These are the top stories making the front pages of major newspapers from across Southeast Asia today.
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MAS to stop issuing $1,000 notes over money laundering, terrorism financing concerns
The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) will stop issuing the $1,000 note from January next year to minimise the money laundering and terrorism financing risks associated with such a large denomination. From now till January, the MAS will also limit the quantity of $1,000 notes issued each month, although banks can continue recirculating the existing $1,000 notes that have been deposited with them, it said in a statement on Tuesday (Nov 3). It added that it will "make available sufficient quantities of other denominations" to meet demand, in particular the $100 note, which is the next highest denomination after the $1,000 note. Existing $1,000 notes in circulation can continue to be used for payment, and remain legal tender, said the agency. In its statement, the agency also encouraged the public to use electronic payments instead of large denominations, which it said allows individuals to anonymously carry large sums of money, and can thus facilitate illicit activities like money laundering. The agency noted that most major jurisdictions have stopped issuing large denomination notes because of money laundering and terrorism financing concerns. – The Straits Times
Covid-19: 8 red zone districts in the Klang Valley
Half-way through the second phase of the Conditional Movement Control Order (CMCO) in the Klang Valley, both Selangor and Kuala Lumpur have a total of eight districts still in the red zone. In an update on Covid-19 red zones nationwide, the Health Ministry's data shows that Kuala Lumpur has two; Titiwangsa and Kepong. Selangor meanwhile has six red zones; Klang, Petaling, Hulu Langat, Gombak, Kuala Langat and Sepang. The areas that are red within these districts are Kapar and Klang in Klang; Petaling, Damansara and Sungai Buloh in Petaling; Kajang in Hulu Langat; Tanjung Dua Belas 1 and 2 in Kuala Langat; Dengkil and Labu in Sepang. Sabah has the highest number of red zone districts at 17. Kedah has gone down to one with only Gajah Mati within the Pokok Sena district still in the red. In Penang, George Town and Mukim 6 in the Seberang Perai Selatan district are both red zones. Ampangan and Labu in Seremban, Negri Sembilan are also in the red, as well as Johor Bharu in Johor. Kuching is Sarawak's only red zone, and Labuan is also still in the red. The data provided this morning is based on 14-day movement between Oct 19 and Nov 1. – New Straits Times
Cabinet to map out recovery for South
The mobile cabinet in Phuket will on Tuesday consider rescue packages for southern businesses severely affected by Covid-19, including soft loans for airlines and other tourism-related companies. Finance Minister Arkhom Termpittayapaisith said the government would ask airlines to limit price increase to help stimulate domestic travel in exchange for soft loans. Airline operators had asked the Finance Ministry in August to approve a 24-billion-baht soft loan budget to help depleted businesses resume normal operations but the ministry did not reply at that time. As for the ministry's assistance for tourism-related businesses, Mr Arkhom said it would launch more low-interest loan programmes to help businesses maintain cash flow. Labour Minister Suchart Chomklin said he would ask for 1.5 billion baht to hire unemployed people in the six Andaman coastal provinces. Mr Suchart said the money would be allocated from the government's 400-billion-baht budget for economic recovery in Phuket, Trang, Satun, Phangnga, Krabi and Ranong for 10 months. About 500 million baht would be allocated to Phuket to hire 8,000 people and the remaining provinces would receive 200 million baht each to hire around 2,000-3,000 people, he said. Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha on Monday pledged to speed up the rebuilding of the tourism sector in the South, especially on Koh Samui and Phuket. – Bangkok Post
408 tourists in West Java test positive for COVID-19 during long weekend
As many as 408 tourists have shown reactive results for coronavirus after the West Java administration conducted random COVID-19 rapid tests at 54 tourist destinations in 15 regencies and cities during the long holiday from Wednesday to Sunday last week. “They have immediately undergone swab tests,” West Java Governor Ridwan Kamil said after a coordination meeting with the West Java COVID-19 and economic recovery committee on Monday. The tourists were currently waiting for the results of the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests, Ridwan said, while expressing hopes that not all of the 408 people would be confirmed positive for the coronavirus. Meanwhile, the results of a COVID-19 countermeasure evaluation in 27 regencies and cities in West Java showed that there was still a high potential for coronavirus transmission in Bekasi city this week. “Last week was in Depok city. This generally fluctuates because there are movements of the people and so on,” said Ridwan. The West Java COVID-19 committee has evaluated the province’s COVID-19 countermeasures using various indicators, ranging from testing, tracing and treatment capacity, to preventive policies and governance. Although Bekasi city was still categorized as a “red zone”, Ridwan said the evaluation showed it had the best countermeasure performance last week, followed by Bogor city, Cimahi, Bandung and Cirebon. As of Sunday, the country's most populous province had confirmed 36,583 coronavirus cases, including 26,282 recoveries and 721 deaths, according to the West Java COVID-19 information and coordination centre (Pikobar). Pikobar also reported that 703 out of 1,617 probable cases had turned fatal. – The Jakarta Post
