These are the top stories making the front pages of major newspapers from across Southeast Asia today.
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Firm fined $41.5k for damaging PUB water main, illegal works
Tong Shing Contractors was fined $41,500 for damaging a water main and carrying out works without approval from Singapore's water agency PUB. In a statement on Tuesday (June 1), PUB said the damage to the water pipe led to the loss of 1.8 million litres of water, enough to fill about two-thirds of an Olympic-size swimming pool. The water leak had affected three traffic lanes in Admiralty Road West near the junction of Dahan Road when the incident occurred in December 2018. Tong Shing was carrying out pipe-jacking works as part of a road-widening project when the pipe-jacking machine punctured the water main, which has a diameter of 70cm, at a depth of about 3.7m below the road surface. PUB uncovered a hole with a diameter of 30cm on the water main when it went on site to isolate the leak and repair the damage. Its investigations found that Tong Shing had failed to physically ascertain the exact location and alignment of the water main before the works began. In addition, Tong Shing had proceeded with the pipe-jacking works without submitting a plan to do so for PUB's approval. On Tuesday, PUB reminded contractors that it takes a serious view of water main damage and the water wastage that can be prevented if due diligence is exercised. "Contractors should always refer to PUB's advisory on the prevention of damage to water pipe infrastructure before carrying out any construction works," said PUB. Under the Public Utilities Act, those who damage a water main or connecting pipe with a diameter of 30cm or more can face a fine of up to $200,000, jail for up to three years, or both. Contractors who carry out works in the vicinity of water mains without an approved plan can be fined up to $10,000. – The Straits Times
Civil servants contribute portion of allowances to Covid-19 fund
Civil servants of certain grades will be contributing a portion of their allowances starting this month, for three months, to the National Disaster Relief Trust Fund to cover Covid-19 related expenses. Chief Secretary to the Government Tan Sri Mohd Zuki Ali in a statement today said the move was in line with Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin's announcement last night, where the premier and Cabinet ministers will not be receiving their monthly salaries for three months from this month. "Therefore, as a manifestation of the solidarity, officers in the top management groups and those from Grades 44 to 56 will be contributing a portion of their Fixed Entertainment Allowance (ITK) for the fund. "The same goes with those from Grades 29 to 41, who will be contributing a portion of their Fixed Public Service Allowance (ITKA) to the fund," he said. Zuki said the rate of ITK deduction for JUSA A and above is 50 percent, JUSA B (20 per cent), and JUSA C at 10 per cent. "For Grades 44 to 56, the rate of ITK deduction is five percent, while Grades 29 to 41 is RM10," he said. Zuki added contributions from over 800,000 civil servants (not including front liners and those in Grades 1 to 28) are estimated to amount to more than RM30 million. He said a circular with details of the implementation will be issued soon. "This contribution is a sign of the unity of civil servants in supporting the government's efforts in fighting the Covid-19 pandemic, as well as to flatten the infection curve in our country. "May this sacrifice be a cause of goodness in the lives of those in the Public Service and their family members. "Let us continue to strive and increase our commitment in providing the best service to the people and the country, and ensure that we succeed in this challenging period." Yesterday, Muhyiddin in a special address to announce the government's financial assistance under Pemerkasa Plus had said that he and Cabinet ministers will not receive their monthly salaries for three months starting this month. The move, he said, was to show solidarity for the front liners and Malaysians as the country continues its fight against the Covid-19 pandemic. – New Straits Times
PM defends defence spending
Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha defended the Defence Ministry's share of the budget for the upcoming fiscal year during the first reading of the bill in parliament on Monday, after opposition MP slammed the figure as unusually high when compared to allocations for health care. Before the reading began, Gen Prayut said the 3.1-trillion-baht budget agreed last year will be crucial to the implementation of various measures and policies to mitigate the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. He told parliament that Thailand's economy is expected to grow by 2.5-3.5% this year, as the global economy begins to recover. That said, Gen Prayut said this year's growth could still be affected by a resurgence of the virus both in Thailand and abroad, which will dent the recovery of the tourism sector, along with drought and volatilities in the global financial system. "There are limitations and risks that could affect Thailand's economic recovery in 2021," Gen Prayut told the House of Representatives, which continues the first
reading tomorrow. "There are still uncertainties over the Covid-19 situation both at home and overseas, and [the pandemic] may be more severe and longer than expected," he said. The budget proposes spending of around 3.1 trillion-baht next year, down about 5.7% from this year. The difference is due to lower revenues from tax collection, projected to be 2.4 trillion baht, or down by 10.26% from the previous year, according to the premier. Next year, the Thai economy will expand by 4-5%, he said. – Bangkok Post
