Aseanplus

Malaysia: * Singapore urged to halt execution of another M’sian * Large-scale ops after midnight to nab undocumented foreigners, says Hamzah * Issues relating to middlemen discussed at inflation task force meeting, says Annuar * Sabah party president nabbed for being alleged mastermind of ID scam ring, says Hamzah * Deputy CM raises plight of Sabahans in Australia in meeting with Penny Wong * Amendment for heavier penalties on environment crime to be tabled in Oct * Kiandee: Govt striving to reduce impact of rising cost of living Singapore: * Eight weeks' jail for CEO who assaulted cabby, dislocating victim's shoulder * Singapore's death penalty for drug trafficking saves lives: Shanmugam tells BBC * Singapore-Desaru ferry tickets go on sale * Malaysia, Singapore agree to further ties in digital and green economy * Singapore electricity tariffs to rise by about 8% for Q3 amid global oil, gas crunch * China officials scams: Over 277 in Singapore lose … [Read more...] about Asean News Headlines as at 10pm on Thursday (June 30)

SINGAPORE (The Straits Times/Asia News Network): The chief executive of a private investment holding company who assaulted a taxi driver and dislocated the man's shoulder was on Thursday (June 30) sentenced to eight weeks' jail for committing the offence. Briton Paul John Murphy, 61, was also fined S$1,000 for performing a negligent act that could endanger the personal safety of others. Murphy, CEO of PWS Holdings, had opened a passenger door of the taxi he was travelling in, causing a near collision, and assaulted the driver, Elgin Lee, who had asked him to shut the door. On April 7, District Judge Ong Chin Rhu convicted Murphy of the offences following a trial. The court heard that Murphy had gone to the Singapore Recreation Club in Connaught Drive near the Padang for a drinking session on March 2, 2018. Elgin Lee later picked him up at the club at around 10pm that day. The cabby was driving towards Murphy's home when he stopped his vehicle at a red light at the exit of … [Read more...] about Eight weeks’ jail for CEO who assaulted cabby, dislocating victim’s shoulder

BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN (Borneo Bulletin/Asia News Network): Police are on the hunt for a driver involved in a hit-and-run incident on Wednesday (June 29) afternoon involving two pedestrians crossing the zebra lane in Seria. The Royal Brunei Police Force (RBPF) said preliminary investigations conducted by personnel from the Seria Police Station found that the driver fled the scene after the incident. Police conducting investigations urged those with information to contact the police hotline at 993 or visit a nearby police station. The RBPF said the suspect may have violated several acts and faces charges. T hose include Section 31, Chapter 68 of the Road Traffic Act, where the driver’s failure to assist an injured person can be convicted and sentenced to imprisonment of one year and a BND8,000 fine; Section 33 (6) Chapter 68 of the Road Traffic Act – failure to stop and provide assistance; and Section 33 (7) Chapter 68 of the Road Traffic Act, where failure to stop and provide … [Read more...] about Brunei police hunt for driver fleeing from hit-and-run incident

HONG KONG/HAIKOU (China Daily/Asia News Network): The Hong Kong Observatory said it would consider issuing the Strong Wind Signal No 3 on Thursday (June 30) evening as tropical storm Chaba intensified. The observatory issued typhoon signal No 1 at 9:10pm on Wednesday. "In the past few hours, Chaba gradually tracked north, and intensified slightly," the observatory said in a special cyclone warning bulletin issued at 2.45am Thursday. "According to the present forecast track, Chaba continues to edge closer to the coast of western Guangdong. Local winds will strengthen gradually tonight. The observatory will consider issuing the Strong Wind Signal No 3 then," it added Chaba, estimated to be about 660km south of Hong Kong at 3pm Thursday, is forecast to move north-northwest at about 15 kilometers per hour in the general direction of the coast of western Guangdong, the HKO said. “The outer rainbands associated with Chaba are already affecting the territory,” the bulletin reads. … [Read more...] about Hong Kong to consider issuing typhoon signal No 3

