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.
S'pore and Malaysia start accepting applications for cross-border travel on compassionate grounds
Applications for travel on compassionate grounds between Singapore and Malaysia are now open, a week before the formal system of allowing such movement launches. From Monday (May 10), people from either country can apply for cross-border travel to visit family members for emergency reasons such as death or critical illness. Only two visitors per case is allowed, said the Department of Immigration of Malaysia and the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) of Singapore. Approved travellers to Singapore will be required to abide by the stipulated health measures for entry, including Stay Home Notice and Covid-19 tests. "Our officers will facilitate arrangements for the travellers to make short and safe visits to the medical facility and/or funeral, subject to the prevailing health policies governing such visits," said ICA on its website. Applications can be made on the website through an online enquiry form. All applicants will need to provide documents such as proof of death of the immediate family member, a doctor's letter to support critically ill cases, documents to prove familial connection and a copy of their passport biodata pages. Similarly, those here who want to visit family members in Malaysia will have to apply online on the Department of Immigration of Malaysia's website and provide such documents. They will also have to go through swab tests and may proceed with their travel arrangements if the test result is negative for Covid-19. Earlier this month, Foreign Affairs Minister Vivian Balakrishnan and his Malaysian counterpart, Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein announced that travel on compassionate grounds between Singapore and Malaysia will be allowed from May 17. Dr Balakrishnan had said then that the move is necessary due to the "extensive ties" that the two countries share. – The Straits Times
Dr M: Take Covid-19 seriously or we might become like India, Brazil
"There's a case where one person managed to infect over 2,000 others, all because he or she did not practice self-control and from that, 20 have died since." This was the strong reminder from former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, in cautioning Malaysians to take the current pandemic seriously. In a special address aired on Facebook live today, Dr Mahathir pleaded to the public to adhere to Covid-19 standard operating procedures (SOP), especially during the upcoming Hari Raya. "The situation now is getting more pressing as this virus is transforming into other variants. These new variants are more infectious as compared to the previous ones. "Most probably, our daily Covid-19 cases will increase to more than what it is today. It is said that we could see more than 5,000 cases a day. "We will have a problem if this happens because we won't have enough hospital beds as even now, the treatment for patients is overwhelming," he said. A medical doctor himself, Dr Mahathir said the reason Malaysia is seeing a surge in Covid-19 cases of late was due to its people's inability to follow SOPs. He also reminded the public to always observe physical distancing even when talking to family and friends, adding that discipline and self-control would be key to fighting this outbreak. The authorities, he said, can only do so much to protect the people and that at the end of the day, it is up to the people to break the chain of infection. "The only way to fight this is to protect ourselves. During Friday prayers, we observe physical distancing while praying but I notice that they don't do that when entering and leaving the mosques. "I apologise, I haven't gone for (Friday) prayers because many people will come close to me and ask about my health. I really appreciate the concern but they come too close and this worries me. "It's the same with Ramadan bazaars where now the number of patients skyrocketed from 2,000 to more than 4,000 because there's no social distancing. I admit it's difficult when we bump into friends. "I feel sad because many have started preparing to sell food at the bazaars but if we prioritise that, many more will die. I hope you can be patient and at the same time the government should help the people who don't have enough food." The Langkawi member of parliament also warned that without discipline and efforts to break the chain of infection, Malaysia might see more Covid-19 cases in the near future. Citing the surge of cases in India and Brazil, where hundreds of thousands are infected daily, Dr Mahathir warned that it is possible for Malaysia to suffer the same fate should its people continue to disregard the SOPs. "The system can't cope with the overwhelming daily cases to the point that their people started to collapse and die. This is not impossible for Malaysia. "For this Hari Raya, there's no need to go for Raya visits. It will probably not be a good thing because the chance for us to get infected is there. "For those who have yet to be vaccinated, you should make an effort to do so," he said. Yesterday, Malaysia recorded its highest number of daily Covid-19 related deaths after 26 fatalities were reported, bringing the country's death toll to 1,683. – New Straits Times
