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.
Najib catches conjunctivitis again; trial postponed
Datuk Seri Najib Razak has called in sick today, causing his 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) trial to be postponed.
His lead counsel Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah informed High Court judge Collin Lawrence Sequerah that Najib was ill due to an infection on both his eyes and was unable to attend the proceedings.
“I received a call from my client and his wife at 7.15 in the morning.
“The news is conjunctivitis has revisited and I think it is because of an outing he went yesterday and the haze does not help,” Shafee said. – New Straits Times
Hong Kong protesters boo Chinese anthem as leader Carrie Lam warns against foreign interference
Anti-government protests that have roiled Hong Kong for more than three months spread to the sports field on Tuesday (Sept 10) as many local fans defied Chinese law to boo the country's national anthem ahead of a football World Cup qualifier against Iran.
The latest sign of unrest in the former British colony followed another weekend of sometimes violent clashes, in which police firing tear gas engaged in cat-and-mouse skirmishes with protesters who at times smashed windows and started fires in the streets. – Straits Times
Lacson to Duterte: ‘Pray tell, who is ignorant?’
Is this not graft, Mr. President? Pray tell, who is ignorant?”
Senator Panfilo Lacson said this over Twitter on Wednesday accompanied by a news article: “Duterte OK with cops accepting ‘gifts’ out of gratitude, earning extra cash from video-karera.” – Philippine Daily Inquirer
Yangon electricity revenues up 65pc
Yangon Region collected K36 billion more in electricity payments for the month of July, which is a 65 percent increase compared to the month before, said Daw Soe Soe Nwe, general manager of Yangon Electricity Supply Corporation (YESC), at a press conference on Monday.
The higher revenues was due to the Ministry of Electricity and Energy raising electricity charges on July 1 to reduce the burden of the government in subsidising tariffs. – Myanmar Times
Thamanat wins PM's backing
Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha on Tuesday played down criticism of Deputy Agriculture and Cooperatives Minister Thamanat Prompow following an Australian press report of his conviction in Australia in connection with drug charges, saying every government has had its flaws.
Speaking after a cabinet meeting on Tuesday, Gen Prayut said that he would no longer comment on legal cases against cabinet ministers because they had been clarified by those involved. – Bangkok Post