These are the top stories making the front pages of major newspapers from across Southeast Asia today.
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Retrenchments hit smaller proportion of workers in S'pore, but more than doubled from last year
A smaller proportion of workers was retrenched last year amid the economic upheavals caused by the pandemic compared with previous recessionary years. However, the total number of workers who lost their jobs surpassed figures not seen since the dot.com bust in 2001 and the Asian financial crisis in 1998, when more workers were laid off and the labour force was smaller. There were 26,110 retrenchments last year, more than double the 10,690 workers laid off in 2019. Figures released by the Manpower Ministry on Tuesday (March 16) showed 12.8 workers were retrenched per 1,000 employees, lower than the average of 22.5 workers per 1,000 employees in past recessionary years. Foreigners were more likely to be let go than Singaporeans or permanent residents, at 15.7 workers retrenched per 1,000 non-resident employees compared with 11.1 retrenched per 1,000 resident employees. The services sector was the hardest hit, with 76 per cent, or 19,760 of all retrenched workers coming from the sector. This includes workers in wholesale trade; arts, entertainment and recreation; as well as air transport. Clerical, sales and service workers were most prone to retrenchment last year, as these jobs were commonly found in industries harder hit by the pandemic, such as retail and food services. Older residents in their 50s were also more likely to be retrenched compared with those in other age groups. Singaporean and permanent resident women were also more prone to retrenchment last year compared with their male counterparts. This was because more women are in industries that were harder hit by Covid-19, such as the arts, entertainment and recreation as well as retail trade, said MOM. – The Straits Times
Malaysia signs Convention on the Int'l Organisation for Marine Aids to Navigation
Malaysia yesterday signed the Convention on the International Organisation for Marine Aids to Navigation. The Transport Ministry, in a statement last night, said Transport Minister Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong signed the convention in a ceremony held in Putrajaya. The ministry said the convention is a treaty instrument to transition the International Association of Marine Aids to Navigation and Lighthouse Authority (IALA), which is a non-governmental organisation (NGO), into and to be replaced by the International Organisation for Marine Aids to Navigation, which is an Inter-Governmental Organisation (IGO). "This convention is key to advancing IALA's role with regards to its core objective to enhance the safety and efficiency of maritime navigation by contributing to the improvement and harmonisation of its international action," the statement said. Also present at the ceremony were French Ambassador to Malaysia, Roland Galharague, members of the Light Dues Board and Ambassador for Special Representative for Maritime Negotiations, Serge Segura. As a littoral state of the Straits of Malacca, Malaysia's role in ensuring the safety and efficiency of navigation along the strait is taken very seriously, the ministry said. "The efficiency of maritime transport relies heavily on the Aids to Navigation which enables modern seafarers to transport 90 per cent of the world's cargo securely, with more than 98,000 vessels moving around the globe every single day," the statement added. The ministry said it underscores the importance of the maritime sector as the linchpin of the global economy, connecting the world through the shipping of goods and further expanding the economy. As part of the signatory party to the Convention, Malaysia invites all States to also take part in supporting the Convention where it is now open for one year from Jan 27, 2021 and will hopefully be ratified and enter into force, thus transforming IALA into IGO status. – New Straits Times
PM receives ministerial nominee list
Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha said he has received the candidate lists for ministerial posts nominated by government coalition parties, insisting he has the final say on a cabinet reshuffle. Speaking at Government House on Tuesday, the prime minister said the next step would be a background check on all the candidates which would take some time. All procedural requirements must be met first, Gen Prayut added. "Each party has nominated its candidates, but it is up to me to decide which ministerial posts they will get. Opinions will also be sought from coalition parties because we will work together," the prime minister said. Asked if new cabinet ministers will be revealed this week, Gen Prayut said: "The reshuffle will be complete after the swearing-in ceremony.'' The ruling Palang Pracharath Party (PPRP) is looking to fill two vacancies left by Nataphol Teepsuwan, the former education minister, and Buddhipongse Punnakanta, the former digital economy and society (DES) minister. They – along with the Democrat Party's