These are the top stories making the front pages of major newspapers from across Southeast Asia today.
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Jail for man who posed as woman online to have commercial sex with underage boy
A man posed as a woman online to lure a 17-year-old boy into having commercial sex with him. Muhammad Al-Masfuiin Muhsin, now 26, had pretended to be a woman who was looking for a "sex slave" to provide sexual services for "herself" and her "boyfriend" in exchange for $250. On June 18, 2019, the teenager, who had been kicked out of his home earlier, arrived at a Tampines flat. Al-Masfuiin, posing as the boyfriend, then performed a sexual act on the boy in exchange for a night's lodging in the unit. He also gave the boy a $50 note. The Singaporean, who was aware of the teenager's age, was sentenced on Monday (June 14) to 10 months' jail after admitting that he had indulged in commercial sex with a minor below 18 years old. The victim cannot be named due to a gag order to protect his identity. Deputy Public Prosecutor Emily Koh said that some time in 2017, the boy started using online classifieds website Locanto and discovered advertisements for sexual services as well as posts by people looking for "sugar mummies" or "friends with benefits". A sugar mummy commonly refers to an older woman who is willing to pay for the company of a younger person. He created an account on Locanto as he wanted to earn money by offering sexual services. The teenager was kicked out of his home on June 16, 2019, after a heated argument with his mother. In need of money, he created an advertisement on Locanto titled "toyboy fantasy", stating he was looking for a "sugar mummy" and was willing to provide sexual services. – The Straits Times
Covid-19: 100 workplace clusters this week
There are 11 new workplace clusters identified by the Health Ministry today. Based on the Covid-19 cluster data released by the Health Ministry daily, this brings the total number of workplace clusters identified this week to 100. 16 workplace clusters were detected on Monday (June 7) followed by 15 on Tuesday and 13 on Wednesday. The highest number of workplace clusters this week was on Thursday with 18. There were 12 workplace clusters detected on Friday and the number increased to 15 on Saturday. Selangor has the highest number of workplace clusters this week with 31, followed by 21 in Johor and eight each in Penang and Sabah. Kuala Lumpur, Kedah and Sabah recorded five new workplace clusters each while Kelantan and Negri Sembilan recorded four each. Pahang recorded three while Perak, Putrajaya, Melaka have one each. Selangor, Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya, collectively share one new workplace cluster this week. Perlis and Labuan meanwhile recorded no workplace clusters from Monday until today. – New Straits Times
Blame game begins over 'vaccine chaos'
The national vaccination rollout has hit turbulence after several public and private hospitals announced their decision to postpone inoculations amid a shortage of the Covid-19 vaccine. When pressed about the shortage, Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul passed the buck to City Hall, who in turn blamed the government by saying it had received insufficient supplies to meet vaccination targets. On Sunday, permanent secretary for public health Kiattiphum Wongrachit admitted that Thailand has so far received far less Covid-19 vaccine than it had expected this month. The shortfall has led to a major adjustment of the country's mass vaccination programmes for July and September, Dr Kiattiphum said. The shortfall has led to a major adjustment of the country's mass vaccination programmes for July and September, Dr Kiattiphum said. Several public and private hospitals across the capital, as well as a number of hospitals in the provinces, have postponed vaccination appointments scheduled for this week, saying they have not received enough vaccines from the Public Health Ministry. Most of the postponed vaccination appointments were made by senior citizens and people with underlying medical conditions through the Mor Prom ("Doctor Ready") app. Namarak Hospital even posted a sarcastic remark on its social media channel, saying: "If you have any questions about this [postponement], please contact our call centre or contact the public health minister [directly] and ask why this lack of readiness has occurred." The post prompted Mr Anutin to give an interview on Channel 3, in which he blamed the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA). The minister said the Public Health Ministry had agreed to supply the BMA with one million doses of the vaccine and in less than two weeks 500,000 doses had already been delivered. "So, it cannot be said that they haven't received the vaccine from