Media Moguls in Indonesian Presidential Race Is Worrying, as Evidenced by Other Countries’ Experience

Media Moguls in Presidential Race Is Worrying, as Evidenced by Other Countries’ Experience

By Johannes Nugroho on 9:08 am January 7, 2014.
The start of 2014 will undoubtedly see an escalation of political campaign for this year’s legislative and presidential elections.

Though it is still too early to determine who will be able to run for the latter, as the prerequisite for candidacy depends on the results of the legislative election, a few names have indeed declared themselves presidential hopefuls. Read more of this post

Lessons From the Indonesian Experience the World Should Heed

Lessons From the Indonesian Experience the World Should Heed

By Edward Parker on 8:52 am January 8, 2014.
This will be a pivotal year for Indonesia, one in which the political baton will be handed over. Both the nation’s highest offices will have new occupants; the House of Representatives, or DPR, and the Presidency. Indonesia will begin a new journey and a new chapter in its history. Read more of this post

Indonesia: overlooked gem for brands?

Indonesia: overlooked gem for brands?

Brands that want to enter must first do due diligence and be committed to research

By:Kathryn Sloane   Date posted: January 2, 2014

On the surface, there’s nothing surprising about a global brand expanding into one of the world’s developing nations. But with recent slowdowns in the super-hot economies of China and Brazil, Indonesia, despite its slowing growth rate, merits a second and third look for brands looking for a country with a big upside. Coca-Cola certainly is one such brand: Earlier this year it announced plans to spend $700 million in the world’s fourth-largest nation during the next three years. Read more of this post

Indonesia: Growth of the Few is No True Growth

Editorial: Growth of the Few is No True Growth

By Jakarta Globe on 1:58 pm January 11, 2014.
Economic growth should benefit all members of society. A widening income gap hurts social stability and slows overall gross domestic product growth.

According to Paramadina University, the wealthiest 10 percent of Indonesians are expected to enjoy 30 percent of the country’s GDP this year, while the poorest 10 percent will only be able to enjoy 3 percent. Read more of this post

Indonesia Braces For Impact of Mineral Export Ban

Indonesia Braces For Impact of Mineral Export Ban

By Rieka Rahadiana & Randy Fabi on 9:10 pm January 10, 2014.
Indonesia’s government was scrambling to pass last-minute regulations to limit the impact of a controversial ban that could halt billions of dollars worth of unprocessed mineral ore exports from Sunday. Read more of this post

Behind Giving of Alms Lurks Fear of Abuse; Damaged pillar: Indonesian Muslims are concerned about how money meant for the needy is used

Behind Giving of Alms Lurks Fear of Abuse

Damaged pillar: Indonesian Muslims are concerned about how money meant for the needy is used

By Abdul Qowi Bastian on 10:40 am January 9, 2014.
Thousands of hands are outstretched in homage at an event marking the birthday of the Prophet Muhammad on Feb. 15, 2013. Other times hands stretch out, but not always in prayer. (JG Photo/Yudhi Sukma Wijaya)

“Just prayed for @SedekahHarian’s donors. May all prayers be answered, God willing.” Read more of this post

Vietnam Grapples with Fraud Risk in State Firm Clean-Up

Vietnam Grapples with Fraud Risk in State Firm Clean-Up

Vietnam is seeking to deter fraud as it considers a plan that allows state-owned enterprises to sell stakes below book value, part of efforts to accelerate a cleanup of the sector and regain investor confidence. Read more of this post

Over 400 Vietnam state-owned firms dissolved or bankrupt in 2013

Over 400 Vietnam state-owned firms dissolved or bankrupt in 2013

Viet Nam News/ANN, Hanoi | Business | Wed, January 08 2014, 1:10 PM

More than 400 state-owned enterprises (SOEs) in Vietnam declared bankruptcy or were dissolved last year, according to the Ministry of Finance. A report from the ministry said that around 6,400 units last year across the country were restructured, of which 3,659 businesses were recapitalised, while 1,022 companies were restructured into one-member limited companies. Another 380 companies put themselves up for sale. Read more of this post

Top Thai Stock Picker Joins Aberdeen as Buyer

Top Thai Stock Picker Joins Aberdeen as Buyer

Thailand’s top-performing equity fund manager, who sold shares from October amid anti-government protests, now sees buying opportunities after valuations dropped to the lowest level in 18 months. Read more of this post

Thai Army Chief Urges Public to Ignore Rumors of a Coup

Thai Army Chief Urges Public to Ignore Rumors of a Coup

Thailand’s army chief urged the public not to believe rumors of a possible coup, saying the movement of military hardware into Bangkok was for an annual parade and not to oust Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra. Read more of this post

Thai Anti-Graft Panel to Charge Hundreds of MPs

Thai Anti-Graft Panel to Charge Hundreds of MPs

By Agence France-Presse on 7:26 pm January 7, 2014.
streets of Bangkok to drum up support for a campaign to ‘shut down’ the capital beginning on Jan. 13, 2014. (EPA Photo/Narong Sangnak)

Bangkok. Thailand’s anti-graft panel said on Tuesday it would press charges against hundreds of politicians, mostly from the party of embattled Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra, over a failed attempt to amend the constitution. Read more of this post

In Thailand, Politics Includes the Spirit World

In Thailand, Politics Includes the Spirit World

Politicians, Supporters Turn to Sorcery to Gain Edge

JAMES HOOKWAY

Jan. 9, 2014 10:30 p.m. ET

Political players in Thailand are trying to give themselves a supernatural edge on the competition. WSJ’s James Hookway reports from Bangkok.

