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Asia Pacific news
Regional update
Malaysia has declared a nationwide state of emergency as the country strengthens its efforts to curb the spread of COVID-19. All foreign travellers must Azman Nasir have explicit, written permission from the Malaysian authorities before travelling to Malaysia. Travellers must present the results of a negative RT-PCR test undertaken within 72 hours of their departure to Malaysia and must quarantine for seven days on their arrival. Thailand has recorded its highest COVID-19 daily cases since the country recorded its first COVID-19 case in January 2020. Thailand authorities are allowing travellers from 56 locations to enter the country without visas. All travellers must present the results of a negative COVID-19 test undertaken within 72 hours of their departure and will be subject to a 14 day state quarantine at a government-designated facility at their own expense. Myanmar has extended its COVID-19 preventive measures until 31 January 2021. International commercial flights are banned until 31 January 2021. The country started its first phase of the COVID-19 mass vaccination programme in January 2021. The vaccination programme prioritises frontline medics across the country. Indonesia has passed one million confirmed COVID-19 cases. The government has further extended the travel ban into the country for all foreign nationals until 8 February 2021. The country started its COVID-19 mass vaccination programme in January 2021. Singapore has recorded no new community infections for the sixth consecutive day. Singapore is gradually reopening its border to allow safe travel in limited numbers. There is also a proposal to lift travel restrictions on those who have been vaccinated. Vietnam has reported its first outbreak in 55 days. The government has temporarily suspended entry into the country for all foreign nationals. Arriving foreign nationals are subject to a minimum of 14 days quarantine. Vietnam has also limited inbound repatriation flights starting on 10 January 2021 to limit the risk of the pandemic spreading. The Philippines remains under Code Red Sublevel 2 which indicates ongoing local COVID-19 transmission with a greater number of cases than the government can address. The government has extended partial lockdowns in the capital Manila until 28 February 2021. The Philippines has also confirmed domestic transmission of the new B.1.1.7 COVID-19 strain.
16-17 March 2021 CONNECT
Virtual Vietnam
In EIC APAC, we continue our programme of organising webinars on behalf of EIC members who need assistance in terms of reaching a specific targeted audience. In April 2021 we are organising a webinar for Rikken Kikei from Japan and Perisind Samudra of Malaysia. In March 2021, we are organising EIC Connect Vietnam 2021 over a twoday period from 16 to 17 March. This will be followed by a webinar on 30 March 2021 on the topic of net zero with speakers from Petronas, a Thai and Indonesian energy player and a Malaysian RE company.
Azman Nasir, Head of Asia Pacific azman.nasir@the-eic.com
Regional news
DOE Philippines to award tender for geothermal and hydropower by April 2021
The Philippines Department of Energy (DOE) has released a list of five geothermal projects with a total capacity of 87MW that will be part of a tender planned for April 2021. Among the geothermal projects are the Daklan, Itogon, Putting Lupa, Maricaban and Mt Labo geothermal projects. The ministry intends to award the contracts for the geothermal and hydropower projects under the 3rd Open and Competitive Selection Process (OCSP3) by 14 April 2021 and had conducted a Launching and Pre-Submission Conference to kick-off the start of OCSP3 in early January 2021.
