1.

The Cost of Business in Malaysia V China: Malaysia is one of the Asean tigers and enjoys a good standard of trade and political relations with China. Relatively good infrastructure, especially around the Kuala Lumpur region, and a savvy political will to upgrade ports and rail and invest in hi-tech capabilities has made the country a magnet for large volumes of foreign investment, including from China.

Strategically well placed in Southeast Asia with both west and east coasts, its proximity to the regional hub of Singapore also makes Malaysia an attractive base. With KL just an hour's flight from Singapore, it is now attracting back office facilities away from the city state. China is Malaysia's largest trade partner, with bilateral trade having broken the USD100 billion level last year, having increased by nearly 25 per cent per annum.
The Establishment Post, 22 July 2015
http://www.establishmentpost.com/the-cost-of-business-in-malaysia-v-china/

2.

It's not about being Malay, Zahra: The economy needs to be fixed. Wages need adjustments. Whatever our deputy prime minister says, our education system is broken. Rather than weep in front of politicians and ask them to "tolong Melayu", ask them to do their jobs better. Ask them to truly be our representatives, instead of our overlords.All those who are poor, who are struggling, who are suffering, all of them need attention and help. God made all of us, didn't he? So stop kidding yourself about your special status because that imaginary status is obviously not getting you where you want to be.There's nothing wrong with being Malay, or identifying yourself as Malay. But it is wrong to make it all about what race you are and being stubbornly fixated on just getting your own race ahead. Learn to say "tolong rakyat" (help the people) and maybe, just maybe, we'll get somewhere.

Erna Mahyuni
The Malay Mail, 22 July 2015
http://www.themalaymailonline.com/opinion/erna-mahyuni/article/its-not-about-being-malay-zahra

3.

Healthcare must be accessible to all: The Government has decided that foreigners will pay the full cost of the services provided by public hospitals and clinics. The subsidy they enjoy will be gradually removed over four years, beginning in January this year. Eventually, the foreigners will have to fork out about twice what they were paying last year.But now that foreigners' medical expenses have increased, are we prepared for the possibility that this will lead to other public health issues? This is the question that Sungai Siput MP Dr Michael Jeyakumar Devaraj has raised when applying for a judicial review of the new fee structure for ­foreigners.He argued that the higher ­charges will deter most migrant workers from seeking treatment, and this may cause diseases to spread.
The Star, 22 July 2015
http://www.thestar.com.my/Opinion/Columnists/The-Star-Says/Profile/Articles/2015/07/22/Healthcare-must-be-accessible-to-all/

4.

Liow: Malaysia-China ties closer now: A delegation of more than 160 Malaysians, including businessmen and government officials, had attended the event in Beijing.Among the achievements, Liow said the two countries had agreed to further strengthen their co-operation in investment, trade, financial creativity, small and medium-sized industries, Internet and halal products.The halal industry, he said, was very big and important in China, which has more than 32 million Muslims.Malaysia and China, said Liow, would also work on infrastructure development, including ports for the "One Belt and One Road" strategy initiated by China to connect Asian and European countries.

[news contains 4-minute video clip]

The Star, 22 July 2015
http://www.thestar.com.my/News/Nation/2015/07/22/Liow-MsiaChina-ties-closer-now/

5.

Malaysia blocks UK-based whistleblower website after allegations against PM Najib Razak:  On Sunday, the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission announced it had blocked the site for carrying "unsubstantiated content".  Without specifying which content was deemed unacceptable, the commission warned the reports could have major consequences. "Such content could disrupt peace and order, and in the bigger picture could destabilise the nation and the economy," the statement said.

Sarawak Report will not be impeded in any way by this action in bringing out future information as and when its investigations deliver further evidence. Sarawak Report Facebook page

The website, run by Clare Rewcastle Brown, a former journalist and sister-in-law to ex-British prime minister Gordon Brown, issued a defiant statement in response to the blocking. "This is a blatant attempt to censor our exposures of major corruption through the development fund 1MDB," said a statement posted on the Sarawak Report's Facebook page.
ABC News, 21 July 2015
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-07-21/malaysia-blocks-uk-based-whistleblower-website-after-allegation/6638350

6.

Najib's Network Shields Malaysia Premier Amid Money Trail Claims: Part of Najib's staying power reflects a lack of external threats with the opposition bloc recently collapsing amid internal bickering. There are few signs of public discontent over the money trail claims.

Internally Najib's built a support network since coming to power in 2009 that ranges from government ministers to party division heads. He's rallied rank and file members with a variety of pro-Malay policies in the past 18 months. Najib doubles as finance minister and is also the party chief. The biggest risk would be if party chiefs at some point decide he's become a potential liability to lead them into the next election, due to be held by 2018, especially as the coalition lost the popular vote for the first time in 2013 as non-Malay voters deserted it.

David Tweed, Niluksi Koswanage, Shamim Adam
Bloomberg, 21 July 2015
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-07-20/najib-network-key-as-1mdb-fuels-criticism-of-malaysia-premier

7.

Why shutdown SR instead of suing it?The decision by the Malaysian Communication and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) to block access to the Sarawak Report (SR) website through local internet service providers is not only a retrogressive step but undemocratic and a serious infringement of the Constitutional right to freedom of speech, expression and of the press.

The decision by the MCMC was made on spurious and unsubstantiated grounds without an iota of evidence that the SR was purportedly publishing false news predicated on forged or tampered documents in relation to the alleged 1 Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) scandal - news that could cause political and economic instability and public chaos in Malaysia.

Gerard Lourdesamy
Free Malaysia Today, 21 July 2015
http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/highlight/2015/07/21/why-shutdown-sr-instead-of-suing-it/

8.

1MDB: Rahman Dahlan attacks Edge denial: Barisan Nasional strategic communications director Datuk Abdul Rahman Dahlan has launched a scathing attack on The Edge Financial Daily over its denial that it had used stolen data in its reports on 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB, as well as its rejection that its reports were not politically-motivated. Abdul Rahman, in response to a statement issued earlier today by The Edge Media Group publisher and group chief executive officer Ho Kay Tat, also raised questions over the publication's claims that it did not pay for the data.

"Finally, The Edge admitted they got stolen data from Justo, I wonder if the Thais didn't arrest Justo, would they admit it? "The Edge said they used the stolen data from Justo because they were dead sure the data were not fakes. How convenient!. "If The Edge is sure the data were not tampered with why then experts said they were indeed," he said in a series of messages via his Twitter account today.

Hani Shamira Shahrudin and Zafira Anwar
New Straits Times, 21 July 2015
http://www.nst.com.my/node/92852

9.

Nazir Razak joins call to boost English proficiency, says workforce losing competitive edge: In a caption accompanying his Instagram post, the chairman of the country's second-largest bank CIMB cautioned that the current workforce was losing its competitive edge due to poor mastery of the language, echoing similar warnings by opposition lawmakers previously."English is the global language and as a nation we should declare English language proficiency as our top priority."It's a traditional edge that our workforce is losing fast; we must reverse the deterioration now," he wrote as a caption on the photo-sharing app accompanying a snapshot of a June 30 Bloomberg report headlined, "Honda to Set English as Official Language."
The Malay Mail, 21 July 2015
http://www.themalaymailonline.com/malaysia/article/nazir-razak-joins-call-to-boost-english-proficiency-says-workforce-losing-c

10.

MCA boss defends block on Sarawak Report: MCA president Liow Tiong Lai has defended the government's move to block access to the whistleblower site Sarawak Report. When asked about the block and whether it contravenes the government's guarantee of no internet censorship, Liow replied that everyone including internet users still had responsibilities. "The media has the freedom to report the truth, but absolutely does not have the freedom to fabricate news... Whether the print media or Sarawak Report, they must adhere to the professional ethics and integrity of news reporting, and report according to the truth," he told a press conference today.

Koh Jun Lin
The Malaysiakini, 21 July 2015
http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/305730

11.

