The biggest thing that could help the image of the Philippine National Police (PNP) is the use of body cameras. If the police’s actions are in doubt, the use of body cams will address the need for transparency.

This Week's News Spotlight:

Singapore population drops for the first time since 2003 | Southeast Asia will surpass China to become top laptop producer in the world | Southeast Asia positioned for “Goldilocks” phase of economic growth in 2021 | Myanmar’s COVID-19 QR pass system falls victim to cyberattacks | Philippine National Police rolls out body cameras for cop

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Singapore’s population drops for the first time since 2003  -Reuters

The Singapore economy is set to face the worst recession in its history.

Singapore’s population has dropped by 0.3%, or about 18,000 people, and now has a total of 5.69 million people. Reuters reported that although some citizens returned from abroad, the number of foreigners dipped by 2% (down to 1.64 million), led to an overall decrease in population.

The statistics were announced in an annual population report by the Singapore government, and were attributed due to COVID-19 challenges like job losses, weak demand for goods and services, and travel restrictions.

Southeast Asia will surpass China to become top laptop producer in the world -Nikkei

Laptop deliveries are expected to rise 6% this year to reach 170 million units.

A Taiwanese government think tank predicted that Southeast Asia will produce half of the world’s laptops by 2030, with most of the production concentrated in Vietnam and Thailand, replacing China as the world’s top laptop producer.

In 2019, 160 million laptop units were produced, with 90% of them made in China. But the Taiwanese government think tank found, through interviews with manufacturers, that China’s laptop production will be streamlined from 90% to 40% by 2030.

Southeast Asia positioned for “Goldilocks” phase of economic growth in 2021 -Business Times

Despite being badly hit by the COVID-19 pandemic, a Morgan Stanley report revealed that things are still looking optimistic for Southeast Asia.

According to a Morgan Stanley report, Asia, excluding Japan, is set to enjoy a “Goldilocks” phase of economic growth in 2021. Indonesia and the Philippines will be more well-placed than their Asian counterparts.

“Goldilocks” refers to “a sweet spot of accelerating and above-trend growth, rising-to-trend inflation, and big easy policy”.

This trend would mirror the economic growth of years 2009/10 and 2015/18. Although COVID-19 recovery might shed doubt on the likelihood of such a forecast, the report pointed out that recovery has already “been set in motion”, led by China, Taiwan, and South Korea. This growth is expected to “broaden out” and reach the rest of Asia, excluding Japan, in 2021.

Myanmar’s COVID-19 QR pass system falls victim to cyberattacks -KrASIA

Saw Saw Shar, the information app associated with the health QR codes, was developed by the COVID-19 Containment and Emergency Response ICT Support Group.

On Sunday, the registration portal for QR codes that are required for domestic travel in Yangon, Myanmar, was the target of a series of cyberattacks.

Yangon residents rely on the registration portal to issue QR codes, which allow them to commute within the city, which is currently under a strict lockdown. However, on Sunday, the system suffered a slew of cyberattacks and was suspended for maintenance. A local cybersecurity specialist told KrASIA that the registration portal has massive security flaws.

Philippine National Police rolls out body cameras for cops -Rappler

The cameras were purchased for USD 5.9 million.

On Thursday, the Philippine National Police said that they intend to fit 2,600 cops with body cameras. These cameras will be tested on October 12 before being distributed to field units.

The rollout follows concerns about transparency in police operations sparked by the murder of 17-year old Kian delos Santos three years ago. The use of body cameras by the Philippine police has been in the pipeline since 2019, but was not officially adopted due to a lack of budget.