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
Concerns are growing over deepening internal divisions at Samsung Electronics amid disputes over bonuses and a planned labor strike.
According to a report published on May 15, many employees changed their internal messenger nicknames to “5.21” or “Strike” to signal participation in the planned industrial action, with the number of participants reportedly approaching 30,000. Some departments were also reported to be taking collective leave and showing signs of work slowdowns, raising concerns about possible disruptions to research and development (R&D) continuity.
The report added that morale issues and the ongoing avoidance of the foundry and system LSI divisions have further intensified worries about weakening competitiveness in key semiconductor businesses. Observers warned that prolonged labor unrest could affect not only production but also long-term technological development and organizational stability within the company.
Norila Daud, Malaysia World News, Malaysia
Malaysian Foreign Minister Mohamad Hasan said Malaysia sees strong potential for BRICS and ASEAN to deepen cooperation in strengthening economic resilience through strategic collaboration.
Speaking at the BRICS Partners’ Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in New Delhi on Wednesday, Mohamad said such cooperation could include strengthening trade connectivity, developing quality infrastructure, expanding collaboration in digital and emerging technologies, and promoting sustainable and green growth.
He noted that geopolitical tensions and uncertainty surrounding global trade policies are accelerating a shift away from efficiency-driven globalization toward resilience-driven regionalization. “As a result, global supply chains are becoming more diversified, regionalized, and risk-managed, while investment flows increasingly favor economies viewed as stable and predictable,” he said. Mohamad added that ASEAN is gaining importance as a neutral, rules-based, and economically dynamic region, making it an attractive destination for investors seeking diversification. Marking the 20th anniversary of BRICS, he said the grouping should now focus on transforming shared concerns into practical solutions.
He emphasized the importance of building systems that are more resilient during crises, more open to innovation, more collaborative in practice, and more sustainable in outcomes. Mohamad said Malaysia remains prepared to work with BRICS as a constructive partner in shaping a more balanced global order.
BRICS currently consists of Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, the United Arab Emirates, and Indonesia. Malaysia, together with Belarus, Bolivia, Cuba, Kazakhstan, Thailand, Uganda, and Uzbekistan, officially became BRICS Partner Countries on January 1, 2025. Nigeria joined the partnership category later in January 2025, while Vietnam obtained the same status in June 2025.
Chhay Sophal, Cambodia News Online, Cambodia
Cambodia’s Acting Head of State and Senate President Hun Sen has instructed authorities to investigate and remove any officer from the Cambodia Import-Export and Fraud Repression Directorate-General (CAMCONTROL) who falsely reported information regarding imported durians from Thailand.
He said the move should serve as a warning to all officials against lying to their superiors or misleading the public. Speaking on Thursday to hundreds of provincial, municipal, district, and commune leaders in Svay Rieng Province, Hun Sen reiterated that the boycott of Thai products should continue, but should not become excessive.
The remarks came after a woman living in Battambang Province, which borders Thailand, was arrested on May 4 after an audio clip circulated on social media in which she allegedly admitted importing durians from Thailand and distributing them to another province.
According to a confession released by Battambang provincial police, the woman said that between April and early May 2026 she had purchased durians from Thai traders on three occasions, totaling around 2,000 kilograms. She stated that the Thai merchant arranged for the durians to be transported through a border crossing, although she said she did not know the exact method used.
After receiving the shipments, she reportedly sent the durians to a buyer in Kampong Cham Province.
Shakil Yamin Kanga, APNEC, Pakistan
Negotiations between the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and Pakistan over the upcoming fiscal year’s budget have included discussions on introducing a new tax scheme for retailers.
According to sources, the ongoing budget talks focused on launching a specialized taxation framework for the retail sector, as well as setting targets for agricultural income tax collection. Proposals were also discussed to begin formally registering farmers for agricultural income tax purposes while reviewing targets to increase the number of active tax filers nationwide.
Sources said the discussions further addressed assigning Pakistan’s Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) a target to reduce the number of “zero-tax” return filers — individuals or businesses that file tax returns but pay no income tax. Additional talks covered measures to increase tax revenue collection through greater fiscal coordination between the federal and provincial governments. Preliminary discussions were also held regarding provincial budget surpluses for the next fiscal year and mechanisms for federal-provincial revenue sharing.
The discussions included the introduction of a specialized tax scheme for retailers, the registration of farmers and formalization of agricultural income tax targets, efforts to move “zero-filers” into active tax-paying categories, and coordination on provincial surplus management and revenue sharing between federal and provincial authorities.
Kuban Abdymen, Centralasianlight, Kyrgyzstan
At the Kazakh-Turkish Business Forum, Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said Kazakhstan plans to deepen economic cooperation with Türkiye in agriculture, healthcare, and digital industries.
Tokayev noted that Kazakhstan remains one of the world’s leading grain exporters and said bilateral agricultural trade between the two countries increased by 25% in 2025. He added that Turkish companies are already investing in grain processing, greenhouse projects, and food production facilities in Kazakhstan.
The two countries are also expanding cooperation in healthcare. Turkish pharmaceutical companies Abdi İbrahim and Nobel have launched production facilities in Kazakhstan, while YDA Group is currently building hospitals in the country. Tokayev further stated that Kazakhstan is seeking joint projects with Türkiye in areas such as artificial intelligence (AI), fintech, and cybersecurity. He highlighted Kazakhstan’s ongoing digital transformation efforts, including the establishment of a new AI center in Astana and the development of an innovation hub in Alatau.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said Türkiye aims to increase bilateral trade with Kazakhstan to 15 billion US dollars, describing Kazakhstan as Türkiye’s key economic partner in Central Asia.
ⓒ 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 20260515 – 아시아엔 THE AsiaN