Storming of Bastille only way to oust Najib' Veteran newsman A Kadir Jasin said today the only way Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak can be ousted is through a revolt in Umno that would be similar to the 'storming of the Bastille' during the French Revolution. "Unless there is a revolt by Umno, akin to the storming of the Bastille by the hungry and angry Frenchmen and women in 1789 that saw King Louis XVI and his inconsiderate wife, Marie Antoinette, being sent to the guillotine, Mohd Najib will stay," Kadir says in his latest blog posting.
The Malaysiakini, 21 July 2015
http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/305686

12.

Low Yat fracas shows need for national harmony law, says minister: Tan Sri Joseph Kurup, a minister in the Prime Minister's Department, said the draft law was at the discussion stage with stakeholder engagement still ongoing. "The bill is expected to be tabled in the next parliamentary sitting," Kurup said during a visit to Low Yat Plaza in Kuala Lumpur today. Parliament is scheduled to hold its next sitting in October. "Research is being carried out and we are having consultations with stakeholders from Sarawak, and after this we go to Sabah and other (states)."

Kurup added that the national harmony law would complement the Sedition Act with the new law to focus on education and awareness about inter-racial harmony.

He also said that the fighting two weekends ago at Low Yat Plaza sparked by a stolen handphone was an example why Malaysia needed national harmony laws. Kurup said the National Harmony Act would address prevention, education, moderation, harmony and rehabilitation.

Melati A. Jalil
The Malaysian Insider, 21 July 2015
http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/low-yat-fracas-shows-need-for-national-harmony-law-says-minister

13.

Najib will remain PM as long as Umno warlords support him, says ex-editor: "He does not need the teeming nation to support him. He only needs the ministers, the Umno chiefs, the mainstream media and the hangers-on to be loyal to him, even superficially," Kadir said. Kadir, the former New Straits Times Press group editor, said Najib's critics, including his arch-critic Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, could "shout and scream" all they want but the prime minister would stay.

"(Tun) Dr Mahathir Mohamad, the bloggers, Sarawak Report, the opposition, the WhatsApp chat groups, the Instantgramers and the Facebookers can shout and scream, and even claim victory but Najib will stay. Unless there is a revolt by Umno akin to the storming of the Bastille by the hungry and angry Frenchmen and women in 1789 that saw King Louis XVI and his inconsiderate wife, Marie Antoinette, being sent to the guillotine, Najib will stay. And with the power vested in him by the 48% Barisan Nasional voters during the 2013 GE, he can continue to rule, come rain or shine, until the next general (election). That's the reality for now," Kadir said, referring to the general election held in May 2013.
The Malaysian Insider, 21 July 2015
http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/najib-will-remain-pm-as-long-as-umno-warlords-support-him-says-ex-editor

14.

PM should emulate idea to not abolish vernacular schools': Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak should emulate Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia's lecturer Prof Dr Shamsul Amri Baharuddin to not abolish vernacular schools as proposed by former court of appeal judge Mohd Noor Abdullah in a local Malay daily recently.In making the call, DAP's Batu Kawan MP Kasthuri Patto said Mohd Noor had claimed in the report, on July 15, that a single stream education system would create unity (among Malaysians) while linking it to the recent Low Yat Plaza theft's fracas.She also cited the Education Ministry's reply in Parliament on March 23 which stated that it has carried out a process to standardise the implementation of the Bahasa Malaysia Language Curriculum for Primary Schools (KSSR) for Standard 4 students to bridge the gap in the command of Bahasa Malaysia (BM) for students from Tamil and Chinese schools with the aim to uphold BM and to strengthen the English language.As such, it was also the ministry's responsibility to ensure that students from vernacular schools are also well-equipped in their command of both languages, she said.
The Sun Daily, 21 July 2015
http://www.thesundaily.my/news/1495895

15.

CONSPIRACY: There is no denial that money was deposited in the private account. The explanation to UMNO is that it was for the elections. UMNO seems satisfied. Don't they know that Government money cannot be used to help a political party to win elections? But the money was from donation. Who donated 2 billion Ringgit? No answer. But what about BR1M? Isn't it Government money, all 7 billion Ringgit and more. That was clever. It is not for elections but given before any election, with the promise of more if the party wins, isn't it about using Government money to win elections?

Dr. Mahathir Mohammad, Former Prime Minister of Malaysia
Blog of Dr. Mahathir Mohamad, 20 July 2015
http://chedet.cc/?p=1811

16.

Indonesia Needs to Improve Its Aviation Quality, Badly: In the 2015 Airline Awards, Indonesia fared reasonably well, but the achievement is obtained by only one airline. Garuda Indonesia (GA/GIA) was named the World's 8th Best Airline, down a spot from last year. However, Garuda successfully obtained the World's Best Cabin Staff title for the second time in a row, the first time any airline has ever retained that title. South Korea's Asiana Airlines won second place in that category, while Singapore Airlines placed third. Sadly, no other Indonesian airline managed to enter the World's Top 100 Airline list. In the more specific categories, Indonesia is again represented only by its flag carrier airline, Garuda Indonesia.

Overall, Indonesia's performance is inadequate at best. As an archipelago and a regional powerhouse, Indonesia should have no problem handling the aviation industry. Instead, it has been a disappointing ride. While the state-owned Garuda Indonesia has been making leap after leap the past few years, no other airline is anywhere close to Garuda's level. In fact, the only other full-service airline in Indonesia is Batik Air, but it is young, owns a small fleet, and currently only serve domestic routes. It may be arguable that low-cost carriers are more suitable for the Indonesian public, and to some extent, it is a valid reason. However, there is nothing to excuse the airports' poor state.

Felix Utama Kosasih
Global Indonesian Voices, 22 July 2015
http://www.globalindonesianvoices.com/21705/indonesia-needs-to-improve-its-aviation-quality-badly/

17.

Megawati Sukarnoputri on Slow Performing Government: The former president said she had mentioned to Jokowi two reasons behind the slow performing bureaucracy.

Firstly, Megawati said, bureaucrats do not dare make policies and decisions. They are worried that they may become targets of the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK). "Due to fears that they may take wrong actions, so they do not want to work. This means that they do not know what are right and what are wrong," she said. In fact, some government officials, including Vice President Jusuf Kalla, had repetitively pointed to such worries among government bureaucrats.

And, the second reason, according to Megawati, is bureaucrats' ill intentions which incite them to steal state funds.

Leo Jegho
Global Indonesian Voices, 22 July 2015
http://www.globalindonesianvoices.com/21701/megawati-sukarnoputri-on-slow-performing-government/

18.

Megawati advises party cadres against committing corruption: Megawati, who is also a former Indonesian president, pointed out that all regional head candidates must be committed to developing regions and improving the welfare of the people. While presenting their missions and visions, they need not make numerous promises, she stated, adding that one or two will be enough if upheld well. "I warn you all to not try to seek loopholes to enrich yourselves," she emphasized. Moreover, Megawati believes that if her warning is not heeded by candidates after their election, they will be trapped in legal issues. "Do not have even the slightest inclination towards resorting to corrupt means. Drive it away," she remarked.

On the occasion, the PDIP chief also urged cadres to reach out to the public by implementing pro-people programs, such as building roads, irrigation networks, and sanitation and other facilities, when they are elected.
Antara News, 21 July 2015
http://www.antaranews.com/en/news/99586/megawati-advises-party-cadres-against-committing-corruption

19.

Australia-Indonesia relations: More than just management: Running relationships day-to-day on the basis of past experience will get us a long way, but it will not help us adapt to big changes when they happen - as they sometimes do. So we also have to look to the future and ask what big changes might be looming, and what we can do to manage them.

