Indonesia is pursuing plans to make public schools free at all levels, stretching from kindergarten to university, but mounting pressure on the state budget could hinder the government from pulling off the massive undertaking, analysts have said. President Prabowo Subianto summoned his ministers last week to discuss a plan to “accelerate the implementation of free education in public schools”, according to a statement released by cabinet secretary Teddy Indra Wijaya on September 23. “Free...

A hunger crisis could creep up on Southeast Asia if the region does not guard against export restrictions amid a fertiliser shortfall, International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) Secretary General John Denton has warned. On the sidelines of the Future of Trade Forum in Singapore on Wednesday, Denton urged the city state, as the next Asean chair, to prioritise the “sleeper issue” for the region. He argued that the real story centred on food, despite the Strait of Hormuz gridlock being widely seen as...

The death of a 14-year-old student at a Malaysian boarding school has renewed scrutiny over student safety, raising questions over whether reforms introduced after the high-profile death of Zara Qairina Mahathir last year have changed what happens behind dormitory doors. Police in Kuala Pilah, Negeri Sembilan, have detained two 16-year-old students as they investigate the death of Muhammad Idlan Fareeq Shahril. They said Idlan was caught vaping by a hostel warden on September 23. Two days later,...

A man became angry after a four-year-old boy pointed his middle finger at him while he was picking up his son from preschool in Singapore. He pursued the boy to a nearby bus stop that was crowded with other young kids, grabbed the boy by the arm and slapped him hard on both cheeks. The boy, who was his son’s schoolmate, suffered bruises on his face and ringing in his ear, on top of emotional trauma that lingered for months and required his parents to change his preschool. The aggressor, Muhammad...

Philippine senators have urged the Department of Tourism to stick with a single marketing campaign to build long-term international recognition, pointing to long-running successes such as Malaysia’s “Truly Asia” tagline. Newly appointed Tourism Secretary Dita Angara-Mathay was asked about her plans for the current slogan, “Love the Philippines”, during a departmental budget hearing on Monday, the Philippine Star reported. Senate finance subcommittee chairman Erwin Tulfo suggested keeping the...

MoneyHero Limited is facing a public push from its largest unaffiliated shareholder to consider a sale, as the Singapore-based personal finance platform contends with leadership uncertainty, stalled revenue growth and a sharp fall in its Nasdaq-listed shares. Jonathan Honig, who says he beneficially owns about 9 per cent of MoneyHero’s outstanding Class A ordinary shares, […] The post MoneyHero shareholder urges board to explore sale after stock slump appeared first on e27.

Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC) CEO Anuar Fariz Fadzil will leave the national digital-economy agency when his current contract ends on 2 October 2026, closing a two-year tenure marked by a sharper focus on artificial intelligence, high-value investment and measurable economic outcomes. MDEC said in a statement that Anuar had informed its board he would […] The post MDEC chief Anuar Fariz Fadzil to exit after US$44B investment push appeared first on e27.

Japan’s education companies are increasingly looking beyond a home market shaped by a shrinking population. Kawaijuku, one of the country’s larger private education providers, is taking a venture-capital route into Vietnam. KJ Holdings, the holding company of the Japanese education group, has invested in Do Ventures Fund II, a fund managed by Ho Chi Minh […] The post Japan’s Kawaijuku backs Do Ventures to enter Vietnam’s education market appeared first on e27.

Bitcoin shifts from a speculative retail asset to an institutional cornerstone of global finance. Recent developments in sovereign wealth fund allocations, the creation of institutional financial products, and massive ETF inflows demonstrate a profound structural shift. The data reveals a market maturing rapidly, even as it grapples with inherent tensions between traditional financial co-option and […] The post The sovereign shift: Why nation states are trading gold for Bitcoin appeared first on e27.

Malaysia’s two-time prime minister Mahathir Mohamad has been admitted to hospital for observation, his office confirmed on Wednesday, in the latest health scare involving the 101-year-old. Mahathir was admitted to the National Heart Institute (IJN) on Tuesday night, barely a day after his wife of 70 years, Siti Hasmah Mohamad Ali, died at the same hospital. It is unclear why the former leader was admitted. Sufi Yusoff, Mahathir’s long-time aide, told reporters that they were awaiting diagnosis...