These are the top stories making the front pages of major newspapers from across Southeast Asia today.
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Second civil contract to build 25m-tall viaduct and tunnels for S'pore-Johor RTS Link awarded
The second civil contract for the construction of the Johor Baru-Singapore Rapid Transit System (RTS) Link was awarded on Friday (Jan 29), a week after Singapore broke ground on the cross-border rail shuttle service connecting the island with Malaysia. The $180 million contract covering the construction of a 25m-tall viaduct spanning the Strait of Johor and connecting rail tunnels was given to China Communications Construction Company Limited (Singapore Branch), which is currently constructing the Boon Lay station on the Jurong Region Line, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) said. The construction firm, which has previously completed rail projects in other countries such as China and Kenya, is expected to start work on the viaduct and tunnels in Singapore next quarter. The viaduct will stand above the Johor Strait within Singapore's territory, LTA said, and will then continue inland and transition to underground tunnels connecting to the RTS Link terminus station in Woodlands North. At the ground-breaking ceremony last week to mark the start of construction at the Woodlands North site, LTA revealed that the viaduct would be constructed using the balanced cantilever method. This would entail lifting concrete segments weighing up to 180 tonnes. The 4km RTS Link is expected to be operational in end-2026 and connect commuters to Bukit Chagar in Johor Baru, where construction began last November. The line is expected to carry up to 10,000 passengers every hour in each direction, and the trip between both stations should take only five minutes. The rail link should help ease congestion on the Causeway. Before Covid-19 restrictions were imposed, close to 300,000 people crossed the Causeway daily. LTA has said that commuters on the RTS Link will be served by a terminus station and an immigration complex in Woodlands North about 10 times the size of a typical MRT station. – The Straits Times
Malaysian traffic offenders can soon plead guilty online
Traffic offenders can soon plead guilty to their offences virtually, via the e-PG (electronic plead guilty) system. According to a statement from the Federal Court registrar's office today, the pilot project will run from Feb 2 to Feb 5 for cases registered at the Shah Alam Magistrate's Court 3. Following the pilot project, it is hoped that the system will be expanded throughout Peninsular Malaysia by April 1, and in Sabah and Sarawak by June, this year. The e-PG, it said, is a platform in the courts application system which is used for guilty pleas to be made online as an alternative to the current proceedings which require the person being summoned or the OKS to appear in court physically. "The Covid-19 pandemic that took hold of the country and the world now requires society to practice physical distancing and avoid crowded places. "The e-PG system would be able to reduce the need of traffic offenders to physically come to court and this would save time, money and ensure safety and health. "The judiciary h
opes that the initiative on the digitalisation of technology, such as the e-PG, would further strengthen the administration of justice and provide access to justice to all parties," the statement said. The court had listed 43 traffic offences that allow guilty pleas to be made online via e-PG. They include offences related to driving licence, vehicle licence plate, traffic light violation, and pedestrian walk violation, among others. However, it said, the e-PG system does not apply to summons for speeding offences, which still require offenders to be present at court. The public or traffic offenders who have cases registered at the Shah Alam Magistrate's Court can go to the e-PG system at https://ecourt.kehakiman.gov.my from Feb 2. A flow chart of how the system works is also available on the website. In her New Year message, this year, Chief Justice Tun Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat highlighted the judiciary's significant efforts in expanding its virtual operations to ensure the administration of justice does not ground to a halt. Through the different phases of the Movement Control Order (MCO) and the Conditional Movement Control Order (CMCO), Tengku Maimun said the judiciary had remained steadfast in providing access to justice. This, she said, had led the judiciary to conduct proceedings through remote communication technology, better known as online hearings, and at first, the online hearings in civil cases were limited by consent of parties. For 2021, she said, the judiciary plans, among others, to digitalise the taking of guilty pleas in traffic cases and to allow payment of fines electronically. – New Straits Times
Govt eyes B4,000 aid handouts
