These are the top stories making the front pages of major newspapers from across Southeast Asia today.
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Singapore can add to global recovery from Covid-19 with investment in innovation, collaboration: DPM Heng
Continued investment and global collaboration are ways in which Singapore can contribute to global recovery amid the coronavirus pandemic, said Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat on Monday (Dec 7). As new opportunities are created through technology and innovation, Singapore is also taking steps to ensure inclusive and sustainable growth for its firms and workers, he said. In his opening address at the Singapore Fintech Festival and the Singapore Week of Innovation and Technology 2020 (SFF x Switch 2020), Mr Heng highlighted how the Covid-19 crisis has spotlighted inequalities in many societies and the need for the world to take a more inclusive approach in global recovery plans. The five-day event, which lasts till Friday, is expecting more than 60,000 participants from across 130 countries. Mr Heng, who is also Coordinating Minister for Economic Policies and Finance Minister, noted that the Government invests about 1 per cent of the country's gross domestic product in research and development each year. Singapore continues to deepen its capabilities to keep its tech ecosystem vibrant, he said. "Our commitment to innovation and to work together will be key to driving economic recovery and growth." SFF x Switch is organised by the Monetary Authority of Singapore and Enterprise Singapore, and will have events taking place around the clock such as technology exhibitions and masterclasses by fintech and deep tech experts. Among the 1,400 speakers expected are New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, chief executive of Google's parent company Alphabet Sundar Pichai and Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates. – The Straits Times
FBM KLCI to close at 1,620 this year before rebounding to 1,770 in 2021: Rakuten
FBM KLCI is expected to close 2020 at 1,620 points this year, before testing the 1,770 points level, spurred by improving earnings growth, Rakuten Trade Sdn Bhd said. Its head of research Kenny Yee believes that the recovery mode will persist on positive developments on the Covid-19 vaccine front. He said Rakuten expected corporate earnings to be contracted 22.3 per cent this year before rebounding to a 50.7 per cent growth in 2021. "This will lead to broad based realignment of stocks to continue with financial, plantation and tourism related companies in the forefront. "We envisage investors' risk appetite to increase thus equities to remain as the choice asset class. "Low interest rate environment to remain indefinitely as global economies recover," he told reporters at Rakuten's Market Outlook briefing today. Yee said the company's recovery picks included AirAsia Group Bhd and Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd (MAHB). "Successful development on vaccine will lift the cross-borders travel restriction and worldwide travel ban. "Share price is on consolidation mode now following previous run, we expect buying momentum to resume as AirAsia is one of the potential recovery play," he said. Yee said for MAHB, airline traffic was expected to pick up gradually in tandem with lifting of travel ban once the successful development of vaccine. "MAHB's share price has retraced from recent high of RM5.94, hence current level offers accumulation opportunity for recovery play," he said. On the other hand, its fundamental picks are AppAsia Bhd, Dnonce Technology Bhd, RCE Capital Bhd, Supercomnet Technologies Bhd and TCS Group Holdings Bhd. Meanwhile, Yee said Rakuten expects the ringgit to strengthen at RM3.80-RM3.90 level in 2021, as the US administration is envisaged to be less volatile. – New Straits Times
New Year countdowns given govt OK
Despite three cases of local transmission, New Year countdown activities can be held as long as they take place under health safety standards, says Gen Nattaphon Narkphanit, head of the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration's (CCSA) panel on the easing of Covid-19 restrictions. He said the panel will on Monday discuss with the Foreign Ministry measures to relax restrictions on foreigners entering the country, including visa arrangements for their travel, though public health safety will remain a primary concern. New Year activities including countdowns can be held under strict health measures aimed at controlling the spread of Covid-19, said Gen Nattaphon, also secretary-general of the National Security Council (NSC). Deputy government spokeswoman Traisuree Taisaranakul said Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha instructed state agencies to step up precautions against Covid-19, particularly in the northern provinces of Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai in the wake of new Covid-19 cases involving Thais sneaking back across the border from Myanmar's Tachileik town. The prime minister stressed the need for efficient contact tracing to identify and monitor those who had come into contact with infected people to reassure revellers who plan for a long holiday weekend on Dec 10-13, as well as Christmas and New Year festivities. "The prime minister has given moral support to all officials who are doing their job to the best of their ability to make sure people can travel safely during the year-end festivals," the spokeswoman said. "The government is convinced that Covid-19 control measures are efficient enough to detect infections and prevent further transmissions. However, the public are urged not to lower their guard and to follow healthy safety measures such as wearing masks and washing hands regularly," she said. Deputy Prime Minister and Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul and Tourism and Sports Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn will lead senior officials on a visit to Chiang Rai tomorrow to follow up on local transmission cases. Thailand recorded 14 new cases of the novel coronavirus yesterday, including one local transmission in Bangkok, for a total of 4,086. No new deaths were reported. – Bangkok Post
IDI urges govt to cancel school reopening if regional elections proceed
