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.
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Singapore tracking Omicron Covid-19 variant closely, may be forced to take steps back: PM Lee
Singapore is watching the new coronavirus variant Omicron closely and may be forced to roll back the easing up of safety measures as it moves forward to tackle the disease, said Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong on Sunday (Nov 28).
But Mr Lee said he is confident the country will be able to live with the virus, and held up how its people have made a lot of progress in dealing with the disease over the past two years.
In his first public comments about Omicron, Mr Lee, who was speaking at the People's Action Party (PAP) convention on Sunday, said that Singapore must be mentally prepared for "more bumps along the way" as it deals with an evolving virus. - Straits Times
Omicron 'likely here or near to us'
The new and potentially more contagious Covid-19 variant, Omicron (B.1.1.529), could "already be here" or is "near to us", but little is known about it, says an expert.
He said while travel restrictions on the affected southern African countries and other nations might buy Malaysia time to prepare itself, especially in terms of boosting genomic surveillance and increasing standard operating procedure compliance, it was not a feasible long-term solution.
Monash University Malaysia's molecular virologist Dr Vinod Balasubramaniam said the variant could be introduced by other means, including through supply chains. - New Straits Times
Alcohol sales tipped to ease
Authorities are considering extending hours for the sale of alcoholic beverages from 9pm to 11pm or midnight in preparation of the upcoming holiday season.
Tourism and Sports Minister, Phiphat Rachakitprakarn, said the proposal will be discussed on Monday at a meeting between government agencies and the hospitality and tourism sectors ahead of the New Year celebrations.
He also said added measures to prevent another spike in Covid-19 cases will also be discussed at the meeting. - Bangkok Post
AFP medical teams roll out 3-day vax drive in remote areas
Medical teams of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) are tasked to vaccinate residents in the so-called geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas (GIDAS) for the three-day national vaccination days from Nov. 29 to Dec. 1.
In a radio interview Sunday, Col. Fatima Claire Navarro, AFP Surgeon General, said 25 medical teams in various AFP unified commands would be deployed, apart from the 37 other teams tasked to provide manpower support to civilian medical units.
"Naitalaga sa amin na maipaabot ang bakuna sa ating mga kababayan na nasa lugar na tinatawag nating 'GIDAS' or geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas 'yan nga 'yung mga isla, kabundukan, 'yun pong kumunidad ng ating mga IPs (indigenous peoples) (We are assigned to deploy the vaccines to fellow Filipinos residing in 'GIDAS' or those living in islands, mountainous areas, and communities of our IPs)," she said. - Philippine News Agency
MoH in no hurry to ban travellers from Omicron-hit countries
As global alarm grows over B.1.1529 (Omicron), the latest and more virulent variant of Covid-19 detected in Africa, the Ministry of Health is strengthening measures to prevent its transmission into the country.
However, unlike Asean neighbours like Thailand and Singapore and many other countries which are taking pre-emptive action, the measures do not include the banning of entry from certain African countries in which the virus is spreading.
Ministry of Health spokeswoman Or Vandine said yesterday that since Cambodia doesn’t have the variant in the country yet, it will not ban flights from some countries which already have the virus. - Khmer Times
New guidance on COVID-19 testing issued for employees in HCM City
Depending on the COVID-19 situation in the city, enterprises will organise periodic COVID-19 quick tests or RT-PCR tests for their employees.
The HCM City Department of Health has recently updated guidance on COVID-19 testing at labour facilities including service businesses, shopping malls, supermarkets, agencies and offices in the city.
COVID tests will be given to employees who experience one or more of COVID-19 symptoms such as fever, cough, fatigue, sore throat, loss of taste and smell, or breathing difficulty, among other epidemiological factors. - Vietnam News
Brunei to host ASEAN disability conference
Brunei Darussalam through the Council for the Welfare of Persons with Different Abilities (MKOKU), is set to host the 11th ASEAN Disability Forum (ADF) Conference on December 6.
MKOKU President Dato Paduka Haji Mohd Alimin bin Haji Abdul Wahab, in his capacity as the Chairperson of the 11th ADF Conference, announced this during a press conference at Pusat Ehsan Al-Ameerah Al-Hajjah Maryam in Kampong Bengkurong, adding that it will be the second time that Brunei plays host to the conference with the first on December 11 – 12, 2013.
Supported by the Community Development Department (JAPEM), Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports and ADF Secretariat, the forum is hosted in commemoration of the International Day of Persons with Disabilities. - Borneo Bulletin
RI refuses entry to travelers from 11 countries over Omicron variant
The Indonesian Government has decided to refuse entry to international travellers from 10 African countries and Hong Kong (China) as precautionary measures against the importation of new COVID-19 variant named Omicron (B.1.1.529).
The 10 African countries are South Africa, Botswana, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Leshoto, Mozambique, Eswatini, Malawi, Angola, and Zambia.
“This policy will be valid soon in 24 hours,” Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment, Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan said in an online press conference Jakarta on Sunday. - AntaraNews.Com