One gets the impression that Ken is a little impatient with speculation about the future. If so, this is something he shares with many Australian foreign-policy professionals. Indeed, one might say that the professional ethos of our foreign service today emphasises a briskly practical, no-nonsense approach to the management of today's immediate problems and issues. It tends to disparage reflection about the future and how our policy might prepare for it, and shape it to our advantage. But if we do not speculate about the future - even the relatively distant future of two or three decades ahead - then we miss opportunities to adapt to it, and risk finding ourselves stuck with old policies that do not work anymore. This risk looms large in relation to Indonesia, because the circumstances of the relationship are changing in two important ways.

Hugh White is professor of strategic studies at the ANU's Strategic and Defence Studies Centre and author of The China Choice
Interpreter, 21 July 2015
http://www.lowyinterpreter.org/post/2015/07/21/Australia-Indonesia-relations-More-than-just-management.aspx

20.

Tolikara Incident Should Increase Awareness, says Police: The Tolikara incident should serve to increase awareness at both the individual and national level, according to the Indonesia National Polices Head of the Public Relations Division, Insp. Gen. Anton Charliyan. "Indonesia is a great nation that has matured," Charliyan stated on Tuesday.

According to Charliyan, the incident could improve solidarity, tolerance, and unity among all elements of the nation without creating any further divisions in the society. He also urged the people to demonstrate to the international community that Indonesia is a nation that has been able to mature and evolve. The Indonesian society is a religious society that upholds interfaith tolerance. "Indonesia is not a nation that promotes mutual revenge. Indonesia is a nation that cannot be provoked easily," he affirmed.
Tempo, 21 July 2015
http://en.tempo.co/read/news/2015/07/21/055685324/Tolikara-Incident-Should-Increase-Awareness-says-Police

21.

Indonesia Sets Nature Tourism Target: 20m Foreigners Bringing In USD18b: The Environment and Forestry Ministry says it hopes a total of 295 million people will visit Indonesia's national parks and other nature tourism attractions over the next five years, including 20 million foreigners.

Tachrir Fathoni, director general for nature and ecosystem conservation at the ministry, said there are 51 national parks and 118 nature tourism parks throughout the archipelago, as well as over 500 other protected natural sites.

"We have a vast amount of beautiful nature, like mountains, lakes, craters, waterfalls, flora and fauna, as well as the cultures of local communities," Tachrir told journalists in Jakarta.
The Jakarta Globe, 21 July 2015
http://thejakartaglobe.beritasatu.com/news/indonesia-sets-nature-tourism-target-20m-foreigners-bringing-18b/

22.

Investment Licenses Have Tripled Under Joko's Presidency: BKPM: Indonesia's Investment Coordinating Board, or BKPM, has issued as much as Rp 335 trillion worth of investment licenses for infrastructure projects since last October.

This is triple the figure for the same period a year earlier, although the realization rate of those investments remains in question.

"The data show that President Joko Widodo and Vice President Jusuf Kalla's efforts in promoting the government's plan and commitment for infrastructure projects, especially in electricity and ports, are starting to show results," BKPM chief Franky Sibarani said in a statement on Monday.
The Jakarta Globe, 21 July 2015
http://thejakartaglobe.beritasatu.com/business/investment-commitments-triples-under-jokos-presidency-bkpm/

23.

Officials Fear Backlash After Papua Mosque Burning: Security across the country has been raised as provocative messages spread online in the aftermath of the burning down of a small mosque in Karubaga, in Papua's Tolikara district last week.

Several firebrand clerics have even been calling on Muslims to wage jihad against Christians in Papua, and at least one church in Central Java has already received threats.

Meanwhile, conspiracy theorists speculated that the burning of the mosque, which occurred just as local Muslims were preparing to perform their Idul Fitri prayers on Friday, was the work of "intelligence agents."
The Jakarta Globe, 21 July 2015
http://thejakartaglobe.beritasatu.com/news/officials-fear-backlash-papua-mosque-burning/

24.

Sink or Swim: Jatigede Dam Poses Key Test for Joko's Infrastructure Push: The Cipaku village square is located, fittingly enough for this agrarian heart of West Java, in the middle of rice fields ringed by thickly forested hills.

To get to it last Friday morning, the village's 2,200 inhabitants had to trudge single file along the narrow embankments demarcating the paddies, or risk soiling their Idul Fitri finery in the knee-deep mud of the fields on either side.
The Jakarta Globe, 21 July 2015
http://thejakartaglobe.beritasatu.com/news/sink-swim-jatigede-dam-poses-key-test-jokos-infrastructure-push/

25.

Study: Opacity, Violations Mar Indonesia's Political Parties Public Funding Scheme: Indonesia's legal frameworks fail to enforce transparency in the use of public funding for electoral campaigns by political parties, while abuses are rampant and remain unaddressed due to the limited authority of oversight bodies - a new study has found.

Washington-based Global Integrity, which disclosed the result of its study last week, puts Indonesia at the 25th place out of the 54 countries surveyed in its "Money, Politics and Transparency Integrity Indicators" study - conducted between 2013 and 2014.

Georgia, Argentina, Costa Rica, Mexico and the United States - in respective order - are the top five performers in the survey, which examined countries' legal frameworks on public funding for political campaigns and how the laws are implemented.
The Jakarta Globe, 21 July 2015
http://thejakartaglobe.beritasatu.com/news/study-opacity-violations-mar-indonesias-political-parties-public-funding-scheme/

26.

Mobile Banking Struggles to Gain Traction in Indonesia: The central bank first launched a regulation governing the program in 2009 and revised it in 2014, but it has struggled to take off because regulatory restrictions have prevented who can participate, and banks have not invested in expanding it, say analysts and advisers. A lack of understanding among potential users, poor marketing, and mistrust are also impeding its scaling up, they say. "Right now, [people are] servicing their needs without mobile money," said Nathaniel Kretchun, Asia lead for Financial Inclusion Insights (FII), a global research group supported by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. "You'll have to show them the way in which their lives will be improved if they have access to these services."

A survey published last November by FII showed that only around 3% of Indonesians were aware of the concept of mobile money and those that were had only heard of one type of service. At the same time, more than 60% of the population has a mobile phone and three-fourths have access to one, according to the FII survey.

Sara Schonhardt
Wall Street Journal, 21 July 2015
http://www.wsj.com/articles/mobile-banking-struggles-to-gain-traction-in-indonesia-1437507127?tesla=y

27.

Learning from Singapore: It used to be that Asians would point to some western country, usually the United States or Britain, as the model to emulate. In the last decade or so, it's been Singapore.

I've always said, Sure, Singapore is advanced, but it's really a tiny city-state, with a land area only slightly larger than Metro Manila and a population half that of Metro Manila. So really, Singapore's more of a model for our cities to try out.

But the pressure remains, especially for academicians, because Singapore's universities have consistently been ranked among the top 10 in various ratings, with the National University of Singapore (NUS) ranking first, beating many venerable centuries-old British and American universities.

Michael L. Tan
Philippine Daily Inquirer, 22 July 2015
http://opinion.inquirer.net/86930/learning-from-singapore

28.

Greying gracefully and equitably in S'pore: With an HLE at birth of 76 in 2013, Singapore pips Japan (75). Only one other nation in the world has an HLE of over 73 - Cyprus (74) - and the world average is 62.It is unlikely, if not impossible, that Singapore's HLE could have been realised without governmental facilitation.The Singapore Government began thinking about the ageing of the country's population in the early 1980s. Since then it has worked assiduously on the implications of the "greying" of Singapore - the median age in Singapore in 2014 was 39.3, up from 34 in 2000 . In so doing, it has revised and in some cases fundamentally recast many policies in order to better adjust to and accommodate the growing numbers and proportions of the elderly in Singapore (11 per cent of the population is now 65 or over).

Peter A. Coclanis  is Albert R. Newsome Distinguished Professor of History and director of the Global Research Institute at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill. In 2005, he was Raffles Professor of History at the National University of Singapore.
Straits Times, 22 July 2015
http://www.straitstimes.com/opinion/greying-gracefully-and-equitably-in-spore

29.

