ASEAN

While Singapore’s relationship with Malaysia and Indonesia might not always be smooth-sailing, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong believes that any issues with the two neighbouring nations ought to and can be dealt with in a “constructive” way that “respects the core interests of both countries.” Speaking at a 45-minute dinner dialogue moderated by Bloomberg Editor-in-Chief John Micklethwait at the Bloomberg …

On Thursday, the ASEAN Foundation and SAP held the regional finals of ASEAN Data Science Explorers (ADSE) in a face-off that saw three student teams from Singapore, the Philippines and Vietnam emerge top for their insights and data-driven solutions to solve the region’s pressing social issues. Singapore’s Minister for Communications and Information S Iswaran presided over the prize presentation ceremony. …

Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong is scheduled to meet Malaysian Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad in the latter country’s administrative capital of Putrajaya next month at a leaders’ retreat, reported The Straits Times. The visit is expected to take place around 10 days after Dr Mahathir’s visit to Singapore for the ASEAN Summit, which will be held over a …

Singapore and Indonesia has signed an Agreement on the Promotion and Protection of Investments, also known as the Bilateral Investment Treaty (BIT), at the Singapore-Indonesia Leaders’ Retreat in Bali, Indonesia on Thursday (11 October). In a press release on Thursday, the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI) shared that the Trade Minister Chan Chun Sing, who is attending the Leaders’ Retreat …

The Singapore Government has offered to send humanitarian supplies and personnel to assist Indonesia with the ongoing relief efforts following the earthquakes and tsunami in Central Sulawesi, Indonesia on Friday (28 September). In a press release on Tuesday, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MFA) shared that the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) will deliver humanitarian supplies and equipment, including tents, meal …

Deputy Secretary of State of the United States of America John J. Sullivan has stated that ASEAN countries and the U.S. jointly believe that international law ought to be followed in disputes surrounding the South China Sea instead of “a unilateral decision by one country”. Speaking at the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Ministerial Meeting at Lotte New York Palace …

The Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA), Freedom House, and Front Line Defenders condemn yesterday’s conviction of four human rights defenders from the Cambodian Human Rights and Development Association (ADHOC) and a National Election Committee (NEC) official, in what they see as a clear attack against their legitimate human rights work. On 26 September 2018, senior ADHOC staff …

The transformation of the global economy brought about by the proliferation of digital technology has placed Member States of the Association of South-east Asian Nations (ASEAN) in a “good position” to reap new opportunities for regional economic growth, said Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong in his keynote speech at the World Economic Forum on ASEAN in Hanoi yesterday (12 Sep). …

The Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA) has expressed its strong opposition against the verdict of the Insein Court in Yangon on 3 Sep, which sentenced two Reuters journalists – Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo – for breaching s.3(1)(c) 1923 Official Secrets Act. The two journalists were arrested on 12 Dec last year and were subsequently charged under …

A UN backed fact finding mission, mandated by the Human Rights Council to investigate allegations of abuse of the Rohingya in Myanmar, have called for the leaders of Myanmar’s military to be prosecuted for genocide in the Rakhine state as well as for crimes against humanity and war crimes in Rakhine and northern Myanmar. The group of investigators issued the …