These are the top stories making the front pages of major newspapers from across Southeast Asia today.
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Covid-19 vaccination centres to be up soon; jabs also to be given at polyclinics, GP clinics
Covid-19 vaccination centres that allow a large number of people to be vaccinated daily will be ready soon, and vaccinations will also be given at polyclinics and general practitioner clinics, said the country's chief health scientist, Professor Tan Chorh Chuan. He was speaking after he took his Pfizer-BioNTech jab on Monday (Jan 11). Allowing people to get vaccinated at polyclinics, public health preparedness clinics and GP clinics will make the experience a more convenient and comfortable one for Singaporeans, especially for the elderly, who may be more familiar with these places, he said. Prof Tan was among close to 120 healthcare workers across the National University Health System (NUHS) who received their Covid-19 vaccinations on Monday. The first to roll up his sleeve for the jab at the National University Hospital was Associate Professor Benjamin Ong, who is the chair of the Expert Committee on Covid-19 vaccination. Prof Ong, who took his flu jab a few weeks ago, described the process as a relatively painless procedure. He advised Singaporeans to take their flu and Covid-19 jabs a couple of weeks apart instead of taking them together because this will allow the immune system to respond appropriately to each vaccine. Vaccinations kicked off elsewhere around the island on Monday as part of Singapore's nationwide drive, which began on Dec 30 last year. Eighty Home Team officers involved in front-line healthcare operations were the first in the Ministry of Home Affairs to receive their jabs. A total of 1,050 officers will be progressively vaccinated in the coming weeks, the ministry said in a statement on Monday. – The Straits Times
PM: No general, state or local elections during State of Emergency
No general election, state or by-election will be held during the State of Emergency period, said Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin. In a special address telecast live today, Muhyiddin said the common practise of holding a by-election within 60 days of a seat being declared vacant; and within the same period for a state election after the legislative assembly is dissolved, is now suspended. "As we all know, at this time, the people do not want elections to be held to deter the spread of Covid-19 transmission, like what happened after the recent Sabah state election. "Lately, there have been quarters who have pressed for general elections to be held. I have no intention not to call for an election. "The main thing that is stopping me from advising the Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri'ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah to dissolve Parliament to pave the way for a general election is the Covid-19 pandemic," said Muhyiddin. He said the decision against calling for elections during the Covid-19 pandemic is in line with one of five Maqasid Syariah principles, which is to protect lives, or "hifz-al-nafs". "In this context, it has become my obligation as the head of the government to protect the people's lives and protect all of you from the Covid-19 infection," he said. The Prime Minister added that to ensure that the implementation of the Emergency is done fairly and transparently, an independent committee will be set up under an ordinance to advise the King on when to finally lift the State of Emergency. "I give my firm commitment that the general election will be called as soon as the committee acknowledges that the Covid-19 infection has simmered down or is fully under control, and that it is safe for elections to be held. "Then, it is up to the people to choose which government is qualified to administer the country and to take care of your welfare. This is my commitment and a promise that I will fulfil, InsyaAllah." – New Straits Times
'K-powdered milk' drug cocktail kills six
The national police chief has pledged to crack down on a new illegal drug cocktail known as "k-powdered milk" after six people died in Bangkok on the same day after using it. National police chief Pol Gen Suwat Jangyodsuk said police could not yet confirm whether the substance, which looks like powdered milk, was a combination of ketamine and sleeping pills as speculated, as the results of the autopsies had not yet been released. Some reports said it also contained methamphetamine and heroin. The drug is known as "k-nom pong" among Thai users. Pol Gen Suwat said he had instructed the Metropolitan Police Bureau (MPB) and the Narcotics Suppression Bureau (NSB) to urgently investigate where the substance came from and how it was distributed. An incident, like this, in which so many people died after taking the same drug on the same day has never occurred before, the national police chief said on Monday. Five of the six people died in an area under the jurisdiction of Wat Phraya Krai police station in Bangkok. Pol Gen Suwat said police suspected that the substance might contain controlled medications such as clonazepam smuggled in across the borders. Chief of the MPB Pol Lt Gen Phukphong Phongpetra said the six people – three males and two females – aged between 21-34 years. All of them were believed to have died after taking the drug as the white powdery narcotic was found at the scenes. Examination of the substance and an investigation into the deaths is underway, Pol Lt Gen Phukphong said. The Office of the Narcotics Control Board (ONCB) is currently analysing the substance to determine what it is and where it came from, said national police spokesman Pol Maj Gen Yingyos Thepjumnong. – Bangkok Post
Rescuers among casualties of West Java landslides
