These are the top stories making the front pages of major newspapers from across Southeast Asia today.
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Over 250,000 in Singapore have received first dose of Covid-19 vaccine: PM Lee
More than 250,000 people in Singapore have received their first dose of the Covid-19 vaccine and the entire population is on track to be inoculated within this year if supplies come in as scheduled, said Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. In his annual Chinese New Year message released on Wednesday (Feb 10), he also strongly encouraged people to get vaccinated when their turn comes, to protect themselves and their loved ones. "Keeping our families safe from Covid-19 has been on all of our minds," he said as families gathered for the start of a muted celebration amid the pandemic. "This year, with Covid-19, it is perhaps more important than ever to show our appreciation to our family members. The warmth, comfort and support of our families have given all of us strength to get through the most trying times of Covid-19." The Year of the Ox brings new hope, PM Lee said, noting that countries with serious outbreaks that have started mass vaccinations have begun to bring down their cases. In Singapore, most front-line and essential workers have been vaccinated, and seniors above 70 are starting to receive their jabs. "If enough of us are vaccinated, our population will have herd immunity. But we are not there yet, so in the meantime please keep up our safe distancing precautions, even if you yourself have been vaccinated," he said. To curb the spread of Covid-19, people can receive no more than eight visitors a day to their homes. Those who are out and about are also to visit only their relatives, limited to two homes a day. While these restrictions will dampen the festive atmosphere somewhat and also inconvenience those with big, extended families, they are necessary to keep people safe as the virus is still spreading rapidly around the world, he said. He cited the new waves of infection that hit many countries last month, after people had gathered and let their guard down for year-end celebrations, adding that it is something to learn from and avoid. "I thank everyone for your continued support for the tough restrictions... I am sure you will find other ways to hold your reunions and connect with family members and friends, perhaps through video calls or teleconferencing," he said. "We can look forward to more carefree celebrations when the pandemic is over." PM Lee said protecting Singaporeans, especially seniors, has been the Government's top priority in the pandemic. Singapore has gone all out to control the spread of the virus, treat the infected and prevent the healthcare system from being overwhelmed, even at great economic cost, he added. Through tremendous effort, the country has stabilised its Covid-19 situation, avoided the disastrous outbreaks experienced by many other countries and restarted most of its economy, he said. "As we welcome the Year of the Ox, we can look back and give thanks that we have come through the Year of the Rat, not without trouble, but relatively unscathed." PM Lee wished all Singaporeans good health, and a very happy Chinese New Year. – The Straits Times
'Govt needs to send clear message on reopening of shops'
Retail Group Malaysia is urging the government to send people a clear message on matters related to the retail sector. Its managing director, Tan Hai Hsin, said the directives on what could or could not be done during the Movement Control Order (MCO) could be improved. "The government tells people to stay home, while allowing retail shops to stay open. They restrict the number of passengers per vehicle and the travel distance, while allowing shopping malls to stay open. They allow consumers to travel to shop only for basic necessities, while non-essential retailers are allowed to open. "If they want to allow all these, then strict standard operating procedures (SOP) should be enforced and all should abide by it. "The priority is to reduce the number of new infections, which is why MCO 2.0 was enforced." Tan said the reopening of businesses would not generate meaningful sales, as most Chinese retailers and restaurateurs were preparing to close for two to five days starting tomorrow. "I believe Chinese consumers would not want to risk their lives to make last-minute purchases. "Furthermore, the requirement to wear disposable gloves is likely to discourage shoppers from going into these stores, unless their buying intention is high. "The last-minute dine-in announcement will also not bring more business to restaurants that cater to those celebrating the Chinese New Year, as only two people per table are allowed." He said the foot traffic in major shopping malls had dropped by 90 per cent during MCO 2.0. "It is hurting the retail sector. Many non-essential shops are allowed to open, but there are fewer customers during peak shopping hours. At the same time, retailers still need to pay rent, salaries, utilities and cost of goods." The Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Ministry said it would keep a close watch on businesses allowed to reopen. Its minister, Datuk Seri Alexander Nanta Linggi, said compliance with the SOP set by the National Security Council was paramount. The decision to allow businesses to reopen should not be abused, he added. He said the ministry would take action under the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases Act 1988 against those who failed to adhere to the SOP. Up to Sunday, the ministry's enforcement team had inspected 357,489 premises for SOP compliance and 112 were compounded under the act. However, he was confident industry players and consumers would comply with the SOP to support efforts in combating Covid-19 and reviving the economy. – New Straits Times
