Top News Headlines In Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Myanmar, Singapore, Thailand & Vietnam: June 6, 2025
King Norodom Sihamoni urged the nation to support the Ministry of Environment in building a greener and more sustainable country. He advised the public to support the government's motto 'Clean Cambodia, Khmer Can Do It'.
The Cambodian Rice Federation announced that Cambodia exported 344,199 metric tonnes of milled rice, worth about RM1 billion (US$252 million), from January to May this year. Forty-eight local exporters sold their grains to 63 countries, with the bulk going to European markets.
Indonesia took a massive step toward securing a place in the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers' next round with a narrow but vital 1-0 win over China at Gelora Bung Karno Stadium on Thursday, reigniting national hopes in front of a roaring home crowd -- and the President himself.
2.INDONESIA BRINGS DIGITAL INVESTMENT VISION AT OECD MEETING
Indonesian Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto presented Indonesia's vision for digital investment focused on resilience and sustainability during the 5th OECD Ministerial Council Meeting in Paris, France, on Wednesday.
LAOS
1.STUDENTS TAKING SECONDARY SCHOOL EXAMS DROP -- VIENTIANE NEWS
The Education Ministry said the number of secondary school students sitting for the final examination this year declined to 110,922 pupils nationwide compared to 115,500 in the previous year. Some students left school early to find employment.
2.MINING OPERATORS UNDER THE SCANNER -- VIENTIANE NEWS
The government plans to review all existing mining contracts and suspend new approvals to regulate the sector to ensure efficiency. Operators' licences will be revoked if their projects are slow, overlap with other miners and if their operations damage the environment.
MYANMAR
1.TACKLING ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION WOES -- THE GLOBAL NEW LIGHT OF MYANMAR
Senior General Min Aung Hlaing said Myanmar is implementing the 2019 Bangkok Declaration on Combating Marine Debris in ASEAN Region. Environmental pollution due to urbanisation, factories lacking proper waste management and the rise in plastic usage are posing major challenges.
2.ELITE RESCUE TEAM FOR DISASTER OPERATIONS -- THE GLOBAL NEW LIGHT OF MYANMAR
Two urban search and rescue teams consisting of trained personnel have been established to conduct operations in disaster situations. They will be responsible for locating people trapped, buried or missing in disaster-hit areas using search dogs and technology.
SINGAPORE
1.EAST-WEST LINE PROBE SHOWS NO DETAIL IS TOO MINUTE IN RAIL MAINTENANCE -- THE STRAITS TIMES
The outcome of a months-long investigation into one of Singapore's worst MRT breakdowns is a stark and vital reminder that no single part of the rail system – even something as basic as grease – can be ignored.
2.WHAT DOES IT MEAN FOR WORKPLACES TO TREAT COVID-19 LIKE THE COMMON FLU, EVEN WHEN CASES SPIKE? -- CNA
After recovering from a bout of sickness, Alicia returned to the office – only to come into contact with a colleague who had contracted COVID-19.
THAILAND
1. PHUMTHAM CALLS EMERGENCY NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL MEETING OVER THAI-CAMBODIAN BORDER TENSIONS -- THE NATION
He clarified that reports of a 200-meter incursion were inaccurate, citing updated information from the Second Army Region that Cambodian troops only entered the no-man's land, not Thai territory.
2. RTAF TO BUY 12 GRIPEN JETS FOR B60BN -- BANGKOK POST
The Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) has confirmed its decision to purchase 12 Saab Gripen E and F fighter jets from Sweden, in a procurement project worth 60 billion baht, with the first delivery expected by 2029.
VIETNAM
1.CASHLESS PAYMENT TO EMPOWER DIGITAL ECONOMY -- VIETNAMPLUS
State Bank of Vietnam launched Ho Chi Minh City's cashless day programme themed "Cashless Payment for Digital Economy Promotion'. The programme is to promote non-cash payment and a sustainable cashless ecosystem that will drive the nation's digital transformation.
2.CREATING EFFICIENT STATE-OWNED ENTERPRISES -- VIETNAMPLUS
Experts are calling for legal amendments to grant more investment autonomy to encourage state-owned enterprises to play a deeper role in pushing the national agenda. These entities are crucial in maintaining macroeconomic stability but are stifled by complex and obsolete laws.
