Hi all,
In today's bulletin: Malaysian Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin meets King amid speculation of declaration of emergency; Trump-Biden clash over Covid-19 measures in presidential debate; China to outline five-year plan next week; Goldman Sachs to pay Singapore $165 million in 1MDB case, and more.
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MALAYSIA'S PM MEETS KING AMID TALK OF EMERGENCY MEASURES
Malaysian Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin sought a meeting with the King amid speculation that he was seeking approval to invoke emergency powers ahead of the upcoming Budget session, to prevent a situation that could result in snap elections.
The move comes days after opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim met the King to stake his claim to form a government with support from 120 lawmakers, in the 222 member Parliament.
Earlier today, the ruling Prime Minister chaired a special Cabinet meeting in Putrajaya to decide on emergency measures. Malaysia is also witnessing a resurgence of coronavirus infections that have been spiralling after the Sept 26 Sabah poll that saw the new chief chief minister also testing positive for the virus.
Delve deeper
Muhyiddin's government seen flip-flopping on Covid-19 battle as its fate hangs in the balance by Malaysia Correspondent Hazlin Hassan
Anwar's coup undone for now, but Muhyiddin faces budget test by Malaysia Bureau Chief Shannon Teoh
FINAL PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE SEES TRUMP-BIDEN CLASH ON COVID-19
The second and last presidential debate between US President Donald Trump and Democratic nominee Joe Biden was spirited, more focused and disciplined but perhaps will not change voter sentiments either ways.
The two clashed over Covid-19, racism but the debate was largely seen to be relatively sedate and civil.
There's a lot of research that shows that presidential debates do not really matter, writes US Bureau Chief Nirmal Ghosh.
Thursday's debate is unlikely to prove an exception in a political and cultural environment so hardened that it is difficult to imagine even independent voters making up their minds, or changing them, in electorally significant numbers on the basis of one debate, he says.
On the issues of China and North Korea, but the debate was mostly a rehash of positions and criticisms they had stated before, writes US Correspondent Charissa Yong.
Read more:
US presidential debate: Trump calls India, China air 'filthy'
Biden says he'd meet North Korea's Kim Jong Un only if nuclear arsenal reduced
CHINA TO OUTLINE FIVE-YEAR PLAN NEXT WEEK
Economists and market observers will be keenly following next week's proceedings in Beijing as President Xi Jinping and members of the Central Committee meet on Oct 26-29 to discuss the 14th five-year plan, that will be China's blueprint for economic and social development.
Most expect sustaining steady growth to be a priority although investors will watch to see if China will set a more flexible economic target. This year, it dropped setting the same due to Covid-19.
Expectations are also high that the leaders could announce fresh reforms to spur domestic demand, innovation and self-reliance under Mr Xi's new "dual circulation" strategy, policy insiders said.
Also read:
China will balance need for stabilising growth and preventing risks, says Central bank governor
GOLDMAN SACHS TO PAY $165 MILLION TO SINGAPORE OVER 1MDB SCANDAL
Goldman Sachs Singapore is set to pay US$122 million (S$165 million) to the Singapore Government for its role in the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) bond offerings corruption scandal, in a sum believed to be the largest imposed on a financial institution here.
The Singapore payment is part of the nearly US$3 billion that parent Goldman Sachs has agreed to pay after its Malaysia unit said it would plead guilty to violating foreign bribery laws, drawing a line under a saga that has dogged the investment banking giant for years, writes Ovais Subhani.
Go deeper
Understanding Goldman Sachs' role in the 1MDB mega scandal
LIFTING OF US TRAVEL BAN ON PRABOWO THE FIRST OF MORE SWEETENERS FOR INDONESIA
Indonesia's defence minister Prabowo travelled to the United States on Oct 15 on a five-day trip that ended two decades of a ban on his travel over alleged human rights abuses.
But the diplomatic move signalled more than just that. It was aimed at closing ranks with Indonesia and tempering China's burgeoning political and economic clout in the country and the region, writes Regional Correspondent Arlina Arshad.
Also read:
Indonesia, US set to boost defence cooperation after Prabowo Subianto meets Mark Esper
IN OTHER NEWS
PROTEST IN CAMBODIA OVER CHINA MILITARY BASE: Cambodian security guards broke up a small protest on Friday near the Chinese embassy opposing alleged plans to boost Beijing's military presence in the country, as police detained some demonstrators for questioning.
SOUTH KOREA SAYS NO LINK BETWEEN FLU SHOT & BOYS DEATH AS TOLL RISES TO 36: South Korea's forensic agency said it found no links between a teenage boy's death and a flu shot he had taken, even as the death toll from the country's vaccination program rose to 36. The 17-year-old was among the first to die during a government campaign to vaccinate about 30 million people out of a population of 52 million to prevent coronavirus complications.
SINGAPOREANS LEAST WORRIED IN ASEAN ABOUT COVID-19: Residents of Singapore are the least worried about contracting Covid-19 compared with people from five other South-east Asian countries, a research survey shows. They are also the most pessimistic about an economic recovery, it showed.
That's it for today. Thanks for reading this newsletter and The Straits Times. We'll be back with you on Monday.
Shefali
