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Prime Minister (PM) of Singapore Lee Hsien Loong (second from left) arrived at the Soekarno-Hatta International Airport, Tangerang, Banten, Saturday (April 24), to attend the ASEAN Leaders' Meeting (ALM) in Jakarta, on the same day. (Photo: Rusman - Presidential Secretariat Press Bureau) - 

Singaporean Prime Minister (PM) Lee Hsien Loong arrived at the Soekarno-Hatta International Airport, Tangerang, Banten, Saturday, to attend the ASEAN Leaders' Meeting (ALM) in Jakarta, scheduled on the same day.

According to the press release of the Presidential Secretariat in Jakarta, the PM of Singapore was accompanied by Ambassador of Singapore to the Republic of Indonesia Anil Kumar Nayar and was greeted by Head of State Protocol (KPN) Andy Rachmianto.

Furthermore, the Singaporean PM immediately headed to the series of vehicles provided to reach the VVIP waiting room of the Soekarno-Hatta Airport Terminal 3 VIP.

Akin to the leaders and delegates from other countries that will participate in the ALM, PM Lee Hsien Loong will undergo a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) swab test and other health screenings in accordance with the application of health protocols.

The ALM is the outcome of Indonesia's initiative to resolve the political crisis in Myanmar. The ALM is also a follow-up to the talks between the president of the Republic of Indonesia and the sultan of Brunei Darussalam, as the ASEAN chair.Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi had earlier stated that the ALM was the first meeting of ASEAN leaders during a pandemic.

Marsudi noted that the leaders’ commitment to meet physically mirrored ASEAN's deep concern over the situation in Myanmar and became the bloc’s focus to help Myanmar find a way out of the crisis.

"We certainly hope that the ALM (held on Saturday, April 24) would reach an agreement on good steps for the people of Myanmar," Marsudi stated//ANT

Malaysian Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin landed at the Soekarno-Hatta International Airport in Tangerang on Saturday morning to attend the ASEAN Leaders' Meeting (ALM) on Myanmar - 

Malaysian Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin landed at the Soekarno-Hatta International Airport in Tangerang on Saturday morning to attend the ASEAN Leaders' Meeting (ALM) on Myanmar.

On arrival at the airport at around 7:43 a.m. local time, Yassin was welcomed by the state's head protocol, Andy Rachmianto, and the Malaysian Permanent Representative for ASEAN Kamsiah Kamaruddin.

Yassin, along with his limited entourage, immediately headed to the several vehicles provided to reach the VVIP waiting room of the Soekarno-Hatta Airport Terminal 3 VIP.

At that place, Yassin will undergo PCR swab tests and other health screenings mandated in the health protocols to prevent the coronavirus infection.

The Malaysian PM is visiting Indonesia to attend the ASEAN Leaders' Meeting (ALM) scheduled to commence at the ASEAN Secretariat Building in Jakarta on Saturday afternoon.

Several issues, including the political crisis in Myanmar, will be discussed at the meeting.Most ASEAN leaders, including Myanmar junta Min Aung Hlaing, will be present at the summit. However, the leaders of Thailand, Laos, and the Philippines were confirmed to be absent and would be represented by their top officials.

Indonesian President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) recently highlighted his plans to broach the possibility of holding an ASEAN Summit to discuss the Myanmar issue with the Sultan of Brunei Darussalam, who is this year’s ASEAN chair.

Furthermore, the head of state stressed on holding dialog for reconciliation at the earliest to restore democracy, peace, and stability in the country.

"Safety and welfare of the people must be the top priority," the president noted on Friday, March 19, 2021//ANT

Logo of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). ANTARA/HO-ASEAN Secretariat - 

Leaders and delegations of ASEAN nations planning to attend the ASEAN Leader's Meeting at the ASEAN Secretariat, Jakarta, were subject to a swab test upon arrival at the Soekarno Hatta Airport, Tangerang, Banten.

According to a statement received from the Press Bureau of the Presidential Secretariat in Jakarta, Saturday, the leaders and delegations of ASEAN nations arriving on Saturday comprised the Malaysian prime minister, Laos foreign minister, Thai foreign minister, and Singaporean prime minister.

Malaysian Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin arrived at the Soekarno Hatta Airport at 7:43 Western Indonesia Time (WIB), followed by Laos Foreign Minister Saleumxay Kommasith, who arrived at 8:00 WIB.

Thailand Foreign Minister Don Pramudwinai arrived at 9:15 WIB followed by Singaporean Prime Minister M. Lee Hsien Loong, who arrived at 9:48 WIB.After arrival, the leaders and delegates then boarded vehicles provided to reach the VVIP waiting room of the Soekarno-Hatta Airport Terminal 3 VIP to undergo PCR swab tests and other health screenings in accordance with the application of health protocols.

The ASEAN leaders that arrived in Jakarta on Friday (April 23) comprised Brunei Darussalam leader Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen, and Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh.

ASEAN leaders and delegations will attend the ASEAN Leader's Meeting at the ASEAN Secretariat, Jakarta, on Saturday afternoon.

The ASEAN Leader's Meeting is an Indonesian initiative to discuss problems that plague Myanmar//ANT

White blood cells are removed, genetically modified to attack cancer cells and put back into patients, in a treatment that was recently approved in Singapore. (Photo: Novartis) - 

A type of cell therapy forcancer has been approved for use in Singapore, providing another treatment option for patients with certain types of advanced blood cancers which are not in remission despite having gone through other forms of treatment. 

Such patients include children with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia - the most common type of paediatric blood cancer in Singapore - if they fulfil certain criteria.

The new treatment works by removing disease-fighting cells called T cells from patients, genetically engineering them to attack cancer and putting the cells back into them. 

Developed by Swiss pharmaceutical firm Novartis, the therapy is called CAR-T, or chimeric antigen receptor T-cell. It is marketed commercially as Kymriah.

It was approved under Singapore's new cell, tissue and gene therapy products (CTGTP) regulatory framework which came into effect on Mar 1.

Singapore is the first country in Southeast Asia to offer the treatment. 

Explaining how the therapy works, Professor William Hwang, medical director of the National Cancer Centre Singapore said: “Imagine cancer cells as criminals and T cells as policemen. If there are strong, persistent and covert criminals in the city that the policemen cannot get rid of, the CAR-T process is like taking the policemen out, giving them training to recognise all the criminals and returning them to the city to root out the enemies.”

Prof Hwang described it as a "breakthrough".

“It is a major advancement in the emergence of immune-based treatment strategies and is a significant step forward in offering patients life-saving, individualised cancer treatment for blood cancers and disorders,” he said.

The treatment is, however, expensive and there are potentially serious side effects. The therapy is approved for children and young adults with advanced blood cancers, in particular, patients aged two to 25 withB-cell acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) that is resistant and where a relapse has occurred subsequently or post-transplant//CNA