These are the top stories making the front pages of major newspapers from across Southeast Asia today.
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Prices of food, electricity and gas to continue rising in Singapore: MAS
Going grocery shopping might soon burn an even bigger hole in consumers' pockets, as prices of non-cooked food such as seafood and meat is expected to continue rising even beyond this year as a result of global shocks, a review by the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) showed on Thursday (April 28).
The cost of electricity and gas will also be pushed up this year, as the recent surge in global energy prices raises the prices of oil-related items.
MAS said that overall, the surge in global energy and agricultural commodity prices will raise domestic inflation for fuel, electricity and gas and non-cooked food, which will in turn feed into higher prices for transport and food services over time. "The Russia-Ukraine conflict will have significant repercussions on global prices of food, which had already risen to close to record levels before the war," said MAS.
"As Ukraine and Russia are both major global exporters of grains and edible oils, the conflict has led to steep price increases in these commodities."
Brent crude oil and natural gas have gone up 33 per cent and 80 per cent respectively so far this year, while wheat has gone up 43 per cent. – Straits Times
'Hold easing of face mask rule until July'
The government has been urged to delay the easing of the face mask mandate for outdoor areas until early July.
Public health specialist Dr Safiya Amaran said this was crucial to prevent an explosion of cases during and after Hari Raya Aidilfitri.
"We don't want to relive the nightmare of the last Hari Raya when the Beta (variant) wave converged with the arrival of Delta-fuelled infections. "It's best that we wait until early July for the Omicron wave to taper off properly and relax this mandate in time for Hari Raya Haji. "This is because most of our Covid-19 and Omicron infections began in January and February, and there was an uptick in the rate of booster uptake soon after.
"We have yet to see how long this immunity lasts. If we follow the threshold for previous vaccination or infections, the coverage lasts around four months. "So, by May or June, a sizeable number of the population's immunity may be waning," she told the New Straits Times.
She was commenting on the relaxation of Covid-19 standard operating procedures (SOP), including the face mask mandate for outdoor areas, from Sunday. "This has to be a Hari Raya celebrated with caution, as we do not know whether the decline in cases observed is due to mask-wearing or vaccination, or what exactly is the magic formula in terms of the ideal combination of Covid-19 prevention."
Dr Safiya said there were three types of immunity for Covid-19, namely protection from infection, protection from high infectiousness (and viral loads) and protection from complications. – New Straits Times
Thailand Pass stays, but in 'faster form'
The government has said it has not cancelled the Thailand Pass registration requirement for foreign travellers yet but it will be made more convenient and quicker to obtain.
Dr Sumanee Wacharasint, assistant spokeswoman for the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA), said the requirement will be retained but the procedure will be streamlined for smoother ease of entry into the country.
"The procedure involves checking vaccination certificates, proof of hotel bookings, insurance documents, and documents for booking RT-PCR tests upon arrival," said Dr Sumanee, who also serves as director of the Department of Disease Control's Risk Communication and Health Behavioural Development Bureau.
However, from May 1 the Test & Go entry scheme will be cancelled, without any need for bookings for alternative quarantine (AQ) hotels and RT-PCR tests, which will facilitate faster Thailand Pass registration, she said. Vaccination certificates take less time to check than bookings, Dr Sumanee said.
"Therefore, Thailand Pass registration has remained in place, and there should be no problems from May 1. But the CCSA will monitor the situation regularly. If the situation improves, a further easing of entry rules is expected to follow," she said. – Bangkok Post
PH, Malaysian armies renew cooperation
The Philippine Army and the Malaysian Army renewed the terms of reference (TOR) for their cooperation, reaffirming the strong bond between the two countries.
“Our converging security interests, our shared sense of ASEAN identity, and our common vision of a more stable and peaceful Southeast Asia are the pillars by which this Terms of Reference stands,” PA chief Lt. Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. said in a statement Thursday night.
Ties between the Philippine Army and its Malaysian counterpart go back to September 1994 when the two countries signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on Defense Cooperation.
The Philippines and Malaysia formed the Combined Committee on Defense Cooperation which led to the creation of the Malaysia-Philippine Military Cooperation Working Group and the Malaysia-Philippine Army Working Group.
The TOR, renewed by Brawner and Malaysian Chief of Army Gen. Tan Sri Dato’ Seri Zamrose Bin Mohd Zain at the Philippine Army headquarters in Fort Bonifacio last April 28, lays out the groundwork for future bilateral activities between the two armies.
Brawner said the renewal showed the resilient ties between the two armies. – Philippine News Agency
Viet Nam attaches great importance to special relations with Laos
Viet Nam always attaches great importance and gives top priority to the special relationship with Laos, Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong has affirmed.
The Party chief made the statement while hosting a reception in Ha Noi for Vice President of Laos Pany Yathotou, who is paying an official visit to Viet Nam.
Trong spoke highly of the visit to Viet Nam by the Lao delegation which he said demonstrated the special relations between the two countries, particularly as the two Parties and countries are implementing resolutions of their Party congresses.
