Investing in ASEAN 2021-2022
The Association of Southeast Asian Nations, or ASEAN, has emerged to become one of the world’s most important economic regions, encompassing enormous manufacturing powerhouses that produce and export around the globe. ASEAN is today a vigorous and growing trading bloc, a global hub of manufacturing and export, a leading trade partner for the EU, the US, Japan and other regional powers, battered by the impacts of COVID-19 yet energised by the signing of the RCEP.
As a company that is firmly committed to ASEAN and supporting growth in the region through our risk management consultancy, we are proud to have sponsored the “Investing in ASEAN” guide 2021-2022, with Indonesia President Director, Ian Betts, contributing a chapter at pages 99-100
Risk intelligence (16/06/2021) - Indonesia
POLICE CONTINUE CRACKDOWN ON JEMAAH ISLAMIYAH NETWORK WITH ARRESTS IN RIAU INDONESIA
Police say that 13 individuals allegedly linked to Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) who were detained during raids in Riau province on 14 June had harboured suspects wanted by police.
The men were arrested by the police special counterterrorism unit Densus 88 in Pekanbaru and Dumai cities as well as Kampar and Siak regencies.
Corporate Covid track and trace
While governments may take steps to control COVID-19, their measures may not always be optimised for business.
For instance, contract tracing information is not always shared with businesses promptly.
Deploying BluePass will enable businesses to own their contact tracing data and access it instantly. this means swifter control in the minimising the disruptive impact of COVID-19 within their own premises to sustain business operations.
What is BluePass?
Designed for industrial and rugged environments, BluePass is a small and light wearable contact tracing device that does not require user intervention or a mobile connection.
Expert contributes to ESG and security handbook
Hill and Associates is proud to announce that our senior leader in Singapore, has contributed a chapter titled ‘Bribery, corruption, geopolitics and investigation’ to the academic textbook, Handbook of Security and the Environment, published by Edward Elgar Publishing.
The handbook was edited by leading academics and professionals in the Environmental and Security field, Ashok Swain, Professor of Peace and Conflict Research, Uppsala University, Joakim Öjendal, Professor of Peace and Development Research, Gothenburg University, Sweden and Anders Jägerskog, Senior Water Resources Management Specialist, The World Bank, Washington DC, US.
Risk intelligence (14/05/2021) - Bangladesh
BANGLADESH MILITANT GROUP AIMS TO STRENGTHEN RECRUITMENT DRIVE
According to documents obtained by the police’s Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime (CTTC), the radical militant group, Ansar al-Islam, intends to recruit youth from high schools, madrasahs, universities, Islamic parties, and other insurgent organisations.
According to the police, the group was looking to recruit people who were intellectually and politically astute and could make good use of time and opportunity. The revelation also indicates that Ansar al-Islam was trying to create a strong grassroot level support network with the help of social media that has impressive penetration among educated minds.
Risk intelligence (07/05/2021) - Indonesia
Papua Indonesia militia update
Police and the military (TN) have intensified patrols in Ilaga, Puncak regency, Papua, following violent attacks by members of armed groups in the past week.
A shootout occurred after dozens of armed men fired shots at the Ilaga Police headquarters at around 1900hrs local time on Thursday 6 May.
Risk intelligence (30/04/2021) - Thailand
Three killed in fiery insurgent attack in Pattani
PATTANI: Three family members were killed and two pickup trucks burned when assailants opened fire on the vehicles, which burst into flames, in Sai Buri district on Saturday morning, 24 April. The attack occurred on Pattani-Narathiwat Road No 42 in tambon Laharn, said Sai Buri police who were alerted around 0630hrs.
Risk advisory from Hill and Associates
The security situation in Thailand’s Deep South region remains volatile.
Violent incidents, such as hit-and-run or bomb attacks, roadside bombings, drive-by shootings, assassinations, arson and skirmishes between Patani-Malay separatist insurgents and security forces or government militias continue to occur sporadically across the provinces of Pattani, Yala, Narathiwat and the southern districts of Songkhla.
Most security-related incidents take place in rural areas, but main cities such as Narathiwat, Pattani, Yala and Hat Yay in the Buddhist-majority area of Songkhla province have been targeted by bombings in the past.
Bombings or other types of attacks in provinces outside of the insurgent’s main area of operation in the Malay-majority provinces are possible.
BVD ‘Contemporary approaches to compliance’ seminar
Our compliance specialist breaks down the elements of ESG, and weaves through the complexities in the current covid era. He looks at the challenges facing businesses and international organisations, as societal challenges create complex scenarios for regulatory authorities, governments and the international community.
AML podcast
Our certified Anti-Money Laundering specialist discusses with Ankit Sharma of Accuity, the role that financial intelligence can play in an array of subjects, ranging from the new Myanmar Sanctions, AML/CFT changes in the post Brexit landscape, TBML regulations and complexities, emerging #KYC threats, to best practices for institutions to combat financial crime with some crystal gazing into FY21 and beyond.
Mitigating employee safety risks
Mitigating employee safety risks: Technology as an enabler, tool and solution.
As the modern workforce is increasingly mobile, collaborative, and dynamic, and comprises multi-generations, all with different communication preferences. These workers span multiple industries, all who represent unique challenges when it comes to staying safe and connected.
