These are the top stories making the front pages of major newspapers from across Southeast Asia today.
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Prabowo no longer barred from the US
Gerindra Party chairman Prabowo Subianto, who currently serves as the country’s defense minister, is no longer barred from entering the United States, which in the past had denied entry to the former military general, a Gerindra executive has said.
During his time in the Army, Prabowo was accused of being involved in human rights abuses, including the forced disappearance of 13 prodemocracy activists between 1997 and 1998, just before his former father-in-law and then-president Soeharto stepped down from power.
In 2012, Prabowo told Reuters that he was denied a US visa due to allegations that Prabowo had instigated riots that killed hundreds of people prior to Soeharto’s downfall. The former general has denied all allegations. – The Jakarta Post
Technology, climate change and rules-based system to chart course of maritime industry
The harnessing of technology is crucial for propelling the maritime sector forward, said Singapore Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat today as he launched the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore's (MPA) new digital platform for providing one-stop clearance for vessel-related transactions.
The fate of the maritime industry would also be decided by the upholding of a rules-based multilateral trading system and addressing climate change, added Heng. – The Straits Times
PM defends move to help tycoons during 90s financial crisis
Malaysia would have continued to grapple with economic difficulties if the government had not provided assistance to ‘business tycoons’ during the financial crisis which beleaguered the country between 1997 and 1998 according to Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad.
“We could have chosen not to offer help and let them and their businesses suffer losses, fail and wound up. This would have resulted in all their employees becoming unemployed. Our exports would decline and there would be no inflow of foreign capital into the country,” he said in a blog post today.
“The government would subsequently suffer from reduction in revenue in the form of corporate and income taxes, the majority of which was paid by tycoons.” – New Straits Times
Drill kicks off huge security operation
A major security drill was launched on Tuesday at Muang Thong Thani in Nonthaburi, where world leaders will gather for this weekend’s 35th ASEAN Summit and related meetings.
Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwon, who presided over the drill in his role as national security chief, said he was confident the country was ready to respond to any unexpected incidents during the summits.
Army commandos will be among 17,000 police and security officers deployed as security for the summits and related meetings. – Bangkok Post
Robredo: Why let me lead drug war if there’s no problem?
Vice President Leni Robredo fired back at critics on Tuesday, asking why President Rodrigo Duterte was willing to let her lead his drug war if the campaign had really been successful.
Robredo said this after some critics considered her refusal to comment on the President’s dare to be “drug czar” as her inability to “walk the talk.”
“If there is no failure (of the drug war), why would they pass it to me? Because you are only going to hand over a project once you can no longer fulfil it. If it is successful, there is no need to pass it over, because you have already done it well,” she told reporters in Iloilo City.
On Monday, the President said he would surrender his law enforcement powers to Robredo, after the latter criticised the drug war again. – The Philippine Daily Inquirer
Wages set to increase for civil servants
The Cambodian government will increase the minimum wage for civil servants, teachers, doctors, and armed forces in a move to improve their living conditions next year said Prime Minister Hun Sen.
He said the minimum wage for civil servants is due to increase from US$275 to US$293, and from US$300 to US$318 for teachers and doctors.
The government will also increase the minimum wage from US$296 to US$314 for National Police officers holding ranks of staff sergeant, from US$264 to US$295 for military police officers holding ranks of first sergeant; contractual officer wages will also increase to US$167. – Khmer Times