ASEAN NOW Content Team

In Indonesia's national vaccine supply, there are 19 million doses. COVID-19. As donated shots arrive with a short shelf life, 19 stockpiles have expired this year, with 1.5 million more expected to expire next month, according to a health official (Mar 30).

With the help of donations from wealthier countries, Indonesia and many other developing countries are stepping up their immunisation campaigns, but they have been asking for donations with a longer shelf life.

A senior health ministry official, Lucia Rizka Andalusia, told a parliamentary panel that 97 percent of the 19.3 million tablets that expired between January and March were given.

She said the majority of the expired shots were AstraZeneca's, but they also contained Moderna's.
Indonesia receives donations from countries like as Australia and the United States under the COVAX global vaccine sharing scheme.

At the same hearing, I Gede Ngurah Swajaya, a foreign ministry official, stated that the country will cease accepting donations until April and that donor countries must provide vaccines with at least two-thirds of the shelf life.

Following an assessment of new available data on the efficacy of various vaccinations, including AstraZeneca's and Sinovac's, Indonesia's food and drug agency announced earlier this month that the expiry dates of several vaccines, including AstraZeneca's and Sinovac's, have been extended.

Indonesia will prioritise the distribution of vaccines that are about to expire, according to Rizka of the Indonesian Ministry of Health.

According to a UNICEF official, poorer countries rejected more than 100 million doses of COVID-19 vaccinations given by COVAX in December, primarily due to a quickly approaching expiration date.

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According to human rights investigators, Myanmar's junta head established a special command a day after the coup that was entirely responsible for troop deployment and operations in urban areas, and authorised violent attacks on unarmed civilians.

According to a collaborative study by Fortify Rights and Yale Law School's Schell Center, the junta leadership used snipers to kill protestors in order to instil fear, while soldiers were taught to commit crimes and given a "fieldcraft" manual with no instruction on rules of war.

In a 193-page report released on Thursday (Mar 24), the investigators looked at leaked documents and 128 testimonials from survivors, medical professionals, bystanders, and former military and police officials regarding the upheaval in Myanmar in the six months following the February 1 coup.

They claimed to have collected and validated internal memoranda to police ordering them to arbitrarily arrest protestors, activists, and members of the deposed ruling party, as well as testimonies from torture and other abuse victims.

"All persons responsible for these crimes should be sanctioned and prosecuted," said Matthew Smith, the head of Fortify Rights and a co-author of the study, which calls for a worldwide arms embargo on Myanmar and international legal action against its generals.

When contacted for comment on the report's conclusions, a representative for Myanmar's military did not immediately react.

Fortify Rights is a non-profit organisation centred in Southeast Asia that was created in 2013 and is supported by donations from Europe, Asia, and the United States, as well as private foundations.
It has done a lot of research on Myanmar.

In 1989, Yale Law School established the Schell Center for International Human Rights to train law students and graduates in international human rights and to support human rights organisations.

The probe will add to international pressure on the military to stop repressing opponents and using air strikes and shelling in civilian areas.

It comes just a week after a UN report found Myanmar's army guilty of war crimes and crimes against humanity.
The junta has yet to comment, but has routinely denied allegations of massacres as fabricated foreign influence.

The paper, titled "Nowhere is Safe," also listed 61 military and police commanders who, according to the researchers, should be probed for crimes against humanity, aided by information regarding the chain of command obtained from security sources.

Six active-duty army personnel were among them, including a colonel and two majors.

On Wednesday, Myanmar's junta arrested Yangon Region commerce minister U Aung Than Oo and Yangon Mayor U Bo Htay for awarding land permits in the commercial city.

According to a Yangon Region government officer who spoke on the condition of anonymity, U Aung Than Oo was jailed for granting land to former chief of the general staff Hla Htay Win's family at Thamada Beach in Dala Township.

"I heard there was a difficulty with the retired general and his family receiving land," he stated.

As U Aung Than Oo gave permission for U Hla Htay Win's family to utilise farmland near the beach for other uses, Mayor U Bo Htay and the head of the land department from Yangon City Development Committee were jailed as accomplices.

After purchasing farmland and applying to use the land for other purposes, offspring of military officials and family members of the military proxy's Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) acquired land at Thamada Beach.
As Yangon Region's trade minister, U Aung Than Oo awarded land grants.

"I heard there was a difficulty with the retired general and his family receiving land," he stated.

As U Aung Than Oo gave permission for U Hla Htay Win's family to utilise farmland near the beach for other uses, Mayor U Bo Htay and the head of the land department from Yangon City Development Committee were jailed as accomplices.

After purchasing farmland and applying to use the land for other purposes, offspring of military officials and family members of the military proxy's Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) acquired land at Thamada Beach.
As Yangon Region's trade minister, U Aung Than Oo awarded land grants.

"There has been a struggle between Gen Nyo Saw's group and ex-Gen Hla Htay Win's cronies," he explained. "The arrest of Ko Aung Than Oo and Ko Bo Htay implies Gen Nyo Saw's group has won the upper hand."

Former Lt. Gen. Nyo Saw was the commandant of the Defense Services Technological Academy and the Defense Services Academy, as well as the commandant of the central and southern commands.
As an assistant to Min Aung Hlaing, he remains chairman of military-owned MEC following his retirement as the quartermaster general.

Under the previous military dictatorship, U Bo Htay, a former military officer, was appointed head of the YCDC's technical section.
After reaching pension age, the officer retired in 2015.
Following the coup last year, he was named mayor of Yangon.

