https://www.scmp.com/rss/318215/feed Southeast Asia's latest news, current affairs, politics and regional issues. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Raissa Robles Raissa Robles Balikatan, the flagship annual military exercise between Manila and Washington, begins in the Philippines this month without a single neighbouring Southeast Asian member taking part, despite the drills’ growing scale and multinational reach. Analysts say that hesitation helps explain Balikatan’s place in the region: for some Asean members, it is a reassuring sign of US commitment, but joining it risks looking like a strategic choice in the sharpening rivalry between Washington and Beijing. “To... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3350190/why-southeast-asian-nations-are-hesitant-join-major-us-philippine-balikatan-drills?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3350190/why-southeast-asian-nations-are-hesitant-join-major-us-philippine-balikatan-drills?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 15 Apr 2026 12:00:12 +0000 Iman Muttaqin Yusof Iman Muttaqin Yusof In Malaysia, artificial intelligence is already causing harm to content creators through deepfake nudes, cloned voices, scam advertisements and stolen likenesses, experts have warned. They shared the view at the Freedom Film Network’s second International Conference on Film & Society in Kuala Lumpur on Wednesday, where creators, researchers and advocates from across Southeast Asia gathered under the theme “Cultivating Artistic Freedom in a Volatile World”. Melissa Lim Shi Hui, a lawyer and legal... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3350193/malaysias-content-creators-battle-ai-abuse-deepfakes-scam-ads-spread-online?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3350193/malaysias-content-creators-battle-ai-abuse-deepfakes-scam-ads-spread-online?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 15 Apr 2026 11:30:10 +0000 Resty Woro Yuniar Resty Woro Yuniar President Prabowo Subianto’s heavy overseas travel schedule is drawing scrutiny at home as Indonesians are asked to curb fuel use and officials have had to cut back on foreign trips. The attention reflects a growing debate over the value and timing of the president’s diplomacy as higher global oil prices put fresh pressure on Indonesia’s fuel subsidy bill – even as Prabowo defended some of his recent travel as being aimed at securing energy supplies and economic opportunities for his... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3350189/uproar-prabowo-tours-world-while-indonesians-told-work-home-save-fuel?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3350189/uproar-prabowo-tours-world-while-indonesians-told-work-home-save-fuel?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 15 Apr 2026 11:00:08 +0000 Jean Iau Jean Iau In a rare public protest in Singapore, hundreds gathered in Hong Lim Park over the weekend to denounce the “US war machine”. They brandished placards and banners, including one with horns drawn on US presidents past and present captioned: “This is what terrorists look like.” The demonstration, which required organisers to get permission from the authorities, came as public sentiment across the region sours against Washington. Observers attribute this to the perception that the United States has... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3350160/are-us-singapore-relations-under-pressure-public-trust-declines?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3350160/are-us-singapore-relations-under-pressure-public-trust-declines?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 15 Apr 2026 09:00:09 +0000 CNA CNA A man raped a domestic worker in an open field in Singapore’s Rochor and stole money from her shortly after witnessing another man allegedly sexually assault the woman. Malaysian Harvin Velanggany, 24, was sentenced on Monday to eight years’ jail and six strokes of the cane after pleading guilty to one count of rape with a charge of theft taken into consideration. Court documents stated that the victim, a 32-year-old Filipino, was on her day off when she was sexually assaulted on May 26, 2024.... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3350145/malaysian-man-jailed-singapore-raping-robbing-filipino-helper?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3350145/malaysian-man-jailed-singapore-raping-robbing-filipino-helper?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 15 Apr 2026 07:19:06 +0000 Maria Siow Maria Siow A leaked plan to grant the US military sweeping overflight access to Indonesia’s airspace has triggered a domestic backlash over concerns that Jakarta is “colluding with the aggressor” amid Washington’s war on Iran. Analysts say the defence document, first reported by New Delhi-based newspaper the Sunday Guardian, raises concerns that President Prabowo Subianto may be trading away Indonesia’s strategic independence. The proposal, which reportedly emerged following a meeting in February between... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3350143/indonesia-leaked-plan-us-military-overflights-triggers-sovereignty-row?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3350143/indonesia-leaked-plan-us-military-overflights-triggers-sovereignty-row?