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.
First-time buyers of HDB flats to get more help soon
First-time buyers of new and resale Housing Board flats will get more help, with new measures to be announced next month. Minister for National Development Lawrence Wong said his ministry and the HDB have been reviewing "how we can extend further support to first-timers", and he will share more details next month. – The Straits Times
Malaysia's FDI rises 10.3 percent in Q2
Malaysia’s total stock of foreign direct investment (FDI) rose 10.3 percent to US$159.93 billion in the second-quarter of 2019 from US$144.98 billion a year ago, according to Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM). Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng said the steady rise in total FDI stock showed continuing attractiveness of Malaysia as an international investment destination amid rising trade tensions across the world. – New Straits Times
Jakarta seeks fresh approach to urban planning
Indonesia will become Southeast Asia’s first country to host the International Society of City and Regional Planners (Isocarp) World Planning Congress set for 9-13 September. Some 500 experienced city planners and professional practitioners from 42 countries will discuss the future of city planning and development of urban areas. – The Jakarta Post
Quezon town vice mayor shot dead
A lone gunman shot and killed the incumbent vice mayor of San Andres, Quezon inside the town official’s residence Tuesday night. Vice Mayor Sergio “Popoy” Emprese, 60, was in the living room of his residence in Calmar Homes Subdivision in Barangay Ibabang Dupay when he was shot in the head. Emprese, also served as the town’s mayor, was the patriarch of a political clan that ruled the coastal town for several decades. His wife Sonia and son Serson also served a town mayor and vice mayor. – The Philippine Daily Inquirer
Smart cities option to deal with glut
Thailand risks being overwhelmed by tourism within the next decade as the "Thailand Towards 2030: Future of Travel & Tourism" report indicated the capacity of airports and the transport system have not caught up with the pace of tourism growth. Last year the country reported 7.5 percent year-on-year growth in international arrivals to 38.3 million, causing congestion at major destinations such as Bangkok and Phuket, which are the top two provinces earning the most tourism revenue. – Bangkok Post
Fintech firms need clear policy to develop
Vietnam needs a proper legal framework for financial technology (fintech) services, a State Bank of Vietnam official said on Tuesday. Ngo Van Duc, deputy director of Payment Method Supervision at the State Bank of Vietnam, said there was no law or regulation on the management of fintech businesses and their services and the development of fintech businesses had not met expectations in recent years. – Vietnam News
Cambodian PM sues Rainsy in Paris court
Prime Minister Hun Sen and Dy Vichea, the deputy chief of the National Police, filed lawsuits against Sam Rainsy, the “acting president” of the Supreme Court-dissolved Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP), for defamation in a Parisian court on Tuesday. Rainsy accused Hun Sen of being behind the death of Vichea’s father, former police chief Hok Lundy, in a helicopter crash in 2008. Rainsy is living in France to avoid a slew of outstanding legal cases and convictions in the Kingdom. – The Phnom Penh Post