Hot Off The Press

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. 

Stay informed with The ASEAN Post. 

Changi Airport Terminal 1, Alexandra Village Food Centre and IMM among places visited by Covid-19 patients

Orchis Food Court in Changi Airport Terminal 1, Ngee Ann City and Alexandra Village Food Centre are among new places visited by Covid-19 patients while they were still infectious, said the Ministry of Health (MOH) on Tuesday (Sept 29). Between Sept 15 and 25, the Orchis Food Court was visited at six different time slots, while the Alexandra Village Food Centre was visited at four separate time slots. Popular venues IMM, Bugis Junction and Bugis+ were also listed as new locations visited by patients. MOH provides the full list of locations that infectious Covid-19 patients visited for at least 30 minutes and the times they visited them to get people who were at those places at the same time to monitor their health closely for two weeks from the date of their visit. The full list of places can be found here. MOH has said that close contacts would already have been notified and that there is no need to avoid these places as they would have been cleaned if necessary. There was a total of 27 new coronavirus cases confirmed on Tuesday, taking Singapore's total to 57,742. There was one community case who is a Malaysian work permit holder. There were also nine imported cases, comprising one Singaporean, five permanent residents, one work pass holder, one work permit holder and one dependant's pass holder. The Singaporean and the work permit holder returned to Singapore from Indonesia, while the rest of the imported cases were returning from India. – The Straits Times

Sabah returnees free from quarantine if swab test negative

Although individuals returning to Peninsular Malaysia from Sabah are not required to undergo quarantine, swab tests are compulsory. Senior Minister (Security Cluster) Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob said Sabah returnees are advised – not mandated – to observe self-quarantine at home, at least for the first few days, even if their swab tests are negative. "Many are asking why not (impose) the 14-day quarantine (for Sabah returnees)? (Well), we allow inter-state travel. Sabah is (a Malaysian state) and when there was an increase in the number of cases in Kedah, we didn't screen everyone who travelled to Kedah. "The reason we are doing swab tests for Sabah returnees is because of the increase in cases (there) and we want some certainty on the (Covid-19) status (of the returned person). "If the result is negative, then you are free from quarantine. Besides, there are only four areas considered as red zones (in Sabah), not the (entire state)," he said in a Facebook post on Tuesday night. Following the recent Sabah state election, the number of Covid-19 cases spiked – prompting the government to require those returning from the state to the Peninsula to undergo swab tests at their points of arrival. Today, 101 new Covid-19 cases were reported – 73 of which are in Sabah. In addition, several politicians who campaigned in the state election tested positive for the virus, including Umno information chief Sharil Sufian Hamdan. "Home quarantine is (recommended) until the test result is out. God willing, if the result is negative, then you can visit a Klinik Kesihatan (government clinic) to cut your quarantine bracelet. "However, if (you had) close contact with a Covid-19 patient, the 14-day quarantine is compulsory," he added. – New Straits Times

B3,000 freebie for 10 million

The cabinet on Tuesday approved a scheme to make a co-payment of a maximum 3,000 baht per person for 10 million consumers over a three-month period. The co-payment scheme, which is scheduled to be implemented from Oct 23 until Dec 31, is intended for Thai citizens aged 18 and above. They need to sign up for the scheme from Oct 16 onwards. The co-payment would subsidise half the price of the products, government spokesman Anucha Burapachaisri told the media at a briefing on Tuesday. "The co-payment project doesn't apply to government lottery, alcoholic beverages, tobacco products and services," he clarified. The maximum amount from the government will be limited to 150 baht per day and 3,000 baht per person throughout the period, he said. Mr Anucha added that the amount will be transferred to the participants' electronic wallets. The scheme would cost the exchequer 30 billion baht and about 100,000 shops run by small business operators would benefit from it, he said. Shop owners interested in the project will be allowed to register from Thursday. In addition to the co-payment plan, the cabinet on Tuesday gave the nod to a proposal to add another 1,500 baht to the monthly living allowance of 13.94 million state welfare cards holders. Kanchana Tangpakon, a director of the Fiscal Policy Office, said the 1,500 baht living allowance will be paid in three instalments of 500 baht a month from October until December. The 1,500 baht is intended for buying consumer goods from the government's Thong Fa (Blue flag) shops across the country. – Bangkok Post

