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.
Singapore to donate $8m of medical supplies to Asean stockpile for public health emergencies
Singapore will contribute $7.9 million worth of medical supplies to a regional reserve as part of the city-state's support for Asean's collective effort to prepare for future public health emergencies, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong announced on Tuesday (Oct 26).
To help with swift and equitable distribution of Covid-19 vaccines within the region, Singapore is also ramping up cold chain logistics services and expanding vaccine manufacturing capabilities, with three new production facilities in the pipeline.
Major pharmaceutical companies BioNTech, Sanofi and Thermo Fisher Scientific have revealed plans to set up vaccine manufacturing facilities in Singapore. - Straits Times
Najib allowed to leave for Singapore after Melaka elections
Datuk Seri Najib Razak has been given the green light to travel to Singapore after the Melaka state elections next month.
This was after three High Courts here allowed the former prime minister to postpone his travel plans when he applied for the temporary return of his passport today.
On Oct 18, the Court of Appeal approved Najib's application for the temporary return of his passport to enable him to travel to Singapore to visit his daughter Nooryana Najwa. - New Straits Times
PM backs B100m NYE plan
Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha has defended the government's plan to spend some 100 million baht to secure K-pop sensation Lalisa "Lisa" Manobal of Blackpink and Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli for the New Year's Eve celebrations.
The Tourism and Sports Ministry has confirmed that both singers will perform in New Year's Eve shows in Phuket as part of the country's tourism reopening scheme.
The move came under fire after it was revealed that the deals would cost around US$3 million (about 100 million baht), with critics saying the money could be better spent to support SMEs or rehabilitate the country. - Bangkok Post
PH, Brunei armies sign guidelines for defense cooperation pact
The Philippine Army (PA) and the Royal Brunei Land Forces (RBLF) on Monday virtually signed the amended terms of reference (TOR) that will serve as a guide in the implementation of the memorandum of understanding (MOU) on defense cooperation between the two militaries.
In a Facebook post on Monday night, PA chief Lt. Gen. Andres C. Centino and RBLF commander Brig. Gen. Haji Muhammad Haszaimi bin Bol Hassan were present in the signing of the TOR on the Army Working Group jointly established by the two armies.
During the virtual event, Centino said the 2nd Brunei-Philippines (BRUPHIL) Army Working Group developed 12 bilateral military cooperation and interaction for 2022. - Philippine News Agency
38th and 39th ASEAN Summits opens
The 38th and 39th Summits of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and related meetings opened on October 26 under the chairmanship of Brunei – the country holding ASEAN chair in 2021.
The event took place virtually with a focus on the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic and promoting economic recovery.
Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh attended the conference. - Vietnam News
Cambodia to allow quarantine-free entry for travellers from Thailand by air
Cambodia will allow Thais and foreign travellers in Thailand to fly into the country without quarantine, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen has said.
In a voice recording shared on a government Telegram group, Hun Sen instructed the ministers of tourism and foreign affairs during a Council of Ministers meeting last week vodenglish.news reported.
The Thai government on October 21 announced that vaccinated arrivals from 46 countries, including Cambodia, will not have to undergo quarantine starting November 1. - Khmer Times
Myanmar junta rejects 'downgraded' representation at ASEAN summit
Myanmar’s military junta will not accept a “downgraded” role at an upcoming summit of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), it said in a statement released on Monday.
The regime, which was informed last week that it would not be allowed to send its top leader, Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, to the summit scheduled to begin on Tuesday, rejected an invitation to send a “non-political representative” instead.
The invitation, which was extended by current ASEAN chair Brunei to Chan Aye, Myanmar’s highest-ranking diplomat, denies the country “equal rights enjoyed by other ASEAN member states,” the regime said in its statement. - Myanmar NOW
Changes in govt policies due to COVID situation: spokesperson
The government's ever-changing policies have been in response to the development of the COVID-19 situation in Indonesia, government spokesperson for COVID-19 handling and Ambassador for Adaptation of New Habits, Reisa Broto Asmoro, emphasized.
"Of course (the government) always monitors all the developments in the COVID-19 situation in Indonesia. Remember, last year we had the go-ahead and stop principle, more or less, now it is also like that," she said at an online broadcast on 'Domestic Travel Health Protocols', which was monitored here on Monday.
The spokesperson said that all policies made by the government always prioritize the safety and health of citizens. - AntaraNews.Com