Quick News: Tuesday, January 11, 2011

The Online Citizen to be listed as political association

THE Prime Minster's Office (PMO) has announced on Tuesday its intention to gazette news website. The Online Citizen (TOC) as a political association. The Registry of Political Donations, under the PMO, said in a press release that it has informed the site's founders of its decision via a letter sent on Monday. On why the decision to gazette TOC, the PMO explained in the statement: 'As a website that provides coverage and analysis of political issues, TOC has the potential to influence the opinions of their readership and shape political outcomes in Singapore. It has been gazetted to ensure that it is not funded by foreign elements or sources.' The Political Donations Act, it added, 'prohibits political parties, political associations and candidates in parliamentary or presidential elections from accepting donations from impermissible or foreign sources. It also requires these entities to report large donations that they have received.' However, after registration, TOC 'is entirely free to continue with its normal, lawful operations, and to receive financial support from Singaporeans and Singapore-controlled companies'. TOC has acknowledged receipt of the PMO's correspondence. Found on its website on Tuesday evening is this post: 'The email arrived at 4.13 pm today and included a nine-page registration form. Particulars demanded in the form include details of the web publisher, web host and five other editorial members currently residing in Singapore. TOC has 14 days to register.'

24 arrested in islandwide anti-loansharking operation

THE police arrested 22 men and 2 women in an island-wide operation from Sunday to Monday for suspected involvement in loansharking activities. Preliminary investigations revealed that the 24 people, aged between 19 and 60 years, had opened bank accounts and given away their automated teller machine (ATM) cards and Personal Identification Numbers to loansharking syndicates. Five of the suspects are also believed to have carried out harassments for the loansharks, while two others are believed to have carried out bank transfers and verified debtor particulars respectively. Two ATM cards, one bank account book, three mobile phones and three black marker pens were seized as case exhibits. Three of the suspects were charged in court on Tuesday. The remaining four suspects will be charged in court on Wednesday. Investigations against the remaining suspects are on-going.

More young people caught for loansharking

MORE young people were arrested for loansharking last year against the year before, many of them lured by the promise of easy money. Between January and November last year, police caught 159 young people aged 19 years and below who were involved in loansharking and related harassment activities, a 12 per cent rise from the 142 nabbed in the same period in 2009. In the first 11 months of last year, police arrested 1,443 people in total for loansharking and harassment activities, an increase of about 66 per cent from 868 in the same period the year before. In Parliament on Tuesday, Associate Professor Ho Peng Kee, Senior Minister of State for Law and Home Affairs, revealed these numbers in reply to questions from Nominated MP Paulin Tay Straughan on young people arrested for loansharking activities. He also shed light on the profile of these young offenders. The majority were between 16 and 19. However, arrests of those under 16 had dropped to 16 last year, from 27 the year before, as a result of an amendment to the Moneylenders Act in January, which made it illegal for adults aged 21 and above to recruit young people below 16 for illegal moneylending activities. 'We believe that the enhanced penalties is one of the reasons why the number of cases has dropped,' said Prof Ho.

A Total Defence first for charity

THE 2011 Total Defence campaign will not just remind Singaporeans of their role to play in defending the country but, for the first time, do its bit for charity. The annual drive, started in 1984 to remind Singaporeans of the country's limited resources and each person's role in defending it, aims to raise $200,000 for beneficiaries under the Community Chest. To raise funds, netizens will just have to click and download the music video of the song Home, which has been picked to raise awareness of the Total Defence campaign, themed 'Home - Keeping it Together'. For every download, five organisations and homegrown companies will pledge $1 to the Community Chest's beneficiaries. They include the Lee Foundation, Sembcorp Industries and Aurigin Technology. Total Defence Day, a grim reminder of a small country's vulnerability, is marked every year on Feb 15, to remember the day in 1942 when Singapore fell to the Japanese in World War II. This year, the song Home has been given a new arrangement by Ms Kit Chan and other arrangers, and will be sung by her, with help from 38 local songbirds, including Ramli Sarip, Jacinta Abisheganaden and Stefanie Sun. The Dick Lee-penned number will be aired on radio from Feb 15 and the video, produced by Ms Chan, will be shown on TV and the Total Defence campaign website, http://www.thisishome.sg/