Health Minister Terawan urged to overhaul his communication skills

House of Representatives members have called on Health Minister Terawan Agus Putranto to rework his communication skills following a series of public gaffes that appear to have persuaded him to lie low despite the country's battle against the COVID-19 pandemic. In recent months, Terawan seems to have made fewer public appearance after critics lambasted him for creating numerous controversies, including by playing down the COVID-19 threat at the beginning of the outbreak in the country, despite his position leading the national efforts against the coronavirus. Emanuel Melkiades Laka Lena, the chairman of House Commission IX overseeing health care, acknowledged that the minister had displayed rather poor communication skills, though he deemed that Terawan had done a good enough job in handling the virus as proven during previous hearings with the legislative body. Terawan had not been able to inform the public properly about his efforts, therefore causing citizens to question his capabilities, Emanuel said. "One important issue we have found from the minister and his staff is the lack of public communication skills. [Terawan] has done much, but he doesn’t let the people know,” the Golkar Party politician said on Tuesday. Muchamad Nabil Haroen of the ruling Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) voiced similar concerns, saying that the current health crisis had tested Terawan's leadership and vision as the leading minister in the health sector. "The minister must improve his public communication strategy. Many ideas and programs are not well communicated to the public, leaving the latter unaware [of the government's efforts to combat COVID-19]," he said. Before Indonesia confirmed its first cases of COVID-19 in March, Terawan was under fire for making light of the coronavirus threat and instead asking people to keep praying. In February, he dismissed a report by Harvard University researchers suggesting that the Southeast Asian country must already have unreported coronavirus cases, calling the study "insulting". The blunder was followed by a series of public gaffes that inevitably made Terawan the subject of ridicule on social media. – The Jakarta Post

No intent to shut down Facebook, Duterte only wants to talk – Palace

President Rodrigo Duterte is seeking a meeting with representatives of Facebook after he questioned the social networking platform’s decision to take down progovernment and promilitary “advocacy” pages and accounts, saying he does not see any use for it if it does not help the government in the “fight of ideas.” Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque on Tuesday explained that Duterte did not intend to shut down Facebook’s operation in the country, but slammed its takedowns as a form of censorship and suppression of free expression. “The President only said there is a need to talk,” Roque said. “It won’t be good for Facebook and the Philippines [if the social network is banned], because we are No. 1 in Facebook after all. So, it will be a huge loss to Facebook. But at the same time, since we are number one, many Filipinos using it will be affected.” Facebook last week said it took down two clusters of fake accounts, one in the Philippines and another in Fujian, China, that were involved in “coordinated inauthentic behaviour” in violation of its community standards. The local group linked to the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine National Police was engaged in attacks against activists and dissidents. The Chinese network attacked Rappler and supported the potential presidential run of Mr. Duterte’s daughter Sara in 2022. On Monday night, during his weekly television appearance, Duterte said the social media giant’s reasons for taking down the “advocacy” pages were “so convoluted” that he couldn’t understand them. – INQUIRER.net 

Việt Nam’s nine-month economic growth lowest in 10 years

The gross domestic products (GDP) of Việt Nam grew 2.12 per cent in the first nine months of this year, the lowest nine-month growth rate in the 2011-2020 period, the General Statistics Office said on Tuesday. GSO General Director Nguyễn Thị Hương said at a press conference in Hà Nội that the GDP growth was dragged down by the deeply-felt impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, she said, amid the COVID-19 pandemic’s serious impact on every socio-economic aspect of countries around the world, it was still a big success of Việt Nam in the pandemic fight and economic recovery and development. Hương attributed the positive results to the government’s swift response to the resurgence of the pandemic, by implementing bold measures to contain it. To date all coronavirus outbreaks in localities have been brought under control, and the government has been working towards a dual goal of pandemic prevention and economic recovery. Between January and September, the agro-forestry-fishery sector increased 1.84 per cent, industry-construction 3.08 per cent, and services 1.37 per cent. They respectively contributed 13.62 per cent, 58.35 per cent, and 28.03 per cent to the overall growth. The official said in the third quarter alone, GDP rose 2.62 per cent compared to the same period last year, also the slowest Q3 growth pace since 2011. Thanks to COVID-19 being brought under control, economic activities have gradually resumed in the new normal status, helping the Q3 GDP expand at a faster pace than in Q2 of 0.39 per cent. – Viet Nam News 

Rising crimes rock Sihanoukville: Provincial governor orders tough response

Amid rising crimes over the past weeks across the coastal city of Sihanoukville, Preah Sihanouk provincial governor Kuoch Chamroeun yesterday issued an order for joint forces to take urgent action to control the situation through effective crackdowns. His order was made after reports of increasing crimes across the province, especially in Sihanoukville. The latest incident happed on Sunday when a group of suspects engaged in a gunfight in Pi commune, resulting in a bystander tuk tuk driver being killed and two police officers badly injured. In response to the situation, Chamroeun led a Provincial Administrative Unity Command meeting with the participation of the provincial police chief, commander of the provincial military, commander of the military police as well as district governors and relevant department representatives to handle the ongoing challenge. “He ordered the forces to carry out operations to monitor and crack down on various crimes in Sihanoukville, such as illegal possession and use of weapons, drug offences, theft and other acts affecting social security,” said a provincial hall statement. “The overall measure is that the joint police forces will operate on the streets and at key targets in all areas, with those involved in crimes to be arrested and prosecuted according to the law,” it said, adding that Chamroeun also praised previous efforts made by the joint forces to maintain security. At a separate event yesterday, Chamroeun said on behalf of the Provincial Administrative Unity Command, that he is responsible for maintaining the safety for all people as well as investors in the province, describing the security situation as “bad” in the past few days. “I have noted that the security situation in Sihanoukville is not good,” he said. “On behalf of the Provincial Administrative Unity Command, I say that we are responsible for maintaining security and safety, so we will take strong action to intervene.” – Khmer Times