He congratulated Laos for the achievements it has gained after more than a year of implementing the Resolution of the 11th National Congress of the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party (LPRP), in the context of the complex situation of the world and the negative impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Party leader said he believes that under the leadership of the LPRP, the Lao people will continue to gain huge achievements during the national reform, protection and development process.
Viet Nam always supports the comprehensive reform of Laos, he said.
He expressed delight at the growth of the special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation between Viet Nam and Laos, which have developed deeply, practically and effectively in all fields, making important contributions to the national construction and protection of each country. – Vietnam News
PM orders transfer of Olympic Stadium Covid-19 patients
Prime Minister Hun Sen yesterday ordered the transfer of Covid-19 patients from the Olympic Stadium to Luong Me (Queen Mother) Hospital or Chak Angre Hospital to make way for the stadium to become a sports training centre. Mr Hun Sen told relevant ministries and institutions to discuss the transfer of 19 Covid-19 patients, who are being treated at the stadium, to Luong Me Hospital or Chak Angre Hospital and repair the stadium so athletes can train there.
As Cambodia will host the 2023 SEA Games, the stadium will also be one of the sporting venues. He said the transfer of the Covid-19 patients came at a time when the number of patients was few, and the Games were only one year away with the Cambodian sports team needing a place to train. “The number of Covid-19 patients across Cambodia is 93, of which 26 are in Phnom Penh. Eight are on normal oxygen and one is on a ventilator in ICU,” he said.
“We are now building a new hospital with a capacity of about 10,000 patients, which will be ready early next year. At the Olympic Stadium, we have transferred a large number of patients, so the relevant ministries have to discuss taking the patients to Luong Me hospital or to Chak Angre Hospital and hand over the stadium for repairs,” he added.
He stressed that in the future, Luong Me hospital will become a specialised hospital for cancer treatment as the number of cancer sufferers is currently high. The government is building a large hospital for the treatment of Covid-19 in Prek Pnov district with a capacity of up to 10,000 patients which will be completed by January 2023. – Khmer Times
More than 130 anti-coup activists transferred from Insein Prison to other jails
More than 130 political prisoners, including student activists, have been or are due to be transferred from Yangon’s Insein Prison to jails in Bago Region, family members and lawyers have told Myanmar Now.
Thirty women and 100 men charged with incitement under Section 5050a are due to be sent to Bago’s Daik-U Prison, said a lawyer who would like to remain anonymous. He added that another group has been transferred to Thayawaddy Prison.
“I don’t know the exact numbers but I know that all of them are political prisoners,” he told Myanmar Now.
Among those sent to Daik-U is Aung Hpone Maw, a central executive officer of the University of Yangon Students' Union, as well as Sitt Naing, a member of the same union.
Lay Pyay Soe Moe, a central executive officer of the union, was transferred to Thayawaddy Prison, family members told the union.
The three were arrested along with scores of others at an anti-coup protest in Tamwe in March last year. They attended court hearings presided over by judge Mon Myat Thu inside Insein Prison for almost a year.
Lay Pyay Soe Moe was tortured and put in solitary confinement for taking part in a protest inside Insein Prison in July, according to a friend who cited prison sources.
Aung Kaung Sett, chair of the University of Yangon Students' Union said moving detainees to other prisons was a way of separating them from friends and other activists.
“This is to emotionally torture the political prisoners,” he said. “They did this because they’re scared of student leaders and political prisoners rallying inside the prison.” – Myanmar NOW
Only 27.2 percent of older adults received booster dose: Government
Booster vaccination coverage among older adults nationally has only reached 27.2 percent so far, according to Government spokesperson for COVID-19 Handling Wiku Adisasmito.
"For older adults, the coverage of complete dose vaccinations is 79 percent, and the booster dose (vaccination coverage) is 27.2 percent," he noted during the Development of COVID-19 Handling in Indonesia online event, accessed here, Wednesday.
Meanwhile, among children aged 12 to 17 years, the full dose vaccination coverage has reached 90.4 percent, while the booster dose coverage has only reached 2.5 percent.
Based on data, Central Java Province is ranked first as the destination province for the Eid homecoming exodus, with the number of homecomers, who will leave for the province, reaching 23.5 million or 27.5 percent of the total homecoming crowd.
Currently, the booster dose vaccination coverage in Central Java has reached 17.5 percent.
East Java Province ranked second and will become the destination for 16.8 million or 19.6 percent homecomers. The province's booster vaccination coverage has reached 14.2 percent so far.
In the third position is West Java – not including Bogor, Depok, Bekasi – that will become the destination for 14.7 million or 17.2 percent homecomers. The booster dose vaccination coverage in West Java has reached 32.3 percent.
Jakarta, Bogor, Depok, Tangerang, Bekasi (Jabodetabek) will become the destination for 5.9 million or seven percent homecomers. The booster dose coverage in Jabodetabek has so far reached 32.2 percent.
Adisasmito stressed that the booster dose coverage must be increased, as there are only two exodus destinations that have reached the target of 30-percent coverage.
The spokesperson urged all provinces to increase their COVID-19 vaccination coverage, as there are some provinces whose second dose vaccination coverage has not reached 70 percent. – AntaraNews.Com