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People queue up at immigration counters at the Ngurah Rai International Airport in Bali in February 2025. Photo: EPA-EFE
Indonesia

Indonesia’s US$8 million visa scandal threatens drive for talent, investors

Public-sector corruption is an ‘open secret’ in Indonesia, analysts say, urging Jakarta to make the application process more transparent.

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South Korea

How Nvidia’s South Korean AI deals could fuel ‘the next industrial revolution’

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Malaysia

Malaysia’s hunt for Russian oil tests Anwar’s ‘friends with all’ policy

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Malaysia

Malaysia rises as Asean ‘middle power’ through new Japan LNG deal

Petronas’ 20-year agreement to supply JERA with LNG shows how Malaysia is using its natural resources to strengthen ties, analysts say.

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi (right) and her Malaysian counterpart, Anwar Ibrahim, shake hands at the end a joint press announcement at the Prime Minister’s Office in Tokyo on Wednesday. Photo: Reuters
Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi (right) and her Malaysian counterpart, Anwar Ibrahim, shake hands at the end a joint press announcement at the Prime Minister’s Office in Tokyo on Wednesday. Photo: Reuters
Donald Trump

Trump’s forced-labour tariffs put Southeast Asia in the firing line

Washington’s proposed tariffs of 10 per cent to 12.5 per cent could push regional countries to accelerate economic integration.

Thailand

Once world’s largest, Thai shrimp industry on the edge as Malaysia bans imports

Prices have collapsed and buyers have vanished since Malaysia banned Thai shrimp. Bangkok is now threatening WTO action.

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Malaysia

Malaysia tackles illegal foreign-owned firms, as regional crackdown widens

Thailand is investigating businesses that circumvent curbs on foreign ownership by using Thai nationals for majority ownership registration.

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Malaysia’s iconic Petronas Twin Towers in Kuala Lumpur. The country has announced a crackdown against illegal businesses run by foreigners. Photo: EPA
Malaysia’s iconic Petronas Twin Towers in Kuala Lumpur. The country has announced a crackdown against illegal businesses run by foreigners. Photo: EPA
Malaysia

Malaysia’s gas-guzzling data centre boom clashes with its clean energy goals

Across Malaysia, dozens of data centres hum around the clock, powered by electricity that increasingly comes from gas-fired turbines.

Quadrilateral Security Dialogue

Past failures haunt the Quad’s US$20 billion critical minerals push

The initiative aims to break China’s near-monopoly, but private-sector caution and a history of unfulfilled pledges stand in the way.

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Artificial intelligence

Most Asia-Pacific firms use AI for tasks without cutting jobs: survey

About 74 per cent of companies surveyed across industries in the Asia-Pacific have deployed or piloted AI programmes.

A recent study shows that 74 per cent of 504 companies surveyed across industries in the Asia-Pacific region have deployed or piloted AI programmes. Photo: Shutterstock
India

Is US wielding new tariff threat to secure big bargain in India trade talks?

Additional 12.5 per cent levy over forced labour supply-chain concerns seen as leverage in negotiations, analysts say.

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US President Donald Trump has expressed confidence that a trade deal with India is nearing completion. Photo: AP
US President Donald Trump has expressed confidence that a trade deal with India is nearing completion. Photo: AP
Middle East

Asia-Pacific to lead global retail sales, weather Middle East conflict

The region is projected to contribute to two-thirds of global new retail sales over the next five years, fuelled by e-commerce.

India

As India rises in critical minerals race, can it dent China’s dominance?

While India could become a valuable part of an alternative supply chain, analysts say it is unlikely to replace China any time soon.

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Thailand

‘Lowest point’: Thai shrimp industry reels from Malaysia import ban

The ban comes as Thailand’s embattled fisheries sector faces increased competition, tariffs, shrimp disease, rising costs and reduced catch.

Thailand’s shrimp industry has struggled to control disease outbreaks, which hammer harvests and drive down export volumes. Malaysia’s export ban has added to its woes. Photo: Shutterstock
Malaysia

Malaysia taps Hong Kong battery firm to power ambitions for electricity grid

The deal will help tackle solar storage challenges and comes as Malaysia prepares to roll out its first major grid-scale battery procurement.

Syed Mohd Hafiz Syed Mohd of Mikro MSC Berhad (left) shakes hands with William Wang, vice-president of Hong Kong Cospower Technology, in the presence of Malaysia’s Deputy Prime Minister Fadillah Yusof during the signing of a strategic partnership to support Malaysia’s energy transition on Wednesday. Photo: Handout
Syed Mohd Hafiz Syed Mohd of Mikro MSC Berhad (left) shakes hands with William Wang, vice-president of Hong Kong Cospower Technology, in the presence of Malaysia’s Deputy Prime Minister Fadillah Yusof during the signing of a strategic partnership to support Malaysia’s energy transition on Wednesday. Photo: Handout
Malaysia

Why oil-hungry Asia ignores risks linked to Russia’s ‘dark fleet’

Asia prioritises fuel needs over security risks from Russian oil to survive the energy crisis, despite sanctions and diplomatic dilemmas.

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Energy

Oil prices rally on Hormuz talks but will Asia’s energy woes ease?

Analysts say recovery ‘will take a far longer time’, with ship backlogs and damaged facilities weighing on Asia’s energy importers.

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Indonesia

Chasing billions: Indonesia’s commodity export crackdown sows confusion

New export rules promise billions in recovered revenue, but analysts warn the ensuing chaos could cost more than the gains.

Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto speaks at the parliament complex in Jakarta, Indonesia, on May 20. Photo: Xinhua
Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto speaks at the parliament complex in Jakarta, Indonesia, on May 20. Photo: Xinhua
Singapore

Rising costs in Singapore spur business migration as regional alternatives rise

Analysts say the economic gains could come with trade-offs, such as increasing income inequality between skilled and unskilled workers.

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Artificial intelligence

Asia faces ‘costly paradox’ over divergent AI rules in US and EU

Regional countries are adapting either the US or EU legal framework, while Asian tech firms risk incurring a ‘regulatory fragmentation tax’.

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Singapore

US price-fixing probe on Singaporean tycoon signals consistent legal approach

Teo Siong Seng, CEO of a major container manufacturer, is named by the US as one of shipping executives allegedly involved in price-fixing.

Teo Siong Seng, chairman and CEO of Singamas. Photo: Handout
South Korea

‘Transitory euphoria’: South Korea’s strong economic outlook masks key hurdles

The surge in demand for semiconductors is cyclical, while other sectors in the country are lagging, analysts say.

Containers awaiting export stacked at a pier in Pyeongtaek, South Korea. The Bank of Korea has raised the country’s 2026 GDP growth forecast to 2.6 per cent. Photo: EPA
Containers awaiting export stacked at a pier in Pyeongtaek, South Korea. The Bank of Korea has raised the country’s 2026 GDP growth forecast to 2.6 per cent. Photo: EPA
Japan

Japan Airlines wants to blast human culture into space and land it on the moon

The carrier is selling payload space to preserve Earth’s heritage from climate change and war, but sceptics dismiss it as a PR stunt.

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Singapore

Failed M1-Simba merger prolongs Singapore’s cutthroat telco price war

With a major merger scuppered by an official investigation, four telcos remain locked in a costly war to win over local customers.

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United States

Trump’s overseas application for US green card rule unnerves Asian workers

Hundreds of thousands of families and individuals in the US, particularly those from India and the Philippines, could be affected.

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A US flag is waved outside the White House in Washington. The US remains attractive to high-skilled workers from around the world. Photo: AP
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