'shame' in reporting Rohingya crisis: Mratt Kyaw Thu, Senior Political Journalist at Yangon-based current affairs and business magazine Frontier Myanmar, says the last two years have been the toughest for both him and his colleagues, owing to domestic and international pressure for them to perform way beyond their capacity. Mratt says oftentimes Burmese journalists are being called out for their seemingly lacklustre coverage of violence and exodus affecting hundreds of thousands of the stateless Rohingya Muslim minority. But reporting on such a conflict under the challenging circumstances, according to Mratt, is easier said than done.
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Just holding Panglong Conference can't solve root cause of political problem for country: General Saw Mutu Say Poe: General Saw Mutu Say Poe added that they should notice that their country was embedded under the crisis of the Constitution. The para 22 (d) of the NCA states that if necessary, laws including the Constitution should be amended, supplemented and cancelled in accord with rules and regulations depending on the decisions resulting from the Union Peace Conference.
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Yangon clothes factory blames closure on rising operating costs: U Tun Tun Naing, joint secretary of the Cooperating Committee of Trade Unions, expressed concern that more factories might shut down in the future. "The government has not created more job opportunities so far and does not care about the labour issue," he said. Since the government fixed the minimum wage at K4800 a day, businesses warned they might close because they could not afford the new wage due to a slowdown in the economy and low demand in the international market.
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Myanmar judge to decide next week whether to try case of Reuters journalists held for 200 days: "Myanmar authorities set up and arrested the two Reuters journalists because of their work exposing a massacre of Rohingya by the military," said Brad Adams, Asia director at Human Rights Watch. "The authorities have turned to tactics long-favored by past military juntas - locking up and prosecuting those exposing the truth."
The prosecution, however, has argued that the documents the reporters possessed were secret and could harm Myanmar's national security. The Officials Secret Act punishes anyone who intends to communicate an official document or information that may be "useful to an enemy." It does not require prosecutors to prove that the dissemination of that material could lead to real harm.
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Philippines
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Columnist: 'Bisaya,' 'probinsyana': I now realize that stereotyping people this way-Tagalog, Bisaya, "taga-syudad," "probinsyano," etc.-is pernicious, and perhaps one of the reasons why it's hard for us Filipinos to unite. Let's quit this behavior. We were all born to distinct languages and regional cultures, but all within one country-the Philippines. We all have different stories; judging other people based on the way they speak and the places they came from is divisive.
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51
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Columnist: Dutertenomics in perspective: Of course, I also agree that a weak currency has its advantages, that's why mercantilist nations artificially and deliberately undervalue their currency. But, in the case of the Philippines, I would be glad to see how exactly this has helped our export sector, which has suffered four consecutive months of contraction this year so far.
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52
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Columnist: Gender factor in suicide: As recent events might suggest, suicide rates are rising alarmingly all over the world. Indeed, the World Health Organization identifies suicide as a major health problem worldwide, with the list of countries raking up the highest incidences of self-inflicted death surprisingly diverse in terms of culture (including religion), economic status or political system.
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53
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Columnist: Mindanao's murky future: Too few Filipinos seem to be following the BBL enough to realize how profound its implications will be for the future of Mindanao, and with it, the entire nation. It will affect not only the people in Muslim Mindanao, or even in Mindanao as a whole, but also the entire country. Thus, it should be of interest to every Filipino who cares about the future of our nation and the welfare of our children, and their children.
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54
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Philippines beyond clichés: 'Catholic country':Catholic. Run by dynasties. Crime-ridden. Enamoured of America. Obsessed with beauty. These are a few of the stereotypes that colour international perceptions of Southeast Asia's fastest growing economy-and that New Mandala readers will hear dismantled in a series of podcasts on the theme of "The Philippines Beyond the Clichés" hosted by our Philippines editor Dr Nicole Curato.
[33-minute podcast]
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55
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Philippine mayor known for parading drug suspects shot dead by sniper in front of horrified employees: Halili gained prominence for introducing a "walk of shame" parade of alleged drug dealers through his city of Tanauan. In an interview with Reuters in August 2016 - the second month of the crackdown - he said he backed Duterte's campaign but believed drug kingpins should be the main targets, otherwise thousands of people would be killed.