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 15 Apr 2026 07:11:03 +0000 CNA CNA The latest Singaporean establishment that the internet has come for with its pitchforks and torches is the Cantonese zi char restaurant, Eat First. The Geylang restaurant recently received a spate of one-star Google reviews following an article published by Mothership on Sunday, which reported that the restaurant charged a family S$2 (US$1.57) for bringing their own bottle of water, in line with its strict no-outside-food-and-drink policy. The internet did not hesitate. The moment the article... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3350124/singapore-eatery-charged-us157-water-fee-then-came-flood-1-star-reviews?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3350124/singapore-eatery-charged-us157-water-fee-then-came-flood-1-star-reviews?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 15 Apr 2026 05:40:08 +0000 The Star The Star Jewellery and cash worth hundreds of millions of ringgit were found in overfilled luggage bags stored in a luxury condominium in Kuala Lumpur during a raid linked to the 1Malaysia Develop­ment Bhd (1MDB) investigation, the High Court heard. The police had found 71 ­luggage bags, a plastic box and more than 200 boxes during the operation at Pavilion Residences on May 17, 2018. Former Commercial Crime Investigation Department (CCID) director Amar Singh Ishar Singh testified that the sheer amount... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3350106/malaysian-police-recall-overflowing-cash-gems-1mdb-raid-najib-linked-condo?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3350106/malaysian-police-recall-overflowing-cash-gems-1mdb-raid-najib-linked-condo?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 15 Apr 2026 02:10:25 +0000 Alan Robles Alan Robles Former Philippine leader Rodrigo Duterte discussed removing President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr from office and even considered assassination if a supposed power-sharing deal fell apart, a jailed witness told a House impeachment hearing into Vice-President Sara Duterte-Carpio. Ramil Madriaga, a self-described political organiser, intelligence operative and bagman who said he had once been close to Duterte-Carpio, made the sensational allegations before the House Committee on Justice on Tuesday during... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3350091/jailed-witness-reveals-duterte-plotted-oust-philippines-marcos?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3350091/jailed-witness-reveals-duterte-plotted-oust-philippines-marcos?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 15 Apr 2026 01:30:15 +0000 Mia Nurmamat Mia Nurmamat As the US imposes its own blockade on shipping through the Strait of Hormuz following the collapse of talks with Iran at the weekend, we take a look at how major economies in Asia and Europe could be affected by further restrictions on passage through one of the world’s most critical choke points for energy supplies. Who is most vulnerable in this energy crisis? According to a recent report by Japanese investment bank Nomura, the regions most exposed to the tensions in the Persian Gulf are Asian... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3350051/which-countries-are-most-vulnerable-us-imposes-its-own-blockade-persian-gulf?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3350051/which-countries-are-most-vulnerable-us-imposes-its-own-blockade-persian-gulf?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 15 Apr 2026 00:00:17 +0000 Raissa Robles Raissa Robles The Philippine military on Tuesday rejected Beijing’s claim that Manila had staged a “cyanide stunt” near a contested reef in the South China Sea, after Filipino officials accused Chinese fishermen of using cyanide around a grounded warship that serves as a military outpost. “We reject any statement that this is fabricated news,” said Navy Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad, a spokesman for the Armed Forces of the Philippines. At the centre of the dispute is the BRP Sierra Madre, a derelict navy... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3350083/philippines-rejects-chinas-claim-it-staged-cyanide-evidence-disputed-shoal?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3350083/philippines-rejects-chinas-claim-it-staged-cyanide-evidence-disputed-shoal?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 14 Apr 2026 13:16:13 +0000 Joseph Sipalan Joseph Sipalan Malaysia’s government has urged the public to be ready to tighten their belts over an extended period, with the full effects of the energy crisis triggered by the Iran war expected to kick in as soon as June after the country’s economic buffers run their course. Domestic gas production and costly fuel subsidies have so far shielded the country’s population of 34 million from most of the fallout from the war, which has choked supply for 25 per cent of global seaborne oil trade and nearly a fifth... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3350078/malaysians-urged-tighten-their-belts-iran-war-fallout-starts-bite?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3350078/malaysians-urged-tighten-their-belts-iran-war-fallout-starts-bite?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 14 Apr 2026 12:38:51 +0000 Jeoffrey Maitem Jeoffrey Maitem The United States is planning a fuel depot in the southern Philippines to support humanitarian and maritime security missions for its long-time ally in Asia, as part of a growing network of forward-based refuelling hubs in the Western Pacific. Located far from the flashpoint reefs at the centre of Manila’s maritime dispute with Beijing in the South China Sea, the depot marks what one observer called a “more mature and more serious stage” in the US-Philippine alliance: a shift from base access... