Asean news headlines as at 10pm on Friday (Jan 31)

People wearing face masks get on a train amid air pollution, in Bangkok on January 31, 2025. - Reuters

Malaysia

* We will be transparent in our probe into the Tanjung Rhu incident, says PM Anwar

* Indonesians shot by MMEA involved in migrant smuggling, says Selangor top cop

* Police confirm theme park visitor injured by falling waterslide raft

* Malaysia to facilitate Timor-Leste's accession to Asean economic agreements, says Tengku Zafrul

* Man gets five months in prison, fine for criminally intimidating Harith Iskander's ex-wife

* Shah Alam City Council suspends theme park activities after accident

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Driving MTC's business and growth forward

* Washington plane crash: Anwar expresses sadness at lives lost

* Malaysia to make history as first Asean country to rebuild war-torn Gaza

* Focus on national interest and ignore disruptive issues, says PM

* Zayn Rayyan's parents seek High Court review to postpone trial

* PD couple charged with baby's murder

* Chinese actress Song Yiren stands on tiptoes to eat roti tisu while holidaying in Malaysia

* Selangor cops bust foreign iPhone pickpocket syndicate

* Mohd Nizam Jaffar appointed new Armed Forces chief

* 4.37 million workers to benefit from Minimum Wage Order from Feb 1, says HR Ministry

* Continuous rain warning for seven Sarawak divisions until Saturday

* Putrajaya approves RM60mil for Sultan Azlan Shah Airport expansion

* Defamation suit: IGP files contempt proceedings against Papagomo

* Parents seek answers after son, awaiting trial for murder, warded and bedridden

* Property transactions reach RM217.46bil in 2024, with more growth expected this year, says Nga

* M'sia must embrace technology, including AI, to move forward, says Digital Minister

* Floods hit four Pan Borneo Highway sections, no need for closures, says Nanta

Singapore

* ‘Tax refund’ e-mails from Singapore Customs are scams, warns authority

* ‘We were scared to lose our jobs’: Singapore cleaners who gave manager kickbacks

* Singaporean actress Victoria Chen to play lead role in West End’s My Neighbour Totoro

* SIA ranked top airline, clinches 28th overall spot in Fortune’s list of world’s most admired firms

* Singaporean singer Tanya Chua turns 50, says ageing is ‘not that scary’

* Public in Singapore advised not to fish, enter pond in Seletar park after ray spotted there

* Reunion dinner emergency: Family of doctors help save chef in TungLok restaurant

* Singaporean actress Victoria Chen to play lead role in West End’s My Neighbour Totoro

Thailand

* Thai court lets Thaksin travel to Malaysia, secures 5mil baht bond

* Bangkok new housing launches decline 19% in 2024 as property prices soar

* Thai police seal hidden border path used by Cambodia-based scammers

* Joy and relief for parents of Thai hostages released by Hamas

* Family of lone Thai worker still held hostage by Hamas lives in hope

* Five-storey Bangkok factory collapses after huge blaze

* Trio of rare Bengal Tiger cubs spotted in Thai national park

* Bangkokians urged to wear facemasks as smog worsens

Indonesia

* Extradition of e-ID graft fugitive from Singapore: Indonesia pushes to meet deadline

* Indonesia's alms agency targets US$46mil for Gaza reconstruction

* Indonesia's bigger free meals budget to add 2 pct points to growth, president's adviser says

* Protesters pelt Malaysian embassy in Jakarta with eggs over Indonesian migrant worker shooting

* Indonesian government vows to avoid complacency on 80% approval rating for first 100 days

* Indonesian businesses decry new tax system as filing deadline nears

* Indonesia's FDI at US$55.3bil in 2024

Philippines

* Philippines may declare food security emergency for rice on Feb 4

* Marcos offers China a missile ‘deal’

* Philippines arrests 100 suspects in online scam farm raid

* Thousands of protesters call for impeachment of Philippine Vice-President Sara Duterte

* Philippine president 'very disturbed' over Chinese spy claims

Vietnam

* China remains the largest market for Vietnam's cassava and cassava products

* Eight killed in traffic accident in Vietnam

* Museum's collection celebrates national milestone in Vietnam

* Travelling with family, the in-thing among Vietnamese in 2025

Cambodia

* US funding freeze forces Cambodia to partially halt mine clearance

* Cambodia's Angkor Wat visitor facilities reopen following South Korea-led renovation

* ‘Model schools’ expected to double in 2025, as push for digital learning in Cambodia continues

* Cambodia launches self-service ticket machines for Angkor visits

Myanmar

* Myanmar junta extends state of emergency to support election preparations

* Explosion during mine planting on Yangon-Mawlamyine Highway kills one, injures two

* Tough love at the ‘House of Love’

* Myanmar joins hands with Thailand, Laos and China to tackle cross-border forest fire and smog

Laos

* Police uncover drug production facility in Laos

* Laos takes steps towards sustainable tourism development

Brunei

* Washington plane crash: Brunei Sultan sends condolence message

* 24 new records set at Brunei school games

Aseanplus

* Japan scrambles jets as Russian bombers fly over high seas

* US probing whether DeepSeek got Nvidia AI chips through Singapore, other countries: Source

* Chinese massage parlour offers US$1 service to ‘exceptional’ women guests who own iPhone 16, Mercedes

* Japan sinkhole grows to almost Olympic pool length; driver still missing

* 20m-wide sinkhole in Japan: 1.2 million asked to refrain from doing laundry and taking baths

* Feng shui masters on Hong Kong’s Year of the Snake: Will it just slither along?

* Samsung phone found among belongings of North Korean soldier killed by Ukrainian forces

* South Korea privacy watchdog to ask DeepSeek about personal information use

* Ishiba says Japan will seek stable energy supply from Trump

* Indian Rupee hits record low amid worries about US tariffs; RBI likely steps in

* Heilongjiang ready to embrace Asian Winter Games in China

* ‘Squid Game' Season 3 to premiere in South Korea on June 27

* Homegrown veg, cheap substitutes: Japanese get creative to fight soaring food prices

* Asian equities fall as Samsung, SK Hynix react to selling of AI stocks

* Faithful millions carry on ‘holy dip’ after deadly crush

* Father kills US-born teen daughter over TikTok videos

* HK star Andy Lau gives out personalised angpow to fans, they call it a 'priceless' gift