These are the top stories making the front pages of major newspapers from across Southeast Asia today.
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Dream Cruises' World Dream to stop sailing after liquidation; request for refunds must be submitted
Dream Cruises' vessel World Dream, one of two ships that began cruises to nowhere pilots here in 2020, will cease operations after it returns to Singapore shores on Wednesday (March 2), with the operator saying it no longer has the financial capacity to keep it going.
The death knell sounded on Monday (Feb 28) has been anticipated and dreaded for more than a month, after Dream Cruises first said it would suspend ticket sales for two weeks on Jan 23 after its parent company Genting Hong Kong filed to be wound up at the Supreme Court of Bermuda.
Following Genting Hong Kong's statement on Monday, those who have paid deposits for scheduled sailings after Wednesday will have to submit their claims to the company, although whether these will be successful is as yet unknown.
"The company is currently assessing the impact of the cessation of operation of the World Dream, in particular its ability to meet potential refund claims," Genting Hong Kong said.
"Despite the continued efforts to source and introduce external funding, the group's liquidity continues to deteriorate given the absence of sustainable operational income under current challenging circumstance and in the face of mounting creditor pressure which poses an immediate threat to the operation of the vessel."
In the first year of the pandemic, the cruises to nowhere, called as such because they made round trips on the ocean with no port of call, were one of Singaporeans' first opportunities to partially satisfy their wanderlust.
Launched in November 2020, with the other cruise to nowhere vessel Royal Caribbean International's Quantum of the Seas, more than 82,000 people had set sail on these two vessels by early March last year. – Straits Times
East coast floods, Act 342 amendments among key issues on 1st day sitting of Dewan Rakyat
The issue of flood disaster management in the current floods affecting the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia is among key questions to be raised at today's Dewan Rakyat sitting.
According to the Order Paper published on the Parliament website, Wan Hassan Mohd Ramli (Pas-Dungun) will pose this question to the prime minister during the Minister's Question Time.
Wan Hassan will ask the prime minister to state the drastic measures taken by the government in dealing with the disaster.
During the oral question-and-answer session, Datuk Mohd Fasiah Mohd Fakeh (Bersatu-Sabak Bernam) will ask the senior works minister on the implementation of toll payment using Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology at all closed tolls on the North-South Highway (PLUS) and East Coast Highway 2 (LPT 2). He will ask whether the RFID system could overcome congestion at all toll plazas and if the Touch n GO and Smart Tag would continue to be used on PLUS Highway and LPT 2.
At the same session, Datuk Seri Tajuddin Abdul Rahman (BN-Pasir Salak) will ask the prime minister why there were still weaknesses in the government's implementation and delivery system and the measures that could be taken to overcome them.
Also expected to take centre stage is the second reading of the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases (Amendment) Bill 2021, which was tabled for first reading in the Dewan Rakyat in December last year. – New Straits Times
Ukraine fallout worries cabinet
The government is expected to introduce economic measures to mitigate the fallout from Russia's invasion of Ukraine – especially its impact on global energy prices – after the cabinet meets later on Tuesday.
Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha called a meeting with his deputies and relevant agencies to discuss the ongoing developments in Ukraine, as tensions continue to escalate, government spokesman Thanakorn Wangboonkongchana said on Monday.
The crisis, he said, will undoubtedly have an impact on the economy, which will range from higher oil prices to volatilities in the equity and cryptocurrency markets.
"Thailand's economy will be hurt if the crisis drags on," he said.
Deputy Prime Minister and Energy Minister Supattanapong Punmeechaow said the government is closely monitoring the situation.
Although Thailand's energy imports are not directly affected by the crisis, he said the government will boost the nation's fuel stocks to minimise the conflict's impact on the public.
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Affairs Minister Don Pramudwinai said Gen Prayut has instructed agencies concerned to prepare measures to cushion any potential impact from the Ukraine crisis.
"The price of energy, the stock market, currency exchange, trade and investments are among issues the prime minister touched on and urged authorities concerned to make comprehensive plans for in case [the crisis] escalates further," he said.
Mr Don also said the government welcomed the news that Ukraine and Russia have agreed to hold talks, before adding Thailand will provide humanitarian assistance to those affected by the conflict. – Bangkok Post
Duterte willing to hand over his Cabinet members to next admin
President Rodrigo Roa Duterte on Monday commended anew his Cabinet members for the job well done, saying he'd be happy to pass them on to the next administration for the benefit of the Filipino people.
In his pre-recorded “Talk to the People”, Duterte said he would have been done nothing as the country's President without the help of his Cabinet members.
"Limitado lang tayo ng six years but I'd be happy to hand you over to kung sino man ang susunod (We are just limited for six years but I'd be happy to hand you over to whoever leads in the next administration)," Duterte said.
Duterte said he got the "best minds" in his Cabinet, and it would be better if their good works can be continued even in the next government.
The Chief Executive thanked Department of Transportation (DoTr) Secretary Arthur Tugade after the latter reported the Duterte administration’s long list of accomplishments in the transportation sector.
"I was actually looking at your slides and the way you've – you have not changed, your passion for achievement [always] been there. I'm old actually, maligaya ako para sa bayan na kinuha kita. Salamat (I’m happy for the country that I brought you in. Thank you) for your tireless toil and I am ready to pass you on to the next administration as a gift," Duterte told Tugade after his presentation.
Duterte is likewise impressed with National Task Force (NTF) Against Covid-19 chief implementer and vaccine czar Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr. for relentlessly working on the country's vaccination programs and other pandemic responses.
“You know, Secretary Galvez, so far, so good ka. From Day 1, talagang (really) any superior would be very happy to have you,” he told Galvez.
