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.
Stay informed with The ASEAN Post.
Malaysia's Mahathir says next election 'last chance to clean up the country'
Former Malaysian prime minister Mahathir Mohamad said on Sunday (Dec 12) that the next general election will be the "last chance to clean up the country," as he accused the current government, led by his erstwhile party Umno, of being corrupt.
"I still feel the need to bring down this government because this government is a corrupt government. It did not come into power through elections," Tun Dr Mahathir told a news conference at the launch of his latest memoir titled Capturing Hope: The Struggle Continues For A New Malaysia.
Malaysia's next national poll is not due until 2023, but the 96-year-old political grandee expects it to be held as soon as the middle of next year. - Straits Times
The Omicron factor
Since the new, highly contagious Omicron strain was designated a variant of concern by the World Health Organization on Nov 26, many countries have made a U-turn on loosening Covid-19 curbs.
Thailand is one of those nations, deciding to shelve the idea of replacing costly RT-PCR tests with more affordable antigen test kits because it was expected to lure inbound travellers.
Public concern over the new variant has fluctuated during the past two weeks. The Stock Exchange of Thailand Index declined by almost 80 points, or 4.8%, in the first three days after news of the variant spread. - Bangkok Post
Close to 550 towns, cities tagged as initial election hotspots
The Philippine National Police (PNP) has identified 488 towns and 58 cities as potential election hotspots for next year's national and local elections.
Brig. Gen. Michael John Dubria, head of the PNP Directorate for Intelligence, said in a news briefing Monday the data is still up for verification and subject for validation with their military counterparts.
The election hotspot list has four categories -- Green, Yellow, Orange, and Red but Dubria did not disclose specific towns and cities and their respective categories. - Philippine News Agency
Vietnam attends first ASEAN-G7 foreign ministers’ meeting
Vietnamese Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son has called on G7 countries to provide ASEAN with broader access to COVID-19 vaccine supplies during the first meeting between G7 foreign and development ministers and ASEAN counterparts via videoconference on Sunday.
Son proposed G7 countries help the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) enhance its resilience and self-reliance by supporting the bloc to access and distribute the vaccines in a safe, timely and equal manner, and promote the transfer of vaccine production technology.
He also suggested the G7 countries maintain an open market, invest more in sustainable infrastructure development and foster digital transformation and greener and cleaner growth. - Vietnam News
Unvaccinated constitute two out of every three COVID-19 deaths in Cambodia
Cambodia’s COVID-19 tally stood at 120,355 yesterday with the detection of 12 new cases, according to a press release of the Ministry of Health.
These are PCR test results, it pointed out, adding that one of the new infections was imported and the rest were linked to the Feb. 20 community outbreak.
At the same time, it continued, there were 13 new recoveries, but 3 new deaths (2 of them have not been vaccinated); bringing the total cured and death cases in the Kingdom to 116,708 and 2,985, respectively. - Khmer Times
Jakarta Gov't schedules COVID-19 vaccination for children next week
The Jakarta Provincial Government has scheduled COVID-19 vaccination for children aged 6 to 11 years next week, Jakarta's Deputy Governor Ahmad Riza Patria said in Condet, East Jakarta, on Sunday.
Jakarta's Health Service is ready to conduct COVID-19 vaccination for children, according to him.
"When it comes to vaccination for children aged between 6 and 11 years, Insyaallah (God Willing) the Health Service is ready next week and is waiting for the regulation from the Ministry of Health," he informed. - AntaraNews.Com
US Investments in Laos Reach Over USD 280 Million
The number was announced during talks between US Ambassador Peter Haymond and Lao Minister of Industry and Commerce, Khampheng Saysompheng held on 8 December at the Ministry of Industry and Commerce.
The talks were held to discuss plans for further economic cooperation between the United States and Laos, according to Lao Economic Daily.
The two sides discussed trade relations between Laos and the United States, including the TIFA trade and investment framework agreement signed in 2016. - The Laotian Times
Preparations underway for life in new normal
The Steering Committee for COVID-19 will make preparations to move into the Early Endemic Phase, during which control measures will continue to be scaled down to pave the way for daily life in the new normal.
This was said by Minister at the Prime Minister’s Office and Minister of Finance and Economy II Dato Seri Setia Dr Awang Haji Mohd Amin Liew bin Abdullah at yesterday’s press conference in support of His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah ibni Al-Marhum Sultan Haji Omar ‘Ali Saifuddien Sa’adul Khairi Waddien, Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam’s titah on Saturday to announce that the Sultanate will enter the Endemic Phase, under the National COVID-19 Recovery Framework on December 15. - Borneo Bulletin