A 4,000-baht financial relief package could be approved soon for employees under the social security system who have had to bear the brunt of the Covid-19 pandemic, according to Labour Minister Suchart Chomklin. The aid to be disbursed for one month is expected to be put to the cabinet for consideration and given the green light as soon as possible, the minister said. The beneficiaries are 11 million employees of private firms who are covered by Section 33 of the Social Security Act (SSA). Those under Section 33 have been left out of the government's Covid-19 relief packages since the pandemic hit the country early last year. Mr Suchart said the aid was an initiative by Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha who is concerned about the welfare of workers and employees whose companies have been battered by the Covid-19 crisis for months. Many have furloughed workers, effectively cutting their pay. Mr Suchart said Gen Prayut has instructed the Labour Ministry to consult the Finance Ministry on ways to provide remedial assistance in the form of financial relief to affected employees. To qualify to receive the aid, an employee must be a Thai national with bank deposits not exceeding 500,000 baht. The 4,000-baht handout will be provided for one month and the scheme is expected to cost about 40 billion baht, to be tapped from the 1-trillion-baht emergency loan, according to the minister. Mr Suchart said the National Economic and Social Development Council (NESDC), the government's strategic planning agency, will be consulted on the disbursement of the relief loan to finance the scheme. He added the consultations will likely be concluded this week before the scheme is forwarded to the cabinet for approval at the earliest opportunity. "Everyone is feeling the effect of the crisis. The Labour Ministry understands this and is trying to help the workforce in the social security system," he said. He was responding to complaints from many quarters that workers and employees in the private sector were good taxpayers but had been left out of various relief programmes even though they were facing financial dire straits as a result of the pandemic. Mr Suchart denied the Labour Ministry has turned a blind eye to the plight of the private-sector workers and employees. He insisted the government has subsidised the Social Security Fund (SSF) to the tune of 40 billion baht a year. – Bangkok Post
Baguio City Mayor Magalong resigns as contact tracing czar
Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong has resigned as the government’s contact tracing czar, but it was rejected by the National Task Force against Covid-19, Malacañang announced on Friday. “We confirm that Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong tendered his resignation as the government’s Tracing Czar,” presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said in a statement. “Mayor Magalong’s resignation, however, has not been accepted. He continues to enjoy the trust and confidence of the leadership of the National Task Force (NTF) Against COVID-19,” he added. NTF chief implementer and vaccine czar Carlito Galvez Jr. himself said that Magalong’s resignation was not accepted, citing his contributions in the government’s Covid-19 response. “Alam niyo, napakasakit sa amin nung pinasa nga niya yung aming resignation paper pero hindi po namin matatanggap kasi napakalaki po ng ginawa po ni Mayor Magalong sa amin,” Galvez said in an event in Manila City. (It was painful for us when he submitted his resignation paper but we cannot accept it because he has a huge contribution to us.) Magalong’s resignation came after he drew flak for attending a party in Baguio City where he admitted that health protocol violations were committed. As seen in videos posted on social media, guests in the party thrown by social media personality and events host Tim Yap did not appear to observe physical distancing and were not wearing masks. “In hindsight, being a senior officer of the (National Inter Agency Task Force for COVID-19), I should have done an immediately spot correction of the errors I witnessed (at) the time,” Magalong said in his letter to Galvez. “Much as I have given my best to discharge my duties for the task force, this is a reminder that a higher standard is expected of me,” wrote Magalong, who was earlier hailed for a fact-finding report that found then President Benigno Aquino III accountable for the botched Mamasapano operation where 44 Special Action Force were killed. But Yap assured that all guests present tested negative of the coronavirus and the gathering was meant to promote local tourism in Baguio City. It was in July last year when Malacañang named Magalong as the country’s contact tracing czar. – INQUIRER.net
HCM City to invest $23.9 million for motorbike emission control
HCM City needs VNĐ553 billion (US$23.9 million) to invest in the motorbike emission control programme in the city by 2030. Of that, the city plans to check exhaust emissions for impoverished households free of charge between 2023-2025. At a conference on reviewing the pilot programme on motorbike emission control held on Wednesday, a representative of the city’s Transport Department said the programme focused on the assessment on exhaust gas discharged from motorbikes in the city. It also implemented a survey on evaluating the socio-economic impact of motorcycle emission controls on residents, State management agencies and relevant organisations; and the building of policies and roadmaps for piloting motorcycle emission control. Results from testing 10,682 motorbikes showed that more than 1,850 vehicles, accounting for 17.3 per cent of the total, did not meet the national emission criteria's level 1; while more than 2,410 vehicles, accounting for 22.6 per cent, failed to meet level 2. There were 2,740 vehicles with a service life of 10 years or more. Đinh Trọng Khang, deputy director of Institute of Transport Science and Technology’s Institute of Environment, said currently there are 7.4 million registered motorbikes in the city. The percentage of motorcycles with a service life of over 10 years accounts for 67.89 per cent, which is higher than that of Hà Nội. If the city applies the emission control policy, it can reduce 13.1 per cent of total carbon monoxide (CO) emissions and 13.8 per cent of total HC (hydrocarbon concentration) emissions annually. In the 2023-2025 period, the programme will focus on inspecting emissions at the cost of VNĐ50,000 per vehicle per year in Districts 1, 3, and 5 as a trial. The task will be deployed in Districts 1, 3, 5, 10 and Tân Bình District in 2026 and in 13 districts in 2028 with all vehicles with a service life of more than five years. The total cost of the task by 2030 is estimated at about VNĐ553 billion. Khanh said the emissions inspection will be implemented at vehicle maintenance agencies in the city centre and then other areas across the whole city. The proposed inspection cost is VNĐ50,000 ($2) per vehicle per year. Poor households will have their vehicles inspected for free. Previously in 2010, the Government launched a project to control exhaust emissions of motorbikes in big cities. – Viet Nam News