DOE sets schedule of possible power interruptions in Luzon
Power interruptions in parts of Luzon may take place between the hours of 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., and 7 p.m. to 10 p.m., the Department of Energy (DOE) said Tuesday. DOE Undersecretary and spokesperson Felix William Fuentebella noted that power interruptions may happen as the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines earlier placed the Luzon grid on red alert. “Masama ang lagay ng ating grid sa Luzon dahil meron tayong na-experience ng red alert. Ibig sabihin merong power interruption. Anong oras ‘yan pwede mangyari? Alas onse ng umaga hanggang alas singko ng gabi, at meron pang alas siyete hanggang alas diyes ng gabi,” he told ABS-CBN’s Teleradyo. (The situation of the Luzon grid is bad because we experienced a red alert. This means there is power interruption. When can this happen? From 11 a.m. until 5 p.m. and from 7 p.m. until 10 p.m.) Fuentebella said power interruptions happen because of power plants that became non-operational and the high demand for electricity amid high temperatures. According to Fuentabella, the DOE has already informed Cabinet officials of the possible shortage in electricity supply as early as the last week of March and raised the need for enforcement of regulations for power players. “Sinabi natin na pwedeng nagkakaroon ng enforcement issues sa mga power players dahil may mga paraan kung paano maiwasan ang problema natin ng kakulangan ng supply, ngunit mayroong ding mga hindi sumusunod. Kaya sabi natin, we need more enforcement,” he said. (We said there could be enforcement issues among power players. There are ways to prevent the problem of shortage of energy supply, but there are power players that do not follow these. That’s why we said we need more enforcement.) He said that the Energy Regulatory Commission, the Philippine Competition Commission and the Department of Justice should step in the issue. Fuentabella also noted that the NGCP’s compliance with its obligation to provide sufficient levels of ancillary services or power reserves will greatly help in the situation. He added that distribution utilities should also forecast the expected increase in demand for electricity, and that power plants should be maintained properly to ensure that there will be no scheduled preventive maintenance. – INQUIRER.net
Viet Nam's national per capita income witnesses 2% fall in 2020 due to COVID-19 pandemic
Viet Nam’s per capita income in 2020 declined two per cent to VNĐ4.23 million (US$183.19) each month compared to 2019 in wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, the General Statistics Office (GSO) has said. According to preliminary results of the GSO’s survey on local living standards in 2020, which covered nearly 47,000 households across 63 cities and provinces, the average monthly per capita income increased by 8.1 per cent each year during the 2016-20 period. The monthly per capita income in urban areas was around VNĐ5.53 million, about 1.6 times higher than that in rural areas (VNĐ3.48 million). The richest group had an average per capita income of VNĐ9.1 million per month, compared to only nearly VNĐ1.14 million in the poorest group. In terms of regions, the southeast region had the highest monthly per capita income, at over VNĐ6 million, 2.2 times higher than that of the northern midland and mountainous region which had the lowest monthly per capita income at VNĐ2.74 million. The southern province of Binh Duong with strong industrial base surpassed both Ha Noi and HCM City to top the nation’s per capita monthly income in 2020. The province’s per capita income was more than VNĐ7 million (US$303.93) per month, followed by HCM City at VNĐ6.537 million, and Ha Noi at VNĐ5.98 million. Of the total income, earnings from wage and salary accounted for 55.3 per cent, from agro-forestry-fishery activities 11.2 per cent, non- agro-forestry-fishery activities 22.9 per cent, and other activities 10.6 per cent. Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of poor families has continued to decrease thanks to social welfare policies, the GSO says. Policymakers, however, need to address the wealth gaps between urban and rural areas, the rich and poor as well as between regions. Viet Nam was one of a handful of countries with a competent handling of the pandemic, keeping both infections and deaths low throughout 2020, while managing to post a positive growth of 2.9 per cent. – Viet Nam News
Cambodia’s Covid-19 situational analysis after 100 days of Community Event of February 20
