These are the top stories making the front pages of major newspapers from across Southeast Asia today.
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Made-in-Singapore Covid-19 swab test robot offers safe, more comfortable procedure for patients
A robot that carries out nasal swabbing to diagnose Covid-19 has been developed by clinicians who say the automated procedure is safe, faster and more comfortable compared with manual swab tests. Although other countries have developed similar robots, the made-in-Singapore bot allows patients to fully control the swab process so they are more comfortable. Patients can activate and terminate the machine at will. A patient is positioned in front of the robot, called SwabBot, similar to how he would take a mechanised eye examination. After the patient activates the bot using his chin, the robot will extend the swab safely and gently through the patient's nose to the back of the nasal cavity, which is typically about 10cm from the nostrils. SwabBot is equipped with a built-in feature that withdraws the swab stick if there is resistance when it is moved deeper into the nasal cavity. If patients feel uncomfortable at any point, they can stop the process by moving their head away from the robot. Healthcare workers can assist with the swabbing process from a safe distance. The process takes 20 seconds, while a manual swab test takes a few minutes. The machine, which is 35cm by 40cm, and 49cm high, was developed by clinicians from the National Cancer Centre Singapore (NCCS) and Singapore General Hospital (SGH), in collaboration with medtech company Biobot Surgical. – The Straits Times
Mentally-ill Ipoh man charged with murdering own father
A 49-year-old man was charged at the Magistrates' Court here today with murdering his father. Pang Kar Fong appeared calm when the charge was read to him before magistrate Noor Azreen Liana Mohd Darus. No plea was recorded. According to the charge sheet, Pang had murdered his 75-year-old father using a glass bottle at No 695 Jalan Besar K/B Gunung Rapat here on Sept 12 at 6.30pm. The charge under Section 302 of the Penal Code carries the mandatory death sentence on conviction. Deputy public prosecutor K Darinee prosecuted, while the accused was represented by lawyer R. Rajasegaran. The court fixed Nov 9 for mention. At 7pm on the day of the incident, members of the public made a police report about a 'disturbance' at the premises, said district deputy police chief Superintendent Mohamed Nordin Abdullah. He said the victim is believed to have been hit with a glass bottle on the face and head. He added that the suspect has no criminal record, but is known to have been struggling with mental illness for over 20 years. – New Straits Times
Protesters' new democracy plaque removed overnight
The new plaque symbolising democracy that was installed on Sunday morning by protesters of the United Front of Thammasat and Demonstration at Sanam Luang has been removed overnight. The plaque was embedded in cement at Sanam Luang in a ceremony led by protest leader Parit "Penguin" Chiwarak at 6.39am on Sunday to mark "a new era of the people's power" and declare "Thailand belongs to the people." The plaque was intended to replace an old one commemorating Siam's transition from absolute monarchy to constitutional democracy in 1932. The old plaque mysteriously disappeared in 2017 and was replaced by one bearing a pro-monarchist slogan. After a ceremony to install the new plaque on Sunday, the protesters marched to an area outside the Supreme Court and handed over a petition containing their demands to the Privy Council president via Metropolitan Police Bureau Chief Pol Lt Gen Pakapong Pongpetra. Mr Parit then called off the rally and declared a new demonstration would be held outside Parliament on Thursday, the second day of a two-day debate on motions to amend the constitution. The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration reportedly closed the Sanam Luang gates at 10pm on Sunday and opened them again on Monday at 5am. That was when the new pro-democracy plaque was found to have been removed. The spot where the plaque was planted had been covered up with cement that still looked wet. "I’ve received a report that the plaque is gone but I don’t know how and I don’t know who did it," Bangkok’s Deputy Metropolitan Police Bureau chief Piya Tawichai told Reuters. – Bangkok Post
Indonesian Military deployed for coronavirus fight
The government has increased the deployment of police and military personnel to improve compliance with health protocols as the nation struggles to control the rising number of COVID-19 cases and deaths. Coordinating Maritime Affairs and Investment Minister Luhut Pandjaitan said the Indonesian Military and the National Police were joining forces to "get people to wear masks and maintain their distance", saying that higher compliance with health protocols would curb virus transmission. Luhut is among the officials tasked by President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo with bringing down infections in nine of the country’s hardest-hit provinces. The President announced the plan after Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan reimposed large-scale social restrictions (PSBB) in the capital city on Sept. 14. Other officials include Health Minister Terawan Agus Putranto and National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) head Doni Monardo, who, like Luhut, are all active or retired military personnel. "Each military command is tasked with [providing] guidance to neighbourhood units using assertive messages and health protocols,” Luhut said during a teleconference on Friday. The military’s expanded role in the government’s COVID-19 response began in August when the President issued Presidential Instruction (Inpres) No. 6/2020, ordering the military to provide support to local leaders by monitoring public compliance with health protocols along with the police. – The Jakarta Post