U Aung Than Oo is the chairman of the Myanmar Rice Merchants Association and a member of the United States Democratic Party.
He is known to be close to U Khin Yi, the regime's immigration and population minister and former police commander.

When U Khin Yi organised rallies against the Union Election Commission after the National League for Democracy was declared the winner of the 2020 general election, U Aung Than Oo allegedly paid individuals to participate in the marches, purportedly paying each participant 5,000 kyats or more.

U Aung Than Oo was elected to Thanlyin Township in Yangon in the 2010 general election, but lost both the 2015 and 2020 elections to NLD candidates.

Land travellers between Malaysia and Singapore who are fully vaccinated are no longer required to do Covid-19 tests before departure or after arrival, and they are exempt from quarantine.

Those travelling between the two nations by air, however, must complete a pre-flight RTK-Antigen Covid-19 test two days before departure, according to Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin.

"There will be no further testing between Singapore and Malaysia upon arrival."
This is part of Malaysia's and Singapore's bilateral protocol.
The 24-hour land checkpoint will reopen in the meantime.

"On Wednesday, Singapore's Health Minister Ong Ye Kung and his delegation visited the Health Ministry to address the situation with Covid-19 in both countries," he stated at a press conference today.

He said the two countries' competent authorities came to an agreement on travel arrangements after consultations, and the result was handed to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob.

Today, the premiers of both countries talked on the phone about the reopening of land, water, and air borders.

He indicated that quotas for land travel in all categories would be lifted, subject to Singapore's Vehicle Entry Permit (VEP).

"When it comes to air travel, the two countries leave it up to the carriers to increase the number of flights available. There will be no limitations on the number of flights, as there were previously under the VTL (Vaccinated Travel Lane) programme."

The guideline for land travel between Malaysia and Thailand was also announced by Khairy.

Malaysia's government has stated that its border will reopen to international travellers on April 1, 2022.

The decision "is an exit strategy to allow us all to return to an almost normal life after over two years of combating Covid-19," Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob said, adding that it marks the start of the pandemic's "endemic phase."

All fully vaccinated visitors will be allowed to enter the nation without being subjected to quarantine, but they will be asked to perform an RT-PCR test two days prior to departure and a fast test (RTK) within 24 hours of arrival.

Travelers who have not been vaccinated will be subjected to a five-day quarantine.
They must also adhere to local Covid-19 rules, which prohibit them from entering certain public areas, such as dine-in restaurants.

The news comes as Education Malaysia Global Services tries to make it easier for overseas students to pursue higher education in Malaysia as part of its efforts to make Malaysia one of the top ten study destinations in the world.

At its Kuala Lumpur office, EMGS has announced that it will restart all services that were previously halted to avoid personal contact due to Covid-19.

According to the QS international university rankings, Malaysia has 32 programmes listed among the top 100 universities offering world-class academic degrees, according to Mohd Radzlan, CEO of EMGS, who spoke at a press conference in Pakistan in March.

"Malaysia has 435 state-of-the-art higher education institutions spread across the country, each with a large capacity to accommodate international students."
According to Academia Mag, Malaysia "offers diversified culture, economical living, a secure environment, and an active lifestyle to its international students."

"Students will have access to world-class education in Malaysia, with high-ranking institutions delivering internationally recognised degrees," he added.

Those in the foreign education sector, like Cecilia Pereira-Yates, managing director of GB8, hailed the reopening of the Malaysian border.

"The necessity of being present and visible in the market has increased over the last two years due to the border closure.
She told The PIE, "Malaysia is eager to welcome the industry back to some type of new normal."

"While virtual recruitment efforts have their place, nothing compares to the efficacy and impact of a more personal in-person approach to recruitment and partnerships."
"It's time to re-establish relationships with stakeholders that have been managed online," said Pereira-Yates, who recently returned home via the Langkawi Travel Bubble.

"It was critical that I return to Malaysia for two reasons.
On a personal note, I'm looking forward to seeing my family.
On a more professional note, she continued, "to ensure that GB8's clients have the confidence and commitment to return to the nation and resume their relationships and operations."

The unusual suggestion comes after Japan's SoftBank decided not to invest in a $32 billion project.

After a key investor declined to sponsor the $32 billion proposal, detractors ridiculed it and raised doubts about ownership of the proposed city. Now, Indonesia is considering crowdfunding the relocation of the country's capital.

The unusual suggestion was revealed on Monday, when the head of the government agency in charge of the project told local media that the alternative is being considered after Japan's SoftBank Group Corp declined to invest in the project.

Bambang Susantono, the head of the Nusantara National Capital Authority, said, "We will examine all creative finance models."

More than two years after Indonesia's investment minister, Luhut Pandjaitan, declared the business had pledged $40 billion for the initiative, SoftBank stated it will not be involved earlier this month.

Pradarma Rupang, the president of the Mining Advocacy Network in East Kalimantan, where the new capital is proposed, voiced fear that any crowdfunding initiative will be dominated by profit-driven corporations.

"As a result, I'm not sure if these donors will receive anything in return."
"Are they going to be shareholders?"
Al Jazeera spoke with Rupang.
"How will these contributors be compensated?"

It would also be unrealistic, according to Rupang, to expect the general people to foot the expense.

"Taxes, pricey schooling, and other fees have strained the community, and the government has cancelled gasoline subsidies," he stated.
"In addition, people are paying for their own healthcare, especially now that the government has lost control over the COVID-19 pandemic."

In August 2019, the Indonesian government revealed intentions to relocate the capital from Jakarta to East Kalimantan, a remote region of eastern Borneo.
Jakarta is sinking due to illegal groundwater extraction, stifling smog, overcrowding, and chronic traffic congestion, according to the administration of Joko "Jokowi" Widodo.

