These are the top stories making the front pages of major newspapers from across Southeast Asia today.
Get up to speed with what’s happening in the fastest growing region in the world.
Stay informed with The ASEAN Post.
Covid-19 case on cruise: S'pore has necessary protocols in place, says Chan Chun Sing
The Covid-19 case detected on a cruise to nowhere illustrates the importance of having protocols in place to quickly contact trace and isolate close contacts, said Trade and Industry Minister Chan Chun Sing. "We have put in place the necessary protocols to make sure that we can assure ourselves and assure the public that something like that can be managed," he told reporters on Wednesday (Dec 9). The minister's comments come after the Royal Caribbean cruise ship Quantum of the Seas had to turn back on day three of a four-day cruise to nowhere after an 83-year-old Singaporean passenger tested positive for the coronavirus. Various agencies are now going through the steps to contact trace and monitor passengers who came into contact with the patient, Mr Chan said. He was speaking to reporters during a visit to Siemens Advance Manufacturing Transformation Centre in Tuas, where he met with trainees of the additive-manufacturing training course under the SGUnited Mid-Career Pathways Programme. The Covid-19 case on the cruise was not unexpected, he said. "We have always made the assumption that someday, something may happen." In resuming economic activities, Singapore adopts a strategy of risk management rather than risk elimination, he added. "Because a risk elimination strategy - zero risk - means not to do anything," Mr Chan said. "And that would not be compatible with our overall strategy. So, we must learn how to deal with such things, efficiently and effectively to provide assurance to our people." The ship has isolated all guests and crew who had close contact with the guest. All of them tested negative for the coronavirus, said Singapore Tourism Board (STB) director of cruise Annie Chang. The remaining passengers and crew will remain on board in their rooms until contact tracing is complete, Ms Chang added. They will all undergo mandatory Covid-19 testing before leaving the cruise terminal. – The Straits Times
Majority of Malaysians serving time abroad are for drug-related offences
2,742 Malaysians are currently serving jail sentence abroad with a majority of them for drug-related offences, Deputy Foreign Minister Datuk Kamarudin Jaffar said. Kamarudin said 1,434 Malaysians were jailed for drug-related offences abroad followed by 406 for fraud. He was responding to a question by Datuk Seri Richard Riot (Serian-GPS) who asked how many Malaysians were being imprisoned abroad and the offences committed during the question and answer session at the Dewan Rakyat today. "Another 132 are being imprisoned for credit card fraud, while 89 are for customs-related offences. "Meanwhile another 66 were arrested for immigration issues," he said, adding that apart from these offences, others include trade crimes, human trafficking as well as violating the laws of the countries they were in. On countries holding Malaysians for criminal acts, Kamarudin said Singapore arrested 614 followed by China (403), Thailand (360), Indonesia (331) and South Korea (295). The Bandar Tun Razak MP was also asked if any Malaysians were facing death penalties or life imprisonment sentences abroad. "I don't have the statistics on the death penalty now, I estimate that all those imprisoned are for jail terms of varying lengths. "The embassies have been assisting the Malaysians who are imprisoned in accordance with the 1963 Vienna Convention. "The assistance given also include informing their immediate families about their imprisonment and safeguarding their welfare, safety and health," he said. Assistance rendered also involved arranging for legal counsel of their choice, he informed. – New Straits Times
PM savages 'republic' rhetoric
Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha has downplayed the anti-government protest movement's latest rhetoric about "a republic", saying the government will do everything in its power to thwart any such system of government in Thailand. Last Friday, the Free Youth group, which is a part of the anti-government Ratsadon group, posted a message about the subject of "a republic" on its Facebook page. The group explained that a republic is a state in which the masses are the boss, and is the predominant form of government worldwide. It emphasises the decentralisation of power, with rulers coming from free and fair elections -- not determined by bloodlines. It then referred to Thomas Paine's famous quote about equality, which is: "For all men being originally equals, no one by birth could have a right to set up his own family in perpetual preference to all others forever". "For the benefit and happiness of the masses of a republic, the voices of the people can echo to the skies, but a