Cambodia, Indonesia offer financial support to SMEs, people

Cambodia’s State-run Rural Development Bank has approved a 50 million USD credit package for local small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) that are operating in agriculture.
PhnomPenh (VNA) – Cambodia’s State-run Rural Development Bank has approveda 50 million USD credit package for local small and medium-sized enterprises(SMEs) that are operating in agriculture.

Speaking at a ceremony to announce the credit support package, Kao Thach, thebank’s Director General said more than 500,000local SMEs could benefit from the fund to increase their productivityand improve their competitiveness.

He said enterprises can borrow up to 300,000 USD on each loan, with a sixpercent annual interest rate for loans used as working capital and 6.5 percentfor that used for investment.

Cambodia Women Entrepreneurs Association PresidentEng Lykuong said the new fund will prove very useful for local SMEs, addingthat a 300,000-USD loan can help an entrepreneur to take her business to thenext level.

Meanwhile in Indonesia, President Joko Widodo said budgets earmarked for businesstrips and gatherings, which should be suspended due to the COVID-19 epidemic,can be used to help low-income locals, farmers, fishermen, as well as micro, small and mediumsized enterprises.

Speaking at an online Cabinet meeting on March 16, Widodo saidat least 40 trillion Rp (2.66 billion USD) initially prepared for businesstrips and officials' meetings, could be disbursed to the people to maintaintheir purchasing power.

He also asked relevant institutions to immediately start the disbursement of about31.3 trillion Rp worth of government social assistance to low-income householdsthrough the Family Hope Programme./. 
VNA

See more

At Pulau Seraya power station (Photo: Straitimes)

Singapore begins construction on hydrogen-fueled power plant

Singapore on October 23 began the construction of an 800 million USD power plant that has the capability to use hydrogen to generate electricity, as part of a push to utilise the fuel to reach Singapore’s net-zero carbon emissions target by 2050.

Delegates at the event (Photo: VNA)

125th anniversary of Permanent Court of Arbitration celebrated

The Permanent Mission of Vietnam to the United Nations and missions of the Philippines, Australia, Egypt, Guatemala, Hungary, Thailand, France, Eritrea and Austria, organised a ceremony on October 22 to celebrate the 125th anniversary of the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA), as part of the International Law Week at the UN General Assembly's Legal Committee (Sixth Committee).

CEO of the Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation Anuar Fariz Fadzil (Photo: focusmalaysia.my)

Malaysia continues placing emphasis on digitalisation

The Budget 2025 provides significant support to further accelerate Malaysia’s digitalisation, encourage adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) and drive inclusive growth, further positioning Malaysia as a leading digital hub within the ASEAN region, according to CEO of the Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC) Anuar Fariz Fadzil.

Malaysia's economic reforms boost investment inflow (Photo: thestar.com.my)

Malaysia's economic reforms boost investment inflow

Malaysia has attracted substantial foreign investments, reaching 22.2 billion MYR (5.16 billion USD) in the third quarter of 2024, the highest level for the same period since 2012, according to UOB's Global Markets and Economics report.

Ambassador Dang Hoang Giang, Permanent Representative of Vietnam to the UN speaks at the debate (Photo: VNA)

Maintaining peace, stability a must for progress on human rights: Ambassador

Progress in human rights can only be achieved by maintaining peace and stability, respecting the rule of law at both the international and national levels, and ensuring respect for the principles of national sovereignty and non-interference in internal affairs, said Ambassador Dang Hoang Giang, Permanent Representative of Vietnam to the UN.

A visitor browses travel promotions at a travel fair in Nonthaburi province. (Photo: Bangkok Post)

Thailand plans enhanced support for domestic tourism

Thailand’s Ministry of Tourism and Sports is aiming to increase subsidy to local tourists in the upcoming stimulus scheme to 50% and would like to change the criteria for online travel agents, mandating them to register in Thailand to avoid losing income to foreign companies.

Oil field offshore Indonesia. (Photo: thejakartapost.com)

Indonesia begins major oil, gas exploration in Sulawesi

Indonesia's state-owned oil company Pertamina, along with foreign partners Sinopec from China and Kuwait’s Kufpec, has signed a contract to explore the Melati oil and gas block, located off the coast of Sulawesi. The block is estimated to contain trillions of cubic feet of gas reserves.