These are the top stories making the front pages of major newspapers from across Southeast Asia today.
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Educators from Singapore share knowledge with counterparts in Kazakhstan
Educators from Singapore are sharing their pedagogical knowledge with their counterparts in Kazakhstan, under a partnership programme rolled out earlier this month. The focus of the collaboration between Temasek Foundation, Nanyang Polytechnic (NYP) International and Kazakhstan's Ministry of Education and Science (MOES) is on science, technology, engineering and mathematics (Stem). The three-part capability and development programme, conducted by specialist and adjunct lecturers from NYP, began last Monday (Dec 7). After the programme, the participants from Kazakhstan will share their experience and what they have learnt with their colleagues back home. Costs for the non-profit venture will be covered by a $283,825 grant from Temasek Foundation and about $231,000 from Kazakhstan's MOES. NYP International chief executive Henry Heng said such programmes can help NYP establish links with overseas educational institutions. He added: "Through these links, we can begin to create a whole spectrum of learning opportunities for our students, such as overseas internships, attachments, project work and immersion programmes." The programme began with a 10-day online training course for 50 Kazakhstan school heads of department such as physics and chemistry. They will be exposed to concepts like design thinking, a problem-solving approach that seeks to understand people's needs and come up with solutions. The second part of the programme, which will also be online, brings together 40 specialist teachers of Stem in Kazakhstan. This three-week course is slated to take place next March, and will go deeper into actual teaching delivery, said Mr Heng. For example, participants will learn how NYP lecturers make the learning of Stem engaging for young minds, and how knowledge can be applied to real-world problems and projects. The third segment will be a five-day trip to Singapore, tentatively around the middle of next year, for 25 government officials and senior principals from Kazakhstan. – The Straits Times
Malaysia needs green new deal, say experts
Malaysia needs an overarching green policy framework that cuts across ministries, sectors and industries to address the existing unsustainable practices that are threatening the planet and human health on an unprecedented scale. Environmental experts believe this is crucial to tackling the country's biggest problems, namely water pollution and the lack of ecological services, which emerged due to weak policies on nature conservation, industrial and domestic pollution, and unsustainable use of natural resources. Water pollution was listed as one of the top 10 environmental health concerns in the Health Ministry's recent National Environmental Health Action Plan, besides children's environmental health, built environment and climate change. Ecological services include purification of air and water, biodiversity maintenance, waste decomposition, soil and vegetation generation and renewal, and greenhouse gas mitigation. Experts have called for a holistic plan either in the form of an umbrella policy or a Green New Deal, like the initiative made popular by United States congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, to efficiently and effectively address environmental health issues. The Academy of Professors Malaysia's Environment and Sustainability Cluster is drafting a White Paper to the government on the umbrella policy, dubbed the Environment Development and Sustainability Policy Framework. Emeritus Professor Datuk Dr Ibrahim Komoo, the cluster's chair, said the policy would spell out important principles for sustainability, covering environmental pollution, ecological services, natural heritage conservation, sustainable agriculture, mining, land development, and environment-based Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). – New Straits Times
HM admits to some sad days
His Majesty the King conceded he has felt despondent at some points in his life but has managed to soldier on with the firm guidance of reason and the goal of working for the people. "I'm just like other human beings. On some days I feel despondent. On some days I feel sad. On some days, I almost don't want to fight the bad things. But it's all human nature," His Majesty told a student who asked whether he ever felt tired having to work hard for his subjects. "We come to realise that moral support doesn't come to us when we're at our strongest point. Never let despondence become the evil that pulls us down," His Majesty the King said. At another point, His Majesty said: "We should think about the country and think about how the institution of the monarchy and the people are inseparable. We need only look at what His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej The Great accomplished during his 70 years [reign]. Our younger generations may have forgotten about him." Their Majesties the