Top News Headlines In Indonesia, Myanmar, Singapore, Thailand & Vietnam: June 5, 2025
Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka is facing intensifying pressure as a group of retired military generals has formally petitioned the nation's legislative bodies to begin impeachment proceedings against him, just as President Prabowo Subianto appears to be consolidating support from key figures once aligned with his political rivals.
The Indonesian government has lifted restrictions on regional governments holding meetings and events at hotels, a policy reversal that comes after mounting pressure from the hospitality industry and warnings about the economic drag of excessive austerity. The ban had been part of a nationwide cost-cutting programme but was blamed for worsening financial strain on hotels that depend heavily on government bookings.
1. PROTECTING FISH FARMS DURING FLOODS -- THE GLOBAL NEW LIGHT OF MYANMAR
Authorities urge farmers to be vigilant during the monsoon season to protect their fish farms and prevent losses, thereby maintaining food security. They are advised to place sandbags in low areas and construct bamboo railings to prevent fish from escaping during floods.
2. MONSOON MUSHROOM POISONING ALERT -- THE GLOBAL NEW LIGHT OF MYANMAR
The Health Ministry is warning the public to be cautious of mushroom poisoning during the rainy season. Poisonous mushrooms found in the wild can lead to diarrhoea, nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain. In some cases, it can lead to death within hours.
SINGAPORE
1. COE PRICES FALL ACROSS THE BOARD EXCEPT FOR MOTORCYCLES; CAT A RECORDS BIGGEST DROP -- THE STRAITS TIMES
Certificate of entitlement (COE) premiums fell for all categories except motorcycles at the latest tender on June 4.
2. RETAILERS IN SINGAPORE SEEK LOWER COSTS AND BIGGER MARKET IN JOHOR BAHRU, BUT FACE CHALLENGES -- CNA
Tucked in the corner of a suburban mall 15km from the Johor-Singapore Causeway, Japanese hair salon company QB House's first outlet in Johor Bahru easily attracts quizzical looks from most passers-by.
THAILAND
1. COVID-19 CASES SURGE IN THAILAND, OVER 28,000 NEW CASES IN TWO DAYS -- THE NATION
As of May 27, 2025, the cumulative total of Covid-19 cases for 2025 stands at 323,301, with 69 deaths in total this year.
2. PANEL PROJECTS H2 GROWTH BELOW 1% -- BANGKOK POST
The local private sector anticipates Thai GDP growth will be less than 1% in the second half of the year, primarily due to the impact of tariffs.
VIETNAM
1. VIETNAM TO SHARE MARINE STRATEGY AT OCEAN MEET -- VIETNAMPLUS
Vietnamese leaders will attend the third United Nations Ocean Conference in Nice, France from June 9 to 13. The strategy for sustainable development of its marine economy, protecting its natural resources and collaborating with the international community will be Vietnam's top agenda.
2. SPECIAL FUNDS TO TACKLE OUTBREAK OF DISEASE -- VIETNAMPLUS
The Health Ministry plans to establish a special disease prevention fund to address any medical crisis in the country. The draft law states the fund will be used during a pandemic and to support disease prevention.
