https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/rss/324752/feed Latest news, in-depth features and opinion from Indonesia. en https://assets-v2.i-scmp.com/production/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg Frank Chen Frank Chen China’s energy security, now buttressed by internal resilience, has withstood a difficult test from the protracted war in the Middle East, says the head of a global energy industry body. “China has domestic production, it has developed a diversification policy and there is also the possibility to switch around different types of energy,” Andrea Stegher, president of the International Gas Union (IGU), told the South China Morning Post on Tuesday. Stegher said the world’s second-largest economy... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/global-economy/article/3372333/chinas-energy-supply-chain-withstanding-test-middle-east-war-expert-says https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/global-economy/article/3372333/chinas-energy-supply-chain-withstanding-test-middle-east-war-expert-says Tue, 27 Oct 2026 14:00:21 +0000 Reuters Reuters Indonesia and Singapore are looking to set up a joint task force to deal with haze from Indonesia’s wildfires, the countries’ foreign ministers said on Tuesday, as they met to reaffirm their ties after weeks of simmering tensions. The visit to Jakarta by Singapore Foreign Minister ‌Vivian Balakrishnan came amid mounting frustrations in the city state over the transboundary haze generated by Indonesia’s most intense forest fires in 11 years. After a two-hour meeting, Singapore and Indonesia’s top... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3372331/singapore-indonesia-plan-create-haze-task-force-share-data-amid-tensions https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3372331/singapore-indonesia-plan-create-haze-task-force-share-data-amid-tensions Tue, 27 Oct 2026 12:52:04 +0000 Resty Woro Yuniar Resty Woro Yuniar Indonesia could gain critical defence technology, investment and export opportunities through a new multi-nation defence pact with Turkey, Qatar and Pakistan, but analysts warn its success hinges on turning high-level ambition into concrete projects. The four Muslim-majority nations signed the Badr Memorandum of Understanding in Doha on Wednesday. The agreement outlines a framework for defence “cooperation and integration” across joint research and development, training exchanges and industrial... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3372306/indonesias-4-nation-defence-pact-strategic-coup-or-paper-tiger https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3372306/indonesias-4-nation-defence-pact-strategic-coup-or-paper-tiger Tue, 27 Oct 2026 10:30:06 +0000 Reuters Reuters A bus fitted out ⁠with oxygen tanks is ⁠providing a sanctuary in a ⁠city on Indonesia’s Borneo island, where people are choking from forest-fire-induced haze and the blazes show no sign of letting up. Indonesia regularly battles seasonal forest fires, predominantly on Sumatra and Borneo islands, but this year the infernos are the most intense in ‌more than a decade. An intense El Nino weather phenomenon has driven up temperatures, leaving the country’s vast forests and peatlands more vulnerable... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3372274/indonesias-oxygen-bus-offers-breather-residents-choking-toxic-haze https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3372274/indonesias-oxygen-bus-offers-breather-residents-choking-toxic-haze Tue, 27 Oct 2026 07:32:10 +0000 SCMP SCMP We have selected seven stories from the SCMP’s coverage of Asia over the past week that resonated with our readers and shed light on topical issues. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscribing. 1. Filipinos split on Marcos’ sea handling amid row over Chinese envoy’s remarks Filipinos are almost evenly divided over the Marcos administration’s handling of the maritime dispute with China, even as nearly three in four favour diplomacy over confrontation, according to... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/article/3372227/why-paper-straws-are-worse-plastic-japans-silver-divorce-rise-7-asia-highlights https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/article/3372227/why-paper-straws-are-worse-plastic-japans-silver-divorce-rise-7-asia-highlights Tue, 27 Oct 2026 04:30:07 +0000 Letters Letters Feel strongly about these letters, or any other aspects of the news? Share your views by emailing us your Letter to the Editor at letters@scmp.com or filling in this Google form. Submissions should not exceed 400 words. Where I grew up in Kalimantan, we call it libur asap, the “smoke holiday”, when the haze gets too thick for school. This year, as Singapore and Malaysia choke on the same smoke, it is easy to ask why Indonesia doesn’t simply stop burning. The honest answer is that the palm oil... