These are the top stories making the front pages of major newspapers from across Southeast Asia today.
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Jail, caning for ex-secondary school principal who molested 7 teenage boys
The former principal of a secondary school who molested seven teenage boys on separate occasions at his workplace in 2017 was sentenced on Tuesday (Nov 17) to three years and eight months' jail. He will also receive seven strokes of the cane. The boys, who were between 13 and 15 years old at the time, were at-risk youths with family problems. They also had disciplinary records both in school and outside. The 48-year-old Singaporean offender had pleaded guilty in August to three counts of molestation involving three boys. Eight other charges for similar offences, including those linked to the other four boys, were taken into consideration during sentencing. Both the man and the school cannot be named due to a gag order to protect the boys' identities. The man ceased to be employed by the Ministry of Education (MOE) as of Jan 1, 2018. The court earlier heard that the boys were often called to the general office by the school's operation manager, to either serve their detention or be counselled and informed of disciplinary action. "Upon noticing a student... the accused would call him into his room to speak to the student. "At times, the accused would also inform the students' teachers of his intention to speak with them and fix a suitable time for them to meet him at his office on the pretext of discussing their disciplinary issues," Deputy Public Prosecutor Mark Yeo had described in earlier proceedings. The man would molest the boys in his office. – The Straits Times
Police deny crime, especially snatch theft cases, on the rise
Police have dismissed claims that crime is on the rise in the country, with a spike in snatch theft cases especially. Federal Criminal Investigations Department Director Commissioner Datuk Huzir Mohamed said the public should not be taken in by unverified information circulated on social media. Instead, he said the crime index in the country over the last 11 months has shown an improvement of at least 23 per cent, compared to same period in 2019. He said the number of cases recorded this year was only 56,117, lower by 16,719 cases compared to last year. Statistics also showed that cases of snatch theft had reduced from 2,216 cases in 2019 to 1,160 cases for the same period (Jan 1 to Nov 15, 2020). "This shows a decrease of 1,056 cases or 47.65 per cent in reduction. "So, it is clear that baseless videos are being circulated on social media claiming there has been a drastic increase in snatch theft cases in the country. "Allegations that crime is on the rise due to people losing their jobs because of Covid-19 pandemic is not at all true," he said referring to a 13-minute video showing a compilation of snatch theft incidents captured on camera this year. Huzir said the unverified cases shown in the video contradicted statistics obtained by the police force based on evidence and reports. He urged the public not to circulate any unverified information without checking its authenticity and facts, as it could get them in trouble with the authorities. "Do not spread unverified news which can mislead the public and cause people to have a wrong perception and put enforcement agencies, especially the police in the bad light." Huzir said. – New Straits Times
'Slip of the tongue' lands unhappy airline passenger in trouble
A disgruntled passenger was arrested after he was heard saying "I think this airline should be bombed" as he was boarding a plane at Phuket international airport on Monday. The incident occurred about 12.10pm as Mike Wims, 26, a Thai man from Ayutthaya, was boarding Thai Vietjet Flight VZ305 to Suvarnabhumi through Gate 4 on the 2nd floor of the domestic passenger terminal. Airline employee Jitpisut Prom-in was checking his boarding pass. As she was handing it back to him Mr Mike allegedly muttered, "I think this airline should be bombed." Ms Jitpisut was frightened by the comment and asked her colleague Wallapa Bamroongrak to inform the airline's chief of staff and airport security. Ms Jitpisut was frightened by the comment and asked her colleague Wallapa Bamroongrak to inform the airline's chief of staff and airport security. Mr Mike was subsequently detained by airport security and charged with making a false remark which may cause panic a violation of Section 22 of the Air Transport Act. Mr Mike admitted he had made a "slip of the tongue out" of anger. Although he did not say what made him angry, it was believed he was frustrated by a flight delay. – Bangkok Post
Eight Indonesian migrant workers rescued from illegal captivity in Malaysia
Malaysian authorities along with officials from the Indonesian Consulate General in Kuching, Sarawak, rescued eight Indonesian migrant workers who were held captive by their recruiting agency last week. "We carried out the rescue operation on Saturday at around 7 p.m. along with Miri Police," Yonny Tri Prayitno, Indonesian consul general in Kuching, said on Monday. All of the rescued migrant workers were females aged 35 to 58 years old. Authorities have charged the agency's boss, a female resident of Miri city, with human trafficking. On Nov. 5, the Indonesian Consulate General in Kuching received information about alleged abuse and illegal confinement of 14 female Indonesian migrant workers in Miri from Sambas Indonesian Migrant Workers Union (SBMI). "We immediately communicated with related agencies and collected information about the victims. Afterward, we reported the case to the police in Sarawak and Miri," the consulate general wrote in a statement. However, during a raid into the recruiting agency's office, authorities only found eight migrant workers at the location. The suspect claimed that the remaining three migrant workers had been sent back to Indonesia, the statement read. The 14 migrant workers comprised two residents of Pontianak in West Kalimantan, seven West Java residents from Bandung, Sukabumi, Karawang, Indramayu, Cianjur and Purwakarta, two Banten residents, one East Java resident, and one resident of Flores in West Nusa Tenggara. The eight migrant workers are currently in Miri Police custody for questioning. "We'll continue to coordinate with Miri Police and monitor the case's legal proceedings," Yonny said as quoted by kompas.com. "We'll also protect the eight migrant workers and help them return to Indonesia." – The Jakarta Post
