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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HDB resale prices rise at slower pace of 2.4% in Q1 as signs of price resistance set in
Buyer resistance could be setting in, with prices in the Housing Board (HDB) resale market rising at a slower pace of 2.4 per cent in the first quarter this year, compared with 3.4 per cent in the fourth quarter of 2021.
Last year, the HDB resale market ended on a high, as prices grew 12.7 per cent, the steepest full-year climb since 2010.
To curtail the robust property market and encourage greater financial prudence, the authorities introduced fresh cooling measures at the tail-end of 2021. Since then, prices have expanded at a slower pace and the sales momentum of HDB resale flats has slipped, data released by HDB on Friday (April 22) showed.
While prices have continued to go up for the eighth consecutive quarter, the slower rate of 2.4 per cent in the first quarter could be a sign that some price resistance is forming, said property analysts.
Ms Christine Sun, senior vice-president of research and analytics at real estate firm OrangeTee & Tie, said this quarter marks the lowest growth since the third quarter of 2020, when prices rose 1.5 per cent.
With the potential interest rate hikes and rising inflation, the run-up in flat prices may further lose steam this year as buyers become more unwilling to pay more for housing. – Straits Times
New policies for caregivers and visitors at government hospitals to take effect this Saturday
Caregivers will be allowed to accompany children with Covid-19 as well as Covid-19 patients that require special care at hospital wards.
The caregivers must obtain a negative test result via Rapid Test Kit-Antigen (RTK-AG) before doing so, and must repeat the test if they display any symptoms and before returning home.
However, no visitors will be allowed for Covid-19 patients, except for end-of-life patients. Only two visitors will be allowed at one time and they are encouraged to self-test before visiting the patients.
Health director-general Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said these new policies for caregivers and visitors at government hospitals during the transition to endemic phase will take effect on Saturday. "Caregivers for non-Covid patients in wards as well as individuals that accompany pregnant mothers during labour must test negative for Covid-19 using the RTK-Ag self-test kits.
"Non-Covid patients, in general wards or intensive care units (ICU), including end-of-life patients, are also allowed to receive visitors. However, each patient can only receive two visitors at one time. The visitors are also encouraged to self-test for Covid-19 before making their visits. "Only one caregiver will be allowed to accompany non-Covid patients at the outpatient and emergency departments. The caregivers are also encouraged to self-test for Covid-19 before going to the healthcare facilities.
"The new measures are taken after considering the importance of psychosocial support, especially from family members of patients, to assist in their recovery process," he said in a statement today.
Caregivers and visitors, he said, must also be 12 years old and above, fully-vaccinated against Covid-19 and must not be classified under any high-risk groups. – New Straits Times
Observers dismiss speculation of political 'incident'
The government will remain intact without any political "incident", at least until the amendments to two organic laws that are crucial to the revision of rules under the new election system are done, observers and politicians said.
This is despite the looming censure debate facing the government, they said. Speculation about what that "incident" might be, took off after Deputy Prime Minister Wissanu Krea-ngam, and chairman of the committee overseeing the amendments to the organic laws of parties and election of MPs, Sathit Pitutecha, said any unexpected event that derails the amendments will leave the country with no legal basis to support the dual-ballot system that will be used in the next general election.
This "incident", observers said, could be a House dissolution, a snap election or the PM's resignation. Mr Sathit had also said he was concerned about the petition filed with the Constitutional Court, seeking to scrap the dual-ballot method which could also have big implications for the poll.
Their observation came as the opposition looks set to file a no-confidence motion in parliament later this month.
The censure debate could take place sometime next month after parliament reconvenes.
The opposition believes the debate can deliver enough no-confidence votes to force Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha out of office, causing his replacement or even a snap general election. – Bangkok Post
Vaccine expert panel recommends booster shot for 12-17 years old
The country's vaccine expert panel (VEP) has recommended the administration of the first booster dose for children ages 12 to 17 years old as face-to-face classes would start soon.
"Actually, we have also submitted a recommendation to the FDA but the final decisions especially for the 12 to 17 [years old] is still with HTAC," VEP chairperson Dr Nina Gloriani said Thursday in a televised public briefing.
Earlier, Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said about 9.1 million adolescents are fully vaccinated while some 1.5 million children ages 5 to 11 years old are fully vaccinated as of April 18.
"There's really no recommendation of booster shot administration for 5-to-11-year-olds," Gloriani said.
Since the effectiveness of Covid-19 vaccines waned over time, Gloriani said booster shots would provide an extra layer of protection especially for those directly exposed to coronavirus and protection against potential surge of infections.
The neutralizing antibodies of fully vaccinated individuals are expected to come back or increase five to seven days after the administration of a booster shot. For some people, it takes only two to three days, Gloriani said.