Myanmar leader writes to PM
Myanmar Commander-in-Chief Min Aung Hlaing has written to Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha explaining why the Tatmadaw had to stage a coup to seize power and asked for help to support democracy. Gen Prayut revealed about the letter on Wednesday. Gen Prayut said the letter asked Thailand to support the democracy of Myanmar, which he said he always supports. Yet he said he won't interfere in the neighbouring country's internal affairs as agreed under the ASEAN principle and the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia (TAC). "At the very least, we are supportive of the democratic process in Myanmar, while what we also have to do is maintain relations [with Myanmar] as well as possible because that will benefit all Thai people and border trade [with the neighbouring country]," Gen Prayut said. "Thailand supports the democratic process. The rest is up to him to see how to proceed." On Tuesday, Gen Prayut said he didn't want anti-Myanmar coup protests to take place in Thailand and warned certain groups against provoking unrest linked to the coup. He said it was a "sensitive issue and needs to be dealt with prudence". As for calls by Malaysian and Indonesian leaders for ASEAN to convene a special meeting to discuss Myanmar's internal issues, Gen Prayut said he would leave it up to ASEAN. Since the coup last week, Myanmar has been convulsed by the biggest protests in more than a decade as Aung San Suu Kyi's supporters challenge the coup that halted a tentative decade-long transition to democracy. Protesters took to the streets of Myanmar for a fifth day on Wednesday, vowing to keep up demonstrations against the coup even after a woman was shot and critically wounded during clashes the previous day. The United States and United Nations condemned Tuesday's use of force against the protesters who are demanding the reversal of the Feb 1 coup and the release of deposed leader Ms Suu Kyi, and other leaders of her National League for Democracy (NLD). "We cannot stay quiet," youth leader Esther Ze Naw said. "If there is bloodshed during our peaceful protests, then there will be more if we let them take over the country." – Bangkok Post
Palace sets food summit amid price, agri woes
Malacañang on Wednesday said it would convene a food security summit to tackle the spike in pork prices, drop in farm-gate prices of palay, spread of the African swine flu, and other issues currently affecting the country’s agriculture sector. The summit will also discuss ways to boost and further develop the agrifishery sector with the involvement of local government units (LGUs) and industry players, presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said in a Viber message. No definite schedule has been set for the meeting, but Roque said the Department of Agriculture (DA) would be the “lead agency.” The Palace announcement came as a “pork holiday” entered its third day on Wednesday after President Duterte imposed a 60-day price ceiling for pork and chicken sold in public markets and supermarkets in Metro Manila following complaints from consumers of soaring prices of the food items. Under Executive Order No. 124, the price ceiling for pork cuts of “kasim” and “pigue” was set at P270 per kilo, while that for “liempo” was P300. For dressed chicken, the price ceiling was set at P160 per kilo. Economists have warned that the price caps could lead to higher food inflation and hurt the economy in the long run, and might drive producers and retailers out of business. Last month, inflation rose to a two-year high of 4.2 percent, due largely to exorbitant pork prices. Government economic managers are trying to keep inflation at 2 to 4 percent this year. Rep. Stella Luz Quimbo, who is also an economist, said on Wednesday that the imposition of a price freeze was “not tenable” and would only “further undermine supply.” In a press conference of the House minority bloc, Quimbo explained that a price cap on meat “will work only if a price floor or minimum buying price is implemented for farm-gate prices, or else the burden ultimately falls on the hog raisers/farmers.” “But price caps at different levels of the value chain would be too difficult and too costly to enforce. We’re better off giving the cash to the farmers,” she said. Quimbo called for a mixture of policy responses, such as cash assistance for farmers and hog raisers affected by calamities and the African swine fever. “That money will be added capital for them to ensure that they can continue their farming, hog raising or poultry raising. The important thing is the supply will continue,” she said. “If supply dwindles, prices go up. Less supply disruptions, less price spikes,” Quimbo said. The lawmaker said she had no single solution to price inflation. “We need a toolkit. We need coherent, coordinated polices to avoid prolonged inflation and work towards food security,” she said. On Wednesday, the DA reported that poultry prices had ranged from P170 to P190 per kilo against the price ceiling of P160. Chicken raisers have asked the government for fund subsidy, like that given to hog raisers, or a higher price ceiling of P185. citing higher production costs and tightening supply. But Agriculture Secretary William Dar said the industry did not need incentives. “There is sufficient supply” of chicken, he said, without providing the data the DA collected regularly. – INQUIRER.net
