Traditional Thai dancers wearing protective face shields perform at the Erawan Shrine, which was reopened after the Thai government relaxed measures to combat the spread of the coronavirus in Bangkok.
This Week's News Spotlight:
BruHealth reaches over 400,000 users in Brunei | Cambodia to delay school opening till year’s end | Indonesia's government to start construction of new capital city next year | Laos' National Assembly to address GDP target amid economic downturn | Zero Covid-19 cases by mid-July, targets Malaysia's Health Ministry | Thailand seeks return of Myanmar workforce | 4 million may lose jobs and 2,122 firms to close shop in Philippines due to COVID-19 | Singapore's Parliament dissolves and Writ of Election issued for General Election | Thailand to turn away from mass tourism and target the wealthy | Vietnam not open to international tourists yet
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BruHealth reaches over 400,000 users in Brunei
A Brunei resident scans the QR code using the BruHealth contact tracing app at Harun's Gym.
The number of BruHealth users has reached 400,270 since the government released the coronavirus contact tracing app six weeks ago, figures from the health ministry showed.
With about 87 percent of the Brunei population registered on the app, the government is expected to make it mandatory for all residents to use the app that allows individuals to enter and leave premises. The health ministry previously said the app needs at least 80 percent public adoption for it to be effective in curtailing the transmission of COVID-19.
Some 10,638 businesses and premises have also installed the app, making up 76.8 percent of the total number of registered companies in Brunei.
Sup SEAkers! editor's thoughts: Brunei is doing well on 2 fronts, containment and anticipation. It has managed to contain the number of new COVID-19 cases for the past month, and as it slowly allows people to carry on with their lives and easing travel restrictions. If there is any new cases, the mass adoption of the BruHealth app will allow the government to accurately and rapidly trace the people that the case was in contact with.
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Cambodia to delay school opening till year’s end
Students wash their hands at a local Cambodian school.
Cambodia’s Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport will delay school openings and high school graduation examinations until the end of the year to prevent a second wave of COVID-19.
Speaking at a press conference for the construction of the “Centre for Digital and Distance Education” at Preah Sisowath High School, the minister said although the government moves to offer digital learning services, about half of Cambodia’s 3 million students still cannot fully access online lessons
He said the government’s stance is to maintain vigilance as it doesn’t want the pandemic to spread again in Cambodia, adding that if COVID-19 spreads in Cambodia, the country will be set back 10 to 20 years.
Sup SEAkers! editor's thoughts: This is a hard decision, the government has to be fair to every student, especially those with lesser resources, so half a year is a tradeoff for an equitable starting point for all students after the pandemic.
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Indonesia's government to start construction of new capital city next year
Lush city: An aerial view of Sepaku district in North Penajam Paser, East Kalimantan, on Aug. 28, 2019.
Despite the economic downturn caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the government is slated to begin construction of the new capital city in North Penajam Paser regency, East Kalimantan, as scheduled in 2021.
“We're still in the planning phase. We're currently focusing on the basic design of the new capital city and drafting a capital city relocation bill with the House of Representatives,” Public Works and Housing Minister Basuki Hadimuljono said on Wednesday as quoted by kompas.com.
“We hope next year we can commence construction of the new capital city.”
Sup SEAkers! editor's thoughts: Hopefully, the situation in Indonesia would have stabilised sufficiently for the government to begin mass scale construction!
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Laos' National Assembly to address GDP target amid economic downturn
The new Laos National Assembly building under construction.
The Government is set to review the gross domestic product (GDP) growth target and present the revision to the upcoming session of the National Assembly for discussion, following an economic downturn due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
The cabinet is finalizing the reports and is expected to decrease the country’s projected GDP growth target from 6.4 percent to approximately 3.5 percent for 2020, according to a report in KPL News.
Tourism, manufacturing, and state revenue collection are all in decline, according to the report, with the tourism sector losing more than USD 450,000 in the first two months of 2020.
Sup SEAkers! editor's thoughts: At this point of time, it is a given that Laos has to revised its economic growth forecast downwards, I am more curious on its new policies to stabilise unemployment as well as the other social issues as a result of the pandemic
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Zero Covid-19 cases by mid-July, targets Malaysia's Health Ministry
Malaysia's Health Director-general Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah
With the Covid-19 situation in Malaysia well under control now, the Health Ministry projects zero new positive cases can be achieved by mid-July, provided people fully comply with the recovery movement control order (MCO) standard operating procedures (SOPs), says Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah.
