These are the top stories making the front pages of major newspapers from across Southeast Asia today.
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S'pore quietly confident in dealing with Omicron wave: Lawrence Wong
Vaccinations, boosters and therapeutics.
That is Singapore's strategy for dealing with Covid-19 and its variants, and it gives the Republic a clear path towards getting back to normal life - even if new mutations crop up, said Finance Minister Lawrence Wong on Monday (Feb 21).
With a high vaccination rate and the vast majority of Covid-19 patients here exhibiting milder symptoms, Singapore is quietly confident in dealing with the current wave of Omicron infections, Mr Wong said in an interview with CNBC's Squawk Box Asia.
While current infection numbers are at record highs and could go above 20,000 cases a day, the situation in intensive care units (ICU) here is under control, he told host Martin Soong.
Hospitals, doctors and general practitioner clinics are quite busy as there are Covid-19 patients who still need care, but the good news is that the number of serious cases in the ICU is not high, he said.
"They are within the limits that we have provided for and within the capacity that we have today," Mr Wong added. "If this situation continues like that, we believe that we should be able to take some decisive steps towards easing once we have passed this present peak of the Omicron wave."
The minister said the authorities are still studying with scientists here whether a fourth vaccine shot is needed.
Asked about the Omicron sub-variant, BA.2, which is more infectious and steadily increasing in prevalence around the world, Mr Wong said there are variants and mutations all the time, and Singapore will constantly and continually monitor this.
"We don't have any indications yet for that particular variant... But I am quite sure before too long, there will be a new mutation around the world and it will come into Singapore.
"It may not be now, but maybe six months later. But we'll have to prepare for that," he added.
Mr Wong said his hope is that any new variants that appear in future will be milder than Omicron as this will give Singapore confidence that the end of the pandemic is near.
But he also warned against ruling out the emergence of a more dangerous or deadly variant of the coronavirus.
Mr Wong said: "We just have to be prepared for that. And the strategy is still vaccinations, boosters and therapeutics as well.
"I think the strategies remain sound and we have a clear path towards getting back to life as normal." – Straits Times
Rise in Covid-19 hospital admissions
Malaysia reported an increase in Covid-19 hospital admissions yesterday with a total 1,510, compared with 1,438 on Sunday.
Health director-general Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said 578 of the new patients were in Categories 3, 4 and 5, and the remaining 932 cases (61.7 per cent) were from Categories 1 and 2.
He said the Intensive Care Units (ICU) in four states have seen occupancies over 50 per cent, namely, Johor (70 per cent), Kelantan (61 per cent), Kuala Lumpur (58 per cent) and Melaka (54 per cent).
Meanwhile, usage of beds in normal wards in Perlis, Selangor have exceeded the capacity as of yesterday, at 109 and 101 per cent, respectively. Other states have also shown occupancies of over half of their non-ICU wards, namely, Kelantan (100 per cent), Perak (97 per cent), Johor (82 percent), Putrajaya (79 per cent), Sarawak (76 per cent), Sabah (74 per cent), Kuala Lumpur (73 per cent), Pahang (58 per cent) and Terengganu (52 per cent).
He said four states have over 50 per cent bed usage at the Covid-19 Quarantine and Treatment Centres (PKRC), namely, Selangor (68 per cent), Perak (60 per cent), Melaka (59 per cent) and Sabah (58 per cent).
"Covid-19 patients requiring ventilator support have also increased to 164 from 139 cases on Sunday," he said in a statement.
"Overall, the states are prepared with a rapid response plan should there be a surge in cases that require admissions to PKRCs, hospitals and ICUs," he said in a statement.
A total 25,099 new infections were recorded yesterday, of which 100 of them were in Categories 1, 2 and 3, he said.
Of the 100 patients in the latter categories, 25 of them were unvaccinated or have yet to be fully vaccinated, 53 cases were fully vaccinated who have yet to receive booster doses, 22 cases who have received booster dose, 47 cases aged 60 and above; 52 cases with comorbidities and one pregnant woman.
Eighty-five of the overall new cases were imported (48 Malaysians and 37 foreigners) and 25,014 others local transmissions.
A total 272 cases were being treated at ICUs (104 confirmed Covid-19 cases; 168 either suspected, possible or under investigation).
He said a total 17,749 new recoveries were recorded yesterday.
The national infectivity rate Rt currently stands at 1.19, while Labuan reported the highest Rt (1.60), followed by Sarawak (1.41), Sabah (1.35), Terengganu (1.33), Penang (1.31) and Selangor (1.29). – New Straits Times
Surge prompts Level 4 alert
The Public Health Ministry has raised its Covid-19 alert to Level 4 following a sharp increase in Omicron variant infections nationwide.
That said, the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) indicated that no lockdowns will be brought back to bring the current outbreak to an end.
Ministry spokesman, Rungrueng Kijphati, posted on Facebook on Monday that a meeting of the ministry's Emergency Operation Centre (EOC) decided that the alert level will be raised nationwide and containment measures stepped up in high-risk areas.