Pandemic reveals enterprises’ view of responsibility
The unprecedented challenges arising from the COVID-19 pandemic have highlighted more than ever the importance of responsible crisis management and sustainable development at enterprises. Việt Nam’s successful containment of the virus significantly helped leverage the image of the country and its enterprises globally, according to Võ Trí Thành, director of the Institute of Branding and Competition Strategy. It also confirmed the importance of corporate social responsibility (CSR) efforts, associating enterprises’ brands with social responsibility and sustainable development, he said. “Many enterprises, not only large ones but also small and medium-sized enterprises, shared the burden with the Government and citizens during the time of crisis,” he said. “Their sense of responsibility towards the community and society will certainly be recognised and be a very good basis for post-pandemic recovery and development. “We saw Vietnam Airlines bringing Vietnamese abroad home, while Viettel, VNPT, and FPT lowered telecommunications fees. Electricity of Vietnam cut power prices, Hapro and Co.op Mart stabilised prices, and many other companies joined hands in the fight against COVID-19.” In August, Vingroup gave the Ministry of Health DrAidTM software and attached devices to provide prognosis assistance in novel coronavirus treatment. The first AI software introduced helps to rapidly identify abnormalities based on upright chest X-rays in less than five seconds and adds to the accuracy of test results, reduces false negatives, and assists in enhancing treatment consistency and knowledge transfer from central-level doctors to grassroots-level doctors. The country’s leading real estate conglomerate also donated 3,200 ventilators to the Ministry of Health to help combat COVID-19 and sponsored chemicals for 56,000 COVID-19 PCR tests in Đà Nẵng City, Hải Phòng City, and Bắc Ninh Province. Developing sustainably, contributing to growth, and ensuring social welfare would be at the core of enterprises’ development, said Vũ Tiến Lộc, chairman of the Việt Nam Chamber of Commerce and Industry. “Never in history have we seen the world change so quickly and considerably,” Lộc went on. “The world is changing constantly, requiring that every government, every economy, and every enterprise be resilient and innovate to keep up with the speed of change and develop sustainably. “It is in the historic challenge of the COVID-19 pandemic that we see enterprises’ efforts to maintain jobs, restructure and prepare for recovery, and work with the Government and the community to fight the virus.” – Viet Nam News
Vaccine drive begins: PM’s family and top gov’t officials inoculated with Sinopharm
To infuse confidence in the people, Lieutenant General Hun Manet, the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces Deputy Commander-in-Chief, yesterday took the first shot of the Sinopharm vaccine from China at Calmette Hospital. Kicking off the vaccination drive in the Kingdom, Lt Gen Manet called on the people to protect themselves against the COVID-19 virus by taking the jab which is safe. “The people of Cambodia are grateful for the vaccine, Sinopharm, which has been donated to us by our China friends. I also thank the government for taking all the possible efforts and means to get the vaccines to inoculate the people,” he added. Lt Gen Manet said that his siblings have also been vaccinated and all this was made possible by the government which cares for the safety and welfare of Cambodians. He urged Cambodians to stand in solidarity with the government to fight against COVID-19 and its challenges by adhering to the health measures and vaccinating against the virus in accordance with the government’s plan. “We need to protect ourselves, our families and our society in this difficult situation. Injecting the vaccine is our protection against the COVID-19 virus,” he added. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Hun Sen on his Facebook page yesterday urged the people to take the Sinopharm vaccine and not to worry unduly about which brand of vaccine they take as their main concern should be to protect themselves against the virus. He added that the people cannot be choosers as there is not much vaccine for sale in the market with all countries wanting to get the vaccines for their citizens. Mr Hun Sen made this remark after the Kingdom marked its start of vaccinating people against the COVID-19 virus yesterday, following the arrival of the first batch of 600,000 vaccine doses from China on Sunday. The vaccinations are currently for priority groups including journalists being administered at four centres in the capital namely Calmette Hospital, Ang Duong Hospital, Khmer Soviet Friendship Hospital and National Paediatric Hospital. Mr Hun Sen said: “I would like to send a message to our compatriots, both inside and outside the country, that you should not worry about from which country is the vaccine or the brand, but rather on not getting enough for people to get vaccinated. This is because there are no vaccines put on sale in the market like fish.” A large number of Cambodians, or up to 98 percent, living in developed countries have not yet been vaccinated because there is no vaccine; even though the country has money, it cannot access the vaccine due to the lack of production, the Prime Minister explained. Mr Hun Sen that the Chinese government has promised to donate one million doses of COVID-19 vaccine to Cambodia, of which 600,000 doses were delivered on Sunday and another 400,000 doses are set to be delivered anytime in the future. – Khmer Times
NLD presses charges over late-night raid on party headquarters
Police in Yangon’s Bahan township have formally opened a case relating to a raid on the headquarters of the National League for Democracy (NLD) late Tuesday night, according to an MP from the party. Representatives of the party appeared at the Bahan township police station on Wednesday to press charges against those who carried out the raid, which they said violated their rights as a legally registered political organization. Police initially rejected the case, saying that there was no evidence that force had been used to enter the premises, but later relented and agreed to carry out an investigation. At present, however, nobody has been charged in connection with the case, NLD upper house lawmaker Soe Lay told Myanmar Now. “The acceptance of this case by police is the first step to success. I suppose they will thoroughly investigate it next and determine whether an offense has been committed or not, and who committed it. Then it will be up to the courts to keep working on this,” he said. Security cameras installed at the NLD headquarters show that around 15 security personnel in military and police uniforms broke through the front door of the office at around 9pm on Tuesday. The party said that a number of documents and electronic devices were taken during the raid, along with items stored in a safe. Wires connected to communication devices were also cut, according to Soe Lay. Myanmar Now attempted to reach out to the police for comment on the case, but has yet to receive a reply. The property that went missing in the raid included a number of items belonging to Thein Oo, an NLD central executive committee member who was among those arrested at the start of the coup on February 1. Thein Oo, who was later released, was one of 11 witnesses who filed the charges on Wednesday. – Myanmar Now
Government opts for more targeted restrictions, while relaxing others, ahead of Chinese New Year
Airlangga Hartarto, the leader of the National Economic Recovery (PEN) and COVID-19 Response Team, has announced that civil servants, state-owned enterprise employees, the police and members of the military will not be permitted to travel out of town during the Lunar New Year holiday and has urged everyone else to follow suit. However, he said on Monday that the government would begin imposing more targeted restrictions in densely populated regions of Java and Bali. Such areas account for 66 percent of all new COVID-19 cases in the country. But in their efforts to prevent a surge of transmission over the upcoming holiday, officials have introduced seemingly more relaxed measures – eliciting criticism from health experts. Under the latest mobility restrictions, dubbed micro-scale public activity restrictions (PPKM Mikro), the operational hours of restaurants and shopping malls have been extended until 9 p.m. In the previous round of PPKM, imposed from Jan. 26 to Feb. 8, restaurants and malls were only allowed to stay open until 8 p.m. In the first phase of PPKM, from Jan. 11 to 25, they were only allowed to operate until 7 p.m. The government has also permitted restaurants to offer dine-in services at 50 percent of their maximum capacity, more lenient than the 25 percent occupancy limit of the previous round of restrictions. Under large-scale social restrictions (PSBB), which were implemented extensively across the archipelago from April of last year, restaurants were entirely barred from offering dine-in services and were only allowed to provide takeaway or delivery services. In addition to the food and beverage sector, offices are now allowed to operate with 50 percent of their workforce in the office; the previous two rounds of PPKM required 75 percent of employees to work remotely. National COVID-19 task force spokesman Wiku Adisasmito said on Tuesday that the relaxation of restrictions were “not groundless” and that the decision was made after evaluating previous rounds of mobility curbs. "Based on our evaluation, macro-scale restrictions are not effective, so the state needed to implement a strategy that focused its restrictions on a micro scale,” Wiku said. The new restrictions, effective from Feb. 9 to 22, differ from previous rounds in that community units (RWs) – one of the lowest levels of city administration – must enforce the restrictions deemed appropriate for their level of risk. – The Jakarta Post