Cambodia’s COVID-19 situation improves with more recoveries than new infections
For the second consecutive day, Cambodia’s COVID-19 situation had more recoveries than new positive cases. However, the migrant cluster infection continued to rise, albeit at a much slower rate with one new infection, bringing total to 84. Another was an imported case, also involving a Cambodian. A 27-year-old woman from Stung Karch Commune, Sala Krao District, Pailin Province who returned to Cambodia on 14 January, 2021 was unlucky to be tested positive on her second test and is now admitted to Pailin Provincial Referral hospital for treatment. The other positive case is a 60-year-old female from Ba Phnom District, Chheu Karch Commune, Prey Veng Province. She had arrived in Cambodia on 15 January, 2021 after flying in from South Korea. She too tested positive on her second test and is admitted to the Chak Angre Health Centre for treatment. Another 120 passengers on the same plane were tested negative. With the two new cases, the 463 confirmed cases now comprise 335 Cambodians, 45 French, 18 Chinese, 14 Indonesians, 13 Malaysians, 12 Americans, 6 British, 3 Vietnamese, 3 Canadians, 3 Indians, 2 Hungarians, 2 Pakistanis, 2 Japanese, 1 Belgian, 1 Kazakhstani, 1 Polish, 1 Jordanian, and 1 Nigerian. Of these, 85 are from the migrant workers’ cluster. Of the 10 patients who were successfully treated and discharged, eight were migrant workers returning from Thailand, comprising two men and six women while another two were a 36-year-old Cambodian woman who was tested positive after returning from the United States on 12 January, 2021 and a 33-year-old Indonesian woman who was diagnosed after arriving in Cambodia from Indonesia on the same date. Although she has been successfully treated, she has remained in hospital to care for her one-year-old son who was diagnosed on January 18. So far, a total of 85 workers have been diagnosed after returning from Thailand, and 68 of them were treated and discharged. As of January 29, Cambodia has confirmed 463 cases, with 438 cases treated, and 25 cases currently in hospital. 14 of the 25 remaining active cases have been hospitalised at Banteay Meanchey Provincial Referral Hospital, 5 at the National Centre for Combatting Tuberculosis and Leprosy Control in Phnom Penh, and the rest at Battambang, Oddar Meanchey and Pailin Provincial Referral Hospitals, Khmer-Soviet Friendship Hospital and Chak Angre Health Centre in the capital city. – Khmer Times
Hundreds of Rohingya missing from Aceh refugee camp
Hundreds of Rohingya are missing from a refugee camp in Aceh and are believed to have been trafficked to neighbouring Malaysia, officials and sources said Thursday. Just 112 refugees remain at the makeshift camp in Lhokseumawe on Indonesia's northern coast this week, well down from the almost 400 that arrived between June and September last year. Neither local authorities nor the UN could account for the whereabouts of the refugees from the stateless Muslim minority from Myanmar, who are feared to have enlisted traffickers to help them cross the Malacca strait into Malaysia. "We don't know yet where they went," said Ridwan Jalil, head of the Rohingya taskforce in Lhokseumawe. "But they'll escape if they can find any hole to leave because that is their goal." A Myanmar military crackdown in 2017, which UN investigators said amounted to genocide, forced 750,000 Rohingya to flee across the border into Bangladesh's southeast coastal district of Cox's Bazar, where many ended up in sprawling refugee camps. Thousands have since paid smugglers to get them out of Bangladesh, enduring harrowing, months-long sea journeys punctuated by illness, beatings by traffickers and near starvation rations to reach Indonesia and Malaysia. At least 18 Rohingya from the Lhokseumawe camp and over a dozen suspected traffickers were recently apprehended by police several hundred kilometres south in Medan city, a frequent staging point for illegal crossings into Malaysia, authorities said. The refugees have been asked not to leave the camp, the UN's refugee agency said, given the risks involved in making the journey. "But (they) left despite our constant efforts to remind them about the danger and risks they could face by leaving, including if they used the services of smugglers," said UNHCR spokeswoman Mitra Suryono. "But we have to remember that many of (them) have relatives in other countries such as Malaysia. That may be one of the reasons why they continued their journey," she added. Rights groups blamed the Indonesian government, which drastically reduced security at the settlement when the Rohingya were placed under the supervision of UNHCR last month. While Indonesia is not a signatory to an international convention on refugees, the move was a breach of its obligations to protect them, said Usman Hamid, director of Amnesty International's Indonesia office. – The Jakarta Post