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.
4 new coronavirus clusters in dorms and worksite in Singapore
Four new coronavirus clusters comprising three dormitories and one worksite emerged on Thursday (June 4). The worksite is in Kampong Bugis, while the three dorms are at 212 Tagore Lane, 63 Tuas South Avenue 1 and 109 Ubi Avenue 4. There were no Singaporeans among the 15 new Covid-19 cases announced earlier on Thursday, the Ministry of Health (MOH) said. The new cases comprise two permanent residents, six work pass holders and seven work permit holders. The work pass and work permit holders are Indian nationals. All 15 are men who are asymptomatic and were swabbed, as they are close contacts of previously confirmed cases. They have been placed on quarantine. Of the 15, 13, including a 78-year-old PR, reside in a shophouse in Veerasamy Road with an earlier confirmed case. – The Straits Times
AirAsia may lay off hundreds to pare down operations
AirAsia Bhd may lay off more than 300 employees to pare down its operations amidst the Covid-19 pandemic, reported Astro Awani. The lay-offs, said to have been announced by chief executive officer Riad Asmat during an internal briefing session yesterday, are expected to involve 111 cabin crew members, 172 pilots and 50 engineers. "Everyone involved in the job cuts will be notified by email within 24 hours. AirAsia also promises compensation to all involved," the report said. Riad was quoted as saying that as there are no other options to ensure that the low-cost carrier continues to operate like before, the organisation's restructuring is a viable alternative at present due to the difficult global economic situation. The report also stated that long-haul budget carrier AirAsia X will also reduce its workforce, including foreign employees. – New Straits Times
More help for Thai Airways
A government panel is stepping up to help debt-ridden Thai Airways International Plc (THAI) pass any regulatory and contractual hurdles ahead of the national carrier's planned debt rehabilitation, according to Prapas Kong-Ied, director-general of the State Enterprise Policy Office (Sepo). A state-appointed committee following up on the airline's rehabilitation, headed by Deputy Prime Minister Wissanu Krea-ngam and with Mr Prapas sitting as a member, will arrange the help, he said. The troubled airline turned to the government because it has many contracts with trading partners and legal obligations that can only be resolved with the state's help. These problems should be cleared before THAI enters rehabilitation, Mr Prapas said on Thursday. – Bangkok Post
Maluku villagers reject COVID-19 rapid testing team
Dozens of residents of Silale in Ambon, Maluku, staged a protest on Thursday to turn away a medical team that had intended to perform rapid COVID-19 tests on a family living in the area. The head of a local neighbourhood unit (RT), Ruslan Abdul Gani, said the protest was triggered by the secretiveness of health authorities about the results of COVID-19 test performed on a local, identified as A. Ruslan said A had been quarantined by authorities for 21 days. However, he had yet to be released "despite his good condition", as reported by kompas.com. The man received a positive result from a COVID-19 rapid test conducted at a local market a few weeks ago. He was quarantined and underwent a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test at a nearby facility to get a more accurate result. – The Jakarta Post
Terror bill critics march despite quarantine
For the first time since the nearly three-month ban on mass gatherings was imposed, hundreds of human rights and political activists held a protest march on Thursday, this time against the proposed antiterrorism law, warning that it would be used by President Rodrigo Duterte to suppress critics in the guise of fighting terrorists. Wearing masks and face shields and practicing physical distancing, the protesters carried banners and placards as they marched on the University of the Philippines campus urging lawmakers to “junk the terror bill” and “stop state terrorism.” “We call it the terror bill because it will bring terror on the exercise of our rights and freedoms,” said ACT Rep. France Castro, who voted against House Bill No. 6875, which was passed on third reading on Wednesday. – Philippine Daily Inquirer
MoIT denies rumours of Sabeco share purchase
The Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT) denied rumours it planned to buy shares of Saigon Beer Alcohol and Beverage Company (Sabeco) shares (SAB), said deputy minister Đỗ Thắng Hải. Recently, some news outlets reported ThaiBev was planning to sell beer producer Sabeco and the ministry could buy the firm at a price of VNĐ130,000 (US$5.6) per share. “The above information is completely unfounded. Currently, the ministry has no policy to buy back Sabeco's shares,” Hải said on Wednesday. He added that Việt Nam has made efforts to recover its economy after the COVID-19 pandemic, providing policies to encourage businesses to stabilise production. Spreading false or unfounded information would seriously affect the reputation of enterprises and organisations, as well as cause damage to the socio-economic situation and investment environment in Việt Nam, he added. – Viet Nam News
Cambodia destroys more than 130 tons of counterfeit drugs, products
Cambodia on Thursday destroyed more than 130 tons of counterfeit medicines and products that it had seized last year and early this year, a senior official said. The ceremony was held at a dumpsite on the southwestern part of Phnom Penh under the presence of Health Minister Mam Bunheng. Meach Sophana, secretary of state at the Ministry of Interior and chairman of the government’s Counter Counterfeit Committee, said at the event that the destroyed items included 225 types of expired drugs, inferior traditional medicines, counterfeit cosmetic products and inferior foodstuffs. – Cambodia Daily