the ministry, and saying so only shows a lack of responsibility," he said. "The BMA's health and medical departments should have tried their very best in managing the given vaccine supplies as they now have full control of everything there." Mr Anutin said his ministry was quick to have all 500,000 doses of the vaccine delivered to the BMA although it had initially planned to send only 250,000 doses initially, and the rest later. "Please don't say the ministry isn't doing anything because it already has distributed all vaccine supplies received from the suppliers to eligible parties as instructed by the CCSA and on time," he said. Soon after Mr Anutin's interview, the BMA's public relations office posted a statement on its Facebook page saying that the ministry failed to supply vaccines to the BMA as planned. It said the BMA was notified by the ministry that 2.5 million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine will be provided, so the BMA planned its mass vaccination programme accordingly. So far, the BMA has received only 350,000 vaccine doses, in addition to the 150,000 Sinovac jabs it has to cover injections from last Monday until today. Of these received doses, 181,400 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine have been redistributed to hospitals in Bangkok handling vaccination appointments. The BMA only supplies the jabs given by the ministry to these hospitals for the vaccination programme, where up to 450,000 people have already booked their vaccination appointments. Out of the total supply of 6.3 million doses of Covid-19 vaccines expected to be delivered this month, Bangkok was promised to get 1.16 million doses, while the other 76 provinces will receive 3.22 million doses, said Dr Opas Karnkawinpong, director-general of the Department of Disease Control. Provinces with a less serious outbreak situation may be able to delay their vaccination programmes, Dr Opas said. The Rural Doctors Society pointed out Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, in his capacity as head of the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA), was to blame for the "vaccine chaos" in Bangkok. It said the CCSA resolved to give 1 million jabs for Bangkok in June and about 500,000 doses had been allocated last week. Gen Prayut held a special meeting of the CCSA on May 3 which resolved to set up a Covid-19 centre for Bangkok and surrounding provinces. No cabinet ministers, not even the public health minister, were appointed to the centre, the network said. – Bangkok Post
Palace: Duterte to announce new quarantine classifications; ‘normal’ GCQ likely in NCR Plus
President Rodrigo Duterte will announce new quarantine classifications over several areas in the country on Monday night, Malacañang said, adding that a shift to a “normal” general community quarantine (GCQ) over NCR Plus is likely. Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) will meet on Monday afternoon to discuss their recommendations on the new quarantine classifications. After deciding on the matter, they will then submit their recommendations to the President. “IATF meet on classification this p.m. PRRd (President Rodrigo Roa Duterte) to announce tonight,” Roque said in a text message to INQUIRER.net. NCR Plus, which is composed of Metro Manila, Rizal, Bulacan, Cavite and Laguna, was placed under GCQ “with restrictions” starting June 1 until June 15. Roque said it is unlikely that NCR Plus will be placed under the least restrictive modified GCQ but instead may be placed under “normal GCQ.” “No po,” he said when asked if he thinks NCR Plus will be placed under MGCQ. “Normal GCQ siguro because numbers have not gone down to [the] level before entry of new variants,” the Palace official added. NCR Plus was previously placed under GCQ “with heightened restrictions” from May 15 to May 31 where movement was limited to essential travel and indoor dining services were decreased to 20 percent capacity. Establishments involved in leisure-like venues for meetings were previously also barred from opening. On Sunday, June 13, the Department of Health logged 7,302 new COVID-19 infections, pushing the active case tally to 59,865 while the nationwide case count to 1,315,639. The death toll also rose to 22,788 after 137 new fatalities. – INQUIRER.net
Viet Nam approves Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine for emergency use