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/letters/article/3372142/solution-asean-haze-starts-helping-oil-palm-smallholders https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/letters/article/3372142/solution-asean-haze-starts-helping-oil-palm-smallholders Tue, 27 Oct 2026 03:30:19 +0000 Tom Hussain Tom Hussain A decision by Turkey, Pakistan, Qatar and Indonesia to jointly develop and produce weapons systems marks a major push to reduce reliance on Western armaments that come with political strings attached, observers say. Following the signing of the Badr memorandum of understanding in Doha on Wednesday, the four governments separately said they would work towards integrating their defence industries and supply chains to meet military needs. “By leveraging the capabilities of each country in the field... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3372228/why-are-turkey-pakistan-qatar-and-indonesia-joining-forces https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3372228/why-are-turkey-pakistan-qatar-and-indonesia-joining-forces Tue, 27 Oct 2026 02:23:17 +0000 Sam Beltran Sam Beltran The Philippines faces the highest climate-driven port damage costs in Southeast Asia, with annual losses projected to hit US$70.2 billion by 2100, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) has warned. Analysts say the damage could cripple supply chains, drive up food prices and threaten livelihoods, urging Manila to adopt a more coordinated approach to flood protection rather than simply strengthening port infrastructure. In its latest report titled “Asia-Pacific Climate Report 2026: Coastal Risks on the... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/economics/article/3372185/climate-damage-philippine-ports-could-cost-us70b-year-2100 https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/economics/article/3372185/climate-damage-philippine-ports-could-cost-us70b-year-2100 Mon, 26 Oct 2026 11:46:33 +0000 SCMP’s Asia desk SCMP’s Asia desk Indonesia has defended its decision to cut natural gas exports to Singapore, citing domestic electricity and industrial needs and arguing that the reduction remains within contractual limits. The cuts came days after Indonesia’s energy minister warned that his country could stop exports to nations that “did not respect” it. On Monday, Energy Minister Bahlil Lahadalia defended the reduction of 31 million standard cubic feet per day in pipeline gas exports to Singapore, saying it represented about... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3372181/indonesia-defends-singapore-gas-cuts-cites-rising-domestic-needs-and-contractual-limits https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3372181/indonesia-defends-singapore-gas-cuts-cites-rising-domestic-needs-and-contractual-limits Mon, 26 Oct 2026 10:44:13 +0000 Juan Fernando Herrera Ramos Juan Fernando Herrera Ramos For decades, China was one of the world’s largest sources of migrant labour. Its workers staffed factories at home and built infrastructure abroad. But demographic decline may eventually force China to contemplate a striking reversal: importing workers on a meaningful scale. That change is not imminent. China still has a vast labour force and substantial youth unemployment. It is investing heavily in industrial automation, extending working lives through a gradual increase in the retirement age,... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/china-opinion/article/3371970/china-may-well-be-next-big-competitor-asian-migrant-labour https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/china-opinion/article/3371970/china-may-well-be-next-big-competitor-asian-migrant-labour Mon, 26 Oct 2026 08:30:08 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press The villagers who first spotted the five baby orangutans in a casuarina forest in India in early September were puzzled by their reddish hair and unfamiliar faces. The three males and two females, aged six to eight months – were left on a plantation in eastern India’s Odisha, over 2,700km (1,700 miles) from their native rainforests in Borneo and Sumatra, evidence of a growing illicit trade of apes being trafficked into India. They are now at an Indian zoo, where keepers reportedly have been... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/south-asia/article/3372133/discovery-baby-orangutans-india-exposes-booming-illegal-pet-trade https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/south-asia/article/3372133/discovery-baby-orangutans-india-exposes-booming-illegal-pet-trade Mon, 26 Oct 2026 07:06:05 +0000 Jess Ma Jess Ma An international arbitration body in Hong Kong is exploring business opportunities in the Middle East and Africa, citing the city’s neutrality and predictability as key draws for new markets amid rising geopolitical tensions. Domitille Baizeau, co-chairwoman of the Hong Kong International Arbitration Centre, said the city had benefited from an overall shift in global business growth from Europe to Asia, with overseas businesses increasingly choosing Hong Kong to arbitrate disputes. The... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3372084/hong-kong-arbitration-body-eyes-mideast-africa-prospects-amid-global-tensions https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3372084/hong-kong-arbitration-body-eyes-mideast-africa-prospects-amid-global-tensions Mon, 26 Oct 2026 03:00:18 +0000 Bloomberg Bloomberg Singapore has expanded its investigation into haze-creating fires in Indonesia that have blanketed the city state in smog, requesting information from 10 locally registered companies. The National Environment Agency (NEA) sent notices seeking documents and details of land concessions in Indonesia owned by the firms, their firefighting and blaze prevention measures, and their relationship to other relevant companies, according to a Friday statement. All 10 Singapore-registered companies were... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3372103/singapores-toxic-haze-probe-expands-10-palm-oil-forestry-firms https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3372103/singapores-toxic-haze-probe-expands-10-palm-oil-forestry-firms Mon, 26 Oct 2026 01:45:49 +0000 The Star The Star The tanker detained by Indonesian authorities that was used in an attempt to smuggle 1.16 tonnes of ketamine is owned by a Malaysian-registered company. Bukit Aman Narcotics Crime Investigation Department director Hussein Omar Khan said the two directors of the company that owns the MT Global 168 are Malaysians. He said the company’s office is located in Johor Bahru, Malaysia’s Johor state. According to Hussein, the tanker had previously applied for registration under the Malaysian flag but had... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3372054/malaysian-owned-tanker-carrying-us14-million-ketamine-seized-indonesia https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3372054/malaysian-owned-tanker-carrying-us14-million-ketamine-seized-indonesia Sun, 25 Oct 2026 06:00:02 +0000 CNA CNA Singapore expects all parties who have signed commercial contracts for gas supplies to “honour their commitments”, said Prime Minister Lawrence Wong on Sunday after Indonesia cut its exports. Speaking at the People’s Action Party (PAP) convention, Wong added that Singapore’s gas importer will take the necessary steps to protect its rights and interests. Indonesia began reducing natural gas exports to Singapore on Saturday. Indonesia’s upstream oil and gas regulator SKK Migas said the move was to... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3372048/singapore-tells-suppliers-honour-commitments-amid-indonesias-gas-cut https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3372048/singapore-tells-suppliers-honour-commitments-amid-indonesias-gas-cut Sun, 25 Oct 2026 03:38:07 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Indonesia cut exports of natural gas to Singapore on Saturday to prioritise domestic demand, an official said, with the two countries at loggerheads over regional air pollution emanating from wildfires on the vast archipelago. The head of SKK Migas, a state agency supervising the oil and gas sector, said Indonesia would cut a total of 31 million standard cubic feet per day from its supply to Singapore. Fifteen million standard cubic feet per day was being cut from Natuna in Indonesia’s Riau... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3372025/indonesia-cuts-gas-singapore-amid-borneo-sumatra-wildfire-haze https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3372025/indonesia-cuts-gas-singapore-amid-borneo-sumatra-wildfire-haze Sat, 24 Oct 2026 10:21:42 +0000 Anand Mathai,Johannes Nugroho Anand Mathai,Johannes Nugroho When 35-year-old Bekasi resident Ika Kartika voted for Prabowo Subianto in Indonesia’s 2024 presidential election, she hoped the former general would restore a “Suharto-like” era of stability, when everyday essentials were affordable and life felt more predictable. Growing up, she had often heard her parents reminisce about the “good old days” under the late strongman, whose rule had brought a sense of order to their lives. Two years into his presidency, however, rising food prices have left Ika... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/people/article/3371953/big-dreams-growing-pains-indonesia-prabowos-turbulent-2-years-power https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/people/article/3371953/big-dreams-growing-pains-indonesia-prabowos-turbulent-2-years-power Sat, 24 Oct 2026 00:00:19 +0000 Yulu Ao Yulu Ao When Wang Junhong was helping Chinese brokerage Guotai Junan International establish a foothold in Vietnam, he had to knock on the door of a familiar Chinese bank. As part of the Hong Kong-based firm’s expansion into Southeast Asia, it had acquired a controlling stake of a small Vietnamese securities company in 2019, but it still needed financing to expand its operation. Wang, now chairman of Guotai Haitong Securities (Vietnam), turned to China Construction Bank’s branch in Ho Chi Minh City,... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/china-business/article/3371469/good-morning-vietnam-chinese-brokers-eye-neighbouring-springboard-overseas-expansion https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/china-business/article/3371469/good-morning-vietnam-chinese-brokers-eye-neighbouring-springboard-overseas-expansion Fri, 23 Oct 2026 23:00:13 +0000 Vincent Tan Vincent Tan Fatimah Zainal had already paid for her flights and accommodation when videos of the unrest in France made her jittery about the Paris leg of her European holiday. “The videos definitely made me panic,” said Fatimah, who plans to visit the French capital solo from October 31 to November 3 after travelling through Belgium. The press officer for an international organisation said the Malaysian government’s travel advisory gave her second thoughts, and changing her flight would cost up to an... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/economics/article/3371964/france-unrest-sparks-travel-jitters-southeast-asian-tourists https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/economics/article/3371964/france-unrest-sparks-travel-jitters-southeast-asian-tourists Fri, 23 Oct 2026 14:00:20 +0000 Kolette Lim Kolette Lim Indonesia’s warnings of curbing energy exports to countries it deems disrespectful amid regional tensions have put Singapore and other Southeast Asian buyers on notice, exposing the risks of relying on a neighbour increasingly protective of its resources. On Thursday, Coordinating Minister for Downstreaming and Energy Transition Bahlil Lahadalia said he would not hesitate to consider halting exports to countries that did not respect Indonesia. “Don’t come asking for help only when you’re in... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/economics/article/3371967/what-indonesias-warnings-energy-cuts-mean-asean https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/economics/article/3371967/what-indonesias-warnings-energy-cuts-mean-asean Fri, 23 Oct 2026 13:22:20 +0000 Reuters Reuters The world’s oldest cave paintings on the Indonesian island ⁠of Sulawesi are under threat ⁠as heat and smoke from the ⁠country’s worst wildfires in more than a decade risk accelerating the deterioration of the more than 67,000-year-old works of art, according to researchers. Indonesia is battling its most intense forest and land fires since 2015 as a severe El Nino drives up temperatures and reduces ‌rainfall, leaving its forest and peatland vulnerable to fire. While the islands of Sumatra and... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3371884/indonesian-wildfires-threaten-worlds-oldest-cave-paintings-sulawesi https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3371884/indonesian-wildfires-threaten-worlds-oldest-cave-paintings-sulawesi Fri, 23 Oct 2026 06:31:38 +0000 Nicholas Spiro Nicholas Spiro When it comes to sentiment among Asian fund managers, Indonesia and India are distinctly out of favour. The findings of a survey by Bank of America on October 13 revealed that Asia’s fifth- and third-largest economies were the least preferred equity markets in the region. Since the beginning of this year, the Jakarta Composite Index has fallen 39 per cent, making it the world’s worst-performing stock market. India’s Nifty 50 Index, meanwhile, is down 12.7 per cent, putting it on track to record... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3371722/why-market-sell-offs-india-and-indonesia-have-little-common https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3371722/why-market-sell-offs-india-and-indonesia-have-little-common Thu, 22 Oct 2026 21:30:05 +0000 Resty Woro Yuniar Resty Woro Yuniar Indonesia’s government has resisted mounting calls to declare widespread forest and land fires a national disaster, insisting it can handle the crisis alone as residents report worsening health impacts and disaster experts warn that a broader, coordinated response is needed. Critics suggest the reluctance may stem from concerns that a national declaration could force Jakarta to redirect funds from other political priorities, while exposing the administration to greater scrutiny over its disaster... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3371793/indonesia-haze-why-jakarta-wont-declare-wildfires-national-disaster https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3371793/indonesia-haze-why-jakarta-wont-declare-wildfires-national-disaster Thu, 22 Oct 2026 10:00:43 +0000 Johannes Nugroho Johannes Nugroho In the wake of Indonesia’s worst stock-market rout since the 1998 Asian financial crisis, President Prabowo Subianto’s administration has turned to appeals to economic nationalism to shore up confidence, urging citizens to rally behind the country’s battered stock market. The government has promised reforms in response to warnings from global index provider MSCI that Indonesia could be downgraded from emerging-market to stand-alone-market status. But analysts say its patriotic appeals will do... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/economics/article/3371767/can-prabowos-economic-nationalism-save-indonesia-potential-msci-downgrade https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/economics/article/3371767/can-prabowos-economic-nationalism-save-indonesia-potential-msci-downgrade Thu, 22 Oct 2026 08:00:14 +0000 SCMP’s Asia desk SCMP’s Asia desk As wildfires rage across Sumatra and Kalimantan, frustrated Indonesians are turning to performance art to call for greater government action and draw global attention to the destruction of both the country’s rainforests and rich cultural heritage. In South Sumatra, local art collective Jaga Api recently launched a project titled Tarian Kehancuran Budaya (the Dance of Cultural Destruction), using traditional performance to convey the human and environmental toll of the fires, as reported by The... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/health-environment/article/3371773/indonesians-turn-eco-art-haze-sparks-anger-and-diplomatic-tension https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/health-environment/article/3371773/indonesians-turn-eco-art-haze-sparks-anger-and-diplomatic-tension Thu, 22 Oct 2026 07:59:54 +0000 Iman Muttaqin Yusof Iman Muttaqin Yusof Runners in Malaysia are swapping their usual routes through parks and city streets for laps around shopping malls, commandeering air-conditioned corridors to keep up their training as a stubborn blanket of haze makes exercising outdoors increasingly hazardous. The switch comes as smoke from forest and peatland fires continues to foul the air across parts of Southeast Asia, with Malaysia’s capital Kuala Lumpur and its surrounding districts among the hardest-hit areas. By 9am on Thursday, 15 of... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/health-environment/article/3371749/haze-forces-malaysian-fitness-groups-swap-outdoor-runs-shopping-mall-laps https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/health-environment/article/3371749/haze-forces-malaysian-fitness-groups-swap-outdoor-runs-shopping-mall-laps Thu, 22 Oct 2026 05:51:41 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Indonesia’s president railed against “countries that like to insult” his nation over wildfires that have razed vast areas, spewing toxic haze into neighbouring countries. The Southeast Asian giant has for months struggled to contain fires that Nusantara Atlas, an independent monitor analysing satellite data, said had consumed more than 1.9 million hectares (4.7 million acres) in the nine months to September. The haze has sent air pollution levels surging to dangerous levels not only at home, but... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3371700/prabowo-warns-regional-critics-indonesia-wont-be-insulted-over-haze https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3371700/prabowo-warns-regional-critics-indonesia-wont-be-insulted-over-haze Thu, 22 Oct 2026 00:54:00 +0000 Kolette Lim Kolette Lim Singapore’s state investors Temasek and GIC have denied involvement in Indonesia’s looming MSCI reclassification, following accusations that the city state’s sovereign wealth funds were pulling strings behind the scenes for their own gain. On Wednesday, Fock Wai Hoong, head of Asia-Pacific at Temasek Global Investments, said the claims had “no basis” and were “patently untrue”. GIC also dismissed the allegations. Former Indonesian trade minister Muhammad Lutfi on Monday claimed that both firms... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3371626/singapore-hits-back-over-claims-it-rigged-indonesias-stock-market-crash https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3371626/singapore-hits-back-over-claims-it-rigged-indonesias-stock-market-crash Wed, 21 Oct 2026 07:42:25 +0000 Jean Iau,Kolette Lim Jean Iau,Kolette Lim Singapore has warned it will go after companies responsible for the forest fires in Indonesia causing the regional haze, but cross-border challenges remain stumbling blocks to solving a problem that has plagued the city state for decades. Analysts point to long-standing obstacles hampering the country’s decade-old haze legislation, such as complex corporate ownership and opaque transboundary supply chains. To date, no company has been prosecuted under the law. Beyond legal threats, greater... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/health-environment/article/3371620/does-singapores-tougher-stance-haze-mark-inflection-point https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/health-environment/article/3371620/does-singapores-tougher-stance-haze-mark-inflection-point Wed, 21 Oct 2026 07:22:38 +0000 Vincent Tan Vincent Tan Singapore’s recent parliamentary debate over primary school admissions has put a familiar parental strategy in the city state under the spotlight – parents moving house to improve their children’s chances of getting into popular schools. Speaking with This Week in Asia, property agents say some families in Singapore have been approaching them with the intention of buying or renting particular residences at least two years before their children’s primary school admission. Living close to a... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3371554/southeast-asian-families-tying-house-move-top-schools-spur-privilege-worries https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3371554/southeast-asian-families-tying-house-move-top-schools-spur-privilege-worries Wed, 21 Oct 2026 00:00:24 +0000 Resty Woro Yuniar Resty Woro Yuniar As the threat of a reclassification by MSCI that could relegate Indonesia to an investment hinterland looms, the country’s financial regulators and stock exchange officials have vowed to address systemic concerns, including removing stocks with concentrated ownership. The global index provider announced on Friday it was launching a formal consultation to decide whether to downgrade Southeast Asia’s largest economy from “emerging market” to “stand-alone” status, similar to countries such as... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/economics/article/3371515/indonesia-faces-msci-downgrade-threat-officials-vow-reforms-ease-fears https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/economics/article/3371515/indonesia-faces-msci-downgrade-threat-officials-vow-reforms-ease-fears Tue, 20 Oct 2026 10:02:45 +0000 SCMP’s Asia desk SCMP’s Asia desk As haze from forest fires in Indonesia continues to shroud Southeast Asia, Malaysians have taken to social media to air their grievances, with a video of an elevated outdoor reading from an air purifier among viral content marking public frustration. The clip, posted by user syahierarafie, shows a device detecting an Air Pollutant Index (API) of up to 318 in Gelang Patah, a suburban town in western Johor Bahru which borders Singapore. The video has drawn over 990,000 views as of Tuesday. “Today,... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/health-environment/article/3371513/malaysia-viral-air-purifier-test-fans-flames-anger-over-haze https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/health-environment/article/3371513/malaysia-viral-air-purifier-test-fans-flames-anger-over-haze Tue, 20 Oct 2026 10:01:50 +0000 Syed Munir Khasru Syed Munir Khasru A country need not run out of money to find itself in a debt crisis. It only has to run short of US dollars to pay for its energy. At the recent International Monetary Fund-World Bank annual meetings in Bangkok, the IMF, which expects global economic growth of 3.1 per cent this year and 3.4 per cent the next, cautioned that energy-importing and lower-income economies face a harder road, even as those riding the artificial intelligence boom fare relatively well. According to the World Bank’s... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3371271/energy-shock-could-spark-asias-next-debt-crisis https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3371271/energy-shock-could-spark-asias-next-debt-crisis Tue, 20 Oct 2026 08:30:10 +0000 SCMP’s Asia desk SCMP’s Asia desk Indonesia has held off on seeking foreign aid from its neighbours to contain months-long forest fires fuelling a toxic transboundary haze, insisting it is “still capable” of handling the crisis. Coordinating Minister for Political and Security Affairs Dudung Abdurachman attributed the decision to Jakarta’s delay in declaring the fires a national disaster, despite Japan’s Self-Defence Forces conducting aerial firefighting operations in the country last month. The deployment follows a pact signed... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/health-environment/article/3371479/indonesia-backtracks-foreign-aid-fight-toxic-haze-choking-southeast-asia https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/health-environment/article/3371479/indonesia-backtracks-foreign-aid-fight-toxic-haze-choking-southeast-asia Tue, 20 Oct 2026 07:27:02 +0000 Tim Yuen Lingk Tim Yuen Lingk Hong Kong is opening its arms to more sovereign debt issuers, as this week’s Apec Finance Ministerial Meeting (FMM) provides a good opportunity to demonstrate the depth and advantages of the city’s financial markets. Its signature dim sum bond market could leverage low fundraising costs relative to that of developed markets and risk diversification considerations to make the city a magnet for sovereign borrowers, including many members of the Asia-Pacific organisation, according to... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/banking-finance/article/3371334/hong-kong-cement-its-role-yuan-bond-hub-appealing-more-sovereign-borrowers https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/banking-finance/article/3371334/hong-kong-cement-its-role-yuan-bond-hub-appealing-more-sovereign-borrowers Tue, 20 Oct 2026 00:00:11 +0000 Jevans Nyabiage Jevans Nyabiage By the time the Chinese navy hospital ship had docked in the Guinean capital Conakry earlier this month, patients were already queuing for free consultations. The queues in front of the Auspicious Ark were so long that some people were told to come back the next day, according to Guinean media reports. The ship, operated by the PLA Navy, offers a range of medical services wherever it stops, including surgery to treat cataracts, appendicitis and hernias as well as gynaecological care. On this... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3371295/how-hospital-ship-helps-buoy-chinas-strategic-mission-africa https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3371295/how-hospital-ship-helps-buoy-chinas-strategic-mission-africa Sun, 18 Oct 2026 12:00:08 +0000 Tom King Tom King Asia-based airlines are battling stubbornly high fuel costs even as pressure mounts to accelerate their transition to more expensive sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). Singapore Airlines Group reported a 78.5 per cent surge in net fuel costs in the quarter to June, contributing to a S$76 million (US$59.3 million) net loss despite record revenue. Cathay Pacific has repeatedly adjusted passenger fuel surcharges as jet fuel prices fluctuated, while India’s low-cost carrier IndiGo introduced another... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3370973/economic-realities-threaten-asias-green-aviation-ambitions https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3370973/economic-realities-threaten-asias-green-aviation-ambitions Sun, 18 Oct 2026 08:30:05 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Toxic haze from wildfires burning in Indonesia has spiked a demand for oxygen tanks and air purifiers across the region, manufacturers say, as they work the clock on equipment providing life-saving clean air. The months-long haze has blanketed parts of Southeast Asia, forcing school closures and fuelling a rise in respiratory complaints. Families are now rushing to buy devices to keep indoor air clean. At AA Alive, a medical equipment company based just outside Kuala Lumpur, employees were... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3371289/mad-rush-oxygen-tanks-air-purifiers-haze-choked-southeast-asia https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3371289/mad-rush-oxygen-tanks-air-purifiers-haze-choked-southeast-asia Sun, 18 Oct 2026 06:46:56 +0000 Vincent Tan Vincent Tan Almost every year, Kevin Stewart flies to China to find stock for his Indonesian businesses. But increasingly, the factories he visits are selling to his customers too, sometimes for less than they charge him. A data science manager in the tech sector by day, the Chinese-Indonesian entrepreneur also helps run home-living and pet-supply companies that sell to other businesses and direct to consumers, including through e-commerce platforms. Yet Chinese companies listing directly on Indonesian... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/economics/article/3371179/southeast-asias-ethnic-chinese-traders-feel-china-squeeze https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/economics/article/3371179/southeast-asias-ethnic-chinese-traders-feel-china-squeeze Sun, 18 Oct 2026 04:00:13 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Ongoing fires in Indonesia that have blanketed parts of Southeast Asia with toxic haze have triggered the highest-level alert by the regional bloc’s climate and fire monitor. “Activation of Alert Level 3 for the Southern Asean region,” the Singapore Asean Specialised Meteorological Centre (ASMC) said on its website, seen on Saturday. Based near Singapore’s Changi Airport, the ASMC uses a four-tiered alert level system, from zero to three, with the highest triggered if there is a “high risk of... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3371235/asean-climate-monitor-issues-highest-alert-level-over-toxic-haze https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3371235/asean-climate-monitor-issues-highest-alert-level-over-toxic-haze Sat, 17 Oct 2026 05:26:04 +0000 Aisyah Llewellyn Aisyah Llewellyn Taylor Swift and Lady Gaga each chose Singapore as their only Southeast Asian stop on recent world tours. Fellow American singer Olivia Rodrigo played Thailand and the Philippines, but likewise skipped Indonesia. Next weekend, however, Jakarta is finally getting the big international headline act it has been craving – in the form of Ye. The controversial American rapper, formerly known as Kanye West, is set to play Indonesia’s capital next Saturday, marking the only Southeast Asian appearance on... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3371180/shunned-west-ye-hands-indonesia-rare-mega-tour-coup https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3371180/shunned-west-ye-hands-indonesia-rare-mega-tour-coup Sat, 17 Oct 2026 04:00:09 +0000 Han Li Han Li As the US prepares to host the G20 summit in Miami in December, Americans’ views of participating countries vary, with China viewed more favourably than Russia, although both rank near the bottom, according to the latest Pew Research Centre report. Americans gave China an average rating of 37 out of 100, compared with 27 for Russia, Pew found in a report released on Friday. Canada, Australia, Japan and Italy received the warmest ratings, with average scores in the mid-to-high 60s. “Russia stands... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3371213/americans-see-china-more-positively-russia-both-near-bottom-g20-pew-report https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3371213/americans-see-china-more-positively-russia-both-near-bottom-g20-pew-report Fri, 16 Oct 2026 21:06:42 +0000 Bloomberg Bloomberg Singapore has identified seven companies it says were involved in wildfires in Indonesia that are choking the city state with haze, and plans to issue notices requiring them to take preventive measures, the Business Times reported. The companies will receive notices under the Transboundary Haze Pollution Act requiring them to stop or refrain from burning and submit plans to prevent a recurrence, the newspaper reported, citing Sustainability and the Environment Minister Grace Fu at a Friday press... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3371188/singapore-targets-7-companies-over-wildfires-indonesia-toxic-haze-worsens https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3371188/singapore-targets-7-companies-over-wildfires-indonesia-toxic-haze-worsens Fri, 16 Oct 2026 11:07:48 +0000 Resty Woro Yuniar Resty Woro Yuniar Indonesia has spent months trying to persuade investors that its economy is on the right course. A weakening rupiah, mounting budgetary pressures and a series of contentious policy decisions have made that task harder. Doubts about the management of Southeast Asia’s largest economy have now coalesced around its central bank, whose independence has come under intense scrutiny recently as President Prabowo Subianto seeks to steer economic policy. The appointment of Destry Damayanti – initially as... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/economics/article/3371114/indonesias-central-bank-insists-it-independent-investors-want-proof https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/economics/article/3371114/indonesias-central-bank-insists-it-independent-investors-want-proof Fri, 16 Oct 2026 09:00:07 +0000 Payal Uttam Payal Uttam At the 2026 Jakarta Biennale, visitors can plant cassava in moist soil. An evocative soundscape, including the calls of threatened birds-of-paradise, fills the air. Paintings made with natural pigments on tree bark hang on the walls. The installation by Papua-based artist collective Alyakha Kolektif draws attention to illegal gold mining and excessive logging that are damaging the environment in Indonesia’s Sentani region. The cassava planting, which continues until late October, is intended as... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/lifestyle/arts/article/3371089/gritty-jakarta-biennale-polished-art-jakarta-both-tell-indonesias-story-haze-and-all https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/lifestyle/arts/article/3371089/gritty-jakarta-biennale-polished-art-jakarta-both-tell-indonesias-story-haze-and-all Fri, 16 Oct 2026 08:15:07 +0000 Jean Iau Jean Iau Salon manager Alice Pang says her 10-year-old daughter has likened the visibility inside her classroom in Singapore to Malaysia’s Genting Highlands, but while the mountain resort is often shrouded in fog caused by water particles, her child’s active imagination may have been triggered by worsening haze plaguing the city state. Pang told This Week in Asia that her daughter, whose classroom did not have air conditioning, was already suffering from bad sinus, and the haze had made her eyes... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/health-environment/article/3371115/haze-hit-singapore-parents-call-hong-kong-style-school-air-con https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/health-environment/article/3371115/haze-hit-singapore-parents-call-hong-kong-style-school-air-con Fri, 16 Oct 2026 06:11:38 +0000 SCMP’s Asia desk SCMP’s Asia desk The governor of an Indonesian province bearing the brunt of weeks of raging forest fires has sought to douse anger over his trip to Singapore, as Jakarta “welcomed” help from its neighbours choked by transboundary haze to contain the crisis. East Kalimantan Governor Rudy Mas’ud, who was spotted having breakfast with his wife at the famous integrated resort Marina Bay Sands in a photo posted online on Sunday, said he travelled to the city state for a medical check-up. Rudy’s clarification came... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3371110/indonesian-governors-singapore-trip-adds-fury-forest-fire-haze-crisis https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3371110/indonesian-governors-singapore-trip-adds-fury-forest-fire-haze-crisis Fri, 16 Oct 2026 05:45:12 +0000 Ushar Daniele Ushar Daniele Malaysia has ruled out taking stronger measures against Indonesia over the worsening regional haze, even as widespread school closures and mounting public frustration fuel calls to punish those responsible for forest fires in the neighbouring country. “We need to safeguard the close relationship between the two countries. So, we are not going as far as sending a diplomatic note or taking legal action,” Foreign Minister Mohamad Hasan told local media on Thursday. Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/health-environment/article/3371108/anwar-says-malaysia-has-done-everything-we-can-against-haze-critics-say-it-can-do-more https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/health-environment/article/3371108/anwar-says-malaysia-has-done-everything-we-can-against-haze-critics-say-it-can-do-more Fri, 16 Oct 2026 05:11:13 +0000 SCMP SCMP We have selected seven stories from this week’s news across Hong Kong, mainland China, the wider Asia region and beyond that resonated with our readers and shed light on topical issues. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscribing. 1. Chinese scientists say they spotted possible Israeli electronic warfare units Chinese military scientists claim they have developed an algorithm that could help identify electronic warfare units using civil aviation flight data. 2.... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/article/3371090/china-maps-israeli-spoofing-flight-data-new-us-press-secretary-scmps-7-highlights https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/article/3371090/china-maps-israeli-spoofing-flight-data-new-us-press-secretary-scmps-7-highlights Fri, 16 Oct 2026 04:15:11 +0000 Ralph Jennings Ralph Jennings Indonesian officials, looking to alleviate poverty in their country and eyeing the rise of rural economies in China, are turning to Beijing for help that may include stoking the exports of a potentially lucrative durian crop. Indonesian Transmigration Minister Muhammad Iftitah Sulaiman Suryanagara began a seven-day visit to China on Monday, with Indonesia’s state-owned Antara news agency saying consultations with Beijing’s Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, companies and academic... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3371091/indonesian-durian-farmers-stand-benefit-ministers-visit-china https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3371091/indonesian-durian-farmers-stand-benefit-ministers-visit-china Fri, 16 Oct 2026 04:00:10 +0000