The sky of Jakarta in November 2020 (Photo: en.tempo.co)
Jakarta (VNA) – Three Indonesiancities were listed in the top 10 most polluted cities in Southeast Asia,according to IQAir quality report in 2020.
South Tangerang in Banten province claimedthe first place. The city with a population of 1.8 million recorded an averagePM2.5 level of 74.9 throughout 2020, much higher than the World HealthOrganisation’s recommend level of 10.
It was followed by Pai in Thailand, whichrecorded 53 PM2.5 average, Bekasi of Indonesia with a level of 48.1, and otherthree Thai cities.
Jakarta was listed as the seventh mostpolluted city with a score of 39.6 PM2.5 average.
The IQAir report stated that the regionfaces challenges in air pollution caused by population explosion and robusteconomic growth. The PM2.5 emissions in Southeast Asian countries were mainlycaused by construction and industrial activities, as well as transportation./.
Indonesia’s Ministry of Finance is planning to give tax exemption for 10 years to new investors in the electric vehicle (EV) sector, according to a government official.
Indonesian President Joko Widodo has announced the reopening of three COVID-19 "green zones" in Bali resort island for tourism amid a significant decrease in the number of daily COVID-19 cases and mass vaccination campaign in the country.
Indonesia has recorded its first annual import growth since July 2019, indicating a sign of recovery in factory activity and manufacturing investment, following last year’s economic downturn due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Indonesian economy must grow between 6-7 percent from 2022 to escape the middle-income trap, Minister of National Development Planning and head of the National Development Planning Agency (Bappenas) Suharso Monoarfa has said.
The Republic of Korea (RoK), China and Japan agreed on May 3 to reinforce the regional financial safety net, along with members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), by launching a new financing facility programme meant to extend greater support in case of a financial crisis.
A technical issue combined with an extreme heatwave was blamed for a series of explosions at a military base that killed 20 soldiers and injured several others in Cambodia on April 27, the country’s Ministry of Defence said in a May 2 statement as reported by the Xinhua news agency.
The Customs Department of Thailand is scheduled to commence the collection of value-added tax (VAT) on imported goods sent via postal services, regardless of the goods value, starting in May.
A lecturer from Chulalongkorn University’s Faculty of Medicine has warned Thais to be more vigilant against COVID-19, saying infection rates appeare to be worsening with higher hospital admissions, deaths and severe cases.
Malaysia should harness the collective expertise and resources to drive sustainable growth and development of the halal industry, according to Minister of Investment, Trade and Industry Zafrul Abdul Aziz.
Laos has officially restored the 10% value-added tax (VAT) rate starting May 1, in a bid to support the country’s budget revenue and socio-economic development.
The ASEAN Future Forum 2024 (AFF 2024) entered its second plenary session in Hanoi on the afternoon of April 23, discussing ways to ensure comprehensive security for the people-centred ASEAN Community.
The first session of the ASEAN Future Forum 2024 (AFF 2024) in Hanoi on April 23 focused on fast and sustainable growth for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).
The Canada-ASEAN Business Council (CABC) and the ASEAN Alliance on Carbon Markets (AACM) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to strengthen collaboration and accelerate the implementation of carbon crediting programmes across Southeast Asia.
ASEAN Secretary-General Kao Kim Hourn reaffirmed ASEAN leaders' commitment to empowering the youth to unleash their full potential when he had a dialogue with ASEAN youth in Hanoi on April 22 on the sidelines of the ASEAN Future Forum (AF 2024).
The Thai Government is being urged to increase the proportion of renewable power generation to more than the target of 50% set in the power development plan (PDP).
The Centre for Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation (PVMBG) of Indonesia on April 21 lifted its tsunami advisory issued previously following the eruption of Mount Ruang in Sitaro district of North Sulawesi province.
Thailand expects to export about 1 million tonnes of durian, valued at an estimated 130 billion THB (3.53 billion USD) this year, with most of the shipments to China, according to Minister of Agriculture Thammanat Prompao.
The 72nd meeting of the ASEAN Working Group on Intellectual Property Cooperation (AWGIPC) and related meetings are being held by the Ministry of Science and Technology’s Intellectual Property Office (IPO) of Vietnam in the central city of Da Nang on April 22-26.
Enhancing regional food security and tackling the pressing challenges of climate change will be key agendas defining Malaysia’s ASEAN Chairmanship in 2025, Speaker of the Dewan Rakyat (lower house) Johari Abdul told the press on April 19.
The sky of Jakarta in November 2020 (Photo: en.tempo.co) 
