The delay announcement came hours after Singapore said the agreement, which was set to take effect on Sunday, would go ahead as planned despite a rise in new coronavirus cases in Hong Kong.
This Week's News Spotlight:
Malaysia lifts movement curbs in four states | Hong Kong-Singapore travel bubble postponed due to Covid-19 spike | Vietnam to increase retirement age from next year | Thailand no longer top overseas travel destination for Chinese tourists | Indonesia economy forecast for growth next year, but poverty, unemployment to remain high
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Malaysia lifts movement curbs in four states - CNA
No police permit is required for inter-district travel within green states, and inter-state travel from one green state to neighbouring green states.
Malaysia has approved a domestic travel bubble, lifting the conditional movement control order in four states—Johor, Kedah, Melaka, and Terengganu. This is due to a decrease in new Covid-19 cases and risk assessments by the Ministry of Health. This “green travel bubble programme” is meant to help revive domestic tourism.
Hong Kong-Singapore travel bubble postponed due to Covid-19 spike - CNN
The travel bubble was meant to start on Sunday with one flight a day into each city, and a quota of 200 travellers per flight.
On Saturday, less than 24 hours before it was supposed to launch, the Hong Kong-Singapore air travel bubble was postponed. It would have allowed quarantine-free air travel between the two hubs, but a Covid-19 spike in Hong Kong has led to the postponement of the bubble by two weeks.
There were 43 new cases in Hong Kong on Saturday, the highest daily increase in more than three months, with 36 locally transmitted cases and 13 that were untraceable.
Vietnam to increase retirement age from next year - The Star
The average life expectancy in Vietnam increased from 59 in 1960 to more than 75 in 2018.
From next year, the retirement age in Vietnam will be increased to 60 years and three months for men and 55 years and four months for women. This is an increase of three months for men and four months for women.
The change follows from the approval of a revised Labour Code by the National Assembly. Those who work in dangerous environments or do heavy lifting can retire earlier, whereas those in private sector or highly-skilled jobs can retire later, with a maximum extension of five years.
Thailand no longer top overseas travel destination for Chinese tourists - Bangkok Post
Most survey respondents said they would need at least six months after quarantine restrictions are relaxed to be comfortable with international travel.
According to a survey by HSBC, Japan and South Korea are now the top destinations for Chinese tourists, taking over Thailand’s spot.
The survey found that flight bookings are being made further in advance compared to pre-pandemic times, which might reflect higher demand for leisure travel. Survey results also “reinforce” HSBC’s view that short-haul travel will recover sooner than long-haul international travel.
Indonesia economy forecast for growth next year, but poverty, unemployment to remain high - Jakarta Post
The government expects the economy to contract by 0.6 to 1.7 percent this year.
Indonesia’s economy is poised for growth in 2021 despite a recession this year, but unemployment and poverty may rise, say analysts. The country’s gross domestic product may grow 3 percent next year, driven by increases in household spending and loan growth.
This year, Indonesia entered a recession for the first time in twenty years. Around 1.63 million Indonesians fell into poverty in March, raising the poverty rate to 9.78 percent, compared to 9.22 percent last year.