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3350066/us-philippines-ties-enter-more-mature-phase-planned-fuel-depot?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3350066/us-philippines-ties-enter-more-mature-phase-planned-fuel-depot?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 14 Apr 2026 11:30:08 +0000 Joseph Sipalan Joseph Sipalan Malaysia is doubling down on renewables to secure its energy future, its deputy prime minister has said, as the government scrambles to mitigate the fallout from an escalating energy crisis triggered by the Iran war. Tehran all but shut access to the Strait of Hormuz last month in retaliation for the US and Israel’s attacks, disrupting a key energy chokepoint through which about 25 per cent of global seaborne oil trade and nearly a fifth of global liquefied natural gas exports pass – much of... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3350025/malaysia-races-go-green-iran-war-squeezes-oil-supply?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3350025/malaysia-races-go-green-iran-war-squeezes-oil-supply?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 14 Apr 2026 08:13:21 +0000 The Star The Star Melaka police are tracking a 36-year-old express bus driver after a video showing him driving with a woman seated on his lap near the Bemban Rest and Recreational area went viral in Malaysia. Jasin Superintendent Lee Robert said initial investigations found the incident occurred at about 7.30pm on Sunday at the entrance to the area. He described the driver’s actions as extremely dangerous, noting that such behaviour could impair vehicle control and cause serious distraction, posing a risk to... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3350020/malaysian-police-hunt-bus-driver-seen-woman-lap-viral-video?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3350020/malaysian-police-hunt-bus-driver-seen-woman-lap-viral-video?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 14 Apr 2026 07:46:18 +0000 Maria Siow Maria Siow With millions of Indonesians at risk of being pushed into poverty amid a deepening global energy crisis, President Prabowo Subianto arrived in Moscow this week seeking something straightforward but increasingly scarce: cheap oil. Prabowo’s trip, which got under way on Monday, comes at a moment of acute regional anxiety. Global oil prices have skyrocketed since the United States and Israel launched their war on Iran more than six weeks ago amid the near-total closure of the Strait of Hormuz. The... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3350002/why-indonesias-prabowo-russia-and-what-he-needs-putin?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3350002/why-indonesias-prabowo-russia-and-what-he-needs-putin?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 14 Apr 2026 06:04:30 +0000 The Star The Star Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has called for an end to allegations of diesel being supplied to the Philippines, stating that the claim is untrue. Anwar said the recent shipment of diesel was not from national oil company Petronas but from a foreign commodity company, Vitol. “They [Vitol] have an agreement to transport oil and sell it to the Philippines. It is not us [Petronas] supplying it to the Philippines,” he said. “But we are not stopping it. We are giving passage. The oil belongs... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3349983/malaysias-anwar-douses-row-over-diesel-supplied-philippines?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3349983/malaysias-anwar-douses-row-over-diesel-supplied-philippines?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 14 Apr 2026 03:50:21 +0000 Ushar Daniele Ushar Daniele The bust of an illegal transfer of oil between tankers in Malaysian waters has returned the spotlight to the shadow fleet trade in fuel – much of it from sanctioned nations – in Southeast Asia, which continues despite the paralysis of legitimate shipping routes triggered by the Iran war. Two tankers were intercepted in waters off Bagan Ajam, off the coast of Penang, on Saturday during an alleged illegal transfer of more than 700,000 litres of diesel worth an estimated 5.43 million ringgit... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3349950/malaysian-bust-spotlights-shadow-fleet-oil-trade-southeast-asia?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3349950/malaysian-bust-spotlights-shadow-fleet-oil-trade-southeast-asia?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 14 Apr 2026 01:30:20 +0000 Iman Muttaqin Yusof Iman Muttaqin Yusof The driver of a Singapore-registered car has been arrested in Johor for allegedly pumping subsidised Malaysian petrol, triggering a wave of approval online from Malaysians as the government widens a border crackdown driven by rising fuel costs and fears of subsidy abuse amid a global energy shock. The arrest comes after months of viral shaming posts showing Singapore-registered vehicles allegedly filling up with RON95 in neighbouring Johor, fuelling public anger over the abuse of a subsidy meant... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3349926/malaysia-some-laud-singapore-car-drivers-arrest-over-worlds-most-expensive-petrol?