ASEAN NOW Content Team

Following concerns and complaints from members of the public in the world's largest Muslim-majority country, Indonesia's highest Muslim clerical council has asked for a revision of guidelines on the use of loudspeakers at mosques. Across the enormous Indonesian archipelago, there are about 625,000 mosques, with over 80 percent of the 270 million people professing Islam. The azan, or call to prayer, and sermons are broadcast over loudspeakers in most mosques. Many of them have poor acoustics and crank up the volume, resulting in noise pollution complaints. In 1978, the country's Religious Affairs Ministry issued a rule that outlines the proper usage of mosque loudspeakers. The Indonesian Ulema Council said in a fatwa released earlier this month that these recommendations needed to be "refreshed" in light of current societal dynamics and to avoid disagreement. The directive was hailed by Yaqut Cholil Qoumas, the country's Religious Affairs Minister, as "extremely essential" in providing "a broader insight for mosque management to use loudspeakers more prudently." Religious scholars have recognised unregulated use of mosque loudspeakers as a major public problem, according to Masduki Baidlowi, one of the council's heads and a spokeswoman for Indonesian Vice President Ma'ruf Amin. "We noticed that it had become a problem, particularly in heterogeneous, metropolitan environments," Baidlowi added. "The guidelines have been in place for a long time, but they are not being followed effectively." He used Jakarta, Indonesia's capital, as an example, where the population was more homogeneous decades ago, but that has since altered as the country's largest metropolis has welcomed new inhabitants of various religious backgrounds. "For example, Jakarta used to have a homogeneous population of Betawi people, but it has now evolved into a heterogeneous society," Baidlowi said, referring to the city's native residents, who are mostly Muslim. There are almost 7,000 mosques in Jakarta, which covers an area of 661.5 square kilometres and is home to 11 million people, around 20% of whom are non-Muslim. Miftahul Huda, the council's fatwa committee secretary, told Arab News, "We have to use (the speakers) responsibly, we can't do it as we want." "Even if the aim is good, it has the potential to be upsetting, and we don't want that to happen." Indonesia's former Vice President Jusuf Kalla, who chairs the Indonesian Mosque Council, has often addressed the problem of mosque loudspeaker volume. Repairing mosque acoustic systems is one of the council's primary priorities for 2017-22. Over 52,000 mosques have already had them repaired and modified. Several debates have erupted over mosque loudspeaker loudness and use in the early hours of the morning, even before the call to prayer.

As soldiers desert Myanmar's infamous army, a morale crisis looms. While not enough to overthrow the Tatmadaw, the number of defectors is growing, fueled by the broad anti-coup movement. Myanmar's infamous army is in the midst of a morale crisis. Aung Myo Htet had always wanted to be a soldier and had risen to the rank of captain in the army. When he joined the Myanmar army, he expected to be defending his country rather than fighting — and losing — intense battles against his own people. In June, he was dispatched to Kayah State's front lines to apprehend resistance fighters and armed protestors opposed to the generals who seized control in a February coup. Aung Myo Htet, 32, stated three of his fellow troops were slain. "Seeing our side's casualties made me feel very sorry," he stated. "We were fighting and sacrificing ourselves for the sake of the general, not for the benefit of the country." He walked off his post on Oct. 7 and joined the country's Civil Disobedience Movement, a nationwide operation aimed at restoring democracy and bringing down the coup's mastermind, Senior Gen. Min Aung Hlaing. At least 2,000 more military and police officials have followed suit, as part of a larger movement to dismantle Myanmar's most infamous institution, the Tatmadaw. The defectors make up a small portion of the army of the Southeast Asian country, which is believed to number between 280,000 and 350,000 soldiers. However, they appear to have struck a nerve, contributing to a developing morale issue among the troops. The army is having difficulty attracting new recruits. It has summoned all pensioners and threatened to withhold their pensions unless they return. Soldiers' wives claim they are being compelled to provide protection for the bases, which they claim is against military regulations. The Myanmar Defense Services Academy, the country's equivalent of West Point, was unable to fill the seats for this year's freshman class for the first time in its 67-year history. "We've never witnessed defections at this level," said Moe Thuzar, the Myanmar Studies Program co-coordinator at Singapore's Institute of Southeast Asian Studies. "Since February, we've seen a steady flow of people departing, as well as public declarations of support for the C.D.M. That's unheard of." General Min Aung Hlaing's top commanders remain loyal, and there are far too few defectors to bring down the Tatmadaw. Those who leave, on the other hand, are quickly welcomed by the resistance. Four armed ethnic groups in Myanmar, which have fought the Tatmadaw since the country's independence from Britain in 1948, have given food, refuge, and the chance to join forces. "Their seasoned military knowledge has proved helpful for our armed resistance," said Naing Htoo Aung, Secretary of Defense for the National Unity Government, which has declared itself Myanmar's legitimate government and has been tracking the growing number of defectors. "Now we're all working toward the same goal." Many troops who have defected have made their tales public on social media, pushing others to do the same. The majority of those who have left are lower-level employees, but some have been officers. Several defectors are now collaborating with a group of IT activists to launch a covert web campaign to encourage more troops to defect. Activists have built more than a dozen bogus Facebook profiles to befriend soldiers, using stock photographs of military men and attractive women as profile photos. The accounts are used to send direct messages to the perpetrators, pleading with them not to harm innocent people. Another group is urging wives to encourage their spouses to leave the military and cease supporting the junta via Facebook.

