Top News Headlines In Indonesia, Laos, Myanmar, Singapore, Thailand & Vietnam : July 21, 2025
2.AGRICULTURE MINISTER: RICE IN JAPAN COSTS US$6/KG, JUST UNDER US$1 IN INDONESIA -- JAKARTA GLOBE
Indonesian exporters are looking to split the tariff load with their buyers in the United States to maintain a competitive price, the success of which economists say ultimately rests on how high the import duties imposed on other countries get since pressing down cost to maintain a margin is easier said than done.
Indonesia's Agriculture Minister Andi Amran Sulaiman urged the public to appreciate the country's stable food prices, particularly rice, as neighboring and developed countries grapple with rising costs and supply shortages.
LAOS
1.NEGOTIATING FOR CHEAPER ELECTRICITY PRICE -- VIENTIANE TIMES
The government will renegotiate power purchase agreements with hydropower plant operators to revise electricity tariffs to reduce the burden on the public. Power bills rose after authorities introduced a new pricing system in February.
2.VILLAGE FUNDS TO UPLIFT RURAL ECONOMY -- VIENTIANE TIMES
The Lao Front for National Development will expand its financial programme to assist Lao farming families and cooperatives. The aim is to promote commercial products and services, create job opportunities and generate income that can alleviate rural poverty.
MYANMAR
1.BAGO INVITES FARM SECTOR INVESTORS -- THE GLOBAL NEW LIGHT OF MYANMAR
The Bago Region Investment Committee approved foreign investment worth RM30 million (US$7 million) in June. The southern central region is inviting foreign investments to manufacture agricultural machinery, fertilisers, animal feedstuff and solar energy.
2.SMUGGLERS DETAINED FOR ILLICIT TRADE -- THE GLOBAL NEW LIGHT OF MYANMAR
During a three-day nationwide crackdown on illegal trade, security forces apprehended smugglers transporting foodstuff, coal, diesel and teak wood. Thirty-three smugglers, who were using lorries and boats to conduct their illicit trade, were detained.
SINGAPORE
1. PRIORITY FOR SINGLES, HIGHER QUOTA FOR SECOND-TIMER FAMILIES TO KICK IN FROM HDB'S JULY BTO EXERCISE -- THE STRAITS TIMES
A slew of policy changes will kick in, starting with the upcoming HDB Build-To-Order (BTO) flat sales exercise in July, benefiting singles as well as families looking to upgrade or right-size their homes.
2.CHINESE CONSUMER BRANDS GAINING FOOTHOLD IN INDONESIA, MALAYSIA AS THEY SHED 'WORLD'S FACTORY' IMAGE -- CNA
When Indonesian Dwi Soejatmoko, 42, bought his first television set about 20 years ago, he opted for a brand he had never heard of before: Changhong.
THAILAND
1. THAILAND BRACES FOR HEAVY RAINS AS TROPICAL STORM WIPHA APPROACHES -- THE NATION
Tropical storm Wipha to bring widespread heavy rain across Thailand from July 20–24. Authorities urge caution amid flood and landslide risks.
2. POLICE SET TO SUBMIT RESULT OF SAO PROBE TO PROSECUTORS -- BANGKOK POST The result of the police's investigation into the collapse of the State Audit Office (SAO) building will be submitted to prosecutors tomorrow, says the Metropolitan Police Bureau (MPB).
VIETNAM
1.MORE CASH CROPS TO HIT BILLION-DOLLAR MARK -- VIETNAMPLUS
Passion fruit, banana, pineapple and coconut have been identified as Vietnam's next billion-dollar export products. Vietnam cultivates more than 50 fruit varieties across over 1.3 million hectares of farmland. Only durian crossed the RM4.25 million (US$1 billion) export mark.
2.DIGITAL MARKETPLACE FOR TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER -- VIETNAMPLUS
Hanoi plans to launch a technology exchange next year to accelerate the city's shift towards a knowledge-based economy. Technology providers, buyers and regulators can meet via the platform.