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3349926/malaysia-some-laud-singapore-car-drivers-arrest-over-worlds-most-expensive-petrol?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 13 Apr 2026 10:55:44 +0000 Joseph Sipalan Joseph Sipalan Malaysia ended last week with one oil tanker making it through the Strait of Hormuz and six others waiting their turn, as the government promised that supplies would last through May. Then US President Donald Trump announced a blockade. Analysts say the escalation in the US-Israel war on Iran puts Malaysia on a collision course with an energy crisis sooner than expected. “Putrajaya has already flagged June as a critical pressure point,” said geopolitical risk consultant Asrul Sani, associate... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3349918/malaysia-faces-energy-emergency-amid-trumps-hormuz-blockade?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3349918/malaysia-faces-energy-emergency-amid-trumps-hormuz-blockade?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 13 Apr 2026 09:56:03 +0000 Nicholas Spiro Nicholas Spiro Singapore is at the sharp end of the energy crisis. Imported natural gas accounts for an estimated 95 per cent of the city state’s electricity generation. According to Nomura, Singapore is the fourth most vulnerable Asian economy to the energy shock emanating from the war in Iran, based on a set of criteria that includes the share of fossil fuels in energy consumption and the proportion of energy imports from the Gulf. Last month, Singapore’s Foreign Affairs Minister Vivian Balakrishnan said the... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3349845/why-singapores-property-slowdown-envy-rest-asia?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3349845/why-singapores-property-slowdown-envy-rest-asia?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 13 Apr 2026 08:30:08 +0000 Aidan Jones Aidan Jones The world’s largest water fight erupted across Bangkok on Monday as the three-day annual Songkran festival drew a surge in tourists to a country whose bruised economy badly needed a reason to celebrate. Thailand has refused to let a fuel crisis triggered by the US-Israeli war on Iran dampen its traditional New Year’s celebrations, even as prices spike for everything from petrol to ice during the hottest month of the year. The water festival – also known as Thingyan in neighbouring Myanmar and... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3349881/splash-and-crash-thailand-celebrates-songkran-energy-crisis-deepens?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3349881/splash-and-crash-thailand-celebrates-songkran-energy-crisis-deepens?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 13 Apr 2026 07:50:10 +0000 The Star The Star There is no necessity to introduce the death penalty into the Road Transport Act 1987 for driving under the influence, according to Malaysian Transport Minister Anthony Loke. Loke said existing laws were sufficient to prosecute serious offences and that offenders could still be charged under Section 302 of the Penal Code for murder, where applicable. “As far as the government is concerned, we have already stopped mandatory death penalties,” he told reporters on Monday after a road safety... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3349865/malaysia-rejects-death-penalty-drink-drivers-proposes-victim-compensation?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3349865/malaysia-rejects-death-penalty-drink-drivers-proposes-victim-compensation?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 13 Apr 2026 07:06:07 +0000 Reuters Reuters Malaysia’s Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) said ⁠it detained ⁠two tankers for allegedly conducting ⁠an illegal ship-to-ship transfer of about 700,000 litres (185,000 gallons) of diesel off the island of Penang over the weekend. Malaysia has been cracking down on fuel smuggling amid mounting shortages and ‌supply disruptions throughout the region caused by the war in the Middle East. Penang MMEA director Muhammad Suffi Mohd Ramli said authorities carried out checks following an intelligence... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3349834/malaysia-seizes-us137-million-worth-diesel-illegal-fuel-transfer-penang?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3349834/malaysia-seizes-us137-million-worth-diesel-illegal-fuel-transfer-penang?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 13 Apr 2026 03:07:40 +0000 The Star The Star Malaysia is expected to experience a critical moment with regards to fuel supply by June, according to Economy Minister Akmal Nasrullah Mohd Nasir. He said the government is implementing measures to address the global fuel shortage amid the Middle East conflict, including exploring alternative raw materials. “June and July will be a very critical period in ensuring fuel supplies are available,” Akmal Nasrullah said after attending an event in Johor Bahru. “It will be equally important to ensure... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3349778/minister-warns-malaysia-will-enter-critical-period-fuel-supply-june?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3349778/minister-warns-malaysia-will-enter-critical-period-fuel-supply-june?