{"id":7126,"date":"2020-04-13T18:00:00","date_gmt":"2020-04-13T08:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/?p=7126"},"modified":"2020-05-14T08:59:40","modified_gmt":"2020-05-13T22:59:40","slug":"covid-19-and-south-east-asia-the-week-that-was-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/covid-19-and-south-east-asia-the-week-that-was-2\/","title":{"rendered":"COVID-19 and South East Asia: the week that was"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

COVID-19 is dominating news headlines and social media feeds globally. Each week the Griffith Asia Institute<\/a> explores aspects of South East Asia\u2019s COVID-19 response to provide regular snapshots on how countries in the region are experiencing and reacting to the pandemic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After what\nmany commentators were calling out as weeks of \u2018inaction\u2019, we are now seeing\nsome regional policy coordination between the nations of South East Asia. Last\nweek ASEAN convened an online meeting<\/a> of the bloc\u2019s foreign ministers resulting\nin an endorsement to establish a regional fund<\/a> to respond to the coronavirus\npandemic. This week stepped-up responses will continue with ASEAN+3 convening a\nspecial online COVID-19 summit. Meanwhile, individual nations in the region\ngrapple with unique domestic circumstances and the economic and social\nconsequences wreaked by the coronavirus. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In this\nupdate we look back on the week that was, Monday\n6 April to Sunday 12 April 2020:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cambodia<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cambodia\u2019s\none-party National Assembly approved a new state of emergency law to contain\nthe spread of coronavirus. But,\nthe catch-all clause<\/a> which\ncovers \u201cother measures that are deemed appropriate and necessary in response to\nthe state of emergency\u201d, has rights groups and critics fearing<\/a> these\nsweeping powers. Official\nKhmer New Year<\/a> celebrations were cancelled amid\nfears people returning to their home villages would spread the virus. Last\nminute travel restrictions between provinces were imposed in response to\nconcerns that garment workers<\/a> were planning to disobey orders to\nwork through the \u2018entering of the new year\u2019\u2014evidence that the Coronavirus is\ncompounding the pinch from the EU\u2019s withdrawal of the \u2018Everything but Arms\u2019\npreferential trade deal. At least 91 garment<\/a> factories in the Kingdom have\nsuspended their operations, prompting the government to provide a wage subsidy<\/a> for those stood down (US$70, or 30%\nof the US$190 monthly minimum wage)\u2014reneging on an earlier promise to guarantee\n60%. On US$2.33 a day, many workers will surely be pushed back into poverty<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Indonesia<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

As cases\nsurge across the archipelago, both citizens and the state are turning to telehealth<\/a> to manage the epidemic and lessen the\nstrain on hospitals. But Indonesia is coming under criticism for the degree in\nwhich the government is \u201cleaning\u201d on healthtech firms. There are calls within\nAustralia for more concerted efforts<\/a> in supporting Indonesia\u2019s healthcare\nsystem. Jakarta, the epicentre of the country\u2019s outbreak implemented stricter measures<\/a> including the banning of motorbike\ntaxis (a popular mode of transport) and reduced hours and capacity on public\ntransport to last until 23 April. The government announced that collective leave days for Eid al-Fitr<\/a> have moved to December 28-31, a move\nto ensure the pandemic response is \u201chandled properly\u201d. Some communities are protesting over COVID-19 burials<\/a>, fearful that the disease could\nspread throughout the community. Thousands of Indonesians remain stuck overseas<\/a>, including over 900 pilgrims across nine\ncountries and over 17,000 Indonesian crew members on one hundred and twenty-two\ncruise ships who are in limbo\u2014placing immense logistical strain on embassies\nand the Foreign Affairs Ministry. Toyota<\/a> announced a temporary shutdown of its\nproduction in Jakarta and Australia recalled its Ambassador to\nIndonesia<\/a>, Gary\nQuinlan, as a precautionary measure amid growing fears of the deepening\nhealth-crisis. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Laos<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some early\npredictions are putting Lao\u2019s growth contraction<\/a> from the COVID-19 pandemic at 50%.\nLaos still has the lowest number of confirmed cases in South East Asia (19 at\nthe time of writing), but production and consumer spending are still taking a\nhit. Economic woes are being compounded by the return of migrant workers from\nneighbouring countries\u2014the ILO estimates 60,000 returned following Thailand\u2019s\nborder closures on March 23. Like its neighbours, New Year festivities have\nbeen cancelled and the state is appealing<\/a> for people to stay home. The COVID-19\ncrisis is causing delays<\/a> for the China-Lao high-speed 414km railway<\/a>, scheduled for inauguration in\nDecember 2021. The country\u2019s education system is struggling to reach poor and\nrural communities who lack the needed technology<\/a> to learn online.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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 Pictured in Luang Prabang, Laos, shows a Chinese worker carrying materials for the first rail line linking Laos to China. Image Source: Radio Free Asia<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Malaysia<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

