Hot off the press

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.  

Azmin takes centre stage at PKR wings congress, supporters in droves

The opening of PKR Youth and Women wings congress tonight was overwhelmed by scores of pro-Datuk Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali's supporters, subduing his rival camp's previous months-long blitzkrieg on the heels of a delicate truce forged between factions yesterday.

A number of Azmin's supporters were clad in red T-shirts where small letterings of "AA Team" were emblazoned on the right sleeve; it stands for "Team Azmin Ali", signifying their solidarity behind the party deputy president.

Earlier, Azmin's arrival gimmick caught the eyes of all party members as he rode a trishaw, chauffeuring his staunch allies vice-presidents Tian Chua and Zuraida Kamaruddin in yet another show of confederacy. – New Straits Times

Hong Kong gives protesters green light for big march on Sunday; motion to remove Carrie Lam fails

Hong Kong authorities granted protesters permission to march this weekend, organisers said on Thursday (5 Dec), giving the green light to a rally seen as a gauge of the pro-democracy movement's support following its sweeping victory in local elections.

The Civil Human Rights Front, the group that organised million-strong marches in Hong Kong in June, said it had received permission from police for a planned Human Rights Day rally on Sunday. – Straits Times

Bangkok 20th on expat city list

Bangkok ranks 20th on a list of expat-friendly cities in a survey conducted by InterNations, the world's largest expat community with more than 3.5 million members. The city gets high marks for affordability but its ranking was dragged down by poor scores for environmental quality and political stability.

Twelve Asian cities are featured in the Expat City Ranking 2019, with four of them - Taipei, Kuala Lumpur, Ho Chi Minh City and Singapore - occupying the top four positions worldwide. Yangon was in the bottom 10 of the 82-city survey in 73rd place, just one spot below Seoul. – Bangkok Post

Credit card company aims to grow user base in Myanmar

Chinese financial services company Union Pay says it will utilise two strategies to increase the number of Union Pay card users in Myanmar.

This was revealed by. Vincent Ling, assistant general manager of Union Pay International in Myanmar. – Myanmar Times

Government contract officials to get $5 raise in wages next month

The government has issued a sub-decree to increase the monthly salary of government contract officials from US$162.5 to US$167.5 starting next month.

The sub-decree, signed by Prime Minister Hun Sen on 4 December, said the government has decided to increase the salary by US$5 for the contract officials. – Khmer Times