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 12 Apr 2026 06:40:09 +0000 Aisyah Llewellyn Aisyah Llewellyn Promotional posters for the horror film Aku Harus Mati (“I Must Die”) have been taken down in parts of Indonesia after sparking backlash from child protection experts, who say the campaign’s stark language and imagery are especially alarming amid what officials have called a “child suicide emergency”. The row has struck a nerve in a country where concerns over child mental health and suicidal ideation have been mounting, turning what might otherwise have been dismissed as provocative horror... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3349702/indonesia-horror-film-posters-trigger-child-suicide-fears?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3349702/indonesia-horror-film-posters-trigger-child-suicide-fears?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 12 Apr 2026 06:00:25 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Filipinos like their pares, a traditional beef stew, served hot – but the soaring cost of liquefied petroleum gas has made that prospect increasingly difficult since war erupted in the Middle East. To save a few pesos, 20-year-old Eric Garcia delicately turned a knob to adjust the flame under his warming trays to the lowest setting as he grapples with fuel costs that have nearly doubled in price. While sticker shock at petrol stations has garnered the biggest headlines since the war forced the... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3349777/philippines-lpg-price-shock-reaches-bottom-beloved-beef-stew-bowls?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3349777/philippines-lpg-price-shock-reaches-bottom-beloved-beef-stew-bowls?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 12 Apr 2026 05:25:05 +0000 CNA CNA Singapore’s national media network Mediacorp has responded to criticism from Malaysian organisations over its drama Highway to Somewhere, which some claim portrays the country as a hub for scam syndicates. In a statement, a spokesperson said the production had taken care in its depiction of Malaysia and that the storyline was not meant to target any specific country. The 20-episode Chinese-language series follows a married couple played by Romeo Tan and Jeanette Aw, and four friends portrayed by... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3349771/singapore-drama-sparks-malaysian-ire-over-scam-hub-depiction?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3349771/singapore-drama-sparks-malaysian-ire-over-scam-hub-depiction?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 12 Apr 2026 04:13:07 +0000 Jean Iau Jean Iau In a quiet street in northern Singapore, a car plies the road like any other – except it is a left-hand drive from China and the person in the driver’s seat has been trained to keep his hands off the wheel and his foot off the pedals unless an emergency arises. Eventually, there will be no need for a safety officer or any human behind the wheel at all – mirroring the autonomous vehicles (AVs) already operating in cities such as Beijing, Shenzhen, San Francisco and Los Angeles. For now, Singapore... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3349672/singapores-robotaxi-drive-revs-help-chinese-av-leaders?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3349672/singapores-robotaxi-drive-revs-help-chinese-av-leaders?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 12 Apr 2026 00:00:09 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Soaring fuel prices are driving up costs for Thais travelling home for the holidays, but the chance to spend the new year with loved ones is a price worth paying, they say. “There aren’t many opportunities to go home during festivals like this,” said 24-year-old army cadet Korawich Changpat at Bangkok’s Mo Chit Two bus station, despite his inflated fare back to central Chaiyaphum province. “First of all, I’ll go see my mother. Looking this handsome in my uniform, I must go pay my respects to... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3349751/thais-celebrate-new-year-despite-fuel-price-shocks-delaying-travel?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3349751/thais-celebrate-new-year-despite-fuel-price-shocks-delaying-travel?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 11 Apr 2026 10:46:44 +0000 The Star The Star Malaysian immigration officers have raided two massage parlours suspected of offering sexual services to clients, detaining 21 foreign workers and a local man believed to be the manager of the premises. The raids in Johor, which began at around 3pm on Thursday, targeted outlets that publicly advertised standard massage services from 80 ringgit (US$20) an hour. “The businesses were believed to be involved in immoral activities and employed foreigners without valid documents,” Johor immigration... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3349727/malaysia-detains-masseuses-china-offering-extra-services?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3349727/malaysia-detains-masseuses-china-offering-extra-services?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 11 Apr 2026 05:08:18 +0000 Iman Muttaqin Yusof Iman Muttaqin Yusof Penang, the Malaysian state long marketed as the Pearl of the Orient, is better known today for its hawker food, colonial-era streetscapes and the multicultural life of George Town, whose historic core won Unesco World Heritage status in 2008. When Francis Light, a British merchant, landed on Penang on August 11, 1786, he took possession of the 293 sq km (113 square-mile) island on behalf of the British East India Company and renamed it Prince of Wales Island. One enduring local legend holds... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3349680/was-penang-robbed-kedah-malaysian-states-face-sovereignty-row?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3349680/was-penang-robbed-kedah-malaysian-states-face-sovereignty-row?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 11 Apr 2026 02:00:18 +0000 Luna Sun Luna Sun In classrooms and training centres across China, a growing number of students from Southeast Asia, Africa and beyond are learning not just the Chinese language, but how the country’s factories operate, how supply chains are managed and how products are marketed and sold across borders. Hebei Software Institute, in the northern city of Baoding, has been at the forefront of the push. The vocational college said it had established multiple overseas-oriented programmes in recent years, particularly... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3349616/vocational-schools-new-front-chinas-strategy-support-businesses-global-expansion?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3349616/vocational-schools-new-front-chinas-strategy-support-businesses-global-expansion?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 10 Apr 2026 22:00:11 +0000 Kolette Lim Kolette Lim Singapore and Australia pledged on Friday to keep fuel and gas flowing between them as the Middle East conflict rattled global energy markets, with both sides also working towards a legally binding agreement on essential supplies. At a joint press conference in Singapore, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said Canberra stood ready to supply more liquefied natural gas (LNG) if the city state needed it, while Albanese’s Singaporean counterpart Lawrence Wong said his government would... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3349689/singapore-australia-vow-uninterrupted-fuel-supply-amid-global-energy-shock?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3349689/singapore-australia-vow-uninterrupted-fuel-supply-amid-global-energy-shock?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 10 Apr 2026 12:40:41 +0000 Ushar Daniele Ushar Daniele Iran’s threat to impose tolls on vessels passing through the Strait of Hormuz is stirring concern far beyond the Gulf, sharpening fears that one of the world’s most important maritime chokepoints could be used as political leverage rather than governed by international rules. The concern is especially acute in Asia, which remains heavily reliant on Middle East energy supplies and exposed to any disruption in the waterway, through which nearly a fifth of the world’s oil passes. Analysts warn that... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3349686/irans-hormuz-toll-threat-lays-bare-asias-energy-vulnerability?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3349686/irans-hormuz-toll-threat-lays-bare-asias-energy-vulnerability?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 10 Apr 2026 12:23:36 +0000 The Star The Star Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has reaffirmed Malaysia’s independent foreign policy stance, saying that while the nation prioritises maintaining strong ties with its neighbours, it remains firm in its refusal to overlook the causes of current regional instability. Responding to recent remarks by Singapore’s Foreign Affairs Minister Vivian Balakrishnan, who stated that the republic would not negotiate for safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz, Anwar said Malaysia’s diplomatic approach is guided... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3349684/malaysias-anwar-singapores-hormuz-stance-thats-their-affair?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3349684/malaysias-anwar-singapores-hormuz-stance-thats-their-affair?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 10 Apr 2026 12:07:56 +0000 Iman Muttaqin Yusof Iman Muttaqin Yusof A Malaysian association has come under fire after warning that wider work-from-home arrangements would hurt urban businesses, with critics accusing it of prioritising city-centre takings over the government’s effort to cut fuel use across the country and rein in soaring subsidy costs. The backlash comes days before Malaysia begins a phased work-from-home roll-out for eligible civil servants on April 15, part of a wider effort to cut fuel use and manage rising costs tied to disruptions caused by... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3349636/malaysian-business-lobby-says-working-home-will-hurt-city-profits-faces-backlash?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3349636/malaysian-business-lobby-says-working-home-will-hurt-city-profits-faces-backlash?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 10 Apr 2026 07:33:35 +0000 Bloomberg Bloomberg Indonesia’s richest man has begun selling small stakes in his listed companies as tighter ownership rules push firms to increase shares available to public investors. Billionaire Prajogo Pangestu sold a 0.56 per cent stake in coal and mining holding Petrindo Jaya Kreasi to boost the company’s free float, according to a stock exchange filing late Thursday. Prajogo-affiliated Green Era Energy this week also sold a fraction of its stake in his Barito Renewables Energy. Regulators are fast-tracking... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3349623/indonesias-richest-man-loosens-grip-petrindo-barito-amid-tighter-ownership-rules?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3349623/indonesias-richest-man-loosens-grip-petrindo-barito-amid-tighter-ownership-rules?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 10 Apr 2026 06:36:48 +0000 Sam Beltran Sam Beltran Her father is in custody at The Hague, her alliance with President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr has collapsed into bitter rivalry and she is fighting to halt impeachment proceedings before the Supreme Court. Despite all of that, Philippine Vice-President Sara Duterte-Carpio is still, by a distance, the early favourite to be the country’s next president. A new survey by Manila-based pollster WR Numero found 36 per cent of Filipinos would vote for Duterte-Carpio if the 2028 election were held today – a... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3349553/sara-duterte-leads-early-2028-philippine-presidential-poll-rivals-struggle-unite?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3349553/sara-duterte-leads-early-2028-philippine-presidential-poll-rivals-struggle-unite?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 10 Apr 2026 04:00:13 +0000 Bloomberg,Reuters Bloomberg,Reuters Economic growth across Asia is likely to slow even if oil prices stabilise in the coming months, as the impact of war in the Middle East ripples through industries from manufacturing to tourism, according to the Asian Development Bank. The US and Israeli war on Iran is projected to halt developing Asia’s economic upswing, with the region’s gross domestic product expansion seen moderating to 5.1 per cent this year from 5.4 per cent in 2025, the ADB said in its outlook report on... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3349591/asian-economies-face-formidable-test-middle-east-conflict-drags-adb?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3349591/asian-economies-face-formidable-test-middle-east-conflict-drags-adb?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 10 Apr 2026 02:32:16 +0000 Bloomberg Bloomberg Thai authorities have seized assets worth 8.3 billion baht (US$260 million) belonging to people behind an alleged money-laundering network linked to transnational cyber scam operations in Cambodia. The latest seizure by the Anti-Money Laundering Office included cash, cars, bank deposits and other securities, bringing the total value of assets confiscated in the widening probe to more than 20 billion baht, officials said at a briefing in Bangkok on Thursday. The network of offenders included... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3349581/thailand-snatches-us260-million-cross-border-scammers-decisive-crackdown?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3349581/thailand-snatches-us260-million-cross-border-scammers-decisive-crackdown?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 10 Apr 2026 01:14:54 +0000 Marco Vicenzino Marco Vicenzino The two-week ceasefire between the United States and Iran is a real diplomatic breakthrough. It has reopened the Strait of Hormuz, triggered a relief rally in global markets and eased the immediate fear of a spiralling energy shock. But its strategic significance lies less in the relief it has produced than in the uncertainty it leaves behind. The truce is time-limited, tied to negotiations and built around temporary safe passage rather than a settled regional order. The ceasefire terms and... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3349425/asia-us-iran-ceasefire-offers-little-relief-and-much-uncertainty?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3349425/asia-us-iran-ceasefire-offers-little-relief-and-much-uncertainty?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 09 Apr 2026 14:30:10 +0000 Resty Woro Yuniar Resty Woro Yuniar A genocide complaint filed with Indonesian prosecutors against Myanmar’s newly elected President Min Aung Hlaing marks a further step by rights activists to hold the country’s military rulers accountable for their alleged international crimes, regardless of where they were committed. The complaint, lodged on Monday with Indonesia’s Attorney General’s Office (AGO), accuses the former military chief of genocide against the Rohingya, including mass rape, forced eviction, killings and arson attacks... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3349532/indonesian-activists-target-myanmars-president-genocide-case-against-him?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3349532/indonesian-activists-target-myanmars-president-genocide-case-against-him?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 09 Apr 2026 11:00:12 +0000 Ushar Daniele,Iman Muttaqin Yusof Ushar Daniele,Iman Muttaqin Yusof The US war on Iran has triggered the worst energy crisis in memory and punched a hole in Southeast Asia’s energy-importing economies. Still, a top former US diplomat insists America remains a dependable ally and will be central to the region’s trade and security for years to come. The Trump administration’s attack on Iran had inflicted pain on Southeast Asian allies dependent on Middle Eastern energy imports, said Ambassador Daniel Kritenbrink, a former assistant secretary of state for East... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3349533/us-remain-key-ally-asean-despite-iran-war-fallout-diplomat?