Malaysia

Malaysian Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin says a unified pandemic playbook would allow ASEAN countries to avoid "second-guessing" one another. (Photo by P Prem Kumar)
Coronavirus

Malaysia's health minister urges ASEAN pandemic 'playbook'

Khairy Jamaluddin says bloc could avoid border closures, improve vaccine access

25 September 2022
Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, Malaysia's former deputy prime minister and current president of the ruling UMNO, has been cleared of 40 charges, though he still faces dozens more.
Politics

Malaysia's ruling party chief Zahid cleared in bribery case

Acquittal could loosen PM Ismail Sabri's grip on candidacy in next election

23 September 2022
HappyFresh has staff layoffs, a financial review and other efforts to streamline operations amid mounting debt. (Screenshot from HappyFresh Facebook page)
DealStreetAsia

HappyFresh resumes Indonesia grocery deliveries after new funding

Embattled startup to halt operations in Thailand and Malaysia

22 September 2022
Top Glove and its peers ramped up production in response to the coronavirus pandemic, but now face a supply glut.
Business trends

Malaysian glove makers hit by supply glut and higher costs

Top Glove reports first post-IPO quarterly loss with no upturn in sight

22 September 2022
Chainalysis said Thailand and Vietnam saw high web traffic to marketplaces for non-fungible tokens.
Cryptocurrencies

Thailand and Vietnam emerge as ASEAN crypto trading hot spots

Each country logs over $100bn transactions in a year, topping Singapore

21 September 2022
Singapore-based climate-focused investment company Trirec is targeting green projects in Southeast Asia and beyond. (Screenshot from Trirec's website) 
DealStreetAsia

Singapore green investment firm's venture capital fund raises $75m

Trirec focuses on renewable energy and clean technology projects

21 September 2022
Apple periodically adjusts prices in different regions and reduced them for eurozone countries last year to adjust for currencies and taxes.
Technology

Apple to raise app prices in Japan, Vietnam, Malaysia

South Korea and Pakistan also included in list of countries as dollar strengthens

21 September 2022
Founded in 2014, Nutrition Technologies manufactures protein from black soldier fly larvae as a sustainable alternative to fishmeal, a common ingredient in animal feed. (Source photos from Nutrition Technologies' website) 
DealStreetAsia

Singapore startup that turns fly larvae into animal feed gets $20m

Nutrition Technologies looking to expand in growing insect protein market

20 September 2022
Mahtab Uddin Ahmed when he was head of telecom Robi Axiata. The former CEO has launched a high-profile lawsuit against the company. (Photo by Arif Mahmud Riad)
Companies

Ex-CEO sues major Bangladesh telco, alleges 'wrongful dismissal'

Outcome to be closely watched by other major companies operating in nation

16 September 2022
Capital A CEO Tony Fernandes, pictured at center in necktie and cap, is challenging regional ride-hailing leaders Grab and Gojek in their own backyards. (Photo courtesy of Capital A)
Transportation

AirAsia Ride to debut in Singapore, Indonesia this year: Fernandes

Capital A CEO also announces full employment, benefits for drivers

13 September 2022
Queen Elizabeth II passes onlookers in Kuala Lumpur on Feb. 23, 1972.
International relations

Queen Elizabeth's soft power in Asia went beyond the Commonwealth

New U.K. King Charles III faces struggle to match mother's ties in region

13 September 2022
Jia Hang was appointed as Ant Group’s general manager for Southeast Asia in March after joining the group’s international business in 2015. (Source photos by Tsubasa Suruga)
Technology

Ant Group's ASEAN expansion comes at right time: regional head

Alibaba fintech affiliate bets on global markets to counter restrictions at home

12 September 2022
Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh at a civic ceremony in New Delhi during the Royal Tour of India, circa January 1961.
International relations

Legacy of decency: Asian leaders pay tribute to Queen Elizabeth II

Monarch was frequent visitor to region during her 70-year reign

9 September 2022
Central Bank of Malaysia headquarters in Kuala Lumpur. The bank has hiked rates for three consecutive meetings since May. (Photo by Keiichiro Asahara)
Economy

Malaysia raises key rate for third consecutive time to 2.50%

Central bank hikes total 75 bps since May to tame inflation, align with U.S. Fed

8 September 2022
Rosmah Mansor, wife of former Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak, arrives at the Kuala Lumpur Court Complex on Sep. 1. "Have some compassion," she asked the judge.
Malaysia in transition

Wife of Malaysia's Najib Razak sentenced to 10 years in jail

Rosmah Mansor also fined $216m for soliciting and accepting bribes

1 September 2022
A family jogs at a park near Petronas headquarters in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The state-owned energy group enjoyed a record-breaking first half in both profit and sales.
Climate Change

Petronas to cut greenhouse gases through renewables and capture

Record profit from energy rally to fund pivot toward decarbonization

1 September 2022
Singapore-listed commodity trader Olam Group's food and agribusiness includes farming, processing and distribution operations.
DealStreetAsia

Unit of Singapore's Olam Group secures $1.98bn sustainability loan

19 banks are providing multitranche debt facility to Olam Food Ingredients

31 August 2022
Batek guide Piyan, left, and the author wearing traditional orang asli face paint made of river mud. (Photo by Kit Yeng Chan)
Tea Leaves

Contemporary life lessons from an ancient rainforest

Jungle odyssey in Malaysia highlights importance of ancestral wisdom

31 August 2022
Petronas President and Group CEOTengku Muhammad Taufik, third from left, says elevated energy prices are likely to slowly ease from early next year. (Photo by Hakimie Amrie)
Energy

Malaysia's Petronas sees energy price declines ahead as profit soars

State oil and gas company's top executive says outlook depends on war in Ukraine

30 August 2022
Singaporean human resources startup Glints sees strong opportunities in the remote hiring of tech talent. (Photo courtesy of Glints)
Startups

Singapore's Glints gets $50m funding, to expand in Philippines

Japan's Persol-backed HR startup sees opportunities in remote hiring

30 August 2022
Singapore’s Far East Hospitality Holdings has added a number of perks for guests who stay at its Adina Serviced Apartments. (Photo by Dylan Loh)
Travel & Leisure

ASEAN hotels roll out red carpet for 'revenge travel'

Hospitality companies from Thailand to Indonesia tout perks to draw tourists back

29 August 2022
Heritas Capital has backed companies in the health care, food and education sectors across Asia. (Source photo from Heritas Capital website)
DealStreetAsia

Singapore-based Heritas Capital launches $50m impact fund

Company looking to finance 'social enterprises' in Asia

29 August 2022
Inflation is forcing many households in Pakistan to cut back on meals. 
Your Week in Asia

IMF decision on Pakistan, China PMI, Macao junket king's trial

Your weekly lineup of Asia's biggest business and political events

28 August 2022
Grab said it will focus more on "high quality" customers to achieve its profitability goals. 
Technology

Grab aims to break even sooner for delivery despite softer demand

Nasdaq-listed superapp continues to taper incentives after Q2 loss narrows to $572m

26 August 2022
The hike comes as the Indonesian economy has yet to fully recover from the effects of COVID-19. (Photo by Ken Kobayashi)
Economy

Indonesia raises policy rate to 3.75% as inflation speeds up

Central bank's first hike since 2018 follows tightening by U.S., ASEAN neighbors

23 August 2022