republic will never happen without the people rising up to dismantle all the shackles," the group said. The group also declared its "Restart Thailand (RT)" campaign which appears to have taken on socialist overtones, and posted a red logo on its Facebook page which observers say looks like the "hammer and sickle”. In the post, the group: "This is a new movement where nothing will be the same. Awareness of the oppressed working class will be awakened, whether you are students, office workers, non-uniformed staff, farmers or civil servants. We are all oppressed workers.'' Under the RT campaign, "there will be no leaders, no guards, no compromises or negotiations", the group announced. Observers have interpreted the Free Youth's message as a sign of their advocacy for a republic to be created in Thailand. Commenting on the issue, Gen Prayut on Tuesday said that the government's legal team will consider whether this is against the law. "The government will stop any move that will lead to that point. We will look into their intentions. Anyone who is found to have committed sedition will face legal action," the prime minister said. "Thailand is not and won't be a republic. That's impossible," Gen Prayut said. – Bangkok Post
Over 1,700 traditional market traders test positive for COVID-19
A total of 1,762 traders in traditional markets across the country have tested positive for COVID-19 in recent months, with 68 of the traders succumbing to the coronavirus disease, according to data from the Indonesian Traditional Market Traders Association (IKAPPI). The association said Central Java and Jakarta were the two regions with the most confirmed COVID-19 cases in traditional markets, with Central Java reporting 475 cases and Jakarta 154, based on data as of June 18. IKAPPI head of information and communication Reynaldi Sarijowan said traditional market traders were among those at the highest risk of being exposed to virus. With cases on the rise, Reynaldi called on local administrations to focus more on implementing health protocols and increasing the rate of swab or rapid testing for market traders. “We also urge the central and regional governments to provide a stimulus to traders to keep traditional markets afloat,” Reynaldi said on Tuesday as reported by kompas.com. He said one of the triggers for the spike in COVID-19 cases in traditional markets was the long holiday in October. Traditional wet markets have reportedly spawned several infection clusters since the pandemic began. Crowded settings and close interactions among traders and buyers have contributed to the spread of COVID-19 in several wet markets across the country. Traditional market vendors suffered a significant slump in revenue at the start of the pandemic as the government and local administrations restricted mobility and ordered people to stay at home. The Trade Ministry had issued a circular in late May on supporting the operation of traditional markets while also calling for health protocol obedience. Authorities had also ordered the temporary closing of wet markets in several regions in the country following findings of COVID-19 cases. – The Jakarta Post
PH faces longer, shallower recovery
The Philippines’ return to pre-pandemic economic growth levels will take longer than expected, with next year’s expansion likely to remain constrained by downside risks, including challenges to the distribution of the coronavirus vaccine. Thus concluded economists and investment managers who spoke in an online forum hosted by the Inquirer, opining that the recovery of the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) would come in the form of a “dirty L” – resembling a shallow-trajectory check mark – rather than the V- or U-shaped recovery that government planners were earlier predicting. “Early hopes of a quick rebound in 2021 have since been dashed by business losses and shutdowns, high unemployment and continuing spread of the coronavirus that has made it impossible to completely relax quarantine and distancing rules,” according to economist and former finance undersecretary Romeo Bernardo in a Global Source Partners paper he co-authored with Marie Christine Tang. “While government is striving to ‘flatten the fear’ and turn gloomy consumer and business sentiments around to revive the economy, we think it will be a slow ascent for the economy with GDP anticipated to grow only 5 percent in 2021, returning to its 2019 level only by late 2022,” he said. Global Source Partners expects the Philippine economy to contract by 9.8 percent this year, saying the resulting economic recession from the lockdown imposed by the government to combat the pandemic “is proving much more fearsome beyond a continuing health problem.” Bernardo said expectations of growth over the near term came with “considerable downside risks” due to challenges in procuring vaccine from foreign manufacturers, while current distribution limitations likely meant that the country would have to live with COVID-19 “far longer than we had previously anticipated.” Meanwhile, ING Bank Manila country manager Hans Sicat described the recent behaviour of the Philippine economy – with output shrinking by a record 16.5 percent in the second quarter, and improving slightly to an 11.4-percent contraction in the third quarter – as a “crash landing.” – INQUIRER.net
