Rapid population growth, along with accelerated urbanisation and industrialisation in Southeast Asia, has put tremendous pressure on the region’s depleting freshwater resources. Water utilities are also finding it difficult to improve current water management practices and develop new water supply sources due to the continuously rising demand for water. In this regard, desalination is being considered as a feasible option to meet the increasing demand. Our focus story, “Viable Option” concludes that the market for desalination in the region will continue to expand, with Singapore leading the way.
Our other regional story, “Grid Strengthening” highlights the need for significant multilateral aid for attracting the necessary investments in the energy sector. The electrification rates in countries like Cambodia and Myanmar remain among the lowest in Asia at 35 to 50 per cent. Due to the poor economic condition of the countries, the inability to arrange funds to meet the region’s ambitious targets prevents the necessary investments in this sector – hence, the need for multilateral funds.
For Myanmar, mere funding assurance is not the solution as it is a transitioning economy. An enabling policy framework, transparent business practices, a proper judicial system ensuring investor protection, well-defined development plans, and effective implementation are the prerequisites for ensuring sustainable growth of the economy, as discussed in our story “Eyes on Myanmar”.
A slew of new laws and initiatives have been put in place by various Southeast nations to develop the communication set-up in their respective geographies. Our telecom story, “Taking the Leap” covers Brunei, which is among the latest countries to have put in place a new broadband policy to help the country catch up to match existing ICT markets in the region.
Our story “Marching Ahead” looks at a major step by another Southeast Asian country. The Thailand government has decided to proceed with the 21st Petroleum Bidding Round, despite opposition from the National Reform Council. Against the backdrop of the rising demand-supply gap for oil and gas in Thailand, the move is expected to provide respite to the country in the long term.
Another country that we are taking a closer look at in this issue is the Philippines. Our story, “Technological Gains” highlights that through the enterprise GIS application, the Manila Water Company has strengthened the provision of water and sewerage services. It is integrating GIS with its enterprise asset management system, which is expected to help the company improve the utilisation of water and performance of its wastewater assets, reduce capital costs, and increase the return on assets.
A major development in the Philippines road sector – the ground-breaking of the third 7.9 km Cebu-Mactan bridge project – is covered in our story “Closer to Reality”.
ASEAN’s first high speed rail project, the Singapore-Kuala Lumpur link is likely to miss its 2020 deadline mainly due to financing and geopolitical factors, as our story “On Slow Track” points out.