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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More university places for working adults can help fill future economy jobs: Experts
Increasing places for adult learners would help shift mindsets about education and create a pathway for Singaporeans to upgrade their skills for new jobs and fill existing roles, experts said. On March 7, Education Minister Chan Chun Sing announced that the Ministry of Education (MOE) would study the possibility of a higher lifetime cohort participation rate in education.
This means MOE is considering allowing more working adults to get places in government-funded degree programmes, Mr Chan said while presenting his ministry's budget in Parliament.
Singapore Human Resources Institute president Low Peck Kem told ST that MOE's shift to a lifetime cohort participation rate is a step in the right direction to encouraging lifelong learning.
She said increasing subsidised places for adult learners will create a structured way for workers to upgrade, alongside other avenues like trade certification.
Dr Kelvin Seah from the Department of Economics at National University of Singapore (NUS) said while the policy will result in more graduates, an increase in the supply of graduates in the labour market may not result in lower salaries for them.
He said: "It is possible that there will also be an increase in the demand for skilled labour if international companies looking to hire high-skilled labour are attracted to Singapore as a result of the increased supply of graduates.
"The end result on Singapore's labour market is therefore ambiguous at this point, since there would be both an increase in the supply of graduates as well as a possible increase in the demand for them." – Straits Times
Umno must win big in GE15 to form stable govt, says Tok Mat
Umno must win the 15th General Election (GE15) with a huge majority in order to form a stable government that will not depend on the mercy of others, its deputy president Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan said.
He said Umno must lead a government that has earned a strong and credible mandate, one that is able to drive Malaysia's development in multi-folds besides being helmed by an experienced and performing leadership that can steer Malaysia to become an influential and developed nation.
"It is very important for Umno's policies to be translated as government policy, in which party and government go hand in hand," he said when simultaneously opening the party's Wanita, Youth and Puteri wings annual assemblies at the World Trade Centre (WTC) here last night.
Mohamad, who is Barisan Nasional deputy chairman, said to ensure this, the focus of the Umno general assembly this time around must be centred on preparations for GE15 and not on party elections. "The focus for 2022 should not be about the party elections, not about dethroning others, and not about positions and rewards. The real focus should be about Umno winning the general election again, forming the government and leading the nation.
"I am truly confident we can succeed. Not easy, but it can be done! There will be challenges and obstacles, of course… but if we are well prepared and work hard, there will be no mountain too high and no valley too low," he said.
The simultaneous opening of the three wings held face-to-face was also attended by Prime Minister and party vice-president Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob; two other vice-presidents Datuk Seri Mahdzir Khalid and Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin, secretary-general Datuk Seri Ahmad Maslan and the heads of all three wings.
Mohamad said Umno's confidence in becoming the strongest political party to win GE15 is based on changing trends in the national political landscape, BN's performances as well as changes adopted by the party to embrace and champion reforms. – New Straits Times
Nightspots hail end to Covid restrictions
Night entertainment operators have welcomed the news that the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) will consider allowing them to resume business activities.
According to a source at Government House, an unlocking of night entertainment venues may be listed for a meeting of the CCSA's operation centre today, before the matter goes to the CCSA's meeting tomorrow.
Wirawit Kruasombat, president of the Patong Entertainment Business Owners Club in Phuket, yesterday responded to news of the change by thanking the government.
"I feel thankful that the government understands the difficult situation that night business operators have had to deal with," said Mr Wirawit, adding they also want to see measures to help businesses.
Mr Wirawit said night entertainment outlets play an important role in tourism so when the government looks to ease Covid measures to welcome tourists, outlets such as pubs, bars and karaoke venues should be able to resume operations.
Sanga Ruangwattanakul, president of the Khao San Business Association, said business operators on Khao San Road have urged the government to extend operating hours and allow restaurants to serve alcohol until 11pm or midnight or 1am, depending on business zones as per pre-Covid.
"Regarding the present Covid-19 situation, it's time for us to return to our normal lives and let people decide for themselves. There is no need for restrictions on selling alcohol until 11pm because people are still having fun and relaxing," he said.
Khao San typically welcomes 1,000-2,000 party-goers during weekdays and 5,000-6,000 people on Friday and Saturday nights. He said these figures will double if operating hours extend to midnight or 1am. – Bangkok Post
Gov't urged to check plight of OFWs in Russia
A senatorial candidate on Thursday urged the government to look into the condition of overseas Filipino workers (OFW) in Russia amid the ongoing tensions in Ukraine.
In a statement, Partido Reporma senatorial bet Guillermo Eleazar said the government must establish a line of communication with Filipinos in the host country, which has been hit by economic sanctions from various countries.
“Our government should set up communication lines with Filipinos there so that we may have an idea of their situation and we could extend help to them if needed,” Eleazar said.
He also urged the government to check if the Filipinos in Russia want to be repatriated, noting that their safety and welfare must always be prioritized.
The United States, United Kingdom, European Union, Australia, and some Asian countries condemned Russia over its invasion of Ukraine and slapped economic sanctions against it, including curbs on its oil trade which contributed to the hike in fuel prices.