SEOUL (AFP): Samsung Electronics became the first chipmaker in the world to mass produce advanced 3-nanometre microchips, the company said Thursday, as it seeks to catch up with Taiwan's TSMC. The ne chips will be smaller, more powerful and efficient, and will be used in high-performance computing applications before being put into gadgets such as mobile phones. "Compared to 5nm process, the first-generation 3nm process can reduce power consumption by up to 45%, improve performance by 23% and reduce area by 16%," Samsung said in a statement. The South Korean conglomerate last month announced a five-year plan to invest 450 trillion won (US$356 billion), saying it would "bring forward the mass production of chips based on the 3-nanometer process". The vast majority of the world's most advanced microchips are made by just two companies -- Samsung and Taiwan's TSMC -- both of which are running at full capacity to alleviate a global shortage. Samsung is the market leader in memory … [Read more...] about Samsung begins production of advanced 3nm chips

HANOI (Vietnam News/Asia News Network): The number of foreign tourists visiting Vietnam in the first half of 2022 increased 6.8 times over the same period of 2021, reaching 602,000, according to the General Statistics Office (GSO). However, the number still falls short of pre-pandemic figures – a drop of 92.9 per cent compared to 2019. Visitors coming by air account for 87 per cent of the total and 9.4 times that of the same period last year, whereas the number of travellers via road routes accounts for 13 per cent of the total (up 2.4 times), and 0.02 per cent by sea (a decrease of 42.6 per cent). In June alone, Vietnam welcomed nearly 237,000 foreign arrivals, up 36.8 per cent compared to the previous month and 32.9 times that of the same period last year. Statistics show that the revenue from accommodation and catering services surged by 20.9 per cent in the first six months and 80 per cent in June over the same period last year. Meanwhile, travel service revenue surged by … [Read more...] about Foreign arrivals in Vietnam surge nearly seven-fold in first six months

BANGKOK (The Nation/Asia News Network): A young rescue volunteer has won praise from Thai netizens for retrieving a dead body from the forest on his motorcycle. Jaturon Duangrat, 25, and his team from the Siam Ruamjai Foundation were assigned to transport the body of a middle-aged man, who had died in the forest in Wiang Pa Pao district in Chiang Rai province. The foundation’s ambulance could not reach the spot where the body was lying inside the forest, so the team had to ride motorbikes for over an hour to get to the site. A plan was devised to make a bamboo stretcher to carry the body out, but it would have taken the team at least an extra hour to cut the bamboo trees and make a stretcher, according to Jaturon. As rain clouds were forming and it was getting dark, he offered to take the body to the ambulance on a motorbike, by tying it to his back. “This way, we can save time,” he said he told his colleagues. The body was carefully wrapped by his colleagues before being … [Read more...] about Young Thai volunteer wins praise for carrying dead body on his bike

SINGAPORE (The Straits Times/Asia News Network): Malaysia and Singapore have agreed to further cooperate in the areas of digital and green economy following a meeting between ministers from both countries on Thursday (June 30). Trade and Industry Minister Gan Kim Yong met with Malaysia's Senior Minister and Minister of International Trade and Industry Mohamed Azmin Ali in Kuala Lumpur. Both ministers agreed to begin discussions on frameworks of cooperation in the two areas, with a view of concluding both frameworks this year, said Singapore's Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI) in a statement. MTI said the ministers recognised that the digital and green economies are key to sustainable and inclusive growth for both countries. The frameworks of cooperation aim to strengthen dialogue and cooperation, and serve as the basis for future bilateral cooperation initiatives related to these two areas. They will also provide a wider range of benefits to businesses in both countries in … [Read more...] about Malaysia, Singapore agree to further ties in digital and green economy

HONG KONG (The Straits Times/Asia News Network): John Lee, Hong Kong's former security chief, will be sworn in as Chief Executive on Friday (July 1), as the city marks 25 years of Chinese rule. Here are three areas of priority for Lee, who takes over the reins from Carrie Lam. 1. Housing crisis, high living costs Hong Kong is among the world's most expensive cities to live in, and is also the least affordable place to buy a home. Private home prices have risen more than 130 per cent since 1997, and the average wait for public housing is more than six years. Four per cent of the 7.4 million population live in cramped subdivided flats. While tinned fish, a local pantry staple, costs about six times more today than it did in 1997, median monthly wages have gone up less than 70 per cent in the same period. One in four people are considered to be living in poverty. The city's housing crisis and surging costs of living have contributed to widening inequality and are a source of … [Read more...] about Three key priorities for Hong Kong’s new leader John Lee