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3349533/us-remain-key-ally-asean-despite-iran-war-fallout-diplomat?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 09 Apr 2026 10:20:35 +0000 Raissa Robles Raissa Robles The International Criminal Court (ICC) is expected to issue a written decision by April 28 on whether former Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte will stand trial on charges of crimes against humanity over his war on drugs. However, even if the judges decide to proceed with the trial, observers predict that the proceedings will progress at a “glacial pace”, potentially taking years to reach a ruling. Duterte, who governed the Philippines from 2016 to 2022, was surrendered to the ICC in March... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3349504/will-philippine-ex-president-duterte-stand-trial-icc-and-how-long?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3349504/will-philippine-ex-president-duterte-stand-trial-icc-and-how-long?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 09 Apr 2026 09:30:08 +0000 Kandy Wong,Ji Siqi Kandy Wong,Ji Siqi China’s exports of energy storage equipment are expected to keep rising as the US-Israeli war in Iran renews global calls for energy independence, industry insiders and analysts said. The total export value of Chinese inverters – key components in energy storage systems – jumped 57 per cent year on year to US$1.66 billion for the first two months of 2026, Chinese customs data showed. Inverters convert electricity generated from batteries and solar panels into usable power for homes, businesses... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3349515/chinas-energy-storage-tech-exports-buffer-against-iran-war-oil-shock?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3349515/chinas-energy-storage-tech-exports-buffer-against-iran-war-oil-shock?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 09 Apr 2026 09:00:17 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse The Philippine Coast Guard unveiled on Thursday its first dedicated command centre in the Spratly island chain, a flashpoint in the disputed South China Sea that has been the site of repeated confrontations with Chinese vessels. The headquarters of a newly established coastguard district, formerly overseen from neighbouring Palawan, will cover an area of about 68,000 sq km (26,000 sq miles). A journalist travelling to the new command centre on Thitu Island, known as Pagasa in the Philippines,... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3349488/philippines-expands-south-china-sea-footprint-permanent-thitu-island-base?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3349488/philippines-expands-south-china-sea-footprint-permanent-thitu-island-base?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 09 Apr 2026 06:25:53 +0000 Joseph Sipalan Joseph Sipalan Singapore’s pushback against negotiating with Iran over access to the Strait of Hormuz has triggered a backlash from Malaysian politicians, who saw its statements as “lecturing” them on how best to secure safe passage through the vital waterway. For the past month, Tehran had all but shut access to the strait – which handles about a fifth of global oil and gas shipments, bound mostly for Asia – in retaliation for deadly strikes by the US and Israel since they launched a war on Iran on February... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3349464/malaysia-wont-be-lectured-singapores-refusal-negotiate-over-hormuz-creates-waves?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3349464/malaysia-wont-be-lectured-singapores-refusal-negotiate-over-hormuz-creates-waves?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 09 Apr 2026 04:23:33 +0000 Bloomberg Bloomberg Across much of the world, young people are turning away from military service. In Thailand, they are queuing up. Voluntary enlistment in the Southeast Asian nation has climbed steadily over the past five years – so much so that in some districts, annual conscription quotas, which happen in April, are being filled from ranks of willing men alone. It is somewhat paradoxical, considering the recent, lethal border clashes with Cambodia have made clear that military service is no longer a distant... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3349449/thai-men-sign-military-driven-prospect-steady-pay-amid-sluggish-economy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3349449/thai-men-sign-military-driven-prospect-steady-pay-amid-sluggish-economy?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 09 Apr 2026 02:15:22 +0000 CNA,Bloomberg CNA,Bloomberg Government facilities in Singapore will take steps to reduce electricity consumption to boost the nation’s energy resilience as the conflict in the Middle East tightens global energy supplies. Immediate measures include setting the air-conditioner at 25 degrees Celsius (77 degrees Fahrenheit) or higher, managing operating times for air-conditioning, lighting and lifts and unplugging or turning off non-essential equipment when not in use, the Ministry of Sustainability and Environment (MSE) and... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3349443/singapore-raises-air-con-temperatures-public-spaces-save-energy-amid-fuel-crisis?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3349443/singapore-raises-air-con-temperatures-public-spaces-save-energy-amid-fuel-crisis?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 09 Apr 2026 01:12:14 +0000