-- BERNAMA
BERNAMA provides up-to-date authentic and comprehensive news and information which are disseminated via BERNAMA Wires; www.bernama.com; BERNAMA TV on Astro 502, unifi TV 631 and MYTV 121 channels and BERNAMA Radio on FM93.9 (Klang Valley), FM107.5 (Johor Bahru), FM107.9 (Kota Kinabalu) and FM100.9 (Kuching) frequencies.
Follow us on social media :
Facebook : @bernamaofficial, @bernamatv, @bernamaradio
Twitter : @bernama.com, @BernamaTV, @bernamaradio
Instagram : @bernamaofficial, @bernamatvofficial, @bernamaradioofficial
TikTok : @bernamaofficial
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Star
an hour ago
- The Star
Greenpeace steals Macron wax figure for anti-Moscow protest
Greenpeace activists on Monday stole a wax figure of President Emmanuel Macron from a Paris museum and placed it in front of the Russian embassy as part of a protest against French economic ties with Moscow in the wake of the invasion of Ukraine. According to a police source, two women and a man entered the Grevin Museum posing as tourists and, once inside, changed their clothes to pass for workers. The activists slipped out through an emergency exit with the wax work, estimated to be worth 40,000 euros (RM193,644), which they had covered up. The museum said that the activists had called to promise that the statue would be returned "unharmed". "They had clearly done their research very thoroughly," a museum spokeswoman told AFP. According to the spokeswoman, the activists distracted a security guard by asking a question about a disabled access lift, while some of them donned maintenance coats. After making away with the Macron wax figure, the Greenpeace activists placed it in front of the Russian embassy in a protest against the economic ties between France and Russia in the gas, chemical fertilizer and nuclear sectors. Greenpeace activists set up a wax statue of Macron - allegedly taken from the Grevin Museum - outside the Russian Embassy in Paris on June 2, protesting France's gas and fertilizer imports from Russia. Photo: AFP The action in front of the embassy lasted only a few minutes. The activists unfurled a Russian flag behind the Macron statue, while one man held up a yellow placard reading "Business is business". The activists also threw fake banknotes around. "For us, France is playing a double game," said Jean-Francois Julliard, head of Greenpeace France. "Emmanuel Macron embodies this double discourse: he supports Ukraine but encourages French companies to continue trading with Russia," Julliard said. Julliard said Greenpeace targeted Macron because he had a particular responsibility, adding that the French president "should be the first" among European leaders to end trade contracts with Russia. France has been one of the most vocal supporters of Kyiv since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022. Macron has taken the lead in seeking to forge a coordinated European response to defend Ukraine, after US President Donald Trump shocked the world by directly negotiating with Russia. The wax figure of Jacques Chirac was stolen from the Grevin Museum in 1983, when he was mayor of Paris. The statue was found a few days later at the Vincennes Zoo. The statue of Valery Giscard d'Estaing was stolen by angry motorcyclists during his term at the Elysee Palace between 1974 and 1981. - AFP
The Star
2 hours ago
- The Star
Vietnam welcomes 9.2 million international visitors in first five months
International tourists visit Hanoi. - Photo: VNA file HANOI: Vietnam welcomed 9.2 million international arrivals in the first five months of this year, marking a 21.3 per cent increase compared to the same period last year, the National Statistics Office reported on Friday (June 6). Of the total, 7.84 million visitors arrived by air, accounting for 85.2 per cent, followed by 1.18 million arrivals by road and 175,400 by sea. Asia remained the largest source market, contributing over 7.2 million visitors. European arrivals exceeded 1.2 million, while the Americas accounted for more than 496,900 visitors, followed by Oceania and Africa. According to the office, the surge in international arrivals was driven by favourable visa policies, intensified tourism promotion campaigns and celebratory activities marking major national holidays. - Xinhua
Daily Express
2 hours ago
- Daily Express
Sabah GLCs mostly ‘blackholes'