Malaysian Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob's Malay party claimed a resounding victory in a state election on Saturday, defeating both ruling coalition allies and opposition candidates ahead of national elections. Following a period of political turbulence, Ismail's United Malays National Organization, or UMNO, won a state election in southern Malacca that was viewed as a bellwether that may form coalitions in national elections. The elections are not scheduled to take place until 2023, although they are largely expected to be held next year. UMNO had ruled Malaysia since its independence from the United Kingdom in 1957, but was defeated in 2018 elections by opposition leader Ibrahim Anwar's reformist alliance, following a multibillion-dollar financial scandal that resulted in former Prime Minister Najib Razak's corruption conviction. Last year, Anwar's coalition fell apart after Muhyiddin Yassin withdrew his Bersatu party and created a new government with UMNO, the Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party, and a number of smaller parties. Due to infighting, Muhyiddin was forced to quit in August, and Ismail, Muhyiddin's deputy, assumed power, restoring UMNO's authority. The ruling alliance's two largest parties, UMNO and Bersatu, are at odds but have agreed to share power until the next general election. Both parties are battling for the votes of Malaysia's ethnic Malays, who make up two-thirds of the country's 31 million population. The UMNO-led National Front coalition won 21 of the 28 state assembly seats, while Anwar's opposition won five and Bersatu two, according to the Election Commission. "Voters returned to the UMNO/National Front fold because this combination is linked with greater financial security at a time of uncertainty," observed Bridget Welsh, a Southeast Asia scholar at Malaysia's Nottingham University, during the coronavirus pandemic. She added that it was also a big setback for the opposition, demonstrating that voters disapproved of Anwar's leadership. The people of Malacca delivered a clear indication that they desired "stability and prosperity," according to UMNO President Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, who is also on trial for corruption. Opposition lawmakers blamed their defeat on a low voter participation of 66 percent. According to analysts, a large victory for UMNO might result in challenges in Bersatu-led ruling party states, hasten plans for early national elections, and force the Islamic Party PAS and others who support Bersatu to reconsider their partnership.

Due to an increase in severe Covid-19 cases among vaccinated persons in Malaysia, Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin has urged everyone to get booster doses. He claims that the efficiency of vaccines begins to decline after a few months, with the Sinovac vaccine losing its effectiveness the fastest. "While Sinovac is effective, there is evidence that it loses its efficacy sooner than expected. That is why we encourage you to take advantage of any boosters available "On Saturday, Mr. Khairy sent out a tweet (Nov 20). He explained that the Sinovac booster shot interval is three months, compared to six months for Pfizer and AstraZeneca, due to the faster waning phase. Mr Khairy presented a graph in his tweet that showed data on Covid-19 admissions at Hospital Sungai Buloh in Selangor. Sinovac recipients make up the majority of Category 4 and 5 patients, according to the study. 165 Sinovac recipients were admitted to Hospital Sungai Buloh as Category 4 and 5 patients during the most recent epidemiological week (week 45). Both terms apply to patients in intensive care units who are critically unwell (ICUs). Patients in categories 4 and 5 require oxygen support, while those in categories 6 and 7 require ventilation. In comparison, 24 people received the Pfizer vaccine, while seven people received the AstraZeneca vaccine. Mr Khairy's warning comes as Malaysia's Health Ministry reported 4,854 new Covid-19 cases on Sunday. Dr. Noor Hisham Abdullah, director-general of the Health Ministry, claimed on Twitter that the country had reported 2,586,601 Covid-19 cases since the pandemic began. A total of 41 new Covid-19 fatalities were documented on Saturday, according to the Health Ministry's CovidNow portal, bringing the total death toll to 29,978. Discover Cigna’s range of health insurance solutions created for expats and local nationals living in Thailand - click to view

Lita Damayanti, an Indonesian mother of four, has been concerned about her son's education for long time. Her 12-year-old daughter has been accepted into a secondary school in Singapore and will be travelling there next week. Mdm Damayanti of Surabaya told CNA, "As a mother, I want to see the new chapter of my son's life... how he starts school in a distant country." Mdm Damayanti thought it would be easier for her to travel if Singapore declared earlier this week that it would begin a unilateral vaccinated travel lane (VTL) with Indonesia on November 29. She acknowledged that the health protocols involved are still "complex" in comparison to before the pandemic, but she is committed to see it through. "I'd like to go there and assist him in organising his uniforms, books, and other essentials." Following the introduction of Singapore's unilateral VTL for Indonesian travellers, individuals interviewed by CNA expressed interest in visiting the neighbouring nation in the near future. They are, however, aware of the health rules and how things may not always be so clear. When Ms Eli Wijayanti, 35, learned of the unilateral VTL, she was likewise ecstatic. She started looking for tickets right away, only to discover that the VTL required her to take an allocated trip. In addition, all potential travellers must apply for a Vaccinated Travel Pass. The VTL is for fully vaccinated Indonesians travelling from Jakarta who must show a negative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test before to departure and upon arrival. Travellers must also produce a negative PCR test obtained 72 hours before departure and again on day 3 of their quarantine in Indonesia upon returning home. For starters, two daily designated VTL flights from Jakarta to Singapore are expected, with the number gradually increasing to four. There is also a 10,000-per-day VTL quota for all visitors to Singapore, not only those from Indonesia. "I'm not sure I'm interested anymore because there are so many conditions." We must also be quarantined when we return to Indonesia. "We also need to obtain PCR testing numerous times," Ms Wijayanti explained, "so it's impossible to go there on a budget for a few days as I used to do before the pandemic." Indonesia has yet to establish a VTL, and visitors arriving from outside the country must be confined for three days.

