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.
Stay informed with The ASEAN Post.
New app launched to help in fight against illegal trade of shark and ray fins
A new mobile application launched yesterday (June 7) will leverage artificial intelligence (AI) to help enforcement officers streamline their fight against illegally traded shark and ray fins coming through Singapore.
Fin Finder is able to identify the shark or ray species when users upload a photo of a fin on the app. The app's algorithm does this by analysing the shape and patterns on the fin, similar to AI's capability to process facial recognition.
The National Parks Board (NParks), non-profit group Conservation International and Microsoft Singapore collaborated and worked on the app from September last year. Dr Adrian Loo, group director of wildlife management at NParks, said fins entering Singapore currently need to undergo visual inspection, with officers comparing the fins against a guide indicating which species have been approved for trade.
To ascertain whether the fins are from species regulated under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (Cites) Appendix II, the samples are then sent for DNA testing to determine the species and genus of the shark, a process that can take up to a week.
With the app, that time is shaved to under a minute, giving enforcement officers near-instant feedback on whether a shipment contains fins from regulated species, said Ms Dhanushri Munasinghe, project coordinator at Conservation International Singapore. – Straits Times
S'wak civil service to continue using English officially: Abang Johari
The Sarawak civil service will continue to use English as the official language along with Bahasa Malaysia, State Premier Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg said last night.
He said this stand is in accordance with the Sarawak Constitution whereby both languages could be used in official matters.
"I hope (matter) this will be free from polemics. Sarawak, we got our own stand. Go ahead and use English. We will not be penalised for using English. Sarawak civil servants, you can use English. Federal officers, I don't know lah because your master is different," he said.
Speaking at a dinner to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the Sarawak Foundation here, Abang Johari said although some quarters attributed Japan's success story to their people speaking the local language, students from that country would still have to learn English when they studied in Europe or the United States. "Whether you like it or not, to acquire new technology or new knowledge you must have (a good command of) English to understand what is going on throughout the world," he said.
On May 24, Chief Secretary to the Government Tan Sri Mohd Zuki Ali said the Public Service Department needs to look into corrective and punitive actions that can be imposed on those who deliberately take lightly Service Circular No. 1 2020 on empowering the use of the National Language in public service.
He said this was because, in the civil service, the move to strengthen the Malay language as the main language among agencies and civil servants had always been top priority. – New Straits Times
PM: No plans to lead PPRP
Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha will not apply to become a member of the Palang Pracharath Party (PPRP) with the aim of replacing Gen Prawit Wongsuwon as its leader, Gen Prayut said yesterday, swatting away rumours to the contrary.
An earlier report made such a claim, citing an unnamed source. It added that Gen Prawit would be relegated to the role of secretary-general. Gen Prayut said he was shocked to learn of the rumour when he awoke on Tuesday and had no clue where it originated from.
“There’s nothing going on. I’m keeping my mind on my work as usual. Things are going well. That’s all I can say. I don’t know where the rumour came from,” he told reporters at Government House after the weekly cabinet meeting. The prime minister did not reply when asked about his political future.
When asked if he would seek another term in office, Gen Prayut said he was focusing on the work at hand and ensuring the government successfully completes its four-year term.
“That is a different issue and it is up to the public,” he added.
Before the prime minister spoke with the media, several PPRP heavyweights had rallied to his side in asserting the rumour was without substance.
Gen Prawit looked agitated on Tuesday when asked if he was prepared to surrender his role in the ruling party to the PM
“You should ask the person who spread the news,” he said. – Bangkok Post
Solon seeks rollout of P500 'ayuda' amid high inflation
A lawmaker on Wednesday cited the need to expedite the release of still undistributed subsidies, particularly the proposed PHP500 monthly subsidy, to poor Filipino families for three months amid surging commodity prices.
Albay Rep. Joey Salceda made the statement as the country's headline inflation quickened to 5.4 percent in May from 4.9 percent in April, according to data released by the Philippine Statistics Authority.
Salceda said elevated inflation levels would persist as the Russia-Ukraine conflict "continues without signs of abating."
He said he would follow up with relevant government agencies on President Rodrigo Duterte's promised PHP500 monthly cash aid, which was supposed to be implemented instead of the proposal to suspend fuel excise taxes.
"I am concerned that the poor are getting hit harder than everyone else in this. The inflation rate for the bottom 30 percent of households, year to date, has been 4.3 percent, whereas general inflation has been 3.5 percent year to date. This emphasizes the need to expedite any subsidies still undistributed," Salceda said.
He noted that the immediate impact inflation will have on the poorest households would be in nutrition.
The government, he said, should implement "aggressively" the nationwide feeding program required by law as face-to-face classes resume to supplement food intake among children from low-income households.
Community-based food production efforts will also be critical in rural areas, he added.
"I emphasize that inflation has been faster in 14 regions outside of NCR (National Capital Region). Price increases are affecting provinces harder than NCR," Salceda said.
He suggested that the government also work with partners with large seasonal food surpluses to prevent a nutritional crisis among poor communities. – Philippine News Agency
Viet Nam hosts regional peace operations meeting
The annual plenary meeting and workshop of the Association of Asia-Pacific Peacekeeping Centers (AAPTC) commenced in Ha Noi on Tuesday.
It takes place during June 6-10 with the theme "Leading innovation: Indo-Pacific action in support of the UN's Action for Peace Initiative to improve the effectiveness of UN peacekeeping operations".
Viet Nam chairs this year's event, with preparations done by the Department of Peacekeeping Operations and other agencies under the Ministry of Defence.
