These are the top stories making the front pages of major newspapers from across Southeast Asia today.
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Singapore economy shrinks 5.8% in 2020 after contraction eases to 3.8% in Q4: Flash data
Singapore's economy contracted by 5.8 per cent for the whole of 2020, according to the Ministry of Trade and Industry's (MTI) advanced estimates released on Monday (Jan 4). For the fourth quarter of last year, the economy shrank by 3.8 per cent year on year, an improvement from the revised 5.6 per cent drop in the third quarter, as more coronavirus related curbs on economic activity were lifted. The economy's fourth quarter performance was also better than the 4.5 per cent year-on-year drop forecast by economists in a Reuters poll. On a quarter-on-quarter seasonally-adjusted basis, the economy grew by 2.1 per cent, following the 9.5 per cent expansion in the third quarter. The strong GDP growth seen in the third quarter was due to the phased resumption of activities following the circuit breaker period stretching from April 7 to June 1, as well as the rebound in activity in major economies during the quarter as they emerged from their own lockdowns, MTI said. The full-year 2020 MTI estimate tops earlier forecasts of a contraction of 6.5 per cent to 6 per cent made last month and is much lower than a previous estimate of a 7 per cent to 5 per cent shrinkage. In its maiden forecast for next year, MTI said last month the economy may expand by 4 per cent to 6 per cent - the most since 2011, when it grew by 6.3 per cent. The fourth quarter 2020 performance was helped by the manufacturing sector’s 9.5 per cent year-on-year expansion that extended its 10.8 per cent growth in the previous quarter. Growth of the sector was supported primarily by output expansions in the electronics, biomedical manufacturing and precision engineering clusters, which outweighed output declines in the transport engineering and general manufacturing clusters, MTI said. However, on a quarter-on-quarter seasonally-adjusted basis, the manufacturing sector contracted by 2.6 per cent, a pullback from the 12.6 per cent expansion in the third quarter. – The Straits Times
Four nabbed in Johor in connection with meat cartel scandal
The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) has arrested four people in connection with the meat cartel scandal. The suspects, aged between 30 and 50, comprise two directors and an employee of an importing company, and a director of another importing company. "The suspects have been remanded for four days beginning today," said Johor MACC director Datuk Azmi Alias. He said the remand orders for the suspects were issued by Lower Court Registrar Nur Izzaty Muhammad Zahari. "The case is being investigated under Section 17b of the MACC Act 2009," said Azmi in a statement. It was recently reported that a cartel has been importing non-certified meat and selling it as halal meat in Malaysia. The cartel has reportedly been operating for over 40 years and imported meat from non-halal-certified slaughterhouses in a few countries, such as Brazil, Bolivia, Canada, Colombia, Spain and Mexico. The meat, smuggled out of the port, would be taken to warehouses where it would be mixed with halal-certified meat and repacked with fake halal logos, then sold on the market. – New Straits Times
British visitors to be barred from entry
The Ministry of Public Health will ask the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) to defer the entry of British visitors to the country after the fast-spreading B117 strain of Covid-19 was found in four British nationals entering Thailand on Dec 21. Department of Disease Control chief Opas Karnkawinpong said on Sunday all passengers who were on board the same flight as the four and anyone who had come into contact with them had been located, tested and found to be clear of the virus. Dr Opas urged the public not to panic as Thailand is familiar with the fast-spreading Covid-19 strain – known as G-strain – found in Myanmar migrant workers. "B117 is similar to the G-strain from Myanmar in terms of it being fast-spreading," Dr Opas said. The four English patients are family members – parents and two children – from Kent. They have been placed in a hospital's negative pressure room to prevent transmission and will not be released until medical officials test and clear them of Covid-19 risk, said Dr Yong Poovorawan, a chief at the Centre of Excellence in Clinical Virology at Chulalongkorn University's Faculty of Medicine. The centre has been collecting genetic data from Covid-19 patients for research, according to Dr Yong -- one of the country's top virologists – who reported that the genetic variants found in the four patients are of the B117 strain which has spread rapidly in the UK recently. Dr Yong wrote on his Facebook page that Thais do not need to be alarmed but warned the authority must pay more attention to English visitors. It was reported that Sars-CoV-2, the virus that causes the disease Covid-19, mutates regularly. – Bangkok Post
FPI officials form new organization after govt bans group
Islam Defenders Front (FPI) chairman Ahmad Shabri Lubis announced on Wednesday the establishment of a new mass Islamic organization, hours after the government banned the controversial hard-line group and its activities. In a written statement, Ahmad and 18 other FPI members declared the formation of the organization, which is also called the FPI, short for Front Persatuan Islam (United Islamic Front). "For the executive boards, members and supporters of Islam Defenders Front all across Indonesia and abroad, to avoid unimportant things and feuding with this despotic regime, we hereby declare the establishment of the United Islamic Front," the statement read. In the statement, Ahmad claimed the government’s decision to ban the FPI was unconstitutional, unlawful and was an attempt to distract the public from the issue of the fatal shootings of six FPI members. FPI deputy secretary general Azis Yanuar said the new group would not be registered with the government. However, he said the organization had clear legal standing. "The organization's legal basis is clear, which is Constitutional Court ruling No. 82/PUU-XI/2013," he said as reported by kompas.com. In the ruling, issued in 2014, the Court allowed mass organizations not to register with the Home Ministry. However, unregistered mass organizations would not be eligible for government services. On Wednesday, the government issued a joint ministerial decree (SKB) signed by the home minister, the law and human rights minister, the communications and information minister, the attorney general, the National Police chief and the National Counterterrorism Agency (BNPT) head to ban the FPI and its activities. Coordinating Political, Legal and Security Affairs Minister Mahfud MD said the decision was made because the FPI had no legal grounds to operate as a civil organization after failing to extend its organizational registration permit (SKT) with the Home Ministry in June 2019. Mahfud also said the group often conducted activities that disturbed public order and security. FPI lawyer Sugito Atmo Prawiro said the FPI would file a lawsuit against the decision with the Jakarta State Administrative Court (PTUN) as soon as possible. "I've consulted with FPI leader Rizieq Shihab, and he agreed to file a lawsuit against the decision," Sugito said. Andalas University constitutional expert Feri Amsari said under Law No. 16/2017 on mass organizations, the ban on the FPI was legal. However, he said the decision to disband the FPI might have violated Article 28 of the 1945 Constitution (UUD 1945), which protected the freedom of association and assembly. "The decision could be considered a problem if viewed from a constitutional standpoint, under the 1945 Constitution," Feri said, as reported by kompas.com. Before the passage of the 2017 law on mass organizations, the government could only disband such an organization through a court ruling. "However, there was a setback during President Joko Widodo's first term with the passage of the law. I call it a setback because the law returned the power to disband mass organizations to the government, just as under the New Order regime," he went on to say. The government has been at loggerheads with the FPI in recent weeks following a string of public order and security issues cantered on the return of Rizieq from self-exile in Saudi Arabia. The feud has resulted in several incidents, including the shooting of six FPI members by the National Police and the arrest of Rizieq. He was named a suspect in a health protocol violation case regarding crowded events held at his house in Petamburan, Central Java, and at his Islamic boarding school in Megamendung, Bogor, West Java, in November. – The Jakarta Post
Gordon: Who’s behind vaccine smuggling?