Higher salary bar for foreigners seeking family visas: Foreigners working in Singapore are going to find it harder to bring their families over.The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) is raising the minimum salary bar before they can apply for visas for spouses, children and parents. From Sept 1, they will have to earn at least SGD 5,000 a month if they want to apply for Dependant's Passes (DPs) for their spouses and children to join them in Singapore. This is up from the current SGD4,000.Those who want to bring their parents to Singapore on Long Term Visit Passes (LTVPs) face an even higher minimum salary bar of SGD10,000 a month, up from SGD8,000.Ms Cai Bi Xia, general secretary of the Huayuan Association which helps Chinese nationals settle into Singapore, said the move signals that the Government wants to attract foreigners of a certain calibre. It will put pressure on firms to raise salaries to attract this group, which is also sought after by other countries. "Companies need to recognise the higher salary requirement and raise pay accordingly to attract the talent they want," she said.
Straits Times, 22 July 2015
http://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/manpower/higher-salary-bar-for-foreigners-seeking-family-visas

30.

Making Singapore a great retail destination again: The Singapore Government can work with first-moving retailers and platform builders to support the development of an e-commerce ecosystem.Singapore retailers need to focus on differentiating themselves from other retail cities. Brand building, improving store productivity and using technological innovation can help create a thriving sector with international allure.The Government can play a pivotal role to orchestrate new e-commerce ecosystems, seed retail clusters and build differentiated shopping zones.

Singapore can be a great retail destination again, for Singaporeans and tourists.

Jeffrey Chua & Aparna Bharadwaj
Straits Times, 22 July 2015
http://www.straitstimes.com/opinion/making-singapore-a-great-retail-destination-again

31.

Singapore hopes to boost Asean-China ties in new role: PM Lee: Singapore hopes to promote relations between Asean and China, including cooling down tensions in the South China Sea, when it becomes the coordinator of ties between the grouping and its giant neighbour, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong has said."We hope to try and find common ground among members of Asean and facilitate the discussion between Asean and China" on the disputes, Mr Lee said at a lunchtime dialogue on Tuesday. "Maybe we cannot solve the issues immediately. However, at least we can cool down the tensions and we can avoid the escalation of tension, that's our hope," he added.Singapore hopes to align the different interests within Asean for when it faces the world's second-largest economy, he also said."We also hope to help Asean hammer out more cooperative projects with China," Mr Lee added.
Straits Times, 22 July 2015
http://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/singapore-hopes-to-boost-asean-china-ties-in-new-role-pm-lee

32.

Why we must have foreign patients: By 2009, the Health Ministry's tone had subtly shifted to arguing that SingaporeMedicine was only a secondary objective and that "our primary objective is to serve Singaporean patients, rendering good medical care at competitive prices".Despite the public concerns, Singapore has to soldier on. Foreign patients are vital to our healthcare system's continued ability to provide quality healthcare for Singaporeans. In healthcare, high volumes deepen clinical acumen, sharpen surgical skills and enable higher quality for all patients, foreign and local.I fear attracting foreign patients is no longer a "nice-to-have" but a "must-have".We may not have enough patient volumes in some specialities to even maintain competence and safety. Malaysia's Institut Jantung Negara (National Heart Institute) aggressively markets itself internationally and performs almost 3,000 open-heart operations annually.

Jeremy Lim
Straits Times, 22 July 2015
http://www.straitstimes.com/opinion/why-we-must-have-foreign-patients

33.

Singapore's inflation likely at forecasts' low end: central bank: MAS, which on Tuesday released its annual report, said it is reviewing its forecast for economic growth this year. The current forecast is for gross domestic product to expand 2-4 percent. The annual report comes after government data released last week that showed Singapore's economy contracted in the second quarter.

The lacklustre growth performance, coupled with a drop in annual core inflation to a five-year low of 0.1 percent in May, has put renewed focus on the possibility of a further easing of monetary policy later this year. Menon said that Singapore's current policy stance remains "appropriate" for ensuring medium-term price stability.

[contains 3-minute video clip]

CNBC, 21 July 2015
http://www.cnbc.com/2015/07/21/singapores-inflation-likely-at-forecasts-low-end-central-bank.html

34.

Commission rejects request for more time on candidates: U Nyan Win, NLD spokesperson and central executive committee member, revealed at a coordination meeting with the Union Election Commission that the NLD had asked for a 10-day extension to the August 8 deadline for presenting its lists, but that the UEC had rejected its request.

"During the meeting, although I asked UEC to extend the deadline, commission chair U Tin Aye rejected it,'' he said, adding that no reason was given.

U Nyan Win said his party was fighting against time in selecting candidates from the party's township branches representing each constituency.
Myanmar Times, 22 July 2015
http://www.mmtimes.com/index.php/national-news/15606-commission-rejects-request-for-more-time-on-candidates.html

35.

Ethnic political parties seek alliance with NLD: An alliance of ethnic political parties has formally proposed joining forces with the National League for Democracy for the November 8 general election. The party is yet to respond to the request, but plans to discuss it at the next meeting of senior officials.

The United Nationalities Alliance comprises parties that contested the 1990 election, which the NLD won in a landslide.
Myanmar Times, 22 July 2015
http://www.mmtimes.com/index.php/national-news/15605-ethnic-political-parties-seek-alliance-with-nld.html

36.

Economics visionary: Myanmar's forefather of modern economics: After leaving Myanmar in 1962 amidst the turmoil of General Ne Win's coup d'état which saw his foreign friends deported, U Hla Myint begun his best economic work while serving as Emeritus Professor of Economics at the London School of Economics from 1966 to 1985.

He expressed the importance of an export-oriented development strategy for Myanmar and the Southeast Asia, noting that if you export to the world the market you could enjoy would allow economies of scale production and efficiency.
Mizzima, 21 July 2015
http://www.mizzima.com/business-features/economics-visionary

37.

First six months: National economy creates stable growth momentum: The Vietnamese economy witnessed positive changes in the first half of the year in which GDP increased nearly 6.3% against the same period last year. It's also the highest rate since 2011. It's predicted that Vietnam will face more challenges during the remaining months but the outcome might be a boost for businesses and foreign investors.

Vietnam's economic achievements over the past six months were attributed to the increase in three areas, of which industry and construction posted an impressive growth rate of 9%, service 5%, and agriculture, forestry, and seafood nearly 2.4%.
Communist Party of Vietnam Online Newspaper, 21 July 2015
http://dangcongsan.vn/cpv/Modules/News_English/News_Detail_E.aspx?CN_ID=724293&CO_ID=30107

38.

Ho Chi Minh City Finds Its Soul in a Voracious Capitalism: Two-thirds of the Vietnamese population was born after the fall of Saigon and the reunification of Vietnam in 1975.

Among the young there is gratefulness that they are coming of age now, when the country is at peace after so many centuries of wars, occupation and entanglements with foreign armies. "I feel lucky that I was born a long time after 1975," said Thu Nghi, who at 22 has her own company that buys, refurbishes and sells homes. From a childhood of poverty and misfortune, Ms. Thu Nghi parlayed a small trading company into a thriving business, and now owns four cars and numerous houses.

New money is everywhere in Saigon, the former capital of South Vietnam, because all the old money fled or was stripped away when the Communist North won the war. In the early years of a unified Vietnam, the government pursued disastrous experiments with collectivized farms and bans on private enterprise.

Thomas Fuller
The New York Times, 21 July 2015
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/07/21/world/asia/ho-chi-minh-city-finds-its-soul-in-a-voracious-capitalism.html?_r=0

39.

State bank official allays fears of further devaluation of dong: The State Bank of Viet Nam will not weaken the dong by more than 2 per cent this year to protect national interests, Deputy Governor Nguyen Thi Hong has said.

