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.
Low-income families to get more integrated support
An initiative to proactively reach out to 50,000 low-income families living in rental flats will begin this month, to ensure no one falls through the cracks during the Covid-19 pandemic. The Government and its partners, such as charities and grassroots groups, will start on a massive effort of building "a more integrated and proactive social safety net", said Minister for Social and Family Development Desmond Lee yesterday. The SG Cares Community Network will, among other things, send out SMSes with information about the help available to families living in rental flats. Staff and volunteers will call - or even visit - some of these families over the next few months to check in on them and link them up to the help they need, Mr Lee said in a virtual interview. Beyond reaching out to the needy, it will also work to improve the collaboration and coordination of the work done by different groups in the network to better help these families. – The Straits Times
Barbed wire placed around 3 Sepang residential areas
Three residential areas here are believed to have been placed under the Enhanced Movement Control Order (EMCO) since late last night. The affected areas are Taman Langat Murni, Taman Langat Utama and Taman Laman Utama 2, which is located near Bukit Changgang. It is learnt that barbed wire has already been placed at the affected residential areas. It is also learnt that all residents and visitors are not allowed to leave and enter the residential areas since the EMCO was enforced to contain the spread of Covid-19. – New Straits Times
110 Thais fly home from Tokyo, 7 feverish
A total of 110 Thai nationals, stranded in Japan by the Covid-19 pandemic, returned home on Tuesday on a flight from Tokyo. They were received by officials from the Office of the Permanent Secretary for Defence and Disease Control Department after All Nippon Airways Flight NH847 touched down at Suvarnabhumi airport at 2.51pm. In the standard health screening process, seven of them were found to have a fever and sent to a hospital for an examination. The rest were taken by buses to Pattaya, Chon Buri, where they were lodged in the Bay Beach Hotel for a 14-day state quarantine. – Bangkok Post
Experts warn of turbulent 'new normal' amid COVID-19 data, testing issues
Experts and volunteers with the LaporCovid-19 (Report Covid-19) community movement have warned of a potentially tumultuous "new normal" period following the easing of the large-scale restrictions (PSBB), pointing to the country's numerous issues in data gathering, testing capacity and risk perception. These factors are essential to ensuring a safe post-epidemic environment for resuming economic and social activities. LaporCovid19 spokesperson Irma Hidayana said on Sunday that Indonesia’s COVID-19 data did not live up to the World Health Organization (WHO) standards. In particular, the government had not taken into account the number of deaths among suspected COVID-19 cases, which comprised the majority of coronavirus-related deaths in the country. LaporCovid-19 had recorded at least 5,021 deaths among suspected cases by May 29, comprising 4,814 deaths among patients under surveillance (PDP) and 207 deaths among persons under monitoring (ODP). Along with the 1,503 deaths among confirmed cases, Indonesia's cumulative total was at least 6,232 deaths by May 29. – The Jakarta Post
Crisis seen in absence of jeepneys in Metro Manila
Anger mounted in Metro Manila on Tuesday over lack of public transportation for workers allowed to return to their jobs after three months of quarantine, with senators calling the situation an emerging crisis and slamming transportation officials for their insensitivity and lack of foresight. Sen. Nancy Binay dared transportation officials to try commuting amid the limited number of public utility vehicles allowed on the road, and said they seemed to be favouring a particular segment by banning jeepneys—the backbone of public transportation in the country. Since the coronavirus quarantine in Metro Manila was eased Monday to revive the economy, scores of commuters have been lining the roads during rush hours waiting for public vehicles, some scrambling and jostling with each other to get on trucks offering free rides. – Philippine Daily Inquirer
'Social, conversational' commerce on the rise as consumer behaviour changes during COVID-19
Consumer behaviour has changed greatly during the COVID-19 pandemic, opening up opportunities for businesses that can capitalise on the changes, a recent survey has found. The survey on the impact of COVID-19 on consumer and business sentiment in Việt Nam was conducted by the Mobile Marketing Association, SurveySensum and Adtima. It shows that the pandemic has changed Vietnamese lifestyles, shopping methods, and social interaction. Consumers have shifted to health and hygiene-focused lifestyles, with these categories seeing the biggest jump in purchases, while nonessential and less healthy products experienced a decline in purchases. – Viet Nam News
Blood Bank Supply Declines As Donations Dry Up Due to COVID-19
Cambodia is facing a shortage in its blood banks according to an official at the National Blood Transfusion Center, as donations have decreased because of the novel coronavirus pandemic. Ly Sovith, deputy director at the National Blood Transfusion Center, said on Monday that blood donations are supplying less than 20 percent of all blood at the center. A majority of blood provided by the center comes from replacement donations, where a patient’s family member, relative or friend provide blood. But the novel coronavirus pandemic had reduced the number of people donating blood through campaigns and drives at government and private institutions. While people have been concerned to go to hospital to donate blood due the outbreak, the center had also stopped donations for a short duration during the peak of Cambodia’s coronavirus case count. – Cambodia Daily