These are the top stories making the front pages of major newspapers from across Southeast Asia today.
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Over half of S'pore's population have been boosted, about 42,000 get Covid-19 shots daily
Over half, or 51 per cent, of the total population in Singapore have taken their booster shots, Health Minister Ong Ye Kung said in a Facebook post marking the milestone on Sunday (Jan 16).
Noting that more individuals are stepping forward for Covid-19 vaccine boosters, Mr Ong said: "Now, about 42,000 individuals are getting boosted a day. This is a stark increase from 25,000 daily in mid- to late December.
"Boosters restore vaccine protection against Covid-19 infection and severe illness from Omicron."
Earlier this month, the Government revised its policy and announced that from Feb 14, those aged 18 and above will be required to get a Covid-19 booster jab to maintain their fully vaccinated status.
A person's fully vaccinated status will lapse nine months after the last dose of his primary vaccination series.
Mr Ong had also previously stressed that the Omicron wave could be several times larger than last year's Delta wave, given the variant's increased transmissibility.
Projections show that while Delta infections hit a sustained incidence of about 3,000 cases daily, Omicron could reach 10,000 to 15,000 cases a day or more.
Vaccination and boosters will thus remain key while Singapore is preparing to ramp up capacity and manpower at public treatment and recovery facilities such as hospitals, said Mr Ong in Parliament on Jan 10. – Straits Times
Current public health measures should stay, says expert
As Covid-19 is here to stay, public health measures need to be continued.
This, public health expert Datuk Dr Zainal Ariffin Omar said, was regardless of the country entering into the endemic phase.
"It is important not to let our guard down, be it in the pandemic or endemic phase.
"We should continue with what we are doing now before we can safely move to a near-normal life. "Wearing face masks, physical distancing, crowd control and improvement in ventilation must continue to be implemented as Covid-19 may never go away.
"We must not be complacent and must be responsible to minimise the risk of being infected and infecting others," he said.
Dr Zainal Ariffin, who is also the chairman of the Volunteers for Community Engagement and Empowerment for Covid-19 organisation, was commenting on the government's postponement of the country's transition to the endemic phase. Asked if the postponement was wise, he said: "I don't know what is the government's actual plan.
"(But) based on current facts, Omicron is very infectious but mild. Our primary vaccination offered good protection and booster shots have further enhanced protection against Omicron and other variants.
"Our vaccine coverage is high and our robust health system has been enriched with support and experiences.
"I am confident that we can overcome Covid-19 without another round of movement control order or strict standard operating procedures.
"Our existing public health measures are sufficient.
"In my humble opinion, harping on terminology, pandemic versus endemic, is a waste of time," he said. – New Straits Times
Harmful dust levels in Greater Bangkok
The Pollution Control Department has warned of harmful levels of fine-particulate dust in Greater Bangkok on Monday and Tuesday and again later this weekend, because of stagnant air over the capital
The department reported on Monday morning that over the past 24 hours the level of particulate matter 2.5 micrometres and less in diameter (PM2.5) in Greater Bangkok ranged from 28-62 microgrammes per cubic metre of air. The local safe threshold is 50mcg, higher than most other countries.
Unsafe levels were measured in Klong Kum sub-district of Bung Kum district, Klong Sam Wa district, Soi Lat Phrao 95 in Wang Thong Lang district, Don Muang district, Sukhaphiban 5 in Sai Mai district, Bang Kapi intersection in Bang Kapi district, Lat Krabang Road in Lat Krabang district, Sihaburanukit Road in Min Buri district, Klong Thawi Watthana Road in Thawi Watthana district and Ma Charoen Road in Nong Khaem district.
The department said fine dust levels would rise on Tuesday morning, drop from Wednesday to Friday due to air movement and rise again on Saturday and next Monday due to air stagnation. – Bangkok Post
Presidential yacht provides medical aid to 820 Dinagat residents
The BRP Ang Pangulo (ACS-25), the presidential yacht converted into a floating hospital following the onslaught of Typhoon Odette last month, has provided medical aid to 820 residents of two barangays in the Dinagat Islands during its mission in the area from January 14 to 15.
"After serving Siargao for the past week, the floating hospital returns to Dinagat Islands to continue delivering medical services and humanitarian assistance to the people of the province. This time, the Presidential Ship anchored off the coasts of Barangays Cab-ilan and Gomez in the Municipality of Dinagat. A total of 368 and 452 patients, respectively, were served the past two days," the BRP Ang Pangulo said in its Facebook post on Sunday night.
The same post added that the 820 patients served for both barangays are the highest since BRP Ang Pangulo started its humanitarian mission last December.
"To date, a total of 1,614 residents from Siargao and Dinagat Islands have been attended to by the hospital ship," the ship said.