Thousands of fans flocked to the tourist island of Lombok on Sunday (November 21) for Indonesia's inaugural superbike race on a new circuit that is part of a major tourism infrastructure project that has been criticised by the UN for evicting local communities. Indonesia boasts one of the world's largest communities of bike-race fans, with a population of more than 270 million people, many of whom move around on two wheels. The archipelago, on the other hand, had not hosted a major event since 1997. For the construction of the new Mandalika circuit, several communities were relocated either voluntarily or forcibly. Despite threats to cede their land, some 40 households - along with their cattle and dogs - are still holding out in the middle of the track. Environmentalists also wonder whether it is wise to hold large-scale events on an island that is vulnerable to natural disasters. On Sunday, a superbike show on the 4.3-kilometer track served as a warm-up for a MotoGP race, which will take place on the island in March 2022. "I've come to see World Superbike. It's really cool, and I couldn't believe it (Indonesia has this circuit)... The festival will benefit the local economy "Rini Yuniarti, a Bali lover, agreed. With the circuit complex, which spans over a thousand hectares and is bordered by white-sand beaches, the government expects to create thousands of jobs and attract up to 2 million foreign tourists per year. However, the glittering new building has sparked a fierce dispute between authorities and local neighbours. Houses have been abandoned near one town in the area, and a metal sign states, "This property belongs to the state." Abdul Latif, 36, and his four children, on the other hand, have remained in the country so far since they have not been compensated for leaving. "It's a challenging time right now... The level of access is really limited "he stated "With security people guarding the area, we play cat-and-mouse." Another farmer, Abdul Kadir, 54, stated that security had made it difficult for young people to get to school. "To get to school, we have to go through a tunnel," her 10-year-old daughter explained. "I'd like to be able to go to school as simply as I did before." To make matters worse, since tunnels were built under the circuit, local wells have been dry for six months, leaving inhabitants without water.

In Brunei Darussalam, 87 new Covid-19 cases were reported, bringing the total number of confirmed cases in the country to 14,378. During the daily news conference on Wednesday, Minister of Health Dato Seri Setia Dr Mohd Isham Jaafar (photo) provided the latest information (Nov 17). According to the ministry, seven existing clusters have accounted for 31 new cases. Meanwhile, four new lodging clusters involving 30 instances have been discovered, one of which is the Sweet Lemongrass staffhouse, which houses the company's employees. The number of active clusters has increased to 162 after no clusters were closed yesterday. The source of the illness is being explored in twenty-six cases. "Seventy-three cases have recovered from Covid-19, bringing the total number of recovered cases to 13,786, while the total number of active cases is 494," Dr Mohd Isham added. "Five of the patients in the intensive care unit are in Category 5, which means they all need artificial ventilation." No cases in Category 4 require oxygen assistance or close monitoring, according to the minister. 4,038 samples have been tested for the SARS-CoV-2 virus in the last 24 hours, increasing the total number of lab tests completed since January 2020 to 570,625. Discover Cigna’s range of health insurance solutions created for expats and local nationals living in Thailand - click to view

Internal papers obtained by The Associated Press show that, years after being criticised for contributing to ethnic and religious bloodshed in Myanmar, Facebook is still having trouble recognising and regulating hate speech and misinformation on its platform in the Southeast Asian country. The firm commissioned an investigation three years ago that indicated Facebook was being used in the country to "foment discord and instigate offline violence." It promised to do better and created a number of tools and regulations to combat hate speech. Since the military takeover on Feb. 1 this year, which resulted in horrible human rights atrocities across the country, the vulnerabilities have persisted — and even been exploited by hostile actors. It's not difficult to discover remarks on Facebook now threatening death and rape in Myanmar. Over 56,000 people have viewed a 2-and-a-half-minute film produced on Oct. 24 by a military supporter asking for violence against opposition groups. "So, from now on, we are the gods of death for all (of them)," the man says in Burmese as he stares into the camera. "Come back tomorrow and we'll see if you're real men or gays," says the narrator. A military defector's home address and a photo of his wife are posted on one account. A photo showing troops leading bound and blindfolded prisoners down a dirt path was posted on Oct. 29. "Don't catch them alive," says the Burmese caption. Despite the ongoing challenges, Facebook regarded Myanmar as a model to transmit around the world as well as a developing and thorny case. According to documents obtained by the Associated Press, Myanmar served as a test bed for new content moderation technology, with Facebook attempting to automate the identification of hate speech and misinformation with different degrees of success. Former Facebook employee-turned-whistleblower Frances Haugen's legal counsel revealed Facebook's internal conversations on Myanmar in filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, which were redacted and handed to Congress. A group of news organisations, including The Associated Press, obtained the redacted copies that Congress received. Around 2013, it also became "a hub for extremism," according to Htaike Htaike Aung, a Myanmar internet policy advocate, coinciding with religious disturbances across Myanmar between Buddhists and Muslims. It's unclear how much, if any, human or automated content monitoring took place at the time. Htaike Htaike Aung said she met with Facebook that year to discuss issues such as how local organisations were experiencing an increase in hate speech on the site and how the network's preventive procedures, such as reporting posts, didn't operate in Myanmar. "Let us be prepared because there will be a riot that will happen inside the Muslim community," she said, referring to a photo of a pile of bamboo sticks that was shared with the message "Let us be prepared because there will be a riot that will happen within the Muslim community." The photo was reported to Facebook, but it was not taken down since it did not break any of the company's community rules, according to Htaike Htaike Aung. "Which is absurd because it was actually advocating violence." But Facebook didn't think so," she explained. Years later, the international community became aware of the absence of moderation. Human rights experts examining atrocities on Myanmar's Muslim Rohingya minority indicated in March 2018 that Facebook played a role in disseminating hate speech. When asked about Myanmar during a U.S. Senate hearing a month later, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg said the company planned to hire "dozens" of Burmese speakers to censor content, collaborate with civil society groups to identify hate figures, and develop new tools to combat hate speech. "Hate speech is a language-specific phenomenon. "It's difficult to accomplish without individuals who speak the local language, and we need to greatly increase our work there," Zuckerberg added.