"As for those eligible for a second booster dose, it should be four months after the first [booster] dose," she added. – Philippine News Agency
Viet Nam starts e-invoice programme nationwide
Electronic invoices, or e-invoices, play a vital role in creating a transparent and fair business environment, a more streamlined administrative process, higher productivity, and are an integral part of Viet Nam's national strategy for digitalisation.
Minister of Finance Ho Duc Phoc made the statement during an event in Ha Noi held to start a nationwide e-invoice programme.
With the introduction of an info portal for taxpayers outside of Viet Nam and the EtaxMobile app, the country's tax authority has significantly improved its ability to oversee and manage online commercial activities and tax procedures. Taxpayers now have been granted access to easier ways to proceed with their tax applications using mobile platforms.
"The new apps have played an important role in convincing businesses to switch to using e-invoices. It was our conclusion after a short but successful pilot e-invoice programme," said the minister.
Speaking at the event, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh said digitalisation is the next step in Viet Nam's national development strategy, in line with the global movement.
The PM said tax reform remains a key objective for the Government and the tax authorities can count on the Government's support for modernisation. Chinh said the ministry's e-invoices are to have a profound impact on the transparency and effectiveness of the country's tax regime, while helping cut costs and improve the business environment.
He urged the ministry and the general department to help raise awareness of the benefits of using e-invoices and provide additional support for small- and medium-sized and household businesses to make the transition. – Vietnam News
Down to 7: Fewer quarantine days meant to attract tourists
Unvaccinated visitors entering the Kingdom will no longer need to be quarantined for 14 days. From now on it is only for a week. Unvaccinated travellers entering Cambodia through air, land, and water will now need to spend only seven days in quarantine instead of 14 days.
The Ministry of Health announced that the change in SOP was effective yesterday. Minister of Health Mam Bun Heng said visitors flying into the country would need to have a rapid diagnostic test on the last day of their seven-day quarantine. “Unvaccinated travellers who enter the country through the land border will, however, have to take the rapid diagnostic tests twice, the first upon arrival and the last on the last day of their quarantine,” he said.
Bun Heng said relevant authorities must check those in quarantine and to vaccinate those who have yet to be inoculated.
“If they already have had their first dose, please do administer the second dose if the time is right for the second dose,” he said.
Ministry of Health spokesman Hok Kim Cheng said yesterday the move to reduce the number of quarantine days for unvaccinated visitors would not any negative impact on the country as long as the individual complies strictly with health protocols. – Khmer Times
Karen armed organisation orders junta to abandon two Mon State bases
In an official order released on Wednesday, the Karen National Defence Organisation (KNDO) called on the Myanmar army to withdraw from two bases in Mon State’s Bilin Township within three days or face military action.
The directive was published by Battalion 2 of the KNDO – an armed organisation under the control of the Karen National Union (KNU) – and refers to junta posts in Lay Kay and Win Tar Pan villages. The bases are eight miles apart and located at the border with Karen State’s Hpa-an Township, surrounded by forest. They are situated within territory controlled by Brigade 1 of the Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA), the primary armed wing of the KNU, which, in addition to Bilin, operates in Kyaikhto and Thaton townships in Mon State and Hpa-an in Karen State.
Junta soldiers stationed in the Lay Kay and Win Tar Pan posts were instructed by the KNDO to decide on a route and date for their departure, and to inform the KNU ahead of the deadline if they wished to surrender.
According to the order, the demand for withdrawal was issued to prevent the military from committing crimes in the area in question, including the arrest, torture and rape of civilians and the destruction of homes and villages. The junta’s armed forces have been widely accused of perpetrating such atrocities nationwide both since the February 2021 military coup and during the decades of civil war that preceded it.
Representatives from the KNDO were not available for comment, but KNU spokesperson Padoh Saw Taw Nee told Myanmar Now that the order marked a further step towards toppling the junta. – Myanmar NOW
Minister outlines preparations for hosting 7th GPDRR
Law and Human Rights Minister Yasonna Hamonangan Laoly has highlighted his ministry’s readiness to welcome the implementation of the 7th Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction (GPDRR) in Bali from May 23-28, 2022.
"We have selected 50 staff who will carry out the immigration and registration process for all GPDRR delegates and meeting participants," he stated at a meeting regarding Indonesia's readiness for hosting the GPDRR conference, according to a statement on Thursday.
The government's immigration policies are quite dynamic and are based on the development of the COVID-19 pandemic. Currently, Indonesia is more open to welcoming foreign visitors to recover the national economy. Thus, for GPDRR, diplomatic and service passport holders from 91 partner countries with visa-free agreements, as well as laissez-passer holders can enter Indonesia without diplomatic and service visas for a maximum of 30 days.
The delegates must bring supporting documents, namely diplomatic notes of assignment or visitation statements from the ministry/authorized institution of their countries, or a proof as a registered GPDRR participant. – AntaraNews.Com