Hong said this in an interview with the Vietnam News Agency last week after some experts recently suggested further devaluation of the domestic currency. Notably, the SBV had raised the inter-bank exchange rate in May by 1 per cent for the second time this year, to VND21,673 per US dollar, leaving no room for adjustment later this year.
Viet Nam News, 21 July 2015
http://vietnamnews.vn/economy/273320/state-bank-official-allays-fears-of-further-devaluation-of-dong.html

40.

USD22.3 billion spent on power plants, grids over last five years:  Electricity of Viet Nam (EVN) has spent nearly VND480 trillion developing power plants and grids over the past five years under the national power development plan.

EVN put 34 power generators to use with a total capacity of 9,852 megawatts and started construction on 10 power projects. The Son La Hydropower Plant, which has a 2,400-megawatt capacity, was completed three years earlier than scheduled.
Viet Nam News, 21 July 2015
http://vietnamnews.vn/economy/273308/223-billion-spent-on-power-plants-grids-over-last-five-years.html

41.

National Committee for APEC 2017 debuts: Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung attended the debut of the National Committee for activities of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum in 2017 (APEC 2017) in Hanoi on July 21.

Hosting APEC 2017 events is a new step forward in Vietnam's active international integration process and to enhance its multilateral diplomacy, contributing to boosting socio-economic development and promoting the country's image, he said, adding that this will also offer Vietnam a chance to intensify its bilateral relations with APEC partners.
Voice of Vietnam, 21 July 2015
http://english.vov.vn/Politics/Diplomacy/National-Committee-for-APEC-2017-debuts/297017.vov

42.

RoK to invest in hi-tech agriculture in Can Tho: The Republic of Korea (RoK) will provide a USD500,000 aid package for the Mekong Delta city of Can Tho to boost its hi-tech agriculture.
Voice of Vietnam, 21 July 2015
http://english.vov.vn/Economy/Trade/RoK-to-invest-in-hitech-agriculture-in-Can-Tho/296941.vov

43.

PM should lend an ear: Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha went travelling on Monday, to Rayong province. He visited a fruit processing centre, was photographed with local people, and spoke to them instead of giving them an attentive ear. This is a key mistake also made by ministers and officials.
Bangkok Post, 22 July 2015
http://www.bangkokpost.com/opinion/opinion/630436/pm-should-lend-an-ear

44.

SFI fund process must be more transparent: During the past seven years, the government has had to spend 5.9 billion baht for the Islamic Bank of Thailand and 7.4 billion baht for the SME Bank to increase the capital for these two firms. The newly promulgated Fund Act for SFI System Development, also known as the SFI Fund Law, is an attempt to relieve this fiscal burden. The income of the fund is derived from money that the SFIs received from depositors with the annual rate not exceeding 1%, thus at a rate of 0.47% SFIs will have to deliver approximately 18 billion baht to the fund. Half of this amount will be provided by the Government Savings Bank.

Itsakul Unahakate is a researcher at the Thailand Development Research Institute (TDRI).
Bangkok Post, 22 July 2015
http://www.bangkokpost.com/opinion/opinion/630780/sfi-fund-process-must-be-more-transparent

45.

US, Thailand discuss military cooperation: The United States and Thai military have started discussing joint cooperation plans for next year, including annual military drills, the Thai army's deputy chief of staff says.  Lt Gen Sermsak Niyamosot was speaking after the first of a series of meetings between Thai and American medium-ranking military officials, the so-called Executive Steering Group, which kicked off Tuesday and runs until Friday. 
Bangkok Post, 22 July 2015
http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/general/630076/us-thailand-discuss-military-cooperation

46.

Govt may bow to pressure and reshuffle Cabinet: Pressure is mounting on the government to reshuffle the Cabinet earlier than expected. The reshuffle could take place at the end of this month or early August, a source from Government House said yesterday.

A meeting between key leaders of the government was held at Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha's residence a few days ago to discuss the pending reshuffle.

The source said key factors behind the reshuffle were the state of the economy and pressure from overseas. Those attending the meeting included Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister General Prawit Wongsuwan, Justice Minister General Paiboon Koomchaya and Deputy Defence Minister and Army chief General Udomdej Sitabutr.
New Mandala, 22 July 2015
http://www.nationmultimedia.com/politics/Govt-may-bow-to-pressure-and-reshuffle-Cabinet-30264958.html

47.

Cabinet considers new court for human trafficking: THE CABINET has discussed a bill to set up a Criminal Court's Division on Human Trafficking, Deputy Foreign Minister Don Pramudwinai said yesterday.

Don said the bill, which highlights Thailand's efforts to curb human trafficking, was forwarded to the Cabinet for approval as a provisional agenda.

He said the establishment of the court would prove Thailand' s strong determination and sincerity in suppressing the traffic.
The Nation, 22 July 2015
http://www.nationmultimedia.com/politics/Cabinet-considers-new-court-for-human-trafficking-30264951.html

48.

CDC extends charter deadline by 30 days: THE charter drafters will have more time to craft the new constitution after agreeing yesterday to extend the deadline by another 30 days, as allowed under an amendment to the interim charter.

Constitution Drafting Committee (CDC) spokesman Lertrat Rattanavanich said the committee decided to extend the time period because drafters had made changes to some contentious issues, including reform and reconciliation in the last chapter. They needed more time to craft the wording and to perfect the new charter, he said.
The Nation, 22 July 2015
http://www.nationmultimedia.com/politics/CDC-extends-charter-deadline-by-30-days-30264950.html

49.

Did a fake village hide true story of the Uighurs' fate?: NATIONAL Security Council Secretary-General Anusit Kunakorn lamented the fact that he wasted time, money and resources travelling to China to examine the Potemkin village built for the Uighur Muslims who were deported from Thailand.

But human rights activists have taken with a pinch of salt his assertion that the repatriated Muslims are being treated appropriately because his account of their circumstances could not be verified.

Anusit visited China on July 15 at the invitation of Beijing officials to verify that the 109 repatriated Uighur Muslims were being treated well in China as promised. He returned on Sunday and reported that the Chinese were as good as their word.

Supalak Ganjanakhundee
The Nation, 22 July 2015
http://www.nationmultimedia.com/politics/Did-a-fake-village-hide-true-story-of-the-Uighurs--30264952.html

50.

Editorial: A ray of light for our greying society: A lack of money isn't the end of the world, but it comes pretty close for many retirees. The sad fact is that most Thais start saving late for their retirement, then end up with little to live on in later years. Spurred by the dismal findings of recent studies on the subject, previous governments have taken measures to address the problems but made little headway.

Now comes fresh hope with news that the government will launch the National Savings Fund (NSF) on August 18. The plan was first raised during the last Democrat government but then shelved by its Pheu Thai-led successor. Realising that a national crisis is brewing among the country's retirees, the Prayut administration has revived the idea for this added safety net.
The Nation, 22 July 2015
http://www.nationmultimedia.com/opinion/A-ray-of-light-for-our-greying-society-30264929.html

51.

Egat risks lawsuit if Krabi bidding plan goes ahead: THE Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (Egat) and Energy Ministry could face legal action if they proceed with plans to launch a bidding process to find a company to build a coal-fired power plant in Krabi.

Stop Global Warming Association president Srisuwan Janya said yesterday he planned to sue Egat and the ministry if the bidding process starts.

"This action [Egat's bid] is clearly illegal, so I'll join forces with the Protect Andaman from Coal Network to file a lawsuit with the Administrative Court. I have already been collecting evidence to use against the accused side," he said.
The Nation, 22 July 2015
http://www.nationmultimedia.com/national/Egat-risks-lawsuit-if-Krabi-bidding-plan-goes-ahea-30264946.html

52.

Thai sufficiency economy paves way for progress: I recently had the opportunity to speak about Thailand's sufficiency economy philosophy, a development model conceived by His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej, to the UN Conference on Trade and Development (Unctad), in Geneva, and the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Unesco) in Paris. It is a development model suitable for communities and states worldwide - particularly those looking for an alternative route to development. The method makes sustainable development achievable in today's globalised world.