The move came as the number of new infections, severe cases and deaths continue to rise, with authorities noting an increasing risk of infection among family members and close acquaintances as a result of taking part in collective activities such as dining out, playing sports, and attending wedding and funeral ceremonies, Dr Rungrueng said.
Individuals from at-risk groups -- including the elderly, those with underlying health conditions and the unvaccinated -- continue to account for most Covid-related deaths, he added.
Under the new alert, people are encouraged to work from home, avoid non-essential inter-provincial travel, suspend overseas trips, close at-risk venues and avoid large gatherings.
The ministry had raised the alert to Level 4 in some red-zone provinces early last month, when the situation was less severe than now. With the latest announcement, the alert will now apply to all provinces nationwide.
Kiattiphum Wongrajit, permanent secretary for public health, said that the Public Health Ministry wanted to remind the public of the threat posed by the virus. – Bangkok Post
DND to sign deal for purchase of 32 more 'Black Hawk' helicopters
Department of National Defense (DND) Secretary Delfin Lorenzana will sign the contract for the acquisition of 32 additional S-70i "Black Hawk" combat utility helicopters from PZL Mielec of Poland on Tuesday afternoon.
'Black Hawk' helicopters (Tomorrow (Tuesday) afternoon, Mr. President, I will be signing the contract for an additional 32 'Black Hawk' helicopters)," Lorenzana told President Rodrigo Duterte during the Talk to the People briefing aired Monday night.
Once these aircraft are delivered, Lorenzana said this will increase the fleet to around 48 units, including the 16 earlier delivered to the Philippine Air Force (PAF).
We can retire our old 'Huey' (UH-1H) helicopters (once these aircraft are fully operational)," he added.
Like the previously acquired military equipment in the ongoing Armed Forces of the Philippines Modernization Program, Lorenzana said these assets are multi-functional and could be used for surveillance and disaster response.
Lorenzana issued the Notice of Award for PZL Mielec of Poland regarding the 32 "Black Hawk" helicopters last December 28.
He added that the project, worth PHP32 billion, comes with an initial logistics support package and training for pilots and maintenance crew.
"The delivery of these helicopters will start on CY (Calendar Year) 2023 (five units) while the remaining ones will be delivered in three batches as follows: CY2024 - 2nd batch (10 units); CY2025 - 3rd batch (10 units); and CY2026 - last batch (seven units)," Lorenzana said.
The PAF completed the acquisition of 16 Black Hawk helicopters, also from the Polish aerospace manufacturer, worth USD241 million (about PHP11.5 billion).
The first batch of six helicopters was delivered in November 2020, followed by the second batch of five in June last year that was formally accepted, turned over, and blessed on Oct. 13, 2021.
The last batch of five was delivered on Nov. 8, 2021, and formally accepted by the PAF on December 3. One of the initial six units delivered crashed on June 24, 2021 while on a night-flying exercise. – Philippine News Agency
Taxes and fees to be cut to curb petrol prices
Viet Nam will need to cut taxes and fees, in addition to using the petroleum price stabilisation fund if petrol prices keep rising, said a leader from the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT).
On February 11, retail petrol prices were increased by nearly VND1,000 per litre following the latest adjustment by MoIT and the Ministry of Finance (MoF).
The retail price of RON95 bio-fuel rose by VND962 to a maximum of VND25,322 (US$1.12) per litre, the highest since August 2014.
Tran Duy Dong, director of the MoIT’s Department of Domestic Market, told local media a few days after the rise that the increase should have been applied on the first day of February but earlier at a Government’s meeting, MoF and MoIT pointed out that the petroleum prices had a great impact on the consumer price index (CPI), which already rose by 1.94 per cent in January and the core inflation rate was 0.66 per cent, so they delayed the rise.
Dong said: “The Government and ministries have to weigh the pros and cons to ensure the interests of people and enterprises while ensuring macroeconomic stability.”
He said if MoIT had raised petroleum prices earlier, the move would have faced pressure from the public.
Mentioning that some filling stations announced they had run out of petrol, MoIT’s leader affirmed that filling stations still had petrol, but are not selling because they were trying to hoard petrol, waiting for price escalations.
Dong said: “Hoarding petrol for speculation, which causes shortages in some localities, distributors and sales agents will be strictly punished.”
He said the MoIT minister had signed a decision to set up three inspection teams that will visit some localities to inspect petrol supply.
MoIT has also sent a dispatch to localities, asking provincial people’s committees to intensify inspections and monitor petroleum sales.
Dong said: “It’s necessary to share difficulties with petroleum enterprises as the supply was disrupted when the Nghi Son Oil Refinery cut capacity. And import prices have escalated, causing losses for importers.”
He also asked petrol enterprises to share difficulties with nearly 100 million people and support the state’s efforts for macroeconomic stability. – Vietnam News
Cambodia Omicron cases surge past 7,000 total as more deaths recorded
Cambodia today recorded the 18th consecutive day of the new triple digit ‘Omicron Surge’ – with yet more COVID deaths adding to widespread concern as The Kingdom recorded the 2nd highest ever Omicron daily total.
Today’s official daily new COVID case total (diagnosed by PCR test) was 598 – all the Omicron variant – bringing the COVID case total to 127,575 cases.