The meeting and workshop aim to create a forum to connect member countries of the association after being affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as sharing experiences and reorganising resources to support the United Nations' Action Program for Peace (A4P) and Action for Peacekeeping Open (A4P+).
It’s also an opportunity for Viet Nam to emphasise its role and responsibility as the current President and host of the association, enhance its position, and make practical contributions to the United Nations peacekeeping cooperation in the Asia-Pacific region.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, Lieutenant General Phung Si Tan, deputy chief of the General Staff of the Vietnamese People's Army, who is also deputy head of the Steering Committee of the Ministry of Defence for participation in UN peacekeeping operations, stressed the significance of hosting the events to the country.
He said: “This is the first time Viet Nam assumes the role of President of the Association of Asia-Pacific Peacekeeping Centers, and the host country for the association’s plenary meeting.
“It’s important to say that Viet Nam only officially joined the association seven years ago, and has sent forces to participate in UN peacekeeping activities for eight years. – Vietnam News
Cambodia – COVID-free at last
Cambodia has become a state of COVID-zero after the last patient recovered, according to a health ministry’s statement on Tuesday.
The country reported no new cases of COVID-19 for 31 days straight, the statement said, adding that since the pandemic began in January 2020, the southeast Asian nation has logged a total of 136,262 confirmed cases with 133,206 recoveries and 3,056 deaths.
Health ministry’s secretary of state and spokeswoman Or Vandine attributed the country’s success in controlling the pandemic to the government’s right leadership and the effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines.
“Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen has made the right and timely decision to provide free COVID-19 vaccines to all eligible Cambodians and foreigners living in the country,” she told reporters via a telegram group. “Vaccines are the most powerful tool to protect lives against COVID-19, reducing infections and deaths,” Vandine said.
Cambodia has so far vaccinated at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccines to over 15 million people, or 94 percent of its 16 million population, the health ministry said, adding that of them, 14.3 million, or 89.4 percent, have been fully vaccinated with two required shots.
Also, some 9.25 million, or 58 percent, have got a third dose, and 2.58 million, or 16 percent, have had a fourth dose.
Cambodia will begin offering a fifth dose of COVID-19 vaccines to priority groups from June 9. Buoyed by its high vaccination rates, Cambodia has resumed all socioeconomic activities and reopened its borders to fully vaccinated travellers without quarantine since November last year.
Most of the COVID-19 vaccines used in the country are China’s Sinovac and Sinopharm. – Khmer Times
Myanmar junta’s execution order of pro-democracy activists ‘unlawful,’ opposition blocs say
Myanmar opposition fronts condemned a plan by the coup regime to execute four men, including two pro-democracy leaders, as “unlawful” on Tuesday, vowing to hold those involved in the decision accountable.
In separate statements, the National Unity Consultative Council (NUCC) – a body formed to bring together forces opposed to the junta that seized power in February last year – and the Committee Representing the Pyidaungsu Hluttaw (CRPH), a group comprised of elected lawmakers, denounced the recent announcement.
The military council confirmed last week in a press conference that it would proceed with the execution of two prominent leaders accused of treason and terrorism.
Junta spokesperson Gen Zaw Min Tun said that appeals against the death sentences imposed on Ko Jimmy, a veteran of the 1988 pro-democracy uprising, and Phyo Zayar Thaw, a hip-hop artist and National League for Democracy (NLD) MP, had been rejected.
The two long-time activists, who were sentenced to death in January for allegedly plotting to carry out attacks on regime targets, have been in military custody since their capture late last year. Two other men also set to face execution are Hla Myo Aung and Aung Thura Zaw for allegedly murdering military informants, Zaw Min Tun told reporters at the press conference.
“The terrorist coup council’s approval for the execution of Ko Jimmy, who is also known as Kyaw Min Yu, [and] Phyo Zayar Thaw, Hla Myo and Aung Thura Zaw is unlawful from a legal perspective,” the NUCC said in its statement.
The bloc explained that the action violated both local and international laws and judicial norms, and that they would continue to cooperate with resistance forces to repeal the death sentences in the Myanmar judiciary.
According to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners, a total of 114 political prisoners, including two minors, have been sentenced to death by the regime since the February 2021 coup. – Myanmar NOW
Indonesia, Australia hold joint maritime security inspector training
The Indonesian Transportation Ministry and Australia have jointly organized a training session for International Ship and Port Facility Security (ISPS) Code Auditors in Semarang city, Central Java province, from June 6 to 8, 2022.
The Maritime Security Inspector Training is a routine activity carried out jointly by the two countries, head of the patrol and security sub-directorate of the Indonesian Coast and Sea Guard Unit (KPLP), Captain Ramadhan Hasri Harahap, said in a statement issued here on Tuesday.
"The training is expected to provide experience and increase the knowledge of maritime security inspectors, which is important to ensure that the implementation of monitoring, analyzing, and enforcement activities runs smoothly," he added. Maritime security guarantees various activities conducted at sea, including shipping activities, thus training for maritime security inspectors is very important, he said.
"The training can also expedite the monitoring and analysis of security potentials around the maritime area; thus, they (security personnel) can be more effective and efficient in carrying out their task," he stated.
Harahap said that the KPLP, as the designated authority (DA) under the Directorate General of Sea Transportation of the ministry, discharges supervising and monitoring responsibilities for ensuring maritime security, and requires port facilities and shipping companies to comply with the applicable regulations. "Hence, enforcing maritime security is important to create smooth shipping operational activities," he remarked. – AntaraNews.Com