-- BERNAMA
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The Sun
39 minutes ago
- The Sun
Vietnam Seeks $3 Billion Deal for U.S. Agricultural Commodities in Reciprocal Trade Agreement
WASHINGTON D.C, US - Media OutReach Newswire - 7 June 2025 - Vietnam's Minister of Agriculture and Environment Do Duc Duy led a delegation of nearly 50 agencies, agribusinesses, and associations to the United States from June 2–6, 2025, to promote trade and increase imports of agricultural and timber products. The delegation held business dialogues in Iowa, Ohio, Maryland and Washington, D.C. The visit aimed to boost two-way trade and open new opportunities for Vietnam to import more U.S. agrifood and timber, contributing to a more balanced trade relationship. Beyond trade, the delegation also sought access to new technologies to enhance the competitiveness of Vietnam's agricultural value chains. Minister Duy noted that while both countries have strong agricultural sectors, their strengths are complementary rather than competitive. 'With strong support from both governments, agriculture in Vietnam and the U.S. is becoming more interconnected. We now share parts of the same supply chains, which helps increase our competitiveness and benefits producers and consumers in both countries,' the Minister stated. 'Vietnamese agribusinesses are working closely with the government to increase purchases of US agrifood and timber products. This effort supports trade balance and strengthens the supply chain between our two countries, hence contributing to global food security'. He emphasized that this initiative also reflects Vietnam's commitment to deepening trust and advancing the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership as the two countries celebrate 30 years of diplomatic relations. During the trip, Vietnamese businesses signed 20 MoUs, worth a total of $3 billion to buy U.S. agricultural commodities. These agreements highlight the strong commitment and goodwill of Vietnam's business community and government to promote balanced trade with the U.S., and to encourage the Trump Administration to reconsider high reciprocal tariffs on Vietnamese goods. The visit was warmly welcomed and highly valued by U.S. partners. Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds immediately shared her appreciation on X following her meeting with Minister Do Duc Duy: 'Excited to welcome Vietnam's Minister of Agriculture and Environment, Do Duc Duy, and the whole Vietnamese delegation to Iowa and celebrate the signing of MOUs and purchase agreements for Iowa commodities. The agreements today will help our farmers and strengthen the agricultural supply chain between Vietnam and Iowa'. Following the Governor, Mike Naig, Secretary of Iowa Department of Agriculture, put on X: 'Yesterday, I met with Vietnam's ag minister and a major trade delegation working to strengthen ties with U.S. ag producers. Of the $2B in new MOUs signed, $800M is tied to Iowa'. Brian Baldridge, Ohio Secretary of Agriculture, emphasized during his meeting with Minister Duy that Vietnam and the US, especially Vietnam and Ohio, have complementary strengths, particularly in agricultural trade. Ohio sees strong potentials in Vietnam and recognizes the opportunities to expand bilateral trade. He noted that stakeholders from both sides should explore new ways for farmers, agribusinesses, and associations to collaborate and build strong, integrated supply chains. To support this, both governments should work to remove barriers to agricultural trade. Following the signing of MoUs with Vietnamese partners to purchase more than $600 million worth of animal feed from Ohio, Patty Mann, Chair of the Ohio Corn Checkoff, stated: 'These agreements represent a major win for Ohio corn farmers. Vietnam continues to be a growing and reliable export market, and partnerships like this help ensure we can keep delivering high-quality, Ohio-grown products to the world'. This was elaborated further by Wendy Osborn, Director of Market Development, Ohio Corn and Wheat: 'The MOUs signed today represent potential commitments of significant volumes of agricultural commodities and strategic partnerships that will support Vietnam's growing agricultural sector while providing sustainable markets for Ohio's farm families. These agreements build upon the strong foundation established through years of relationship-building. May these agreements serve as a foundation for many years of continued collaboration and mutual prosperity'. During a roundtable with the US-ASEAN Business Council (USABC) in Washington D.C, Ted Osius, President and CEO of USABC, expressed strong support for Vietnam's agricultural development: 'Rapid changes in U.S. tariff policies have created a challenging trade environment. We're encouraged that Vietnam is considering increasing imports of agricultural goods to help reduce its trade deficit with the U.S. USABC and its member companies remain committed to supporting the growth of Vietnam's food and agriculture sector'. In response to the USABC President, Minister Duy reaffirmed the Vietnam government's strong commitment to continuing institutional reforms, improving administrative