As of noon today, the country's daily Covid-19 instances remained above 6,000, according to the Ministry of Health, which had recorded 6,380 new transmissions. The overall number of infections has now reached 2,569,533, according to Health Director-General Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah. Yesterday, 6,288 new cases were reported, continuing an upward trend that began eleven days ago. With 1,615 cases, Selangor topped the list. Dr. Noor Hisham later stated that just 98, or 1.5 percent, of the new cases were in the hospitalisation categories 3, 4, and 5. "The remaining 6,282 cases are in categories 1 and 2, which do not require hospitalisation and just require home quarantine for those infected." "At this time, 541 patients are being treated in intensive care units (ICUs), 452 of whom have tested positive for Covid-19, with another 89 suspected, probable, or under investigation." "Of these 541, 263 require ventilators to help them breathe," he added, adding that 169 have been verified to be positive for Covid-19. He also stated that the number of new instances today exceeds the total number of Covid-19 patients who recovered, which was 5,760. In the last 24 hours, nine additional Covid-19 clusters have been discovered, increasing the total number of active clusters in the country to 246. Admissions to hospitals across the country for Covid-19 have increased by 5% in the last seven days compared to the previous week. Discover Cigna’s range of health insurance solutions created for expats and local nationals living in Thailand - click to view

The conditions for the Vaccinated Travel Lane (VTL) by air for visitors from Singapore to Malaysia, which will begin on November 29, have been released by the Transport Ministry. Travelers from Singapore do not need to apply for a VTL visa to visit Malaysia because entrance facilities will be handled upon arrival, according to the ministry. They also do not need to apply for a MyTravel Pass from Malaysia's Immigration Department. "Travellers must have completed a full course of a Covid-19 vaccine recognised by the Health Ministry and must have spent the previous 14 days in Singapore or Malaysia. "Short-term visitors, including business and official visitors, must obtain a valid visa for visa-required visitors, as well as a return ticket and travel insurance with a minimum coverage of RM100,000 for Covid-19-related medical treatment and hospitalisation costs, according to a statement released by the ministry on Thursday (Nov 18). Travelers must also undergo RT-PCR testing within two days of their departure from Malaysia and upon arrival at KLIA, according to the ministry. They must wait for their test results in a designated waiting room at KLIA and can exit the airport once their test results are certified to be negative. Travelers between Changi Airport and Kuala Lumpur International Airport must use VTL designated services, according to the statement (KLIA). The VTL will begin with six daily flights operated by AirAsia, Jetstar Asia, Malaysia Airlines, Malindo Air, Scoot, and Singapore Airlines, according to the statement. "Malaysia emphasises its long-standing, deep, and comprehensive ties with Singapore, notably in terms of improving Malaysia-Singapore transportation connectivity. "As a result, the VTL is a critical step in resuming civil aviation's recovery while also addressing public health issues to preserve its long-term viability," according to the statement.

As of Thursday, November 18, the Indonesian Covid-19 Task Force had recorded 400 new cases of infection in the previous 24 hours. Indonesia has had a total of 4,252,345 Covid-19 infections to date. According to data from the Health Ministry as of midday today, today's cases were discovered after examining 270,228 specimens. With 100 infections today, Jakarta has the most instances by province. East Nusa Tenggara came in second with 59 persons, followed by West Java with 56, Yogyakarta with 31, Central Java with 25, and East Java with 21. 464 additional recoveries were also announced by authorities. The total number of Covid-19 survivors in Indonesia now stands at 4,100,321 persons. Jakarta, with 136 recoveries, was also the province with the most, followed by Central Java with 66 and West Java with 61. Covid-19 claimed the lives of 11 additional persons in Indonesia. In Indonesia, 143.709 persons have died as a result of the disease. Discover Cigna’s range of health insurance solutions created for expats and local nationals living in Thailand - click to view