Surin Pitsuwan is president of the Future Innovative Thailand Institute (Fit), a former Asean secretary-general, and a former foreign minister of Thailand.
Bangkok Post, 21 July 2015
http://www.bangkokpost.com/opinion/opinion/628908/thai-sufficiency-economy-paves-way-for-progress

53.

Thailand will never have democracy unless...: Thailand will never achieve democracy. No matter what constitutions are used, no matter what government the country has, no matter whether that government is appointed or elected, no matter what kind of leader leads, and no matter what theories proposed by political pundits are used; these will all fail to achieve democracy in Thailand unless the present system of governing is dispensed of.

Somchai Rattanakosin
New Mandala, 21 July 2015
http://asiapacific.anu.edu.au/newmandala/2015/07/21/thailand-will-never-have-democracy-unless/

54.

Drought is over in Thailand but water is still in short supply: "The drought situation is over as we saw rainfall consecutively over the past week. However, there are seven provinces, mostly in the north, that are experiencing no rainfall still," Anusorn Kaewkangwan, deputy director-general of Thailand's Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation, told Reuters."Each affected province has an emergency fund that will help it take care of water shortages including the implementation of short-term relief measures."Rice farmers in Thailand, the world's second-biggest exporter of the grain after India, have been asked to delay planting their main crop until August in order to conserve precious water.As a result of weak global demand and the drought, the Thai Rice Exporters Association this month said exports will likely reach 9.5 million tonnes this year, down from a previous target of 10 million tonnes.
Reuters, 21 July 2015
http://in.reuters.com/article/2015/07/21/thailand-weather-idINKCN0PV0XM20150721

55.

Krabi coal plant must be scrapped'; protesters call for fair review: ENVIRONMENTAL groups are calling on the government to scrap a controversial coal-fired power plant planned for Krabi province, while Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha has warned that the price of electricity may rise if new plants are not built.

Yesterday, bidding to build the coal-fired power plant in Krabi was postponed from tomorrow to August 5. Though activists have been protesting at Government House against the project, officials say the bidding process was delayed because companies need more time to prepare proposals.
The Nation, 21 July 2015
http://www.nationmultimedia.com/national/Krabi-coal-plant-must-be-scrapped;-protesters-call-30264867.html

56.

A Thai House Divided: Conservative royalists have also become increasingly critical of the military government. Mr. Prem told the media in January, "this country does not belong to Prayuth." Mr. Anand recently declared in public that General Prayuth should "not to extend his rule too long." Rumors of a countercoup are growing louder in Bangkok. General Prayuth has responded by placing more members of the Queen's Guard in major positions: His brother General Preecha is rumored to become the next army chief. General Prayuth has reportedly been orchestrating this promotion without consulting the Privy Council, even though it traditionally has had a say in important military appointments.

But Mr. Prem is not yet out of the picture. When Bhumibol passes, it will be up to the Privy Council to formally recommend the heir apparent to Parliament for approval and then appointment to the throne. At that point it could nominate Sirindhorn instead of Vajiralongkorn. Even if it did endorse the prince, simply delaying that decision by a day would do great damage to his legitimacy as king. Fragmentation within the military-royalist complex is complicating the upcoming royal succession in Thailand. With the factions of General Prayuth and Mr. Prem apparently favoring different candidates to the throne, the two men's struggle could translate into power plays within the government, the army and the palace itself. And should the camp of the Queen's Guard prevail and Vajiralongkorn accede to the throne, both the military and the monarchy would become even more politicized - and Thailand even less democratic.

Pavin Chachavalpongpun is an associate professor at Kyoto University's Center for Southeast Asian Studies.
The New York Times, 20 July 2015
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/07/20/opinion/a-thai-house-divided.html?_r=0

57.

'Poe to run for President': With Sen. Grace Poe virtually shutting the door on President Aquino's overtures for her to team up with Interior Secretary Mar Roxas for a coalition ticket next year, senators close to the front-running presidential candidate are more certain she will run as independent.

In a phone interview, Sen. Serge Osmeña said of Poe: "She is just dancing the fandango, she is just going through the motion, she has already made up her mind. She will run for President."

Sen. Vicente Sotto III said he had no doubt that Poe would run for President with her close friend, Sen. Francis Escudero, as her running mate.
Philippine Daily Inquirer, 22 July 2015
http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/706769/poe-to-run-for-president

58.

Alan Cayetano Charges to scare is the defense of the corrupt: Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano on Tuesday dismissed a P200-million damage suit against him as a move by Vice President Jejomar Binay to evade corruption allegations.

"Charges to scare is the defense of the corrupt," the Senate majority leader said in a statement.

"This is just a tactic to divert the issue of corruption in government and a way to intimidate government officials and media from further revealing the truth," Cayetano said.
Philippine Daily Inquirer, 22 July 2015
http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/706787/alan-cayetano-charges-to-scare-is-the-defense-of-the-corrupt

59.

Philippines remittances: under threat: More than 10m Filipinos work overseas in a wide range of jobs from seamen to engineers, domestic workers to nurses. Last year, remittances were worth USD24.3bn. That is about a tenth of gross domestic product in itself, and a vital driver of the consumer spending that accounts for two-thirds of the Philippines' economic output.The value of remittances is still growing but last year's growth, of 5.9 per cent, was the weakest in five years.Crucially, there are signs of significant change in the employment of Filipinos in the US, long their most lucrative overseas jobs market and home to about 3.5m expat Filipinos.
Financial Times, 21 July 2015
http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/3/17eaf74a-2faf-11e5-91ac-a5e17d9b4cff.html

60.

Aquino inks maiden antitrust law to lure investments:  The competition law, which came about after more than two decades of lobbying by some big businesses, is aimed at dismantling monopolies and cartels. It also penalizes anti-competitive mergers and acquisitions and some unfair practices by dominant market players, such as price fixing, predatory pricing and selling products below cost. Aquino said the law will level the playing field for all businesses.

Aquino signed the laws nearly a week before his state of the nation address on July 27, when he is expected to tout gains and reforms under his administration. Before the signing, the Philippines was the only original member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations without an antitrust law, according to Senate President Franklin Drilon.

Cliff Venzon, Nikkei staff writer
Nikkei Asian Review, 21 July 2015
http://asia.nikkei.com/Politics-Economy/Economy/Aquino-inks-maiden-antitrust-law-to-lure-investments

61.

Gov't promises border action: A government delegation yesterday told Tbong Khmum provincial and local officials it would resolve a border dispute with Vietnam in Memot district "very soon", as villagers blocked from their farms in the contested area by Vietnamese authorities say they fear looming food shortages.

The comments were made during a visit to the province by members of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cambodia's Border Committee to discuss the ongoing demarcation process.
Phnom Penh Post, 22 July 2015
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/govt-promises-border-action

62.

Wage-increase impact up for debate: Recent data from the International Labour Organisation say that despite implementing a USD128 minimum wage in January, the Kingdom's garment and footwear sector has grown by over 10 per cent in the first quarter this year, although experts suggest a wait-and-see approach to determine its full impact.

In the first of a newly launched quarterly bulletin on the sector's performance, the International Labour Organization (ILO) said Cambodia's garment sector grew by 9.3 per cent to USD5.8 billion last year, employing over 600,000 workers in 640 factories.
Phnom Penh Post, 22 July 2015
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/business/wage-increase-impact-debate

63.

Cambodian court jails 11 opposition activists for 'insurrection': Those jailed are from the opposition Cambodian National Rescue party (CNRP). They were arrested during the clashes with authorities last year that left dozens wounded on both sides. Tuesday's shock ruling caught lawyers, rights groups and CNRP supporters by surprise. "This is a very serious sentencing. We lawyers cannot accept these convictions," Sam Sokong, one of the group's defence counsels, said, adding that his eight other clients received seven years in jail.

