These are the top stories making the front pages of major newspapers from across Southeast Asia today.
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7-year-old girl among six imported Covid-19 patients in Singapore
There were 93 new coronavirus cases confirmed as of Wednesday (Aug 19), taking Singapore's total to 56,031. A 7-year-old girl was among six imported Covid-19 patients announced by the Ministry of Health (MOH). The Indian national is a dependant's pass holder and arrived in Singapore from India on Aug 10. In a statement on Wednesday, the MOH said it has also contacted and facilitated testing for 321 individuals who had visited Jewel Music Box KTV at HomeTeamNS Khatib on Aug 1 and Aug 2. The tests were done as a precautionary measure following the detection of three cases who had visited the KTV on those dates, even though the risk of infection for visitors is assessed to be low. MOH said a total of 293 individuals have been swabbed so far and 193 results came back negative. The 193 negative results include four individuals who had reported acute respiratory infection symptoms, and were conveyed to the hospital for further medical assessment. There are 100 swabs pending results and MOH is facilitating testing for the 28 individuals yet to be swabbed. – The Straits Times
King, Queen attend national-level Maal Hijrah celebrations
The Yang di-Pertuan Agong, Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri'ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah and the Raja Permaisuri Agong, Tunku Hajah Azizah Aminah Maimunah Iskandariah tonight attended the national-level Maal Hijrah celebrations at Masjid Negara here. Their Majesties were greeted upon arrival at 6.30pm by Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin and Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Religious Affairs) Senator Datuk Seri Dr Zulkifli Mohamad Al-Bakri. Also present were prime minister's wife Puan Sri Noorainee Abdul Rahman and Zulkifli's wife Datin Dr Shereen Mohd Yunos. The event began with the recitation of the Quran by Ustaz Syukri Ali followed by the recitation of the "Yasin, tahlil, doa selamat" as well as year-end and new year prayers by the Grand Imam of the mosque Ehsan Mohd Hosni. Their Majesties and the congregation then performed Maghrib prayer. Zulkifli in his speech at the event said the theme for this year's Maal Hijrah celebrations, "Ummah Rabbani Negara Harmoni" carries an important message that should be appreciated by all especially Muslims in facing the global Covid-19 pandemic. "Hopefully, we can embody the spirit of Hijrah in the days ahead in the new norm," he said. – New Straits Times
PM readies for rally showdown
Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha on Wednesday instructed military and security agencies to prepare for student demonstrations which are expected to escalate next month when the incumbent military leaders retire. Gen Prayut on Wednesday chaired a special meeting of security agencies at the National Security Council (NSC) to assess potential threats to national security. Among those present were Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwon, Interior Minister Anupong Paojinda, NSC secretary-general Somsak Roongsita and Defence Forces chief Gen Pornpipat Benyasri. All eyes were on the meeting as Gen Prayut invited senior military officers – who are tipped to become the new leaders of the armed forces, replacing the incumbents who will retire at the end of next month – to the meeting. They include army chief of staff Gen Chalermpol Srisawasdi, expected to become the new Defence Forces chief; assistant army chief Gen Narongphan Jitkaewtae, tipped to replace Gen Apirat Kongsompong as army chief; assistant navy chief Chartchai Sriworakhan, tipped to be named the navy chief succeeding Adm Luechai Ruddit and deputy police chief Pol Gen Suwat Chaengyodsuk, expected to succeed Pol Gen Chakthip Chaijinda as the national police chief. – Bangkok Post
Indonesia launches stamps to mark 75th Independence Day, COVID-19
Indonesia has released four new series of special stamps that cover President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo and Vice President Ma'ruf Amin, the 75th anniversary celebrations, the COVID-19 pandemic and musical artists. The release of the stamps was initiated by the Communications and Information Ministry. Vice President Ma’ruf Amin said that postage stamps had always been a part of historical events in Indonesia. “A stamp is not just a payment method for postal delivery. It can also be a medium to capture special and historical moments,” said Ma’ruf during the virtual launch of the stamps on Wednesday as quoted by kompas.com. The series on COVID-19 is an expression of gratitude and appreciation for medical workers, who have been in the front line in the battle against the coronavirus, added the Vice President. Meanwhile, Communications and Information Minister Johnny G. Plate said that the Indonesian musicians series was a nod to them for supporting and helping the nation to curb the coronavirus through their arts. Among the musicians featured in the series are Titiek Puspa, Gesang Martohartono, Gombloh Chrisye and bands Koes Plus, Panbers, God Bless and Bimbo. – The Jakarta Post
Senators urge Duterte to suspend more PhilHealth officials
The Senate on Wednesday urged President Rodrigo Duterte to suspend Philippine Health Insurance Corp. President Ricardo Morales and other top officials of the state insurance company embroiled in corruption charges to allow investigators to access official documents. The senators unanimously approved Resolution No. 502 authored by Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri calling for the preventive suspension of the senior PhilHealth officials after the National Bureau of Investigation and the Commission on Audit (COA) had run into obstacles in trying to obtain official documents from the state insurer. Zubiri said suspending the top officials would help the NBI and the COA “secure the pertinent records they need in order to perform their duties and properly investigate the alleged corruption.” “Allowing these PhilHealth officials to remain in office may give them time to tamper with, conceal or destroy important records, and further hamper the investigations of the NBI, the COA, the Ombudsman and other investigative bodies conducting investigations on PhilHealth,” read a portion of Zubiri’s resolution. “PhilHealth’s unwillingness to cooperate … could qualify as obstruction of justice … PhilHealth’s refusal or delay in the submission of pertinent documents and refusal to grant full access to its record system to (COA) is a blatant violation of the Government Auditing Code of the Philippines,” it added. – INQUIRER.net
87-year-old man tests positive for SARS-CoV-2 in Ha Noi
An 87-year-old man from northern Phu Tho Province has tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 while being treated for another disease at a hospital in Ha Noi. This was the only new case confirmed by the National Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control on Thursday morning, increasing the national tally to 994. The patient lives in Thanh Ba District, Phu Tho Province and went to E Hospital in Ha Noi for a health check-up on August 12. He stayed at a relative’s house in Co Nhue, Bac Tu Liem District, Ha Noi after that and was admitted to the Hepatobiliary Department of the E Hospital on August 13. The patient was diagnosed with pneumonia after a CT scan and transferred to the Department for Tropical Diseases of E Hospital. He had his blood sample taken on August 18 and the result was positive for COVID-19. The man is being treated at the National Hospital for Tropical Diseases in Ha Noi’s Dong Anh District. The E Hospital stopped receiving new patients at 8pm on Wednesday and traced all staff who came into close contact with the man. It was initially estimated that nearly 100 medical workers had close contact with the new patient. – Viet Nam News
Opposition Urges EU to Follow Suit in Cambodia After Decision to Pursue Sanctions For Belarus
The European Union should sanction officials responsible for human rights abuses in Cambodia, the country’s banned opposition party said Wednesday, citing the bloc’s decision to prepare a list of Belarusian officials to be hit with sanctions following a post-election crackdown on demonstrators. In a statement, the Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP) expressed “great concern” over developments in Belarus, where President Alexander Lukashenko has violently suppressed protesters and strikers in the capital Minsk who have rejected what they say was a fraudulent Aug. 9 election that resulted in an extension of his 26-year rule. The recent events had prompted an emergency summit Wednesday in which Charles Michel, the head of the European Council, called the polls in Belarus “neither free nor fair” and promised sanctions “on a substantial number of individuals responsible for violence, repression and election fraud.” – The Cambodia Daily