Following Kazakhstan's order for two aircraft in September, Airbus Defence and Space's A400M airlifter programme received another boost on November 18 with the announcement of a two-plane order from Indonesia. At the same time, the military ministry of the country submitted a Letter of Intent to purchase four more. Indonesia will become the tenth country to purchase the A400M, and the second in Southeast Asia after Malaysia, when the contract takes effect next year. A complete maintenance and training support package is included in the contract. The aircraft will be delivered to the Tentara Nasional Indonesia-Angkatan Udara (TNI-AU, Indonesian Air Force) in a multirole transport and tanker configuration, allowing the country to enhance its inflight refuelling capacity, which is now limited to a single ageing KC-130B Hercules. In the aftermath of the magnitude 7.5 earthquake and following tsunami that rocked Sulawesi in 2018, an attempt to update and expand the TNI-transport AU's capability was launched. The A400M was the first airlifter to land on Palu's damaged and short runway during the relief operation, bringing in crucial excavators, fuel trucks, food, clothing, and medical supplies. The decision to purchase the aircraft for the country, which sits above the "Ring of Fire" tectonic plate barrier, was based on disaster assistance. "The A400M is a true multi-role platform that will significantly improve the Indonesian Air Force's tactical air-to-air capabilities," says the company. "This aircraft will play a vital role in other key operations, such as paratrooping and heavy cargo delivery," Indonesian Defense Minister Prabowo Subianto stated. "We're also looking at acquiring more A400Ms in the near future, with potential A400M developments like firefighting being a key capability we're studying with Airbus." Beyond its tactical and air-to-air refuelling capabilities, the A400M will become a national asset and the cornerstone for humanitarian and disaster relief operations."

Few pupils are attending school since it reopened on November 1 due to severe security threats and a refusal to support the leadership. As schools across Myanmar reopen, classrooms are nearly empty, with students and teachers refusing to go. "I haven't gone to school in a while because there have been recent school explosions." "None of my friends are going," Chika Ko, a 16-year-old high school student from Pyay, Bago state, said. "My school hasn't been attacked yet, but I'm terrified when I hear about explosions at other schools, so I'm staying at home." According to Chika Ko, her school usually has 600 kids, but only approximately 20 have shown up in the last few weeks. Since the military announced the reopening of schools on November 1 following a countrywide suspension in July due to COVID-19, many students, including Chika Ko, have refused to go, both in protest of the generals who seized power in a February 1 coup and out of fear of being attacked. Nay Zin Oo, a Yangon-based parent, is 48 years old. He has one primary school-aged child and two secondary school-aged children, but he refuses to allow any of them to attend school while the military is in charge of the country. "The military runs the schools, and as a revolutionary, I refuse to send any of my children there," said Nay Zin Oo, who did not want his real name used for fear of retaliation. "Sending our children to school indicates that we, as parents, support the military." I'll only mail them if a different political party wins." As he campaigns for the return to the civilian administration elected in November 2020, he believes that boycotting schools is a powerful way of criticising the military. He also wants to fight the country's out-of-date educational system. "[Students] won't acquire anything in the current educational system, therefore I don't see the value in sending them." "When people graduate here, their degrees are only relevant in our country, and even then, they aren't very useful," said Nay Zin Oo, a taxi driver who graduated with a dual degree in engineering and physics. He cites to his own past as evidence of the current system's shortcomings, despite the fact that little has changed in the core curriculum in the last 20 years.

According to the Malaysian Health Ministry, the Drug Control Authority (DCA) has given conditional approval to the Covid-19 vaccines from Sinovac and AstraZeneca as booster doses. Dr. Noor Hisham Abdullah, the director-general of the Ministry of Health, said in a statement on Wednesday (Nov 17) that the two vaccines had been approved for use as booster doses for those aged 18 and up who had previously received vaccines of the same type (homologous). "For AstraZeneca, the booster vaccination will be given six months after the second dosage, whereas for CoronaVac, the booster dose will be given three to six months after the second dose," Dr Noor Hisham explained. The Covid-19 Immunisation Booster Task Force (CITF-B) will outline and announce the administration of booster doses for both forms of vaccination to targeted groups on a regular basis. He went on to say that the Health Ministry wanted to emphasise that the conditional registration permission needed information on the vaccines' quality, safety, and efficacy to be monitored and reviewed using the most up-to-date data. "This is to ensure that the vaccines' benefit to risk ratio remains good," stated Dr. Noor Hisham. Discover Cigna’s range of health insurance solutions created for expats and local nationals living in Thailand - click to view

Even though Malaysia is poised to restore its borders to international travellers on January 1, certain foreign airlines that had discontinued flights to Malaysia after the country closed its borders in March last year are delaying preparations to resume their flights. This comes as part of the upcoming Covid-19 rules, which will require all local and international aircraft crews arriving in the country to undergo fever screening and Covid-19 Rapid Antigen (RTK-Ag) tests. If a crew member tests positive, he or she must stay in a hotel/home quarantine in the country for seven days or until the next flight is scheduled. After arrival in Malaysia, foreign and local aircrew are not needed to undergo RTK-Ag testing. Airlines are reportedly furious about the latest recommendations published by the Ministry of Health (MoH), which are set to take effect on Sunday (Nov 21). According to industry stakeholders, international aircrew — including pilots, cabin crew, engineers, loadmasters, security, and training pilots — will be required to complete Covid-19 tests every time they arrive in Malaysia under the proposed guidelines, which may take up to two to three hours. "Each 24-hour cycle must include a 10-hour rest period for crew members. As a result, the new RTK-Ag test requirement may impair the crew's appropriate rest period," an industry stakeholder, who did not want to be identified, told theedgemarkets.com. "In addition, according to the MoH circular, aircrew with a positive RTK-Ag test result will be confined for seven days in the country or until the next planned flight." Which one is it? If the latter, there is a risk because if a crew member is a pilot who tests positive for Covid-19, he or she will be quarantined in Malaysia, which means the flight may not be able to operate at all for a week," the industry participant added. "Countries such as Singapore and Thailand currently allow pilots who have tested positive for Covid-19 to return to their crew base. That is also why, during the pandemic, foreign airlines choose to use Singapore and Bangkok as hubs. They gain all of the airlines, while Kuala Lumpur International Airport suffers a setback. "If these quarantine measures are implemented, we may see some foreign airlines decide to quit making layovers in Malaysia entirely because such procedures would just increase their costs," the industry participant noted. "The new rules are impossible to follow. This complicates Malaysia's already delayed border reopening process. "You've also seen how Hong Kong's latest quarantine legislation drove FedEx Corp to shift its Hong Kong staff base to San Francisco," said another industry insider. Because of the city's strong anti-coronavirus policies, worldwide delivery company FedEx is closing its crew base in Hong Kong and sending pilots overseas, according to the South China Morning Post. Discover Cigna’s range of health insurance solutions created for expats and local nationals living in Thailand - click to view

