These are the top stories making the front pages of major newspapers from across Southeast Asia today.
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Singapore-Australia travel bubble being discussed; no talks on quarantine or vaccination hub: MFA
Singapore is discussing the possibility of an air travel bubble which will allow residents of Singapore and Australia to travel between both countries without the need for quarantine, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Sunday (March 14). It noted however, that the Republic is not in discussions on the concept of a quarantine centre or vaccination hub. It was responding to media queries following a report in The Sydney Morning Herald on Sunday, which said that the Australian government was working on a plan to establish Singapore as a quarantine gateway, holiday destination and potential vaccination hub for returning Australians, international students and business travellers. "We are not in discussion on the concept of a quarantine centre or vaccination hub," said MFA in a statement. Options being looked at include a travel bubble and priority travel for some groups. "Singapore is currently in discussions with Australia on the mutual recognition of vaccination certificates and resumption of travel with priority for students and business travellers," said the ministry. "We are also discussing the possibility of an air travel bubble which will allow residents of Singapore and Australia to travel between both countries without the need for quarantine." Australian nationals can already transit via Singapore without quarantining to return home if they travel on approved transit routes. "Australia is a key partner of Singapore in the region," said MFA. "We are in discussions on how to cooperate in opening our economies safely, taking into consideration the Covid-19 situation in both countries. Thus far, Singapore and Australia have been able to control the Covid-19 pandemic." Australia currently has a one-way "travel bubble" with New Zealand, allowing New Zealanders to visit without quarantining, though the scheme has been suspended a number of times in response to coronavirus outbreaks. Singapore so far has only one travel bubble - with Hong Kong. This has yet to kick in due to the increase in Hong Kong cases last year. – The Straits Times
'Malaysia will use AstraZeneca'
Malaysia will take delivery of the AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine as planned, thus ensuring that the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme proceeds as scheduled. Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Adham Baba said the government was confident in the conditional approval issued by the National Pharmaceutical Regulatory Agency (NPRA) for the vaccine to be used in Malaysia. However, he said, the NPRA would study additional documents on the vaccine's side effects, which had been widely reported in several countries and led to its suspension. "We are confident in NPRA's decision to approve the AstraZeneca vaccine. We have taken into account its effectiveness, safety and quality in securing its approval. "We are exercising caution on what was reported (in cases elsewhere). "We are taking all necessary precautions and take into account the factors that make an individual unable to be inoculated. "We will continue to advise the people on the latest developments and give our assurance that the vaccination programme is a commendable one," he told Berita Harian. Some countries, including Denmark, Norway and Iceland, have temporarily suspended the use of the AstraZeneca vaccine as a precautionary measure after a number of vaccine recipients experienced blood clots. The World Health Organisation said there was no reason to halt the use of the AstraZeneca vaccine as data showed no evidence of a link between the vaccine and blood clots. The vaccine received conditional approval from the NPRA on March 2. Malaysia will receive the vaccine this month. Dr Adham said the Health Ministry had taken note of a report by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) on 30 blood clot cases that occurred among five million people who had received the vaccine in Europe. However, EMA said there had been no indication that the vaccine contributed to the cases, and that it was not listed as one of the side effects. "We are unable to draw any conclusion at this juncture and will need to analyse the facts behind these cases first," said Dr Adham. – New Straits Times
Cluster 'won't be new wave'
The Department of Disease Control (DDC) on Sunday said a new cluster of Covid-19 infections in Bang Khae district will not become a new wave of the coronavirus outbreak. The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) had conducted proactive testing of 4,046 people in several markets in Bang Khae between March 7-13. Of them, 96 tested positive for Covid-19, and the rest were awaiting the results. As for details of the mass testing, the 96 cases were detected from among the 2,335 people tested at Wonder Market. It said 764 of them tested negative and the results of the rest are pending. Another 1,711 people who were tested at another six markets nearby –Sirisetthanont Market, Bang Khae shopping centre market, Kitti Market, Phasom Market, Talat Mai Bang Khae Market and Talat Klong Kwang were also waiting for the results. DDC director-general Opas Karnkawinpong said the new cluster was found at markets in Bang Khae because the markets are located close to each other, covering a large area, with at least 1,000 people constantly moving in and out. Some of the markets have low ceilings with poor ventilation, Dr Opas said, adding that most vendors were Thai while their employees were migrant workers. "Even though vendors wore masks, they still kept them below their noses which defeated the intended purpose. Failing to wear masks properly will heighten the risk of infection,'' Dr Opas said. The infected people from markets in Bang Khae comprised vendors and their employees and they have been sent to hospital. However, there had been no reports of customers being infected, he said. Dr Opas also said health officials in Suphan Buri, Nakhon Pathom, Phetchaburi and Samut Sakhon had been instructed to closely monitor 15 people who visited the markets in Bang Kae after the department had sent names and personal details to them. According to the department, five were from Suphan Buri, three from Nakhon Pathom, six from Phetchaburi and one from Samut Sakhon. "This is a new cluster, but not a new wave of an outbreak. New cases have been found constantly, though the number is still small. However, with cooperation from market operators, vendors and the public, the situation will be brought under control shortly as in the case of Pornpat Market in Pathum Thani which has now reopened,'' Dr Opas said. – Bangkok Post