Infected Thais sneaking back across border worry authorities
Five recent Covid-19 imports from neighbouring countries have underscored the danger of the virus being brought into Thailand by illegal border crossers, authorities say. The Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) on Sunday said the five cases were all Thais who sneaked back into the country without passing through border checkpoints. Two illegally crossed the border to Sa Kaeo from Cambodia on Thursday, while another two returned from Malaysia on April 28 and last Monday, respectively. One Thai slipped into Tak from Myanmar on May 2. All were admitted to state hospitals. Thai authorities arrested 15,378 people sneaking in from Cambodia, Lao, Malaysia and Myanmar in the first four months of this year, CCSA data showed. More than a third – 6,700 – were Myanmar nationals, and another 1,700 were Thais. The large number of arrests came despite intensified border patrols by security forces. "We are worried about this problem," CCSA spokesman Taweesilp Visanuyothin told a press conference, adding that the concern was shared by Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha and National Security Council Secretary-General Gen Natthapol Nakpanich. Deputy army spokeswoman Col Sirichan Ngathong said in another briefing that soldiers captured 380 illegal migrants, at least 43 of them Thais, along the border with Myanmar and Cambodia from April 30 to Sunday. Like Thailand, countries around the kingdom are battered by the Covid-19 outbreak. The virus has claimed 399 lives and infected 83,375 people in Thailand since the pandemic began last year. The borders with Myanmar and Malaysia posed the most serious problem, he said. Many Myanmar nationals crossed into Thailand seeking jobs or fleeing the conflict there, while Thais working in Malaysia wanted to come home because of the outbreak there. Col Sirichan said on Sunday that the Myanmar nationals arrested along the border from April 30 to Sunday were job seekers and were either pushed back or charged with illegal entry. In another case, 10 Myanmar nationals who had been working in Malaysia and were trying to get back to their home country were apprehended in Sadao district of Songkhla on Sunday. Col Ayuphan Kanasutra, who commanded a task force at the border, said security authorities had intercepted two taxis on a local road transporting the illegal migrants to Hat Yai district, from where they were to be smuggled back to Myanmar. The Myanmar nationals, along with two Thai drivers identified as Abdulrahman Kongkslimuen and Siriwat Suwanmanee, were sent to Sadao police station to be charged. – Bangkok Post
DOH to apply for EUA of Sinopharm’s COVID-19 vaccine
The Department of Health (DOH) is set to file on Monday an application for emergency use authorization (EUA) for the COVID-19 vaccine developed by China’s state-owned drug maker Sinopharm. This is after the World Health Organization (WHO) approved the vaccine for emergency use, making it the first shot developed by a non-Western country to secure WHO approval. “Ngayong umaga, ang DOH mag-aapply ng EUA sa Food and Drug Administration for Sinopharm dahil mayroon nang EUL (emergency use listing) na nilabas ng WHO kahapon o nung makalawa,” Duque said in an interview on ABS CBN’s TeleRadyo. (This morning, the DOH will apply for an EUA before the FDA for Sinopharm because it already has an EUL from the WHO.) An EUA would allow a vaccine under development to be used in the country. The FDA earlier said there is no pending EUA application for the Sinopharm vaccine but three companies have so far expressed interest to apply. President Rodrigo Duterte earlier got inoculated with the donated Sinopharm vaccine sans an EUA. Duterte later apologized and asked China to recall its donation. Malacañang earlier said the President would still get his second dose of the Chinese vaccine. – INQUIRER.net
Viet Nam reports new record of COVID-19 cases on Sunday evening
