Malaysia:
* Covid-19 Watch: 1,709 new cases, Health Department says
* Former MP from Johor charged with outraging a woman’s modesty
* Ringgit is likely to trade cautiously against the US Dollar next week
* Bursa Malaysia is trading with a bearish bias this week
* Outsiders stay out of Umno affairs, says his information boss about Sanusi
* HFMD: 6,324 cases registered in Johor as of Saturday (June 11).
* dr Mah: After PT3 was abolished, the focus is on developing versatile students
* Malaysians’ personal information is allegedly being sold openly on the internet (update: site is down)
* Form a special parliamentary committee to consider death penalty laws, Azalina says
* King, Queen congratulate Janusha, the first Malaysian woman to graduate from USNA
* Malaysia and Saudi Arabia agree to set up a coordination council
Singapore:
* ASEAN states take comfort in the fact that the US and China will not force them to choose sides, Singapore explains in the Dialogue
* Singapore’s DPM Lawrence Wong will become acting PM when PM Lee goes on holiday from Monday (June 13).
* Asia must learn the right lessons from Ukraine at this dangerous juncture in history, says Singapore’s defense minister
* Singapore PM meets defense ministers from US, Indonesia and Malaysia; Discussions on global developments and security issues
* China says US strategy stokes tensions in Asia at Singapore’s Shangri-La dialogue
* Malaysia and Singapore reaffirm their long-standing ties and extensive cooperation, says Prime Minister Hishammuddin
* Crowdfunding to help Bedok North fire victim
* Singapore tops startup rankings
Balinese women perform a traditional dance during a parade for the 44th Bali Art Festival in Denpasar, on the Indonesian resort island of Bali, on Sunday, June 12, 2022. – AFP
Indonesia
* China shuttles ablaze after winning three titles at the Indonesia Masters in badminton in Jakarta
* Indonesia has ‘washed out’ palm oil after slow resumption of exports.
* Badminton number one Axelsen wins Indonesia Masters title; The Chinese Chen Yufei ends barren with the women’s title
* ASEAN foreign ministers are concerned about the recent spike in North Korean missile tests
* Muslim groups in Indonesia warn India about Islamophobia and call for interfaith dialogue
* Omicron subvariants found in Indonesia
* Courting Tesla with green energy
* Fishermen rescue Indonesian whose boat capsized in Johor waters
Thailand:
* Thailand declares Covid crisis ‘over’ and expects 10 million arrivals this year; The government reports just 2,474 Covid-19 cases as of Sunday
* Thais breathe a sigh of relief as the retail price of popular instant noodles remains unchanged for now
* Thai Prime Minister Prayut orders a crackdown on midnight closures for bars and pubs
* Over 150,000 people in Thailand are rushing to register to grow cannabis as harvesting is legalized
* Thailand to go slow on rate hikes as pandemic eases
* Thais are encouraged to grow cannabis but discouraged from getting high
Workers sweep an ash-covered highway in the city of Juban, Sorsogon province, after the sudden eruption of the Bulusan volcano early Sunday, June 12, 2022. – AFP
Philippines:
* China promises to “fight to the end” to stop Taiwan independence; South China Sea issues are also high on the agenda
* Philippine defense minister faints at independence ceremony, in stable condition
* Volcanic ash blankets Philippine cities after second eruption this week
* Philippine peso holds steady as Asia recovers from pandemic
* Philippine volcano makes another phreatic eruption within a week
* Pink Tide 2.0: Lessons for the Philippine opposition
Vietnam:
* It’s declining as Vietnam reports just 568 new Covid-19 cases as of Sunday (June 12).
* The Vietnamese capital, Hanoi, is promoting IT applications to increase consumption of agricultural products
* Vietnam is considering cutting fuel tax amid inflationary pressures, finance minister says
* Eight Vietnamese women under 20 arrested in raid on KL club
* Is a rice crisis looming?
* HCM City plans better perks to attract talent
China’s Chen Yufei reacts after beating Ratchanok Intanon of Thailand in the women’s singles final at the Indonesia Masters badminton tournament in Jakarta on Sunday (June 12). -AFP
Myanmar:
* Malaysia to raise Myanmar issue at ASEAN-India foreign ministers meeting
* Myanmar junta can’t beat rebels should restore democracy, US diplomat says
* More pressure needed on Myanmar through a combination of different avenues, says Malaysia’s Saifuddin
* Abandon the use of the death penalty, ASEAN leader pleads with Myanmar
* Myanmar children receive first vaccination with China’s Sinopharm vaccine to fight Covid-19
Cambodia:
* Letter from Siem Reap – Videos of Cambodia’s mud farmers go viral on YouTube (a special report by the Straits Times)
* Cambodia’s rice exports to Southeast Asia region to increase by 9% in 2021
* Dengue cases increase by over 100% in five months
Laos:
* Lao tourism provider caters to nature lovers from Vietnam as tourist numbers continue to increase after pandemic troubles
* Laos: Mekong River Commission unveils technology to monitor river water quality and fish migration
Brunei:
* Brunei records another 392 new Covid-19 cases
* 12 shops have been fined for price gouging in Brunei
People rest and eat takeaway food at an open-air area of a shopping mall in the Pudong district of Shanghai. -AFP
AseanPlus:
* Shanghai re-imposes food ban and fines officials for non-compliance
* Australian and Chinese defense ministers meet for the first time in three years on the sidelines of the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore
* Ministers gather for a high-level WTO meeting in Geneva
* Beijing warns of ‘explosive’ Covid-19 outbreak linked to bar; Shanghai continues city-wide testing of 25 million residents
* China trade: Export growth is recovering but “probably only a temporary slump”, imports also beat expectations
* ‘It’s tough’: Lockdown drags on for millions in Dandong, near North Korea
* HK Fire Department deploys 2,000 additional officers to deal with a possible sixth wave of Covid-19
* Looking ahead to Xinjiang, EU lawmakers are calling for a tougher approach to human rights in China
* The international reputation of Hong Kong universities suffers in the latest world rankings, but the result is still “broadly positive”.
* China’s positions are crucial in crunch talks as WTO chief eye deals on fisheries and vaccines
* US silent on China on unveiling ‘ambitious’ Latin American plans at America’s summit
* Will China’s railway connection between Xinjiang, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan change the rivalry of the great powers in Central Asia?
* The Xi Tour highlights the role of modern farmland in enhancing China’s food security
* South Korea says it will strengthen defense capacity to counter North Korean threat
* Media giants battle for cricket rights in India
* Japanese Prime Minister pledges to expand security role in Asia
* Hong Kong passes long-awaited labor law to abolish MPF compensation mechanism and protect workers’ pensions
* Remote work tests South Korea’s corporate hierarchy and culture