Heavy rainfall and unstable soil caused a series of landslides in Sumedang, West Java, on Saturday, claiming the lives of at least 19 people and injuring 18 others. Among the deceased were search and rescue and local administration officials who had been working to evacuate survivors of the disaster. The first landslide occurred at around 4 p.m. when a 20-meter cliff in Cihanjuang village, Cimanggung district, Sumedang regency collapsed and buried 14 houses. “Around 12 people were inside the houses,” Sumedang Disaster Mitigation Agency (BPBD) head Ayi Rusmana said on Saturday, as quoted by kompas.com. When a search and rescue team was evacuating the victims from the buried houses, another landslide happened at 6:30 p.m. at the same location. According to National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) records from Sunday morning, at least 11 rescuers and bystanders were buried in the second landslide. BNPB spokesperson Raditya Jati said the rescue personnel had managed to recover eight bodies from the first incident and 11 others from the second one as of Sunday at 8:22 a.m. Among those who died were Cimanggung District Military Commander Capt. Inf. Setio Pribadi and Sumedang BPBD emergency and logistic department head Yedi. “Three people were heavily injured and 15 others sustained minor injuries,” Raditya said in a statement. The local disaster agency evacuated 150 residents from the area following the disasters. BNPB head Doni Monardo said the central government had given Rp 1 billion (US$70,847) for the disaster response operation to Sumedang Regent Dony Ahmad Munir. He added that the government would compensate residents whose homes had been damaged in the incident. Doni urged residents not to return to their homes until authorities finished their landslide hazard assessment. "[After the evaluation], people who initially resided in the red zone [high-risk area] must be willing to leave their homes and be relocated to another place," Doni said. – The Jakarta Post
PH targets vaccination of up to 200K Filipinos daily
The Philippines is targeting to vaccinate up to 200,000 persons against COVID-19 every day once the nationwide vaccinations begin, vaccine czar Carlito Galvez Jr. said Tuesday. Galvez said 25,000 vaccinators are already being trained to achieve this goal. “Marami na po tayo nabigyan ng training. Ongoing ang training natin, we are training more or less 25,000 vaccinators,” Galvez said in an interview over ABS-CBN News Channel. (Many have already been given training. This is ongoing and we are training more or less 25,000 vaccinators.) “We are trying to vaccinate at least a 100 to 200,000 people every day. Yun po ang gagawin natin para at least magkaroon tayo ng record-breaking daily vaccination rollout,” he added. (We are trying to vaccinate at least 100 to 200,000 people every day. This is what we’re going to do to have a record-breaking daily vaccination rollout.) Galvez said local government units in Metro Manila are already consolidating the list of individuals that will participate in the vaccinations. Earlier, Galvez set the goal of vaccinating 60 to 70 percent of all Filipinos within three to five years. The procurement of 148 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines is being eyed for 2021. So far, the Philippines already signed deals for vaccines developed by China’s Sinovac, the Serum Institute of India and British drugmaker AstraZeneca. – INQUIRER.net
Snowfall in Lào Cai, Yên Bái, over 153,000 students kept off school
The current extreme cold weather brought snowfall in high mountainous areas while hoarfrost was reported in several communes in the high mountainous province of Yên Bái’s Trạm Tấu District. According to local residents in Y Tý Commune, Ô Quý Hồ Pass and the Fansipan Mountain of Lào Cai Province, the snow was falling quite thickly, covering many houses, gardens and roads since early Monday morning. In Y Tý Commune, people even saw 15cm-layers of snow yesterday morning. Snowfall is a rare weather phenomenon in Việt Nam, a country in tropical climate region. Therefore, the rare weather phenomenon already attracted a lot of tourists coming to see and take a photo with snow in Lào Cai Province Monday. According to the Lào Cai Province’s Hydro-meteorological Forecasting Station, cold weather would continue in the province, causing snowfall in Y Tý Commune, Hoàng Liên Sơn Mountain and then spread to the centre of Sa Pa Town until Tuesday. In Trạm Tấu District, Yên Bái Province, the hoarfrost mainly appeared in high areas, including villages of Mù, Công, Xà Hồ, Làng Nhì. According to the National Centre for Hydro-meteorological Forecasting, the temperature measured at 6am Monday was minus 0.8 degrees Celsius in Sa Pa Town, Lào Cai Province and minus 0.2 degrees Celsius in Mẫu Sơn Mountain, Lạng Sơn Province. The temperature was 0.5 degree Celsius in Pha Đin Pass in Điện Biên Province; 4.5 degrees Celsius in Lai Châu Province and 9.5 degrees Celsius in Yên Bái Province. Due to the cold weather, over 153,000 students were off school yesterday in two provinces of Yên Bái and Điện Biên. In Yên Bái Province, 98,000 students in Nghĩa Lộ Town and districts of Yên Bình, Văn Chấn, Lục Yên, Trạm Tấu, Mù Cang Chải were allowed to stay at home. The provincial Education and Training Department said the move aimed to ensure the health and safety of the students. In Điện Biên Province, nearly 55,000 students were also off due to the cold weather. – Viet Nam News
SOP comes apart: No social distancing at Calmette hospital
In a shocking development, outpatients at a public hospital are being allowed to blatantly disregard social distancing measures strictly put in place to prevent any spread of COVID-19. A patient who visited the Ministry of Health-managed Calmette hospital yesterday morning revealed that social distancing measures were completely disregarded with staff seemingly unconcerned as they passed by. The patient snapped a photo as he was waiting for a prescription, which showed people huddling together as they waited for service. “At first I was surprised to see scores of people not social distancing, disregarding signs put on chairs to leave them empty as a social distancing measure with some even sharing the same seat,” said the patient who chose not to be named. “It made me uncomfortable and it made me worry about the risk of catching COVID-19. Medical staff were milling about but nothing was being done to rectify the situation and the outside area was also crowded with people in close proximity,” he added. The patient said masks were being worn by most, although he did notice some not being worn properly. He noted that being a Monday the hospital was crowded with scores sitting on benches outside either waiting for family members or waiting to find a spot inside to be attended to. He said other virus preventive measures, however, were in place such as visitors having their temperature taken upon entering and being sprayed with sanitiser. The patient said that the previous week, he also encountered a total disregard for social distancing when he went for registration at the hospital. He wondered how the Health Ministry will be able to convince other establishments, such as banks, to enforce social distancing when its own hospital was not doing so. – Khmer Times