Singapore will push for connectivity in Asean in its role as bloc chair next year amid a challenging global environment, Prime Minister Lawrence Wong has said, as he warned about the United States and China navigating a new dynamic.
At the Singapore Press Club Eminent Speaker Series on Monday, Wong noted that keeping communication lines open between Chinese President Xi Jinping and his American counterpart Donald Trump was important to reduce the risk of misunderstanding and miscalculation, but…
Malaysia tackles illegal foreign-owned firms, as regional crackdown widens
Malaysia ordered a crackdown on Monday against illegal businesses run by foreigners, joining a growing list of Southeast Asian nations rocked by similar operations amid simmering local resentment.
In recent years, Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia and Indonesia introduced visa-free entry for foreign visitors following the Covid-19 pandemic in a bid to revive their flagging tourism, property and investment sectors.
But last month, Thailand removed the 60-day visa-free entry for 93 countries and…
Pakistan’s mediators in Iran as US downs drones, Lebanon looks for peace
Pakistan’s interior minister was in Tehran on Sunday in a fresh bid to restart negotiations between Iran and the US, as the American military said it shot down two more Iranian drones over the Strait of Hormuz that threatened international maritime traffic.
The latest action came as the Washington presses for Iran to make a deal to end the war in the Middle East, which has strained the global economy and threatened a hunger crisis in some of the world’s most vulnerable countries.
The heaviest…
Slumping rupiah makes Indonesia irresistible for Malaysian tourists, shoppers
Indonesia has always been a favourite travel destination for Malaysians and visitor numbers are expected to increase with the neighbouring country’s currency hitting a record low.
Melaka Tourism Association president Madelina Quah said the low rupiah presents an advantage for Malaysians travelling and shopping in Indonesia.
“This will translate to cheaper holidays, shopping for weddings and buying of raw materials for imports against exports’ competitiveness,” she said.
“Younger Malaysians…
South Korean protesters demand ‘election re-run’ after ballot shortage
Protesters outside a ballot-counting site in South Korea on Saturday rallied for a second day, demanding a re-run of local elections held earlier this week.
Around 10,000 citizens were estimated to have gathered at the SK Olympic Handball Stadium as of 5.30pm local time, where votes were counted from Wednesday’s elections to pick mayors and local government officials and assembly members, Yonhap News Agency reported, citing an unofficial police estimate.
Representatives at Seoul Metropolitan…
Singapore orders social media platforms to block foreign posts targeting Indian community
Three social media platforms have been ordered to block access to 14 posts which “target the Indian community and undermine Singapore’s model of multiculturalism”, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) said on Saturday.
The police have issued disabling directions under the Online Criminal Harms Act to block access to the posts on YouTube, Facebook and X, MHA said in a statement.
The direction required the platforms to “take all reasonable steps to disable access by Singapore users to these posts”,…
Regulator consultation sheds light on Australia’s pending new ADM transparency obligation
A new consultation underscores that transparency and informed privacy decision-making will be central to the regulation of organisations that use personal information for ADM in Australia.
How businesses can protect themselves during conflict crises
Disruptive external events, particularly those driven by geopolitical instability, are again at the forefront of commercial risk across the Middle East.
Most Asia-Pacific firms use AI for tasks without cutting jobs: survey
While a wave of job cuts across Asia’s finance and other industries due to wider use of artificial intelligence has spurred concerns, a new study shows that the technology’s net impact on employment is not as clear-cut.
Recruiters and industry observers say many companies are adding AI-related roles without having to lay off workers.
A study by professional services firm Aon released on Wednesday shows that 74 per cent of 504 companies surveyed across industries in the Asia-Pacific region have…
CJEU raises questions over retaining investigation data in HR reports
A ruling by Europe’s top court on the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) will make it harder for employers to keep information on investigations involving staff on their personnel files indefinitely, according to an expert.