Budget bill triggers House leadership row
Deputy Speaker Paolo Duterte, the President’s son, has threatened to force a change in leadership of the House of Representatives amid grumblings about partisan and inequitable distribution of funds in the proposed P4.5-trillion national budget for 2021. In a Viber message sent to his colleagues on Saturday, the junior representative from Davao City warned that he would ask the Mindanao bloc to declare the seats of Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano and 22 deputy speakers vacant during Monday’s session. Later, in a statement, Duterte confirmed making the threat, calling it “an expression of my personal dismay upon hearing the concerns of my fellow lawmakers.” But he added that it was up to his colleagues to take action against the House leadership, if they so wished. “If the members of Congress will push for a change in House leadership, as a reaction to their sentiments, obviously I would be among the casualties because I am a deputy speaker. I am ready to accept the consequences,” Duterte said. He said he would leave the decision to his peers, as he was compromised by his blood ties with President Duterte. “Anything that comes out of my actions or mouth could be construed or manipulated as having the blessing of my father,” he said. The threat was prompted by disgruntled Mindanao lawmakers who were unhappy about their districts’ share in the 2021 budget. A screenshot of the message obtained by the Inquirer showed Duterte telling his friend, ACT-CIS Rep. Eric Yap, the House appropriations panel chair, in Filipino: “I had warned you, I was just keeping quiet because the Speaker was no longer talking to me. Now, I’ve been dragged into this.” “I will ask the Mindanao bloc to declare the seat of the Speaker and Deputy Speakers vacant [on] Monday. Mindanao will not die just because it has no budget! – my message to Cong. Eric Yap.” The screenshot was provided to the Inquirer by a veteran House lawmaker who received the message in a group chat on Saturday. – INQUIRER.net
Storm Noul leaves three dead in central region
Three people have died and 112 others were injured after storm Noul swept through the central region on Friday, reported the Office of the Central Steering Committee on Natural Disaster Prevention and Control Sunday. The typhoon, the fifth arising in the East Sea so far this year, made landfall on Friday morning and hit central localities, especially Đà Nẵng, Thừa Thiên-Huế, Quảng Bình, and Quảng Trị before weakening into a tropical low-pressure system. It destroyed 10 houses and blew away the roofs of 22,562 houses. Torrential rain-induced flooding submerged 79 houses, as well as over 3,000 hectares of rice fields and crops. Up to 36 power poles collapsed, while three transformer stations were damaged and three telecommunications towers and 15 cable car systems were broken. Many localities in Thừa Thiên-Huế have suffered power outages. So far, the locality has restored power to 75 per cent of areas affected. Serious erosion occurred along 6.2km of the coast of Thừa Thiên-Huế. Landslides blocked many roads in central provinces. By Sunday morning, traffic had resumed on most of the blocked national highways, provincial highways and roads in the provinces of Nghệ An, Hà Tĩnh, Quảng Bình, Quảng Trị and Thừa Thiên-Huế. Affected localities are working hard to repair the damage. – Viet Nam News
Unwarranted sanctions: US move against Chinese firm in Cambodia strongly condemned
The government as well as the Chinese Embassy in Cambodia have strongly rejected and condemned the United States move to impose sanctions on Union Development Group (UDG), with Defence Minister General Tea Banh considering it part of US “geopolitical ambitions.” Academics also said yesterday the move could impact efforts made by leaders of the two countries to “restore trust and confidence” between Cambodia and the US. In a statement issued on Wednesday, a Chinese Embassy spokesman urged the United States to immediately lift its sanctions. The statement said that Dara Sakor resort, a tourism and entertainment project, is licensed by the Cambodian government and is a large-scale joint venture invested in by the UDG and Tianjin Union Group. “This project complies with the laws and regulations of Cambodia and contributes to the economic and social development of the Kingdom,” it said. The condemnations come after the US Department of the Treasury on Tuesday sanctioned the Chinese enterprise in Cambodia under the US Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act, which was signed by US President Donald Trump in 2017. The US alleged UDG conducted some “serious human rights abuse and corruption” activities through a former Royal Cambodian Armed Forces deputy commander-in-chief General Kun Kim, who is now first vice president of the National Committee for Disaster Management. “After falsely registering as a Cambodian-owned entity in order to receive land for the Dara Sakor development project, UDG reverted to its true ownership and continued to operate without repercussions,” said US Treasury Secretary Steven T Mnuchin. “The United States is committed to using the full range of its authority to target these practices wherever they occur.” – Khmer Times