These are the top stories making the front pages of major newspapers from across Southeast Asia today.
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Overwhelming demand for SIA Training Centre tours, bookings closed in 9 hours
Demand has been overwhelming for behind-the-scenes tours of the Singapore Airlines (SIA) Training Centre after bookings opened on Sunday morning (Nov 1), the national carrier said. More than 6,800 bookings were received and registrations were closed after nine hours due to "overwhelming demand", SIA said on Sunday evening. Bookings opened at 10am on Sunday and closed at 7pm. Up to five people can be registered under one booking. Those who have secured a slot for the Inside Singapore Airlines tours will be able to tour the training facility in Upper Changi on one of four days over the last two weekends of November. There is a maximum capacity of 500 customers on each day. Announced on Sept 29, the tours are part of a trio of initiatives launched by SIA to engage its customers even as Covid-19 has sharply reduced the number of flights the national carrier can operate. The other two initiatives involve letting customers dine in an SIA A380 plane at Changi Airport and delivering first- or business-class meals to customers' homes. SIA said on Sunday that add-on experiences to the Inside Singapore Airlines tours also received overwhelming response and were oversubscribed. They include a flight simulator experience with very limited slots for each day, tasting sessions for SIA's wine selection, grooming workshops on how to get the Singapore Girl look, and experiences for children to learn what it is like to be a pilot or an A380 Business Class cabin crew member. The Inside Singapore Airlines tours cost $15 for children aged between three and 12, and $30 for adults, excluding goods and service tax. – The Straits Times
Not budging: All eyes locked on PN for Budget 2021 presentation
All eyes will be on proceedings in the Dewan Rakyat, especially the 2021 Budget, which is the first for the Perikatan Nasional (PN) government, when the lower house of Parliament reconvenes today after being adjourned since Aug 27. The third meeting of the third session of the 14th Parliament will last 27 days from today to Dec 15. This sitting will be challenging for the PN government in light of political developments. PN's first budget, which will be tabled by Finance Minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Abdul Aziz, is expected to be accompanied by heated debates. Opposition members of parliament have indicated that they would back the 2021 Budget only if it benefited the people amid the Covid-19 pandemic. The budget is expected to be debated at the policy and committee levels for five weeks, before it is put to a vote. Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri'ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah had, last Wednesday, advised MPs to support the budget for the sake of harmony and people's livelihoods. Reminding politicians to end political dissent, the king had stressed that the budget was vital for the government and the authorities, particularly front liners, to continue implementing policies and efforts to curb the spread of Covid-19. With PN's slim majority in Parliament, opposition support for the budget would be crucial for Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin to avoid a political crisis, and to provide resources for front liners to manage the pandemic. Of the 222 MPs, 112 are PN parliamentarians, while 108 are in the opposition camp. There is one independent MP, and one seat is vacant following the death of Batu Sapi MP Datuk Liew Vui Keong on Oct 1. Also expected in the proceedings are the second and third readings of the Independent Police Conduct Commission Bill 2020. The bill seeks to establish an independent oversight commission to improve the integrity, reduce misconduct and promote public confidence in the police force. The Dewan Rakyat received two motions for a vote of confidence in Muhyiddin, which has been included in today's Order Paper. – New Straits Times
King declares 'love' for all, calls Thailand 'land of compromise'
His Majesty the King called Thailand the "land of compromise" in unprecedented comments on Sunday, during which the once-unapproachable monarch declared "love" for all Thais after months of protests calling for reform to the monarchy. On Sunday, royal devotion was on display as thousands wearing yellow shirts -- the royal colour -- waited near the Grand Palace clutching portraits of Their Majesties the King and the Queen. Zigzagging through the crowd to greet supporters, the monarch was stopped by a reporter with Britain's Channel 4 who asked him about protesters calling for reform. "We love them all the same," he told the reporter repeatedly according to a clip posted on Channel 4's official Twitter account. When asked if there is room for compromise, he said: "Thailand is the land of compromise. "As His Majesty moved through the crowd, royalists chanted, "We will live loyally, die faithfully" and "Long live the King!" His Majesty has been in Thailand in recent weeks to mark a Buddhist holiday and the anniversary of HM King Bhumibol's passing. The visit has coincided with non-stop demonstrations from mostly young activists, who have staged guerrilla rallies drawing thousands to Bangkok's most traffic-clogged intersections as a show of defiance. While the movement is leaderless, they are united in their demand for the removal of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha. – Bangkok Post
‘I was correct’: Megawati doubles down on jab at millennial generation
Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) chairperson Megawati Soekarnoputri has brushed off criticism against her comments regarding the country’s millennials, saying she was pleased her statement had triggered a public discussion on the topic. The former president drew controversy when she questioned millennials’ contribution to societal welfare, suggesting that the generation only seemed to do little but participate in demonstrations. “I was asking about what the millennial [generation] has done for the country. Not as individuals,” Megawati said during a speech at a PDI-P event on Saturday, as quoted by kompas.com. “I know there are a lot of successful young people, but they are entrepreneurs. What I meant [to ask] was, how many of [them] helped the people?” She insisted that her statement was true, claiming that the ensuing controversy was a testament to its merit. “Why do I have to be bullied for saying so? I was correct,” Megawati said. In a fiery speech on Wednesday, in which Megawati was responding to recent nationwide rallies against the controversial Job Creation Law, she had questioned the millennials’ contribution to the nation. Megawati, a notable figure during the 1998 Reform Era, acknowledged that street protests had been allowed since the pro-democracy reform, but she said they should not result in the destruction of public facilities. "What is your contribution to this nation and country? I don't care if I get bullied. Are protesting and destroying the only things you [millennials] can do?” – The Jakarta Post
Super Typhoon Rolly batters Bicol, leaving at least 7 dead
At least seven people were killed as Typhoon Rolly (international name: Goni) pounded the Philippines on Sunday, bringing catastrophic winds and dumping intense rains that flooded villages and sent thousands of people fleeing their homes. Categorized as a super typhoon before it slammed into the Philippine landmass, Rolly, carrying winds of up to 225 kilometres per hour and gusts of up to 310 kph, first made landfall in Bato town, Catanduanes province, at 4:50 a.m. before slightly changing course and hitting land a second time in Tiwi, Albay province, at 7:20 a.m. Rolly was downgraded to typhoon after it struck the Bicol region, where it tore off roofs, toppled trees and power lines, destroyed roads and bridges, made rivers top their banks and flood low-lying areas, and triggered cascades of mud from the slopes of Mt. Mayon that flooded towns below the volcano. At least four people were killed in Albay, according to Gov. Al Francis Bichara. But according to Agence France-Presse, the Office of Civil Defense later issued a statement saying at least seven people were killed. Two of the victims – a 5-year-old boy and his father – drowned in the town of Oas, while a woman was swept away by volcanic mud in Guinobatan. Another woman was killed by a falling tree in Daraga. The volcanic mudflow damaged bridges in Daraga and Santo Domingo, cutting off the towns from Legazpi City, Albay’s economic centre. “Albay was battered,” Bichara said, pointing to the devastation caused by the storm as it touched down in several parts of the province, including Tabaco and Malilipot towns. In Sorsogon province, badly hit were the towns of Donsol, Pilar, and Castilla, according to Gov. Francis Escudero. – INQUIRER.net
Việt Nam tests COVID-19 vaccine on monkeys
COVID-19 vaccine testing has begun in Việt Nam on monkeys. The Vaccine and Biological Production Company (Vabiotech) under the Ministry of Health started trials on 12 rhesus macaques, a kind of monkey of the Macaca mulatta family. The trials took place on Rêu Island off the northern province of Quảng Ninh. Vũ Công Long, head of the Animal Breeding Farm at the Centre for Research and Production of Vaccines and Biologicals under the Ministry of Health, confirmed tests were carried out on October 27. Vabiotech director Đỗ Tuấn Đạt said the monkeys are aged between three and five and weigh more than three kilograms each. They had their health checked and are not infected with any diseases, he said. After being vaccinated, the monkeys will be monitored for three months. Then, their blood samples will be taken and sent to Hà Nội for further analysis. The monkeys will be tested in two periods. In each period, they will be divided into two groups, with one being vaccinated and the other not vaccinated. After that, they will be monitored daily on separate islands. The testing will follow a similar model that may be performed on people. The animals will be injected with the vaccine twice, with the shots being 18-21 days apart. A month after the second shot, researchers will assess their immune response to see the effects between the injected and non-injected groups. In June, Vabiotech tested the vaccine on mice. A representative data was collected from the mice tests and scientists will continue testing the vaccine on other animals. The results of the testing on monkeys will be a foundation for the next stage and proposal to test the vaccine on people. – Viet Nam News
Cambodia’s COVID-19 cases rise yet again to 292 with a Cambodian returnee being tested positive on 13th day of quarantine
A 31-year-old Cambodian female, originating from Kratie province, was tested positive for COVID-19 after returning from Japan via Seoul, South Korea. She had arrived on October 19 and was tested positive on November 1, 2020. The test was carried out on the 13th day of her mandatory 14 days quarantine. Health officials are reportedly doing contact tracing with family members and others who may have come into contact with her during her quarantine period. This brings Cambodia’s tally to 292, now all cases originating from arrivals from abroad. There were no recoveries and the number of recoveries stands at 283 with nine active cases. The total 292 confirmed cases in the Kingdom include 182 Cambodians, 45 French, 18 Chinese, 13 Malaysians, 9 Indonesians, 7 Americans, 6 British, 3 Vietnamese, 3 Canadians, 1 Belgian, 2 Indians, 1 Kazakhstani, 1 Hungarian, and 1 Polish. The nine active cases are 6 Cambodians, 1 Polish, and 2 French. – Khmer Times