BANGKOK—In Thailand, politics goes beyond life and death to include the spirit world, too. Kittichai Saisa-ard isn’t leaving much to chance in his quest to topple Thailand’s government. Looking around the fortified protest camp outside Bangkok’s government headquarters where this graying 52-year-old serves as security chief, he ticks off the supplies he needs to continue the monthslong campaign. Read more of this post

Few Thai children want to become politicians

Few Thai children want to become politicians

Friday, January 10, 2014 – 09:55

The Nation/Asia News Network

THAILAND – Most children in Thailand do not want to become politicians when they grow up because they say it is too much hard work and that politicians have the loathsome habit of quarrelling with one another, a Suan Dusit opinion poll showed yesterday. It was released to mark Children’s Day tomorrow. Read more of this post

Coup-Prone Thailand Looks to Army Chief to Break Deadlock

Coup-Prone Thailand Looks to Army Chief to Break Deadlock

By Amy Sawitta Lefevre on 12:09 pm January 11, 2014.
Bangkok. Standing inside one of Bangkok’s many military bases is a giant poster of Thai army chief Prayuth Chan-ocha in full dress uniform, along with a list of attributes. “Intelligent,” reads the poster. “Knowledgeable. Modern. Visionary.” Read more of this post

Singapore to Double Changi Airport Capacity as Demand Increases

Singapore to Double Changi Airport Capacity as Demand Increases

Singapore plans to almost double the capacity of its airport over the next decade with two terminals as the economic growth in the Asia-Pacific region makes it more affordable for people to travel by air. Read more of this post

Singapore May Step Up Money Laundering, Terror Finance Rules

Singapore May Step Up Money Laundering, Terror Finance Rules

The Monetary Authority of Singapore may step up regulations to curb money laundering and terrorism financing risks posed by remittance agents, money changers and some Internet-based payment systems. Read more of this post

Singapore looks to curb hiring of expats

Singapore looks to curb hiring of expats

LUBNA KABLY, TNN | Jan 10, 2014, 02.11AM IST

MUMBAI: Singapore has joined the bandwagon of protectionist regimes when it comes to employment of foreign workforce. A revised monthly salary structure for expats has already kicked in. Further, from August, those wishing to hire expats will need to first advertise for local (Singaporean) employees. Read more of this post

OCBC-Wing Hang Talks Evoke Memories of DBS Foray: Southeast Asia

OCBC-Wing Hang Talks Evoke Memories of DBS Foray: Southeast Asia

Oversea-Chinese Banking Corp. (OCBC)’s talks to buy Wing Hang Bank Ltd. are reminding investors of the decade of writedowns DBS Group Holdings Ltd. went through to integrate its purchase of a Hong Kong-based lender. Read more of this post

Independent body for listing mulled; Public consultation on SGX market regulation review expected soon

PUBLISHED JANUARY 09, 2014

Independent body for listing mulled

Public consultation on SGX market regulation review expected soon

KENNETH LIM KENLIM@SPH.COM.SG

The proposals are also expected to look into the possibility of strengthening the sanctioning powers of SGX, including the way companies are queried on unusual trading activity in their shares – PHOTO: REUTERS

[SINGAPORE] An independent listing committee, tighter listing standards and stronger enforcement powers for the Singapore Exchange (SGX) are among the ideas that regulators are exploring in the wake of last October’s penny stock selloff, market sources say. Read more of this post

Goldman Sachs Denies Singapore Stock Dump, Countersues

Goldman Sachs Denies Singapore Stock Dump, Countersues

A Goldman Sachs Group Inc. (GS) unit denied dumping a Singapore private wealth client’s shares it held as collateral and said it’s still owed money.

