Only 60 percent of Malaysians complied with the movement control order (MCO) that came into effect on March 18 to cope with the COVID-19 outbreak, Freemalaysiatoday reported.

An increase in the supply of milled rice in the Cambodian market has helped stabilise prices, in the context that the country faces the threat of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the Cambodia Rice Federation (CRF) and the Green Trade Company.

Indonesia’s rupiah (IDR) on March 18 touched the lowest level since the 1998 crisis as fears of a global recession over the rapid spread of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) prompts investors worldwide to dump financial assets.

The outbreak of COVID-19 is not likely to cause further closure of garment factories, said Cambodian Ministry of Labour and Vocational Training on March 18.

The Lao Government has suspended the issuance of visas for foreign tourists for 30 days and closed schools at all levels to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, Prime Minister Thongloun Sisoulith announced on March 18.

The Indonesian government is expanding a stimulus package worth 27.17 trillion rupiah (1.8 billion USD) in a bid to further prevent the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati said on March 18.

The Cambodian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation has announced the suspension of activities at the country’s border gates with Vietnam following complex developments of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Cambodia has recorded two more cases positive for the SARS-CoV-2, raising the total to 35, spokesperson of the country’s Ministry of Health Or Vandine said on March 18.

Indonesia’s West Kalimantan has closed its land borders with Malaysia’s Sarawak state to contain the spread of COVID-19.

The World Bank has earmarked a 100-million-USD loan to help the Philippines fight the acute respiratory disease caused by the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19), the Philippine Department of Finance said on March 18.

Singapore is edging towards its first full-year recession in nearly two decades as neighboring Malaysia’s travel ban cuts off a key source of labor and its economy is hit by COVID-19 pandemic, forcing the central bank to loosen policy.

Cambodia’s Interior Ministry has so far cracked down on 75 money laundering cases, seized about 8 million USD and confiscated nearly 3,000 vehicles, since the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) placed the country on its grey list a year ago.

Thailand’s researchers have developed a rapid test kit for COVID-19 and plan to launch clinical trials next month.

Cruise passenger traffic in Singapore has fallen by 52 percent year-on-year since the start of the COVID-19 outbreak, the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) said.