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.
Duke-NUS' vaccine approved for clinical trials ahead of predicted date; first study to involve 108 volunteers
A vaccine jointly developed by Duke-NUS Medical School and United States pharmaceutical company Arcturus Therapeutics has received approval for clinical trials. This puts it among 24 other candidate vaccines around the world that are currently undergoing clinical evaluation. Professor Ooi Eng Eong, deputy director of the school's emerging infectious diseases programme, had previously told The Straits Times that the vaccine trials had "exceeded expectations" and could potentially result in its human trials being brought forward from September to August. Prof Ooi said in Tuesday's statement that pre-clinical studies of the vaccine had shown "very promising findings", including the possibility that just a single dose of the vaccine might be sufficient to trigger a robust and durable immune response against the coronavirus. He said: "We are very eager to start the first-in-human clinical trial here in Singapore and advance Lunar-Cov19 on its journey to becoming a potential commercial vaccine." – The Straits Times
'Spot the pink tag' eyes another alleged quarantine flouter
A certain "pink bracelet" is making many see red. With the battle against Covid-19 far from over, those returning from overseas and told to undergo home quarantine are under the spotlight as some of them have been spotted outside. The Health Ministry adopted the use of a "pink hospital tag" to be worn by those under home quarantine for 14 days. This generally means that those still sporting the tag should not be out in public. In the most recent "spot the pink tag game", a photograph of one man with one such tag on his wrist sitting at an eatery allegedly in Desa Sri Hartamas, here, has gone viral on social media. A source told Harian Metro that as of yesterday, the police has yet to receive a report on the matter. "The police will check on the photo that is being shared on social media. "The public is advised to immediately channel such information to the police," the source remarked when contacted yesterday. – New Straits Times
PM finalises his reshuffle
Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha says he has completed his new cabinet line-up and all that remains is for the qualifications of the new ministers to be checked. Of most interest is the energy portfolio, which is expected to be given to an outsider, according to government sources, despite the ruling Palang Pracharath Party (PPRP) saying it should make the appointment based on the post being within its quota. Speaking after Tuesday's cabinet meeting, the PM said that following the resignations of six ministers he would announce the cabinet line-up as soon as possible. Gen Prayut said after those chosen to fill the cabinet posts have been invited and accepted the invitations, their qualifications must be checked. Once the formalities have been completed, the new cabinet line-up will go to His Majesty the King for endorsement and the swearing-in ceremony will follow. "You can be certain that I will do this as soon as possible," he added. – Bangkok Post
Public trust in Jokowi’s COVID-19 response declines, survey finds
Public trust in President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo and Health Minister Terawan Agus Putranto’s handling of the COVID-19 outbreak has fallen in July as the country witnesses a rising number of confirmed cases, a survey from pollster Indikator Politik revealed on Tuesday. The survey on changes in public opinion related to the COVID-19 pandemic was conducted via phone calls from July 13 to 16, with 1,200 respondents tolled nationwide. In total, 52.6 percent of respondents in the July survey expressed faith in Jokowi’s handing of the pandemic while 8.3 percent expressed strong faith. The figures were down from May’s survey, in which 53.7 percent of respondents expressed faith and 14 percent expressed strong faith in the President’s handling of the crisis. “So, we saw a decrease of around 5 percent [in those who expressed strong faith]. This is input for the President," the pollster's executive director Burhanuddin Muhtadi said on Tuesday during a virtual press conference, noting that the level of public trust in the President was still quite high. – The Jakarta Post
Cities of Iloilo, Bacolod close borders amid COVID-19 threat
The cities of Iloilo and Bacolod have closed their borders for people from select provinces to curb the further spread of the coronavirus disease. Iloilo City Mayor Jerry Treñas and Bacolod City Mayor Evelio Leonard announced the closing of the borders of their respective jurisdictions in separate Facebook posts on Tuesday. “Due to the rising number cases of COVID-19, Iloilo City will CLOSE ITS BORDERS for people coming in from BACOLOD CITY, PROVINCES OF NEGROS OCCIDENTAL, AND NEGROS ORIENTAL, starting tomorrow, JULY 22, 2020,” Treñas said. He said that the movement of essential goods and cargoes will remain unhampered. Meanwhile, Leonard said Bacolod City will also close its borders “given the existing circumstances” in the city and nearby areas. “Given the existing circumstances in Bacolod City and Negros Occidental and also that in Iloilo City and Province of Iloilo, we are closing our borders to passengers coming in from Iloilo, Province of Iloilo and the whole of Panay including Guimaras, effective tonight (11:59 p.m. pf July 21),” said Leonard. Iloilo City has registered 94 confirmed cases of COVID-19 as of Monday, including 77 recoveries and three deaths. – INQUIRER.net
GDP forecast to grow 3.8 per cent this year
Viet Nam's growth rate this year would reach 3.8 per cent if there is no second COVID-19 outbreak in the second half of the year and the economic activities gradually resume, the Viet Nam Institute for Economic and Policy Research (VERP) has predicted. The forecast was released at the launch of an independent assessment of Việt Nam’s macroeconomic performance by VERP held in Hà Nội on Tuesday. "It is likely that the economy will reach 3.8 per cent for the whole year 2020. At a lower probability, the economy may grow only 2.2 per cent due to adverse events," said Phạm Thế Anh, chief economist at VERP, adding that the optimistic scenario of 5 per cent is unlikely. Considering the factors affecting the Vietnamese economy, VERP provided two scenarios for the economy. In the first scenario, the pandemic in many important economic and financial centres around the world is assumed capable of a recurrence, or not confident enough that countries must extend lockdowns to the second half of the third quarter. This would affect demand for importing goods from Việt Nam and as well as for tourism and accommodation in the country. – Viet Nam News
Cambodia identifies 50,000 more poor families affected by COVID-19: PM
Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen said Tuesday that the kingdom has identified another 50,000 new poor households, raising the total number of poor families affected by the COVID-19 to over 610,000 so far. “We spent 24 million U.S. dollars to support more than 560,000 poor families (in June), and the spending rose to 28 million dollars (in July) after we had found another 50,000 new poor families,” he said in a speech during a visit to farmers in southern Takeo province. He said local authorities still continue to identify more poor households for cash subsidies during the COVID-19 crisis. – The Cambodia Daily