These are the top stories making the front pages of major newspapers from across Southeast Asia today.
Get up to speed with what’s happening in the fastest growing region in the world.
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Singapore GDP growth to slow to 3-5% in 2022 after 7% gain this year
Singapore's economic growth will slow to between 3 per cent and 5 per cent next year amid an uneven recovery at home and lingering uncertainty over global growth, the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI) said on Wednesday (Nov 24).
MTI said gross domestic product (GDP) growth this year will come at around 7 per cent, the top end of an earlier forecast range of 6 per cent to 7 per cent, aided by export-oriented sectors led by manufacturing.
In 2022, however, travel and domestic restrictions due to the Covid-19 pandemic may continue to cap recovery of aviation- and tourism-related sectors as well as consumer-facing sectors such as food and beverage services and retail trade. - Straits Times
BN's family vision key to victory
Barisan Nasional's (BN) inclusive approach has worked well to consolidate support among the grassroots and woo fence-sitting voters in the Melaka polls recently.
Political and legal expert Professor Dr Nik Ahmad Kamal Nik Mahmod said BN's election campaign and manifesto clearly reflected the "Keluarga Malaysia" vision that was coined by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob.
"The main thrust of BN's campaign that focused on economic recovery and the people's welfare struck a chord with voters in Melaka. - New Straits Times
Ditch your Moderna order, get Pfizer from state: Anutin
Deputy Prime Minister and Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul on Tuesday urged those who are still waiting for a Moderna Covid-19 vaccine to give up and instead register for the Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine that is being offered under the government's vaccination programme.
His advice came as he asked all provincial health offices and regional offices of the Department of Disease Control (DDC) to try and get all of those who remained unvaccinated against Covid-19 in their area vaccinated within two weeks from now.
"Ditch your vaccine orders and come for vaccines from the government… Those who have ordered a Moderna [vaccine] jab but have yet to receive it, come to us and we will give you Pfizer [vaccine] instead," he said. - Bangkok Post
Post 'vaxxed employees' sign on sites, biz urged
Businesses in the city are urged to post a notice on their establishments indicating that their employees have been vaccinated against the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19).
Althea Alberto, the executive assistant at the city mayor's office, said Wednesday such a move would give the public an idea that they are protected while inside the establishments.
"An advisory will be issued urging other business firms whose employees are vaccinated to follow suit by posting similar signs," she said, commending some businesses who initiated the idea and urged the others to follow suit. - Philippine News Agency
HCM City businesses manage to overcome COVID-19 woes
Some HCM City businesses have been able to shrug off the difficulties caused by COVID-19 and achieve their targets thanks to thorough preparations.
DLG Ansen Electronic Co., Ltd. has been able to fulfil its contracts despite the pandemic, and even got plenty of new orders from satisfied customers.
Dang Cong Binh, director of the company, told Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper that many overseas customers had been greatly worried about whether the company could fulfil its orders, and so it had to prove to them production had not been interrupted. - Vietnam News
Chapter closed: PM confident no new outbreak will cause shutdown again
Prime Minister Hun Sen yesterday expressed confidence that the reopening of the country will not lead to an outbreak as had happened in the past.
Mr Hun Sen said this in his speech during the inauguration of the Cambodia-China Stung Trang-Krouch Chhmar Friendship Bridge in Kampong Cham province.
He said said that the reopening of the country now is not a setback and “we are moving forward to improve and recover the country”. - Khmer Times
Yaw Defence Force kills at least 11 junta soldiers with handmade explosives
Resistance fighters said they attacked a military convoy and a police station in the Yaw area of Magway Region on Sunday, killing at least 11 junta soldiers.
The Yaw Defence Force (YDF) ambushed a convoy of five vehicles near Khaukku village in the southern part of Gangaw Township using 12 handmade bombs, the group said. Later, at 9pm, it launched an attack 35 miles north on the police station in Kan village.
“There was a small clash after we attacked them with explosives, which have been our weapon of choice for a while now,” said a YDF spokesperson. - Myanmar NOW
Govt must explain year-end Level 3 PPKM rationale: expert
The Indonesian Government should provide a clear explanation for its decision to impose simultaneous Level 3 restrictions on public activities (PPKM) on December 24, 2021, Airlangga University public policy observer, Gitadi Tegas Supramudyo, has said.
The implementation of Level 3 PPKM is part of the government's efforts for preventing COVID-19 transmission, but there should be a clear explanation regarding the policy, he emphasized.
"I know the government is worried so it uses Level 3 PPKM to break the transmission chain. That is right, but the public's question is that it is more important to explain (why) Level 3," Supramudyo explained at an online discussion on Level 3 PPKM imposition during Christmas and New Year holidays here on Tuesday. - AntaraNews.Com