Viet Nam has reported 87 new COVID-19 infection cases on Sunday evening – the highest daily case number since the pandemic began. Of those, 10 are imported and 77 are locally transmitted. The new community cases include 26 in Bac Giang Province, 15 in Bac Ninh Province, 11 in Ha Noi, two in Hung Yen Province, two in Hoa Binh Province, 17 in Da Nang City, two in Hue City, one in Quang Nam Province and one in Quang Tri Province. All new cases in Bac Giang and Hoa Binh were confirmed to have had close contact with previously confirmed COVID-19 cases. Among the new cases in Ha Noi, two were linked to the outbreak at the Dong Anh facility of the National Hospital for Tropical Diseases, two were infected when having treatment at the National Cancer Hospital’s Tan Trieu facility, and the rest were in close contact with earlier confirmed cases. Da Nang reported 12 new patients linked to the Da Nang-based AMIDA Beauty Salon outbreak. The rest had close contact with the previous confirmed cases. The Da Nang-based AMIDA Beauty Salon outbreak was also the infection source of cases in Thua Thien Hue, Quang Nam and Quang Tri. Two cases in Hung Yen Province were reported to have been receiving treatment at the National Cancer Hospital or in contact with COVID-19 patients. Cases in Bac Ninh are under further epidemiological investigation. They all have been isolated at Bac Ninh General Hospital for treatment. As of Sunday evening, the country’s total infection cases stood at 3,332. Of those, 2,602 have been given the all-clear, according to the Ministry of Health. There have been 333 cases since the latest outbreak hit the country on April 27. The COVID-19 pandemic has claimed 35 deaths in Viet Nam so far. On Sunday, Yen Lac Town in northern Vinh Phuc Province started 15 days of social distancing to curb community transmission of the coronavirus. The decision was made after a confirmed case was reported to be linked to the local healthcare centre in Vinh Yen City. The social distancing would begin from Sunday midnight and end midnight on May 24. – Viet Nam News
Storm destroys 1,700 buildings across Kingdom
Last week’s storm became a natural disaster when severe rain and wind gusts destroyed 1,700 houses, schools and other public buildings in the capital and 13 additional provinces. Statistics released by the National Committee for Disaster Management (NCDM) said that damage caused by the storm last Tuesday through Thursday included 1,500 houses, five schools, numerous healthcare centres, pagodas and markets. NCDM senior advisor Keo Vy said that at least one person was killed and five injured because of fallen trees while lightning strikes injured another four people. Most of the damage happened in Svay Rieng province. Svay Rieng deputy governor Ek Sovannphearak, who is in charge of provincial disasters, said the gusts and rain devastated Romeas Hek district. On Wednesday, it hit seven communes in Romeas Hek district, two communes in Kampong Ro and Chantrea districts, and a commune in Bavet city. Then on Thursday, it hit six communes in Romeas Hek again, she told Khmer Times on Sunday. “Most of the houses have been destroyed in Romeas Hek district,” she said. During the two-day period, there were a total of 628 houses destroyed in the province but 580 were in Romeas Hek district, she said. Sovannphearak said after the provincial administration received reports from the respective districts, the provincial disaster committee and the Cambodian Red Cross began taking action immediately to help the vulnerable people who suffered from this natural disaster. At the same time, Deputy Prime Minister Men Sam An and commander of the National Military Police General Sao Sokha also led their officials to bring donations to victims in Romeas Hek district, said Sovannphearak. These disasters were recorded in Phnom Penh and the provinces of Banteay Meanchey, Battambang, Kampong Cham, Kampong Chhnang, Kampong Speu, Kandal, Koh Kong, Kratie, Mondulkiri, Oddar Meanchey, Prey Veng, Svay Rieng and Tboung Khmum. – Khmer Times
Major who defected from Tatmadaw begins training recruits to fight coup regime
A high-ranking soldier who defected from the Myanmar military after it seized power on February 1 began training new recruits to fight the coup regime on Saturday in territory controlled by an armed insurgent group. Major Hein Thaw Oo defected from Light Infantry Division 99 in the central town of Meiktila in late March after serving in the military for 20 years. Saturday’s trainees were between the ages of 20 and 35 and recently fled towns and cities across the country amid a military campaign of mass murder and terror designed to crush resistance to its rule. The number of trainees and their exact location cannot be disclosed for security reasons. As well as teaching the recruits to fight, the basic training will cover battlefield first-aid, English language