Thaworn Senneam, a former deputy transport minister – were removed from their posts after being convicted by the Criminal Court for their role in the 2013-2014 street protests. The PPRP picks are said to have been finalised with MP for Sa Kaeo, Trinuch Thienthong, expected to succeed Mr Nataphol as education minister and list MP Chaiwut Thanakhamanusorn tipped to replace Mr Buddhipongse as DES minister. Meanwhile, the Democrat Party reportedly decided to nominate Surat Thani MP, Sinit Lertkrai, as deputy commerce minister to replace the Bhumjaithai Party's Weerasak Wangsuphakijkosol who is slated to become deputy transport minister, which was previously part of the Democrats' cabinet quota. The swapping of cabinet post between the two junior coalition partners is thought to be taking place because both parties want to ensure that a minister and a deputy minister from the same party work together at the same ministry in order to avoid potential conflicts. Deputy Prime Minister and Democrat Party leader Jurin Laksanawisit said on Tuesday he had submitted the nomination of a ministerial candidate to the prime minister. The candidate was approved at a meeting of party executives and MPs. Asked about the post swap rumour, Mr Jurin said that should be left to the prime minister to decide upon. He insisted that ministers and deputy ministers from different parties can work together in the same ministry. – Bangkok Post
Duque says no to Metro-wide lockdown as of now, but possibility remains
Health Secretary Francisco Duque III is not recommending a strict lockdown for Metro Manila despite the surge of COVID-19 cases. However, he is not discounting the possibility of it happening in the future. Duque on Wednesday said he thinks localized lockdowns being implemented by local governments are “starting to yield some positive outcomes.” “As of now, I don’t,” Duque said in an interview over ABS-CBN News Channel when asked if he would recommend placing Metro Manila under a stricter lockdown. “Hopefully the reversal of spikes will be observed in the next few days,” he added. While Metro Manila remains under general community quarantine, local mayors last week have agreed to adopt uniform curfew hours in a bid to curb the rapid rise of COVID-19 cases. Other localities also started to implement other measures such as liquor bans and granular lockdowns. Duque said it would take about 10 to 14 days before the impact of the measures are felt. If cases continue to rise despite the interventions, the Health chief said there is a “strong” possibility of a more widespread lockdown in Metro Manila. “If nothing changes and cases continue to rise then the possibility of a more widespread lockdown is certainly strong,” he said. “Yes, anything is possible but we have to calibrate our response depending on the data that comes in,” he added when asked if it is possible to place Metro Manila under a stricter lockdown. He said the government will be consulting its technical advisory group as well as epidemiologists on whether there is a need for a widespread lockdown. “If they say we need to have a more widespread lockdown, then we will recommend (it) to the President,” Duque said. The Philippines has been observing sharp spikes of new COVID-19 infections ranging from 4,000 to 5,000 additional cases per day. On Tuesday, the Department of Health recorded 4,437 new cases, bringing the total active cases in the country to 57,736. The DOH began reporting over 3,000 new cases of COVID-19 again on March 5. The highest additional cases so far this year were logged on March 15 when the DOH reported 5,404 new infections. The OCTA Research, which monitors COVID-19 trends in the Philippines, earlier warned that daily coronavirus cases in the country may hit 10,000 to 11,000 by the end of March considering the current reproduction number of COVID-19 cases. – INQUIRER.net
Việt Nam, Russia bolster human security cooperation amid COVID-19
Việt Nam appreciates Russia’s success in the fight against COVID-19 and hopes to bolster cooperation in ensuring human security against the backdrop of the pandemic. Việt Nam also thanked Russia for support in researching the virus and raising vaccine coverage, Minister of Public Security General Tô Lâm said yesterday. He was speaking during a reception for a high-ranking delegation from Russia led by Secretary of the Security Council General Nikolai Patrushev, who is visiting Việt Nam from March 15-17. The visit is of great significance as a continuation of activities marking the 70th founding anniversary of Việt Nam-Russia diplomatic ties (1950-2020), especially after the success of the 13th Congress of the Communist Party of Việt Nam. During the talks, the two sides voiced their delight at the comprehensive strategic partnership thriving in an effective and pragmatic manner, expressing a belief that bilateral relations, as well as cooperation in security and national defence, will be further strengthened in the time ahead. Lâm spoke highly of the visit amid the complex developments of COVID-19, saying it demonstrates Russia’s sentiment and trust towards Việt Nam