Health
After a record daily jump of 1,426 cases on Monday and 1,111 new coronavirus cases on Tuesday, Singapore now has 9,125 COVID-19 cases. The tiny city-state has the highest number of cases in Southeast Asia, a remarkable change from March 15, when it had just 200 cases and the outbreak appeared to be nearly under control. [The Guardian]
The Malaysian Health Ministry said that a new COVID-19 cluster has emerged from students returning to Malaysia from Indonesia; 43 students returned from Temboro, which is a declared a red zone in Magetan, Indonesia. [Jakarta Post]
On Wednesday, Thailand reported 15 new coronavirus cases and one new death, continuing its positive trajectory towards containing the virus. Thailand has a total of 2,826 confirmed cases and 49 deaths. [Strait Times]
Domestic
Singapore will extend a partial lockdown until June 1 to curb a sharp rise in coronavirus infections in the city-state, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said on Tuesday. The measures, which include the closures of most workplaces and schools, were initially set to run until May 4. [Jakarta Post]
The Philippines’ President Rodrigo Duterte threatened a martial law-like crackdown to stop people flouting lockdown restrictions in the nation’s capital. The warning comes after authorities reported an upsurge of cars on Manila’s roads, which have been nearly deserted since a sweeping lockdown was imposed a month ago. [Bangkok Post]
International Relations
According to Myanmar’s presidential office, on Friday this week, Myanmar will release almost 25,000 prisoners in an amnesty to mark the traditional New Year. President Win Myint said 24,896 people jailed across the country, including 87 foreigners, would be freed unconditionally “to bring delights to the citizens of Myanmar and taking into consideration humanitarian concerns”. Myanmar grants amnesty to thousands of prisoners to mark its New Year holiday every year, but this is the largest amnesty it has ever granted. [Strait Times]
Vietnam lodged a strong protest against China’s recent aggressions in the South China Sea, which Vietnam claims “seriously violated” its sovereignty. The complaint came after China announced on Sunday that it had set up two new administrative districts on the Paracel and Spratly Islands. Vietnam’s foreign ministry spokesperson, Le Thi Thu Hang, issued a statement of protest on Sunday and said the move would further complicate the situation in the South China Sea and suggested that such acts are not conducive to the development of the friendly relations between countries. [SCMP]
Society
On Tuesday, six people were publicly flogged in Indonesia’s conservative Aceh province for breaking local Islamic law, despite widespread bans on mass gatherings over coronavirus fears. Officials insisted that they followed social distancing rules, but vowed that the global pandemic wouldn’t stand in the way of doling out justice. [Strait Times]
Image Source: Asia Times
Southeast Asia in Review: April 22, 2020
Read more about the latest events from Southeast Asia.
April 22, 2020