1.5 million of Jakarta's 11 million population would be evacuated under the plan to an undeveloped jungle location chosen for its pure air, huge open space, and remote from natural disaster-prone areas.

Only roughly 20% of the estimated $32 billion cost of the relocation plan will come from state coffers, leaving the private sector or other governments to make up the difference.
The administration has been seeking investment from the Middle East since the idea was unveiled, with five countries thought to be in talks to offer cash.

The Asian Development Bank stated earlier this month that it would help raise cash for the new capital, but that it would not commit any direct funds or loans.

"The ADB will share international lessons learned to assist the Nusantara National Capital Authority in designing and funding the new capital," said Ahmed M Saeed, a spokesman for the ADB.

Crowdfunding is a method of financing a business initiative that is commonly utilised by individuals and small businesses. It involves asking modest donations from a large number of people.
Some crowdfunding schemes include "rewards" such as merchandise or firm shares, blurring the distinction between charitable contributors and investors.

Sri Murlianti, a political science instructor at East Kalimantan's Mulawarman University, said the government's strategy is becoming a burden for the people at a difficult time.

"It's hard enough for them to afford cooking oil and other basic essentials; now they'll have to pay for the new capital as well?"
"It's a shambles," she said to Al Jazeera.

Lower-income Indonesians who cannot afford certified practitioners choose unlicensed 'dental labourers.'

Putri Wulandari will never forget getting braces for her teeth from a roadside shop in Indonesia's capital, Jakarta.

The room was dark and gloomy, with a nasty bathroom and a worn-out recliner chair.
A man in a t-shirt was the only one who greeted her.

Wulandari isn't sure if the tools he used were sterile, but he didn't wear a surgical mask or latex gloves.

"It happened in a flash.
Wulandari, 22, told Al Jazeera that he simply asked her to choose the colours she wanted and then went straight for her teeth.

A trained dentist was out of the question for Wulandari, who had desired braces since high school.

"It would have cost roughly five million rupiahs ($348) if I had gone to a dentist or a clinic," she claimed.
"The dental assistant only charged me 200,000 rupiahs ($14)."

"Dental workers," or "tukang gigi," can be found tucked away in alleys and sidestreets throughout Indonesia's cities, typically advertising their services with gruesome posters depicting pearly whites and blood-red gums.

They target those with limited incomes and offer dental services at rock-bottom pricing.
Although some claim to have obtained non-medical training from dental worker unions, most practitioners are thought to be self-taught and without any recognised qualifications.

In Indonesia, its trading is lawful, albeit it is subject to some restrictions.
Practitioners must register their practise and get a "dental worker permit" from the local health authority, according to Ministry of Health requirements.
They are also only permitted to produce or fit dentures and are not allowed to do any other dental treatments.

The reality, on the other hand, is significantly less so.
Despite the lack of official statistics, unlicensed, low-cost dentistry practitioners are nearly everywhere in Indonesia.
Thousands of Instagram and Facebook accounts advertise services ranging from basic teeth extractions to aesthetic surgeries for those looking for a winning smile at a low cost.

Wulandari's teeth were crooked and misaligned as a result of her visit to an unregistered dental worker.

"My teeth were great before this, only a slight overbite," she explained.
"However, my teeth began to shift positions a year after he put the braces on me, and I was in a lot of discomfort."
I returned a few times, but he kept telling me that everything was fine."

Wulandari stated that she had no choice but to act on her own.

"I'd had enough. I couldn't stand it any longer."
"I decided to remove the braces myself, at home, with a nail cutter," she explained.

Wulandari, whose husband is a motorbike taxi driver, considered denouncing the practise to the police, only to find out that he had packed his belongings and fled.

Rifqie Al Haris has dealt with countless dental tragedies comparable to Wulandari's during the last five years.

In 2016, Al Haris, a 37-year-old dentist, launched a social media project called KorTuGi, which stands for "Korban Tukang Gigi," which translates to "Dental Worker's Victims" in Indonesian.

He shares cautionary photographs and videos of botched dental work done by unqualified practitioners on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube.
The images aren't for the faint of heart.

Al Haris told Al Jazeera, "The goal is to promote public awareness about dental health and the dangers of unlicensed dentistry."
"Some people still believe that seeing a dentist or dental clinic is only necessary when they have a severe toothache.
It is also perceived as being costly, which is why many people seek out informal dental providers when they require dental care."

"In some situations, I discovered, it resulted in death," he continued.

Al Haris has publicised over 900 incidents of failed dental operations on social media.
He claims that demand for some treatments has risen dramatically in recent years, owing to the influence of social media stars and celebrities.

"In the past, most of these cases included failing dentures.
However, in recent years, we've seen more illicit practitioners exploiting the cosmetic dental market by selling aesthetic treatments like braces, veneers, tooth whitening, or buck teeth to young people," he said.
"They even employed influencers on social media to promote their services."

Many people who fall prey to unethical dentists see dental work as a symbol of prestige and wealth that would otherwise only be available at exorbitant prices, according to Al Haris.

"It's no longer a medical necessity; it's a fashion statement," he explained.
"Some people are willing to go to any length to achieve a status symbol."

On Tuesday night, Brunei logged another 5,413 recovered cases, increasing the total number of recoveries to 89,174.

A total of 2,553 new cases have been discovered, bringing the total number of confirmed cases in the country to 116,924.

