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November 7th, 2019

Kingdom come

Prime minister-in-waiting Anwar Ibrahim finally sees his chance to lead Malaysia

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The Big Story

Anwar Ibrahim finally has Malaysia's leadership within reach

The prime minister in waiting retains a zeal for reform

Anwar Ibrahim is within touching distance of Malaysia's premiership, the culmination of a decadeslong journey that took him from rising political star to a prison cell. (Photo courtesy of the Office of Anwar Ibrahim)
Drilling at a KrisEnergy-operated oilfield in the Gulf of Thailand. The company is funneling its limited cash toward its Cambodia offshore concession. (Photo courtesy of KrisEnergy)
Industry in focus

Cambodian oil: the dream that refuses to die

Sector beset by delays and corruption now pins its hopes on debt-crippled energy firm

Apple will be the last of the world's top three smartphone makers to roll out a 5G handset. (Nikkei Montage/source photo by Reuters)
Tech scroll Asia

Sources: Apple mobilizes suppliers to launch first 5G iPhone range

Aggressive sales targets for the premium 2020 models will also spur 5G rollout globally

An Olam International plant in Vietnam used Australian almonds instead of American almonds after the U.S.-China trade war ensued.
Trade war

Singapore's Olam taps Vietnam for farm product exports to Asia

Trader carves out trade war sanctuary for food processing to avoid risk

Myanmar's auto market is growing, but local production is still getting off the ground.
Automobiles

Race for Myanmar's auto market heats up as Toyota builds factory

Carmaker chases Suzuki, Ford and Hyundai in Southeast Asia's final frontier

A rider tops up her scooter's battery at a charging station in the city of Tainan, Taiwan, in July. (Photo by Toshiki Sasazu) 
Business trends

Kymco chases leader Gogoro in Taiwan's electric scooter market

Rivals race to release bikes, install chargers to cash in on vehicles' popularity

Mukesh Ambani said in 2018 that Reliance aims to have more than half its earnings come from consumer-facing business in the next 10 years. (Photo by Ken Kobayashi)
Companies

Indian billionaire Ambani aims to emulate Alibaba with new digital entity

Reliance Industries' new holding company could be valued as high as $70bn

Great Wall Motor said its profit soared more than 500% year-on-year in the July-Sept. quarter following a 59% plunge in earnings during the first half of the year, as it controlled costs, sold higher-priced vehicles and refrained from wider discounts.
Automobiles

Great Wall's recovery seen to be temporary as shares surge

Sustaining demand without expanding discounts could be a challenge, analysts say

Kakao, which runs South Korea's most popular chat app, KakaoTalk, has agreed to take a 1.6% stake in SK Telecom. (Photo by Ken Kobayashi)
Business deals

Chat app Kakao in $260m share swap with South Korea telecom

Deal with SK Telecom aimed at boosting users and collaborating on new tech

© Illustration by Chuan Ming Ong
Asia Insight

Emporium of broken dreams: Inside South Korea's chilly economy

Store that sells failed entrepreneurs' equipment does brisk business

A woman works at a sewing machine during a power outage in Yangon on May 24.
Economy

Myanmar rushes power plant projects to avoid more blackouts

Critics say harsh contract terms are scaring off potential bidders

Hong Kong protesters set fire to a Xiaomi shop during demonstrations targeting mainland Chinese companies.
Hong Kong protests

Mainland Chinese run scared as Hong Kong protests turn nasty

Businesses linked to China feel brunt of rising anti-Beijing sentiment

Central banks are on pace to buy more gold this year than last year, when they bought the most since the U.S. ended dollar convertibility in 1971.
Datawatch

Gold gains luster as US-China trade war dims global outlook

Central banks and ETFs snap up the metal amid negative interest rates

The Bank of Japan on Thursday decided to keep unchanged its ultra easy monetary policy.
Economy

BOJ chief opens door to deeper negative rates

Japan's central bank keeps policy unchanged despite U.S. rate cuts

Excess river water flows through the Metropolitan Outer Area Underground Discharge Channel, dubbed "underground temple." (Courtesy of the MLIT Edogawa River Office)
Natural disasters

'Underground temple' saves Tokyo from typhoon flood

Flood-control system keeps capital from drowning after October hit from Hagibis

Fast Retailing Chairman, President and CEO Tadashi Yanai speaks to the Nikkei Asian Review on the sidelines of the Nikkei Global Management Forum. (Photo by Yoichi Iwata)
Global Management Forum 2019

Uniqlo to quadruple Southeast Asia stores to 800 in 10 years

CEO Yanai aims to balance rapid expansion with sustainability

Nestle Chairman Emeritus Peter Brabeck-Letmathe speaks to the Nikkei Asian Review in Tokyo. (Photo by Yoichi Iwata)
Global Management Forum 2019

Aging markets still have healthy appetites: Nestle chairman emeritus

Brabeck-Letmathe sees chance to feed Asia's growing and graying populations

Grab co-founder Tan Hooi Ling tells the Nikkei Asian Review about the company's efforts to balance social contributions with a push for profits. (Photo by Shihoko Nakaoka)
Global Management Forum 2019

For Grab co-founder, social impact is as important as profits

Tan Hooi Ling stresses 'double bottom line' as startups face post-WeWork pressure

Melco Resorts and Entertainment Chairman and CEO Lawrence Ho explains his vision for Japanese resorts to the Nikkei Asian Review. (Photo by Kotaro Igarashi)
Global Management Forum 2019

Melco unveils $248m investment fund for Japan hospitality projects

Sum is on top of planned $10bn bet on casino resort in Yokohama

Takeda Pharmaceutical President and CEO Christophe Weber speaks to the Nikkei Asian Review on the sidelines of the Nikkei Global Management Forum on Oct. 29 in Tokyo. (Photo by Shihoko Nakaoka)
Global Management Forum 2019

Takeda focuses on 'high priority' Asia after huge bet on Shire

Drugmaker taking break from acquisitions but wants partners, CEO Weber says

McDonald's Japan President and CEO Sarah Casanova speaks to the Nikkei Asian Review during the Nikkei Global Management Forum. (Photo by Yoichi Iwata)
Global Management Forum 2019

McDonald's Japan CEO sees 'a lot more potential' in aging society

Fast-food chain aims to roll out mobile ordering nationwide early next year

Twitter CFO Ned Segal says India, Indonesia and the Philippines are particularly promising. (Photo by Kotaro Igarashi)
Global Management Forum 2019

Twitter's CFO: 'Asia is a very important opportunity'

Ned Segal discusses 'tremendous' 5G potential and political minefields

Barclays Group CEO Jes Staley offers his views on Brexit and other matters on the sidelines of the Nikkei Global Management Forum. (Photo by Manami Yamada)
Global Management Forum 2019

Barclays CEO says 'it's time' to reinvest in Asia after retreat

Head of UK bank says tech IPOs need to be assessed 'honestly'

Asana co-founder and CEO Dustin Moskovitz tells the Nikkei Asian Review how his software can help workers get more done in less time. (Photo by Manami Yamada)
Global Management Forum 2019

Task management platform Asana aims to help Japan fight overwork

CEO says software alone cannot change Asia's corporate culture

KPMG India Chairman and CEO Arun Kumar speaks to the Nikkei Asian Review during the Nikkei Global Management Forum. (Photo by Kotaro Igarashi)
Global Management Forum 2019

Global powers' Indo-Pacific moves spell opportunity: KPMG's Kumar

Companies need not side with US or China to take advantage, India CEO says

Shinzo Abe is on his way to a cabinet meeting on Oct. 18, which is set to approve revisions to the foreign exchange law: Japan's attempts to establish a set of legal criteria to decide what is acceptable have been hamfisted. (Photo by Uichiro Kasai)
Opinion

US foreign investment rules have lessons for Japan's rigid approach

America's CFIUS review process is smarter than an absolute limit

A night view of China's Three Gorges Dam: Asia can build a harmonious, rules-based water management regime only if China gets on board, which does not seem likely.
Opinion

China is weaponizing water and worsening droughts in Asia

Its dams are provoking regional tensions, so Beijing needs to reconsider its policy

Leaders pose for a photo at the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership summit in Bangkok on Nov. 4.
The Nikkei View

RCEP members must keep India in the fold

Withdrawal of major Asian economy would rob pact of much of its meaning

A humpback whale breaches in Gold Coast, Australia. The possibility of witnessing these spectacular splashes is a big tourist draw.  
Life

New-style whaling industry draws tourists Down Under

Watching the world's biggest mammals is big business in Australia

Shinta Mani Wild river at dusk. (Courtesy of Bensley Collection -- Shinta Mani Wild and Elise Hassey)
Life

Going 'wild' in Cambodia's Cardamom Mountains

Luxury hotel designer Bill Bensley's Shinta Mani resort is as green as it gets

Nautch girl dancing with musicians accompanying in Calcutta, India. (Courtesy of Library of Congress)
Tea Leaves

Revenge of the courtesan

Young Indians seek validation in tales of the 'tawaifs'