Indonesia sovereign fund / Thailand stimulus probed / Myanmar extractives contracts

After 1MDB scandal, investors view Indonesia’s new fund warily.  “To attract investors to its new sovereign fund, Indonesia needs to show governance protocols are airtight, analysts say… Nusantara Investment Authority will take lessons from other sovereign wealth funds and adopt a framework based on independence, transparency and accountability, said Isa Rachmatarwata, the finance ministry’s director general of state assets”

 

Al Jazeera: https://www.aljazeera.com/economy/2020/12/15/post-1mdb-scandal-indonesias-new-fund-to-highlight-transparency

 

Co-pay scheme probed for graft.  “The [Thai] Finance Ministry is investigating alleged corruption in the government's co-payment scheme which subsidises half the cost of purchases, known as Kon La Krueng and the latest tourism stimulus campaign known as Rao Tiew Duay Kan (We Travel Together).

Bangkok Post: https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/2035259/co-pay-scheme-probed-for-graft

 

Myanmar President Orders Mining Firms to Publish Contracts, Boosting Transparency.  “The President’s Office stated that all parties must follow “contract transparency”, starting on New Year’s Day, in collaboration with Myanmar Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (MEITI). The sector includes the extraction of oil, gas, timber and minerals… all the contracts carried out by the Union, states and regions, government departments, state-owned enterprises and private companies must disclose the full text of any contract, license, concession or other agreement.”

Nan Lwin/The Irrawaddy: https://www.irrawaddy.com/specials/myanmar-covid-19/myanmar-president-orders-mining-firms-publish-contracts-boosting-transparency.html