These are the top stories making the front pages of major newspapers from across Southeast Asia today.
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Floods in Malaysia drive up prices of fish and vegetables at wet markets in Singapore
The prices of vegetables and fish are going up across the board at wet markets in Singapore, with some vegetables costing about twice as much as they were just weeks ago. The Straits Times visited five wet markets on Tuesday (Jan 12) and vendors said poor weather conditions in Malaysia have caused a shortage in supplies as farms are flooded, resulting in poor crop output. Transport is an issue because roads are closed owing to severe flooding. Mr Alex Zhou, 35, who runs a vegetable stall in the wet market in Pasir Ris Drive 6, said: "The constant rain in Malaysia has made it hard to transport goods, and we've lost a lot of supply due to the poor weather. The green leafy vegetables like spinach are more badly affected because they spoil easily in water." A 45-year-old vegetable stallholder at Geylang Serai Market, who runs the business with her husband and wanted to be known only as Madam Rashidah, said: "I had to get vegetables from Thailand and Vietnam, which are flown in. This method is more expensive, causing my prices to go up as well." Severe flooding in Malaysia over the past few weeks has resulted in tens of thousands being evacuated from their homes. More than 48,000 people in six states were sheltering in 400 relief centres on Friday (Jan 8). At the Pasir Ris and Ghim Moh Market & Food Centre, the price of tomatoes has almost doubled, from $2 per kilogram to $3 per kilogram. A market vendor in Tekka Centre said his cost price for tomatoes has more than doubled from $12 per 10kg to $28, while a vendor in Pasir Ris said his supplies for the vegetable now cost $32 per 10kg, up from about $10. The vice-secretary of the Singapore Fruits & Vegetables Importers & Exporters Association, Mr Jerry Tan, noted that prices usually tended to tick upwards towards the end of the year because of the monsoon season, but this year has been exceptional. – The Straits Times
MCO 2.0: Shopping malls can operate
Shopping malls, hypermarkets and departmental stores are allowed to operate during the two-week Movement Control Order (MCO) period now enforced in five states and Federal Territories. Other trade and distribution activities allowed are pharmacies, convenience stores, mini marts, laundrettes except self-service laundromats, restaurants, furniture stores, gold shops, electrical goods and electronics stores, book stores, hardware shops, pet shops, workshops, car sales centres and petrol stations. Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Minister Datuk Seri Alexander Nanta Linggi in a statement today said companies that were allowed to operate during the MCO must obtain a registration verification confirmation letter. "Companies involved in trade distribution activities including retail, wholesale and distribution need to apply for a registration verification confirmation letter at the Covid-19 Intelligent Management System (CIMS) under the International Trade and Industry Ministry. "Trade and distribution companies that have yet to register with CIMS can do so at https://notification.miti.gov and the registration verification confirmation letter can be downloaded after registration," he said. For further information, industry players and member of the public can contact the trade distribution and services industry secretariat at 03-8882 5881/5903 or email [email protected] Residents in MCO states are however barred from inter-state and inter-district travel. They are limited to a travel distance of within 10km radius from their homes, only for purchasing necessities. – New Straits Times
Govt approves Covid handouts
The government on Tuesday agreed to two cash handouts to those most in need in the wake of the latest Covid-19 outbreak. The two monthly payments of 3,500 baht are among a raft of measures designed to ease people's plight, the others being reduced electricity and water bills, and soft loans to businesses. Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha said the weekly cabinet meeting had approved the new measures to reduce people's cost-of-living expenses and put more cash in their pockets. The Finance Ministry must still work out the details of the cash handout and its proposal will be discussed by the cabinet next Tuesday. Casual workers, freelancers and farmers who are not covered by the social security system will be eligible for the new relief measures. A government source said about 30 million people were expected to receive the handouts and a budget of 210 billion baht had been set aside. Electricity and household water bills will be reduced for February and March -- each household with electricity consumption up to 150 units a month will get the first 90 units for free and there will also be discounts for those using more than 150 units a month. Water charges for households and small businesses will be cut by 10% for February and March, excluding state agencies and state enterprises. A budget of about nine billion baht would be required to subsidise those reductions, Gen Prayut said. The Ministry of Digital Economy and Society and the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission will also be asking internet service providers to consider reducing household bills, boost internet speeds to support those working from home, and provide free downloads of the Mor Chana position-tracking app for three months. The government will also expand the co-payment subsidy scheme for another one million people. Registration is expected to open next Wednesday and eligible people can participate from Jan 25. – Bangkok Post
Divers recover first black box from crashed Sriwijaya Air plane
A black box from the crashed Sriwijaya Air passenger jet has been recovered, officials said Tuesday, a discovery that could offer critical clues to explaining why the plane with 62 people aboard slammed into the sea. Divers just off the coast of the capital Jakarta hauled the jet's flight data recorder to the surface, as the hunt continues for its cockpit voice recorder. Transportation Minister Budi Karya Sumadi told a live television briefing that the box had been found – after the Sriwijaya Air Boeing 737-500 plunged about 10,000 feet (3,000 metres) in less than a minute before slamming into the Java Sea Saturday. An AFP reporter on a navy ship said investigators started picking up strong signals from an area where they were searching, with divers able to retrieve the box in about an hour from the wreckage-littered seabed. So far authorities have been unable to explain why the 26-year-old plane crashed just four minutes after take-off. Black box data – which record information about the speed, altitude and direction of the plane as well as flight crew conversations – helps explain nearly 90 percent of all crashes, according to aviation experts. Budi Karya added officials believe the cockpit voice recorder is nearby that of flight data recorder. "We strongly believe it'll be found soon," he said. Some 3,600 personnel are taking part in the recovery effort, assisted by dozens of boats and helicopters flying over small islands off the capital's coast. The agency deployed a remotely operated vehicle to assist the divers. Scores of body bags filled with human remains were being taken to a police morgue where forensic investigators hope to identify victims by matching fingerprints or DNA with distraught relatives. There were 10 children among the passengers on the half-full plane, which had experienced pilots at the controls as it left Jakarta bound for Pontianak on a 90-minute flight. A transport safety agency investigator has said the crew did not declare an emergency or report technical problems with the plane before its dive, and that the 737 was likely intact when it hit the water. – The Jakarta Post
