Indonesia urges regions to apply smoke-free area policy actively

Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto has ordered law enforcement agencies to step up efforts against illegal mining and smuggling, particularly in tin-rich regions.

The meeting also endorsed the proposed National Quantum Policy, beginning with the establishment of a National Quantum Task Force to strengthen preparedness in addressing quantum technology advancements and the Q-Day threat, which can compromise the country’s data security and digital infrastructure.

Singaporean schools will be connected to a new Smart Facilities Management (Smart FM) system, which will manage day-to-day operations such as lighting, air-conditioning, and energy and water use.

The Indonesian government is preparing an additional economic stimulus package for the fourth quarter of this year, which is expected to benefit more than 30 million households, equivalent to over 100 million people nationwide.

Thailand ranks among the ten most flood-prone countries globally, with the Chao Phraya river basin - home to 40% of the population and generating 66% of GDP - particularly vulnerable.

All non-Malaysian citizen employees in Malaysia holding a valid passport and employment pass issued by the Immigration Department of Malaysia will be required to contribute 2% of monthly wages.

Classified under economic measures, the initiative is designed to both raise income opportunities and cut daily costs for citizens.

The Laut Sehat Bebas Sampah (Sebasah) programme is designed to foster collective community awareness on controlling waste from three main sources, namely rivers, ports, and the coasts of small islands.

Malaysia's Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation has introduced more than 25 technologies ready for commercialisation at the Mimos Technology Preview (MTP) 2025.

The initiative is expected to help distribute income to local communities, vulnerable populations, and SMEs in trade, services, industry, and even upstream farmers. This will likely contribute to the expansion of Thailand's GDP by the end of the year.

The meteor reportedly traversed the skies over Kuningan and Cirebon from the southwest between 18:35 and 18:39 (local time) before crashing into the Java Sea.

Ekniti Nitithanprapas, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister, said the project is expected to be launched within the next four months. The new initiative will see a portion of the price of non-winning digital lottery tickets automatically channelled into a dedicated savings account.

According to the 2024 Gross Regional Domestic Product (GRDP) data for Jakarta’s Creative Economy, the film, animation, and video sub-sectors grew by 6.22%, surpassing the overall Jakarta GRDP growth of 5.04 percent.

This initiative aims to increase the city’s annual revenue by over 30 million THB (nearly 927,000 USD) by utilising technologies such as AI-driven ticketless systems and portable payment devices to boost efficiency and minimise revenue loss.

A total of 800 free lessons will be made available for 100 people with disabilities across 12 months, under the OCBC-SDSC SwimTogether programme.

The authority of Denpasar, capital of Indonesia's Bali province is strengthening efforts to promote a reading culture as a strategic foundation for building a knowledge-based society and resilient urban development, particularly after recent natural disasters.

Malaysia’s digital transformation agenda under the Thirteenth Malaysia Plan (13MP) is set to become a key enabler of long-term national competitiveness, driving productivity, inclusivity, and structural reform, according to Finance Minister II Datuk Seri Amir Hamzah Azizan.

The Bandung Design Biennale (BDB) 2025 brings together designers not only from Indonesia but also from regional partners such as Thailand and Singapore, creating an international stage for collaboration.

Running from October 1 to 8, the Made in Laos Product Exhibition 2025 features a wide range of activities, from business seminars and product exhibitions to partnership networking. The event not only nurtures national pride but also raises the profile of Lao goods in global markets, while further tightening Laos’ economic and trade cooperation with partner countries, including Vietnam.

According to newly released data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), the country harvested more than 9.07 million tonnes of paddy from January to June, surpassing the previous all-time high of over 9.02 million tonnes in the same period of 2023 and 8.53 million tonnes last year.