S'pore's biggest chip-maker continues hiring

DESPITE the global slowdown in demand for computer chips, Singapore's biggest chip-maker plans to continue hiring this year as it gears up to start production of new cutting-edge products. This is a huge turnaround for GlobalFoundries, formerly Chartered Semiconductor, which is also doubling its global spending on plant and equipment this year to US$5.4 billion (S$7 billion). The firm had implemented painful retrenchments in the aftermath of the 2008 financial crisis with many of its factories sitting idle owing to lack of demand. In the first quarter of 2009, upwards of 60 per cent of its production capacity was unused, prompting the company to retrench 500 of its then-6,400 strong workforce. However, last year, GlobalFoundries enjoyed a banner year, with its Singapore plants running at upwards of 90 per cent utilisation rates, said its general manager for Singapore, Mr Raj Kumar, at a briefing on Tuesday. To cope with the demand, GlobalFoundries added 1,000 staff, boosting its Singapore workforce to 7,500. It has 11,000 employees at some eight factories globally. This year, the industry is looking at a 'slow slowdown', said Mr Kumar, although he is confident the firm will be able to win enough business to allow its utilisation rates to stay at similar levels.

4 new MRT stations for East-West line reaching Tuas

FOUR new MRT stations will be built on the East-West line, extending the rail system's reach into the Tuas industrial estate. This new rail project is estimated to cost $3.5 billion and will include the cost of the new stations, a new depot, 13 new trains and a viaduct running parallel to the train line. When completed in 2016, the new 7.5km extension is expected to cater to 100,000 passengers daily. The recent extension of Boon Lay to Joo Koon station now serves about 60,000 passengers daily. From Joo Koon station, the line will extend further westwards to serve commuters heading to Tuas, Tuas Crescent, Tuas West and Tuas Link. Trains will end their journey at the new 26ha depot, the fourth depot in Singapore. It will fit 60 trains, compared to Bishan's storage of 37 trains.

Singapore kids want to be soccer players

THE Lions may have been disbanded, but World Cup fever appears to linger on as children in Singapore say they want to be soccer players when they grow up. This was revealed during the fifth annual Adecco Children's Career Survey by human resources company Adecco Singapore, where 100 children aged seven to 14 years were asked what they wanted to be when they grew up. This is the first time in the survey's history that the soccer player profession has emerged tops, with 10 per cent of those surveyed opting for this career. The 2010 Fifa World Cup in South Africa last year as well as the success of the Singapore Cubs during the Youth Olympic Games may be influencing reasons, according to Adecco. The children were also asked what three things they would do first if they were to become the prime minister of Singapore. One child said that he would 'ensure that everyone in Singapore has an education', while another wanted to 'air condition the entire nation'.

No action, but warning given to SingTel & StarHub

THERE is not enough evidence for formal action against pay-TV providers who may have signed late exclusive deals, before new rules requiring telcos to share exclusive content kicked in last year. Communications and the Arts Minister Lui Tuck Yew said in Parliament on Tuesday that the Media Development Authority (MDA) had - after a review of specific content agreements - issued a warning not to flout laws. In April 2010, Singapore's SingTel and StarHub - both rivals in the pay-TV arena here - were asked to provide authorities with relevant information on whether long-term exclusive contracts were signed before the implementation of the cross-carriage agreement. The new law means pay-TV providers with broadcast rights to any programme must cross-carry each other's content, so multiple set-top boxes are not needed by consumers. The rule applies to any contract signed or renewed from Mar 12 2010. Mr Lui said: 'The measure does not in any way prohibit local pay-TV retailers from entering into exclusive arrangements with content providers; neither does it require an exclusive licensee to sub-license or to re-sell the exclusive content to other pay-TV retailers. 'In addition, the measure is designed to apply to content agreements in a prospective manner, and continues to provide retailers and content providers the commercial flexibility to bundle or to package content in ways that best meets consumer needs.'