Quah Su Ling sued Goldman Sachs International in London, accusing it of breach of contract for selling her shares in Blumont Group Ltd., Asiasons Capital Ltd. (ACAP) and LionGold Corp. and depressing their prices. Goldman Sachs International countersued for $12.3 million it says it’s still owed. Read more of this post

BMW at $213,000 Is Singapore Way to Encourage Train Rides

BMW at $213,000 Is Singapore Way to Encourage Train Rides

Singapore will stick to a licensing system that has made it one of the world’s most expensive places to buy a car, limiting vehicle ownership to encourage more people to use public transport. Read more of this post

World’s biggest money manager cuts funds to M’sia because other regional markets lucrative

Updated: Friday January 10, 2014 MYT 9:13:49 AM

World’s biggest money manager cuts funds to M’sia because other regional markets lucrative

BY CHOONG EN HAN AND INTAN FARHANA ZAINUL

“There’s a lot of very cheap markets in the region where I’ve increased the fund allocation, and some of this money would also be allocated to other markets in North Asia,” BlackRock’s director and portfolio manager of Asian equities Joshua Crabb said. “The better the market has done, the higher the possibility of me trimming that position,” he added. Read more of this post

Lion Corp Bhd chairman and managing director Tan Sri William Cheng has backed out of an offer to acquire the group’s entire debt notes for RM246mil

Updated: Thursday January 9, 2014 MYT 9:16:08 AM

Chairman backs out of deal to acquire Lion Corp’s debt for RM246mil

The statement said: “He will be reviewing terms for a renewed offer for the proposed acquisition of the Lion Corp bonds, debts and redeemable convertible secured loan stocks (RCSLS)….”” Read more of this post

Is Malaysia in middle-income trap?

Updated: Saturday January 11, 2014 MYT 8:19:01 AM

Is Malaysia in middle-income trap?

BY CECILIA KOK

THE next six years will be a crucial period for Malaysia, as it strives to break out of the middle-income rank to become what World Bank would categorise as a “high-income nation”. Read more of this post

Having impressive buildings with well-manicured lawns to house the enforcement agencies is simply not enough; useless are the numerous committees we have set up to oversee the many departments and processes of our great bureaucracy

Updated: Friday January 3, 2014 MYT 8:31:50 AM

Corruption – a thing of the past?

BY DATUK ZAID IBRAHIM

The Prime Minister has taken unprecedented steps to tackle the scourge, and the public can do their part as whistleblowers.

PRIME Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak has declared war on corruption. In September 2013, Bernama reported him as saying in San Francisco that he wanted to make corruption part of Malaysia’s past and that it had no place in our future. Read more of this post

Datuk Bill Ch’ng Chong Poh, former CEO of property firm Malaysia Pacific Corp Bhd, has been charged with 58 counts of insider trading in the company’s shares between May 14, 2008 and August 20, 2008

Updated: Saturday January 11, 2014 MYT 6:56:30 AM

Ch’ng charged with insider trading

PETALING JAYA: Datuk Bill Ch’ng Chong Poh (pic), former chief executive officer (CEO) of property firm Malaysia Pacific Corp Bhd, has been charged with 58 counts of insider trading in the company’s shares between May 14, 2008 and August 20, 2008. The Securities Commission said in a press release that the charges preferred against Ch’ng were for offences under Section 188(2) of the Capital Markets and Services Act 2007.

Read more of this post

Big news for small wallets; Malaysians of the Year 2014 will be the working class who survive the price hikes

Updated: Monday January 6, 2014 MYT 7:36:49 AM

Big news for small wallets

BY PHILIP GOLINGAI

The issue is unavoidable. Everybody is talking about the various price hikes. And the joke is that the only thing that is not going up is our salary.

SIX days into the new year and it is obvious that the newsmaker for 2014 will be …(drum roll, please)… price hikes! Barring any major sex video scandal or street protests, price hike stories will top the news this year. Read more of this post

The Business of Magazines: Vanity Fair and Fortune Reverse Roles

THE BUSINESS OF MAGAZINES: VANITY FAIR AND FORTUNE REVERSE ROLES

by Eric Starkman

January 7, 2014

Sheryl Sandberg and Marissa Mayer, respectively the COO and CEO of Facebook and Yahoo!, certainly get a lot of media attention. While I admire their professional success, PR savvy, and ability to mesmerize experienced reporters to a near- hypnotic state, their neatly packaged narratives are a tad overly manufactured to me. Articles about Sandberg inevitably speak to her sensitive, compassionate side –“look, she even cries at meetings!” – while Mayer is repeatedly portrayed as a nose-to-the-grindstone executive whose departure from Google was a major loss for that company. I’ve never met, much less worked, with either executive so I don’t have any first-hand insights on their business acumen or leadership talent. That said, I’ve been around long enough to be more than a little skeptical about the constant editorial fawning. Read more of this post

World’s Biggest Wealth Fund Sees Backing to Expand Investments

World’s Biggest Wealth Fund Sees Backing to Expand Investments

Norway’s $820 billion sovereign wealth fund, the world’s largest, is closer to getting the go ahead to expand into more asset classes as it struggles to meet return targets. Investing in pipelines, roads and other infrastructure would be a good fit for the wealth fund as the government considers ways to get more out of the investor, Prime Minister Erna Solberg said yesterday in an interview in Oslo. Read more of this post