efficiency, upgrading infrastructure, and creating the most favorable environment for international businesses, including U.S. enterprises, to expand trade and investment with Vietnam in a long-term and effective manner. During the meeting with Minister Duy, the Chairs of the Agriculture Committees of both the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives expressed enthusiasm and optimism about the remarkable outcomes of the Vietnamese delegation's visit to Iowa, Ohio, and Washington, D.C. Senator John Boozman was particularly impressed by Vietnam's robust economic growth and the strong potential for long-term cooperation between the two countries. He highlighted Vietnam's role as a dynamic and reliable economic partner in the Asia-Pacific region. The Senator expressed support for efforts to achieve a fair tariff agreement and pledged to fully convey Vietnam's recommendations to relevant US authorities. Representative Glenn Thompson showed special interest in the high-value deals for US agricultural commodities secured during the Minister's visit. He expressed confidence in the prospects for deeper cooperation between the two agricultural sectors and emphasized the need for the US government to promptly address concerns over the high reciprocal tariffs that may be applied to Vietnam exports. He welcomed Vietnam's decision to commercialize biotechnology-based agricultural products imported from the US, calling it a clear signal of Vietnam's determination to modernize its agriculture and integrate more closely with the US supply chains. Businesses and associations from both countries expressed hope that the Vietnamese and US governments would continue to support bilateral trade and strengthen links across their complementary agricultural supply chains. Their shared goal is to bring tangible benefits to millions of farmers, consumers, and businesses in both countries. As such, businesses on both sides are urging the removal of the reciprocal tariffs imposed by the Trump Administration on Vietnam. The 46% tariff has been reported to harm not only Vietnamese exporters but also U.S. businesses and consumers. Since agrifood is a staple commodity, higher price would place a considerable burden on average-income American households. Moreover, such measures could disrupt the supply chains that both governments and the private sector have worked hard to establish in recent years. Businesses wish for a trade agreement between the U.S. and Vietnam soonly concluded, thereby lowering tariffs on agricultural commodities, reinforcing shared supply chains and contributing to the prosperity of both countries under the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. Hashtag: #MAE The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
The Star
3 hours ago
- The Star
Thailand 'deeply saddened' by death of Gaza hostage, says foreign ministry
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The Sun
4 hours ago
- The Sun
Indonesia expects to conclude free trade talks with EU by end of June
JAKARTA: Indonesia said on Saturday that free trade negotiations with the European Union, which have been ongoing for nine years, are expected to be concluded by the end of June. Airlangga Hartarto, the chief economic minister for Southeast Asia's biggest economy, met with EU Commissioner for Trade Maros Sefcovic in Brussels on Friday. 'Indonesia and the European Union have agreed to conclude outstanding issues and we are ready to announce a conclusion of substantial negotiations by the end of June 2025,' Airlangga Hartarto said in a statement. Indonesia will get zero tariffs for 80% of its export products to the EU and removal of non-tariff barriers, as it pushes for bigger market access for footwear, garments, palm oil and fishery products, Airlanga told a press conference later on Saturday. The EU has discussed Jakarta's rules on mandatory use of local content in products sold in Indonesian market, the automotive industry, trade of critical minerals and investment facilities, Airlangga said. Indonesia and the EU have previously disagreed on EU trade rules for products with potential links to deforestation that could affect Indonesian palm oil. Airlangga said the bloc's deforestation rules were not part of the free trade negotiations, but Sefcovic had 'promised to provide special treatment towards Indonesia regarding deforestation.' He did not elaborate. Denis Chaibi, EU ambassador to Indonesia, said that talks were ongoing and 'we will communicate in details when we have an outcome.' Chaibi did not respond to a question about the special treatment. The EU is Indonesia's fifth-biggest trade partner, with total trade between the two reaching 27.3 billion euros ($31.11 billion) last year, according to the EU. Exports from the bloc were worth 9.7 billion euros in 2024, and it imported 17.5 billion euros' worth from Indonesia. Indonesian exports to the bloc could increase by more than 50% within three to four years after the trade deal takes effect, Airlangga said. Indonesian officials have been motivated to accelerate talks on free trade agreements, keen to diversify the country's export destinations as they deal with U.S. tariff challenges.