lessons, and computer and vocational courses. “We will not accept these blatant and unnecessary killings of innocent civilians,” he told the recruits as training began. “The people will not accept it either. Those in this evil army will die when it’s their time.” Battles with the military regime’s forces could begin at any moment, the major added. “There’s nothing set in stone with battles. Maybe they’ll come to you and maybe you’ll go to them. It could happen today or tomorrow.” The military regime’s forces have killed over 770 people including dozens of children during attacks on protesters and others since February, according to a tally by the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners. One of the recruits on Saturday was a youth who fled Bago after surviving a massacre there last month where 82 people were killed, according to local aid groups. After soldiers took over the city’s Ponnasu, Hmor Kan and Socialist neighbourhoods on April 9 they began abducting and torturing young people indiscriminately. Some residents decided to flee the city to join the armed resistance. “These who bully and torture people and dare to kill people… I hope they’re ready to die too,” Hein Thaw Oo said. The major said he was willing to join forces with any organisation that will work towards a country without dictatorship, and that alliances with some organisations have already been established. The National Unity Government, established by ousted lawmakers, has been negotiating with armed ethnic groups with the aim of forming a federal army to fight the coup regime. On May 5 it announced the formation of a People’s Defence Force. – Myanmar NOW
Police turn back 70 thousand vehicles on homecoming ban's third day
The Indonesian Police turned back some 70 thousand vehicles from 381 check points across the country, including Sumatra and Bali, on the third day of the Eid al-Fitr homecoming travel ban under the Operation Ketupat 2021, to stem the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, Head of the Indonesian Police's Traffic Corps Inspector General Istiono said. "Nationally, the security and traffic situation is running safely and smoothly," he said here on Saturday night. He was accompanied by the Head of Metro Jaya Regional Police Inspector General of Police Fadil Imran, the Head of Traffic Corps' Operation Division Senior Commissioner Rudy Antariksawan, Traffic Director of Metro Jaya Regional Police Senior Commissioner Sambodo Purnomo as well as the Head of Public Relations for Metro Jaya Regional Police Senior Commissioner Yusri Yunus when monitoring the Blockage Point at kilometre 31 of the West Cikarang Toll Gate, in Bekasi. Istiono explained that during the three days of the operation, the police had asked about 70 thousand more vehicles that didn't meet the travel requirements or indicated to be carrying out homecoming activities to return to their initial departure points. "During the past three days there have been about 70 thousand vehicles that we have asked to turn back. In general, everything is running safely and smoothly," he said. He also stated that the volume of the vehicles leaving Jakarta continued to decline, both for vehicles bound for Java and those bound for Sumatra. Vehicles leaving Jakarta are dominated by those transporting logistics and goods. "Currently, the volume of the vehicles going to Java has decreased by 73 percent. Then, the vehicles bound for Bandung, West Java, have dropped 78.3 percent," he said. The vehicles bound for Sumatra has decreased by 43.3 percent and they were dominated by logistics or goods vehicles. The number of vehicles turned back was 10,869. Meanwhile, Inspector General Fadil Imran, who also inspected the blockage point at kilometre 31 of the West Cikarang toll road said that in the jurisdiction of the Metro Jaya Regional Police, 6,500 vehicles had been asked to return to their initial departure points, as there were indications of homecoming activities. "For the Metro Jakarta Police area, a total of 6,500 vehicles have been asked to turn back towards Jakarta. The number of vehicles passing through the toll road was approximately 3,585 vehicles. Meanwhile, other vehicles passed through the arterial route, both two-wheeled and four-wheeled vehicles," he explained. Imran appealed people to refrain from doing homecoming activities in order to follow government policies. The policy, which was implemented from May 6-17, aims to reduce the spread of COVID-19. "This is indeed something that's not easy. However, this is for the best in order to break the chain of transmission of COVID-19. We must all participate so that the COVID-19 pandemic could be quickly overcome," the inspector general remarked. – AntaraNews.Com