COVID-19: Malaysia disburses special aid packages, Cambodia vaccinates over 95 pct of adults
Malaysia on September began paying out its Special COVID-19 Aid (BKC), while Cambodia has vaccinated over 95 percent of adults since its vaccination campaign started in February.
Vaccination in Phnom Penh, Cambodia (Photo: Xinhua/VNA)
Hanoi (VNA) - Malaysia on September began payingout its Special COVID-19 Aid (BKC), while Cambodia has vaccinated over95 percent of adults since its vaccination campaignstarted in February.
Funds amounting to 3.1 billion RM are designed for Malaysia's BKCpayments, of which 1.1 billion RM have already be channeled to relevantbanking institutions for the purpose.
Speaking at a recent meeting with the finance minister and commercialbanks, Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob said the aid package will benefit some10 million people, focusing on the needy, the elderly, and thehomeless.
He said the government would channel more assistance to the people starting next month.
Since the pandemic broke out in the nation in March 2020, the MalaysianGovernment has announced seven economic support packages worth 91 billionUSD in total to support people and businesses.
Meanwhile, the Cambodian Health Ministry calculated that 9,571,313 outof the country's 10 million aged 18 and above have been given at leaseone dose of COVID-19 vaccine.
A total of 8,405,571 people in this group have been fully vaccinated with two doses./.
The continuing COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated the economic downturn in Laos in the second quarter of this year as employment fell sharply, households and businesses suffered declining income and revenue, Vientiane Times on September 6 cited a recent survey by the World Bank (WB) as saying.
The Philippines has decided to ease quarantine restrictions in Metro Manila from September 8 to balance containing the pandemic and supporting the economy, while Cambodia has seen an increase in its daily COVID-19 cases.
Malaysian experts have recommended health officials keep a close eye on the new COVID-19 variant, dubbed "Mu", as it has the potential to be more transmissible, more virulent and possibly able to evade vaccines, reported the New Straits Times.
The Republic of Korea (RoK), China and Japan agreed on May 3 to reinforce the regional financial safety net, along with members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), by launching a new financing facility programme meant to extend greater support in case of a financial crisis.
A technical issue combined with an extreme heatwave was blamed for a series of explosions at a military base that killed 20 soldiers and injured several others in Cambodia on April 27, the country’s Ministry of Defence said in a May 2 statement as reported by the Xinhua news agency.
The Customs Department of Thailand is scheduled to commence the collection of value-added tax (VAT) on imported goods sent via postal services, regardless of the goods value, starting in May.
A lecturer from Chulalongkorn University’s Faculty of Medicine has warned Thais to be more vigilant against COVID-19, saying infection rates appeare to be worsening with higher hospital admissions, deaths and severe cases.
Malaysia should harness the collective expertise and resources to drive sustainable growth and development of the halal industry, according to Minister of Investment, Trade and Industry Zafrul Abdul Aziz.
Laos has officially restored the 10% value-added tax (VAT) rate starting May 1, in a bid to support the country’s budget revenue and socio-economic development.
The ASEAN Future Forum 2024 (AFF 2024) entered its second plenary session in Hanoi on the afternoon of April 23, discussing ways to ensure comprehensive security for the people-centred ASEAN Community.
The first session of the ASEAN Future Forum 2024 (AFF 2024) in Hanoi on April 23 focused on fast and sustainable growth for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).
The Canada-ASEAN Business Council (CABC) and the ASEAN Alliance on Carbon Markets (AACM) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to strengthen collaboration and accelerate the implementation of carbon crediting programmes across Southeast Asia.
ASEAN Secretary-General Kao Kim Hourn reaffirmed ASEAN leaders' commitment to empowering the youth to unleash their full potential when he had a dialogue with ASEAN youth in Hanoi on April 22 on the sidelines of the ASEAN Future Forum (AF 2024).
The Thai Government is being urged to increase the proportion of renewable power generation to more than the target of 50% set in the power development plan (PDP).
The Centre for Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation (PVMBG) of Indonesia on April 21 lifted its tsunami advisory issued previously following the eruption of Mount Ruang in Sitaro district of North Sulawesi province.
Thailand expects to export about 1 million tonnes of durian, valued at an estimated 130 billion THB (3.53 billion USD) this year, with most of the shipments to China, according to Minister of Agriculture Thammanat Prompao.
The 72nd meeting of the ASEAN Working Group on Intellectual Property Cooperation (AWGIPC) and related meetings are being held by the Ministry of Science and Technology’s Intellectual Property Office (IPO) of Vietnam in the central city of Da Nang on April 22-26.
Enhancing regional food security and tackling the pressing challenges of climate change will be key agendas defining Malaysia’s ASEAN Chairmanship in 2025, Speaker of the Dewan Rakyat (lower house) Johari Abdul told the press on April 19.
Vaccination in Phnom Penh, Cambodia (Photo: Xinhua/VNA) 