For the 3rd day – and after a gap of 6 weeks – Cambodia recorded deaths from COVID, with 2 new deaths reported bringing the total to 3022
The Kingdom recorded 572 new community and 26 new imported cases of the new variant.
Cambodia has now recorded 7134 cases of Omicron – 756 imported and 6378 community cases.
There are now 3421 active COVID cases (diagnosed by PCR test) in The Kingdom – and the number of active cases is rapidly growing.
The worrying news for Cambodia is that community cases are now starting to quickly escalate –especially in Phnom Penh.
However, responding to rumours that the Royal Government plans to close Phnom Penh or close the country after the spread of Omicron, PM Hun Sen declared today that there is no need to for closure like in 2021 due to the high vaccination rate.
The PM said, “I would like to confirm that those who whisper that there will be a closure of the city, the closure of the country, there is none.
As the prime minister who has full authority to order the closure or opening, I do not implement any closure measures. Please make sure there is no chaos at shops.”
The Prime Minister also revealed that one of his daughters and five grandchildren are now infected with COVID-19.
Head of the Sub-Committee on Research and Monitoring of Suspected Covid-19 Cases, Lieutenant General Dy Vichea told Khmer Times yesterday that although the situation is causing rising alarm, it has not reached a level where the government has to decide on new preventive measures besides the existing ones in place.
“The relevant authorities are working hard to track the source of Omicron spread but it is difficult due to its high transmission rate, and it spreads faster and further,” he said.
Ministry of Heath spokesman, Hok Kimcheng said yesterday there is not even one day with zero case of Omicron and the virus is spreading like wildfire into the community, making it very difficult to track the source although “we are working very hard to know the source’.
“The health officials are cooperating with the area authorities to track the main source of the virus spread and the surge is mainly in the community and it needs to be managed and contained,” he said, adding that it can be achieved only through the cooperation of the people.
Phnom Penh deputy governor Keut Chhe said yesterday that the officials are working hard to do contact tracing as most of the cases are in the capital. – Khmer Times
Student activist handed three-year sentence by Insein Prison court
A student activist arrested in Yangon last year after putting up posters that criticised the junta was handed a three-year prison sentence for incitement at a court inside Insein Prison last week.
Yin Myat Noe Oo, the treasurer of a branch of the Yangon University of Economics Students' Union, was among four detained in April near the Kyauk Myaung Market in Tamwe.
The court took time already served off of the 22-year-old’s sentence when handing down its decision on Thursday, said lawyer Thet Naung.
Yin Myat Noe Oo was arrested alongside Khant Thu Aung, her union’s chair, Phyo Kyaw Naing, a union member and Min Hein Khant, a former member.
She and the three others face an ongoing incitement charge for allegedly supplying information to a foreign journalist via a film director named Thein Tan.
Thein Tan was arrested in April while staying at the Chatrium Hotel. He was accused of selling information to Yuki Kitazumi, a Japanese journalist who was arrested in April but released and deported the following month.
Despite the journalist’s release, Thein Tan and the students are still being tried for the case at the Mingalar Taung Nyunt Township Court.
“The four members of the students’ union were allegedly acting as informants for Thein Tan, who in turn allegedly sold the information to international news departments and supplied Yin Myat Noe Oo with the money, according to the military,” said Thet Naung, the student’s lawyer.
La Pyae, a member of the students’ union, said he and others were fighting for Yin Myat Noe Oo’s freedom. – Myanmar NOW
Three international airlines apply for resuming flights to Bali
State-owned airport operator PT Angkasa Pura I (AP I) received applications from three international airline companies to resume flights to I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport in Bali in March 2022.
The three international airline companies are KLM Royal Dutch, Scoot Tiger Air, and JetStar Airways, Angkasa Pura I President Director Faik Fahmi noted in a written statement on Saturday.
"AP I warmly welcomes the plan to reactivate the international flight route slots of KLM Royal Dutch, Scoot Tiger Air, and JetStar Airways at the I Gusti Ngurah Rai Airport in Bali. This is a positive signal for the recovery of international airline companies' and foreign tourists' trust to fly to and holiday in Bali," he affirmed.
Fahmi noted that KLM Royal Dutch will fly four times a week on the Singapore-Denpasar flight route, using the 408-seater capacity Boeing B-777s.
Scoot Tiger Air will recommence operating three flights per week on the Singapore-Denpasar flight route using the Airbus A-320s, with a capacity of 108 seats.
Meanwhile, JetStar Airways will operate three fights a week on Singapore-Denpasar, Sydney-Denpasar, and Melbourne-Denpasar flight routes.
JetStar will use the Airbus A-320, with a capacity of 180 seats, for the Singapore-Denpasar flight route, and Boeing B-788, with a capacity of 335 seats or Airbus A-321/A-320, with a capacity of 323/186 seats for the Sydney-Denpasar and Melbourne-Denpasar flight routes.
Bali Governor Wayan Koster noted that the national flag carrier Garuda Indonesia will resume flights from Sydney to Denpasar to support the reopening of international routes to Bali. – AntaraNews.Com