Cebu City’s next challenge: ‘Zero’ COVID-19 cases
The Queen City of the South may have reduced its number of active COVID-19 cases. But the task is not done yet. The next challenge is to bring down the number of cases to zero. Environment Secretary Roy Cimatu, Visayas overseer of the government’s coronavirus response, said Cebu City has successfully managed the spread of the virus and has become the blueprint in addressing outbreaks in other parts of the country. “From being an epicentre of COVID-19, Cebu City is now the epicentre of recovery. Our objective is to bring down the active case to zero and this is, I can say, an impossible one to do but can be done,” said Cimatu, who visited the city on Thursday. In October 2020, the city recorded no additional death due to COVID-19 and reduced the active cases to 200. The critical utilization rate for both public and private hospitals also decreased from about 70 percent to around 30 to 20 percent only, easing the burden from the health sector. Cimatu said as long as there are more recoveries than new cases, there would be a chance that Cebu City would eventually have zero coronavirus cases. To defeat the virus, he said more testing and contract tracing should be done and that no one should be complacent. Cimatu challenged barangay officials to strictly enforce the minimum health standards like wearing face masks and face shields, observing physical distancing, and staying indoors when there is nothing important to do outside. “This pandemic only comes once in a lifetime, so if you are elected as the barangay captain, then this is your chance to show your leadership because this will not come again in your lifetime,” Cimatu said. – INQUIRER.net
Việt Nam, RoK pledge to deepen bilateral relations
Việt Nam is ready to expand bilateral relations with the Republic of Korea (RoK), deepening the cooperation between the two countries as well as the two National Assemblies in all fields, said NA Chairwoman Nguyễn Thị Kim Ngân. She made the statement at a meeting with Speaker of RoK National Assembly Park Byeong-seug in Hà Nội yesterday. Việt Nam attaches great importance to developing relations and cooperation with the RoK, considering RoK an important and long-term partner, Ngân said. The two countries share many similarities and have common interests. “Given the context that the COVID-19 pandemic is raging around the world, the visit to Việt Nam by the speaker of RoK National Assembly is a clear demonstration of the success of the two countries in preventing and fighting the pandemic. It also demonstrates the political confidence of leaders of the two countries,” Ngân said. She expressed her gratitude to the leaders and people of RoK for giving a US$300,000 aid package to the National Steering Committee for natural disaster prevention to overcome consequences of recent storms and floods in some central provinces of Việt Nam. The speaker of the RoK National Assembly said that the relations between the two countries have witnessed many achievements since the establishment of diplomatic relations in 1992. In the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, the two countries still have many extensive exchanges to further promote economic cooperation and people-to-people exchanges of the two countries, including the exchange between experts and enterprises, he said. He said the RoK wished to further step up the special immigration process between the two countries, soon opening routes for citizens to travel in parallel with the existence of COVID-19 prevention. – Viet Nam News
Economic pressure for Kingdom and Thailand to reopen borders
A current labour shortage in Thailand coupled with the economic fallout of widespread flooding in Cambodia is putting pressure on authorities to reopen borders to migrant workers. The borders between Cambodia and Thailand were shut in March because of concerns that cross-border migration would increase the risk of spreading COVID-19. The World Bank has said that approximately 120,000 migrant workers returned from Thailand since the pandemic began, which is estimated to host more than a million Cambodian workers in mostly low-skilled occupations, many of whom are undocumented. The exodus has caused many farmers in Thailand’s East to complain of worker shortages to help with fruit harvesting this season, while many farmers in Cambodia’s West have had their crops devastated from flooding last month and have debts to repay local lenders, forcing them to seek income from elsewhere. Thai authorities have been planning a trial group of 500 Cambodian migrants to work in a fruit warehouse setting up a permanent border for the workers in the Pong Nam Ron district of Thailand which links with Cambodia’s Battambang province. According to local reports, the screening processes, medical check-ups and quarantine would cost around $193 per person but dropped to only $86.76 if they are quarantined in the warehouse. Khmer Times was told by villagers and commune officials in Banteay Meanchey province during the pandemic that despite the official border closures many are now paying agents to facilitate the border crossing. “Now the borders are closed my husband, via a cross-border facilitator, has to pay $102, before he can go illegally into Thailand where he can earn $12.50 per day in the construction sector,” a local villager said. – Khmer Times