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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Omicron variant a warning against under-vaccination in Asia
The emergence of the Omicron variant of the coronavirus underscores the price of vaccine inequity.
Across Africa, just 10.4 per cent of the population has received one dose of a vaccine. In contrast, 64 per cent in North America and 62 per cent in Europe are fully vaccinated.
While variants can occur anywhere, a large unvaccinated population creates conditions conducive to the emergence of a variant such as Omicron. - Straits Times
Rosmah no show in court today, still in Singapore
Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor was nearly issued with an arrest warrant for not showing up at the Court of Appeal today for the hearing of her appeal to disqualify Datuk Seri Gopal Sri Ram as the lead prosecutor in her case and to annul the trial proceedings.
According to the High Court order dated Oct 15, 2021, Rosmah was supposed to be back from her trip to Singapore by Nov 21.
A three-man bench led by judge Datuk Hanipah Farikullah unanimously decided to use its discretion to withhold issuing an arrest warrant against Rosmah to give her the opportunity to appear before the court on Monday (Dec 6) as requested by her counsel Datuk Jagjit Singh. - New Straits Times
Govt hunts for African visitors
The Immigration Bureau and the Ministry of Public Health are tracking down about 783 African travellers who have entered Thailand since Nov 15.
They are seeking to test them for the Omicron coronavirus variant in a move aimed at maximising public safety.
The African visitors are believed to be in major tourist destinations including Bangkok and the authorities are trying to reach them and ask that they undergo a test to find out if they have the new strain, national police chief Pol Gen Suwat Jangyodsuk said. - Bangkok Post
Baguio ramps up efforts vs. looming threat of Omicron
The city government is preparing for a possible surge in coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) cases amid the looming threat of the Omicron variant, starting with the procurement and stocking of treatment pills.
Mayor Benjamin Magalong on Wednesday night said the city has still enough supply of remdesivir and dexamethasone, which are among essential medicines for Covid-19 patients.
"It will entail so many funds and it was timely that we were assured by a donor over the weekend that they are going to donate molnupiravir oral drugs which has a high efficacy rating and effective for Covid patients. This is a big help and will be a big saving," he said on the sidelines of the Christmas tree lighting ceremony at the City Hall. - Philippine News Agency
President meets with Speaker of Russia’s Federal Council
Vietnamese President Nguyen Xuan Phuc met with Valentina Matvienko, Speaker of the Federation Council of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation, in Moscow on Wednesday (local time) within the framework of his official visit to Russia.
President Phuc said Vietnam always considers Russia a priority in its foreign policy and supports Russia to have a greater role and voice in the region and the world.
Meanwhile, Matvienko stressed that President Phuc’s visit will create a new motivation to boost bilateral ties in the context that the two countries are celebrating the 20th anniversary of their Strategic Partnership (2001-21) and preparing for the 10th anniversary of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (2012-22). - Vietnam News
PM Hun Sen declares his support for his son Hun Manet to succeed him as Prime Minister
Hun Sen, the Prime Minister of Cambodia, has announced his full support for Hun Manet, his eldest son, to succeed him as Prime Minister - but says Cambodia must appoint him in an election.
The PM’s statement was made at the inauguration of a road and wastewater treatment system worth a total of 300 million dollars in Sihanoukville this morning.
In the clearest sign yet that Hun Manet is being groomed by the PM as his successor, Hun Sen stated “I declare today to support my son to continue as Prime Minister, but we have to go through the election.” - Khmer Times
Focus on domestic tourism continues
The Ministry of Primary Resources and Tourism (MPRT) continues its long-term strategy to improve and promote domestic tourism as the Sultanate enters the Transition Phase, said Minister of Primary Resources and Tourism Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Ali bin Apong at the daily press conference yesterday.
“We are now in the Transition Phase but the country is yet to open its borders to international tourists. It has severely affected the tourism industry in the Sultanate,” said the minister.
“The ministry acknowledges the negative impact of COVID-19 since the first outbreak last year and have adopted a long-term strategy focussed on domestic tourism which continues today. - Borneo Bulletin
Omicron: State officials barred from making overseas trips
The Indonesian government has prohibited state officials from travelling abroad in order to prevent the transmission of the Omicron variant of COVID-19, Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan has informed.
“State officials are barred from making overseas trips,” Pandjaitan, who is also vice chief of the Committee for COVID-19 Handling and National Economic Recovery, said in a written statement released on Wednesday.
The ban applies to all officials, except those performing essential state duties, he added. - AntaraNews.Com