These are the top stories making the front pages of major newspapers from across Southeast Asia today.
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New Covid-19 cluster in S'pore, community cases up from 4 to 18 in past week
The number of new cases in the community has increased from four in the week before to 18 cases in the past week, said the Ministry of Health (MOH) in a statement on Wednesday night (Jan 20). The number of unlinked cases in the community has also increased from two cases in the week before to six cases in the past week. A third new local coronavirus cluster has been reported after three of the four community cases on Wednesday were linked to a previous case. There were also 36 imported cases for a total of 40 new cases on Wednesday – bringing Singapore's total to 59,197. The three cases were linked to case 59429, a 39-year-old permanent resident who works in sales at BS Industrial and Construction Supply. He tested positive for the virus earlier this week on Jan 18. All of them are his co-workers, and MOH says that investigations are ongoing to assess if there was a breach of safe management measures at their workplace. "The Government takes a serious view of any breach and will take actions should there be non-compliance," it said in the statement. Two of the three did not seek medical attention after developing symptoms. The first linked case is a 27-year-old Malaysian work pass holder who works in sales at BS Industrial and Construction Supply. He developed a sore throat on Jan 14 but did not seek medical treatment and continued to go to work. He was contacted by MOH on Jan 18 after being identified as a close contact of the original case, and subsequently tested positive for the coronavirus infection on Jan 19. The second case is a 29-year-old Malaysian national who is also a work pass holder and works in sales at the same company. She developed a sore throat and difficulties in breathing on Jan 16 but continued to go to work and interact with the community, said MOH. She also tested positive for after being identified as a close contact of the original case. The final linked case is a 28-year-old Malaysian who is also a work pass holder, employed in finance in the same company. She developed a cough on Jan 19 on the day she was placed in quarantine, and subsequently tested positive for the virus. MOH emphasised the need for early medical treatment in stopping the spread of infection. "Those who are unwell, including those showing early or mild symptoms, should be socially responsible and seek medical attention immediately and stay at home to prevent the spread of illness to others," it said in the statement. – The Straits Times
Covid-hit students barred from SPM, STPM exams
Covid-19 symptomatic students, those undergoing quarantine, as well as those who test positive for Covid-19 will be barred from sitting the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) and Sijil Tinggi Persekolahan Malaysia (STPM) examinations. Instead, these students will be allowed to take their exams at another session, which will be announced by the Education Ministry. In a reply to questions from the New Straits Times, the ministry said the conditions for the SPM and STPM students were similar to the regulations stipulated for the Pentaksiran Kemasukan Sekolah Khusus (PKSK) assessment as detailed in its Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) on the operations of educational institutions registered with the ministry. According to the FAQ, which was updated on Jan 18, candidates who have completed their quarantine period and those who have been discharged after Covid-19 treatment will be allowed to sit examinations. Meanwhile, parents or guardians of candidates who exhibit Covid-19 symptoms must get approval from registered medical officers and inform the chief examiners of their examination centres. These candidates, too, will take their exams at a later date. The Covid-19 pandemic, which continues to ravage the nation, has forced the SPM and STPM exams for the 2020 batch to be deferred twice. In June last year, the ministry announced that SPM would be postponed to Jan 6, 2021 while STPM exams would be held on Aug 12, 2021 (Semester 2) and March 1, 2021 (Semester 3). However, the public examinations were postponed again following the third wave of the Covid-19 pandemic in October last year. Currently, SPM and STPM are slated to be held on Feb 22 and March 8, respectively. – New Straits Times
DES files monarchy lawsuit
