Indonesia Proposed Changes to Criminal Code and KPK Spur Concerns (28 Aug – 11 Sep) National legislators in Indonesia are expected to vote on a new penal code on 24 September, replacing the current code inherited from its Dutch colonial rulers. If the law is approved, it...
September 2019 | On a recent trip to Hanoi, I met with one of the major state-owned banks, private sector economists and some Vietnamese businesses, as well as officials from their government. Many are optimistic and have been investing in Vietnam, and for good reason. However,...
August 2019| Investment interest is picking up among many investors in Asia, and a number of them have asked for our views. Most recently, we hosted Dr Sean Turnell, Special Economic Advisor to the State Counsellor during a trip to Singapore in late July. He shared...
Indonesia Indonesia Closes the US$3.85 billion Freeport-McMoRan Mine Deal (21 Dec 2018) Indonesia’s state-owned mine company PT Inalum took control of the local unit of Freeport-McMoRan Inc on 21 December, Friday, giving it control of the massive Grasberg copper mine. The deal hands Inalum a 51.23% stake...
Indonesia Jokowi to Double Cash Handouts under PKH (11 Dec) Social Affairs Minister Agus Gumiwan Kartasasmita told reporters that the PKH aid programme would double in scope from US$1.3 billion to US$2.6 billion in 2019. The programme, aimed at 10 million families, will be dispersed in four...
Indonesia 212 Reunion Rally Turns Political (2 Dec) Hundreds of thousands of Indonesian Muslims gathered in Central Jakarta on Sunday, 2 December, to commemorate the second anniversary of widespread protests against Jakarta’s then-governor, Basuki “Ahok” Purnama. The rally also took on a political tone as Islam Defenders...
Indonesia Surprise Rate Hike by Bank Indonesia due to Widening Current Account Deficit (15 Nov) Indonesia’s central bank surprised observers with its sixth rate hike in 2018, bringing its benchmark rate to 6%. Bank Indonesia Governor Perry Warjiyo explained that the hike was aimed at reducing the...
"As businesses and supply chains transform, it is necessary for ASEAN to prepare for the inevitable digitization of the regional economy." - Chen Chen Lee, SIIA director of policy programmes, Nikkei Asian Review commentary Full article: Southeast Asia must guard against digital domination risks [First published in Nikkei...
November 2018 | As the new Pakatan Harapan (PH) government settles in, many expect a shift from electioneering to setting policies and priorities for the Malaysian economy and political reforms. The Budget 2019, delivered recently, can be seen in this light. Prime Minister Dr Mahathir...
While much attention has been paid to ASEAN’s relations with the US and China, its engagement of Australia and New Zealand is equally important. Exploring why and how the three parties are engaging each other was the topic of the 11th ASEAN-Australia-New Zealand (AANZ) Dialogue,...