Malaysia is making progress in talks with China to revive a high-speed rail project that Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad’s government said it would cancel, according to Foreign Minister Saifuddin Abdullah.China is willing to reduce the US$20 billion price tag for the East Coast Rail Link project and talks are “in the last mile,” Saifuddin said in an interview on Tuesday at his office near Kuala Lumpur. Discussions have been led by Daim Zainuddin, an adviser to Mahathir, with the aim of reaching…
Call for ‘flexible’ UK telecoms regulation to support convergence
The regulation of telecoms markets in the UK needs to be “flexible” and “forward-looking” to account for the convergence of fixed and mobile networks, the government has said.
North Korea has been building a ‘socialist utopia’ in Samjiyon but it’s now running short on labour
In January, thousands of North Korean students travelled to Mount Paektu, a sacred mountain where the ruling family claims its roots and where leader Kim Jong-un is building a massive economic hub at the alpine town of Samjiyon.It is one of the largest construction initiatives Kim has launched, part of his campaign for a “self-reliant economy” even as he seeks to convince US President Donald Trump to lift economic sanctions at their second summit later this month.State media painted an…
Copyright rulings impact radio stream ripping services
ANALYSIS: It is highly likely that the EU’s highest court will be asked to consider the legality of radio stream ripping services in future after their compatibility with copyright rules was assessed recently in two cases in Germany.
What does Singapore PM-in-waiting Heng Swee Keat’s 2019 budget say about an early election?
In the weeks leading up to Singapore’s budget, expectations were running high for Finance Minister Heng Swee Keat’s first major policy speech since being designated as the prime minister in waiting. There was intense talk by economists and analysts that he would use this budget as his platform to launch the election campaign for his party, the People’s Action Party (PAP), in some style. Singaporeans were also looking forward to seeing a huge cash bonus in advance of what would be an early…
Can North Korea copy Vietnam’s economic miracle?
When Vo Van Dai started working at Vietnam’s Van Phan Dien Chau fish sauce company in the late 1980s, the state-run firm comprised five departments overseen by 18 managers. By the time he rose up the ranks to take charge of the company after its privatisation in 2000, the Nghe An province-based firm had slashed management by two-thirds.During the same time, revenues exploded tenfold to over 20 billion dong (US$860 million) and the regular workforce more than doubled to 180 employees.“In the…
Suspected explosion near Indonesia election debate venue
Indonesian police are investigating a suspected explosion on Sunday near the venue of a presidential debate in the capital Jakarta, officials said.Police officials said a loud noise was heard and thick grey smoke was seen immediately after. But Berita Satu media group said it may have been caused by fireworks.@jakpost reporting blast was in parking lot near Sultan Hotel central Jakarta where Indonesian Presidential election debate being held. People in area ran in panic. No casualties reported…
Will Thailand’s election turmoil hit China-backed US$54 billion Eastern Economic Corridor?
Thailand’s Eastern Economic Corridor, a 1.7 trillion baht (US$54.2 billion) development heavily reliant on Chinese backing, should emerge unscathed by the kingdom’s pre-election political turmoil, analysts say.
Princess Ubolratana Rajakanya’s abortive prime ministerial bid last weekend had stunned investors and political observers, as it brought to the fore questions about differences in the palace – King Maha Vajiralongkorn vetoed the move – and whether the…
Explained: Malaysia’s 1MDB scandal
1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) is a state investment fund that came under investigation for a multibillion-dollar global corruption scandal.
The US Department of Justice (DOJ) alleges US$4.5 billion was siphoned from 1MDB between 2009 and 2014. The scandal has been described as the world’s most extensive financial con. Who are the central figures in the 1MDB scandal?
Fugitive financier Low Taek Jho, also known as Jho Low, is accused of masterminding the fraud. Low and two former…
Forget the junta: does King Vajiralongkorn hold all the cards in Thai politics?
THE THAI DRAMA lasted ostensibly less than a day. But the shock waves of the February 8 political earthquake triggered by Princess Ubolratana Rajakanya’s abortive prime ministerial candidacy – vetoed by her younger brother King Maha Vajiralongkorn within hours – are still being felt as the Thai public grapples with the meaning of that moment.
The motivation behind the monarch’s edict remains opaque, as do its consequences. Some say his decision was more a rebuke than a…