The Digital Economy and Society Ministry (DES) on Wednesday filed a lawsuit against Progressive Movement leader Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit, accusing him of defaming the monarchy over his comments on the government's Covid-19 vaccination plan. Deputy DES Minister Newin Chorchaithip, plus Thosapol Pengsom, a vice minister attached to the PM's Office and Suporn Atthawong, vice minister to the PM's Office, lodged a complaint with the Technology Crime Suppression Division (TCSD), asking it to take legal action against Mr Thanathorn under Section 112 of the Criminal Code, or the lese majeste law, and the Computer Crime Act. The move came after Mr Thanathorn took to Facebook Live on Monday to pose the question "Royal vaccine: Who benefits and who doesn't?" in which he criticised the government's strategy for being too reliant on one company. Mr Thosapol said Mr Thanathorn's 30-minute video contained 11 instances that could be in violation of the lese majeste and computer crime laws. "We filed a lawsuit against him under Section 112 and the computer crime law as this was a distortion that caused public misunderstanding," Mr Thosapol said. Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha on Tuesday vowed to prosecute anyone who spread "distorted" information about the government's vaccine strategy. Mr Suporn said the PM had stressed the need for strict law enforcement to prevent defamation of the monarchy, while Mr Newin said the DES would also take action against anyone who posted and shared information that defamed the monarchy. Mr Thanathorn on Wednesday took to Facebook again, this time to call on the government to disclose details of the contract between AstraZeneca and Siam Bioscience, as well as details of the National Vaccine Institute's budget allocation to the company. He also said the government should disclose the minutes of a key National Vaccine Committee meeting and details of the criteria being exercised for companies to receive state funding for vaccine production. Mr Thanathorn is expected to respond to the government's lawsuit threat today. On Facebook Live on Monday, he had said the government had been too slow in procuring sufficient shots for inoculating the population and had pinned all its hopes on AstraZeneca, which had allowed one local pharmaceutical manufacturer, Siam Bioscience, to produce its vaccine. In response, Nakorn Premsri, director of the National Vaccine Institute, said the government and its partners had planned ahead for ways to get Thais inoculated. – Bangkok Post
PH to receive up to 40 million free Covid-19 vaccine doses from COVAX
The Philippines will receive up to 40 million free Covid-19 vaccines from the Gavi vaccine alliance COVAX facility, vaccine czar Carlito Galvez Jr. said Thursday. “Ikinagagalak ko po na ang ating COVAX facility para sa Pilipinas ay naaprubahan na po. Siguro meron po tayong 30 to 40 million na doses for free para po sa lahat, sa ating mga kababayan,” Galvez said in a televised briefing. (We are happy to announce that the COVAX facility already approved the deployment of vaccines in the Philippines. We may get 30 to 40 million doses of vaccines for free.) Galvez did not make mention of a specific vaccine that the country will receive from the COVAX facility, a platform that aims to ensure rapid, fair, and equitable access to Covid-19 vaccines for people in all countries. But earlier, he said the Philippines might be able to get the Covid-vaccine developed by American drug maker Pfizer-BioNTech as early as February via COVAX facility. Asked which vaccines the Philippines could receive from the COVAX facility, Galvez said it may be Pfizer-BioNTech, AstraZeneca, COVAVAX developed by the Serum Institute of India, and Johnson & Johnsons. “Talagang ito po ay global interest na we can contain yung virus through the WHO [World Health Organization] concept of equitable access to poor countries like us,” Galvez said. (This is for the global interest to contain the virus through the WHO concept of equitable access to poor countries like us.) Earlier, Galvez said the Philippines might be able to get the Covid-vaccine developed by American drug maker Pfizer-BioNTech as early as February via COVAX facility. – INQUIRER.net
20 volunteers get second shot of homegrown COVID-19 vaccine
Twenty volunteers on Wednesday received the second shot of a homegrown COVID-19 vaccine at the Military Medical University in Hà Nội. Seventeen of them were given a 25mcg dose of Nanocovax, Việt Nam’s first candidate vaccine against SARS-CoV-2 to reach the human trial stage. Three others received a 50mcg dose of Nanocovax. They were given the first shot on December 26, 2020. A total of 60 volunteers, aged 18-50, were selected for the first phase of Nanocovax’s clinical trials. They are divided into three groups for receiving three doses of 25 mcg, 50 mcg and 75 mcg, respectively. The vaccination consists of two injections 28 days apart. Among 20 candidates of the 25mcg dose group, three were injected with the second dose on January 14. All of them are now in stable condition. Việt Nam has so far gone more than halfway through the first human trial phase of Nanocovax. Dr Hồ Anh Sơn, deputy director of the Institute of Biomedicine and Pharmacy, said: “The tests on the seventh, fourteenth and twenty-eighth days after the injection showed the vaccine had good immunity against