Impossible for S'pore to block all undesirable sites

GIVEN the borderless nature of the Internet, it is not possible for the Government to block every undesirable website, said Information, Communications and Arts Minister Lui Tuck Yew on Tuesday in Parliament. But he added that where necessary, the Government will block some pornographic and other undesirable sites, especially those that are more prominent. He was responding to questions from Member of Parliament Cynthia Phua (Aljunied GRC) on whether the ministry could block pornographic sites, and ask internet service providers (ISPs) to provide free blocking services. Mr Lui said that ISPs are required to block 100 sites as 'a symbolic statement of our community's stand on harmful and undesirable content on the Internet'. ISPs will also be required to actively market their Internet filtering services to consumers when they purchase or renew their Internet subscriptions. This, he said, would be more beneficial than providing free filters, 'as parents can learn about and understand the benefits of such filtering services and exercise parental responsibility to protect their children'. Mr Lui said that a Censorship Review Committee survey in 2010 found that 71 per cent of Internet users who are parents with young children are not subscribers of Internet filters.

2 human smugglers and 5 illegal immigrants arrested

TWO human smugglers who attempted to sneak five illegal immigrants into Singapore on Monday morning were arrested by the Police Coast Guard (PCG). A PCG officer spotted an unlit vessel moving towards the shorelines of Sungei Buloh Nature Reserve at 5.35am. Five people were later seen disembarking and running towards the nature reserve. The boatman and his assistant then steered their boat towards Malaysia territorial waters but made a U-turn to the shore after spotting PCG patrol boats converging on them. They beached at the shore, and also ran towards the nature reserve.
All seven were eventually caught in a joint operation involving the PCG's Coastal Security Patrol Force, Jurong Police Division, Special Operations Command and the Gurhka Contingent Of the seven people, five were female illegal immigrants from China between 32 and 54 years, while the boatman and his assistant were Malaysians, aged 54 and 21 respectively. All seven suspects were not in possession of any valid travel documents and will be charged in court on Wednesday for unlawful entry. The boatman and his assistant will also face five additional counts of smuggling illegal immigrants.

Bus fare refunds: extension not needed for now

ABOUT $46,000 of refunds on overcharged bus fares has been collected, out of an estimated $300,000 owed to commuters. Transport Minister Raymond Lim revealed this in Parliament on Tuesday in response to questions from Dr Lim Wee Kiak (Sembawang GRC) on how many had claimed their overcharged funds. The overcharging began from July 2010, when distance-based fares kicked in, and bus operators SBS Transit and SMRT wrongly measured the distance between 68 pairs of bus stops. On average, commuters had paid four cents more than they should have, on every journey passing through the affected bus stops. They have until June 17, 2011 to get their refund at any TransitLink ticket office or any Add Value Machine at bus interchanges and MRT stations. Asked whether the ministry would consider extending the deadline for claims collection by another six months if a large sum is still uncollected, Mr Lim said: ' I think that right now, we have given six months and it's quite a long time. I think we can look at it closer to the day.'

New money from IRs, other gambling revenues down

REVENUE from the integrated resorts (IRs) between April and November last year may have hit about $420 million but collections from other gambling activities have fallen. Second Minister for Finance Lim Hwee Hua said this in Parliament on Tuesday. Levies charged for entry at the IRs raked in $130 million for the Totalisator Board during the same period in 2010. They will go towards funding activities benefiting the community. Areas include education, health, sports and the arts. Revenues collected by the Government from the IRs will go to the Consolidated Fund. Mrs Lim said the fund is not earmarked for specific purposes. Instead, it goes towards funding the Government budget as a whole.

 

Man jailed 12 months for cheating offences

A FORMER property agent was jailed a total of 12 months on Tuesday for pocketing the rental deposits of clients, cheating and forgery. Choo Kok Onn, 42, had admitted to three charges of criminal breach of trust as an agent, and one each of cheating and forgery. The total amount involved in the 14 charges against him was $19,353. A district court heard that Choo would take the victims to view the flats for rental and misappropriate the deposits and advance rental payment given to him. The victims handed over between $2,200 and $3,586 between December 2009 and July last year.
In another case, Choo duped Ms Chen Yihong, 28, into handing over a total of $2,255 to him after making her believe that a unit at New Upper Changi Road was for rent when he knew that someone else had rented it. Choo also forged the signature of his wife, Madam Sim Ah Wah, 28, on an OCBC cheque for $5,100 to pay to Mr Varathan Govindarajan, 35, one of his victims, in June last year. The cheque bounced when the victim tried to bank it in.

