Southeast Asia

Southeast Asia • STORY OF THE DAY • May 24, 2017 • 2 min read

Chinese firm purchases 49.9% stake in Malaysia’s national carmaker

By Euan Black • May 24, 2017
The Malaysian business conglomerate DRB-Hicom has finally found a foreign firm to help restore Proton to its former glory Malaysia's second minister of finance Johari Abdul Ghani (C) witnesses the signing of an agreement between DRB-HICOM and China-based Zhejiang Geely Holding Group, 24 May 2017. Photo: EPA/Fazry Ismail

Southeast Asia • STORY OF THE DAY • May 24, 2017 • 4 min read

Cambodia’s premier enters campaign fray as opposition predicts victory

By Euan Black • May 24, 2017
Prime Minister Hun Sen’s shock decision to march with his party in an upcoming campaign parade led to speculation his party feared significant losses in the upcoming elections, but analysts say the ruling party is still likely to win – by hook or by crook Supporters of the Cambodian People's Party (CPP) gather during a campaign for the Cambodian local commune elections in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, 20 May 2017. Photo: EPA/Mak Remissa

Southeast Asia • STORY OF THE DAY • May 23, 2017 • 2 min read

Crowds in Indonesia watch gay couple publicly caned

By Euan Black • May 23, 2017
Two days after police in Jakarta arrested 141 men suspected of taking part in a gay sex party, two men were publicly caned on Tuesday in Aceh province A man is whipped in front of the public as punishment for being in a same-sex relationship in Banda Aceh, Indonesia, 23 May 2017. Photo: EPA/Hotli Simanjuntak

Southeast Asia • May 22, 2017 • 3 min read

Cambodia’s National Police retract report linking Royal Group tycoon to illegal logging

Less than a week after releasing a report accusing business tycoon Kith Meng of involvement in illegal logging, the National Police have issued a short statement claiming the report was an “unintentional” mistake A photograph of business tycoon Kith Meng posted to Facebook by Royal Financial Corporation, a financial consultancy firm owned by Kith Meng's Royal Group.
By Euan Black • May 22, 2017

Southeast Asia • May 19, 2017 • 3 min read
Francisco Guterre

Timor-Leste’s new president is unlikely to rock the boat

Faced with a looming economic crisis, Timor-Leste went to the polls in March to decide on its fourth president. They chose Francisco ‘Lu-Olo’ Guterres, a resistance fighter who has promised reform but is likely to stay loyal to his political patrons
By Euan Black • May 19, 2017

Southeast Asia • May 19, 2017 • 3 min read

First fully online platform primed to transform Malaysian trading

Japan’s Rakuten Securities Inc. begins their push into Southeast Asia hoping to modernize online trading in the region - starting with Malaysia An electronic display board showing global stock market indices at the stock exchange in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, 29 December 2014. Photo: EPA/Fazry Ismail
By Will Feuer • May 19, 2017

Southeast Asia • May 19, 2017 • 3 min read
Smoking ban

Duterte issues snap ban on public smoking in Philippines

The president has followed through on his promise for a nationwide ban on public smoking, with a call for public enforcement that has some worried it may fan the flames of violent vigilantism
By Euan Black • May 19, 2017

Southeast Asia • May 19, 2017 • 2 min read

Global Finance names ABA Bank the 'Best Bank in Cambodia 2017'

PRESS RELEASE: ABA Bank has been named 'the Best Bank in Cambodia in 2017' in Global Finance Magazine’s 23rd annual awards, which judges banks around the world to find the best in each country
By Southeast Asia Globe Editorial • May 19, 2017

Southeast Asia • May 18, 2017 • 6 min read
Whatever happened to

Cambodia’s acid attack epidemic?

Almost two decades after pop singer Tat Marina came to symbolise the scourge of acid attacks in Cambodia, efforts to end the violence have seen major success
By Euan Black • May 18, 2017

Southeast Asia • May 17, 2017 • 2 min read

Male couple sentenced to 85 lashes for gay sex in Indonesia

Indonesia sentences gay men for the first time under new law, amid fears the country’s traditionally pluralistic society is losing its battle with radical Islam A man on trial for being in a same-sex relationship reacts as he listens to the judge at the Sharia court in Banda Aceh, Indonesia, 17 May 2017. Photo: EPA/Hotli Simanjuntak
By Euan Black • May 17, 2017