Party chief says people's voice must be heard at National Party Congress
Party General Secretary and State President Nguyễn Phú Trọng urged report editors to listen to and incorporate feedback and contributions from scientists, academia, and all classes of people into documents for the upcoming 13th National Party Congress in 2021. Việt Nam’s top leader made the remark as he chaired over a Politburo meeting to receive feedback from local Party committees, National Assembly delegates, representatives of the Việt Nam Fatherland Front, socio-economic organisations, Government officials, Party members and the public at large; and to discuss the finalisation of documents submitted to the 14th Plenum of the Party Central Committee, 12th tenure, the final plenum before next year’s congress. Important documents for the congress, which will elect top leaders and set the agenda for the country in the next decade, include the political report – the key item, socio-economic review of the 2011-20 period and development strategy for 2021-30 period, and synthesis report on Party building and implementation of Party’s regulations. The drafts have been open for public feedback since October 20. Heads of the editors’ teams of the reports have reported on the progress, saying that they have held several meetings and discussions to incorporate reasonable ideas into the draft reports. The Politburo thanked veteran officials and Party members, representatives from all socio-economic organisations, and all classes of people who have taken the time to contribute to the reports. The majority of comments said the draft documents and reports were carefully, scientifically, and prudently made, reflecting the actual situation along with achieved results, remaining limitations, shortcomings and weaknesses as well as the causes and lessons learned. The documents also include forecasts on the situation of Việt Nam and the world in the future, identifying goals, tasks and solutions for the country’s development. Many have suggested amendments to the language and text of the reports, asked for clearer analyses of achieved results and remaining weaknesses, as well as reviewed for consistency between different reports in terms of situation forecasts and analyses. – Viet Nam News
COVID-19 fears leave local markets short on business
COVID-19 fears have left big businesses such as Aeon Mall reeling, but smaller businesses in numerous multiple markets across Phnom Penh are also feeling the pinch. Reports from stall owners indicate that customers are avoiding the markets and the hundreds of businesses they hold by finding other ways to get their necessities. Por Panha, owner of a shoe shop at Phnom Penh’s Orrusey market, explained that the market was already quiet because people in general have less money as a result of the pandemic, but now people are also scared to go to shop at his stall. “For the last two weeks we have seen a decline in customers coming to our stall. The whole market is quiet and all the merchants are losing money. I have seen my sales drop by 70 percent. My sister owns a beauty salon at another market in the city and she has also seen a big drop in numbers.” Por expanded on his thoughts about how the safety of the markets and why he believes visitor numbers have dropped. “Many of the business owners in the market are worried about COVID-19. It is all over the news and the numbers of people testing positive are going up every day. All of my family are worried about me continuing to work but I need to, or there is no chance of me earning any money. People are wearing masks as well as face shields here, but there isn’t really anybody measuring temperatures and there is no social distancing because the markets are so small. I think this is what is putting people off coming to shop here.” Some shop owners are thinking outside of the box and have started to offer delivery of their products directly to people’s homes. A crowd of tuktuk drivers can be seen waiting outside the market for food and other products needing transport to people at their homes. Vuth Raksa, a local tuktuk driver, explained that he was receiving orders to collect things through the ride hailing app Grab, which has recently started to deliver an expanded array of items. “I have been collecting groceries for people for delivery to their homes. I either get phone calls from regular customers or orders through Grab. For me this is good as it means I am earning extra money. I am not too worried about the virus because I always wear my mask,” Vuth said. – Khmer Times