Doctors urge public to observe health measures
The Philippines’ internists on Sunday urged strict compliance with public health measures to arrest the increase in COVID-19 cases, as the country cannot afford another lockdown. “How do we deal with the current surge? We cannot endure another lockdown because of its dire socioeconomic impact. We need to change our behaviour,” the Philippine College of Physicians said in a statement. The doctors’ group said cases were increasing nearly as fast as the infection rates in July last year when daily cases were hitting nearly 5,000 and overburdened health workers cried for “timeout.” “We let our guard down. More health-care workers are getting sick, hospital beds are again becoming less available. The [medical] front-liners who haven’t fully recovered from exhaustion might struggle again to face another battle,” the group said. “We still need to intensify our compliance [with] the minimum health standards to prevent further spread [of the coronavirus], knowing that [its] variants coexist. Stay home if you can. Continue adherence to the minimum health standards even while at home. Wash your hands. Wear your mask and face shield. Keep distance from others,” it said. On Sunday, the Department of Health (DOH) recorded 4,899 coronavirus infections, the second highest single-day count this year and the third consecutive day of more than 4,000 cases. The additional infections brought the total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases to 621,498. To suppress the spike in infections, Metro Manila is imposing a curfew from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. starting Monday and deploying more than 9,000 police officers to enforce the stay-at-home order. Lt. Gen. Guillermo Eleazar, officer in charge of the Philippine National Police, on Sunday said the Highway Patrol Group and standby support forces may be deployed to help enforce the curfew, which would be in effect up to March 31. Eleazar said nearly 400 checkpoints would be set up in strategic areas of the metropolis, with mobile patrol officers and barangay security officers manning them. Dr. Teodoro Herbosa, executive vice president of the University of the Philippines, said 178,158 health workers had received their first dose of the two-dose vaccines as of Saturday. He said vaccinations should be 390,000 people a day for the next nine months to achieve the government’s goal of inoculating 70 million people by the end of the year to achieve herd immunity. – INQUIRER.net
VN hopes to tax overseas sellers on e-commerce platforms
The Vietnamese tax watchdog hopes to tax sellers based in foreign countries but operating e-commerce businesses in Việt Nam. The Ministry of Finance recently said that the Law on Tax Management No 38/2019/QH14 regulated that e-commerce businesses and digital-based businesses and other services provided by overseas suppliers without an entity in Việt Nam must directly or authorise others to implement tax registration, declaration and payment in Việt Nam. The ministry is compiling a circular to provide detailed instructions for this regulation which was recently made public for comments. Overseas suppliers on e-commerce and digital platforms were new tax subjects that required detailed regulations to collect taxes efficiently, the ministry said. Under the draft, overseas suppliers were asked to register for online tax transactions via the e-portal of the General Department of Taxation. Overseas suppliers could register several banking accounts to pay taxes online. After the first successful tax registration, overseas suppliers would be provided with a username and password to declare and pay taxes on the General Department of Taxation’s e-portal. Ten-digit tax codes would be provided for overseas suppliers and authorised agencies. E-commerce has boomed in Việt Nam in recent years, especially in 2020 amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Đặng Ngọc Minh, Deputy General Director of the General Department of Taxation, said a number of new tax regulations to take effect this year were expected to contribute to preventing tax avoidance, especially in e-commerce and digital-based businesses. The Ministry of Industry and Trade’s report showed about 53 per cent of the population did online shopping made e-commerce to expand at 18 per cent in 2020 to reach a US$11.8 billion market. E-commerce revenue was estimated to account for 5.5 per cent of the total retail sales of goods and services. – Viet Nam News
Mask up or pay up: Hefty fines for those who flout virus prevention rules