These new possibilities and challenges will demand a new set of skills to ensure your employee’s safety and duty of care. Having access to critical security information, be able to communicate and locate your employee whenever they require assistance.
What is social media monitoring?
What is social media monitoring?
Social media monitoring is the practice of gathering and overseeing public activity on social media.
Social media monitoring tools are designed to aggregate publicly available data from multiple networks and display it in a digestible format for end-users. Tools pull information from a range of social networks as well as some traditional media outlets. These tools do not have access to private data.
ESG Webinar catch-up
Our Environmental, Social and corporate Governance (ESG) specialist discusses the role that financial intelligence can play in protecting the natural world, alongside two other international experts.
The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the intractable problem of wildlife trafficking through Asia’s wet markets.
Yet sadly, this is only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to environmental crime. From illegal logging in Borneo, to guerrilla gold-mining in Papua New Guinea, to wholesale wildlife smuggling, crimes against the natural world are surging across the region. These are all profit-motivated crimes and the proceeds are inevitably washed through some of the leading financial centres and parked in “rule of law” economies.
Counter Fraud and organised crime
STRENGTHENING THE AML/CTF REGIME IN THE PHILIPPINES
FINTELKT and the Philippines AMLC conducted a summit in November 2020, where our AML and compliance specialist, Mark Nuttall, gave his professional input. The recap of that event has recently been released by FINTELEKT and AMLC.
He spoke on the following in two separate sessions:
‘Fraud Investigations – Experiences and Best Practices’ and ‘Investigating and Prosecuting Transnational Crimes’
Risk intelligence (19/03/2021) - Thailand
THAI CIVIL UNREST UPDATE
Tensions are again running high in Thailand following the announcement of the Ratsadon protest movement in mid-February to intensify their protests after four of their key leaders were sent into pre-trial detention on royal defamation charges.
Their continued detention and the increasing number of key activists who face jail time over lese-majeste or sedition charges has become the main rallying cry for the protesters, suggesting that momentum has shifted in favour of the government.
Generally, the protest movement can be expected to mobilise several thousand supporters, but it is becoming increasingly unlikely that it will be able to generate the massive turnout it achieved at the height of the unrest in late 2020, before a second coronavirus outbreak brought an end to the protests.
Risk intelligence (18/03/2021) - India
COVID-19 UPDATE
Indian authorities in Uttar Pradesh's Gautam Buddh Nagar and Ghaziabad districts have imposed prohibitory orders against public gatherings with immediate effect in view of the rising COVID-19 graphs in Delhi & the National Capital Region (NCR), India.
The order has been enforced in Noida, Greater Noida and Ghaziabad - three important satellite cities near Delhi, and will be in force till 30 April at least. Authorities may extend the order depending on the prevailing outbreak situations there.
Risk intelligence (17/03/2021) - Indonesia
The Indonesian government has indicated that it will allow people to travel to their hometowns for Idul Fitri this year in the annual mass exodus known as ‘mudik,’ despite the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
Minister of Transportation Budi Karya Sumadi told a parliamentary commission meeting yesterday that the government will not prohibit people from traveling for Idul Fitri and that authorities will “tighten” measures to ensure adherence to health protocols.
Risk intelligence (16/03/2021) - India
India’s active COVID-19 caseload has been rising again over the last fortnight and has left health experts wondering whether the second wave of outbreak has already set in amid the country-wide vaccination drive.
India recorded the highest single-day jump in fresh infection number in nearly three months on Monday, 15 March - 26,291 new patients were added to the country’s tally over a period of 24 hours till 0800hrs, and 24,492 more over the next 24 hours.
The country has also reported a 33% rise in fresh COVID-19 cases on a week-to-week basis from 8-15 March.
Risk intelligence (15/03/2021) - Indonesia
Security forces are pursuing members of an armed group responsible for holding an aircraft and its passengers captive in Puncak regency, Papua, Indonesia last week. About 30 armed men ambushed the Susi Air flight after it landed at the Wangbe Airport at around 0620hrs local time on 12 March.
The airport is located about 40 kilometres from the regency capital Ilaga.
The armed men forced the pilot, a New Zealand national, and three Papuan passengers off the aircraft. A military (TNI) spokesman said that the men asked the pilot to inform the airline’s management not to transport police and TNI personnel to Puncak.
Risk intelligence (12/03/2021) - China
On Thursday, 11 March, the National People’s Congress (NPC) adopted the “Outline of the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-2025) for National Economic and Social Development and the Long-Range Objectives Through the Year 2035,” or the 14th Five-Year Plan (14FYP), at the conclusion of the annual “Two Sessions” meeting in Beijing.
The document contained few, if any, surprises – the key principles and content were previewed at the 5th Plenum last October – but significantly clarified the path charted for the next five years. In this analysis, we aim to provide an initial reading of what we perceive to be the most important takeaway for major multinationals: the possible implications for data security policy.
Defensive driving course - Indonesia
Our risk experts are specialists in the intricacies of defensive tactics, and will brief and train you throughout this course, alongside ensuring you can care for others in times of crisis.
Hill and Associates spreads across Asia and understands that businesses have assets across the region, whether the HQ is in China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, USA, UK, Europe or elsewhere.