Asean News Headlines at 9pm on Tuesday (March 22, 2022)

This year’s National Day Parade (NDP) in Singapore will once again be held at the Marina Bay floating platform – likely for the last time before it is redeveloped into the NS Square, a project delayed for a year because of Covid-19. - The Straits Times/ANN

Malaysia:

* Covid-19: Total cases cross four million mark with 17,828 new infections reported

* Covid-19: More than 15 million adults given booster dose

* Covid-19 Watch: 523 in Category 3 to 5 out of 17,828 cases, says Health DG

* Govt spends over RM300 on average for each Malaysian for Covid-19 related expenses

* Malaysia ratifies Protocol 29, aims to eradicate forced labour

* Govt has no plans to ban underage marriage, says ministry

* Ex-Goldman banker Ng's wife created shell entity after 1MDB deal

* Audit report: RM1.29bil irregular payments due to non-compliance with financial management

* Borders reopening: Immigration Dept readies 970,000 passport books for renewals

* Investigations into Azam Baki’s share trading case ongoing, says deputy minister

* Bank Negara's international reserves down slightly to US$115.2bil as at March 15

* PAC to investigate wastage amounting to RM64.1mil highlighted in 2020 A-G’s report

People walking through an art installation made from plastic water bottles as part of an awareness drive on World Water Day in Malang, East Java on Tuesday, March 22, 2022. - AFP

Singapore:

* Local tycoon-led group wins huge US$2.9 billion bid for Singapore Press

* Bank Negara, BIS and central banks of Australia, Singapore and South Africa develop experimental multi-CBDC platform

* Singapore hospital probes case of pregnant woman who was allegedly left unattended for two hours and lost baby

* Over 99,000 Singapore employers to get S$840mil in wage credits by end-March

* Singaporean man charged with murdering wife in UK admits to manslaughter

* Singapore can deploy more fiscal, monetary policy measures if needed

* Perak waiting for Ipoh-Singapore VTL approval, says Nolee

* Oil rises towards US$116 on Tuesday (March 21) as EU weighs Russian ban

* Asian shares rise on Tuesday (March 22), eyeing Ukraine, higher energy costs

* VTLs beneficial but leisure travel yet to rebound

* Chinese national took upskirt photos of 400 women while working in S’pore university

Indonesia:

* Indonesia reports 7,464 new Covid-19 cases and 170 more deaths on Tuesday (March 21)

* Indonesia lifts Covid-19 quarantine rules nationwide

* Motorcycling-Marquez diagnosed with double vision again after Indonesia crash

* Indonesian activists warn of state repression

* Russian artist and Ukrainian in Bali collaborate on message of unity

* One dead, eight missing after Indonesian fishing boat capsizes'

* Indonesia looking for new capital investors

* Chance of polls runoff in East Timor

* Dozens rescued after boat carrying migrants sinks

Workers clean near a BMW i4 at the 43rd Bangkok International Motor Show, in Bangkok, Thailand, on Tuesday, March 22, 2022. - Reuters

Thailand:

* Thailand tourism ministry wants travel restrictions removed by June 1 if Covid rate drops; daily cases above 21,000 on Tuesday

* Thai govt warns food delivery platforms not to raise fees as fuel crisis bites

* Great Wall Motor signs deal with Thai government to reduce EV prices

* Thailand approves support measures to cope with high energy prices

* Emerging markets - Thai baht lead losses as Asian FX slips on Ukraine jitters

* Betong hotels, restaurants offer big discounts to kick-start stalled airport

* Thailand ranked 61st in World Happiness Report, Malaysia at 70th spot

* Thailand records 21,382 Covid-19 cases and 83 deaths

Philippines:

* Philippine Covid-19 infections keep slowing down as vaccination rate is going up

* The Philippines and the Unites States all set to hold their 'largest-ever' war games

* Philippines raises US$2.25 billion via three-tranche bond deal; govt to use US$1.25 billion proceeds for budget financing

* Duterte: Face masks stay, as ‘monster’ Covid-19 is mutating

* Dutertes party backs Marcos heir for Philippine presidency

* Philippine telcos, airlines, shipping now open to full foreign ownership

* Philippine leader's party endorses presidential bid of Marcos Jr -media

A shop owner arranging silk products for the shop window display in the old quarter of Hanoi, Vietnam. - AP

Vietnam:

* Vietnam reports 130,735 new Covid-19 cases as total now goes above 8.3 million on Tuesday (March 22)

* Vietnam's Ho Chi Minh City economic recovery exceeds expectations:, says top govt official

* Malaysian PM wants Vietnam to stop fishermen's encroachment into Malaysian waters

* Vietnam reaches mutual recognition of 'Vaccine Passports' with 17 countries

* People smuggler jailed in London over deaths of 39 Vietnamese

* Viet aviation industry sets target to welcome 43 million passengers

* Woman cuts off husband’s penis after catching him behaving indecently towards her niece

* Malaysian PM pays courtesy call on three Vietnamese leaders, confident of stronger bilateral ties

Myanmar:

* 'Kill more': Facebook fails to detect hate against Myanmar's Rohingya muslim minority

* Asean's special envoy in Myanmar aims to push for political consultations

* Junta ‘committed genocide against Rohingya’

Firefighters conduct search and rescue work near the site where a passenger plane with 132 people aboard crashed in Tengxian county in the Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region. - China Daily/ANN

Cambodia:

* Cambodia is now open to WHO-approved Covid-19 jabs; only 65 new Omicron community cases reported on Tueday (March 22)

* Cambodia launches educational campaign against Covid-19

* Hun Sen, Japan PM discuss potential FTA, conglomerate investment, agriculture exports

Laos:

* Schools and restaurants closed as Covid-19 measures tightened in parts of Laos as Omicron spreads further in country

* Laos sources more investment to boost agricultural exports

* Covid-19 cases and deaths continue to climb in Laos

Brunei:

Cases going lower as 1,393 new Covid-19 cases recorded in Brunei on Monday night (March 22)

* Brunei: Three years and two strokes of cane for ‘fishing’ thief

* Brunei to distribute 280,000 Covid-19 ART kits nationwide

AseanPlus:

* China Eastern Airlines Flight MU5735: air safety experts study video and flight data in search of crash clues

* Dozens of Chinese officials punished over latest wave of Covid-19 cases

* China Eastern Airlines flight MU5735: rescuers yet to find any survivors

* China plane crash: Businessman escapes death by taking earlier flight but sister and friends on ill-fated plane

* Grim search for victims, and flight recorders after China's first plane crash since 2010

* China seeks victims, flight recorders after first plane crash in 12 years

* Japan's Suzuki, SkyDrive sign deal to develop, market 'flying cars'

* Hong Kong mulls HK10k driver subsidy for cross-boundary truckers

* Hong Kong virus curbs to remain as pandemic situation still grave

* Russian artist and Ukrainian in Bali collaborate on message of unity

* Previous crashes may give clues to China jet's mystery plunge

* HK to ease strict Covid-19 measures from April

* Telemedicine booms in S.Korea amid Covid, President-elect Yoon backs practice

* Alibaba increases share buyback to $25 billion from $15 billion

* Bitcoin mining consumes as much energy as a country about the size of Malaysia each year