Hit-and-run lorry ruins avid gardener's efforts

A LORRY mounted a kerb and ploughed into a manicured stretch of pavement along Sunset Heights on Monday, uprooting more than 10 trees there. The driver did not stick around to survey the damage caused.

Two neighbours' bodies found at Bishan block

THE body of a woman suffering from depression was found barely a metre away from that of her 15th floor neighbour at the foot of their Bishan St 13 block on Monday. Administrative assistant Ng Sock Luan, 48, and retiree Lau Fong Kien, 55, who lived on the 11th and 15th floor respectively, were long-time residents of the block but did not know each other. A member of the public had alerted police at about 11.20am about the two bodies. Both were pronounced dead at the scene when paramedics arrived shortly later. Some medication and food items were discovered next to Ms Lau's body. It is believed that they died around the same time. The two women had very different personalities, relatives told The Straits Times, adding that Madam Ng could have fallen on Ms Lau.

Illegal KTV hostesses living on the edge

AT THE New Year weekend, a petite Chinese girl was fussing over her patron at a KTV lounge in the Selegie area when a waiter burst into the room to warn of police checks. Tearing off her high heels, the 23-year-old raced up to the rooftop with other hostesses, huddling there for a few hours until the officers left.












  

Quick News: Monday, January 10, 2011

JTC selling off more industrial properties

INDUSTRIAL landlord JTC Corporation has embarked on the second phase of its exercise to sell off many of its industrial properties so it can focus on developing new ideas to give Singapore an edge. The move also aims to promote greater competition in the market. JTC is now selling 21 blocks of flatted factories and amenity centres mainly in areas such as Tai Seng, Kolam Ayer, Kallang Basin, Bedok and Kampong Ubi. It has not put forward a guide figure but reports suggest the total could be in the range of $600 million to $700 million. The first phase of divestments was finalised in 2008 when JTC sold 39 high-rise ready-built factories worth a combined $1.7 billion to Temasek Holdings unit Mapletree Investments. The latest portfolio will be divided into two tranches according to location, tenure and size, with the two-stage tender process closing on March 1.

Foreign lawyers to practise Singapore commercial law

BY THE end of the year, foreign lawyers may practise Singapore commercial law here - if they sit for, and pass, an examination set by the new Singapore Institute of Legal Education. The new bill tabled in Parliament on Monday by Law Minister K Shanmugam will add supply to meet the bigger pie from regional and cross-border needs say industry players. Currently there are 966 foreign lawyers registered with the Attorney-General's Chambers to practise foreign law here. According to the bill tendered by Law Minister K Shanmugam, the exams will be prepared and issued by the new Singapore Institute of Legal Education (SILE). The SILE which will replace the current Board of Legal Education which currently runs the courses preparing lawyers for admission to the Bar. The SILE headed by Professor Walter Woon will also be tasked to draw up programmes for compulsory continuing education to keep lawyers updated with current practices.
 
 

Law trainees to get feet wet sooner

PRACTICE trainees undergoing pupilage in law firms may be exposed to a wider range of legal work sooner. At the moment, law graduates appear only before a judge in chambers or in court for simple tasks such as applying for bail or mentioning a case - and they start doing this only after four months of a half-year-long attachment to a law firm. But this is set to change if the proposed amendments to the Legal Profession Act is accepted by Parliament. Under the proposed changes, the time before trainees appear in court and chambers will be whittled down to three months. Besides the shorter time frame, they will also be allowed to appear in court for all types of hearings, including represent clients in open court, just three months into their training. Mr Andy Lem, a partner in law firm Harry Elias Partnership, expects more trainees to get on board the programme, should the proposed changes be passed. To be able to appear in court and chambers, trainees must first make an application with support from their supervising solicitor. If they do not make the application, they will be allowed to appear in court only after completing six months of training.

