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.
Singapore sees worst-ever quarterly fall in employment in Q2 as retrenchments double: MOM data
Total employment in Singapore saw the biggest quarterly fall on record between April and June, while unemployment and retrenchments rose sharply, as the Covid-19 pandemic took a toll on the labour market. The number of workers here, excluding foreign domestic workers, plunged by 121,800 in the second quarter, according to preliminary data released by the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) on Wednesday (July 29). This is more than four times the fall in the first quarter and means that the economy has shed 147,500 workers in the first half of the year. Retrenchments more than doubled in the second quarter, with 6,700 workers laid off, up from 3,220 in the first quarter. This was higher than the peak of 5,510 during the 2003 severe acute respiratory syndrome (Sars) outbreak, but lower than the 2009 global financial crisis high of 12,760, said the ministry. – The Straits Times
Bursa Malaysia opens higher amid positive market sentiment
Bursa Malaysia extended yesterday's gains to open higher today, delivering a solid performance amid positive market sentiment. At 9.05 am, the benchmark FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) gained 1.15 points, or 0.07 per cent, to 1,611.09 from 1,609.94 at Tuesday's close. The key index opened 0.19 of-a-point firmer at 1,610.13 at 9 am. Market breadth was positive, with gainers leading losers 245 to 159, while 319 counters were unchanged, 1,274 untraded and 56 others suspended. Trading volume stood at 646.95 million shares worth RM270.44 million. In a note today, Malacca Securities Sdn Bhd said the FBM KLCI had delivered a solid performance after reclaiming the 1,600-resistance level yesterday. "That looks to persist over the near term as the market has brightened up again by the rally in glove makers stocks," it said, adding that the stronger ringgit, which is traded higher against the US dollar this morning, may provide some impetus for further gains. – New Straits Times
Supporters of govt to rally Thursday
A right-wing group calling itself Archeewa Chuai Chart will hold a rally on Thursday in what is seen as a bid to support the government in the wake of protests by student activists. In a statement issued on Tuesday, the group criticised the Free Youth group and the Student Union of Thailand which staged an anti-government protest on July 18, demanding the government dissolve parliament, stop using oppressive laws against political opponents and rewrite the constitution. The student activists said if their demands were not met within two weeks, this would result in an "upgrade" of their activism. The group claimed there was evidence the student activists used fake news and false information to cause misunderstanding about the monarchy, which had nothing to do with their demands. The students' actions could actually end up escalating conflicts in the country, the group warned. – Bangkok Post
Wanted: Volunteers for first human trial of COVID-19 vaccine in Indonesia
State-owned pharmaceutical holding company PT Bio Farma is looking for volunteers to assist in the clinical trial of a COVID-19 candidate vaccine developed in partnership with Chinese biopharmaceutical firm Sinovac Biotech, a ministry official has said. Arya Sinulingga, an aide to State-Owned Enterprises Minister Erick Thohir, said the company was looking for Indonesians who fulfilled the requirements to help in testing the candidate vaccine for its first tryouts in the country. Volunteers should be healthy adults between the age of 18 and 59 years old with no history of having contracted COVID-19 – tested either through rapid or repeated polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests, Arya said. Additionally, volunteers who register in the program should not participate in other clinical trials. Should the registrants pass the administrative and other preliminary procedures, Bio Farma will administer them with the first dose of the experimental vaccine and later take their blood samples after 14 days. – The Jakarta Post
PhilHealth defends SVP in flagged fund releases
The state-run Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) maintained that its release of cash advances to hospitals to support their COVID-19 response was “above-board” as it belied allegations that one of its senior officials favoured some hospitals for the fund disbursement. PhilHealth President and CEO Ricardo Morales reiterated that the corporation made available to all hospitals the P30-billion fund under the interim reimbursement mechanism (IRM) as a way “to ensure unhampered health services to all Filipinos.” As it was unclear in late March what areas would see a spike in infections, “it necessitated funds [to be prepositioned] even in facilities with pending cases” as long as they are licensed by the Department of Health, Morales said on Tuesday. “Extraordinary time need extraordinary measures,” Morales said in a statement. “All transactions on IRM are above-board and within the guidelines set by the corporation.” – INQUIRER.net
Start-ups discuss ways to overcome COVID-19
The complicated development of the COVID-19 pandemic in Việt Nam as well as around the world has had a large influence among enterprises, especially start-ups. V-Startup collaborated with Thiên Lộc Communication JSC to organise the Việt Nam Business Partnership Matching Day 2020 in Hà Nội on Tuesday. The event is an activity in the mission of developing markets for innovative start-ups under the Government’s Project 844 to support an innovative national start-up eco-system. The activity is organised to provide an overview of Việt Nam's post social distancing and pandemic economic situation, and policies to support the Government's economic recovery, providing opportunities for businesses development, especially creative start-ups. Another important purpose of the event is to create a connection between investors and young businesses. It brought together representatives of State ministries and departments, as well as leading economic experts and investors. – Viet Nam News
UN Asked Government for Answers Over ‘Intimidation’ of Licadho Official
The United Nations on Tuesday publicly released a letter challenging the government over alleged “intimidation” against a Licadho official, as the government continued to attack the group for participating in “a network” of local and international organizations working to “fabricate” news about Cambodia. Am Sam Ath, the rights group’s monitoring manager, was quoted by U.S.-run Radio Free Asia on March 29 saying some arrests over Covid-19-related Facebook posts were likely politically motivated. Two days later, Prime Minister Hun Sen warned that Sam Ath could be arrested over his comments. The UN sent its letter to the government two months after the exchange. It seeks answers over government actions that could create a “chilling effect on freedom of expression.” – The Cambodia Daily