Duterte said he will suggest retaining his "best" Cabinet members for the sake of the nation. – Philippine News Agency
Pandemic-hit firms to enjoy preferential interest rate credit package
Loans of pandemic-hit enterprises will enjoy an interest rate cut of 2 per cent under a government support package to remove difficulties for the businesses.
The total preferential interest rate package is worth VND40 trillion, which comes from the State budget.
The proposal was drafted in the State Bank of Vietnam (SBV)’s decree on interest rate support from the State budget for loans of enterprises, cooperatives and business households, which has been made public for comment.
According to the draft, beneficiaries of the preferential interest rate credit package are enterprises, cooperatives and business households in aviation, transportation, warehousing, tourism, accommodation-food services, education-training, agriculture, forestry, fishery, industry, manufacturing, processing, software, computer programming and IT industries.
Besides, businesses, whose loans are used for the purpose of building houses to sell or rent to workers, social houses, and renovating old apartment buildings on the list of projects announced by the Ministry of Construction, will also be beneficiaries.
Under the draft, loans of the borrowers, which have been disbursed from January 11, 2022 to December 31, 2023, will enjoy the interest rate cut. However, the borrowers will not be supported with the interest rate cut if their loans have overdue principal balances or late payment interest.
Dao Minh Tu, SBV’s deputy governor, said the Government assigned the SBV, in coordination with the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Planning and Investment, to draft the decree according to Resolution No. 43/2022/QH15 on fiscal and monetary policies and Resolution No. /NQ-CP on the socio-economic recovery and development programme of the National Assembly.
According to the draft, commercial banks will get the interest rate aid package totalling VND40 trillion from the Ministry of Finance to provide the loans to the borrowers. – Vietnam News
Close to 150,000 Cambodian children aged 3 and four vaccinated against COVID-19, registering 24.52 percent
Since February 23, in five days, Cambodia has vaccinated 149,779 children aged three and four against COVID-19. Of this number, 75,740 are females and total percentage vaccinated out of the targeted 610,730 children stands at 24.52 percent, all within five days.
Overall, a total of 14,594,605 people across five different age demographics have received their first dose of the all essential COVID-19 live saving vaccine since the campaign first started on February 10. Overall, an estimated 91.22 percent of the estimated 16 million population have received at least one dose of the vaccine.
However, the take up rate for the second, third and fourth doses of the vaccines against three of the age categories remains disappointing as the sooner the people who have received their first dose, 10,240,793 of them, get fully vaccinated, meaning their second dose and then on to their booster doses, the faster the country will be able to bring the contagion to its knees during the endemic stage of the virus. – Khmer Times
Junta soldiers burn hundreds of homes and murder civilians during rampages in upper Myanmar
Junta soldiers killed civilians, burned hundreds of homes, and destroyed food stocks during attacks on villages in Sagaing Region last week, locals said.
Troops entered Kan Lay Kone village in Taze Township on February 21 and abducted 43-year-old Soe Moe, who they then took to another village five miles away called Thapyay Inn, according to the locals.
He was found dead on Thursday with his hands tied behind his back near a stream in Thapyay Inn. “We think he was tortured for three whole days,” said one local man. “There were a great number of injuries on the body.”
It was unclear why he was targeted, the man added. “He was on his way to check on his relatives when he ran into the junta column,” he said.
Elsewhere in Taze, Nay Win Htun, 40, was shot dead in his village of southern Chaung Sone on Friday. Locals said the soldiers threw the man’s body into his house, which they then set fire to.
Another junta column entered Taze from Kanbalu Township and raided the villages of Kan Phyu, Wat Toe and Thar Khaung Gyi on February 24, according to Taze locals.
“They’ve been terrorising those villages for three days,” said one resident. “They also torched houses that were not destroyed by artillery shells. And they killed and ate the cows in the village. They’re just doing whatever they want.” – Myanmar NOW
Ministry optimistic of ending Bali's waste problems before G20 Summit
The Home Affairs Ministry and the Bali local government are optimistic of being able to address the waste problem ahead of the Indonesian G20 Summit 2022.
"(This is) because one of the main issues of the G20 is related to the environment," the Ministry's Acting Director General of Regional Development, Sugeng Hariyono, noted here on Monday.
According to Hariyono, the Home Affairs Ministry has paid attention to some environmental problems in Bali, especially in the Sarbagita region comprising Denpasar, Badung, Gianyar, and Tabanan.
"Bali will become a destination for world leaders. This place should be made a benchmark of the environment by several countries worldwide," Hariyono affirmed.
Special Staff for Security and Law at the Ministry, Sang Made Mahendra Jaya, stated that the garbage problems in Bali should be resolved together with several parties, such as the central government, local governments, and non-governmental organizations (NGOs).
"There is a way for us together to end the waste problems affecting Bali. I see a big target here, so we hope the (Bali) regional government would have the main policy and the ministry would strive to assist," Jaya explained.
Meanwhile, Special Staff for Politics and Media Kastorius Sinaga highlighted that the G20 is an international event, and the garbage problem should not hinder its implementation.
Based on the Home Affairs Minister's directive, the resolution to the waste problems should be integrated that also involves the society at the upstream level. Hence, the ministry will encourage the local government to raise awareness about handling waste in society.
"The Home Affairs Ministry's role is to assist and monitor. We have the budget and regulations, but the actions are taken by the local administrations and regional governmental apparatus organization (OPD)," he noted.
Sinaga also encouraged the initiative to handle plastic waste in Bali independently by involving and providing economic benefits to the community. – AntaraNews.Com