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.
PM hands over letter of appointment to Mohd Zuki
Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad today received a courtesy visit from the new Chief Secretary to the Government, Datuk Seri Mohd Zuki Ali, and his predecessor Tan Sri Dr Ismail Bakar.
In the meeting held at the Perdana Leadership Foundation office, here, Dr Mahathir handed over the letter of appointment to Mohd Zuki.
At the event, Ismail also handed over his duties to Mohd Zuki. – New Straits Times
Baht weakens post-New Year holiday
The baht sprinted into the new year before falling past the 30-mark against the US dollar amid speculation that the central bank had stepped in to curb the local currency's gain.
"We expect the central bank to step in to weaken the baht after the currency passed 30 to the dollar on Dec 30," said Roong Sanguanruang, vice-president for global markets research at Bank of Ayudhya (BAY). "The central bank is expected to continue preventing the local currency from strengthening past 30." – Bangkok Post
Cellular services remain disrupted in some areas following Greater Jakarta floods
Cellular services from a number of telecommunication providers remained disrupted in several areas on Thursday following heavy rains and flooding that have gripped Greater Jakarta since Tuesday night.
Communication and Information Minister Johnny G. Plate said several cellular base transceiver stations (BTS) had been out of service since Wednesday due to power cuts by state-owned electricity firm PLN in response to the flooding. – The Jakarta Post
Improved technique boosts breeding of Myanmar endangered tortoises
Conservationists say they have found a better way to breed the critically endangered Burmese star tortoise, which is found only in Myanmar forests.
Burmese Star Tortoise Farm at Lawkananda Wildlife Sanctuary in Nyaung Oo township, Mandalay Region, said that 1060 tortoises had hatched from 2289 eggs laid by 115 female tortoises in 2018. – Myanmar Times
Cambodia achieves economic miracle but much remains to be done
While Cambodia has achieved nothing short of a “miracle” in terms of economic development, there is still much to be done if the Kingdom wants to improve or sustain such progress and the financial/ non-financial wellbeing of its people in the long run.
The 2019 Global Sustainable Competitiveness Index released last week by SolAbility ranked Cambodia second to last among countries in Southeast Asia. SolAbility described itself as a sustainable intelligence think-tank. It started operations in 2005 as a Swiss-Korean joint venture. – Khmer Times