He expressed concern over the way police conducted the war on drugs and the reliability of their intelligence, and that he might be accused of colluding with narcotics gangs. "No one is safe - mayors, governors, congressmen - just a false intelligence report by the police can end up with any of them being destroyed," he said in the interview. "I have a feeling they (police) are going after the small fry to frighten the people," he said.
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56
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'Walk of shame' mayor shot dead in the Philippines: Halili, who allegedly had ties to the illegal drug trade in the Philippines, was shot once through the chest by a high-powered rifle and died at the scene, according to local police. Footage showing pandemonium following the shooting, likely taken on a smartphone, has gone viral.
Three mayors also listed on the "narco-list" have been killed by police and anti-narcotics officers in the past two years. Another mayor on the list, Vicente Loot, survived an ambush two months ago after being publicly named by Duterte.
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Singapore
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57
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Commentary: Core to growth, yet productivity has lost its shine: Productivity has been central to the global growth story and Singapore is best placed to lead the way in the struggle for greater productivity, says Future-Moves Group CEO.
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58
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The Big Read: US-China trade war not hurting Singapore much yet, but beware the long sting in the tail: As the US levies tariffs on goods from China, Europe and elsewhere - and retaliation in kind follows from the affected countries - there are fears that Singapore's economy could suffer collateral damage, given the complexity of global supply chains and the increasingly inter-linked nature of world trade. Thus far, Singapore has been minimally impacted, the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI) said in response to media queries.
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59
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评论
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中新关系向好，但也有暗流
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比拉哈里素来以
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语不惊人死不休
"
著称，除在新加坡国内挑起外交界的争论外，还多次在涉华言论上展示强硬态度及莫须有的忧虑。他最近发表的这番言论毫无道理，是在给致力于共同寻求确定性的中新关系添乱。
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60
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Submarines like BMWs': A closer look at the Navy's newest, custom-made German submarine: It has been reported that the contract for the first two Type 218SGs is worth more than 1 billion euros. The deal clincher? "The Germans were also very willing to listen to our requirements and change a lot of the original design to suit what we need in our waters," RADM Cheong said.
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61
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Singapore's manufacturing growth eases again in June: The Singapore Institute of Purchasing and Materials Management (SIPMM), which compiles the data, attributed June's reading to slower growth in factory output, new orders and new exports, as well as slightly lower inventory levels. Stocks of finished goods expanded at a faster pace, with the index hitting 52.9 - the highest since February 2011. Overall employment and input prices were marginally higher. However, imports saw slower expansion, while order backlog saw a marginal contraction, ending its run of expansion which began in July 2016.
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62
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On water issue, Dr M again risks crossing a red line for Singapore: Across the Causeway, some Singaporeans expressed admiration for how Malaysia managed to peacefully transition from a coalition that had been in power for over six decades to a new government. Others however started to brace themselves for a return to a testier relationship with their northern neighbour. Younger Singaporeans celebrating Dr Mahathir's electoral success may not remember this, but the last time he led Malaysia, bilateral ties were marked by what ousted prime minister Najib Razak described as "confrontational diplomacy and barbed rhetoric".
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Thailand
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63
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Opinion: Schools must be tolerant: A stealthy order signed last month by the Minister of Education has brought unnecessary attention and divisive policies back to the deep South. The minister, Teerakiat Jareonsettasin, published in the <i>Royal Gazette</i> a new ruling on student dress which in essence, allows administrators of schools located on Buddhist temple land to decide if they will ban the use of the Muslim hijab headdress by girls.
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64
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Opinion: Thailand's role in Indo-Pacific strategy: During their meetings with the Thai senior officials from Ministry of Defence and Ministry of Foreign Affairs recently, Mattis and Pottinger envisaged a Indo-Pacific region that is free from coercion with its members able to protect their sovereignty and territorial integrity with respect for fundamental human rights and freedom. In addition, all nations are committed to reciprocal trade, rule of law and the peaceful resolution of disputes. That much was clear.
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65
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Editorial: TIP upgrade offers little cause for pride: The United States State Department's decision to upgrade Thailand's status in its latest Trafficking in Persons (TIP) report should not be interpreted as a pat on the back for the ruling military junta. Rather, Washington is offering Thailand a clear guideline for improving its record in dealing with this modern form of slavery.
