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.
From eateries to tuition centres: Businesses in Singapore gearing up for phase 2 reopening
Retail establishments, which will be allowed to open physical stores on Friday (June 19), will have to adhere to strict safety measures including occupancy limits, frequent cleaning and disinfection of common areas, and implementation of the Government's visitor check-in system SafeEntry. Enterprise Singapore (ESG), the Housing Board (HDB), Singapore Tourism Board (STB) and Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) released a joint advisory for retail establishments and lifestyle-related services on Tuesday detailing the guidelines and rules that business will have to follow. – The Straits Times
Malaysia Airports: Stern action taken against rude security personnel
Malaysia Airports said it has taken disciplinary action against its Aviation Security (AVSEC) personnel following reports that an airport guest, who is also a singer, was discourteously treated when entering Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) terminal to send off her family, last weekend. "Malaysia Airports does not condone rude behaviour on the part of any of its staff," said the airport operator in a statement today. Malaysia Airports said it had immediately launched an investigation upon being made aware of the incident, which confirmed the incident as reported. It also extended their sincerest apologies to the airport guest, Noorul Huda Abdul Wahab, and her family over the unfortunate incident. It also reminded passengers to refer to its website for the frequently asked questions (FAQ) on the new normal during the Recovery Movement Control Order (RMCO). – New Straits Times
Experts warn of rainy season outbreaks
The Covid-19 pandemic will not be the only threat to Thai students when schools reopen in July as rain will also bring other common wet-season diseases such as influenza, dengue fever and hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD), an epidemiologist warns. Speaking at a forum titled "new normal for Thai children" held by the Thai Health Promotion Foundation (ThaiHealth) on Tuesday, Dr Kumnuan Ungchusak, an epidemiologist at the Department of Disease Control, warned schools nationwide to not only focus on Covid-19, but also be wary of other wet-season diseases. "As the monsoon season begins, the number of children going down with influenza, dengue fever and hand, foot and mouth disease is likely to increase. I think the likelihood of our children contracting these diseases is much higher than Covid-19," he said. – Bangkok Post
Indonesia records new daily highs in cases during transition to 'new normal'
As Indonesia transitions into the “new normal”, the country continues to report high numbers of new COVID-19 cases, with three new daily records reported since the beginning of June as well as the highest daily death toll of 64 fatalities on Monday. The government reported a record daily high of 993 new cases on June 6, exceeding the previous high of 973 cases on May 21, followed by 1,043 cases on June 9 and 1,240 cases the following day, with epicentres East Java and Jakarta contributing significantly to the tallies. Government spokesperson for COVID-19 affairs Achmad Yurianto attributed the spikes to "aggressive contact tracing". – The Jakarta Post
Virus victim: Health care law
Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) on Tuesday moved to postpone the implementation of the universal health care (UHC) law after its premium collection this year fell 90 percent due to the new coronavirus disease (COVID-19) crisis. The UHC was crafted to provide health insurance benefits to all 104 million Filipinos starting this year. Facing lawmakers in an online hearing, PhilHealth president Ricardo Morales disclosed that the state insurer’s revenue might decline by about P100 billion this year until 2024, an outcome that would severely affect the agency’s capacity to provide primary health benefits to all Filipinos. As directed by President Duterte, Morales also said PhilHealth had already dropped its plan to require overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) to settle their contributions before they could leave the country. – Philippine Daily Inquirer
Cửu Long Delta business environment improves significantly: VCCI
Localities in the Cửu Long (Mekong) Delta have made significant improvements to their economic governance and business environment over the years with their unceasing efforts, the Việt Nam Chamber of Commerce and Industry said. Its vice president, Võ Tân Thành, told a seminar in Vĩnh Long Province on Monday that many localities in the region have been among the leaders in the country in economic governance. The delta has thus been leading the Provincial Competitiveness Index (PCI) from among the country’s six economic regions for many years now, and many of its sub-indicators, he added. Its median PCI score has been on a sustained uptrend in recent years, rising in 2015-19 by 10 per cent, equivalent to 5.95 points, from 59 to 64.99 points. – Viet Nam News
A Thai Dissident Was ‘Kidnapped’ in Cambodia. Protesters and the UN Want Answers.
On June 3, self-exiled Thai activist Wanchalearm Satsaksit posted a scathing video on Facebook lambasting Thai Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-o-cha. The next day, CCTV video footage revealed he was bundled into a black vehicle by unknown assailants near his apartment in the Cambodian capital of Phnom Penh, and has not been heard from since. In the days since Wanchalearm’s disappearance, a growing chorus of voices has called on both the Thai and Cambodian governments to locate him, with protesters gathering Monday at the Cambodian embassy in Bangkok to demand the neighbouring country work to find the missing activist. – The Cambodia Daily