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: Mandatory for all in Singapore to wear mask when out, except for kids under 2 and those doing strenuous exercise
It is mandatory, with immediate effect, for everyone to wear a mask when they step out as part of stricter measures to curb the further spread of the coronavirus. Those who do not risk a SGD300 fine for first-time offenders. There are exemptions for those engaging in strenuous exercise and children below the age of two, as medical experts recommend against them wearing masks, National Development Minister Lawrence Wong said at a media conference on Tuesday (April 14). People may remove their masks when engaging in exercise such as running or jogging, but they must put them on afterwards, he said. – The Straits Times
Third phase of nationwide MCO begins
Phase three of the Movement Control Order (MCO) begins today in an ongoing effort to break the chain of Covid-19 infection in the country. The MCO was first enforced on March 18, but was extended before its expiration on April 14 to April 28. The extension will stretch into the first week of Ramadan, which is expected to commence on April 23. To ensure a higher level of public compliance, the government has decided that from today, anyone caught defying the order will be summarily detained for legal action. This differs from the first and second phases of the MCO, when only compounds were issued to violators. Senior Minister (Security Cluster) Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob said that under Section 24 of the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases Act 1988 (Act 342), the court could impose a jail sentence of up to two years, and for subsequent offences, jail of up to five years. – New Straits Times
CAAT extends flight ban
The Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT) has extended its inbound flight ban to April 30 except repatriation flights and some others for coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) control. CAAT's director-general Chula Sukmanop announced the ban extension on its media on Wednesday morning. It was the third extension of the ban which was first imposed on April 3. He cited the necessity to maintain the continuation of measures to control the disease. He extended the ban on inbound passenger flights from 12.01am on April 19 to 11.59pm on April 30 and revoked his previous permissions for inbound passenger flights during the period. The ban spares state and military aircraft, aircraft making emergency landing and aircraft making technical landing without disembarkation. It also spares humanitarian aid, medical and relief flights as well as repatriation and cargo flights. – Bangkok Post
10 regions get green light to enact PSBB as COVID-19 cases continue to rise
The Health Ministry announced on Tuesday that it would allow 10 regions considered COVID-19 red zones to impose large-scale social restrictions (PSBB) to widely limit people's movement during the outbreak. The regions include capital Jakarta, which recorded 2,335 COVID-19 cases as of Tuesday, and its neighbouring Bogor regency, Bogor city, Depok city, Bekasi regency, Bekasi city, Tangerang regency, Tangerang city and South Tangerang city. Pekanbaru in Riau is the only city outside Java to gain approval to enact PSBB so far. The city is considered to be "an epicentre of COVID-19 in Sumatra, which can potentially be a source for the disease in Riau and its neighbouring provinces", the Health Ministry's disease control and prevention director general, Achmad Yurianto, said. – The Jakarta Post
Govt to enforce stricter quarantine guidelines amid rise in road traffic, violators
The government will be enforcing stricter guidelines for motorists during the enhanced community quarantine of Luzon beginning Wednesday amid the supposed rise in road traffic and quarantine violators in some parts of Metro Manila, Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles announced. Nograles, spokesperson of the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) on Emerging and Infectious Disease, said the order came from President Rodrigo Duterte after the Philippine National Police (PNP) reported that 108,088 have so far violated the lockdown guidelines as of Monday. A noticeable increase in the number of vehicles on Edsa and major thoroughfares in Metro Manila was likewise mentioned. To address this, the PNP’s Highway Patrol Group (HPG) will now inspect private vehicles to determine whether drivers and passengers belong to the list of Authorized Persons Outside of Residence (APOR) or not. If the driver or any of the passengers is unauthorized, HPG will issue LTO-TOP or MMDA-OVR tickets against drivers of private vehicles. – Philippine Daily Inquirer