as well as efforts by the Russian Security Council General to promote the friendship. The visit will deepen traditional relations between the Ministry of Public Security (MoPS) and Russian law enforcement agencies and the two countries’ comprehensive strategic partnership, he added. The minister also voiced his belief that under the leadership of President Vladimir Putin, Russia would continue to enjoy stable development and affirm its prestige and position in the international arena, greatly contributing to tackling conflict and maintaining peace, stability, and development in regions around the world, including the Asia-Pacific and Southeast Asia. The Ministry of Public Security (MoPS) and Russian agencies have launched various cooperation activities in all spheres and obtained fruitful results, he added, calling on both sides to effectively carry out their signed agreements. Lâm and Patrushev exchanged views on global and regional issues and those of mutual concern in a bid to coordinate in ensuring cybersecurity, the safety of Vietnamese and Russian citizens overseas, and Việt Nam’s security industry development, among other matters. At the end of the talks, the officials witnessed the signing of a memorandum of understanding on cooperation between the MoPS and the Investigative Committee of Russia. – Viet Nam News
Quarantine folly: 64 infected in Kandal after moving around freely in casino-turned-centre
The number of COVID-19 cases in Kandal province spiked by 64 yesterday because those who were in quarantine at a casino over the February 20 Community Incident had moved around freely. Provincial Governor Kong Sophorn said yesterday those who were in quarantine at the casino in Koh Thom district moved about from room to room in the same building instead of staying put in their own as per the rules. He did not provide more details. The 64 new cases have brought the total in Kandal linked to the February 20 incident to 175, the second highest number after Phnom Penh. The Ministry of Health yesterday reported the 64 cases were eight Thai nationals, 32 Chinese nationals, 10 Vietnamese and 14 Cambodians. All the new cases were from Prek Soeng village, Sampov Puon commune, in Koh Thom district, which the provincial authorities sealed off yesterday. Two neighbouring villages – Veal Thom in Lvea Em district’s Peam Oknha Ong commune and Vihear Suor in Khsach Kandal district’s Vihear Suor commune – were also sealed off. The closures are in addition to the ones imposed on ChinSakongFu Casino and Hotel, Crown Casino, Nobin Casino, Grand Casino and Galaxy Casino and Yong Yuan Casino on March 6. The casinos were closed after a Chinese man, linked to the February 20 incident and was later tested positive for the virus, had visited the Yong Yuan Casino. After news of the huge spike in cases, Sophorn convened an emergency meeting yesterday to determine the status of treatment and quarantine facilities in the province. “Those who tested positive were among people who were already in quarantine at a casino in Koh Thom district,” he said. “They did not come into contact with outsiders.” Sophorn said that although Kandal has much more positive COVID-19 than other provinces, the authorities have not decided to close its boundaries yet. According to the Kandal provincial administration out of more than 13,000 people traced over the February 20 incident, 1,717 were found to have been in direct contact with the Chinese man and are being quarantined in centres. It said 12,119 people with indirect contact are being quarantined at home. It said a total of 175 people have so far tested positive, of whom three have recovered. The 64 cases are among 105 new ones of the novel coronavirus to be reported by the Health Ministry yesterday, the highest number to be recorded in a single day. According to the Ministry of Health’s press release issued yesterday, the 105 new cases were aged between four and 71 years and are all linked to the February 20 Community Incident. The ministry said the tally from the incident has risen to 915, bringing Cambodia’s total number of cases to 1,430. Meanwhile, the Kingdom registered 88 new recoveries yesterday, aged from 12 to 52 years. This brings the total number of recoveries to 818. The latest recoveries are 64 Chinese, 13 Vietnamese, nine Cambodians, one Singaporean, and one South Korean, all in Phnom Penh and linked to the February 20 incident. A total of 609 patients are still being treated and there has been one death. – Khmer Times
Death toll from Monday’s violence climbs to at least 20
