These are the top stories making the front pages of major newspapers from across Southeast Asia today.
Get up to speed with what’s happening in the fastest growing region in the world.
Dowry needs fuel Sabah's ivory trade
For the Timorese people, who still hold on to ancient traditions, the ivory is the ultimate gift in seeking the hand of marriage from the family of a woman. The community is historically known to have sought the ivory abroad because there are no elephants from where they come from. The recent brutal killing of a Bornean pygmy elephant in Sungai Udin in Dumpas, Tawau saw the tusks sawn off and buried before the eventual arrests of the six culprits who now await trial. – New Straits Times
School staff protest outside ministry
More than 1,000 employees of the Office of the Basic Education Commission (Obec) on Tuesday began a street protest outside the Education Ministry, vowing not to disperse until the government formally guarantees their job security and restores their fringe benefits.
The protest came after Obec issued a letter on 28 September announcing the redesignation of more than 60,000 temporary school administration staff as outsourced employees, said demonstration leader Witchaphong Phumbunphak. – Bangkok Post
Police foil attacks, suicide bombing plots as JAD crackdown continues
The National Police claim to have foiled terror plots, including suicide bombings, in several cities across Java, which were allegedly planned by Islamic State-linked homegrown militant group Jamaah Ansharut Daulah (JAD).
This comes amid an ongoing crackdown against the terrorist network in a string of operations that started following the attack against Coordinating Political, Legal and Security Affairs Minister Wiranto last week. – The Jakarta Post
‘Ninja cops’ may end up dead – Magalong
The lives of 13 policemen accused of pilfering and selling a huge amount of “shabu” (crystal meth) that they confiscated during a sting operation in Pampanga province six years ago could be in danger, Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong and Sen. Richard Gordon said on Tuesday.
Magalong, who investigated the irregularity when he was chief of police for criminal investigation, said in a television interview that the policemen could all be killed like the civilian agents involved in the anti-narcotics operation. – Philippine Daily Inquirer
Laos, China partner in quality control of agricultural exports
Laos will soon have a high-quality facility to ensure the required international hygiene standards of plant and animal products as well as providing training. A Memorandum of Understanding on a project to build the facility was signed in Vientiane recently by the Director General of the Agriculture Department, Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, Mr Chantha Thipphavongphanh, and the Chairman of Yunnan Yuzhan Agriculture Development Co. Ltd. Ms Liang Yali. – Vientiane Times
Illegal wildlife meat seized at Stung Treng market
The Stung Treng provincial Forestry Administration seized 40kg of wildlife meat on Monday from the Stung Treng Samaki market in Stung Treng town where it was being illegally sold. The Ministry of Information’s website said on Tuesday that the crackdown was launched on October 14 as wildlife meat was repeatedly sold illegally at the market. Some vendors still sold such meat despite numerous crackdowns. – The Phnom Penh Post