Asean news headlines as at 10pm on Wednesday (Aug 28)

Malaysia

* Second sinkhole appears on Jln Masjid India

* KD Pendekar: Navy diver killed in operations to salvage vessel

* Over 600 company directors stopped from leaving Msia due to unpaid EPF contributions

* Full refunds for passengers delayed five hours or more from Sept 2, says Loke

* Over 100 illegals detained in Immigration op in Keningau

* Ringgit no longer undervalued, may hit RM4.25 by year-end: Economist

* Airlines to face increased penalties for code violations, says Loke

* Cops seize RM2mil in drugs, bust lovebirds’ lab in JB neighbourhood

* Untrue that all construction projects in KL suspended, says Mayor

* Malaysian group dazzles with its traditional performance at music festival in Uzbekistan

* Cabinet members barred from heading sports governing bodies, says Fahmi

* 1MDB lawsuit: Oct 15 set for hearing of Najib’s appeal to lift Mareva injunction

* National Professors Council president slapped with CBT charge

* Ebit Lew subtly manipulated me to comply with his desires, says witness

* Cops nab 21 in raid on KL cryptocurrency scam call centre

* Fuziah appointed Pahang PH chairman

* Elderly KL housewife duped of RM1.3mil in FD phone scam

* Total of 13 labs capable of testing for mpox, says Health Ministry

* ‘Takluk: Lahad Datu’ is inspired by 2013 battle in Sabah where an incursion led to loss of lives in Malaysia’s armed forces

* Family of Dutch model Ivana Smit open to mediation proposal, court told

* Two brothers among trio charged with car washer’s murder

Singapore

* Jail, caning for Singaporean who threatened victim with chopper to get her to have sex with him

* ‘We do not take sides, we uphold principles’: Vivian on Singapore’s foreign policy approach

* Jail for Singaporean who travelled using Philippine passport obtained by ‘dubious’ means

* SIA cancels four flights between Singapore and Osaka due to Typhoon Shanshan

* Woman in Singapore arrested for allegedly importing, possessing counterfeit apparel worth over S$142,000

* Jail for man who gave over S$235,000 in bribes to a Singapore zoo director

* Spike in bulk order scams in Singapore, with S$6.8mil lost since April

* MBS bans ex-top executive, now working for RWS, from premises for alleged poaching of high-rollers

Thailand

* Who is the mysterious figure seeking dissolution of the Pheu Thai Party?

* Pheu Thai invites Democrat Party to coalition, ending years of rivalry

* Cycle from bustling Hatyai to scenic Songkhla for a rewarding Thai journey

* Six dead in Thailand after drinking bootleg liquor

* Son of senior Thai officer kidnapped, Cambodian call centre scammers suspects

* Thaksin’s dinner talk signals his clout in new Thai government

* Pheu Thai expelled PPP because Prawit ‘stabbed Srettha in the back’

Indonesia

* Pramono-Rano, Ridwan-Suswono candidate pairs register for Jakarta governor race

* Anti-graft body plans to query Jokowi’s son Kaesang about private jet trip

* PDI-P picks Jokowi’s cabinet secretary for Jakarta governor race

* Netizens call Jokowi by birth name Mulyono as form of protest

* Indonesia expands free nutritious meal programme to combat stunting

Philippines

* Two new mpox cases reported in Philippines; total rises to 14

* Philippine authorities to file charges against Alice Guo’s sister Shiela and Cassandra

* Filipino singer Gerald Santos reveals identity of alleged rapist

* Philippines cancels forex trading, government work amid heavy rain

* Court orders police to remove barricades on pastor Quiboloy’s turf

Vietnam

* Vietnam police bust baby trafficking ring

* Ho Chi Minh City declares measles outbreak after three fatalities

* Vietnam to send its swine fever vaccine to Philippines

* Vietnam aims to reach US$25bil in wood and timber exports by 2030

Cambodia

* Cambodian PM instructs ministries to continue to improve protection of elderly

* Risso’s dolphin gets into trouble in Cambodian waters, fisheries body to the rescue

* Marcos pledges stronger Philippines-Cambodia relations

Myanmar

* Bagan preserves Myanmar’s ancient lacquerware tradition

* Experts sound alarm on new Rohingya crackdown in Myanmar

* Proposed UN resolution on Myanmar condemns military attacks on civilians, urges peace efforts

Laos

* Home Minister Saifuddin attends Asean meeting on transnational crime in Laos

* Laos launches online foreign exchange market system

* More heavy rain brings further risk of floods, landslides in Laos

Brunei

* Digitalisation in focus as quantity surveyors congress concludes in Brunei

* Bruneian minister outlines efforts to improve digital literacy at Asean meeting

Aseanplus

* China’s Wang Yi warns US official over supporting Philippines in sea dispute: state media

* China father, 47, and son both pass key university exam after helping each other study

* Bangladesh probes enforced disappearance by security forces

* Video of strangers scolding crying toddler in plane toilet sparks debate

* South Korea passes bill giving nurses bigger role amid doctors’ strike

* Western Chinese cities sizzle under prolonged top-level heat alerts

* Think tank releases report on Xi Jinping’s vision of making China a sports powerhouse

* Dalai Lama returns to Himachal Pradesh after knee surgery, accorded warm welcome

* Half of South Koreans have chronic anger issues: study

* Government departments in China closing their unused social media accounts

* Protesters block train tracks, buses in eastern India

* South Korea to ask Telegram, other social media firms to help tackle digital sex crimes

* Macau judge announces bid to lead world’s biggest casino hub

* Pakistan hunts separatist militants who killed dozens

* Alarm over electrocution death of elephants in Chhattisgarh

* Three missing as ‘extremely strong’ typhoon nears Japan

* Yunus can’t delay Bangladesh election too long, key party says

* Japan’s Shizuoka Prefecture considers collecting fees from Mount Fuji climbers

* China’s Black Myth frenzy: Wukong game sparks tourism surge at featured sites

* Heat stroke risk won’t stop Japan’s ageing farmers as temperatures soar

* China to start using revised textbooks for compulsory education

* Japan is next level for retro game collectors

* Chinese food delivery giant Meituan beats revenue estimates

* Panda Meng Meng’s twins thrive during first five days in Berlin Zoo

* K-pop idol Taeil leaves boy band NCT over accusation of an unspecified sexual crime

vHK stars Eric Tsang, Bobby Au-yeung and Edmond So in Malaysia to film CNY movie

* Why K-pop idols, like BTS member Suga, face stricter scrutiny

* Famous child model Ella Gross to debut as member of K-pop girl group Meovv

* Asian markets slip as traders await US data, Nvidia release