Viet Nam’s health ministry has approved the Pfizer/BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine for domestic emergency use. Developed in partnership between Germany company BioNTech and US firm Pfizer, this is the fourth vaccine to receive such authorisation, following Oxford/AstraZeneca, Sputnik V, and Sinopharm’s Vero Cell. According to the approval decision signed by deputy health minister Tran Van Thuan, the product – named Comirnaty – comes in doses of 0.3ml of mRNA molecules protected by lipid nanoparticles. The packaging is described as trays of 195 vials, with each vial holding six doses of vaccine. The decision is made based on safety and efficacy data provided by Pfizer Viet Nam Co Ltd to the health ministry by May 28, and commitment by the company that the data has been reviewed and approved by the European Medicines Agency. The company is expected to coordinate with the manufacturer in ensuring the standards of the Comirnaty vaccine, along with the quality of the products imported into Viet Nam. The company is also required to work with health authorities to issue guidance on the storage, distribution and use of the vaccine for vaccination sites, assess the quality of the vaccine batches imported into the country before use, and work with the health ministry to conduct risk management of the vaccine during its use in Viet Nam. Previously, the health ministry said it has negotiated for deal of 31 million doses of Pfizer and the first shipment could arrive likely between now and July. Last week, during a meeting with UNICEF Representative in Viet Nam Rana Flowers, health minister Nguyen Thanh Long has also expressed his request for COVAX Facility – the global vaccine sharing initiative – to supply Pfizer vaccine to be used for Vietnamese children aged 12-18. As of Saturday 4pm, 1,454,221 doses of vaccines – mostly AstraZeneca – have been administered in Viet Nam since the inoculation drive started in March 8, 2021. 54,385 people have received the full two doses. – Viet Nam News
Lockdown mulled: City Hall may reimpose restrictions in some parts of PP
Fed up over non-compliance of preventive measures, Phnom Penh City Hall may reimpose lockdowns in some areas and reintroduce the three-zone system – Yellow, Orange and Red. City Hall on Saturday announced that it noted recently that after restrictions were eased, the owners of private companies, financial institutions, restaurants, markets, workers, employees and some business people seemed to be relaxed and are neglecting the implementation of health measures. It said because of the risk that could lead to serious outbreaks in the community, it is mulling reimposing lockdowns in some areas. City Hall added that the owners of private companies, factories and enterprises should step up security at entrances and exits and restaurants must ensure the limited dine-in restriction is strictly followed. It said that in proportion to the size of the location social distancing must be maintained and there must be adequate ventilation. Crowding must be avoided to prevent the transmission of Covid-19. City Hall added that all citizens must strictly implement health safety measures, such as wearing face masks, spray sanitation to disinfect, check their temperatures, scan the QR Code and follow the instructions of the Health Ministry and local authorities. Owners of private companies who do not follow the instructions will be punished according to the Law on Measures to Prevent the Spread of Covid-19. The announcement has spooked businessmen and the public. Tep La, a grocery vendor in Stung Meanchey district, told Khmer Times yesterday if the Phnom Penh City Hall re-imposes lockdown again, it will hit businesses hard. “I am very worried about the possibility that my area will be locked down again. I run a grocery store and if I have to close I won’t have any income,” La said. Khun Srey Pov, a factory worker in Por Senchey district, told Khmer Times that she had experienced the lockdown almost one month ago and found it very hard to cope with it. She said that she did not want to see this situation again, because if there is a lockdown she will not be able to earn money to send back to her family in her province to support them. “I was upset when I heard the Phnom Penh authorities may be locking down high-risk areas in the capital,” she said. “I would like to call on Phnom Penh City Hall to please only lock down some part of high-risk areas but not the whole capital again. It will affect my living situation now,” she said. – Khmer Times
Mindat becomes a ghost town under military rule