1,885 of these cases were identified using antigen rapid test (ART) results submitted to the BruHealth app, while 698 were identified through 3,195 reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) laboratory tests conducted in the previous 24 hours.

At a daily press conference in the capital, Minister of Health Dato Seri Setia Dr Mohd Isham Jaafar confirmed this, adding that the overall number of current cases remains at 27,579.

There was only one Covid-19 death.
Two doses of the Covid-19 vaccination were given to the deceased.

Sixteen instances are still in Category 5, while 18 are still in Category 4.
At the National Isolation Centre, the total number of cases in Categories 4 and 5 currently accounts for 9.2% of the treatment capacity (NIC).

With 223 active cases placed in isolation centres and hospitals around the country, the bed occupancy rate at isolation centres is 6%.
A total of 27,356 positive cases are being self-isolated at home.

The National Covid-19 Vaccination Programme reported that 58.8% of the population had received the booster shot as of March 14, and that over 94 percent had received at least one dose of the vaccine.

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Locals refute junta reports that the captives were killed while attempting to flee Kalay Prison.

On Tuesday evening, prison guards shot and killed seven persons and injured 12 others inside Kalay Prison in western Sagaing Region in what the junta described as a hostage crisis and an attempt to flee by the detainees, according to the junta.

Locals and a resistance group in the area have dismissed the military's allegation and criticised the shootings.

According to the military council, 50 convicts kidnapped three staff members and attempted to flee the prison.

Myo Min Tun, Win Ko Naing, Maung Nyi, Chan Min Ko, Tuu Khine, Nyunt Win Aung, and Salai Shalom Shan Thang Lian—also known as Van Damme—were among the victims, according to the junta.

Salai Shalom Shan Htan Hlyan, a member of the anti-junta Chin Nationalities Defence Force (CNDF), was captured in June, and data about the other victims could not be verified at the time of publication.
Under Section 505a of the Penal Code, he was charged with illegal possession of a firearm as well as incitement.

He was a "very dependable young man," according to a CNDF spokeswoman, who attended Chin National League for Democracy demonstrations ahead of the 2020 general election and was an active participant in anti-dictatorship protests after last year's military takeover.

"He devoted his entire life to Chin State's well-being.
"He made a lot of sacrifices for the country," the official stated.

Allegations of a jail escape attempt were refuted by a spokesperson of the ethnic Chin rebel force as "impossible."

"I believe they instigated a riot within the prison."
"It's quite unlikely that they attempted to flee," said a CNDF spokeswoman.

Many of the deceased were shot in the head, according to photographs of their remains.

"This is an inexcusably heinous act.
They weren't even at war at the time.
"Killing unarmed convicts in the head is horrible," the CNDF representative stated, adding that his group "strongly opposed" the killings.

Several Kalay villagers told Myanmar Now that the actual number of people hurt could be more than the military's claimed 12.
According to information presented by captives released in periodic amnesties, the prison has been the location of serious human rights violations.

According to residents, the shootings began when a fight broke out between the convicts and the wardens over the constant torture.

According to a seasoned rescue worker who spent over three months in a conflict zone in Myanmar, while Russia's war in Ukraine dominated global attention, Myanmar's military is targeting civilians in air and ground operations on a scale not seen in the country since World War II.

According to David Eubank, director of the Free Burma Rangers, a humanitarian assistance organisation, the military's jets and helicopters attack the areas of eastern Myanmar where he and his volunteers deliver medical and food help to civilians caught in the conflict on a regular basis.

Ground forces are also randomly firing artillery, driving thousands of people to evacuate their houses, he claimed.

Rare photos of numerous air attacks by Myanmar military aircraft in Kayah State, also known as Karenni State, resulting in a number of civilian casualties were captured on video by his group's members.

The air attacks, according to a Human Rights Watch analyst in New York, are "war crimes."

Myanmar's military seized control last year, deposing Aung San Suu Kyi's democratically elected government.
Thousands of ordinary people created militia formations, named People's Defense Forces, to fight back as security forces reacted violently to large, peaceful street demonstrations against the takeover.

Many are loosely affiliated with well-established ethnic minority armed groups, such as the Karenni, Karen, and Kachin, who have been battling the central government for more than half a century in the border regions, seeking more autonomy.

Despite huge numerical and weapons advantages, the military has been unable to put down this grassroots resistance movement.
Taking advantage of the dry, summer weather, the army has increased its attacks.

Eubank described the violence in Myanmar as the worst he'd seen since World War II, when the nation was still known as Burma and was mostly held by the Japanese.

"What I saw in Karenni I had not seen in Burma before," he claimed, referring to serious but occasional warfare in Kachin State in northern Myanmar.

"Air strikes, not one or two a day as in Karen State," Eubank explained, "but like two MiGs coming one after the other, these Yak fighters, one after the other."
"These Russian planes, behind helicopter gunships, and then hundreds of rounds of 120mm mortar."
"Just boom, boom, boom, boom," says the narrator.

Russia is Myanmar's biggest arms supplier, maintaining deliveries despite the fact that many other countries have maintained an arms embargo since the army's takeover in order to encourage peace and a restoration to democratic governance.

Malaysia's borders will reopen to international travellers on April 1 after being blocked for nearly two years because to the Covid-19 pandemic.

According to the revised entry guidelines, fully vaccinated passengers will not be required to enter quarantine upon arrival if they take a PCR test two days prior to departure and then a lateral flow test within 24 hours of landing in Malaysia.

International travellers will be needed to fill out a pre-departure form as well, but they will no longer need a MyTravelPass permit.