No to lowering minimum age requirement for maids

THE Government has no intention of of changing the minimum age requirement for maids, despite recent calls from employment agencies to reduce it from 23 years to 21. Responding to questions posed by Jurong GRC and labour MP Halimah Yacob in Parliament yesterday (Jan 10), Senior Minister of State of Trade and Industry and Manpower Lee Yi Shyan said doing so will not address the problems faced by young foreign domestic workers. In fact, he said it 'may even lead to a perverse outcome of making it easier for even younger girls to circumvent the minimum age requirement.' The issue was put in the spotlight following the case of Indonesian maid Nurhayati, who was charged with murdering her employer's disabled 12-year-old daughter last November (2010). It was discovered in court last month (December) that the maid was actually aged 16, and not 24 as stated in her travel document. In 2005, the minimum age limit for maids was raised from 18 to 23 years on the basis that older maids are generally more responsible, better able to take care of themselves and adapt to the working environment here.
 
 

MOE to tighten teacher and scholarship selection

THE Ministry of Education (MOE) will look into tightening the processes used to select teachers and scholarship candidates, as well as better monitor their scholars while they are studying overseas.
Education Minister Dr Ng Eng Hen said in Parliament on Monday that besides tightening processes, MOE would also specifically ask the schools of potential scholars to provide more information. Dr Ng was answering questions from MPs on the selection process after MOE scholar Jonathan Wong was arrested last year (2010) for possessing child pornography on his computer. He was studying in Britain at that time. He said applicants for both teaching positions and scholarships are required to undergo an interview process where they are assessed by a panel on their overall abilities, aptitude, character, and passion to teach. On top of that, scholarship candidates selected to study overseas undergo an additional interview conducted by trained psychologists to assess qualities such as leadership style, character, values, and the ability to adjust to overseas living. Dr Ng assured the House that panel members are experienced enough to 'interpret the nuances and identify information gaps', and that any concerns, such as that of the candidate's integrity, would be discussed before reaching a decision.
 
 

PUB to fight floods with CCTV

NATIONAL water agency PUB is turning to security cameras as it extends its network of monitors in the flood-prone area of Bukit Timah. It plans to install five closed-circuit televisio (CCTV) cameras along the Bukit Timah Canal and one at the Jalan Haji Alias outlet drain near Coronation Road West. A PUB spokesman said this trial study to monitor real-time conditions in places such as outlet drains and low-lying areas aims to 'allow PUB to respond even faster' to areas prone to flash floods during intense storms. She added that the CCTV cameras will complement PUB's current flood management initiatives such as water level sensors installed in key canals and drains. To date, PUB has installed 90 such sensors, including at points in the Bukit Timah Canal near Blackmore Drive and Prince of Wales Road. PUB's call for tender, which closes today, indicates that it is looking at a system that will allow images captured by the solar-powered CCTV cameras to be accessed via mobile broadband services on devices such as laptops and iPads.

St Nicholas has top O-level student, 3rd-year running

CHIJ St Nicholas Girls' School (SNGS) has produced the top O-level student three years in a row. SNGS student Chia Pei Yun topped the nation with a score of 10 A1s. Her seniors also managed the same feat in previous years: Lai Kai Rou scored Haw Sue Hern both scored 10 A1s in 2010 and 2009 respectively. The release of the O-level results on Monday saw little change in the overall performance of students islandwide. Nearly all - 99.8 per cent - of the 37,655 students who took the exams last year scored at least one O-level pass. Of these, the vast majority - 35,753, or 94.9 per cent - had three or more O-level passes.

Jailed for submitting fake payslips to bank

A BANK officer suspected that a payslip submitted by a credit card applicant was not the real McCoy and checked with the employer. True enough, the salary had been inflated to meet the $60,000 annual income requirement set by Standard Chartered Bank (SCB). Investigations revealed that a whole team at telemarketing firm Touch & Tech was behind it, and on Monday, a direct sales agent and an applicant pleaded guilty to conspiring to using the false payslips and fake employment letters. Both are Filipinos. Charon Legaspi Dimpas, 26, was jailed three years and nine months while Maria Theresa Arena Garcia, 39, was jailed six months. A district court heard that Dimpas had submitted fake documents for 96 applicants and earned $8,474 in commission from June to November 2009. SCB had engaged Touch & Tech to market its credit cards. From its office in Middle Road, Dimpas would make cold calls to prospective applicants but many did not meet the bank's criteria. Besides the inflated payslips, Dimpas also submitted false letters for extension of employment because applicants needed a minimum of one-year validity remaining on the employment passes. In Garcia's case, she was an administrative operations executive with an employment agency in 2009, earning $2,600 a month. On the fake payslip, this was inflated to $5,180. Like the others, she also used the fake documents to apply for a loan and the court heard that SCB had lent nearly $760,000 to the 96 applicants.