Local rights group LICADHO described the proceedings as a "show trial with a predetermined ending, apparently set up only to intimidate the CNRP", adding that the sentencing was carried out without the presence of most of the group's lawyers.
The Guardian, 21 July 2015
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/jul/21/cambodian-court-jails-11-opposition-activists-for-insurrection

64.

Korea signs framework agreement for development support: Capacity buildings, rural development, health and UXO in Laos were among the areas to receive funding and technical support from the Republic of Korea at a signing ceremony in Vientiane yesterday.

The five projects included an empowerment and capacity building project at Souphanouvong University in Luang Prabang province as well as a project for digital topographic mapping and capacity building to enhance cartographic records in Laos.
Vientiane Times, 22 July 2015
http://www.vientianetimes.org.la/freeContent/FreeConten_Korea signs.html

65.

Laos, Vietnam boost agriculture development cooperation: The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (MAF) of Laos and the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) of Vietnam have agreed to boost cooperation in the areas of agriculture, forestry and rural development.

The cooperation will focus on science and technical promotion, human development, plus investment and commerce.

The agreement was signed in Vientiane yesterday between Minister of Agriculture and Forestry, Mr Vilayvanh Phomkhe and Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Mr Cao Duc Phat attended by officials of both sides.
Vientiane Times, 22 July 2015
http://www.vientianetimes.org.la/freeContent/FreeConten_Laos_Vietnam.html

66.

Roundtable process pushes national growth: Deputy PM: The government has described the roundtable meeting process as a significant forum in promoting cooperation and partnership with foreign countries to ensure more effective development in Laos.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Mr Thongloun Sisoulith said in his statement recently that the roundtable meeting process has played an important role in promoting greater cooperation and mobilising funding for the implementation of socio-economic development plans, Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and poverty reduction in Laos over the past decades.
Vientiane Times, 22 July 2015
http://www.vientianetimes.org.la/freeContent/FreeConten_Roundtable process.html

67.

Session approves govt plans, gives instruction for better results: The ninth ordinary session of the National Assembly's (NA) Seventh Legislature ended yesterday after running for fifteen days with enthusiastic participation by people's representatives from constituencies throughout the country.

After its opening on July 1, the session reviewed the government's reporting on the implementation of the socio-economic plan over the past half of fiscal year 2014-2015 as well as plans for the next six months and next fiscal year.

 The continued shortfall in revenue collection, significant budget deficit and rising public debt were the focus of NA members' queries raised with the government. 

 Revenue from the sale of timber was also among the hot topics at the NA session with the assembly questioning whether the Prime Minister has used any tough measures against illegal loggers and wood traders as promised at the previous NA session.
Vientiane Times, 22 July 2015
http://www.vientianetimes.org.la/freeContent/FreeConten_Session approves.html

68.

Asean Trade Needs To Leap Tall Non Tariff Barriers With a Single AEC Market: The lack of a common payment platform and no common credit bureau in Asean does not help. While Asean may be not even dreaming of a currency union, there can surely be far more done in terms of improving common banking facilities across borders. The current stage of banking integration is slow at best. (See: AEC and banking integration: Fintech shows the way ) This,according to Chris Humphrey would benefit not just the large companies wanting to trade across Asean borders, but the small and medium sized enterprises which have fewer resources and lack the scale of larger economies. For a small company located in say, Medan, he said, being able to move goods quickly and efficiently to Ipoh could then become a reality.
The Establishment Post, 22 July 2015
http://www.establishmentpost.com/asean-trade-needs-to-leap-tall-non-tariff-barriers-with-a-single-aec-market/

69.

Japan defense paper tough on China: Japan's recently revised defense report, which called China's maritime claims "coercive," signals Japan's increasingly hard-line position against China, analysts said Tuesday. Observers also warn of the possibility of a more serious confrontation between the two countries as the defense paper comes only a few days after Japan's lower chamber approved the country's new security bills, which allow troops to fight overseas for the first time since the end of World War II.

In response to the defense paper, China's foreign ministry said Tuesday the report "maliciously hyped the 'China threat We solemnly urge Japan to stop deliberately creating tension and provoking confrontation, and to contribute to regional peace and stability instead," said a foreign ministry statement.

Chen Heying
Global Times, 22 July 2015
http://www.globaltimes.cn/content/933237.shtml

70.

NPC chief Zhang Dejiang says Beijing won't waver in its approach to Hong Kong: This is the first time a state leader has spoken officially about Hong Kong's political future since the Legislative Council last month voted down the government's reform package for the 2017 chief executive election. "I am confident with the development of Hong Kong as it is backed by the great motherland and has its own advantages," Zhang Dejiang , chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, said yesterday at a meeting with the Chinese General Chamber of Commerce delegation from Hong Kong.

The central government's policies towards the city were clear and unswerving, said Zhang, who is also head of the Communist Party's leading group on Hong Kong and Macau affairs....Hong Kong's Civic Party leader, Alan Leong Kah-kit, said that despite Zhang's comments, the city's democratic development was regressing. "The central government has turned a blind eye to the views of moderate pan-democrats all these years," Leong said. "It should reflect on whether it wants to push Hong Kong to the path of violence." Lawmaker Tam Yiu-chung, of the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong, said Zhang's remarks showed that Beijing would not change its policy towards the city just because the reform exercise had failed.

Kwong Man-ki in Beijing and Joyce Ng
South China Morning Post, 22 July 2015
http://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/1842476/key-central-government-leader-says-beijing-wont-waver-its?utm_source=edm&utm_medium=edm&utm_content=20150722&utm_campaign=scmp_today

71.

Asia, the new hotbed for start-up companies: Foreigners are beginning to spot opportunities to found their start-ups in Asia, the fastest-growing region in the world."What I am seeing is a real increase in entrepreneurship and a real increase in mobility, especially among younger entrepreneurs," said Mr Peter Wall, who is co-founder of Hubud, a co-working space in Bali, Indonesia.However, it is not easy to set up a foreign start-up across the region. While some hubs, like Singapore, are keener to globalise and attract foreigners, others have a lot of red tape and legal barriers.
Straits Times, 22 July 2015
http://www.straitstimes.com/asia/asia-the-new-hotbed-for-start-up-companies

72.

Russia's 'Pivot to Asia' and the SCO: The recent Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit held in Ufa, Russia highlighted Moscow's engagement with Asia - including China, Central Asia, and India and Pakistan. Richard Weitz, Senior Fellow and Director of the Center for Political-Military Analysis at Hudson Institute, joins The Diplomat to talk through Russia's "pivot to Asia," Sino-Russia relations, and the future of the SCO.

[15-minute video clip]

The Diplomat, 21 July 2015
http://thediplomat.com/2015/07/russias-pivot-to-asia-and-the-sco/

73.

South China Sea: options and risks: The venerable Centre for Strategic and International Studies in Washington DC is hosting its fifth annual conference on the South China Sea on Wednesday, Australian time. It's my privilege to be speaking at the conference on the theme of the international community and the strategic balances in the South China Sea.

I propose a number of steps which the US and like-minded countries might act upon to develop a more effective shared strategy towards the South China Sea. Five immediate actions stand out as offering a more promising way forward.

Peter Jennings is executive director at ASPI.
The Australian Strategic Policy Institute, 22 July 2015
http://www.aspistrategist.org.au/south-china-sea-options-and-risks/

74.

社评：5.5亿军费的菲律宾为何能坏中国: 中国既要同菲越耐心周旋，又要对付美日等对中国建设岛礁的歪曲解读。中国在南海的日常麻烦大多是与菲越之间的，但战略性压力主要来自美国。中国既要在南海维权，又面临同美日及其他一些西方力量之间的舆论战。如今美日同菲律宾的唱和已经很熟练，中国面对的决不仅仅是菲律宾的几艘军舰和海警船，我们最难的是在如此复杂的环境下处理好自己几个目标的彼此关系，厘清底线、以及我们为这些目标准备付出的代价。
环球网, 22 July 2015
http://opinion.huanqiu.com/editorial/2015-07/7062855.html

75.