"We are happy to hear we finally have an official timetable for the full reopening of Malaysia's borders across all of its destinations, which has been long-awaited by all," said Daniel Bainbridge, Malaysia Airlines' UK and Europe regional director.

Malaysia Airlines is the only airline that flies nonstop between London and Kuala Lumpur at the moment.

"We've been working hard for a long time to reach this critical milestone, and we've already doubled our flight capacity to provide greater connections across Malaysia and beyond to Southeast Asia and Australasia," Bainbridge said.

As a result of the reopening of borders, the airline will increase its service between London and Kuala Lumpur to 11 times weekly from March 27 and twice daily from June 30.

The app promised to be able to help LGBT+ people'return to nature,' but it has now been removed from the app store.

The Google Play store has withdrawn a Malaysian government-created software that promised to assist the LGBTI community "return to nature" after it was discovered to be in violation of the platform's principles.

The software was first created in July 2016, but it gained new traction after the Malaysian government's Islamic development agency promoted it on Twitter.
It stated that the app would allow LGBTI individuals to return to a state of nature or purity, and that it came with an e-book about a gay guy who "abandoned homosexual behaviour" during Ramadan.

"Whenever an app is flagged to us, we review against our Play store regulations, and if violations are found, we take appropriate action to preserve a trusted experience for all," Google stated in a statement when contacted by the Guardian.

Since then, the software has been withdrawn from the Google Play market.
Apps that "try to deceive users or enable dishonest behaviour, including but not limited to apps that are proven to be functionally impossible" are not allowed, according to its guidelines.

A request for comment from Malaysia's Islamic development department was not immediately returned.

According to Rachel Chhoa-Howard, a Malaysia researcher for Amnesty International, such information is dangerous and cruel.

"Conversion therapy is a fundamentally biassed and hurtful treatment that can harm individuals who are subjected to it in the long run."
It has been made illegal in a number of nations.
"We demand that Malaysian authorities stop using Hijrah Diri and instead ensure that LGBTI rights are respected and protected throughout the country," she said.

Numan Afifi, the founder of the LGBT+ rights organisation Pelangi Campaign, believes Google and other platforms should enhance their content monitoring.
He said that community groups attempting to combat harmful content already face a difficult battle, which includes the threat of surveillance, censorship, and raids on in-person gatherings.

"Now that the general election is approaching, I am confident that the demonization of the LGBT community will intensify, particularly among those seeking conservative votes," he stated.

The LGBTI population in Malaysia is subjected to pervasive discrimination, including legislation prohibiting same-sex relationships and non-normative gender presentation.

An app from a US-based organisation called Living Hope Ministries that promoted so-called "conversion therapy" was previously banned from the Google Play market.
In 2019, the app that promised users might "pray away the gay" was withdrawn.

Women contribute 60% of Indonesia's GDP due to their major engagement in small and medium businesses, according to Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati.

"Indonesia's women play a vital role, particularly in small and medium businesses.
"This means that women account for 60% of our GDP," she said during a side event at the Commission on the Status of Women's 66th Session in Jakarta on Thursday.

Later, the minister stated that women owned roughly 50 percent of Indonesia's 60 million small and medium businesses at the micro level.

Women own 56 percent of small firms, whereas 34 percent of medium-sized businesses are held by women.
This truth suggests that the smaller the company or economic activity, the more likely it is to be held by a woman.

Small and medium firms can supply up to 67 percent of jobs in Indonesia, according to Indrawati, implying that women play a vital role in job creation.

Given that women's access to finance is still limited, the government has a nationwide financial inclusion initiative with a goal of enlisting 90 percent of women by 2024.

Women continue to have limited access to financial institutions, with only 18 percent of total bank loans going to small and medium businesses.

As a result, the government has mandated that banks divert at least 30% of their credit to small and medium-sized firms.

"This is still an issue for some banks since they aren't used to servicing small-dollar loans, particularly those owned by women," Indrawati noted.

She noted that efforts to attain financial inclusion for 90 percent of Indonesian women are made through a variety of programmes, including education and financial literacy as well as digital technology access.

The minister noted that efforts to improve financial inclusion for women had been made in a variety of ways, including through the $10 million Family Hope Program (PKH).

"We expect that by allowing women to register bank accounts and receive government remittances, the programme would promote financial inclusion," she said.

Before this weekend's Grand Prix at Mandalika, MotoGP takes to the streets of Jakarta, with Indonesian President Jokowi in attendance.

On the eve of the first Indonesian MotoGP race since 1997, President Jokowi waved a special procession through the streets of the capital Jakarta on Wednesday afternoon.

The 4km ride featured 20 riders from the MotoGP, Moto2, Moto3 and Asia Talent Cup divisions, as well as Dorna Sports CEO Carmelo Ezpeleta and Chief Sporting Officer Carlos Ezpeleta.

"It's been an amazing event, and all of the riders have been quite helpful with this promotion," Carmelo Ezpeleta remarked.
"Indonesia is one of the most important MotoGP countries in the world.

"We're honoured to be welcomed into the President's palace; it's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that we greatly appreciate.
We're overjoyed to be able to do so; the race organisers' efforts to organise this parade with all of the riders have been truly remarkable.

"When we first came here many years ago, we realised how big MotoGP is in Indonesia.
We believe it will be a fantastic event and a significant milestone for the sport.

"We hope it'll be the first of many; we've agreed to race in Indonesia on a long-term basis."
Although it is a new organisation and circuit, everyone has worked together to make it a success."

Local motorcyclists from Honda, Suzuki, Ducati, and Yamaha fan clubs also joined the train of bikes making its way through central Jakarta from Merdeka Palace to the Kempinski Hotel, which was started by the President waving a chequered flag.