Nearly 200 Catholic priests in Papua have urged the international community, including the UN, to take a more active role in bringing peace to Indonesia's violent easternmost territory. In addition to diocesan priests, 194 priests from the Franciscan, Augustinian, Jesuit, and Missionaries of the Sacred Heart claimed they felt called to be "proactively involved in the fight for justice, truth, and peace" in Papua. They claimed in a statement that the region is engulfed in an insurgency perpetrated by separatist rebels against security forces, with innocent civilians caught in the crossfire. The priests urged other countries to join them in calling for an immediate ceasefire from the National Liberation Army of the Free Papua Organization and security forces. "We also strongly endorse inviting the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights to visit Papua to view and learn about the current human rights situation," they added. They also demanded that the government and development agencies in Papua reassess some policies in place, such as expanding force deployments, which they say leads to more violence and state persecution. Everywhere there are shootings of civilians. There is no transparent legal process to address such rights violations, let alone end them "Some in government even accuse priests who speak out about human rights issues of being separatists," they claimed. The clergymen expressed their sadness at the ongoing violence. "There are shootings of civilians all over the place." "There is no transparent legal framework in place to examine, let alone eliminate, such human rights violations," they stated. Security troops allegedly following members of a rebel group destroyed hundreds of residences in Gunung Bintang district last month, they said. Hundreds of people fled to neighbouring Papua New Guinea, according to the priests. They also mentioned the killing of a two-year-old toddler and the injuring of a six-year-old child in a fight last month near a military checkpoint in Intan Jaya district between suspected separatist rebels and soldiers. At least 60,000 Papuans have been displaced as a result of the violence, according to Gustaf Kawer, coordinator of the Association of Human Rights Advocates for Papua. A spokesman for the priests, Father John Bunay, said they were advocating for Papuans whose lives were always under danger. On Nov. 17, he told UCA News, "What they wish for and what we feel is important is to develop a peaceful land in Papua."

A prominent Muslim preacher in Indonesia has been arrested on suspicion of using a charitable organisation to fund Islamist assaults. In recent years, the country has been subjected to a wave of extremist attacks. Densus 88, Indonesia's counter-terrorism unit, arrested one of the country's most prominent Muslim preachers on suspicion of having ties to the al-Qaida-linked Jemaah Islamiyah (JI), police said on Wednesday. Ahmad Zain An-Najah is a member of the Ulema Council, an umbrella body of religious groups made up of Islamic academics in the Southeast Asian country. He is suspected of having close ties to the terror organisation and of funding its activities. According to national police spokeswoman Rusdi Hartono, Ahmad was detained in Jakarta on Tuesday, along with two associates, following a police raid. According to Rusdi, the cleric started a nonprofit organisation "for education, social activities, and some of the monies are utilised to activate JI." Returning militants carry out assaults in their own country. Indonesia is the world's most populous Muslim country. It has been hit by a wave of militant attacks, many of which have been linked to residents returning from fighting for the so-called "Islamic State" in Iraq and Syria. The militant Islamist group is suspected of being behind the explosions that killed 200 people in Bali nightclubs in 2002. They're also suspected of being responsible for a string of recent strikes in Indonesia and the Philippines. The Indonesian government has taken a hard line against militant Islamism in the country, banning a number of groups accused of having ties to it. Charity is linked to an Islamist political group. According to investigators, Ahmad's charity operated in cities across the major Indonesian islands of Java and Sumatra. Officials had previously blocked the organization's assets and arrested its leader earlier this month, according to German news agency KNA.

Brunei may be able to reach 80% of the population fully inoculated against Covid-19 by the end of November or early December if vaccine uptake continues steady, according to Minister of Health Dato Seri Setia Dr Mohd Isham Jaafar. "We initially planned to reach 70% of the people being fully vaccinated by the third or fourth week of November," the minister stated. "After that, we announced the Transition Phase, which begins on Friday" (Nov 19). Since then, we've observed an increase in the number of persons seeking inoculation while also securing a spot for their second dose." He thanked the people for their cooperation and assistance in aiding the government's initiative to protect the public from the coronavirus. "The Sultanate has already achieved a vaccination rate of 70%." We may reach a 73 percent immunisation rate by Friday if additional unvaccinated people come forward and get their vaccine." Meanwhile, it was declared that only individuals who are properly vaccinated will be able to work in the private sector. However, people operating in fields that do not require frequent contact with clients, such as those working overseas, would be given special attention, according to Minister at the Prime Minister's Office and Minister of Finance and Economy II Dato Seri Setia Dr Awang Mohd Amin Liew. "Those working offshore will be given special attention," the minister said, "depending on whether they have got their first dose and are currently awaiting their second dose." When asked if it is mandatory for the private sector to conduct employee testing in accordance with the recommendations provided as part of the Transition Phase, the minister stated that enterprises are urged to do so for the safety of their employees and the nation as a whole. Discover Cigna’s range of health insurance solutions created for expats and local nationals living in Thailand - click to view

