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.
Malaysia detains Cambodian opposition party vice-president
Malaysian immigration authorities have detained Mu Sochua, vice-president of the banned opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP), four sources with direct knowledge of the matter told Reuters. The detention came ahead of a planned return of exiled CNRP leaders, including Mu Sochua and Sam Rainsy, the party’s founder, to Cambodia. The sources, one of whom is with the Malaysian government, declined to be named. Malaysia’s immigration department did not immediately respond to Reuters’ questions. – New Straits Times
New hurdle for charter bid
Efforts to seek charter amendments face more hurdles after two government coalition partners locked horns over who should head a proposed House committee to study charter changes. Constitutional amendment is one of the 12 priorities detailed in the policy statement which the Prayut Chan-o-cha administration declared before parliament. The Democrat Party even insisted on a charter change as a precondition for joining the Palang Pracharath Party-led (PPRP) coalition. The issue has become a thorn in the side of the government, now the House is moving to appoint a special panel to study charter change. – Bangkok Post
More HDB resale flats sold in October
More Housing Board (HDB) resale flats were sold last month compared with previous months after higher grants and income ceilings for first-time buyers took effect in September. In all, 2,213 HDB resale flats changed hands, an 18 percent increase from September, real estate portal SRX Property said on Thursday (7 Nov). Compared with a year ago, the resale volume was 10.6 percent higher. Four-room flats made up 40.8 percent of the units sold last month. Five-room flats were at 24.3 percent and three-room flats at 25.4 percent, while executive flats made up 7.5 percent. The rest were multi-generation and two-room flats. – The Straits Times
Pasuruan’s commitment to education questioned after falling roof kills student, teacher
Schools are supposed to be the safest places for children after their own homes, but this was not the case for 8-year-old Irza Almira, who died on Tuesday morning after a school roof collapsed in Pasuruan, East Java. The collapse at state elementary school SDN 1 Gentong also killed her teacher, Sevina Arsy Putri Wijaya, and injured 12 students aged 7 to 11. The Pasuruan Police have not determined the cause of the incident. However, the city’s police chief Adj. Sr. Comr. Agus Sudaryatno suspected that the construction of the school in 2017 was "not up to standard". – The Jakarta Post
P6.8 M shabu seized in Paranaque sting
Police recovered around P6.8 million worth of “shabu” (crystal meth) concealed in a tea pack in a buy-bust operation in Parañaque City. Brig. Gen. Nolasco Bathan, Southern Police District director, said in a police report Thursday that the operation was launched against drug suspect Bayan Ibrahim, 32. The operation was jointly conducted by the Station Drug Enforcement Units of the Parañaque and Caloocan City police at around 1:30 p.m. Wednesday. Also recovered from the suspect were cash, marked money and his cell phone allegedly used in the transaction. The inventory of the seized pieces of evidence was witnessed by local officials and the media, Bathan said. He added that the suspect is now detained at the Parañaque City police station and will be charged with violation of the Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002. – Philippine Daily Inquirer
Cambodia opposition return hits new Thailand roadblock
Plans by self-exiled leaders of Cambodia’s banned opposition party to return to their homeland hit a major roadblock Wednesday when Thailand’s prime minister said their top leader would not be allowed in to make his way through the country to the Cambodian border. Leaders of the Cambodia National Rescue Party have vowed to return home on Saturday despite efforts by their government to thwart them. They are led by party co-founder Sam Rainsy, who has been in exile since 2015 to avoid serving a prison term on charges that he says are politically motivated. The opposition politicians said they hoped to return accompanied by a mass of followers, including from the huge community of Cambodian migrant workers in Thailand. They say they seek to spark a popular movement to oust long-serving Prime Minister Hun Sen, an autocratic leader who has clamped down on his opponents and demolished democracy. – The Cambodia Daily