Japan ramps up warnings over China in maritime dispute: Japan has ramped up warnings over the dangers posed by a more uncompromising China, highlighting satellite images of land reclamation activities in the South China Sea and detailing what it said were Beijing's "coercive attempts to change the status quo".The criticism, which uses blunter language than in previous years, appeared in Japan's defence white paper: a hefty annual report that describes the country's own military posture and analyses potential security threats.Publication of the white paper was delayed by more than a week after members of the ruling Liberal Democratic party (LDP) rebelled during what should have been a routine consultation session. The MPs demanded more explicit criticism of China and its development of oil and gasfields in the East China Sea.

Leo Lewis
Financial Times, 21 July 2015
http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/0/2e5aeab2-2f69-11e5-8873-775ba7c2ea3d.html

76.

Report warns of China's maritime activity: Japan's new defense white paper has expressed strong concern over China's increased activities in the South and East China Seas. The annual report was submitted to the Cabinet meeting on Tuesday. The report includes a new section on maritime trends. It points out increasing cases where national interests are unilaterally asserted based on claims that are incompatible with international law.

[news contains 2-minute video clip]

NHK Online, 21 July 2015
http://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/english/news/20150721_16.html

77.

Has the Philippines Forgotten its South China Sea Strategy? As the former Philippine National Security Adviser Roilo Golez told me, the Philippines' South China Sea strategic planning "was dominated by internal defense officers who looked inward and ignored the China threat in spite of repeated warning." No wonder, then, he said, that "nothing was achieved by way of minimum deterrence during the 1990s and the 2000s." He lamented how military modernization funds were going to "minor items" that "were useless" for defending the country's claims in the South China Sea.

Chronic corruption and protracted domestic insurgencies haven't helped either. Now contrast this with the Philippines legal strategy against China. Recently, the Southeast Asian country dispatched a large contingent - composed of top officials from all branches of the state - to the oral hearing at The Hague. After more than two years of hard work, giving birth to more than 7000 pages of data, supporting documents, and pleadings, it is not even clear whether the Arbitral Tribunal, formed under the aegis of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), will decide to exercise jurisdiction on the South China Sea disputes.

Moreover, even if the Tribunal exercises jurisdiction, not only does it lack a mechanism to enforce any unfavorable verdict against China; it doesn't also have the mandate to directly adjudicate sovereignty-related disputes (Both Manila and Beijing have refused to subject their territorial claims to the International Court of Justice). Over the past year and half, as the snail's pace arbitration procedures gained shape, China has reportedly reclaimed 810 hectares across the South China Sea, while expanding its patrols and conventional military exercises in the area. This is the real dispute that the Philippines should respond to, as the country's leaders correctly foresaw back in the Cold War days.

Richard Javad Heydarian is an assistant professor in political science at De La Salle University, and a former policy adviser at the Philippine House of Representatives (2009-2015.
The Diplomat, 21 July 2015
http://thediplomat.com/2015/07/has-the-philippines-forgotten-its-south-china-sea-strategy/

78.

BRICS chart new course in global finance: While the EU is still overwhelmed by Greek sovereign debt woes, a new financial endeavor from emerging countries is meeting suspicion from the West. The New Development Bank (NDB) promoted by BRICS nations started operations in Shanghai on Tuesday. Starting out with USD50 billion in capital, the NDB aims at financing infrastructure and development projects in Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa.

In the long run, the NDB is expected to meet the developing world's enormous needs for infrastructure. According to an estimate by the Asian Development Bank (ADB), USD8.22 trillion of infrastructure investment is needed across Asia alone in the next decade, let alone in the rest of the developing world. The NDB is clearly regarded by some in the West as a rival to the IMF, the World Bank and the ADB, and a challenger of the established financial framework.
Global Times, 22 July 2015
http://www.globaltimes.cn/content/933252.shtml

79.

Don't Forget About the New BRICS Bank: As a further sign of the equality of the BRICS members, the leadership positions are spread out among the member countries: the bank president, K.V. Kamath, is Indian, and the presidency will rotate among representatives of the various countries. The first chair of the board of governors will be Russian and the first chair of the directors will be Brazilian. The first (and as yet only) regional office for the bank is in Johannesburg, South Africa.

However, having the BRICS bank headquarters in Shanghai has caused some concern that China would wield an outsized influence. "The fact that the bank will be based in China ... gives China more power in choosing which projects get funded and which do not," James Rickards, a senior managing director at Tangent Capital, told CNBC when the bank was announced in July 2014. Skeptics view the NDB as a de facto extension of what Joshua Cooper Ramo called the "Beijing Consensus," whereby China uses loans and aid to developing countries to ensure access to natural resources. China's sheer economic size - its GDP is larger than that of the other four BRICS combined - makes the idea of a perfectly equal BRICS grouping unlikely.

Shannon Tiezzi
The Diplomat, 22 July 2015
http://thediplomat.com/2015/07/dont-forget-about-the-new-brics-bank/

80.

New Brics bank in Shanghai to challenge major institutions: Although it has only five founding members compared with the AIIB's 57, the NDB will begin with initial capital of USD100bn, the same as AIIB. The five countries all have equal voting shares. "We believe the funding needs of Asia in the infrastructure space are so vast that there is easily space for the two of us and, indeed, many more lenders to participate," said KV Kamath, NDB president and former chief executive of ICICI, India's largest private sector bank.

But unlike AIIB, NDB will not limit itself to Asia. Excluding South Africa, the four original Bric countries comprise more than 40 per cent of the world's population, a quarter of the world's land area and more than 25 per cent of global gross domestic product.

Gabriel Wildau in Shanghai
Financial Times, 21 July 2015
http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/0/d8e26216-2f8d-11e5-8873-775ba7c2ea3d.html - axzz3gZlS6hEo

81.

China should be more prudent than pushy in relations with BRICS partners: As much of the world focuses on Greece's travails, the BRICS countries - Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa - have been working to advance their own economic agenda, most recently at their seventh annual summit in the Siberian city of Ufa. But, though Russia hosted the meeting, it is China that is viewed as dominating the grouping. Indeed, the BRICS have allowed China to boost its diplomatic presence, and this will remain the case if China is careful not to push its national interests too hard.

Zhao Minghao
Global Times, 21 July 2015
http://www.globaltimes.cn/content/933166.shtml

82.

Emerging market unemployment rises sharply: Unemployment across emerging markets has risen sharply this year, reversing a six-year slide, even as it has continued to fall in developed countries."The story of the past few years has been that emerging markets have been slowing, but until recently that wasn't reflected in a pick-up in unemployment in most places," said Mark Williams, chief Asia economist at Capital Markets.Across emerging markets, unemployment has risen to 5.7 per cent, from a cyclical low of 5.2 per cent in January, the sharpest rise since the global financial crisis, according to figures compiled by JPMorgan (see chart).

Steve Johnson
Financial Times, 21 July 2015
http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/3/1ad44446-2eda-11e5-91ac-a5e17d9b4cff.html

83.

For China and US, spats are better than fights: Yuan Peng, a scholar at the China Institute of Contemporary International Relations once wrote a letter to Nina Hachigian, the current US Ambassador to ASEAN. In the letter, Yuan said that for China, building a new type of major power relationship with the US means that Beijing makes three promises to Washington: China won't ruin the existing international system through wars; China won't pursue a Cold War with the US and won't challenge US global leadership and its Asia-Pacific presence; and China hopes to find a win-win way to cooperate with the US in addressing global problems and shaping the future world.

In her response, Hachigian said that Washington can also make three pledges to Beijing: The US welcomes and respects a prosperous, successful and rule-abiding China; the US tries to resolve all disagreements with China peacefully and respectfully, through dialogue and according to international rules and norms; and the US welcomes China's peaceful and constructive involvement and leadership in regional and world affairs.

Liu Yawei
Global Times, 21 July 2015
http://www.globaltimes.cn/content/933197.shtml