COVID-19 is dominating news headlines and social media feeds globally. Each week the Griffith Asia Institute explores aspects of South East Asia’s COVID-19 response to provide regular snapshots on how countries in the region are experiencing and reacting to the pandemic.

More countries this week scrambled to mitigate the domestic impact of COVID-19. Reactions and responses exposed the plight of the region’s migrant workers, those most vulnerable in South East Asia’s communities, and concerns over food security as a number of states implemented protectionist policies.

In this update we look back on the week that was, Monday 30 March to Sunday 5 April 2020:

Cambodia

Cambodia joined the ranks of other South East Asian nations in banning some rice exports to ensure local food security. As well as potentially upsetting important trading partners (China, Japan, South Korea and the Middle East are big export markets), food protectionism could lead to price inflation and domestic economic woes for the Kingdom. Earlier in the week Cambodia’s Council of Ministers approved the “Law on Governing the Country in a State of Emergency”. Critics and human rights activists expressed concern that the law will further restrict civil liberties and give Prime Minister Hun Sen even greater control over the country.

Indonesia

Indonesia has reported South East Asia’s highest coronavirus mortality rate. Globally it ranks just slightly below Italy’s 9%. Infection numbers are believed to be much higher than official figures. There are growing concerns that Indonesia chronically lacks enough personal protective equipment (PPE), with reports on Friday that 95 healthcare workers in Jakarta had been infected with the virus. The situation is so dire that special COVID-19 burial protocols must be practiced, including the wrapping of bodies in plastic instead of cloth as Islamic customs require. Jakarta declared a national public health emergency on Tuesday and will ban all foreign nationals from entering the country for 14 days. Indonesia announced a major boost to state spending, injecting up to Rp 405.1 trillion (US$24.6 billion) into the economy in the fight against coronavirus.

Laos

Vientiane announced the closure of all international checkpoints, stopping the entry and exit of all passengers entering Laos from 30 March to 19 April. Road borders with Myanmar and China are also closed. The small South East Asian nation is now in a total lockdown with the government issuing stay-at-home orders (including for many government officials) and internal travel restrictions between provinces. China continues to provide support to Lao’s underdeveloped healthcare system. The total number of infections currently stands at 11, with the latest confirmed COVID-19 case a foreign national from Papua New Guinea employed by a mining company in Laos.

Malaysia

Malaysia’s Women’s Affairs Ministry apologised for upset it caused over a #WomenPreventCOVID19 campaign, which urged women to speak in a cartoon cat voice, avoid nagging their husbands and to wear makeup while working from home. An estimated 300,000 Malaysian’s commute daily from Johor to work in Singapore. Malaysia has waived the 14-day quarantine requirements, provided returning workers test negative for the coronavirus. Many of Malaysia’s foreign workers (largely from Indonesia) are stranded, unable to return home because of the ‘Movement Control Order’. Government restrictions mean that many of the sectors employing migrant workers have been shuttered, leaving workers without any source of income or state support, however the state continues to provide free testing for migrant workers. The government extended anti-coronavirus measures by an additional two weeks.

Myanmar

In a move to protect local rice supplies, Myanmar has put a halt on issuing new rice export licenses. Officials have reassured the public that there is enough rice for domestic consumption but have issued stern warnings against price gouging and panic buying. Rights groups are concerned about COVID-19 transmission in the country’s displacement camps, accommodating an estimated 350,000 people uprooted by decades of communal violence. The United Nations announced it will send 50, 000 test kits to support the government’s response—this is on top of donations made by Singapore and South Korea. As more sectors of society enter into shutdown, calls grow for the government to provide a social security net for the country’s poor and precarious workers.

Philippines

A low-cost COVID-19 testing kit was given approval by the Food and Drug Administration. The rapid test kit is expected to reduce average testing times from six hours to just under one and help medical teams prioritise patients for intensive treatment. Following residents of a slum in Manila’s Quezon City protesting over the lack of food packages and relief supplies, President Duterte said: “My orders to the police and the military, if anyone creates trouble, and their lives [rereferring to health workers] are in danger: shoot them dead”. Reports of Philippine authorities subjecting children to abuse for violating COVID-19 curfews made international headlines. To mark Palm Sunday, priests delivered blessings from the back of trucks and motorised tricycles, in accordance with social distancing measures.

Singapore

Singapore’s clear communication strategy and aggressive public health response was commended as successfully beating the first wave of COVID-19 cases. But on Friday, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong ramped up restrictions (closing schools and most workplaces and banning dining in at restaurants) as the city-state sets in for a one month “circuit breaker”—largely in response to a spike of confirmed cases from Singaporeans returning from overseas as well as local transmissions. A hefty fine of $7,000 and a six-month jail terms will be handed down to any violators. Singapore will also quarantine 20,000 migrant workers in their dormitories as efforts to curb infection rates increase. On March 30, the Monetary Authority of Singapore announced an easing of monetary policy as the economy reels from the coronavirus hit.

Thailand

Bangkok continues to implement incremental measures, with the latest being a curfew preventing people from leaving their homes from 10pm to 4am. Prime Minister Prayuth has yet to specify when the curfew will be lifted, but the emergency decree (announced 25 March) remains in effect until 30 April. The coronavirus pandemic will be the biggest hit to the Thai economy since the 1997 Asian Financial Crisis. Already some 22.9 million people have signed up for government cash handouts—15,000 baht (AUD$750) to lessen the blow. According to the government, priority recipients are lottery-ticket sellers, taxi and motorbike drivers, and tour guides. A temporary ban on all incoming flights was put in place from Saturday 4 April until the end of the following Monday.

Vietnam

On 1 April, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc declared a nationwide COVID-19 epidemic in Vietnam. This was followed by an order for the country to adhere to 15 days of social distancing nationwide—now extended until the end of the month. Earlier this month the state announced a suspension of new rice export contracts while it reviews domestic stocks. Resumption of the country’s rice exports has yet to be officially confirmed. In an effort to manage the economic impact of the pandemic, Vietnam is applying three policies to ensure socioeconomic stability: reducing interest rates; tax reductions; and aid for the unemployed and poor.

Author

Dr Lucy West, Senior Research Assistant, Griffith Asia Institute