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.
Coronavirus: 233 new infections in Singapore, seven new clusters including Black Tap at MBS
Singapore reported 233 new coronavirus cases on Sunday (April 12) and seven new clusters, said the Ministry of Health (MOH) in its daily update. While the number of cases in the community has increased following a wave of imported cases, there has been some moderation in recent days, in the light of the safe distancing measures that have been put in place, the ministry added. The number of imported cases rose in the middle of last month due to the large number of returnees, but has since come down to zero, it said. Among the new cases, 51 are linked to known clusters, 15 are linked to other cases, and 167 are pending contact tracing. None are imported cases. Of the 167 pending contact tracing, 141 are work permit holders who are mostly residing in dormitories, work sites, and other living quarters, said MOH. This brings the total number of cases to 2,532. – The Straits Times
Muslims await bittersweet Ramadan
For many Muslims in Malaysia, this year’s Ramadan looks set to be a bittersweet experience. The recent announcement that the Movement Control Order (MCO) would be extended until April 28 to break the Covid-19 transmission chain means that the first day of Ramadan, which is usually spent with loved ones to welcome the holy month, would herald a very different celebration. The first day of Ramadan usually sees families breaking fast, participating in tarawih prayers at a mosque and eating the pre-dawn sahur meal together. Zulaikha Kamarudin, 27, is one of many Malaysian who will be spending the first few days of Ramadan alone. The advertising executive, who lives in Damansara Perdana with her sister, usually returns to her hometown of Batu Pahat, Johor, to celebrate the first day of Ramadan with her family. But her sister had travelled back to Batu Pahat on March 14. When the MCO began, her sister decided to remain there, leaving Zulaikha alone. “My sister is lucky. She was on leave and decided to return to our hometown, so she is with our family now,” Zulaikha said. She is gutted about missing out on the annual occasion. – New Straits Times
Man jumps to death at end of quarantine
A man from Narathiwat province who was due to be released from Covid-19 quarantine jumped to his death from the 5th floor of a state hospital in Phra Pradaeng district on Monday morning, police said. Police were called to the hospital in Tambon Bang Ya Phraek about 2.30am. They found the body of a dead man in a pool of blood on the terrace of the second floor. He was wearing a pair of jeans but without a shirt. The body was sealed in a twin-layer plastic bag and sent to the Forensic Medicine Institute for an autopsy. Investigators reported the man was from Narathiwat and was among a group of Muslims who went to Indonesia to attend a religious function. On his return to Thailand via Suvarnabhumi airport he was taken to the hospital in Phra Pradaeng district for 14-day quarantine. At the hospital, he shared a room with three other people. – Bangkok Post
COVID-19: Govt repatriates, isolates more than 500 TKIs from Malaysia
As many as 513 Indonesian domestic workers have been repatriated from neighbouring Malaysia after they were given the all-clear for COVID-19 infection. Priagung Adhi Bawono, the head of the Medan Port Health Authority (KKP), said that each Indonesian migrant worker (TKI) had been accounted for and confirmed free of infection after testing negative for the virus upon their arrival at Kualanamu International Airport in Deli Serdang regency, North Sumatra. “The preliminary results show that none of the [repatriated] domestic workers have any symptoms [of COVID-19]. They all tested negative,” Priagung told The Jakarta Post on Saturday. He added that the workers had been examined in Malaysia prior to their repatriation, but noted that some of the workers had flu-like symptoms, including dry cough and dizziness. As of Saturday, North Sumatra had recorded at least 59 confirmed cases and eight deaths. – The Jakarta Post
Harry Roque returns as Duterte’s spokesman
Human rights lawyer Harry Roque will return as President Rodrigo Duterte’s spokesman, more than a year after he stepped down from the post to pursue his bid for a Senate seat. Duterte’s chief legal counsel Salvador Panelo, who replaced Roque as Presidential Spokesman, confirmed the development on Monday. “Yup Harry Roque will be back to his previous post. I’m still the Chief Presidential Legal Counsel. I will be performing the same role as the President’s chief lawyer and issuing statements as such,” Panelo told reporters in a text message. Roque resigned as Duterte’s official mouthpiece on October 2018 to give way for his senatorial bid. He, however, withdrew his candidacy days before the campaign period officially starts due to health reasons. – Philippine Daily Inquirer