The Department of Foreign Affairs has raised Alert Level 4 in Ukraine, which means a mandatory evacuation of all Filipinos and a ban on the deployment of Filipino workers in the conflict-torn European country. – Philippine News Agency
Viet Nam eyes safe and effective reopening of tourism
Viet Nam is determined to fully reopen its tourism industry and will adopt measures to treat foreign and domestic tourists alike, Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam said on Tuesday.
On March 15, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs coordinated with the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism to organise a conference on safe and effective international tourism reopening.
The event connected a number of localities with 94 Vietnamese embassies as well as offices abroad.
Representatives from the Viet Nam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT), the Consular Department (Ministry of Foreign Affairs), airlines, travel companies, tour operators, and hotels also attended the conference.
Dam said March 15 is not just about opening tourism, but also international trade and international exchange as it was pre-COVID.
The Deputy Prime Minister emphasised that the guiding spirit of the Government is not to treat foreign tourists and local people differently, in terms of pandemic precaution measures.
"Tourists traveling by air will need to be tested for COVID-19, and once they're here, they will be treated like Vietnamese people," he said.
"Those entering by water, road or rail, need to meet some more regulations on pandemic prevention and control."
But he warned not to expect an instant influx of visitors.
“Tourism recovery will not happen quickly in a few days or weeks, it will take months or longer,” he said. – Vietnam News
‘Plot mastermind’ Sam Rainsy sentenced to 10 years for plan to overthrow government of Cambodia
Phnom Penh Municipal Court has sentenced Sam Rainsy, the leader of an illegal rebel group and mastermind in a plot to overthrow the government, to 10 years in prison.
Fourteen other accomplices were sentenced to five years in prison, but some were given suspended sentences.
Mr Sam Rainsy and the six ringleaders convicted by the court include: Mr Sam Rainsy, Ms Mu Sochua, Ms Chulong Somura, Mr To Van Chan, Mr Nuth Romduol, Mr Ho Van and Mr Eng Chhay Eang.
The court convicted the seven of conspiracy, incitement to commit acts that caused serious unrest in social security and incitement to disobey the military.
Following their convictions, the court also issued arrest warrants for seven defendants in connection with an attempt to overthrow the legitimate government.
In addition to convicting the ringleaders, the court also convicted 13 other participants, including: Thai Sokunthea, Long Phary, Khim Phana, Sok Chantha, Piet Mab, Keo Thai, Chum Chan, Sun Thorn, Ngin Kheang, Yim Sareth, Nhem Van, Khuth Chrek and Chhon Bunchat who were sentenced to five years in prison each, but the sentence was commuted to three years and eight months in prison, with the remaining sentences suspended for conspiracy and incitement.
Another accomplice, Hin Chan, was sentenced to five years in prison, but his sentence was suspended for conspiracy and incitement to commit acts of serious social unrest. – Khmer Times
Myanmar junta uses ‘highly destructive’ bomb in Karenni State, military insiders say
An undetonated bomb dropped by the Myanmar army on Karenni State’s Demoso Township is very possibly of the highly explosive FAB variety, according to military sources, including an air force defector.
The bomb was one of two fired from a fighter jet at a Catholic church in Sawng Dular village in Demoso on March 8. It failed to explode on impact and was found partially buried by anti-junta Karenni resistance forces on Tuesday.
Sgt Htet Naing Aung, an air force officer who joined the Civil Disobedience Movement (CDM), told Myanmar Now that he had discussed the bomb’s classification with other members of the air force now supporting the resistance.
“We call those FAB bombs. They use oxygen in the explosions, and they also generate heat waves and release high air pressure, too,” he explained, describing a type of thermobaric explosive. “This extremely high pressure could cause both internal bleeding and bleeding from the nose and ears in humans who are near the explosion site.”
“It has really high destructive power,” he added. – Myanmar NOW
Data from Merah Putih vaccine's phase-1 clinical trial being analyzed
Data from Merah Putih Vaccine's phase-1 clinical trial for COVID-19 whose vaccine seeds are developed by Unair, is currently in the analysis stage, Airlangga University's (Unair's) COVID-19 Vaccine Development Head, Professor Fedik Abdul Rantam stated.
"So far, we are still analyzing the result from phase 1 of the clinical trial. We are also reporting this process to the Food and Drug Supervisory Agency (BPOM). So far, it is going well," Rantam noted during the National Health Resilience Webinar: Merah Putih Vaccine Development here, Wednesday.
Unair is collaborating with PT Biotis Pharmaceutical Indonesia to develop a COVID-19 vaccine with an inactivated virus platform and is currently undergoing phase 1 of clinical trials, with 90 volunteers receiving the vaccine injection.
If the results of phase 1 of the clinical trial yield good results, then it can be continued to phase 2, with 405 test participants, and followed by phase 3, with five thousand test participants.
Rantam affirmed that the implementation of clinical trials for vaccine candidates required large funds and adequate resources. Several parties involved in this vaccine development comprise PT Biotis, the Ministry of Health, Dr Soetomo Hospital, and the BPOM.
If all clinical trials run smoothly according to the schedule on August 2022, the vaccine will be able to obtain an emergency use authorization from BPOM.
Meanwhile, Rantam targets mass production to start after obtaining an emergency use permit. He is optimistic of the vaccine being directly used in the community. – AntaraNews.Com