No new banknotes for Malaysia in 2017
The Bank Negara Malaysia has denied claims circulating on social media that new 1-, 5-, 50- and 100-ringgit banknotes would be issued in 2017.
The Central Bank stated that it "would like to confirm that this news is not true. The current series of banknotes will continue to be legal tender and remain in circulation”.
Picture on the website of the Bank Negara Malaysia:

First banknotes with President Duterte's signature
The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP: the Central Bank of the Philippines) has issued the first banknotes with the signature of President Rodrigo Duterte who has been president of the Philippines since 30 June 2016.
"BSP Deputy Governor Diwa Guinigundo said the new bills are similar to those released in 2010 that bore the signature of then President Benigno Aquino III. It features the country's natural wonders and endemic species, such as the Tubbataha Reef and the tarsier."

South Korea reveals Olympic banknote
The Bank of Korea announced in May of this year that in commemoration of the Winter Olympics 2018 which will be held in Pyeongchang from 9 - 25 February 2018 a special banknote will be issued. South Korea follows in the footsteps of China and Russia who also issued special commemorative banknotes celebrating their Olympic games of 2008 and 2014.
The Bank of Korea has now revealed what the new note will look like. "The commemorative note is 140 millimeters wide and 75 millimeters long. The front of the note will feature athletes engaging in seven of the key winter sports events -- speed skating, ski jumping, ice hockey, curling, biathlon, bobsleigh and luge. The other side portrays a tiger and a pine tree, both believed to symbolize the nation, as in the famous “Songhamaenghodo (...)” painting by a leading painter from the Joseon-era, Kim Hong-do (1745-1806 (...)), who went by the pen name Danwon (...)."
I really like the design of this note, especially the subdued color scheme and the combination of modern sports and the classic painting on the back. And as a 'Dutchie' I think the speed skating on the front is very cool of course. The new note will be available for the public at the end of 2017.
Update 11-10-2017: the new note will be available from 17 November 2017.
Update 28-11-2017: the release date has now been postponed to 14 December 2017.


Nepal has issued a new 20-rupees note
The Central Bank of Nepal (Nepal Rastra Bank) has issued a new banknote of 20-rupees on 16 December 2016.
On the front of the red note we see Mount Everest (Chomolungma) left and a watermark of the national flower 'Rhododendron' in the right side. There is a signature of Governor Dr. Chiranjibi Nepal in the lower part of the note, and there is date mentioned as B.S.2072 in Nepali in the border.
The back shows two swamp deer (Barasingha) and the bank logo, the text 'NEPAL RASTRA BANK' in English and the text RUPEES TWENTY and 2016 A.D.
Information and images courtesy of Shankar Shrestha of www.nuphil.com.

Indonesia issues new banknotes
The Bank Indonesia has issued a new series of banknotes on 19 December 2016. The new banknotes were announced last September and feature the faces of Indonesian heroes.
Although the Bank Indonesia issues the banknotes, the name on the notes reads: "Negara Kesatuan Republik Indonesia" (The Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia) instead of "Bank Indonesia".
The people on the new notes are:
- 1,000 rupiah: Tjut Meutiah
- 2,000 rupiah: Mohammad Husni Thamrin
- 5,000 rupiah: K.H. Idham
- 10,000 rupiah: Frans Kaisiepo
- 20,000 rupiah: First governor of Sulawesi Gerungan Saul Samuel Jacob Ratulangi
- 50,000 rupiah: Former Prime Minister Juanda Kartawidjaja
- 100,000 rupiah: Founding fathers Soekarno and Mohammad Hatta
Update 23-12-2016: better pictures below:













