These are the top stories making the front pages of major newspapers from across Southeast Asia today.
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New relief fund in Singapore to raise money and support India in its fight against Covid-19
A new relief fund has been set up in Singapore to raise funds and support India in its fight against Covid-19. The initiative by the Singapore Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SICCI) and Little India Shopkeepers Association (Lisha) was announced on Monday (April 26). "The Covid-19 outbreak is having an unprecedented impact on the people of India, leading to multiple crises across the country. In the light of these challenges, SICCI and Lisha are jointly raising monetary support to help India manage the immense pressure on its health services," the organisations said in a statement. With the India Covid Relief Fund, the organisations will work with Government agencies in Singapore and India to ensure the most vulnerable receive the required support. "SICCI's and Lisha's initial appeal is focused on emergency response to help to protect the most vulnerable from direct impact due to the rapid spread of Covid-19, and to scale up life-saving protection and assistance in priority states and hospitals in India," said the organisations, adding that Indian hospitals urgently need ventilators and oxygen concentrator devices. India on Monday had reported more than 352,000 new Covid-19 cases, a global record for the fifth straight day for the rise in daily cases. Dr T Chandroo, chairman of SICCI, said: "We want to stand side by side with India as this is a crisis of historic proportions and would require our immediate and urgent assistance. I am making a clarion call to the Singapore community at large to support this initiative undertaken by SICCI and Lisha." The public can get in touch with SICCI Cares on 9654-1346 or 6222-2855, or on indiacovidfund @ sicci.com. Those interested to donate can transfer funds to SICCI's DBS bank account at 0720267338. – The Straits Times
RM189.08 million dividend pay-out for Risda, Felcra smallholders
Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin has announced an RM189.08 million dividend pay out to Rubber Industry Smallholders Development Authority (Risda) smallholders and Federal Land Consolidation and Rehabilitation Authority (Felcra) participants. He said through Risda's dividend, a total of 16,080 smallholders in the rubber and oil palm sectors under the Cluster Replanting Scheme (RTBB), as well as 15,165 smallholders in the Commercial Replanting (TSK) scheme, will receive 2020's dividend worth RM82.03 involving 39,430ha. Speaking at the Risda headquarters, here, today, Muhyiddin added that Risda would also distribute its corporate tithe to 4,000 underprivileged smallholders and selected religious institutions involving RM2.48 million. "Up to 58,826 Felcra Bhd participants nationwide will receive 2020's final total income distribution worth RM107.053 million in stages starting today. "The pay-out is the result of the net profit of 890 farm projects owned by participants that are developed by Felcra. "The remaining 327 projects are those that are yet to have any yield and are in the phase of replanting. "I would like to congratulate the Rural Development Ministry, Risda and Felcra on their success in presenting this assistance which is meaningful to the rural community. "It is my hope that this dividend will more or less ease the economic burden of Risda smallholders and Felcra participants in facing the Covid-19 pandemic and to prepare for the Hari Raya Aidilfitri celebrations," he said at the Sultan Ahmad Shah auditorium. Also present were Rural Development Minister Datuk Dr Abdul Latiff Ahmad and Risda chairman Datuk Mohd Salim Mohd Sharif. – New Straits Times
Another daily record of 15 coronavirus deaths Tuesday
Thailand on Tuesday reported 15 new coronavirus deaths, setting a new daily record for the third time in four days during a growing third wave of infections that has prompted new shutdowns in Bangkok and other areas. The Health Ministry also reported 2,179 new coronavirus cases, bringing total confirmed infections to 59,687 and fatalities to 163. The country for months had suppressed the virus, but a new outbreak emerged several weeks ago. In response, the government has ordered parks, gyms, cinemas and day-care centres in the capital Bangkok, the epicentre of the latest wave of infections, to shut from April 26 until May 9. It has also introduced a fine of up to 20,000 baht for not wearing masks in public, with even the prime minister falling foul of this rule. But unlike last year, malls and restaurants have been allowed to operate with earlier closing times, fuelling concerns this could quickly trigger more Covid-19 clusters and prompting calls for the resignation of the country's health minister. – Bangkok Post
Too early to lift quarantine restrictions in ‘NCR Plus’ – DOH
The Department of Health (DOH) and a medical doctors’ group are calling for an extension by at least two more weeks of the modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ) in Metro Manila and nearby Cavite, Laguna, Rizal, and Bulacan provinces as hospitals are still crowded with COVID-19 patients. “If we look at the data, I firmly believe that we should extend the MECQ for another week or two since our health system capacity has not yet improved much as of now,” Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said on Monday. President Rodrigo Duterte has placed the National Capital Region (NCR) and the four provinces, dubbed “NCR Plus” bubble, under the less stringent MECQ up to April 30 to ease the impact of the pandemic on the economy, lifting the two-week enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) despite the surge in coronavirus cases that filled up hospitals. “Let us continue the MECQ so we can see a bigger decrease in cases and possibly reverse the trend [of swelling cases] completely,” Duque said. The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) on Monday said the current pandemic situation in the region was still “fragile and unstable” even as health experts were unsure whether the downtrend in the number of cases would continue long enough to improve the economy. Metro Manila mayors have yet to finalize their recommendation on the capital region’s quarantine status for the next two weeks, MMDA chief Benhur Abalos said in a television interview. They were still waiting for reports from the country’s economic managers as a consideration to laborers hoping to get back to work, he said. On Sunday, the MMDA reported that the two-week COVID-19 case growth rate in Metro Manila was at minus-5 percent compared with 164 percent from March 14 to 27. Abalos attributed this improvement to the ECQ and MECQ implemented in NCR and four nearby provinces, and urged residents to strictly follow minimum health standards so that efforts to reduce the number of cases would not be “put to waste.” According to Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire, Metro Manila last week averaged 9,500 daily detected cases, down from 10,800 the previous week. She was quick to add, however, that its daily attack rate was still high at 19 to 55 detected cases for every 100,000 population. The Philippine College of Physicians (PCP) said the overwhelmed hospitals and other health-care facilities in Metro Manila and surrounding provinces had not yet felt the intended effect of the ECQ since March 29 and the MECQ since April 12. “These (community restrictions) did not make a dent as far as the number of people [going to] hospitals. It is still too early to lift the restrictions that we have right now,” PCP Vice President Dr Maricar Limpin said. Vergeire stressed that hospitals that had been overrun with COVID-19 patients since March should be decongested. – INQUIRER.net
Viet Nam completes second stage of homegrown Nano Covax trials
Results from the second stage of human trials of Nano Covax show the homegrown COVID-19 vaccine is safe, according to the research team. Navo Covax is developed by the Nanogen Pharmaceutical Biotechnology JSC. The second stage trials of the vaccine were conducted on 560 volunteers divided into four groups, with 80 people injected with a placebo and three other groups administered with 25mcg, 50mcg, and 75mcg doses. However, only 554 received second shots because six people withdrew from the trial. All of the vaccinated volunteers have developed antibodies against COVID-19 at different levels. Regarding the antibody index to neutralise the virus, people injected with 25mcg dose got the highest index with more than 90 percent at 14 days after the second shot and 42 days since the first jabs. The research team is expected to submit a report to the Research Ethics Committee of the Ministry of Health on Tuesday and propose a plan for the third phase of human trials, possibly on May 5. The third phase of human trials is expected to involve 10,000-15,000 people in both Viet Nam and Asian countries with severe coronavirus outbreaks. Volunteers will be administered with 25mcg – the only dose for this stage. Each person will receive two jabs. They are set to get second shots of Nano Covax 28 days after the first one. Navo Covax vaccine started testing on humans on December 17 last year and has completed the second phase. It is prepared to enter the third phase, the final stage of testing before mass production. The first-stage trials of Nano Covax showed the vaccine was safe and vaccinated volunteers had antibodies against the UK variant (B117). Based on the results of the first and second phases, experts are optimistic that if the tests are successful, the third phase of the trial will be completed at the end of the third quarter, shortening the research by three months compared to previously planned. Meanwhile, more than 209,600 Vietnamese people have been vaccinated against COVID-19 so far. The Ministry of Health said that by 4pm on Sunday, the 209,632 vaccinated people included frontline doctors, medical staff, sample collectors, contact tracers, members of community-based anti-COVID-19 groups as well as members of the Steering Committees for COVID-19 Prevention and Control of localities. – Viet Nam News
Lockdown Extended: Three-zone system introduced according to severity of virus
The government yesterday decided to extend the lockdowns in Phnom Penh and Takhmao city in Kandal province for another week to May 5 to stem the spread of COVID-19. According to the instruction signed by Prime Minister Hun Sen and released yesterday evening, the government divided the capital into three zones to control the deadly virus as “Red Zone”, maximum control of infections, “Orange Zone” and the “Yellow Zone.” The government on April 14 issued a decision to tighten the 14-day lockdown measures of Phnom Penh and Takhmao City in Kandal province to cut off the COVID-19 transmission chain, starting from April 15 to 28. The lockdown measure aims to ensure the effectiveness of COVID-19 spread in Phnom Penh and Takhmao City, considered as a single area, and to prevent the transmission to other areas. In the decision, Mr Hun Sen said, “Red zone” refers to a geographical area where there is a severe outbreak of the virus, “Orange Zone” refers to an area with a moderate risk of infection of COVID-19 virus in the community, and “Yellow Zone” refers to an area where there is a low risk of infection. He said the three zones will be designated by Phnom Penh Governor and Kandal Provincial governor for Takhmao City. Mr Hun Sen said that during the implementation of the lockdown in the “Red zone”, all citizens could not leave their home including not being allowed to do sports activities outside their homes. “The enforcement authorities of the blockade shall strictly enforce the law, including the temporary impoundment of the means of transportation in accordance with the regulations and procedures in force,” Mr Hun Sen said. He added that the travel from homes could be allowed if necessary, including travel for medical reasons and the work of health officials and the armed forces. In further efforts to control the spread of the virus, Mr Hun Sen, through a new directive on Sunday evening, had authorised the testing for COVID-19 on those from any outbreak area when they want to enter other provinces. He ordered the provincial governors to be in charge of the testing of all travellers at their borders. He noted that the locations that are facing a spread of COVID-19 include Phnom Penh, Takhmao city in Kandal province, Sihanoukville in Preah Sihanouk province. “For travellers from areas where there is a severe outbreak of COVID-19, the provincial governor must take serious and necessary measures, especially taking samples of travellers for Rapid Test analysis of COVID-19 virus and must strengthen health measures such as wearing a mask and keeping a safe distance,” Mr Hun Sen said. – Khmer Times
Army major shoots captain in Meiktila, in latest instance of regime forces turning on each other
An army captain is in hospital after being shot by a fellow officer in the Mandalay Region town of Meiktila on Sunday, according to local residents. Major Wunna Htay of the army’s Meiktila-based Battalion 315 is currently in custody for shooting Captain Kaung Myat Thwin of Light Infantry Battalion 99, which is also based in Meiktila, sources told Myanmar Now. The incident, which occurred in downtown Meiktila near the town’s police station 2, appeared to stem from an alcohol-fuelled dispute between the two men. “Captain Kaung Myat Thwin is notorious here. He recently shot and killed a doctor in Wundwin,” said a local resident, referring to a town located about 30km northeast of Meiktila. “He is also the one who arrested the chairperson of the Meiktila District Election Commission,” the local resident added. It was unclear what started the dispute, but the incident has raised security concerns in the town, which is regarded as an army stronghold due to the large number of troops stationed there. Meanwhile, there were at least two other clashes over the weekend involving regime forces who had turned on each other. On Friday, a shootout between police and soldiers occurred in the Chin State capital of Hakha. Two soldiers were killed and a number of police were injured in the exchange of fire, local media reported. In the Kayin State town of Kawkareik, a dispute on Sunday between a soldier and a policeman ended with both men shooting each other. According to a report by DVB, the police officer died and the soldier was seriously injured in the shootout. – Myanmar NOW
Indonesian warships pay tribute to crew of sunken submarine
Several Indonesian warships moored at East Java's Tanjungwangi Port and lowered the national flag to half-mast on Monday to honour 53 submariners who were on board KRI Nanggala - 402 when it sank near Bali. The warships included KRI Bontang, KRI Oswald Siahaan, KRI Rimau, KRI Bawean, KRI Rigel-933, which located the missing submarine using a multi-beam sonar and magnometer. Not only warships, but the Indonesian Navy's Marine SAR command post for Nanggala-402 at Tanjungwangi Port in Banyuwangi district, East Java, and the Taftib marine battalion in Surabaya also hoisted the Red and White flag at half-mast. Earlier, in Jakarta, House of Representatives (DPR) speaker Puan Maharani had made an earnest request to lawmakers to fly the national flag at half-staff at their residences as a mark of respect for the 53 submariners who died on duty. Maharani also ordered the hoisting of the national flag at half-staff at the parliament building to honour the sailors who were on board KRI Nanggala-402 when it sank in the waters north of Bali Island on April 21, 2021. Contact with the German-made submarine was lost while it was preparing for a torpedo drill. Indonesian Navy’s Chief of Staff, Admiral Yudo Margono, confirmed that the submarine had sunk after several of its components were retrieved during the search mission. "The components (that have been found) are torpedo tube-straighteners, coolant pipes wrap, a bottle of periscope lubricating oil, prayer mats, and heat-retaining sponges," Margono disclosed at a recent press conference. – AntaraNews.Com