The Health director-general said the ministry's modelling found this could be achieved if the SOPs, particularly on social distancing, wearing of face masks, frequently washing hands or using hand sanitisers were strictly followed.
The low new infections, high discharge and low mortality rates gave confidence that the much-desired milestone could be achieved, he said at his tri-weekly press conference to update on the Covid-19 situation in the country, here on Wednesday.
Sup SEAkers! editor's thoughts: This is an ambitious target, we wish Malaysia all the very best and we hope that our Malaysian friends can cooperate with the government to make this a reality!
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Thailand seeks return of Myanmar workforce
Migrant workers wait for their registration in Pathum Thani province, Thailand.
Thailand is preparing to welcome back Myanmar migrant workers who left the kingdom after losing their jobs due to the COVID-19 outbreak, according to an employment agency group.
U Peter Nyunt Maung, deputy chair of the Myanmar Overseas Employment Agencies Federation, said the Thai and Myanmar governments and employment agencies are negotiating healthcare coverage for the workers.
Under Thai regulations, foreigners must have at least US$100,000 (K138.1 million) in health insurance to cover the cost of any COVID-19 treatment. The workers must also be quarantined for 14 days at their own expense in Thailand.
Sup SEAkers! editor's thoughts:This is a good starting point for Thailand and Myanmar to ease travel restrictions, starting from workers and eventually moving to tourists/general public.
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4 million may lose jobs and 2,122 firms to close shop in Philippinesdue to COVID-19
Philippines' Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III
Some four million Filipinos will potentially lose their jobs by the end of this year due to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III said on Wednesday.
Bello, in a Senate Committee on Labor and Employment hearing, said the 4 million represents 10 to 15 percent of the country’s workforce.
He said that the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) has already received notice that 2,122 companies will close shop due to losses brought about by the coronavirus disease. On the other hand, Bello said there are also 169 companies who have advised them they will permanently stop their operations.
Sup SEAkers! editor's thoughts: We hope the government initiatives such as“Build, Build, Build” program can will be able to accommodate the displaced workers and the wage subsidy program can encourage employers to keep their workers.
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Singapore's Parliament dissolves and Writ of Election issued for General Election
Singapore Parliament in session on 5th June 2020.
President Halimah Yacob dissolved Parliament on Tuesday (Jun 23) on the advice of Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) said. "The Prime Minister also advised that Nomination Day be on Tuesday, Jun 30, 2020, and the President has agreed," the PMO statement said.
Mr Lee said on Tuesday that he has advised Mdm Halimah to dissolve Parliament and issue the Writ of Election.
An election now will “clear the decks” and give the new Government a fresh five-year mandate to focus on the national agenda and the difficult decisions it will have to make, said Mr Lee in a televised address to the nation.
Sup SEAkers! editor's thoughts: The time has come for Singaporeans to exercise their voting rights, this is an unprecedented times where there will be no election rallies and limited human interaction. All eyes are on the incumbent party, PAP on how many seats they will be able to retain or win back during this General Election
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Thailand to turn away from mass tourism and target the wealthy
Thailand's Wat Phra Sri Rattana Satsadaram in the grand palace, which would normally be crowded with tourists, particularly Chinese visitors, looks almost deserted as the Covid-19 pandemic takes a toll on Thailand's tourism industry.
The government's tourism-revival strategy is to target big spenders seeking privacy and social distancing in the Covid-19 era, rather than try to attract a large number of visitors, according to Tourism Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn.
The pandemic provides an opportunity to reset the sector, which had become reliant on Chinese groups and backpackers, he said in an interview with Bloomberg News.
Once the country’s borders are reopened and so-called travel bubbles are agreed upon, marketing efforts will be geared toward wealthier individuals who want holidays with minimal risks.
Sup SEAkers! editor's thoughts: Well, this looks like I won’t be visiting Thailand anytime soon!
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Vietnam not open to international tourists yet
Prime Minister Nguyễn Xuân Phúc at Wednesday cabinet meeting.
Vietnam will not open its borders for international tourists anytime soon to avoid a resurgence of the coronavirus, the Government leader has said.
Prime Minister Nguyễn Xuân Phúc stressed the importance of staying on “high alert” as he was addressing a cabinet on Wednesday evening on COVID-19 prevention and control measures.
With stringent border closures enacted since late March, Vietnam has by now virtually eradicated the coronavirus outbreak within its borders as the country has gone 70 days without any new community infections, with the occasional spike in new imported cases on repatriation flights to bring Vietnamese overseas home.
Sup SEAkers! editor's thoughts: Looks like I won’t get to visit Vietnam anytime soon either!
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