Indonesian President Joko Widodo “Jokowi” has embarked on an ambitious effort to overhaul his country’s economy and make it more attractive to investors. Four omnibus bills, two of which have been submitted to the Indonesian Parliament, lie at the centre of his efforts. While the...
Following the Constitutional Court’s ruling on the Future Forward Party, Thailand’s third biggest political party by both votes and seats was forced to dissolve. Here is a brief recap of the party’s milestones since the Thai election in April 2019 and what this move means. (This...
Singapore, Wednesday, 26 February 2020 – "No one knows how long and how bad the Covid-19 outbreak will be. The first efforts from governments to shore up the economy are beginning and further measures may be needed if the outbreak is prolonged. Governments should come...
By Simon Tay and Jessica Wau For The Business Times After many headlines of panic, the response to the Covid-19 outbreak is entering a new phase. One clear marker of this was the special Asean-China foreign ministers meeting convened in haste in Laos to boost cooperation. A second sign...
Reports emerged on 23 February that a major political realignment in Malaysian politics was underway. According to numerous sources, Dr Mahathir had apparently cobbled together support from a majority of lawmakers in Parliament to form a new government – but those hopes were put in...
On Tuesday, 18 February 2020, the Singapore government unveiled Budget 2020. The S$106 billion Budget included widely anticipated measures to bolster Singapore's economy against the fallout of the COVID-19 outbreak and address long term structural shifts. Yet, the Budget also included surprises, particularly the Electric Vehicle...
The onset of COVID-19 took the region by surprise, and countries have scrambled to formulate policies such as travel restrictions to combat the outbreak. Yet, regional economies are already feeling the strain. Tourism numbers have dropped significantly, and growth forecasts with them. The extent of...
COVID-19 Outbreak Governments Calibrating Stimulus Packages to Boost Economies (12 Feb – Ongoing) Singapore Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Heng Swee Keat outlined measures to address the economic impact of COVID-19 in the 2020 Budget. Singapore is expected to be significantly affected by the outbreak,...
Since late January, ASEAN governments have been moving to address the spread of COVID-19. Travel restrictions against Chinese citizens or people who have recently visited China have been implemented by more than half of ASEAN’s members, regardless of whether they have confirmed cases of the...
Resources Sustainability Mobile App simplifies peatland restoration monitoring efforts in Indonesia An inexpensive, community-based monitoring system is enhancing land management strategies in the Indonesian province of Riau as the government rolls out techniques aimed at strengthening the ability of local people to reduce their vulnerability to fire....