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66
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Commentary: Thailand leads in crypto by skipping the big debate: SECURITIES, or not securities. That is the crypto question. Except in Thailand. While regulators around the world have grappled with the issue of what category digital currencies and assets fall into, Thailand has skipped the debate altogether. Instead, using an emergency decree that came into effect earlier this year, authorities wrote an entirely new law.
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67
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Thailand's manufacturing environment improves marginally in June
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Timor-Leste (East Timor)
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68
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Timor-Leste on the road to democracy. Next stop, Asean? It is no small feat that this once war-torn, fragile state has become a beacon of democracy at a time when democratic backsliding is on the rise throughout the Indo-Pacific region. Still, the recent political upset in Malaysia, which saw a 92-year-old former prime minister, Mahathir Mohamed, return to power in an election just days before Timor-Leste's own election day, has also given hope to some. A democratic renewal is still possible in the region even as democracies here and elsewhere are under threat.
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69
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Timor-Leste's 2018 Elections: Turning A New Page? The new government led by the AMP, was inaugurated on 22 June, with Taur Matan Ruak, 61, leader of the PLP (a member of the AMP coalition), sworn in as the new prime minister. This is the first time since independence that the leader of another party other than the CNRT or Fretilin has been sworn in as premier. As the AMP has a majority in parliament, this could mark the end of ten months of political gridlock. Although Gusmão was widely expected to be named prime minister, he was, in a surprise move, named instead as Minister-Counsellor to the prime minister.
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Vietnam
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70
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Vietnam's new cybersecurity law could further undermine free speech, disrupt businesses: Drafted by the country's Ministry of Public Security, the law was passed by the National Assembly on June 12, 2018 despite the rare public opposition expressed by some lawyers and netizens. The legislation goes into effect on January 1, 2019. The law also places significant regulatory requirements on foreign technology companies. Similar to China's Cybersecurity Law passed in 2017, Vietnam's new law requires internet companies to store data locally and establish headquarters or representative offices in Vietnam.
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71
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Vietnam could see 'Asian tiger' success if it continues opening its markets, handle disputes: We believe Vietnam is able to handle disputes properly and stick to the correct path to further integrate itself into the regional supply chain. The World Bank in June revised its 2018 economic growth forecast for Vietnam from 6.5 percent to 6.8 percent. Vietnam's economy is showing signs of rising.
It will be a pity if Vietnam gives up halfway on its policies to gradually open up its economy. In January, China overtook the US to become Vietnam's biggest export market. It seems Vietnam has profited by integrating itself into the Asian industrial chain. In the January-May period, Vietnam's exports to China rose by 44.2 percent year-on-year, injecting new momentum into economic growth.
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72
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PM: growth needed to address employment, reduce public debt: The Government leader cited the result of a public opinion survey that 71 percent of the respondents recognised positive changes on external relations and international cooperation, while 91 percent believed in anti-corruption efforts. However, he noted that Vietnam should raise vigilance over natural disasters and security and order ensuring work.
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73
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Over 64,500 new enterprises set up in first half of 2018: As many as 64,531 new enterprises have been set up in the first half of 2018 with a total registered capital of VND649 trillion, up 5.3% and 8.9% from the same period last year, respectively. Most of new companies are operating in sectors such as wholesale and retail; car and motorcycle repair and maintenance services; construction; and manufacturing and processing.
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74
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Vietnam to have three smart cities by 2020: According to the Ministry of Construction, Vietnam aims to have at least three smart cities by 2020 and the Government has put forth priority policies to develop digital industry, smart tourism, agriculture and telecommunication infrastructure to fulfill these goals. Mr Hai also emphasized the importance of standards and architecture in building smart cities, as well as the need to build security solutions into the design and operation of these cities in the initial stages to provide a stable base for further development.
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ASEAN/Southeast Asia
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75
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Three ways to improve Asean-South Korea ties: Have a longer-term mindset, upgrade the FTA and encourage more private sector business ties. It's a good time to improve ties, with South Korean President Moon Jae-in's visit to Singapore from July 11 to 13.
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76
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Experts from Thailand, China clash over the damming of Mekong: CHINESE experts who insist that hydropower projects on the Mekong River will benefit all stakeholders met opposition yesterday when a Thai academic argued that locals lose more than they gain since dams impact heavily on every aspect of their lives.
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Asia Pacific
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77
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Growth of China's manufacturing sector slows in June: GROWTH of China's vast manufacturing sector slowed in June amid weak domestic demand and a worsening trade spat with the United States that could see implementation of tariffs targeting billions of dollars worth of goods later this week.