the virus and ensured safety. After the second shot, the level of antibodies will continue to increase by four to five times, even 20 times.” The research team will continue to study and propose to the Ministry of Health the appropriate doses for the second human trial phase, which is expected to begin immediately after the Lunar New Year (in the middle of February), he said. The Military Medical University has received applications from more than 500 people who want to participate in the Nanocovax clinical trial. More than 200 people have come for medical screening. Among them, 51 volunteers are eligible for the first trial phase. The number of qualified volunteers is small because compared to the criteria for selecting volunteers of many major pharmaceutical companies, Việt Nam requires stricter criteria, he said. The criteria for volunteers will be expanded in the second phase which is expected to be tested on 400 to 600 people, aged 12-17. The HCM City Pasteur Institute and the National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology will participate in the second phase with the Military Medical University. It is expected that the third phase will start when phase 2 goes halfway, expanding on the scale of 10,000 to 30,000 people, starting from August 2021. If the pilot study goes smoothly, the first of Việt Nam’s homegrown vaccines will be launched in early 2022. – Viet Nam News
Military arrest ‘broker’ for trying to smuggle workers into Thailand
One of the three “brokers” involved in human trafficking was arrested by the Banteay Meanchey Provincial Anti-Human Trafficking and Juvenile Protection Bureau on Monday. The case has been sent to Banteay Meanchey Provincial Court for legal procedures on January 18. Svay Chek district police chief, Colonel Chea Slunh said that the suspect was spotted by the 503rd Infantry Battalion patrolling team trying to smuggle 11 Cambodian men and women, including a three-month-old boy into Thailand for work. He added that the 36-year-old suspect identified as Pek Dot was from Chamkar Kor village, Svay Chek commune, Svay Chek district, Banteay Meanchey province. “The workers were taken to the Samchat Centre in O’Bei Choan commune, O’Chrov district, Banteay Meanchey province,” Col Slunh said. He added that the suspect was detained in the centre by the team led by him and taken to Svay Chek district police station for questioning and legal action. Lieutenant Colonel Lay KemLoun, director of the Anti-Human Trafficking and Juvenile Protection Police office, said the suspect confessed that two of his accomplices escaped on seeing the authorities and named them as Lom and Tha. They were actually taking the workers and child across the border illegally to work in Thailand for 3.34 dollars. He added the suspect and the workers were walking to the white zone of the border when the Cambodian military detained them. He said the suspect was interrogated by the Anti-Human Trafficking and Juvenile Protection office before being sent to the provincial court. Meanwhile, the Health Ministry said another seven migrant workers tested positive for COVID-19, bringing the cluster to 77. Those infected were a 29-year-old man and a 28-year-old woman, both from Mongkul Borei district, Banteay Meanchey province who returned to Cambodia on January 6. The others are a 38-year-old woman and a 30-year-old man, both from Tram Kak district, Takeo province. – Khmer Times
'Arson' destroys four UNICEF schools in refugee camps
Four UNICEF schools for Rohingya children in refugee camps in Bangladesh have been destroyed in a fire, officials said Tuesday, with the UN children's agency calling it arson. It was unclear who might attack the schools, which were empty at the time, but the security situation in the camps housing around a million people has worsened in recent months. Last week a blaze thought to have been started by a gas stove burned down hundreds of bamboo shacks in one of the camps, leaving thousands of the refugees originally from Myanmar homeless. Razwan Hayat, Bangladesh's refugee commissioner, told AFP that he believed the latest fire wasn't started deliberately and said that the schools were made of flimsy flammable materials. "We are investigating. But we think it is an accident. These centres are not permanent structures," he said. However, UNICEF said on Twitter the incident was arson and that it was "working with partners to assess the damages of the attack and speed up the process of rebuilding these learning Centres". UNICEF runs about 2,500 learning centres in the 34 refugee camps in Bangladesh's south eastern border district of Cox's Bazar. Some 240,000 Rohingya children studied in them before the pandemic. They have been closed for months because of measures to combat the spread of the novel coronavirus but are expected to open again from next month, aid workers say. The Rohingya are largely conservative with many opposing the education of girls. – Mizzima