Indonesia looks to attract Japanese investors to new capital

Last week, the Bank of Thailand (BoT) cut its forecast for foreign tourist arrivals this year to 35 million from 37.5 million.

Indonesia and Malaysia have the same role and goals in pushing for science and technology development within a collaborative framework and exchange information so as to manifest self-sufficiency at both national and regional levels.

Malaysian Deputy Prime Minister Zahid Hamidi called for the upcoming ASEAN Cybersecurity Cooperation Strategy to prioritise real-time collaboration among member states in areas such as incident response, digital forensics, secure data sharing, and policy harmonisation.

In 2024, scam victims in Singapore lost 1.1 billion USD, a record high in a single year. The police also saw the highest number of scam reports, with 51,501 cases compared with 46,563 in the previous year.

Malaysian Inland Revenue Board (IRB) deputy chief executive officer (Tax Operations) Shaharrudy Othman said approximately 55,000 taxpayers are expected to be onboarded in this phase, and expressed confidence that the take-up rate would mirror previous phases.

The Lao Ministry of Education and Sports reported that the programme aims to equip teachers with practical skills and strategies for using AI. This will enable schools to innovate teaching methods and strengthen their capacity to support students amid the continuously evolving educational landscape.

Four populations of the striped Kamping Poi bent-toed gecko were found and identified as a new species: Cyrtodactylus kampingpoiensis.

The VEP is a radio-frequency identification (RFID) tag used to monitor foreign vehicles operating in Malaysia, particularly to track any violations or outstanding fines. In October 2024, Malaysia mandated that all foreign-registered vehicles entering the country by land from Singapore must be equipped with a VEP.

Through the joint committee, Sadikin said, the government fosters collaboration among government agencies, universities, and healthcare providers to develop data- and innovation-based solutions, as well as to review regulations that have hindered progress in the health sector.

Deputy PM and Minister of Transport Suriya Jungrungreangkit, 70, has been appointed Acting PM of Thailand. He is set to lead the newly reshuffled cabinet in a swearing-in ceremony scheduled for July 3.

The nine Constitutional Court judges resolved unanimously to accept the senators’ petition against Paetongtarn continuing as premier for consideration and temporarily suspended her from office by seven votes to two.

Although women’s involvement in the drug trade is not new, the National Commission on Violence Against Women (Komnas Perempuan) noted that the trend is increasing and often reflects deeper and systemic exploitation.

ASEAN Secretary-General Dr. Kao Kim Hourn outlined several priorities under the work plan, including the development of integrated cruise circuits, enhancement of port infrastructure with digital systems, and promotion of joint investments in cruise-related services.

The regional workshop on gender lens perspective on business and human rights in ASEAN from June 30 to July 1 features five discussion panels, including one chaired by Vietnam’s representative to AICHR, Nguyen Thanh Trung, focusing on mainstreaming gender perspectives into policies, processes, mechanisms, and business operations.

Singapore, which has limited renewable energy potential due to its size and geography, aims to meet 6GW, roughly one-third of its power needs, through clean electricity imports by 2035.

The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) last month said digital token service providers (DTSPs) that served only overseas clients must have a licence to continue operations past June 30 – or close up shop.

The project, part of Indonesia’s national strategic projects, carries an investment value of 5.9 billion USD and spans 3,023 hectares.

Young people in ASEAN are no longer just the leaders of tomorrow but the changemakers of today, said.Malaysian Minister of Investment, Trade and Industry Tengku Abdul Aziz.

From January to May 2025, the EU was Thailand’s fourth-largest trading partner after China, the US, and Japan. Total trade between the two sides stood at 18.09 billion USD, up 0.57% from the same period in 2024.

An independent and resilient regional financial system will help reduce reliance on external currencies and enhance monetary stability across Southeast Asia.