ASEAN News

SAN FERNANDO, PAMPANGA – Chinese biotech firm BGI group launched its own molecular and diagnostic laboratory in San Fernando, Pampanga to help boost the country’s Covid-19 testing capacity. According to the Chinese Embassy, the new laboratory aims to provide additional 3,000 more testings to help Philippines to increase its detection capacity of the virus. BGI’s Molecular and Diagnostic Pathology Laboratory, …

The decision to take Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) out of the Pakatan Harapan (PH) alliance was understood and endorsed by its chairman Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad. He said that it was only at the last moment before the strategy was to be executed that Dr Mahathir announced a different approach to Bersatu’s. Pakatan leaders in particular from PKR and …

Police in Northern Thailand have arrested a 44 year-old man for shooting and killing a Buddhist Monk in a forest in Lampang Province. Pol Col Sopon Ponkantha, a Lampang police chief, identified the shooter as Sakol Pumthong, 44. Phra Bundhit Prom-iam, 69 was found dead by villagers on Saturday. His body was found in a pick-up truck near a small …

Five teachers accused of raping a 14-year-old female student in Northeastern Thailand have been charged and fired from their jobs. The Mukdahan Provincial Education Office has also set up a committee to investigate the cases. Thailand’s Education Minister Nataphol Teepsuwan has ordered educational officials to take care of the student. He also expressed his concern for the mental health of the girl …

It is undeniable that the coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic has a huge impact on people’s lives, including the economy in Indonesia. The business world was devastated by this pandemic. The Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Kadin) said the number of unemployed due to the corona pandemic reached more than 10 million. The figure is calculated from the number of employees …

BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN – Brunei Darussalam has recorded two more cases of Covid-19 bringing the total tally of confirmed cases to 141. The new cases are friends of Case 139 and they all lived together in a dormitory. According to Minister of Health Dato Seri Setia Dr Haji Mohd Isham bin Haji Jaafar, Case 140 is a male aged 46 …

The observation for the status of employment in Malaysia is still on going. Approximately two-thirds of Malaysian companies claim they did not have any profits in the MCO era, a survey reveals. According to Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM), 67.8% of the firms that participated in the survey said they had not taken in any revenue during the MCO. Two-thirds …

Schools become one of the facilities that must be closed because of the coronavirus pandemic. Acting Deputy for Task IV of the Presidential Staff Office for Political Communication Jury Ardiantoro emphasized that the decision to open a school in the center of the corona was in the hands of President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo. “The president will decide based on input …

DAVAO CITY – Mindanao’s first and only five-star hotel founded by the family of Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III announced hat it was indefinitely suspending operations because of the impact of the Coronavirus disease pandemic. “All of you have been the core and our partners in building Marco Polo Davao. The owners and management will forever be grateful for your …

As Malaysia is faces coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19), struggling to protect people’s health and livelihoods at 40 per cent of household revenue. It reported three bundles of economic assistance. The new two are named Prihatin (which translates into “care”), and they concentrate on helping the Malaysians who fear slipping through the cracks. This include street sellers, micro-enterpreneurs, artists and other informal …