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78
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Japan's globalisation strategy under pressure: Can Japan resist the temptation to make dirty concessions and keep to its globalisation strategy? To be consistent, Japan should be ready to clean up its agricultural protections. Japan should also understand that further trade liberalisation in agriculture and bad deals in automobiles are not equivalent. One way or the other, negotiations with the United States will start soon.
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79
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My Say: Trump-Kim summit marks new chapter for Korean peninsula: Most commentators seem to miss the central point that arms, including nuclear weapons, are symptomatic of insecurity and conflict. Insisting on denuclearisation without addressing Kim's concerns about insecurity is a non-starter. Two groups seem hooked on the idea of denuclearisation. One comprises Cold War arms controllers who still appear to wield considerable influence in Washington think-tank circles. They seem to be hooked on the status quo and are against any spread of nuclear weapons. The second is the Trump administration.
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80
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East Asia Security Not Visibly Conflictual After Trump-Kim Summit: Moving to the Southern segment of East Asia China's relations with both Vietnam and Indonesia are edgy and confrontational over the South China Sea islands. Indonesia can longer be termed as a fence-sitter on the South China Sea islands dispute after China started encroachments in the Natuna Islands region. Turning attention to the more recently focussed Korean Peninsula, it needs to be reiterated that the US President Trump's declaration of calling of joint US-ROK major military exercises as a goodwill gesture to North Korea has been ill-advised.
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81
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US-China trade spats could weigh on Asian markets in coming months: DBS : Speaking to reporters on Monday (July 2), the bank's chief investment officer Hou Wey Fook said that the next three months will be a "period of volatility" due to rising interest rates, higher inflation and a stronger US dollar, in addition to global trade tensions. However, there are some bright spots.
DBS remains positive on the Singapore and Hong Kong/China markets, especially on their domestic sectors, due to the economies' strong external balance sheets and fiscal balances. DBS also expects positive domestic sentiment in Malaysia - owing to the surprise election win of opposition alliance Pakatan Harapan - to lift Malaysian equities. The abolishment of the goods and services tax by the new coalition government will also help improve consumer sentiment. While the bank expects the current environment to dampen the performance of Asian equities, it is positive on the long-term prospects of the region.
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82
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An Open China and a Win-Win World: On the Release of the White Paper "China and the World Trade Organization": This year marks the 40th anniversary of China's reform and opening-up and the 17th anniversary of its World Trade Organization (WTO) accession. President Xi Jinping stressed that "Reform and opening-up is a great process that has seen China and the rest of the world achieve development and progress together." Since it joined the WTO, China's relations with the rest of the world are increasingly close and deepened, a vivid example of China's reform and opening-up.
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East/South China Sea
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83
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Facebook removes Paracel, Spratly Islands from China's map at Vietnam's request: The adjustment was made after Vietnamese information authorities on Sunday issued a request for Facebook to take immediate actions to correct the map's misinformation regarding the islands' sovereignty.
Vietnam's Authority of Broadcasting and Electronic Information under the Ministry of Information and Communications has confirmed that Facebook had complied with its request in a timely manner. However Doan Cong Huynh, head of the ministry's Department of Foreign Information Services, said that Facebook would still need to issue an official apology and a statement regarding the correction so that China would not be able to use the incorrect map to back its claim over the islands.
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84
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Vietnam demands Facebook fix wrong depiction of its sovereignty: The Ministry of Information and Communications said on Sunday it had sent a notice to Facebook Inc., asking it to clarify the wrongful representation of Vietnam's sovereignty on its map. The map depicts the two islands as Chinese territory at a time when the international community has backed criticism of China's recent actions in the disputed South China Sea, which Vietnam calls the East Sea. A Facebook representative has responded that there was some "confusion" over the map, that it is a technical error without political intention, said Le Quang Tu Do, an official from the communication ministry.
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Climate change
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Poor countries face USD168b interest bill due to climate change: Nations that rely heavily on agriculture are likely to suffer as global temperatures rise, bringing more storms, floods and droughts that can destroy crops and curb production, according to research commissioned by the United Nations. Rice plantations in Vietnam are vulnerable to rising sea levels, while Guatemala's maize output could be hit by drought and tropical storms are a threat to the Barbados tourism industry, the paper said.
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