Who are they protecting? The commander and troops of the Presidential Security Group (PSG) could just be the fall guys in the smuggling into the country and use of an unauthorized COVID-19 vaccine from China on selected Cabinet officials and presidential guards, Sen. Richard Gordon suggested on Sunday. The chair of the Senate blue ribbon committee said he did not believe the claim of the PSG commander, Brig. Gen. Jesus Durante III, that the vaccine was procured on his own initiative, adding that Durante’s loyalty to President Duterte, while admirable, should be within the bounds of law. “No, no, I don’t believe that. General Durante, I don’t believe you. I’m sure you did that out of loyalty, but certainly there are other people who had themselves inoculated [with the unauthorized vaccine],” he said. “[They were made to take the fall]. That’s my speculation. We should find out who really brought in [the vaccine], because that guy should be prosecuted,” Gordon said in a radio interview. “Who brought them in? Who were given the vaccines? Who did they talk to? If they’re really Chinese, then the government should determine who brought those Chinese medicines here and treated our people like guinea pigs,” Gordon said. “I think some friends of ours tried to do a good deed, like ‘I obtained some vaccines, so use them already …’ But it’s not right … That is considered smuggling. That is considered illegal use of a medicine that has not been approved. That is considered reckless, and they could have endangered themselves,” he said. Gordon said Durante’s loyalty was a “good trait to have” in a PSG chief, but not to the extent of violating the law. “Because he violated the law, he should consider resignation. But I think, being the gentleman that he is – I don’t even know him and I’m not saying he should resign, I’m saying he should consider it – the blame would be pinned on him,” Gordon said. “I wouldn’t want to be in his shoes,” he added. – INQUIRER.net
Việt Nam's external relations in 2020: mettle and new posture
Việt Nam’s diplomatic sector overcame numerous challenges throughout 2020 to create, grasp and optimise new cooperation opportunities, contributing to the country’s progress towards development, stated Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Phạm Bình Minh. In his article entitled “Việt Nam external relations in 2020: mettle and new posture” released on to mark the New Year 2021, Minh noted that last year witnessed great and unprecedented changes that have left widespread and long-term impacts on the world. The COVID-19 pandemic hit all countries, pushing the global economy into recession, while the East Sea issues saw new, complicated developments, and other non-traditional challenges emerged, including those related to water security, natural disasters and flooding, greatly affecting the Southeast Asia region, including Việt Nam. However, the Deputy PM underscored that peace, cooperation and development were still the major trends and aspirations of people around the world. The Asia-Pacific has still been a dynamic economic region, while ASEAN has reinforced solidarity and adapted to the impacts of the world situation to secure its central role in the region. The complicated and multi-dimensional fluctuations of the world and regional situation in 2020 deeply affected the domestic environment of Việt Nam with the mixture of challenges and opportunities, stated the top diplomat, who highlighted that the Party, the State and the whole political system showed excellent performance in implementing the twin targets of preventing the pandemic and recovering and boosting the socio-economic growth on the foundation of a peaceful and stable environment. – Viet Nam News
Workers returning from Thailand going into quarantine after their arrival in Cambodia
Cambodia’s migrant workers fleeing Thailand which is experiencing an unprecedented surge of COVID-19, registered another positive case. The Health Ministry announced this morning that the latest victim, the 17th to be tested positive, is a 21-year-old female from Koun Phnom village, O’Andong commune, Sala Krao district, Pailin province. She had returned to Cambodia on 1 January despite being advised by Prime Minister Hun Sen to stay put in Thailand. She is being treated at Pailin Provincial Referral Hospital. With the new cases, the tally in Cambodia stood at 382, including 260 Cambodians, 45 French, 18 Chinese, 13 Malaysians, 12 Americans, 10 Indonesians, 6 British, 3 Vietnamese, 3 Canadians, 3 Indians, 2 Hungarians, 2 Pakistanis, 1 Belgian, 1 Kazakhstani, 1 Polish, 1 Jordanian, and 1 Japanese. At the same time, the ministry reported no new cured case; the total number of recovered patients thus remains at 361 with no fatalities. – Khmer Times