Mindat, a small town in a remote and mountainous region of southern Chin State, is more isolated than ever these days. A full month has passed since martial law was imposed on the town and the surrounding area, and it now lies virtually empty, according to some of its few remaining residents. “There are no open shops, no hawkers – just dogs and pigs on the streets,” said one person who spoke to Myanmar Now on condition of anonymity. “People even left their pets behind when they fled. The pigs broke their fences and now they’re roaming the streets looking for food,” he added. Martial law was imposed on Mindat a day after talks between the military and local resistance forces collapsed on May 12. Since then, more than 90% of the town’s roughly 11,000 inhabitants have fled as the military continues to tighten its grip, according to residents. At least 10,000 people have been displaced, with most seeking shelter in neighbouring villages or in the forest, according to the Mindat People’s Administration Team, which negotiated with the military to end the fighting. Mindat’s resistance movement was among the first in the country to take up arms against regime forces cracking down on anti-coup protesters. The Chinland Defence Force (CDF), formed in early April, claimed multiple casualties in its clashes with junta troops, but suspended fighting later in the month as it called for the release of detained protesters. However, it wasn’t until the military suffered even greater losses after fighting resumed a few days later that it agreed to negotiate. This led to 10 days of relative peace that ended abruptly on May 12. The resistance forces initially defied the imposition of martial law, but were forced to retreat when the military sent reinforcements to occupy the town two days later. Anyone who was still in Mindat after troops took control of the town on May 15 has been forced to stay there due to the heavy military presence, according to residents. Soldiers have taken over all major roads and public areas, making most fearful of encounters that could end in arrest or worse, they said. “They interrogate everyone very strictly, so no one dares to go out. They’re suspicious of young people, so it’s even worse for them. They want to know if you’re a local and tell you to show them your ID and phones,” said one man still living in Mindat. Another danger is stray artillery shells, which sometimes hit residential neighbourhoods. The junta has blamed such incidents on local resistance forces, despite the fact that they are not believed to possess any heavy weaponry. On May 26, the regime released a statement claiming that its troops were under orders to act only in self-defence. However, with soldiers taking over houses and public buildings, including churches and other places of worship, few believe that they are in the town simply to keep the peace. Meanwhile, the regime has portrayed the resistance forces variously as “rioters” and “terrorists”, citing ambushes targeting military columns and other guerrilla tactics. Armed only with hunting rifles and improvised weapons, the CDF has been accused by the military of “terrorising” its heavily armed troops. The regime has made no mention, however, of the thousands of civilians who have fled in terror of the troops that have taken over their town. – Myanmar NOW
Jakarta's recent COVID-19 case spike linked to Eid holidays: Governor
Governor of Jakarta Anies Baswedan attributed a recent sharp increase in coronavirus infections in the capital to the Eid al-Fitr holidays that had led to a new wave of COVID-19 cases. "A new spike (in COVID-19 cases) has been felt recently, but it occurred not only in Jakarta but also in the rest of Indonesia," the governor noted here on Sunday night. Baswedan highlighted the importance of the public, government, and law enforcement officers upholding discipline in following health protocols. "The public cannot work alone and neither can law enforcement agencies nor the government. All elements must work together," he emphasized. The governor stressed that all sides involved in business, social, cultural, and religious activities are responsible for their activities. "The ways to take responsibility include following health protocols, complying with operating hours, and restricting the number of visitors. We must work together. We cannot work alone," he stated. To this end, the Jakarta administration and the Regional Leadership Coordination Forum (Forkopimda) held a roll call on Sunday night to remind all relevant parties of their obligation to stem the spread of COVID-19, he remarked. "We are all held responsible. Our officers will remind (the public), uphold the rules, and take stern measures (against violators). We will not compromise the measures against violators having an irresponsible outlook during the pandemic," he stated. According to the governor, Jakarta should focus greater attention on the number of COVID-19 cases that had jumped sharply in the past week. The number of COVID-19 cases climbed by 50 percent to reach 17,400 on Friday (June 11) as compared to 11,500 on June 6, 2021. The COVID-19 positivity rate also increased to 17 percent on Sunday, from nine percent a week earlier. "The number of new cases increased in each of the past four days by 2,000, 2,300, 2,400, and 2,700 today," he remarked. The number of specimens tested at laboratories also rose by eight folds as compared to the WHO standard of four folds. – AntaraNews.Com