The number of civilians killed by regime forces on Monday has now reached at least 20, according to the latest information received by Myanmar Now. The week started with a fresh outbreak of deadly violence that came after the worst weekend so far in the junta’s efforts to crush opposition to its February 1 coup. Killings were reported around the country, with the highest concentration occurring in Yangon, where at least 63 people died on Sunday after soldiers opened fire in several townships. In Hlaing Tharyar, the scene of some of the deadliest violence over the weekend, six people were murdered, including a man in his 50s who was collecting trash near the Aung Zeya bridge when a soldier approached him and shot him in the head. Two women in their 60s were also killed when they were hit by bullets fired into their homes on Da Bin Shwe Htee road. Indiscriminate shooting continued well into the night, resulting in at least two more deaths in the township, according to local residents. The night of terror began at around 4:30pm, when the military sealed off main roads between the Aung Zeya bridge and the fire station about 2km away and started shooting. “They were on trucks and shot at anything that moved. They shot anyone they saw,” said one resident, describing the scene on Monday night. “There were two crab sellers in the area that night. When the trucks came by, they poked their heads out for a look and got shot. Both of them died,” the resident said. On the other side of Yangon, a crackdown on a peaceful vigil for fallen protesters in Dawbon township left two men dead and four others seriously injured on Monday, a member of a township-based aid group told Myanmar Now. There was also another death on Monday in South Dagon, one of six townships in Yangon placed under martial law since the weekend as the regime moves to clamp down on protests. The killing continued in South Dagon on Tuesday, with reports that a man in his 40s had been shot in the head by junta forces. No further details were available. Monday’s death toll also rose outside of Yangon, as more of the injured died and earlier figures were revised to reflect the latest available information. In Myingyan, a town in Mandalay region, six people, including three boys in their teens and a 20-year-old woman, were confirmed dead, doubling the previously reported death count. At least 17 others were injured during the crackdown, including five who are in critical condition, according to a member of a team that is caring for the wounded protesters. “We’ve had to hide the dead bodies because we’re worried [the military] might take them away,” the medical support worker said late Monday evening. He added that soldiers shot into the houses of local people who hid the injured protesters and also at ambulances that transported the dead and wounded to a makeshift clinic. There were also two confirmed deaths in Chanmya Tharzi, a township in downtown Mandalay, as well as at least five others in smaller centres to the north of the city. A total of four deaths were also reported in Aunglan in Magway region, Gyobingauk in Bago region, and Monywa in Sagaing region, according to local aid groups. According to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners, Myanmar’s military has killed at least 183 people in the six weeks since it seized power. – Myanmar NOW
East Java has lost 106 nurses to COVID-19: Governor
There are 106 nurses among the 9,495 people who have succumbed to the coronavirus since the pandemic struck the province last year, East Java Governor Khofifah Indar Parawansa said. "We extend our deepest condolences over the deaths of our 106 nurses who got infected while serving COVID-19 patients," she said here on Tuesday. The nurses who died on the frontline of the coronavirus fight were extremely dedicated, she told journalists after attending an event to mark the anniversary of the Indonesian Nurses Association (PPNI). "This has been a struggle with an extraordinary sacrifice. Our nurses in East Java have shown their high dedication," the governor said. To bring down the COVID-19 infection rate in East Java, the provincial government has enforced micro-scale public activity restrictions (PPKM Mikro), she informed. The enforcement of this prevention policy has significantly reduced East Java's infection rate and the province no longer has red zones (areas with high infection risk), she said. Owing to its effectiveness, the East Java provincial administration has extended the imposition of the PPKM Mikro policy until March 22, 2021, she added. The central and regional governments have been striving to reduce Indonesia's COVID-19 infection rate. To this end, the Health Ministry is working with the National Police and the Indonesian Military (TNI) to carry out vaccinations and contact tracing at the grassroots level. In addition to working with the TNI and police, collaborating with communities is also being considered key to bringing down the COVID-19 infection rate. To curb infections, the central government has enforced restrictions on public activity in the islands of Java and Bali since January 11, 2021. It is also conducting a nationwide vaccination program that commenced on January 13, 2021. The Health Ministry revealed earlier that it would take 15 months to inoculate around 181.5 million people under the national vaccination program. Indonesia's COVID-19 infection rate crossed one million cases on January 26, 2021. To attain herd immunity and free the nation from the clutches of the pandemic, Vice President Ma'ruf Amin has stressed on the need for successfully administering the COVID-19 vaccine to the targeted population. – AntaraNews.Com