These are the top stories making the front pages of major newspapers from across Southeast Asia today.
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SMRT has disinfected areas in Bishan station that service ambassador with Covid-19 was in contact with
The 58-year-old woman who worked at Bishan MRT station and was one of the two Singaporean Covid-19 cases announced on Monday (May 19) is warded and in stable condition, said transport operator SMRT on Tuesday. The premises that the service ambassador on the Circle Line had been in contact with have been thoroughly cleaned and disinfected. This is in addition to the increased cleaning of surfaces that commuters often touch that SMRT has been conducting since January. SMRT is helping the Ministry of Health (MOH) with contact tracing, and has offered assistance to the affected employee and her family. The transport operator added that the woman was last at work at Bishan station on Friday last week. The SMRT service ambassador had gone to work at the station after the onset of symptoms on Thursday, MOH said on Monday. She was confirmed to have the coronavirus on Sunday, and is yet to be linked to any existing clusters. – The Straits Times
MPs abide by strict Parliament Covid-19 SOP
Strict health and safety regulations were observed during the one-day sitting of the third session of the 14th Parliament yesterday. A total of 220 members of parliament (MPs) and 51 senators were present. Two MPs were absent as they were under a 14-day quarantine for coming into close contact with a Covid-19 patient. The MPs and senators, wearing their official ceremonial white uniforms, as well as face masks, entered the august house from 9am. The meeting, which was the first sitting under the Perikatan Nasional government and held in compliance with social distancing rules, saw a change in the seating arrangement for lawmakers. Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, who is Pagoh MP, was seated first at the government bloc as government leader. In accordance with social distancing rules, MPs left a seat vacant between each other. – New Straits Times
Rocky start as distance education gets going
The rollout of state distance learning television (DLTV) and online classrooms got off to a bumpy start as children on Monday could not tune in to the broadcast, had no internet connection or were even led to online advertisements instead of school programmes. The problems not only caused many families to get up early to set up their TVs and computers for nothing, but also caused doubts among some students who were earlier told their semester would begin on July 1. People also took to social media to vent, with the hashtag #เรียนออนไลน์ [online learning] ranking first on Twitter. The day-long confusion led Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha to clarify the distance learning programme, saying it is only intended to help deal with the "long wait" before schools reopen, government spokeswoman Narumon Pinyosinwat said on Monday. – Bangkok Post
Indonesia exploring options to ease social restrictions
The government is using research and surveys to explore ways to ease its large-scale social restrictions (PSBB), an official has said. "We've reported several concepts for restriction relaxations [to President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo], including efforts and strategies to face challenges in the new normal," the national COVID-19 rapid response task force chief, Doni Monardo, said in a teleconference on Monday. "So far, there's no single institution that can say when the COVID-19 pandemic will end. There's no certainty on when the vaccine would be discovered. So, it is very plausible that we could live with COVID-19 forever.” Doni explained that the task force was conducting research and carrying out surveys to determine the perfect time for relaxing restrictions. "The President has also asked us to research which areas should be reopened,” he said. – The Jakarta Post
In coronavirus-free Tacloban, mayor issues stern reminder on wearing masks
The city’s mayor has issued a stern warning against people who would go out of their homes without wearing masks. “Do not wait for police enforcers to pick you up,” said Mayor Alfred Romualdez, who said he had noticed so many people out in the streets not wearing masks. Wearing of masks was one of the requirements set by the city government, aside from social distancing, to keep its status as coronavirus-free. Last April, an ordinance was passed by the city council requiring everyone to wear masks in public places. Violators of the local law would pay a fine of P1,000 to P3,000 and render community service. The fine depends on how many times the law was violated. Romualdez also threatened to close business establishments that will serve customers who are not wearing face masks. “Please do not serve them. Do not force me to close your establishment,” the mayor said. – Philippine Daily Inquirer
National ceremony marks President Ho Chi Minh’s 130th birthday
A ceremony to mark the 130th birthday of late President Hồ Chí Minh (May 19, 1890 – May 19, 2020) was held on Monday by the Hà Nội Party Committee and Government. The ceremony aimed to highlight the remarkable contributions by the late President to the national revolutionary cause. In attendance were members of the Central Committee of the Party, State Presidency, Government, National Assembly and the Vietnam Fatherland Front Central Committee. Addressing the ceremony, Party General Secretary and President Nguyễn Phú Trọng said the Vietnamese nation and people gave birth to President Hồ Chí Minh, the great national hero, and it was President Hồ Chí Minh who glorified the Vietnamese nation and people. "Every step forward, every achievement of the Vietnamese revolution has been attributable to the great contribution of President Hồ Chí Minh, the illumination and stewardship of his thought," Trọng said. – Viet Nam News
Cambodia’s Covid-19 patients recover
Cambodia has declared all 122 patients who contracted Covid-19 have recovered from the highly contagious and potentially deadly virus amid speculation the government will soon end lockdown laws and reopen its borders.
“Cambodia reported no new case of Covid-19 on Saturday, while the 122nd patient has recovered,” the Health Ministry said in a statement. “To date, all 122 Covid-19 positive patients in Cambodia have recovered.” The low rates of coronavirus contraction have baffled health officials. Although Cambodians are suspicious of official figures, there have been no reports from Cambodia’s savvy online public of spikes in unaccounted deaths in provinces or cities. – Cambodia Daily