Masks and social distancing are now mandatory in locations determined by the Ministry of Health and failing to comply after being warned can result in a fine of between about $50 and $250. For business owners, the fines are increased to between about $100 and $1,250. These rules were published in a sub-decree signed by Prime Minister Hun Sen on Friday. The 35-article sub-decree details the number of fines issued to perpetrators who violate health measures listed in the sub-decree and the law on preventing the spread of COVID-19 that was passed and promulgated on Thursday. According to the sub-decree, any violator of these guidelines will receive a warning from an official and be given a chance to comply failing which they will be fined. To stay in line with the new laws, all businesses must modify their premises to ensure customers and staff can maintain a safe distance from each other. The same rule applies to organisers of public gatherings and social activities, including sports games and religious activities. The sub-decree states that both business owners and organisers of events must limit the number of customers present to ensure social distancing is possible. A resident of Phnom Penh’s Chbar Ampov district, who chose not to be named, said he thought the new measures will help the government contain the spread of the virus. “Most Cambodian people think this law would be helpful for controlling COVID-19,” he said. “We do understand the law could affect the economy and the livelihoods of the poor, but it should only be for a short period.” He said people were worried about the government’s ability to control the outbreak, especially with the emergence of new strains. He added that the law should be enforced fairly. “Fairly executing the law is much more important than the law itself,” he said. Moeun Tola, the executive director of the Center for Alliance of Labor and Human Rights (CENTRAL), said the government should consider providing social assistance along with the stricter measures. Tola said cash-handout programmes, loan postponements and food distribution would help alleviate some of the increased burden on people as the government steps in to stem the spread of COVID-19. He also proposed financial support for businesses affected by COVID-19 and shut down by the government. – Khmer Times
Brutal crackdown in Hlaing Tharyar leaves at least 18 dead
At least 18 people were killed in Yangon’s Hlaing Tharyar township on Sunday as security forces carried out a crackdown on protesters that raged on into the night. As of 11pm, there were 18 confirmed deaths and dozens of injuries reported by rescue teams and doctors treating victims of the brutal assault on unarmed civilians. The deadly violence began at around 1pm when junta troops started opening fire on protesters in the township on the western outskirts of Yangon. By 7:30pm, the township’s main hospital had received 10 dead bodies and 20 injured patients, according to a source at the hospital. Another four deaths were reported by a doctor who said he also treated eight patients rescued by volunteers while he was on duty. “Wounded people were sent to me at the rescue site. I gave them medical treatment. There were many injured people,” the doctor told Myanmar Now. The bodies of three of the four victims were taken to North Okkalapa Township Hospital, said the doctor, who is taking part in the Civil Disobedience Movement against military rule. The fourth victim, identified as Thurein Lin, died of a bullet wound to the back of his head. “His body was not sent to the hospital. It was sent back to his home because we were afraid it would be hidden,” said an official working with a volunteer rescue team. An official from Hlaing Tharyar Township Hospital said that the exact number of dead and injured could not yet be determined, as casualties were still arriving well into the night. Witnesses said that troops fired on protesters from the Aung Zeya bridge, which connects Hlaing Tharyar and Insein townships, and from a site near Meekhwak Market. Residents of Hlaing Tharyar confirmed that the shooting was still going on at 7pm. – Myanmar NOW
WHO pays no attention to new coronavirus N439K: Health Ministry
Vaccination spokesperson for the Health Ministry Dr Siti Nadia Tarmizi said the mutation of the new coronavirus N439K, which was first detected in Indonesia in November 2020, has yet to receive special attention from the World Health Organization (WHO). "This is actually a single mutation. There is only one mutation in this type of variant. This type of variant is not the one that draws special attention from WHO," she said here on Sunday. She said that the N439K mutation was found earlier than the B117 variant. However, WHO has only paid special attention to the new coronavirus of B117 from the United Kingdom (UK), B1351 from South Africa, and P1 from Brazil. The Health Ministry alleged that there are various variants of the coronavirus in Indonesia, such as D614G, B117, and N439K. She believes that WHO will conduct a wider study of the N439K mutation. "We don't know whether this virus is one that deserves special attention or not," she said. The new coronavirus variant of N439K is the same as the variant of D614G, a mutation in the virus. According to a recent journal, the new coronavirus variant of N439K could camouflage the production of antibodies, she said. She said that usually the WHO would make an announcement after conducting studies with experts from various countries, including a study on the level of malignancy of the N439K coronavirus which might aggravate the COVID-19 disease. "So, indeed this virus is a new variant of the coronavirus. This variant is in and attached to the ace receptor. This virus is reported to be stronger. But the findings are based on the results of a trial. It means that only one journal has reported the new variant. And we haven't heard what this virus looks like from the WHO," she affirmed. She ensured that the government was always aware of the spread of the coronavirus mutation. "Mutations are always monitored by the government, as we know that mutations always occur, and that is the character of the virus. Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, the government has said that indeed the state must pay attention to the development of these virus mutations," she said. Meanwhile, she also continues to urge the public to implement the 5M health protocols by wearing masks, washing hands with soap, maintaining social distance, staying away from crowds, and limiting mobility as an effective way to prevent transmission of the COVID-19 virus, in addition to the 3T protocol by testing, tracing and treatment. "Then, if we experience symptoms, immediately identify and have ourselves checked. Then the current vaccine is also a way to fight so that we don't get sick because of exposure to COVID-19," said Tarmizi. – AntaraNews.Com