-- BERNAMA
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The Sun
2 hours ago
- The Sun
AirAsia launches KL, Kuching–Pontianak direct flights from Sept 12
KUALA LUMPUR: AirAsia Malaysia has introduced two new direct routes linking Kuala Lumpur and Kuching to Pontianak, the capital of West Kalimantan, Indonesia. The flights, set to commence on September 12, 2025, will make AirAsia the sole airline operating international flights to the city. The expansion follows AirAsia's rapid growth in Indonesia, including recent launches of the Kuala Lumpur–Palembang route in July and the upcoming Kuala Lumpur–Semarang service in September. 'With the introduction of Pontianak, AirAsia Malaysia will operate to a total of 17 destinations in Indonesia through 223 weekly flights between the two countries, solidifying its position as the airline with the widest network serving Indonesia,' the company stated. These new routes aim to enhance regional connectivity and support tourism targets, including Malaysia's goal of attracting 4.3 million Indonesian tourists in 2025 and Sarawak's target of five million visitor arrivals by year-end. Additionally, the expansion aligns with Indonesia's national target of 16 million international arrivals, with Malaysia remaining a key source market. The routes were unveiled during the Sarawak Travel Fair in Pontianak, officially launched by West Kalimantan Governor Drs Ria Norsan. He highlighted the benefits of the new flights, stating, 'West Kalimantan stands ready to welcome more Malaysian visitors while providing convenient access for Indonesians seeking business opportunities, leisure travel and medical services in Sarawak and Kuala Lumpur.' Malaysia's Consul in Pontianak, Azizul Zekri Abd Rahim, emphasised the significance of the new connectivity in strengthening bilateral ties. 'With Visit Malaysia 2026 on the horizon, this expansion comes at the perfect moment to further boost tourism, foster cultural exchange and enhance regional ties between both nations,' he said. AirAsia Malaysia CEO Datuk Captain Fareh Mazputra noted the strong demand for travel between Malaysia and West Kalimantan as a key driver for the expansion. 'By launching flights from our main hub in Kuala Lumpur and Kuching, we are providing greater convenience and flexibility for our guests while contributing to the tourism growth and economic development of both Malaysia and Indonesia,' he added. - Bernama
The Star
3 hours ago
- The Star
Singapore's Tipsy Collective sues former directors, HR head; alleges S$14mil lost from misconduct, poor decisions
SINGAPORE: The legal battle over control of home-grown hospitality group Tipsy Collective has taken another turn. The company – now led by its majority shareholders, who gained control after a boardroom shake-up in 2024 – has filed a lawsuit against its former leadership, seeking to recover more than S$14 million in losses and damages from a string of alleged wrongful payments, mismanagement and unauthorised deletions of company records. In its statement of claim filed on June 12, the plaintiffs – Tipsy Collective and three of its subsidiaries (Tipsy Bird, Social Room Concepts and Tipsy Collective Singapore) – are alleging breaches of fiduciary and contractual duties by three former directors, David Gan Jia Liang, Derek Ong and Reuben Low Kok Cherng, and former human resources manager Avril Lim Qian Jun. Gan, who was the former chief executive of the group, founded Tipsy Collective with Ong in 2019. Following internal disputes, the bloc of investors and shareholders who oppose Gan has increased its collective stake from 59.39 per cent to 97.3 per cent, according to the latest shareholder records from the Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority. Gan currently owns 1.66 per cent of the company's shares, and Low holds 1.03 per cent. As Ong died in August 2023, his wife, Melody Huang Bao'er, who is the administrator of his estate, was named as the second defendant in the lawsuit. This new lawsuit follows an earlier court battle reported by The Straits Times in September 2024, in which Gan had sued eight parties – including investors and shareholders – claiming they had breached a shareholders' agreement and tried to unlawfully seize control of the company. The defendants – Indonesian investors Reino Ramaputra Barack and Santosa Kadiman, Singaporean Rudy Hartono Widjaja and four shareholder entities – rejected Gan's claims. Instead, they pointed to alleged financial mismanagement under his leadership. They cited mounting debts and lack of financial transparency, and questioned the $6 million spent developing Tipsy Unicorn beach club in Sentosa. They claimed Gan had caused the company to take out $8.7 million in loans, of which $6 million remained outstanding, and that the company owed $5.2 million to suppliers and nearly $1 million to Sentosa Development Corporation. Gan failed to get an interim injunction