Generals have cited charges of wrongdoing in the 2020 elections to justify their February coup, despite the fact that observers found no proof of such wrongdoing. Myanmar has accused 16 persons with election fraud in the 2020 elections, including former elected leader Aung San Suu Kyi, according to official media. The organisation accused Aung San Suu Kyi, former President U Win Myint, and the previous chairman of the Elections Commission of "election fraud and illegal conduct" during the November elections, which Aung San Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy won by a landslide. The 16 violated a variety of electoral norms, according to Myanmar's state-run Global New Light, including military polling booths, early voting for those over 60, and putting the names of persons who had "no right to vote" on the ballot. Since the military seized control on February 1, Aung San Suu Kyi has been arrested and charged with a slew of crimes. The military has argued that their power grab was necessary due to electoral irregularities. The polls were deemed to be free and fair by observers. Myanmar has been ruled by the armed forces for most of the country's independence, with Aung San Suu Kyi, now 76, spending years under house arrest. The coup put an end to a ten-year democratic experiment in which the military was guaranteed a role in governance under a constitution crafted by the military. The Myanmar's Global New Light did not provide any additional information on when the current case may be heard in court.

Over the last 24 hours, the Ministry of Health (MoH) has recorded 5,413 new Covid-19 instances. The newest figures show a 270-case increase over the number of new infections reported the day before. This puts the total number of Covid-19 cases in the country to 2,556,865 since the outbreak began. Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah, the director-general of health, also revealed that just 102, or 1.9 percent, of the cases reported today were in the hospitalisation categories 3, 4, and 5. "At this time, 545 patients are being treated in intensive care units (ICUs), with 87 of them being suspected, probable, or under investigation for Covid-19." "Of the 545 people, 264 require ventilators to assist them breathe, including 184 people who have been verified as Covid-19 positive," he stated. In the last 24 hours, seven new clusters have been discovered, increasing the total number of active clusters in the country to 252. According to him, Malaysia's infection rate is now at 1.05, with Putrajaya having the highest infectivity rate at 1.17. Perlis and Labuan were the only Malaysian states or federal territories with no infectivity. Discover Cigna’s range of health insurance solutions created for expats and local nationals living in Thailand - click to view

Increased freighter services have been added in Malaysia as a result of record e-commerce sales, and more are on the way. Kerry Logistics stated last week that it has partnered with Malaysian cargo airline My Jet Xpress to increase flights from Macau to East Malaysia and Indonesia, in order to better serve an e-commerce client. Kerry said the service began in March with five flights a month, but currently flies up to eight times a week, thanks to My Jet's investment in two Boeing 737s for the route, in addition to its four freighters. "With the robust e-commerce market increasing at a quick pace, we acknowledge the consumer demand for increased transparency, speed, and reliability," My Jet chairman Mohamed Yunos stated. "With a larger fleet of narrow and widebody aircraft, we expect to see My Jet Xpress emerge as one of the major players in the air freight market, expanding not just in Southeast Asia but also throughout Asia." Kerry also announced that it would expand its collaboration with My Jet by providing scheduled flights from Kuala Lumpur and Shenzhen to locations across Southeast Asia and the Indian Subcontinent. "By offering scheduled flights and dedicated charters, as well as value-added services such as cross-border trucking, warehouse storage, and last-mile delivery, the new services will be able to support the rapid surge of the e-commerce market, the spike in freight demand, and capacity challenges going into peak season," the forwarder continued. Meanwhile, AirAsia Logistics' Teleport started flying its first 737-800 freighter out of Kuala Lumpur earlier this month. Following a quick switch to cargo during the Covid-crisis, the business purchased the converted aircraft in June, adding coverage from Malaysia to Bangkok, Manila, and Jakarta, which it said were its customers' important tradelanes in the region. Teleport's CEO, Pete Chareonwongsak, stated that if the venture succeeds, "huge orders" of new and renovated freighters will be considered. The rest of the year "looks set to be another busy season" for online retailers, according to COO Adrian Loretz, especially with the impending holidays. "This peak season could witness record sales increase once again, especially in the e-commerce arena," he told The Loadstar. We expect this demand to stay high in the future years, and we believe there is a structural capacity gap in Southeast Asia due to delayed border openings.

The lawsuit against Greenpeace Indonesia was withdrawn by the Jakarta Metro Police on Monday because the plaintiff did not want the subject to be politicised. Two Greenpeace activists in Indonesia have been denounced to the police for allegedly baseless criticism of deforestation taking place under the government's supervision. For contradicting President Joko Widodo's deforestation claim, the activists, Greenpeace Indonesia Head Leonard Simanjuntak and Indonesia Forest Campaign Head Kiki Taufik, were charged of propagating fake news and violating Indonesia's Information and Electronic Transactions Act (UU ITE). Jokowi stated earlier this month at the COP26 summit in Glasgow that deforestation in Indonesia had decreased in recent years. Greenpeace Indonesia then refuted the president's remark, calling it "crazy," citing Forestry Ministry data showing deforestation increased from 2.45 million hectares in 2003 to 4.8 million hectares in 2011 to 2019. Husin Shahab, Secretary General of the Committee for the Eradication of Mafia of Law, takes issue with Greenpeace's critique. Greenpeace Indonesia insists that their criticism of Jokowi's claim was founded on facts

