Asean news headlines as at 9pm on Thursday (Jan 19)

A Vietnamese woman cleans the front of a cat statue in a shopping mall in Hanoi, ahead of the Lunar New Year.As China gears up to welcome the Year of the Rabbit, the lunar new year looks slightly different in Vietnam -- where the Year of the Cat is about to begin. - AFP

Malaysia

* Unity Government will not marginalise minorities, says Anwar

* Stolen aid money will be reimbursed, says Education Minister

* What else have you given to Umno, Ambiga asks Pakatan over Tommy Thomas probe

* Incompetence of Najib's previous counsel tainted final appeal, Shafee tells court

* Fahmi congratulates Suhaimi Sulaiman on appointment as Broadcasting DG

*Woman, boyfriend arrested over death of her toddler son

* Bank Negara surprises market, maintains OPR at 2.75%

* Man fined RM10,000 for distributing offensive images of ex-girlfriend

* Johor to study new Puteri Harbour-Singapore ferry service

* Pahang Govt reveals 29 names of fake Datuks

* Federal Court dismisses Najib's bid to recuse judge in SRC International review application

Singapore

* Singapore court raises bail for alleged nickel trading scammer Ng Yu Zhi to S$6mil

* Attempt to smuggle ornamental fish from Singapore foiled

* S’pore-bound Scoot flight departs Amritsar 4 hours earlier, leaving 29 passengers behind

* Man who sued Singapore police for unlawful arrest awarded S$20,000 in damages

* Huat ah!: In Mark Lee’s festive movie What! The Heist, underdogs fix lottery to win millions

*Family in Hokkaido crash that killed mum and infant had planned to return to celebrate CNY

Thailand

*Thai man ‘sells’ fresh air at 1,000 baht per hour

* Arkhom touts Thailand as sustainable investment oasis at World Economic Forum

* Driver claims he dozed off seconds before freak accident

* Phuket leads Thai tourist hot spots battling labour shortage

* Fugitive in US$100mil New Jersey deli-value case nabbed in Thailand

Indonesia

* Indonesian police detain six suspects in alleged gang rape of teen

* Yosua murder: Prosecutors seek 12 years for Ferdy Sambo's bodyguard, eight for wife

* How to approach the protracted Myanmar crisis: Jakarta Post contributor

Philippines

*Philippines' Marcos says South China Sea 'keeps him up at night'

* Nobel laureate Ressa keeps a 'go bag' for prison - just in case

*Amid absurdly high onion prices, the Philippines warns travellers against smuggling veggies

Vietnam

* Vietnam to build US$207mil Tuyen Quang-Ha Giang expressway

* Nguyen Hue Flower Street ready to welcome visitors for Tet

* Association asks for support to build cold storage system in HCM City

Cambodia

*Stung Prek Tnaot River's banks collapse as houses drop into floodwaters

* Phnom Penh names two streets in honour of Indonesian statesmen

Laos

* Lao, Russian personnel speed up UXO clearance in Khammuan

* Modern machinery improves rice seed planting in Laos

Myanmar

* Myanmar gets festive for Chinese Lunar New Year

* 28 illegal Myanmar workers held following Thai bus crash

Brunei

* Brunei has no Covid-19 cases in Categories 4, 5

Aseanplus

* Lunar New Year tourism hopes fizzle as Chinese stay home

* Seoul spy agency raids labour group over suspected N. Korea ties

* Japan’s overseas visitor numbers increase for first time in 3 years

* Hong Kong to remove mandatory quarantine for Covid infections

* Taiwan premier, cabinet submit resignations ahead of reshuffle

* China creates ‘Strong Nation’ ride app as data regime tightens

* N. Korea to impose harsher penalties on use of S. Korean slang

* South Korea, Iran summon each other's envoys as spat over Yoon remarks deepens

* At least eight killed in Tibet avalanche, Chinese govt sends team to help search for survivors

* Australia 'deeply troubled' by Chinese espionage case

* China races to make Covid drugs as Xi fears rural outbreaks

* S. Korea, Iran summon each other's envoys as spat over Yoon remarks deepens

* Asian markets track Wall St lower as recession fears return