Indonesian police escort arrested terror suspects to a news conference in Jakarta on May 17, 2019. (Photo: AFP/VNA)
Hanoi (VNA) – Terrorist threats in Southeast Asiancountries declined in 2021, a Singapore think-tank said in its annual threatassessment published last week.
There were fewer terror-related incidents in Indonesia,Malaysia and the Philippines as governments battled COVID-19,according to the Counter Terrorist Trends and Analysis report published byresearchers at Singapore’s S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies.
In Thailand in 2021, meanwhile, violent incidents connectedto an insurgency in the far south were similar to those in the previous year,the researchers found.
In Indonesia, Southeast Asia’s largest country, the numberof attacks and plots by violent extremist Islamic militant groups dipped duringthe past two years compared with before the outbreak of COVID-19, the reportsaid.
Jamaah Ansharut Daulah’s (JAD) relatively stagnantactivities in 2020-2021 and the decline of Eastern Indonesia Mujahideen’s (MIT)terror activities in 2021, it said, “can be partly attributed to movementrestrictions and higher costs associated with domestic travels due to thepandemic.” In 2021, JAD was involved in at least nine incidents, including fiveusing explosive materials. Those included two suicide bomb attacks and asuicide bomb plot, compared with 11 incidents the previous year.
The report specifically linked the COVID-19 pandemic tothe drop in terror activities in Malaysia last year.
Authorities made no terror-related arrests in PeninsularMalaysia last year, but made about 15 in Sabah between May and September. Therewere seven arrests in 2020; 72 in 2019; 85 in 2018; 106 in 2017 and 119 in2016, the analysis found.
Still, the report expressed concern that terror threatshad moved online. “The government-imposed lockdowns have forced people to spendmore time online, raising the likelihood of vulnerable individuals beingexposed to radical ideologies in the cyber domain. Around the region, groupssuch as IS have increased their recruitment and radicalization efforts throughsocial media during the pandemic,” it said.
Elsewhere, the armed forces of the Philippines drew praisefor retaking terror bases in the southern region of Mindanao. Nationwide, “thenumber of successful terrorist incidents dropped from 134 in 2019, to 59incidents in 2020 and 17 in 2021,” the analysts said, defining a successfulincident as an attack that injured or killed others./.
The Ministry of Public Security has officially established an airborne security unit under the Immigration Department, which is responsible for preventing and combating terrorist attacks and unlawful interference to ensure aviation security in Vietnam.
Ambassador Pham Hai Anh, Deputy Permanent Representative of Vietnam to the United Nations (UN), has affirmed that terrorism and the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction continue to be a serious threat to peace and international security.
Russia and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) intend to adopt an updated strategy on fighting terrorism next year, TASS news agency reported, citing Russian Permanent Representative to ASEAN Alexander Ivanov.
Ambassador Pham Hai Anh, Chargé d’Affaires a.i. of Vietnam to the United Nations, has stressed the need for a general approach method to security issues in the context of climate change and terrorism, while addressing the UN Security Council’s open debate on “Maintenance of international peace and security: Security in the context of terrorism and climate change” on December 9.
Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos have committed to enhancing cooperation in fighting transnational crimes in all forms, especially drug crime, human trafficking, smuggling, terrorism and high-tech crime.
Total trade between Indonesia and New Zealand in the first half of 2025 reached 963.23 million USD, an increase of 21.56% compared to 792.39 million USD in the same period last year. Of this amount, Indonesia's exports to New Zealand totaled 374.89 million USD, while imports 588.35 million USD
Malaysia, as ASEAN 2025 Chair, marked the bloc’s 58th founding anniversary on August 8 with a vibrant celebration in Cyberjaya, blending an official ceremony with a colorful cultural festival.
Vietnam plays an important role in Southeast Asia’s economic growth and is a key partner of her country in realising the shared vision of a peaceful, stable, and prosperous region, said Robyn Mudie, First Assistant Secretary of Office of Southeast Asia (OSA) – Southeast Asia Regional and Mainland Division at Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT).
The 2025 ASEAN Business Community Development (ABCD) Forum, themed “Empowering ASEAN's Next Leap: Digital, Sustainable & Entrepreneurial Transformation” brought together ministers, CEOs, and top industry experts to discuss key regional economic priorities.
The DES Ministry will seek cooperation from social media platforms to prevent the spread of fake news and monitor accounts related to such activities, he told reporters after chairing a meeting of the newly established Anti-Fake News Centre (AFNC).
The Joint Standing Committee on Commerce, Industry and Banking identified the US tariff reduction as a significant driver behind the improved economic outlook for Thailand.
Financial institutions and financial technology (fintech) players are intensifying their focus on expanding across the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), adopting tailored strategies to strengthen their presence in the region’s digital financial services landscape.
Featuring a permanent exhibition area, the ASEAN Hall will function both as a cultural showcase and as a dynamic venue for ASEAN-related events and programmes. Its inauguration on ASEAN Day added symbolic weight, marking a fresh milestone in ASEAN–RoK relations.
Thailand’s Ministry of Commerce and rice exporters are devising strategic plans to boost rice exports amid global market fluctuations, focusing on key markets and adjusting output.
The focus of the upcoming ASEAN Summit in October will be on strengthening economic relations through intra-regional trade and investment, as well as regional initiatives on energy networks and connectivity.
Indonesian Ambassador Rina P. Soemarno, who currently serves as Chair of the ASEAN Committee in Prague, emphasised the spirit of regional solidarity and cooperation, and the importance of enhancing ASEAN–Czech Republic relations.
The Indonesian Government is determined to seize opportunities to enhance the competitiveness of national agricultural products, an official has said, adding that it always strives to promote exports at the highest possible level, based on a mutually beneficial foundation.
Finance Minister Pichai Chunhavajira has outlined a six-point strategy to promote innovation, support small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), and push for Thailand's removal from the US Trade Representative (USTR)’s special 301 Watch List regarding intellectual property rights protection among trading partners.
Vietnamese Ambassador to Israel Ly Duc Trung emphasised ASEAN’s central role in regional mechanisms such as the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) and the East Asia Summit (EAS), highlighting its significant contribution to promoting peace, stability, and prosperity in Southeast Asia.
The consumer index of the University of the Thai Chamber of Commerce (UTCC), fell to 51.7 in July from 52.7 in the previous month. The sluggish economy and the trade war, as well as high living costs, continue to undermine confidence, the university said.
Deputy Speaker of the Hungarian National Assembly Istvan Jakab expressed his hope for further deepening Hungary’s ties with ASEAN countries and called for their support for Hungary’s accession to the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia.
The 30-storey tower crumbled seconds after a 7.7-magnitude earthquake hit neighbouring Myanmar on March 28. The partially built high-rise, meant to house the State Audit Office (SAO), was the only building in Thailand to collapse, killing 89 people on the site, mostly construction workers.
Indonesia’s waste generation is projected to exceed 50 million tonnes in 2025. Of the total, more than 20 million tonnes could potentially enter the ocean through rivers, coastal areas, small islands, ports, and marine activities, and thereby, pose a risk to coastal ecosystems and marine biota.
Indonesia is accelerating plans to increase lithium imports, particularly from Australia, in a bid to fill gaps in the electric vehicle (EV) battery supply chain and realise its ambition of becoming a global EV manufacturing hub.
Indonesian police escort arrested terror suspects to a news conference in Jakarta on May 17, 2019. (Photo: AFP/VNA)
