These are the top stories making the front pages of major newspapers from across Southeast Asia today.
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S'pore team studying why some hit by Covid-19 have heart damage
A team of doctors and researchers in Singapore has started a cardiac research programme to better understand why some patients who are hit hard by Covid-19 also suffer heart damage, and how to prevent this from happening. The National University Heart Centre, Singapore (NUHCS) team aims to recruit 100 Covid-19 patients as mounting evidence overseas suggests some patients continue to suffer long-term complications even after recovery. Though serious complications related to the heart after recovery here are not common, doctors say they are monitoring the situation closely. Professor Tan Huay Cheem, director and senior consultant at NUHCS, said Covid-19 should be viewed as impacting the entire vascular system, including the heart, lungs, kidneys, liver and brain, and not just a specific organ system. "Sorting out the long-lasting symptom of lethargy or breathlessness will entail assessment of lung, heart and other organ functions at the same time," said Prof Tan. – The Straits Times
Govt has embarked on planning next phase of economy recovery
The government has begun planning the next phase of post-Covid-19 economic empowerment, which will be elaborated on in Budget 2021, said Finance Minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Aziz. He said the government is confident that the measures taken through Prihatin and Penjana have made a positive impact on the economy. To garner the public's feedback on the government's initiatives, Tengku Zafrul said that teams from the Finance Ministry took the Jelajah Belanjawan 2021 roadshow to Johor on Aug 15-16 and to Pahang on Aug 25. "At the same time, this platform aims to seek views and proposals leading up to the drafting of Budget 2021 through several engagement sessions with representatives of sectors such as education, pharmaceuticals, agro-based industries as well as female SME entrepreneurs," he said in the latest Laksana report. Bank Negara Malaysia has forecast that the economy will expand between -5.5 percent to -3.5 percent this year. It is expected to recover and post a growth of 5.5 percent to 8 percent in 2021. – New Straits Times
Students submit manifesto
Student leaders from the Free Youth Group on Wednesday submitted their 10-point manifesto on reforming the monarchy to a House committee on politics for consideration. Panasaya Sitthijirawattanakul, a leader of the United Front of Thammasat and Demonstration, forwarded the 10-point manifesto compiled at a demonstration on Aug 10 at Thammasat University to Move Forward Party MP Padipat Suntiphada who is the chairman of the House Committee on Political Development, Mass Communications and Public Participation. Mr Padipat said the committee had invited four students' groups to a meeting yesterday and listened to their opinions on political issues such as the proposed charter rewrite and the establishment of a constitution drafting assembly. The groups included the United Front of Thammasat and Demonstration, the Free Youth group and a pro-monarchy group of vocational students. The committee chairman urged all sides to listen to students' opinions without bias. – Bangkok Post
Strong human resources can improve Indonesia's economic growth: Jokowi
President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo hopes human resources development can serve as an opportunity for Indonesia to catch up with economic growth in other countries. The President conveyed his wish during the virtual inauguration of Diponegoro University’s vocational school building in Semarang, Central Java, on Wednesday. The building’s construction started in March last year as part of a collaboration between Sinar Mas Group and PT Astra International. During the ceremony, the President expressed his appreciation for the university’s intention to develop skills and reiterated his Cabinet’s priority to develop human resources. “Good infrastructure, strong human resources and [this building] will serve as our capital to escape the middle-income trap,” Jokowi said. He added that he believed strong human resources could help develop Indonesia. Moreover, Jokowi said the facility could be a gateway to internship opportunities and provide a space to learn about various sectors. – The Jakarta Post
Hontiveros says proposed martial law in Sulu unnecessary
Senator Risa Hontiveros on Thursday said she does not see the need for the imposition of martial law in Sulu province even after the recent twin bombings in Jolo town. Hontiveros said she agrees with some of her colleagues in the Senate and other government officials who have voiced opposition to the declaration of a province-wide military rule, following the bombings in Barangay Walled City in Jolo on August 24 that killed 15 individuals and injured at least 75 others composed of civilians, police, and soldiers. “Not at this point. No. I concur with Secretary Lorenzana. I appreciate his position on this. I concur with my fellow senators pati ‘yung aming senate president at kay General Vinluan,” she told ABS-CBN News Channel when asked if she thought imposing martial law in Sulu would be necessary. Hontiveros said that the case build-up previously conducted by the military against the two female suicide bombers who caused the powerful explosions proved that security forces are already capable enough of pursuing suspected terrorists. – INQUIRER.net
30 percent of level 4 public services expected to go online this year
Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc has urged ministries and localities to have 30 percent of their online public services reach level 4 by the end of this year. He was speaking at an online meeting of the National Committee on e-Government on Wednesday. Public service level 4 allows users to fill in and send application forms to the wards’ people’s committees entirely online. The forms are then processed online and users can pay the fees online. Building e-Government is an urgent task to promote the country’s growth. Viet Nam’s e-Government growth index moved up two places in a global survey released by the UN in July. The country aims to climb 10 places in the global ranking by the end of this year, he said. He pointed out that the current percentage of online public services remains low. Eight ministries and 25 localities have less than 10 percent of their public services online. He asked the Ministry of Information and Communications to monitor the progress of localities. From 2021, the Government will release the e-Government ranking of 63 provinces and cities. “There is an urgent need to have a legal foundation for open and transparent data sharing to effectively use the data we have. We are building a national population database so we must share the data,” he said. – Viet Nam News
KTV night raid nets 93, large amount of drugs
Phnom Penh municipal police arrested 93 people and seized a large quantity of drugs during a raid at a KTV in Phsar Depot I commune, in Tuol Kork district. The raid was carried out under the orders of municipal police chief Sar Thet at 1am on Wednesday. Phnom Penh municipal police minor crimes bureau chief Bun Satya led the operation. Satya told The Post on Wednesday that a large amount of drugs and many new cars were taken to the Phnom Penh municipal police office. He said police are still questioning everyone. “We have not accused or found anyone related to the drugs yet, but the work is not over. We have not released any of the 93 people yet,” he said. Tuol Kork district police chief Sok Heng told The Post the KTV is suspended temporarily. Phsar Depot I commune chief Pov Samoch said the venue was previously a KTV and was turned into a restaurant because of the Covid-19 requirement by the government. She said local authorities had checked the restaurant and its paperwork many times. “It used to be a KTV. The ownership changed and the place was renovated. It planned to reopen as a KTV, but then it was changed to a restaurant. There was no problem, so I do not know how it turned out this way. “The owner of the building is Cambodian and the space is rented to a Chinese to open this business,” Samoch said. People’s Centre for Development and Peace president Yong Kim Eng said he appreciated the work of the police, especially the confiscation of drugs. – The Phnom Penh Post