Davao City urges residents to stay at home as COVID-19 cases surge
Authorities here are strongly urging residents to stay at home as the city posted the fourth-highest number of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) cases among cities and provinces of the country on Sunday, Nov. 15. Mayor Sara Duterte issued two executive orders scheduled to take effect on Tuesday, Nov. 17 and Wednesday, Nov. 18, respectively, to restrict not only the movement of people within the city but also those from other areas coming here. Starting Tuesday, Nov.17, residents would be required to use the food and medicine pass issued to each household at the height of the lockdown in March to get out of their houses to buy food and medicine. Duterte, however, clarified that workers, healthcare, and emergency personnel going out for work only had to present the necessary documents to prove their essential travel to pass unhampered to their destinations. As of Nov. 15, Davao City posted a total of 1,7774 active cases. According to the COVID-19 tracker of the Department of Health, the 78 new cases posted by the city on Sunday, Nov. 15, was next only to Manila city’s 79 cases; Rizal province’s 84 cases and Cavite city’s 90 cases, the highest in the country. Duterte said EO 62 and 63 issued on Friday, Nov. 13, would hopefully protect not only city residents, but also non-residents from COVID-19 by restricting their movements. “EO 62 is intended to protect residents (from COVID-19), while EO 63, which covers unauthorized persons outside residences (APOR) and non-APOR has been intended to protect non-residents from the surge of COVID-19 cases in the city,” the mayor said. “Before, when we (in Davao City) still did not have cases because most of the cases were in the national capital region, Davao City tried to protect itself by restricting travels from the national capital as the virus could spread very fast through air travel,” she said over the government-run Davao City Disaster Radio. “Now (that) there’s a surge of cases here, anybody coming here might bring the virus back to their city. (Hence, this EO is) intended to protect the outside world from the inside,” she said. “The guidelines on the restricted local government unit provides for the process.” – INQUIRER.net
Storm Vamco injures 19 people in central region
Storm Vamco, the 13th storm to enter the East Sea this year, has caused 19 people in the central region to suffer injuries, according to the latest report from the Central Steering Committee for Natural Disaster Prevention and Control. Of the injured, eight were in Quảng Bình, seven in Quảng Trị province, three in Quảng Nam and one in Đà Nẵng. The storm made landfall in the central region on Sunday morning and weakened into a tropical depression after hitting Thừa Thiên-Huế Province. Six houses in Thừa Thiên-Huế Province were collapsed while the roofs of more than 5,700 houses were blown off, including 4,687 in Thừa Thiên-Huế and 809 in Quảng Trị. The storm also damaged embankments and caused landslides along them at many rivers and beaches, including 13.3km in Quảng Trị. Ministries, sectors and localities were asked to continue keeping a close watch, and stand ready to respond to natural disasters, especially flooding and landslides. Cities and provinces hit by the tropical depression must ensure the safety of reservoirs and sea dykes. The storm has also destroyed electrical wires and poles, causing power outages in 177,000 households in Quảng Bình. More than 110ha of perennial trees in Bố Trạch District were also destroyed. Local authorities and other forces are helping people overcome the impact of the storm. Households who were relocated to avoid the storm have also returned home and those in the area at risk of landslides have been relocated to temporary houses. Yesterday morning, heavy rains battered provinces from Thanh Hóa to Hà Tĩnh. Rainfall of 40-100mm is predicted to continue hitting Thanh Hóa and Nghệ An provinces, according to the National Centre for Hydro-meteorological Forecasting. The centre also warned that floods and landslides could occur from Thanh Hóa to Hà Tĩnh provinces. – Viet Nam News
303rd COVID-19 positive case detected in Cambodia
Cambodia registered its 303rd COVID-19 positive on a 56-year old Cambodian-American national. He had flown into Cambodia via Taipei on 15 November. The test results of the man provided by the Institut Pasteur du Cambodge in Phnom Penh was positive for COVID-19. He is currently being treated at the Khmer-Soviet Friendship Hospital. There were 165 passengers on the flight, including the infected victim. A total of 164 passengers with negative test results were placed in quarantine for 14 days at a Secondary School and several hotels in Phnom Penh. A total of 303 people have been detected, of which the number of patients treated is now 291 people nationwide, with 12 patients at the Khmer-Soviet Friendship Hospital in Phnom Penh. Figures from November 16 state 209,110 tests have been conducted. The total confirmed 303 cases in the Kingdom comprise 188 Cambodians, 45 French, 18 Chinese, 13 Malaysians, 9 Indonesians, 9 Americans, 6 British, 3 Vietnamese, 3 Canadians, 3 Indians, 2 Hungarians, 1 Belgian, 1 Kazakhstani, 1 Polish, and 1 Pakistani. Against the backdrop of this new positive case, two warded patients were discharged after treatment at the Khmer Soviet Friendship Hospital. They were Mr. Sous Yara, 47 years old, a member of the National Assembly who was involved in the incident on November 3, and a 31-year-old Cambodian woman from Kratie who travelled from Japan vis South Korea to Cambodia on October 19, 2020. – Khmer Times