The Indonesian Medical Association (IDI) has urged the government to cancel school reopening in January 2021 if the regional elections will go ahead as scheduled on Wednesday, citing concerns of COVID-19 transmission even if both events were conducted with health protocols. “If the government still wants to hold the elections, then schools should not reopen in early January. That way, we can avoid [a possible] spread [of COVID-19] from the elections, long year-end holidays and school reopening,” the IDI COVID-19 task force spokesperson Zubairi Djoerban said on Saturday as reported by kompas.com. He added that the government should evaluate the upcoming three events and revise its policies to prevent further infections. “This is about people’s lives. We need to take preventive measures before the situation gets worse,” Zubairi said. National COVID-19 task force spokesperson Wiku Adisasmito previously warned of potential new clusters emerging at schools after the central government gave regional administrations permission to resume on-campus learning in January 2021. Wiku said in-classroom teaching could not be done instantaneously and should be carried out according to strict health protocols. Meanwhile, Elections Supervisory Agency (Bawaslu) commissioner Rahmat Bagja said polling stations (TPS) would need to fulfill several health requirements to operate. “Everyone – voters and poll station workers – must wear face masks. Every polling station will only accommodate a maximum of 500 voters,” Bagja said on Friday. He said every member of the local poll administrators (KPPS) must be in good health. The government will also provide swab tests for poll administrators and inspectors. To avoid big crowds, voters will cast their vote according to a schedule. “Every polling station must also disinfect the site [regularly] and provide hand-washing stations. Voters will be required to wash their hands before entering a polling station,” Bagja said. “Voters must maintain their distance and avoid shaking hands with others. They are also required to bring their own stationery [if needed] and have their temperature checked prior to entering the polling station,” Bagdja said. – The Jakarta Post
Duterte: PH seriously committed to prioritizing human rights
The Philippines is seriously committed to prioritizing human rights, one of the country’s development goals, President Rodrigo Duterte said as he called for an enhanced engagement in fostering a “healthy” human rights environment. “I welcome this summit as an effective platform for the international community to enhance collaboration in the protection and promotion of human rights,” Duterte said in a pre-recorded message aired Monday during the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) Human Rights summit. “I am proud that the Philippines is one of the few countries that signed many of the world’s core human rights treaties. This affirms our serious commitment in honouring and fulfilling our treaty obligations and prioritizing the human rights agenda as a means to achieve our country’s sustainable development goals,” he added. While he affirmed the country’s commitment to human rights, the President also recognized that the “work is far from over.” “I urge everyone to strengthen the multi-sectoral engagement that would foster a healthy human rights environment for all,” Duterte said. The DOJ on Monday convened a three-day Human Rights summit to discuss human rights and protection. Recent killings and arrests of human rights advocates are expected to be tackled during the summit. Human rights advocates have been under Duterte’s crosshairs since he assumed the presidency in 2016. He once threatened to kill human rights activists critical of his bloody war against illegal drugs. Earlier in the COVID-19 pandemic, he urged law enforcers to shoot quarantine violators which once again sparked fierce condemnation from local and international human rights groups. – INQUIRER.net
Việt Nam to begin human trials of COVID-19 vaccine this week
Việt Nam will begin the first stage of human trials of a COVID-19 vaccine from December 10, according to the Ministry of Health. The vaccine was produced by the Nanogen Pharmaceutical Biotechnology company, said deputy minister of health Nguyễn Thanh Long at a meeting with COVID-19 vaccine producers in Việt Nam on Saturday. The company will work with the Military Medical Academy to recruit volunteers to participate in the first phase of human trials on Thursday. The volunteers will be given the first test shots of the vaccine a week later. The ministry said about 20 volunteers, aged 18-40, are expected to be injected with the vaccine during the first phase. Long asked agencies to get ready for the second phase of human clinical trials. He said the ministry would create all favourable conditions for vaccine production units, including relaxing administrative procedures and speeding up registration and licensing of products. The ministry will report the investment policy for vaccine production to the Government and co-ordinate with related institutions to help them access capital for research and production, he added. “We need to be proactive in all phases in order to be able to get the vaccine as soon as possible,” he said. Việt Nam has four COVID-19 vaccines produced by Nanogen, Vabiotech, Polyvac and the Institute of Vaccines and Medical Biologicals (IVAC) currently under research. The health ministry earlier assessed Nanogen’s COVID-19 vaccine candidate as among the most promising, having been successfully produced it on a laboratory scale and provoking immunogenicity during animal testing. IVAC and Vabiotech have completed their laboratory-scale production process and are evaluating the safety and immunity of their vaccines on animals. The ministry has asked Polyvac to work with producers in Russia and China to get access to their vaccines. Long said the ministry has promoted COVID-19 vaccine research and production activities while at the same time increasing co-operation, exchanges and negotiations with foreign vaccine producers to soon get access to sources of vaccine to meet domestic demand. – Viet Nam News
Cambodia’s COVID-19 community outbreak numbers rises to 32 with two new cases, tally now at 348
Two more cases of COVID-19 positive have been reported by the Ministry of Health this morning. Both positive cases are related to the ‘Community 28 November event’. The two victims were identified as 21-year-old I Dara, believed to be a student and a resident of Wat Sansom Kosal, Sangkat Boeung Tumpong, Khan Meanchey, who had been staying with a patient named Nhel Sok Kola, who worked at the Pedro store on Monivong, and a woman named Chi Pich Chara, 29, a resident of Chak Angre Leu commune, Meanchey district, a civil servant at the Ministry of Interior, who entered the Zando Boeung Keng Kang store on November 27, 2020 at 8:30 pm without wearing a mask. Both of them are currently being treated at Chak Angre Health Center in Phnom Penh. 11,035 samples have been tested for Covid-19 since the outbreak was first discovered, with 32 being found positive. As of this morning, the national tally rose to 348, including 229 Cambodians, 45 French, 18 Chinese, 13 Malaysians, 12 Americans, 9 Indonesians, 6 British, 3 Vietnamese, 3 Canadians, 3 Indians, 2 Hungarians, 2 Pakistanis, 1 Belgian, 1 Kazakhstani, and 1 Polish. More than 11,305 people who have been in direct or indirect in contact with the event have been tested, of whom 32 are COVID-19 positive. More results are expected as it is learnt that there is still a back log of tests due to the sheer volume which is increasing by the day. The Ministry of Health has also called on those who came in contact with the Nov. 28 Community Event to do the second test today at the Ministry of Interior (for civil servants), and on Dec. 8 at the National Olympic Stadium in Phnom Penh (for the general public), as well as at provincial health departments. – Khmer Times