Retno Marsudi, Indonesia's foreign minister, and Dr Vivian Balakrishnan, Singapore's foreign minister, have agreed to continue discussions on safe travel between the two countries, including via a bilateral vaccinated travel lane (VTL). "Both parties agreed to continue bilateral discussions on VTL arrangements," the Indonesian foreign ministry said in a statement following a meeting between the ministers on Tuesday (Nov 16). (reciprocally). "The two foreign ministers also reviewed the implementation of Singapore's unilateral VTL granted to point-to-point travellers from Indonesia, namely from Jakarta to Singapore." "The Singapore foreign minister indicated that Singapore's unilateral VTL implementation was based on, among other things, trust in the system, continuous improvement in the COVID-19 situation in Indonesia, and a greater vaccination rate," Mdm Marsudi said in a statement. Indonesia reported 221 new COVID-19 cases on Monday. In Indonesia, there are presently over 4.2 million cases. More than 30% of the population has been fully immunised in the country. The Indonesian minister also quoted Dr. Balakrishnan as suggesting that Singapore's unilateral VTL implementation will employ an allocated flight to ensure public health. On November 29, the city state's unilateral VTL with Indonesia would take effect. Singapore's Transport Minister S Iswaran said on Monday that the VTL with Indonesia is now unilateral because Indonesia remains closed to general travel. "Indonesia has unilaterally reopened its borders to admit travellers from 19 countries since October 14," Mr Iswaran added. Discover Cigna’s range of health insurance solutions created for expats and local nationals living in Thailand - click to view

Brunei will open its borders to non-essential travel once the country's population has been vaccinated to the tune of 80%. At yesterday's daily news conference, Minister of Health Dato Seri Setia Dr Haji Mohd Isham bin Haji Jaafar said, "We are extensively investigating this situation, and discussions are happening at the committee level." According to overseas reports, on November 29, a vaccinated travel lane (VTL) between Singapore and Malaysia will be inaugurated, allowing for quarantine-free travel. Six dedicated flights between Changi International Airport and Kuala Lumpur International Airport will kick off the VTL (KLIA). Malaysia and Indonesia have also agreed to establish a travel corridor between the two nations under a VTL agreement. "These nations have met their vaccination targets. "We would prefer to open our borders as well, especially given the travel plans of our neighbours," the minister stated. "Once we reach an 80 percent immunisation rate, some countries are willing to open their borders to us." According to the Borneo Post, Sarawak Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Dato Sri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah expressed hope on Friday that the Malaysian government may create a green lane bubble with neighbouring nations such as Brunei, Singapore, and Indonesia. Discover Cigna’s range of health insurance solutions created for expats and local nationals living in Thailand - click to view

Over the weekend, senior officials from China, Japan, and Thailand arrived in Naypyitaw, Myanmar's capital, to meet with coup leader Senior General Min Aung Hlaing. Sun Guoxiang, the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs' Special Envoy for Asian Affairs, came in Myanmar unannounced and is expected to meet with Myanmar's military leadership, according to sources monitoring the Sino-Myanmar relationship. Sun's journey to Myanmar is his second since the February 1 coup. During a week-long visit to the country in August, he visited Snr. Gen. Min Aung Hlaing and members of the regime's ruling body, the State Administration Council. Sun's request to meet incarcerated State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi was denied at the time by the military authorities. The specifics of the special envoy's current visit are unknown, but political analysts believe he will urge the coup leaders to implement the five-point consensus reached with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), as well as reiterate calls for dialogue between Myanmar's political stakeholders. Since the coup, the country has been in political, economic, and social instability. Myanmar is a member of ASEAN, which has attempted to mediate the conflict with limited success. The junta has yet to implement the five-point agreement reached with the ASEAN special envoy to Myanmar in April, which includes stopping the country's violence and allowing the ASEAN special envoy to Myanmar to visit. "Apart from discussing the political situation and peace in Myanmar, [Sun] would try to meet Daw Aung San Suu Kyi again," one political expert speculated. Sun Guoxiang's visit to Myanmar has yet to be formally publicised by the administration. Yohei Sasakawa, Japan's special envoy for national reconciliation in Myanmar, is also in the country. On Saturday, he met with Snr. Gen. Min Aung Hlaing and reviewed the current situation in Myanmar, the peace process, and Japan's help to the country, according to the regime. On Monday, Japan's ambassador paid a visit to camps for internally displaced Rohingya in Sittwe, the capital of Rakhine State, and on Wednesday, he would meet with representatives of ethnic political groups. Before this year's general election, Yohei Sasakawa successfully brokered a ceasefire between Myanmar's military and the Arakan Army, an ethnic Rakhine militant group. Fighting had ceased for nearly a year before resuming last week in Maungdaw, in northern Rakhine. Don Pramudwinai, Thailand's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, arrived in Naypyitaw on Sunday and met with the junta's leader. According to diplomatic sources, the Thai mission consisted of five persons, including a senior advisor to the Deputy Prime Minister, his chief of staff, and his office counsellor. The Thai ambassador to Myanmar, on the other hand, was not present during the meeting. It is suspected that delicate matters were discussed, maybe including the issue of anti-regime dissidents stationed in Thai border towns.