SCMP Asia·Monday, January 5, 2026

SCMP Asia - Monday, January 5, 2026

10 stories~15 min

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Stories Covered

Photo of Singapore NMP in ruling party shirt reignites debate on scheme’s neutrality

A photo of newly nominated member of parliament (NMP) Haresh Singaraju in a shirt sporting the design of the ruling People’s Action Party (PAP) has raised eyebrows and reignited debate over the non-partisan nature of the scheme in Singapore. The scrutiny over the now-removed photo of the family physician comes after critics questioned the effectiveness of the NMP scheme in February last year in the lead-up to the city state’s general election in May. Two NMPs at the time made the unprecedented..

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Vietnam overtakes Thailand as Chinese tourists' top choice for travel

Vietnam welcomed a record number of foreign tourists in 2025, as a resurgence of Chinese visitors and relaxed visa policies helped lure travellers. The Southeast Asian nation received around 21.2 million international visitors last year, up 20 per cent, according to the National Statistics Office. Its previous peak was 18 million, recorded in 2019 before the pandemic. Vietnam’s surge is part of a broader realignment in Southeast Asia’s multibillion-dollar tourism industry, largely at the expense

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Philippine lawmakers say US move on Venezuela complicates Manila’s rules-based stance

The Philippines’ long-standing alliance with the United States has come under fresh scrutiny after Washington’s move against Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, with critics in Manila warning the action had complicated the country’s claim to champion a rules-based international order. Opposition lawmakers and analysts said the US operation, which resulted in Maduro being captured and brought to the United States to face charges, had left the Philippines “compromised” and exposed to charges of..

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Anwar to limit Malaysia PM term in reform push to ‘re-energise’ supporters

Malaysia’s Anwar Ibrahim on Monday said his government would seek parliament’s nod to impose a term limit on the country’s prime minister tenure, in a move seen as an attempt to regain the support of his core voter base ahead of the national polls in two years. Anwar’s ruling Pakatan Harapan (PH) coalition has been battered politically since he took power in 2022, as supporters censured his administration for failing to live up to its reform pledges by accommodating corruption-tainted former...

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Asian economies to face volatile oil prices over Venezuela, US plans for Caracas

Asian economies face the risk of renewed volatility in oil prices this year as analysts say the US capture of Venezuela’s leader Nicolas Maduro and uncertainty over Washington’s plans for the oil-rich South American country may unsettle investor sentiment. On Monday morning, Benchmark Brent crude opened about 1.2 per cent lower near US$61 a barrel, before falling further to US$60.54 in the early afternoon, while US West Texas Intermediate crude declined by 0.5 per cent to US$57.04 a barrel. The.

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India faces new tariff hikes as Trump demands end to Russian oil imports amid trade talks

The ‍United States could raise tariffs on India if New Delhi does not meet Washington’s demand to curb purchases of Russian oil, US President Donald Trump said on Sunday, escalating pressure on the South Asian country as trade talks remain inconclusive. “[Prime Minister Narendra] Modi is a good guy. He knew I was not happy, and it was important ⁠to make me happy,” Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One. “They do trade, and we can raise tariffs on them very quickly,” Trump said in response to.

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What North Korea’s missile test after Maduro arrest says about Kim’s denuclearisation stance

A missile test by North Korea in the aftermath of the US capture of Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro signals what analysts have said is Pyongyang’s cautionary stance over the vulnerability of countries without credible military and nuclear deterrence. While overseeing the launch of multiple missiles on Sunday, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un alluded to the US attacks on Venezuela and Maduro’s arrest a day earlier and Iran in June as justifications to bolster his nuclear arsenal. The test of what

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Japanese sushi tycoon pays fin-tastic record of US$3.2 million for bluefin tuna

A Japanese sushi entrepreneur paid a record US$3.2 million for a giant bluefin tuna on Monday at an annual prestigious new year auction in Tokyo’s main fish market, smashing the previous all-time high. Dave Gershman at the Pew Charitable Trusts’ international fisheries team used news of the auction to highlight that stocks of Pacific bluefin tuna were improving after being “near collapse”. The auction started when the bell rang, and the floor was filled with torpedo-shaped fish with their tails.

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Philippine ex-general who urged troops to desert Marcos arrested for sedition

A former Philippine air force general accused of encouraging the military to abandon President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr was arrested on a charge of sedition on Monday at Manila’s international airport. Romeo Poquiz, who had publicly called for the armed forces to “withdraw their support” from Marcos amid a burgeoning corruption scandal, was detained by police after returning from a holiday in Thailand, interior department secretary Jonvic Remulla said. “He was arrested for the charge of sedition in.

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Philippines’ Marcos slashes ‘back door’ budget allocations amid flood control scandal

Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr on Monday signed into law the 2026 budget worth 6.793 trillion pesos (US$115 billion) as his administration aims to revive an economy stunted by a government corruption scandal. While the 2026 budget was 7 per cent higher than last year’s spending plan, the president cut nearly US$1.6 billion in so-called unprogrammed appropriations that are historically prone to corruption. Marcos approved the 2026 budget later compared to previous years, as allocations

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