Cost of living to soar further: Shanmugaratnam

THE rising cost of living, driven partly by higher food prices, is expected to soar further in the first three months of this year before moderating, Finance Minister Tharaman Shanmugaratnam cautioned in Parliament today. But some relief for Singaporeans hurt by the quickening inflation is in store: the upcoming Budget next month will contain measures to help shield them from its impact, he promised. 'The Government will take into account the impact of inflation and the needs of low-income and retiree households when considering further transfers,' said Mr Shanmugaratnam. The minister also hinted that existing assistance schemes such as the ComCare Fund - now holding $800 million - may be enhanced to provide more buffer for the needy. 'Apart from the Budget... we've got ComCare and other schemes which will allow residents who are truly in need to get assistance,'he added. Inflation in Singapore hit 3.8 per cent in November from a year ago, the largest jump since January 2009.
 
 

Lorry driver gets fine and driving ban

A LORRY driver was fined $6,000 and banned from driving for four years on Monday for negligently causing the death of an elderly pedestrian. Tan Eng Huat, 51, was driving out of the carpark at Block 90 Whampoa Drive and making a right turn when his vehicle hit Madam Ho Ah Nui, 68, at about 9.10pm on Feb 8 last year. Madam Ho was seriously injured and died of head injury the following morning. His lawyer said in mitigation that Tan had attended to the woman after the accident and attended her wake and cremation. District Judge Low Wee Ping said he was impressed by the fact that Tan acted with significant remorse. Tan could have been jailed for up to two years and/or fined for causing death by doing a negligent act.

S'pore Govt bonds for trading on SGX by mid-2011

RETAIL investors will have a safe alternative to bank deposits come middle of 2011, when Singapore Government bonds will be made available for trading on the Singapore Exchange. Finance Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam revealed this in parliament on Monday, noting that Singapore's capital market will continue to develop, offering more investment alternatives. He said, "These include instruments that offer better returns than savings deposits - but without overly high risk." He added that well-rated corporate bonds are also becoming more widely available as more high quality-corporate borrowers are turning to the bond market to meet their financial needs. With some of these bonds targeted at retail investors, such bond issuance can be expected to be a growing trend in coming years.

Nearly 2 in 3 Singaporeans shop online

SIXTY-FOUR per cent, or nearly two-thirds, of respondents, in a MasterCard survey said they now shop online, up by 10 per cent from last year. Singaporean women continued to out-shop their male counterparts with 68 per cent of female respondents shopping online, compared to only 60 per cent of males. Female online shoppers also purchased an average of five items online in the last three months, more than the male shoppers' average of 4.2 items. The types of online purchases have not changed from past years. Airline tickets continue to be the most popular items, followed by hotel accommodations, movie/concert tickets, women's apparel and accessories and books and art. These online purchases are usually planned in advance, with nearly 80 per cent of those surveyed doing research beforehand. On the other hand, the most common items that triggered impulse shopping online are women's apparel or accessories and airline tickets. Singaporeans cited convenient payment methods, secure payment facilities, and price and value of the items being purchased as the top three influencing factors in their online shopping experience. Respondents were also surveyed on their online shopping habits through mobile phones for the first time. Only 12 per cent of respondents in Singapore made purchases on their mobile phones in the last three months.

