These are the top stories making the front pages of major newspapers from across Southeast Asia today.
Get up to speed with what’s happening in the fastest growing region in the world.
Prayut says govt ready 'by mid-July'
The cabinet line-up has been finalised, with indications that Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha had the final say on the names on the list, sources said. The Palang Pracharath Party (PPRP), which has led the formation of the new government, was earlier facing infighting over cabinet posts, particularly from the powerful "Sam Mitr" faction. "I confirm the new government will be formed and will swear the oath of office (before King Rama X) by the middle of July for sure," said Gen Prayut, after he welcomed more than 200 children from the Thai diaspora in the United States to Government House. – Bangkok Post
Indonesia to send back 49 containers of trash to developed countries
Indonesia will send back 49 containers of plastic garbage to countries such as the United States and Germany, an official said on Wednesday (3 July), amid a regional pushback on illegal trash imports. "The containers have been sealed and are ready to be returned, pending shipping schedules," said a spokesman for Indonesia's customs department, Mr Deni Sujantoro. – The Straits Times
In blow to Singapore's expansion, Malaysia bans sea sand exports
Malaysia, Singapore’s biggest source for sea sand, has banned the export of the commodity, according to officials in Kuala Lumpur, a move that traders said could complicate the island-state’s ambitious expansion plans on reclaimed land. Those plans include the development of the Tuas mega port, slated to be the world’s biggest container terminal. Singapore has increased its land area by a quarter since independence in 1965, mostly by using sand to reclaim coastal areas. Malaysian Prime Minister Mohamad Mahathir imposed a ban on all sea sand exports on 3 October (but) the ban was never made public because of the potential diplomatic fallout. – New Straits Times
Christine Lagarde's departure stirs speculation at IMF, Singapore's Tharman among those talked about as successor
With Christine Lagarde, the current leader of the International Monetary Fund, poised to become the next president of the European Central Bank, the big questions are who would succeed her and whether the United States would break with tradition and try to install an American in the post. The top job at the IMF has traditionally gone to a European but there have been some suggestions that the practice be changed to reflect Asia's growing influence in the global economy. Among the names that have emerged on early shortlists are Singapore's Senior Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam, who was the chairman of the International Monetary and Financial Committee; Mexico's Agustin Carstens, a former deputy managing director of the monetary fund; and US's Mohamed El-Erian, the former chief executive of Pimco. – The Straits Times
US levies duties on Vietnam’s steel
The US Commerce Department said on Tuesday it would impose duties of up to 456 percent on certain steel produced in South Korea or Taiwan that are then shipped to Vietnam for minor processing and finally exported to the US, Reuters reported. The agency said in a statement that it had found corrosion-resistant steel products and cold-rolled steel produced in Vietnam using substrate of South Korean or Taiwanese origin that had circumvented US anti-dumping and anti-subsidy duties. – Vietnam News
Cost of China damage to PH reefs: P33B a year
The Philippines is losing about 33.1 billion pesos (US$648 million) annually from the damaged reef ecosystems at Panatag (Scarborough) Shoal and the Spratly Islands mainly due to China’s reclamation activities and illegal fishing operations, according to Filipino marine scientists. Deo Florence Onda, a scientist with the University of the Philippines’ Marine Science Institute (UP MSI), on Wednesday said the figure, while already staggering, was a “conservative estimate,” considering the complex marine biodiversity of the country. – The Philippine Daily Inquirer
PM: Ending trade pacts hurts development
Prime Minister Hun Sen called on World Trade Organisation (WTO) member states and development partners “to give close consideration” before removing preferential trade status from Least Developed Countries (LDCs). Speaking at the opening of the WTO’s 2019 Global Review of Aid for Trade in Geneva, Switzerland on Wednesday, Hun Sen said that the continuation and enhancement of trade preferences – whether bilateral or unilateral – was essential for LDCs to achieve their development goals. The EU has claimed that the move is in response to “a deterioration of democracy [and] respect for human rights” in the Kingdom. – The Phnom Penh Post
Seminar on demystifying IR4.0 for senior executives
The Civil Service Institute (IPA) held a one-day ‘Demystifying IR4.0 for Public Sector Executives’ programme aimed to discuss changes and predictions in the context of Fourth Industrial Revolution (IR 4.0) yesterday. Participants of the programme were exposed to IR 4.0 fundamentals and the roots of digital transformation that can be applied in their organisation, besides learning the various stages of industrial evolutions as well as the implications it has on work and skills. The programme was attended by 220 government and private sector officers who are working on organisational transformation through digitalisation. – Borneo Bulletin