The form book and the predications have been threshed, thrown out, new policies enacted, 2.6 million people vaccinated within 110 days, an economy which was tethering on collapse and a real possibility of runaway Covid-19 infections. In stepped the army and Cambodia changed its course of history and set new standards on how to tackle pandemics, take harsh yet lenient measures, massive food handouts to those in locked down red zones, curfews, travel restrictions, etc. Yet, Cambodians persevered and overcame the hurdles and deadly obstacles when combatting the Covid-19 pandemic. The virus is still making its round in the country but the people are more aware, take preventive measures without hefty fines and punishments and that is the secret of the success in holding the virus at bay, though the number seem staggering when compared to the same period in 2020. Efforts by recalcitrant Cambodians are still there, the so-called champions of democracy with incoherent policies except demagogy tried their ridiculous best to derail the government’s efforts to safeguard the people. Prime Minister Hun Sen stuck to his guns and his policies, deployed the army to take over vaccinations and hardly any country in the region or elsewhere can boast of such achievements. It shows determination, sufficient stock of vaccines or just in time delivery of vaccines with the military becoming the game changer towards achieving herd immunity soonest possible. The government hopes to get up to six million people, not just Cambodians but those expatriates working and living in Cambodia, diplomatic corps, which is just four million short of its targeted 80% vaccination or 10 million people to attain herd immunity. This is the success story of Cambodia in its fight against Covid-19, not that of perceived starvation and food shortages reported maliciously in red zones and the likes. The battle is not over yet and it may still be at least a year or so away before a resemblance of victory can be achieved but Cambodia is doing very much better than many others in ASEAN and elsewhere, including the developed world. All it needs is the support of the international community such as with the COVAX initiative for one, and moral and physical support. Enough of detractions. When some of Cambodia’s more developed neighbours in ASEAN are looking at this country’s vaccination success, there is a thing or two to be said about what we are capable of. – Khmer Times
Myanmar military launches airstrikes against Karenni resistance
Regime forces used helicopters to attack civilian resistance fighters in Kayah (Karenni) State’s Demoso Township from the air on Monday afternoon, according to a member of the Karenni People’s Defence Force (KPDF). The KPDF was formed by Karenni youth fighters mostly armed with traditional weapons – such as handmade rifles – to defend their region against the junta’s offensives. The KPDF member told Myanmar Now that the military’s troops opened fire on them from a helicopter and also dropped bombs in their vicinity, starting from around 5pm. “Do you hear the sound of airplanes? They were shooting at us from a helicopter, bombing and opening fire. We have to crouch down low now,” he said over the phone. At the time of reporting, at least five bombs had been dropped from above, he added. Clashes broke out when KPDF members ambushed regime soldiers at Dawh Ngan Kha ward in Demoso at around noon, he said. Following the attack, the military launched some 20 rounds of heavy artillery – such as 120mm shells – from the base of Artillery Battalion 356 in the neighbouring town of Loikaw, he added. “We attacked with light weapons but they responded with artillery shells. They are still firing now and we can’t go outside yet,” said the KPDF member from Demoso. Clashes were still ongoing at 6:30pm and the regime reportedly used long-range weapons including howitzers, according to the KPDF. Myanmar Now was unable to verify which arms were used in the battle. At the time of reporting, there was no information available regarding casualties. The KPDF claimed that 106 regime soldiers had been killed in clashes in Demoso and Loikaw, as well as in Moebye in southern Shan State, where fighting broke out on May 21. Around 26 civilians, including multiple KPDF members, were also killed in those battles. The regime authorities have blocked entrances into Kayah State from Shan State to the north, and transportation routes to Loikaw have also been cut off. Tens of thousands of locals in Kayah State fled their homes following the recent intensified fighting and are in urgent need of food and access to medical treatment, locals have reported. – Myanmar NOW
S Korea inks pact to better protect Indonesian seafarers
Indonesia and South Korea have inked an agreement offering better protection to Indonesian crew members of South Korean fishing vessels. Indonesian Manpower Minister Ida Fauziyah and South Korean Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Minister Seong-Hyeok Moon signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to that effect during an online interaction on Monday. The agreement, which pertains to Indonesian seafarers serving on Korean coastal fishing vessels, is an important milestone for the two countries, Manpower Minister Fauziyah said in a written statement released on Monday. "On behalf of the Indonesian government, we express high gratitude to the Korean government for the good bilateral cooperation, particularly in the manpower field," she said. The Indonesian government saw an urgent need for the MoU given the vulnerability of the Indonesian seafarers employed on board fishing ships, she added. Moreover, the COVID-19 pandemic has added to the complex problems faced by Indonesian migrant workers, particularly those employed as ship crew members, she said. "Bilateral cooperation is necessary to control the mechanism of placing (the migrant workers) and increasing the protection of employees' and employers' rights," she added. Hence, intensive and effective coordination and cooperation between the two nations is needed to negotiate on the issues of manpower and protection of Indonesian seafarers in Korea, she continued. South Korea is among the countries which attract Indonesian migrant workers. According to data provided by Korean immigration, 5,343 Indonesian seafarers were serving on board Korean fishing vessels above 20 tons as of April 30, 2020. – AntaraNews.Com