HDB clarifies rule on siblings

HOMEBUYERS who are siblings and unmarried - whether citizens or permanent residents (PRs) - can apply to buy HDB resale flats if their parents live overseas and do not already own a public flat. They do not have to be above the age of 35, and their applications will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

125 estate agents' application forms missing

THE Council for Estate Agencies (CEA) on Sunday said it has misplaced 125 application forms due to an administrative oversight. It is working with these estate agents to get them registered as soon as possible. Meanwhile, the agents have been issued provisional registrations and are allowed to practise. The CEA also said that 'as a gesture of goodwill', 813 of 1,736 property agents whose applications are pending approval can act provisionally till the end of this month. These agents either submitted their application forms after the Nov 30, 2010 deadline, or did not have their forms in order. Another 923 agents' applications are pending approval, but this group will not get the grace period. These are people who either did not declare criminal convictions or who gave inaccurate information on their bankruptcy status. They can re-apply or appeal to be registered. The government agency acknowledged problems such as missing forms and registration delays, and apologised for the inconvenience caused.

Quick News: Sunday, January 09, 2011

2 weeks' leave + 11 PHs = 43 days off

Rest assured, your two weeks' annual leave and 11 public holidays can together yield up to 43 days off this year. This, despite 2011 seeing just five long weekends, down from seven last year.

Three mature HDB towns to get $1b facelift

The Government will spend $1 billion over the next five years to rejuvenate and upgrade three HDB towns in Hougang, East Coast and Jurong Lake. These three mature estates are set to be transformed under the second phase of Remaking Our Heartland (ROH), an initiative first announced in 2007 by the Prime Minister.

Pre-enlistment jitters? This course claims to help

National service made easier: A sales pitch made by a former military psychologist to 18-year-olds who may have pre-enlistment jitters. Mr Stanley Chua, a former major in the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF), has devised a course to prep them for the two-year mandatory stint for male citizens.















These SMSes are not meant for me!

For a few days last month, 18 mobile phone numbers in Singapore were each 'shared' by two different subscribers - creating confusion and concern. It started when 18 people signed up for new lines with StarHub, Singapore's No. 2 mobile network operator. But when the numbers were activated, they could not get incoming calls and text messages though they could make calls and send SMSes.

'I didn't try to entrap Gary Ng for fame'

She went public last week on her dramatic attempt to ensnare 'Gary Ng', the 28-year-old who gained notoriety for his homemade sex videos with numerous women. But lawyer Yeo Poh Tiang insists her entrapment attempt was not for fame, even though she admits that the media attention she sought could bring her more clients.

Kids get early start in water survival skills

PRIMARY schools here will begin the new year by taking part in a water safety programme emphasising survival skills, which replaces an earlier course focusing on swimming techniques, National Water Safety Council chairman Teo Ho Pin said on Sunday. Launched last July, the new SwimSafer programme is aimed at imparting skills to help trainees save themselves and others during dangerous situations in water. It replaces the 2007 Learn-to-Swim (LTS) programme which just highlighted the different swimming strokes. While about 90 per cent of primary schools took part in LTS, now all but four of the 180 primary schools nationwide have come on board to SwimSafer. The four schools have not signed up because they are still working out the scheduling. 'But we are confident everyone will come on board eventually,' added Dr Teo.
The schools are free to design their own curriculum for participation in SwimSafer, such as making it an enrichment programme or getting whole cohorts to attend lessons. Like LTS, schools are encouraged to take part in SwimSafer but it is not mandatory.

Jalan Besar GRC to get $460m upgrading

JALAN Besar GRC is set to benefit from $460 million worth of projects which will make the five-member group representation constituency a better home for residents. Themed 'My Home in the City', the five-year masterplan was unveiled to residents at an exhibition beside the Boon Keng MRT Station on Sunday. Residents can look forward to the upgrading of facilities, more greenery, and increased links and focal points within the estate that will strengthen both the town's identity and bonds among residents. Minister for the Environment and Water Resources Yaacob Ibrahim, an MP for Jalan Besar GRC, said at the launch: 'It's about having a home in the city. We will link up the various heritage points, and we are blessed with the Downtown Line that will cut across the entire GRC. Therefore we will build our plans around those elements.' Eleven stations on the Downtown Line are located within the constituency. They are slated for completion in three stages by 2016. Jalan Besar GRC is also set to get six projects under the nationwide Active, Beautiful and Clean Waters programme, which integrates waterways with the living environment. These include floating decks, waterwheels and a floating bazaar, which will allow residents to reconnect with waterways in the GRC such as Sungei Whampoa, the Kallang River and the Rochor Canal.