to retain control of the company's board and subsequently lost his lawsuit against the investors and shareholders. On Nov 6, 2024, the board terminated his role as chief executive and removed Low as director. On the same day, Barack was appointed the chairman of the board of directors of Tipsy Collective. Gan resigned from the board on Nov 15, 2024, while Lim's last day with the company was Nov 17 of the same year. By December 2024, the financial toll of the leadership struggle had affected ground operations. More than 100 employees had faced delays in salary payments since October 2024. The company managed to settle overdue Central Provident Fund contributions and salaries only after four shareholders injected emergency funding. The group, which once operated 13 outlets, has since scaled down. At least four outlets have been shut since October 2024, and it is now left with five outlets. Now, led by its new management, Tipsy Collective is turning the tables on its former leadership with this latest suit. The first set of allegations involves unauthorised payments made. The plaintiffs allege that Gan and Ong caused the companies to transfer more than $4.2 million to themselves and Low, or between entities, without justification. These included $1.49 million in payments, made in December 2020, and $2.8 million disbursed between June 2020 and May 2024. The suit alleged that the payments had no commercial justification and brought no benefit to the companies, and that the three former directors failed to recover the funds, causing significant losses to the group. The lawsuit also cited a string of poor business decisions that allegedly harmed the group financially. The development of Tipsy Unicorn – a 19,000 sq ft beach club on Sentosa's Siloso Beach that opened in September 2023 – is at the centre of these claims. The construction cost of the project ballooned from $4 million to more than $6.1 million due to lack of due diligence and planning. Court documents also noted that the claimants did not have sufficient resources to undertake the construction of Tipsy Unicorn. Despite the fact that Tipsy Collective was 'in financial difficulties and needed monies from shareholders to sustain its operations', Gan and Ong allegedly continued to undertake more projects, the court documents noted. Another alleged mishap flagged in court documents was the group's investment in Tipsy Flamingo Malaysia. The plaintiffs claimed the venture led to a loss of more than $1.3 million. The renewal of leases for underperforming outlets, such as Tipsy Penguin, Tipsy Bunny and Tipsy Flamingo, was also highlighted. These new leases apparently involved higher rents and service charges, further straining the group's finances. The lawsuit further accused Gan and Lim of destroying and withholding company records. Gan allegedly deleted more than 4,000 files from the company's Google Drive and continued accessing company systems without authorisation after his departure. Lim is alleged to have erased nearly 5,000 files and formatted her company-issued laptop, erasing all stored data. Both of them are being held liable for damages linked to the data loss, with the plaintiffs also seeking an injunction to prevent Gan from using any confidential company information that may have been retained. Separately, the Ministry of Law's website showed Gan was declared bankrupt on June 19, in proceedings separate from the civil suit. - The Straits Times/ANN
The Star
a day ago
- The Star
Indonesia says its poverty rate the lowest in two decades
The Central Statistics Agency noted the significant gap between big cities and rural areas, with villages still seeing a higher poverty rate. - Antara JAKARTA:The number of Indonesians living under the poverty line has hit a record low for the past two decades, the country's statistics bureau said Friday (July 25). According to the Central Statistics Agency, there were roughly 23.85 million Indonesians living in poverty as of March this year -- representing 8.47 per cent of the country's total population of 280 million. BPS categorises people living off Rp 609,160 a month, about US$37, as poor. "The poverty line figure for 2025 is the lowest for the past two decades," the agency's senior official, Ateng Hartono, told a press conference. However, the agency noted the significant gap between big cities and rural areas, with villages still seeing a higher poverty rate. Jakarta last week struck a trade deal with the United States that will see Indonesian goods hit with a 19 per cent tariff -- lower than the threatened rate of 32 per cent. According to Washington, nearly all US goods will be able to enter Indonesia tariff-free. Indonesia's Coordinating Minister of Economics Airlangga Hartarto said earlier this week that if Washington had insisted on the 32 per cent tariff, around one million Indonesians could lose their jobs and the poverty rate could increase. - AFP