PH in final talks with Moderna for up to 20M vaccine doses
The Philippine government is now in the final stages of negotiation with American biotechnology company Moderna for the procurement of up to 20 million doses of its COVID-19 vaccines. Moderna’s vaccines may be expected for delivery to the Philippines in mid-2021, according to Philippine Ambassador to the US Jose Romualdez. “I am pleased to share that, following months of discussions with Moderna, the Philippines is in the final stages of negotiating for the supply of a minimum of 10 million doses of mRNA-1273, the company’s vaccines, with the option to purchase an additional 10 million doses, for delivery beginning in mid-2021,” Romualdez said in a statement posted by the embassy over Twitter on Wednesday. Last December, Romualdez said Moderna and another company, Arcturus Therapeutics Holdings Inc., are willing to supply up to 25 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines to the Philippines in the third quarter of 2021. “I welcome the pledge of support of the private sector led by ICTSI’s Enrique Razon in shipping and distributing the vaccines from the manufacturing facility in Spain to the Philippines at no cost to the Philippine government,” Romualdez went on. National Task Force (NTF) Against COVID-19 chief and vaccine czar Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr. earlier said the government is eyeing to secure a total of 100 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine within the week. Galvez said the Philippines has so far secured 30 million doses of the Covovax coronavirus vaccine, which he said is extendible to 40 million doses. The government has also secured 25 million vaccine doses from China’s Sinovac, 30 million doses of vaccine from British drug maker AstraZeneca, and 25 million doses of Russia’s Gamaleya or Sputnik V vaccine. – INQUIRER.net
More efforts made in crime prevention: officials
Progress has been made to prevent crime and corruption but shortcomings remained, officials said at a meeting of the National Assembly Standing Committee (NASC) on Tuesday, which discussed performance during their term of office in 2016-2021. The People’s Procuracy and People’s Court at all levels met criteria and requests of the NA’s resolutions, solved disputes, contributing to maintain social order and security for the country, they said. According to Lê Minh Trí, Prosecutor General of the Supreme People's Procuracy, despite the fact that the number of crimes continued to rise, the sector has upheld its responsibility to fulfil all tasks entrusted to it by the National Assembly. The Investigation Agency of the Supreme People’s Procuracy has promptly verified, prosecuted and investigated many cases of corruption in judicial activities which drew public interest. It has strived to improve the quality of investigative officers and legal documents. The number of cases dealt with by investigative police and the number of defendants rose by 28 per cent and 42 per cent compared with the previous term, respectively. Legal proceedings have been launched in over 3,000 cases, an increase of 64 per cent. However, there still existed some wrongful verdicts; the quality of appeals to administrative cases was low and the settlement of petitions had not reached the National Assembly's target, Trí said. Regarding the performance of the People’s Court, Nguyễn Hòa Bình, Chief Justice of the Supreme People's Court of Vietnam, said the People's Courts at all levels had adopted solutions to improve the quality of criminal trials. The rate of solving these cases reached 99.5 per cent, exceeding the target of the National Assembly by 11.5 per cent. The sector had overcome the limitation of prolonged cases. Most cases were brought to trial within the time limit by law. In particular, no cases of wrongful conviction had been detected during that time. It is noteworthy that the number of assets recovered in corruption cases reached nearly VNĐ80 trillion (US$3.4 billion) which was appreciated by the Party, State and people. Under the direction of the Central Steering Committee on anti-corruption, the sector put on trial 7,463 cases of corruption or violations of economic regulations and 14,540 defendants had been strictly dealt with. – Viet Nam News
Cambodians told not to fall victims to ‘brokers’ who promise them jobs
Cambodian migrant workers who returned to their homeland from Thailand and want to go back are asked not to fall victim to “brokers” who are out to cheat them with promises of jobs. Chou Bun Eng, secretary of state with the Interior Ministry and vice chairwoman of the National Committee for Anti-Human Trafficking said yesterday that likewise, Cambodian migrant workers in Thailand should also be cautious of these “brokers”. “Cambodian migrant workers whether here or there should be careful not to be conned by these men who promise to take them legally or illegally across the Cambodia-Thai border and promise them jobs,” she said. Saying this after chairing a meeting on migrant safety, Bun Eng said this was a challenging time for the migrant workers who are still in Thailand or have returned to the Kingdom as they have lost their jobs and cannot find another. “We want these workers to listen to the authorities here and in Thailand. If the Thai authorities issued a directive not to move around in areas where there has been spread, then don’t,” she said, adding that there are “brokers” cashing in on this situation with promises of getting them across legally or illegally and getting them jobs. She said the Cambodian authorities are cooperating with their counterparts in Thailand to look for these “brokers” who are out to deceive Cambodians. She added about 130,000 Cambodian workers have returned to the Kingdom and undergone the 14-day quarantine. “The government is making all efforts to get them gainfully employed here,” said Bun Eng. Last week, the National Employment Agency under the Ministry of Labour announced 20,000 local job opportunities for Cambodian workers who returned from Thailand. Banteay Meanchey provincial Governor Oum Reatrey said 3,754 Cambodian migrant workers had returned from Thailand up to Monday and only eight were found positive of COVID-19. – Khmer Times