Published on: Saturday, June 07, 2025 Published on: Sat, Jun 07, 2025 By: David Thien Text Size: From left – Adi, Roger Chin, Lo and Haffisz. Kota Kinabalu: A majority of the 250-odd Sabah GLCs (Government-linked companies) are like 'blackholes' sucking away financial resources from Sabah. But there are a few bright stars. 'These statutory bodies and GLCs produced only RM143m dividends to the Sabah Government, of which RM50m was from SMJ Energy. Only a small number can generate dividends for the government. The performance of the rest is pathetic,' said Datuk John Lo, a former banker and now in the Sabah Economic Action Council (SEAC). Advertisement The other profitable GLCs include Sabah Foundation's subsidiary Innoprise, Sabah Energy Corporation, Sogip, Sogdc, POIC Lahad Datu, Suria Capital, Sabah Credit Corporation and Sawit Kinabalu. Lo was a guest panel speaker at the NGO Sabar – Kopi Tiam Council podcast on 'Oversight & Reform of government-Linked Companies (GLCs) Transparency, accountability & Corruption Prevention session, recently. 'Most are either non-performing or underperforming,' Lo said and pointed out that GLCs hold many monopolistic rights for example, cement [Sabah Cement Industries], ports [Suria, POIC Sandakan and POIC Lahad Datu], water [Jetama] and fishing landing rights [Safma]. They have been granted very cheap but extremely prime land, most of them at RM1,000 premium. [Innoprise, SUDC, subsidiary of Sedco, Suria, SICC, Sabah Energy, TAED.]. Advertisement Others have been vast acreage of valuable agricultural land for free or at nominal premium. [Sawit Kinabalu, KPD, Sabah Softwood.] Then there are those who have been granted cheap and valuable land for industrial park [KKIP, Sogip, POIC Sandakan and POIC Lahad Datu, Asian Supply Base in Labuan] or granted concession rights in oil and gas, river and sea sand [Sabah Energy, Sabah Gas, SMJ Energy, Sedco]. GLCs are also into hotels, resorts and jungle resorts [Innoprise, Sedco and Sabah Air] or granted exclusive JV preference with Sabahan and non-Sabahan companies. 'Most significantly, many GLCs have become a huge liability and drag on Sabah's economic growth. Allowing GLCs to continue without proper governance will result in serious economic consequences. Sabah can never catch up,' he said. In most cases the political appointments of chairmen, board of directors and senior management have been inappropriate. 'GLCs are still bleeding losses year in year out. Sabahans are subsiding these losses that have easily run into billions the last 35 years. The accumulated losses are staggering,' he said. What is worse is that some of these GLCs have sold or entered into JVs in many valuable assets like prime commercial and agriculture land, buildings, monopolies and concessions, most of which are lopsided against Sabah. These GLCs have taken huge loans from the government and banks [especially SDB] that they cannot service or repay, often forcing Sabah taxpayers to bail them out. 'They enter into many lopsided JV agreements against the interests of Sabah. They have the greatest number of failed JV projects that need rescue by 'white knights'. 'These billions of dividends can be tax free and can transform Sabah's economic ownership back to Sabahans. The greatest impact is job creation. If each GLC, on average, can create an additional 100 jobs, there will be additional 25,000 jobs!' said Lo. 'This money could have been used for the hard-core poor, repair or investment in infrastructures, health, scholarships or to build two or three universities. 'The GLCs have many JV projects that are suspended or non-start for years.' 'SDB's revamp is showing encouraging results. Keep an eye on Sabah Energy as it will be the new performing star.' Lo was pleased that Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor has appointed suitable Sabahans to head some boards and management e.g. SDB, SMJ Energy, Sabah Energy, Sogip, Sogdc and the latest, a new Group GM for Sedco. Hajiji has appointed advisors on the economy, oil and gas, energy, tourism and international affairs. Notably, he said state Finance Minister Datuk Seri Masidi Manjun has appointed a task force on GLCs. Masidi has also appointed an oversight committee for GLCs. 'Hopefully, the revamp of GLCs will lead some of them to be listed on Bursa. Bursa will impose demanding and stringent governance requirements on these GLCs. 'GLCs that have independent board of directors and professional management appointed by Hajiji and Masidi are turning around with noticeable improvements. 'It is imperative that future Sabah governments continue to revamp, rationalise the GLCs. 'Focusing on and sorting out the mess in Sabah's GLCs is a critical economic issue for every Sabahan, especially for the present young generation and their children. These GLCs are eroding away their future. 'I hope all Sabahans, every man, every woman, every voter, after listening to Sabar's podcast, will support the reformation, transformation and rationalization of Sabah's GLCs. 'It is in every Sabahan's interest to see to it that all GLCs succeed,' Lo stressed. * Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel and Telegram for breaking news alerts and key updates! * Do you have access to the Daily Express e-paper and online exclusive news? Check out subscription plans available. Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express's Telegram channel. Daily Express Malaysia
