AJA Newsbites is a curated roundup of major news and developments from across Asia, brought to you by members of Asia Journalist Association (AJA)
Lee Sang-ki, THE AsiaN, Korea
Delays in new apartment construction are driving renewed interest in urban redevelopment projects and older residential properties slated for reconstruction. With newly built apartments becoming increasingly scarce in established neighbourhoods, homebuyers are turning to redevelopment areas that already offer mature infrastructure and convenient living conditions.
Nationwide apartment lease-to-price ratios have risen for ten consecutive months, encouraging more renters to consider home purchases. Developers are responding with financial incentives such as fixed down payments and interest-free interim loans to ease buyers’ initial costs.
Demand for villas in redevelopment districts is also rebounding after prices hit lows following South Korea’s rental fraud crisis. In Seoul, non-apartment transactions exceeded 5,000 in both April and May, with buyers in their 20s and 30s accounting for nearly 35% of purchases. Analysts expect redevelopment districts to benefit further if housing shortages persist.
Norila Daud, Malaysia World News, Malaysia
Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil said the Malaysian Media Council (MMM) needs to be strengthened as a self-regulatory platform to ensure the country’s media ecosystem grows ethically and responsibly.
Speaking at a press conference after visiting the Malaysian National News Agency (Bernama) operations centre for the 16th Johor state election on Tuesday, July 7, Fahmi said the government would provide appropriate support during the early stages of the MMM’s establishment and would encourage more media organisations and social media platforms to join the council. Greater membership, he said, would enable media-related issues to be addressed more effectively through the industry’s own self-regulatory mechanisms.
“We will also assist in encouraging more media organisations to become members of the council, so that media-related issues can be managed independently,” he said.
Also present were Bernama CEO Nur-ul Afida Kamaludin, editor-in-chief Arul Rajoo Durar Raj, Department of Information (JAPEN) Director-General Erwin Khairul Ahmad, and Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) State Affairs officer Bukhari Yahya.
Earlier, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said complaints against journalists from recognised media organisations would no longer lead to automatic action, but must first be referred to the MMM. The mechanism was established to ensure that any action against media practitioners is conducted in a fairer, more transparent, and independent manner, preventing journalists from being subjected to investigations or prosecution without proper scrutiny.
Chhay Sophal, Cambodia News Online, Cambodia
Cambodia’s Minister of Posts and Telecommunications Chea Vandet joined heads of state and government, ministers responsible for digital affairs, and representatives from 170 countries in Geneva, Switzerland, for the Launch of the Global Dialogue on Artificial Intelligence Governance.
The two-day dialogue brought together governments, technology companies, academia, civil society, and the technical community to facilitate discussions on AI governance. Chea Vandet represented Prime Minister Hun Manet at the invitation of UN Secretary-General António Guterres.
Speaking on the first day, Chea Vandet said AI governance should support innovation, expand usability, and build trust, and must be risk-responsive, forward-looking, and preemptive where necessary.
“In line with ASEAN trends, Cambodia will conduct AI governance based on principles and consider the private sector, educational and research institutions, civil society, and citizens as key partners,” he said. He added that the international community must cooperate on capacity building for regulators, share information on recent developments, and exchange experiences in regulating and monitoring AI incidents. Cambodia also called on technology companies to genuinely cooperate with governments in AI governance.
Bhanu Ranjan Chakraborty, Asia Journalist Association, Bangladesh
The Bangladesh government has drawn up a master plan to provide free and affordable cataract surgery to nearly one million visually impaired and blind people across the country.
State Minister for Health MA Muhith shared the information with media following a courtesy call by Peter Holland, CEO of the International Association for the Prevention of Blindness (IAPB), on Prime Minister Tarique Rahman in Dhaka on Monday, July 7. He said approximately one million people in Bangladesh are currently visually impaired or blind due to a lack of cataract surgery, and that restoring their eyesight is the government’s primary goal.
Muhith also said Bangladesh will co-host the world’s first Global Summit on Eye Health alongside Antigua in November. IAPB CEO Holland said world leaders will attend the summit on November 2 with commitments to improve eye health services in their respective countries.
Kuban Abdymen, Centralasianlight, Kyrgyzstan
Tajikistan and the World Bank have signed agreements on a $495.5 million grant package to finance four major development projects aimed at strengthening energy security, infrastructure, and public services.
The largest share — $300 million — will support the second phase of the sustainable financing programme for the Rogun Hydropower Plant. Additional resources will be directed toward improving competitiveness, water resource management, irrigation systems, and water supply and sanitation services.
The funding package underscores the strategic importance of hydropower for Tajikistan’s economic development and regional energy cooperation. Investments in infrastructure and water management are expected to support sustainable growth, improve living conditions, and create opportunities for private sector development. The initiative also reflects international confidence in Tajikistan’s long-term reform agenda.
ⓒ THE AsiaN | All rights reserved
This content is copyrighted by THE AsiaN. If you wish to share it, please do so without modifying the original text and always include the source link. Unauthorized editing or sharing without proper attribution may result in legal consequences.
THE AsiaN Korean : 아자뉴스바이트 20260708 – 아시아엔 THE AsiaN