The BRP Ang Pangulo is part of the 27-ship flotilla deployed by the Navy to help communities battered by “Odette”. – Philippine News Agency
HCM City industrial parks eye $500m investment in 2022
The HCM City Export Processing and Industrial Zones Authority said the city’s industrial parks and processing zones hope to attract investment worth US$500 million this year.
They attracted $600.79 million last year, well above the target, including foreign investment of $220.26 million, it said.
Speaking at a meeting held to finalise plans for 2022 last week, Hua Quoc Hung, head of the authority (HEPZA), said to achieve the goal, HEPZA would continue to promote investment incentives, strengthen COVID-19 prevention efforts, enhance support for businesses to help them stabilise operations, and step-up administrative reform.
Other key targets would include quickly starting the construction of the proposed 668 hectares Pham Van Hai Industrial Park, speeding up land clearance for building the Le Minh Xuan 2 Industrial Park, expanding the Le Minh Xuan IP, Northwest Cu Chi IP, Vinh Loc IP, and Hiep Phuoc third phase, he said.
“HEPZA also plans to develop new industrial park models and … develop criteria for attracting investment in export processing zones and industrial parks.”
With COVID-19 still lingering, HEPZA was continuing to cut or defer payment of factory/warehouse rents, land rents and infrastructure maintenance and service fees. – Vietnam News
Support increasing: More countries back Cambodia’s efforts to resolve Myanmar’s crisis
Cambodia’s efforts to solve the Myanmar crisis is receiving increasing support from leaders of countries, a good omen towards ironing out issues. Laos Prime Minister Phankham Viphavanh and Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh have expressed their support for Prime Minister Hun Sen’s initiatives in addressing the situation in Myanmar, as have Japan, China and Australia among others.
The French Ambassador to Cambodia has said his country will support Cambodia and its special envoy in all efforts to solve such a dilemma in accordance with ASEAN’s Five-Point Consensus that must be the action plan of the international community and Myanmar.
Mr Hun Sen on Friday held an online talk with his Singaporean counterpart, Lee Hsien Loong, on the Covid-19 pandemic and Myanmar crisis during which the latter reportedly backed Cambodia.
According to Kao Kim Hourn, Minister Attached to the Prime Minister, in the meeting, Mr Hun Sen briefed Lee on the objectives and outcome of his recent visit to Myanmar, especially his intention, as ASEAN Chair, for an immediate ceasefire and cessation of violence, and the provision of humanitarian assistance to the people who are most in need of help, as well as for constructive dialogue.
In response, Lee spoke highly of the efforts of Cambodia in contributing to addressing the crisis in Myanmar, and supported the role of the special envoy of the ASEAN Chair on Myanmar, Kim Hourn said. – Khmer Times
Junta troops release prisoners after guerrilla attack on police stations, resistance fighters say
A two-day attack by local defence forces on the Yinmabin township and district police stations in Sagaing Region forced junta troops to release five prisoners on Wednesday, according to the resistance groups involved.
Members of the Alliance Force of Chindwin Yoma, Hero Tiger Force, and a guerrilla force based in Kani Township claimed responsibility for carrying out the attack.
According to guerrilla fighter Thurein, four of the freed prisoners were from Yinmabin and had been arrested by junta forces while returning from neighbouring Kachin State under suspicion of belonging to the resistance movement. The remaining prisoner was from the village of Lel Ngauk.
The police stations were short-staffed at the time of the ambush because many of the troops who would have normally been there had been sent as reinforcements to ongoing battles in Sagaing’s Pale Township, Thurein explained.
“They were pretty weak for a district police station. They decided to release the captured civilians because they couldn’t take our attacks anymore,” he added. “We didn’t exactly plan to rescue the civilians but it was a lucky surprise.”
The defence forces retreated after using 60mm RPGs in their assault on the police stations on Monday and Tuesday nights, while the soldiers fired back with both heavy and light weaponry. – Myanmar NOW
Indonesia suspends umrah pilgrims' departures for evaluation
The Religious Affairs Ministry has suspended the departures of umrah pilgrims starting from January 15, to give authorities time to evaluate the One Gate Policy (OGP) scheme, and to monitor the Omicron variant transmission in Indonesia and Saudi Arabia.
"We are evaluating the OGP concept thoroughly by considering the current development as the Omicron variant continues to spread in many countries, including Indonesia and Saudi Arabia," the ministry's Director General of Hajj and Umrah Hilman said in a statement here on Sunday.
The government has started to embark the umrah pilgrims on January 8, 2022. As many as 1,731 pilgrims had departed since then, through Pondok Gede hajj dormitory in Jakarta.
Under the OGP scheme, all umrah pilgrims arrived at Pondok Gede hajj dormitory are required to pass health screening and document checking.
The umrah pilgrims who had departed on January 8 are scheduled to arrive in Indonesia on January 17, and the ministry would check possible transmission of Omicron among the pilgrims.
"The departures of the umrah pilgrims have continued until January 15 and we shall stop them temporarily for evaluation," he remarked. – AntaraNews.Com