Almost four million new jobs, rising wages and eight interest-rate cuts in Indonesia should have been enough to spur consumers into action in the world’s fourth most populous nation.Instead, an increasing number of people are keeping a tight grip on their purse strings and putting their money in the bank, leaving policy makers and economists perplexed.
Big-name investors including Expedia and Alibaba are pumping billions of dollars into Indonesian tech start-ups in a bid to capitalise on the country’s burgeoning digital economy and potential as Southeast Asia’s largest online market.Indonesia has seen a surge of cash into its technology sector over the past two years, helping support dozens of homegrown start-ups ranging from ride hailing apps to e-commerce firms.And with a population of more than 250 million, a swelling middle class and gr
Education policies are a vital function in transforming the education landscape and configuring the learning outcomes of any nation. A prominent feature of a successful educational transformation is that it’s guided by a clear goal or vision. This would ideally be implemented through coherent planning, micro-management and a constant monitoring process.
Naturally blessed with a rich and diverse cultural heritage, Southeast Asia attracts a huge amount of tourists to the region every year. Its cultural heritage is manifested through a wealth of ancient monuments, heritage sites, colourful festivals and exotic cuisines which have become major tourist attractions for travellers who are seeking for a unique cultural experience.
Southeast Asia is a highly sought-after holiday destination for tourists and travellers from all across the world. The region, which is home to more than 630 million people, is geographically situated in the heart of Asia. Due to its tropical climate, the region is typically warm and humid all year round with plentiful rainfall. Southeast Asian countries are also known for its unique and diverse cultures as well as natural wonders like sandy beaches, mountains and wildlife.
"There is no straight path from your seat today to where you are going. Don't try to draw that line. You will not just get it wrong, you'll miss big opportunities. And I mean big-like the Internet," Sheryl Sandberg, the Chief Operating Officer of Facebook, said during the annual Class Day ceremonies at Harvard College in the US."Careers are not ladders, those days are long gone, but jungle gyms.
The TPP (Trans-Pacific Partnership) may be dead in the water for the US (United States) after President Donald Trump signed an Executive Order in January rescinding his country’s commitments to the trade deal. However, the remaining 11 members are keen on pushing forward with the trade agreement even without the superpower in its fold.“None of the TPP members have declared the agreement to be dead and it is very likely that it will keep going.
“The return on investment is not attractive enough to go ahead with the plan. International canals like Panama and Suez have been effective because they are essential to trade, cutting off weeks and months of travel," Damrong Kraikruan, Ambassador of Thailand to Malaysia, said in a special media briefing held in Kuala Lumpur.“The most Kra Canal would save shippers is only a few days. Another factor to consider is would west-going ships use it or will they go down to Singapore?
The workplace is not an unfamiliar territory to women in the Southeast Asian region. The Philippines ranks ninth in the world for gender equity where women are given the opportunity to participate in politics, to have multiple seats on company boards and so on. However, the lack of gender diversification in the workplace is still immensely visible in local and international companies alike throughout the region.
Thailand’s military government is looking to start construction of projects under a 1.5 trillion baht (45 billion dollars) investment plan before the country’s possible return to democracy late next year.Enabling laws for the so-called Eastern Economic Corridor initiative should be in place by the end of 2017 to bolster investor confidence, and construction of some of the planned infrastructure could begin next year, Kanit Sangsubhan, the secretary-general of the office overseeing the plan, s
Singapore Prime Minister, Lee Hsien Loong announced in his annual National Day address in 2013 that the Singaporean government will be relocating its existing port operations to a new location in Tuas by 2027. This relocation is expected to free up land in Tanjong Pagar where the current port is located.
Much like how the ancient trade functioned when the Western civilisation of the Roman Empire began to trade with the Chinese Empire in the first century for wool, silver and gold, the maritime silk road in the 21st century is named OBOR (or One Belt, One Road) as it is poised to become a passage way that would contribute to the widespread of trade across the world, while a coherent blueprint is set to interconnect international infrastructures in order to maintain the national interest of the