The riders stopped their machines, waved to the crowds, and threw a few knee sliders before proceeding to this weekend's maiden MotoGP at the new Mandalika circuit, which is located two hours from Jakarta on the island of Lombok (next to Bali).

"We were here for Honda events many years ago, and I've felt like people follow MotoGP a lot and it's something great since my first [visit]," said eight-time world champion Marc Marquez.

Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah (pic) has asked the Ministry of Education (MoE) to be transparent about the drop in school attendance during the Early Endemic Phase, as well as the Ministry of Health (MoE) to revive and share information on Covid-19 clusters and conduct a thorough assessment of vaccine provision for children aged five to eleven years old.

On Monday (March 8), the Sultan issued a proclamation chairing the Covid-19 Steering Committee Special Meeting at Istana Nurul Iman, calling for improvements in the distribution of food rations to individuals under quarantine.

According to the queen, there were problems in schools when pupils who tested positive for COVID-19 continued to attend courses and infect teachers.

"How could the school verify that no spread occurred on school grounds if this was the case?"

"At a news conference on March 4, the Ministry of Education announced it had noticed a daily drop in student attendance but did not explain why.
The Ministry of Education only stated that online learning would begin on March 7 and last for two weeks.

"I believe the reason for the decline in student attendance was due to concerned parents who did not want their children to go to school because they believed there was an outbreak on school grounds," says the author.
He stated that this is a subject that needs to be investigated.

The number of new clusters was communicated with the public during the first wave, which rocked the country in March 2020, according to the Sultan.

"However, as we transitioned to the Early Endemic Phase, cluster information was no longer given.
Is it a method of concealing information?

"Doesn't it pose a risk to people who unintentionally enter a cluster if a new cluster isn't known to the public?"
enquired the monarch

"We are still documenting positive cases from foreigners entering the country as well as domestic transmissions," the Sultan continued.

"It's critical to determine if the case number increases or decreases, as well as the cause of the trend.
Instead than simply tracking or tallying the number of infections, this group should examine this critical issue.
As a result, research is critical.
We can then proceed to the following step once we have gotten the research results."

"The number of cases is currently on the rise," the Sultan added.
What is the explanation for this?
Despite the fact that our vaccination programme is widely regarded as effective, the number of positive cases continues to climb.
Is there anything else we need to do?

"Unlike several other countries, the United States has never proclaimed a state of emergency.
Some of these countries have taken the position of reducing restrictions first, then re-imposing them.

"I'd want to hear the committee's thoughts on such an approach."
Cabinet ministers who serve on the committee are required to assess and thoroughly consider all factors without hesitation, to stick to one opinion or one opinion alone, and to avoid mimicking or employing illogical approaches and beliefs.

"This is not the right way since it resembles hurling oneself into destruction, which our religion forbids.
In these frightening times, I believe it is too soon to relax restrictions and stop daily updates on Covid-19 developments in the country.

"Doesn't the lack of announcements imply that we're withholding information from those who wish to keep up with the latest advancements and guidelines?"
The daily press conference by the Ministry of Health is still the best platform to address the situation and reduce the impact that may arise from the committee possibly overlooking the direction in which to synchronised efforts on all levels as long as there are no effective alternatives to convey clearly the important information on the state of the outbreak in the country."

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Myanmar's regime has cut internet connectivity in the Sagaing Region, which has a strong armed opposition to the junta.
It also conducts airstrikes and sets fire to towns.

Apart from four towns and cities, residents said the internet was down across the sprawling region's 34 townships, denying news of the conflict.

The internet was shut three days ago, according to a Tabayin resident, and only Sagaing, Monywa, Kale, and Shwebo had access.

Ayadaw, Yinmabin, Kani, Pale, Ye-U, Taze, and Budalin townships in the region lost internet service in September.

According to the Myanmar Institute for Strategy and Policy, the regime launched 19 air raids on the region between July and mid-February.

During that time, there were clashes in 16 townships, with at least 140 civilians murdered by junta forces, according to the institute's February report.

In the 13 months following the coup, the junta has set fire to at least 6,158 civilian dwellings, especially in places where anti-regime protests are strong.

According to the independent Data for Myanmar study group, the Sagaing Region received roughly 60% of the damage.

Residents are concerned that a lack of internet access may make it difficult for them to avoid junta raids and find sanctuary if they are targeted.

"If we don't get the word, it's quite difficult for the displaced, especially children and the elderly, to find safety," a Taze resident said.

He claimed that they had previously solicited money on Facebook, but that they are now on their own.

The dictatorship attacks towns and burns houses with aeroplanes, artillery, and allied Phyu Saw Htee forces.

Since last year's coup, at least 2,500 soldiers have defected from Myanmar's military to join the resistance, according to defectors.

Captain Pyae Sone waited until the wee hours of the morning before making plans to depart.
His superiors had given him orders to gather 25 infantry soldiers under his leadership the next morning to confront anti-coup protestors.

However, the danger of killing innocent villagers concerned him from his military base near Dawei in northeastern Myanmar.

"I realised I couldn't instruct my forces to kill civilians like that," the 30-year-old told Al Jazeera over the phone.

Pyae Sone slipped fled his army base as soon as morning broke on April 16, 2021.
He boarded a small plane, his heart pumping, and flew to rebel-controlled territory.

"The only way out was via plane," he explained.
"With the number of security checkpoints strewn across the eastern coast's topography, leaving by car would have been impossible."