For weeks\nMalaysia has had the highest number of coronavirus cases in South East Asia,\nbut recent stats show that the Philippines\nand Indonesia will soon surpass it.<\/a>\nPrime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin extended the Movement Control Order<\/a> by an additional two weeks as the\ncountry struggles to contain the coronavirus, with restrictions crossing into the\nstart of Ramadan (24 April). This week highlighted the need for further\ninclusive and non-discriminatory public health policies, following reports that\nseveral hundred Rohingya refugees attended a religious gathering to which more\nthan 1,200 positive COVID-19 cases have been traced. Malaysia\u2019s more than 200,000 asylum seekers and refugees<\/a> have no formal legal status, presenting\nmultiple obstacles in accessing healthcare and further risks to the public\nhealth system more broadly. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Myanmar<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some regions\nof Myanmar have relaxed plans<\/a> for a longer coronavirus lockdown\nafter community complaints. With restrictions in place to curb the spread of\ncoronavirus, Myanmar\u2019s New Year festival<\/a>\u2014\u2018Thingyan\u2019, the most significant\nannual event in the country\u2014typically marked by a week of nationwide\ncelebrations and water fights is off the calendar this year. The country\u2019s Central\nCommittee on Prevention, Control and Treatment of COVID-19 announced it would provide basic food essentials<\/a> to people in need during the Thingyan\nwater festival. Myanmar\u2019s military donated over US$1.5 million to the Central\nCommittee (funded by personal salaries and wages<\/a>) to the coronavirus fight. Cross-border cargo policies<\/a> implemented by China are hurting\nMyanmar traders and truck drivers in the country\u2019s northern Shan state.\nConcerns are mounting that COVID-19 responses are further undermining free speech and the right\nto information<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Myanmar military personnel wearing protective clothing disinfecting a street as a preventive measure to contain the spread of coronavirus at Yangon on Tuesday (April 7). Image Source: AFP <\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Philippines<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

With lockdown of the country\u2019s largest and most populous island Luzon\u2014home to 60 million people and site for 70% of the country\u2019s economic output\u2014extended until the end of April, agricultural supply chains are impacted<\/a> and the national economy is on idle. The Secretary for the National Economic and Development Authority forecasted that remittances from Filipinos working overseas could decline by as much as 30%<\/a> this year. Remittances usually account for 9.8% of GDP, so the Philippines should brace for a sharp economic downturn. With COVID-19 occupying the full public health response, there are concerns that the fight against TB is being sidelined<\/a>. The Philippines has the third highest rate of TB cases globally, with an estimated one million Filipinos currently having active infections. In a surprise move from the Duterte administration on Wednesday, Manila backed Hanoi\u2019s protest over the latest South China Sea skirmish<\/a>. The Philippines Department of Foreign Affairs<\/a> stated that \u201cCOVID-19 is a very real threat that demands unity and mutual trust\u201d and \u201csuch incidents undermine the potential of a genuinely deep and trusting regional relationship between \u2026 ASEAN and China\u201d. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Singapore<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Last Monday\nSingapore unveiled its third stimulus package<\/a> to tide the city-state through the\n4-week \u201ccircuit breaker\u201d. This latest S$5.1 billion is on top of S$6.4 billion\nannounced in February and S$48.4 billion unveiled in March. In total, Prime\nMinister Lee Hsien Loong\u2019s government has committed S$59.9 billion to manage\nthe coronavirus pandemic\u2014roughly 12% of Singapore\u2019s GDP. This latest round of measures<\/a> includes cash handouts, wage\nsubsidies for firms and waiving foreign worker levies. In an effort to keep\nrestaurants alive and people off the streets, the \u201cFood Delivery Booster Package\u201d<\/a> will see the government funding 5% of\nthe commission fees charged by the three major food delivery platforms. With\nCOVID-19 clusters confirmed in multiple dormitories housing low-wage migrant\nworkers, rights groups are concerned about the psychological impacts<\/a> of confining 20,000 men to their\nrooms for 14 days. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Thailand<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Image posted on Paolo Hospital Samutprakarn Facebook<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Religious pilgrims returning from Indonesia<\/a> are the latest confirmed coronavirus\ncluster. While Bangkok has the most cases, the popular island of Phuket<\/a> has the highest cases per-capita. The\nThai New Year, or water festival \u2018Songkran\u2019 celebrations (April 13-15) have\nbeen postponed and in an effort to curb the coronavirus spread and festive\nactivity, bans on the sale of alcohol<\/a> have been implemented across the\ncountry. Photos of Thai hospitals giving newborn babies tiny face shields<\/a> to protect them from coronavirus on\ntheir journey home went viral. According to a Ministry of Public Health survey<\/a> of 26,000 respondents, more than 80%\nof Thais understand and are adhering to social distancing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Vietnam<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The coronavirus has turned Vietnam from recipient to donor, with Hanoi coming to the aid of the US and Europe by expediting shipments<\/a> of medical equipment abroad. President Trump personally thanked Vietnam via Twitter<\/a> for 450,000 protective suits<\/a> that landed in Texas last week. A combination of factors has made it possible for Vietnam to respond in this way, including its early response to domestic infections, a population more responsive to orders given by the party-state and an export-based economy driven by manufacturing. However, millions of workers in the textiles and footwear sector, and in tourist services are experiencing a temporary loss of income<\/a>. Vietnam is the 2020 ASEAN Chair and last week convened an online meeting of ASEAN foreign ministers<\/a>\u2014what commentators are predicting will be the first of many this year under Hanoi\u2019s \u201ccohesive and responsive\u201d chairmanship.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

This morning, 450,000 protective suits landed in Dallas, Texas. This was made possible because of the partnership of two great American companies\u2014DuPont and FedEx\u2014and our friends in Vietnam. Thank you! @DuPont_News<\/a> @FedEx<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/8yhG6tYnQW<\/a><\/p>— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 8, 2020<\/a><\/blockquote>