King and Queen on Saturday evening granted an audience to young volunteers joining the "LOVE" camp for volunteers at the 11th Infantry Regiment (King's Guard) in Bang Khen district. Their Majesties were presiding over the opening of the camp, which concluded on Sunday. LOVE stands for "leadership, oneness, volunteer and experience." The training programme was held at the Royal Thai Volunteers School with 200 high school students from across the country including children of ethnic groups and the underprivileged taking part. The Royaljitarsa Facebook Page shared the content of Facebook user, "Fon Nongrat Issaro", who wrote about the event, revealing that His Majesty was welcoming to the participants. The Facebook page also featured parts of the conversation between His Majesty and the youth taking part. A video clip of the event was released separately on YouTube. A young Hmong could not hold back her tears when she talked about her fears sparked by a rumour when His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej The Great passed away. Rumours spread that Hmong would be evicted from Thailand after the change of the reign. "I was scared I wouldn't have a place to stay and wouldn't go to school. It has been several years now but we have not been evicted. We are all good. And I get to go to school because of His Majesty." His Majesty replied to the young student that every person, regardless of their ethnic origin, is Thai. He would not abandon Thais and would do everything for them, the King said. – Bangkok Post
Java, Bali top priority to receive vaccines due to number of COVID-19 cases
The government will prioritise Java and Bali islands for the first round of vaccination programs due to their high number of COVID-19 cases. "Out of the 10 provinces with the most confirmed cases, most of them are in Java and Bali islands," national vaccination program spokeswoman Siti Nadia Tarmizi said on Wednesday as quoted by tempo.co. According to National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) data on Dec. 9, active cases in seven provinces in Java and Bali had reached 50,892, totalling 376,112. Central Java led the tally with more than 17,000 cases, followed by Jakarta with 11,700 known cases and West Java with more than 10,000 cases. Siti Nadia said the high number active cases was triggered by dense populations in the said regions, adding that 60 percent of the country’s 267 million population resided in Java and Bali. National COVID-19 task force spokesman Wiku Adisasmita said administering vaccines to people in high-risk red zones was expected to curb virus transmission, adding that vaccination was not only aimed at saving a life but an entire population. Therefore, Wiku reminded the public to limit their mobility while continuing to comply with strict health protocols prior to and after the national mass vaccination program. “If the public neglects the health protocols, we will surely have case spikes,” he said, adding that the vaccinations would not guarantee an end to the pandemic. Coordinating Human Development and Culture Minister Muhadjir Effendy previously said President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo had ordered his administration to prioritise red zones for vaccination. “[We cannot] administer shots on random people but must instead [ prioritise] certain people based on risk zoning,” he said. In the first phase of the national vaccination program in Java and Bali, the government is to utilize 1.2 million doses of a COVID-19 vaccine produced by China’s Sinovac Life Science Corp. Ltd., which arrived in Indonesia on Dec. 6. In total, Indonesia has secured 3 million doses of the Sinovac vaccine, in which the remaining 1.8 million doses are to reach the country in January. – The Jakarta Post
Solve NLEx traffic mess, DILG chief urges execs
Interior Secretary Eduardo Año on Sunday urged local officials of Valenzuela City and executives of the toll way operator on the North Luzon Expressway (NLEx) to talk and find a fix to the monstrous vehicular congestion on the turnpike caused by the introduction of electronic toll collection. In a radio interview, Año said the local government and NLEx Corp. should have planned together the shift from cash payment at the toll booths to avoid inconvenience to the public. “Our local chief executives and local government[s] have a mandate to protect public interest, welfare and safety. So they exercise that if their constituents are affected,” Año said, indicating support for Valenzuela Mayor Rex Gatchalian’s decision to suspend NLEx Corp.’s business permit on Dec. 7, which threw the toll gates open, allowing free flow of vehicular traffic. The city government also declared a “toll holiday,” stopping NLEx Corp.’s collection at the booths. For years, the Department of Transportation (DOTr) had been trying to modernize toll collection on the expressways, but the system had never been perfected. But when toll collectors caught the new coronavirus that causes COVID-19, the DOTr made the shift to electronic toll collection mandatory starting Dec. 1 even though the