Pyae Sone Oo travelled from Dawei to eastern Karen state, where the Karen National Union (KNU), an opposition political organisation with a substantial military force, controls area.
His brother, who was also an army officer, had already deserted and joined the resistance.

Thousands of troops are said to have fled Myanmar's military, known as the Tatmadaw, since it ousted Aung San Suu Kyi's democratically elected government on February 1 of last year.

Since the military's power grab and fatal assault on peaceful protestors, People's Soldiers, an organisation aiming to help troops quit the Tatmadaw, estimates that up to 2,500 soldiers have defected.
According to rights groups, about 1,600 people have been killed and 10,000 have been arrested since the coup, while hundreds of others have been displaced as civil violence erupted across the country.

From March 27th, Malaysia Airlines will increase its non-stop flight capacity from London Heathrow to Kuala Lumpur International Airport by almost 70,000 seats.

Malaysia Airlines, the country's primary carrier, will resume 11-times-weekly service till June 29th.

From June 30th forward, a full return to a double daily service will be implemented.

This would greatly enhance the number of flights available for travellers ahead of the much-anticipated opening of the Malaysian border on April 1st.

This comes just in time for Easter and the start of the European summer, and it builds on the recent relaxation of Covid-19 limitations in the UK and Europe.

It also aligns with other south-east Asian countries such as Thailand, Indonesia, and Vietnam, which have all announced a reduction of entrance criteria for fully vaccinated international visitors.

This enhanced capacity opens up more chances for better connections across Europe and Asia Pacific, as well as more flexibility for passengers to fly on the dates that are most convenient for them.

Malaysia Airlines is looking forward to welcoming passengers on board with its unique Malaysian hospitality.

"The further increase in capacity of over 70,000 seats is a high priority for Malaysia Airlines on our flagship route, and we remain the sole non-stop carrier between London and Kuala Lumpur," said Daniel Bainbridge, regional director UK & Europe.

"We now excitedly await the opening of Malaysian borders on April 1st for tourists who we know have been wishing to visit, and we look forward to welcoming them back onboard with our characteristic Malaysian hospitality," says the statement.

Malaysia will finally open its doors to international visitors on April 1st, according to the government.

Foreign tourists will be allowed to visit for the first time in two years.

Arrivals who are fully vaccinated will be allowed to enter the Asian country without having to go through quarantine.

Travellers must present a negative PCR result from a test performed no more than two days prior to departure, as well as take a fast antigen test within 24 hours after landing in Malaysia.

They must also fill out a pre-travel form, but they are no longer required to apply for a MyTravelPass permit.

Malaysia Airlines, the country's flag carrier, is "overjoyed" that the country is reopening to tourists.

"We are ecstatic to learn that we finally have an official timetable for the full reopening of Malaysia's borders across all of its destinations, which has been long overdue," said Daniel Bainbridge, the airline's UK and Europe regional director.

The transaction was rejected when Russian tourist Konstantin Ivanov attempted to withdraw money from his home bank account at a cash machine on the Indonesian resort island of Bali.

Unprecedented sanctions against Russia's banks in response to its invasion of Ukraine are wreaking havoc on Russian residents abroad, who are rushing to obtain cash or relying on cryptocurrency transactions to get by.

"This has posed a significant difficulty for us."
We've been absolutely robbed of our finances - it's as if they've been frozen and we can't utilise them at all over here," Ivanov, 27, said, adding that he may have to look for work in Indonesia.

Russian tourists came to Bali by the tens of thousands before the pandemic, and were among the first to return after borders were partially reopened last year.

According to data from the statistics bureau, about 1,150 Russians entered Indonesia in January 2022.

The manager of a neighbourhood cafe, Rifki Saldi Yanto, claimed he had seen a drop in the number of Russian clients in recent days, and that many now pay with cash rather than credit card.

Mount Merapi in Indonesia erupted with avalanches of hot clouds overnight Thursday, forcing some 250 people to evacuate to makeshift shelters and blanketing adjacent villages and towns in ash. There were no recorded casualties.

According to the National Disaster Mitigation Agency's spokesperson Abdul Muhari, the volcano on the densely populated island of Java ejected clouds of hot ash at least seven times just before and after midnight, and fast-moving pyroclastic flows, a mixture of rock, lava, and gas, travelled up to 5 kilometres (3.1 miles) down its slopes.
Several kilometres (miles) distant, a rumbling sound could be heard.

Because of the threats on Merapi, he added, 253 people were evacuated to temporary shelters in Glagaharjo and Umbulharjo villages in Yogyakarta special province, as well as Klaten district in Central Java.

According to Muhari, ash from the eruption blanketed several adjacent villages and towns, but no injuries were reported.

According to Indonesia's Geology and Volcanology Research Agency, residents living on Merapi's lush slopes should stay 7 kilometres (4.3 miles) away from the crater's mouth and be mindful of the dangers posed by lava.

Mount Merapi is the most active of Indonesia's more than 120 active volcanoes, erupting with lava and gas clouds on several occasions recently.
Since it began erupting last November, the Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation Center has not raised Merapi's alert status, which was already at the second-highest of four categories.

The summit, which stands at 2,968 metres (9,737 feet), is located near Yogyakarta, a historic city with a population of several hundred thousand people that is part of a huge metropolitan region. The city is also a cultural centre in Java and the seat of royal dynasties that date back centuries.

Merapi's most recent significant eruption, in 2010, killed 347 people and forced 20,000 villagers to flee.

On Sunday, the Myanmar junta issued an invitation to ethnic armed organisations (EAOs), except those it has designated as "terrorist groups," to participate in preliminary peace negotiations on Union Day, which falls on Saturday.