toll way operators did not have failproof systems. The result had been kilometres long tailbacks on the expressways as radio frequency identification (RFID) tags and sensors failed to work. In Valenzuela, Año said “Earth stopped” as the tie-ups halted commerce on the toll road that runs through the city centre. “They (the local government and NLEx Corp.) should sit down, talk, and find a common solution instead of just imposing what they want when it would really affect ordinary citizens,” he said. Gatchalian and NLEx Corp. executives were supposed to meet on Dec. 9, but the mayor cancelled the meeting after an official of the toll way operator, speaking in a radio interview, suggested challenging the local government’s decision in court. Another meeting between the two sides was set for Monday. Año suggested that NLEx Corp. designate lanes for vehicles without RIFD stickers, particularly cargo vehicles from the provinces transporting goods to Metro Manila. “Let’s understand the ordinary motorists’ plight. We cannot just impose a deadline on this,” the home affairs chief said, suggesting agreement with calls to push back implementation of electronic toll collection to next year while the toll ways operators fix the problems with their systems. –INQUIRER.net
PM: Việt Nam becomes strong, trustworthy mainstay in ASEAN
The success of the ASEAN Chairmanship Year 2020 showed Việt Nam is not only an active ASEAN member but also a strong, trustworthy and special mainstay, especially at a challenging time like the COVID-19 crisis, said Prime Minister Nguyễn Xuân Phúc. Addressing a conference of the ASEAN National Committee 2020 in Hà Nội on Friday to review the Việt Nam's chairmanship of the bloc, PM Phúc said on the back of strong will, determination and actions of the ASEAN Community, effective co-operation with partners and helmed by Việt Nam, the ASEAN Chairmanship Year 2020 had been a complete success with a record number of adopted documents and Việt Nam’s initiatives and priorities becoming a common asset of the bloc. He highlighted success in ensuring security and safety as well as popularising the images of a peaceful and stable ASEAN Community and Viet Nam to international friends. The PM also expressed his pride in the success of the 41st General Assembly of the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA-41) and the eighth meeting of the Council of ASEAN Chief Justices (CACJ). He said the adopted regional strategies were a hallmark of the success of the ASEAN Chairmanship Year 2020, adding that the theme 'Cohesive and Responsive' suits the circumstances, especially amid the COVID-19 pandemic. He reviewed progress in the building of the ASEAN Community in the spirit of maintaining its central role. Under the direction of Việt Nam, ASEAN flexibly adapted to uncertainties. For the first time, the ASEAN Summit was held three times this year instead of twice. According to him, ASEAN’s success has brought invaluable lessons in terms of pooling collective power not only on regional but also global scale in response to the common challenges of humankind. – Viet Nam News
No vaccine plan: Ministry of Health unsure on when or from where the Kingdom will get doses
The Health Ministry has still not come up with a plan of action to pre-order COVID-19 vaccines although countries around the world have already done so. This is despite the fact that Prime Minister Hun Sen last Monday ordered officials from the ministries of Health and Finance to urgently meet and discuss the sourcing and funding of a vaccine. The following day, officials from both ministries met on the matter and after three days have still not announced a decision. Health Ministry spokeswoman Or Vandine said yesterday that the officials are still working to monitor the effectiveness of vaccines before ordering any. “The team is working on this, we are not silent, we are working,” she said. “We are also working with WHO under the Covax initiative to ensure that Cambodia also has access to the COVID-19 vaccine when it is safe and approved by the World Health Organization.” Britain has already begun vaccinating some of its citizens while the United States has deployed truckloads of vaccines across the country for the purpose. On Saturday, the Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China to Cambodia, Wang Wentian, posted in his Facebook that the Chinese Embassy is now in contact with the Cambodian government, for possible use of China-made COVID-19 vaccines in the Kingdom. “While there are several options, the Chinese vaccine is outstanding because of its safety (using the traditional method of inactivation), effectiveness (86 percent when 75 percent is average for similar vaccines) and convenience (can be stored and transported at temperature 2-8 ℃),” he added. Yesterday, Wang could not be reached for comment about how many doses of COVID-19 vaccine that China will provide to Cambodia. Vandine said that she does not yet know when Cambodia will receive the COVID-19 vaccine from China and for how many doses. “I do not have this information,” she said. – Khmer Times