The offer comes as the country tries to regain control a year after the coup and faces increased battles with civilian resistance forces and ethnic armed groups aligned with them across the country.

The junta claimed in its Sunday declaration that securing sustainable peace for the entire country was a policy that formed part of its plan. The junta is infamous for its violent assassinations, shelling, air strikes, and atrocities against people, including in ethnic states.

"In order to tackle the political difficulties [that have existed] in consecutive eras," the government noted in the announcement, "it is vital to focus on permanent peace by seeking a solution in negotiations in accordance with democratic standards."

It went on to say that, with the exception of terrorist organisations, it had invited not only ethnic armed organisations that have signed the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA), but also non-NCA signatories to the Diamond Jubilee Union Day ceremony and the pre-coordination meeting on "perpetual peace talks."

The junta has designated the National Unity Government (NUG), its parliamentary body, the Committee Representing Pyidaungsu Hluttaw (CRPH), and its armed component, the People's Defense Force, as terrorist organisations.

"The dictatorship has already transgressed against the NCA...
"We have nothing to discuss with the military since it is the principal opponent and destroyer of peace," said Padoh Saw Taw Nee, chief of the Foreign Affairs Department of the Karen National Union, one of Myanmar's major ethnic armed groups and an NCA signatory.

"That is why, first, we are trying to destroy the military dictatorship, which is the strong demand of the people, and second, we are striving to construct a federal democracy," he continued.

Malaysia's borders should be reopened without enforced quarantine by March 1, according to Muhyiddin Yassin, chairman of the National Recovery Council.

He said that this was the way to go because the country had high immunisation rates and less hospital admissions.

"However, the reopening of the borders should be done in a timely and orderly manner, depending on current danger assessments," he stated today in a statement.

The capacity of the health ministry to reduce hospital admissions of Category 3 to 5, or more severe Covid-19 cases, was a crucial component in the push to reopen the borders, according to Muhyiddin.

He claimed Malaysia has one of the greatest vaccination rates in the world, with 98 percent of adults immunised and 78 percent of the general population, regardless of age, having received their vaccinations.

Separately, Muhyiddin stated that the construction industry can expect a long-term, "structural" solution to its concerns with material costs and foreign labour shortages.

He predicted that the Construction Industry Development Board will come up with solutions to the difficulties.

Micro, small, and medium-sized businesses can also expect grants and loans to be distributed in a more methodical and non-overlapping manner, he said.

Supermax, a Malaysian glove manufacturer, has announced the implementation of a new foreign worker management policy that extends the scope of its recruiting fee reimbursement to include former employees who were directly hired and contracted, the company stated on Tuesday (Feb 8).

Workers who left the firm before October 2019 will be covered by the policy, according to a statement filed with the stock exchange by Supermax.

Supermax has been prohibited from entering the United States since October due to suspicions of forced labour at its facilities, while Canada cancelled its sourcing agreement with the company last month over identical allegations.

Workers at the firm have requested a court review of the British government's decision to approve the firm as a supplier to the National Health Service in December.

The new initiatives and amended remedial eligibility requirements, according to the manufacturer, were decided upon after soliciting input and counsel from an undisclosed international consulting firm as well as ongoing discussions with migrant worker rights activist Andy Hall.

"Supermax has also retained the services of an international consulting firm to continue to review and advise on the payout to all of our present and past employees, as well as to trace and locate these employees who have returned to their home countries," the company added.

For the remediation endeavour, the company will establish a sinking fund managed by an advisory group, which will be reviewed once empty.

According to Supermax, it has already paid out RM25.67 million (US$6.13 million) in remediation to workers for prior recruitment expenses, ex-gratia, and other associated charges.

After a lengthy period of relatively steady pricing under President Joko Widodo, Indonesia expects increased inflation.

The country's statistics agency confirmed signs of an increase on Wednesday (Feb 2), announcing that annualised inflation in January was 2.18 percent, the highest since May 2020, with food, housing, and household equipment as the primary drivers.
Inflation was 1.87 percent in 2021.

"Higher inflation was caused by increases in the price of commodities and other foods due to wetter weather (which harmed crops)," Mr Febrio Kacaribu, head of the fiscal policy office at the finance ministry, said on Thursday when commenting on the January figure.

He also mentioned that costs had risen as a result of increased customer demand following the relaxation of Covid-19 limits.

Mr Febrio stated that the government was attempting to maintain control of the situation by making domestic energy prices, particularly gasoline, affordable at home.

The price of crude oil has risen, but the Indonesian government has partially absorbed the increase to keep gasoline inexpensive at home.
Critics argued that this went against Mr Widodo's promise early in his presidency that such costs would be left to the foreign market to avoid putting strain on the government's budget.

Mr Widodo's administration, which took office in 2014, has been credited with lowering inflation, mostly through market intervention and fixing inefficiencies in the archipelago's logistics.

Between 2009 and 2020, Indonesia's average annual inflation rate was 4.6 percent, down from 9.5 percent between 2001 and 2008.

Mr Widodo's administration has published a total of 12 regulations governing food price caps, which is a contentious topic.
Many individuals in the 270 million-strong country spend more than half of their disposable income on food, and rising costs, if not addressed, might lead to political unrest.

Mr Widodo's government has also sought to enhance distribution across the country, constructing 1,298 kilometres of toll roads in his first five years in office, according to data from the Ministry of Public Works.
Around 250 kilometres were built in 2020, and about 300 kilometres in 2021.
Only 795 kilometres were developed between 1978 and 2014.

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