Hub points elderly, disabled towards help

DESPITE the many schemes set up to help them, some elderly and disabled people struggle to navigate the complex social and health-care system on their own. As a result, they may be admitted to hospitals or care homes unnecessarily. A new social service hub launched in Chong Pang on Sunday aims to solve this problem by giving them a point of contact, so they know where to turn if they need help. Staff at the centre - set up by the Chong Pang Citizens' Consultative Committee and Thye Hua Kwan Moral Society - try to work out what kind of help they need, then link them with appropriate health and social services. Work started there two months ago, and the centre is now dealing with 11 cases. Mr Lee Kim Siang, chairman of Thye Hua Kwan Moral Society, recalled a case in which three siblings with a mental disability cared for their elderly mother. The centre looked into the needs of the mother and referred the siblings for vocational training and employment.

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Quick News: Saturday, January 08, 2011

Tweeting teen now boasts about illegal driving

A READER of popular citizen journalism portal Stomp named followerontwitter has expressed anger at another tweet by the teenager who caused an uproar when he tweeted a photograph of his exam papers in November 2010. Sixteen-year-old Xavier Ong tweeted recently that he was 'driving the company car home tonight'. Stomp reader follower on twitter elaborated that he was on Twitter when Xavier had boasted about driving a car back home. Xavier claimed that his mother even told him: 'Next time...want car...just ask for key.' It has also been alleged that it is not the first time that Xavier has driven a car. The Stomp reader said: 'I want to question the authorities and the company why he (Xavier) is allowed to drive a car without a licence. 'What if he got into an accident or worse still, got someone killed? Who is going to answer for it - the company or the authorities?' said followerontwitter. Xavier himself has replied to followerontwitter comments by denying his boasting posts. He defended himself saying: 'It is totally untrue that I drove. I was next to a friend and he was the one driving.' Xavier then added he was 'fooling around as usual' with 'nothing better to do' and does not 'even dare sit in the driver's seat'.

Shanghai overtakes S'pore as world's busiest port

SHANGHAI said it overtook Singapore for the first time in 2010 to become the world's busiest container port, as the global economic recovery boosted cargo traffic through China's business centre. Shanghai's port handled 29.05 million 20-foot equivalent units, or TEUs more than Singapore, the Shanghai government said in a statement. Officials credited the economic recovery and Shanghai's six-month long World Expo with boosting the container and cargo traffic travelling through the port, the statement said. Shanghai's cargo throughput rose to about 650 million tonnes in 2010, remaining the world's largest, up from 590 million tonnes in 2009, the statement said. Shanghai will continue, and possibly expand, an export-tax refund pilot project and press on with expanding infrastructure, the statement said. The city has charged ahead through the financial crisis with work to more than double its port capacity. China's cabinet has declared it wants Shanghai to move up the value chain and become a full-service world-class shipping centre by 2020, with shipping financing, reinsurance and arbitration services.

Jail, caning for car-burning loan shark runner

A MAN could not repay $3,000 owed to a loan shark and was afraid that the latter would harass his father. Low Chick Kim, 30, then decided to work for the illegal moneylender and harass other debtors. District Judge Jasbendar Kaur noted that his was 'one of the worst cases of harassment' to come before the courts. She said: 'You went on to inflict the same torture on others that you did not want to endure.' Low was on Friday sentenced to five years' jail and 24 strokes of the cane. He had committed 21 offences between Aug 4 and Oct 21 last year in various places from Ang Mo Kio to Pasir Ris.

Jump in hospital bills over past four years

THE average bill for a subsidised C-class patient in a public hospital has gone up by between a third on the low end and almost double on the high end, in the four years since 2006. The Ministry of Health (MOH) puts this down to multiple factors - including a greater number of more ill and older patients, and patients asking for non-subsidised drugs and implants.

Landed home crunch set to worsen

LANDED homes are a rare commodity, and the crunch is expected to get worse in the coming years, going by the limited stock available. In the past 10 years, the number of landed homes has gone up by just 6 per cent, while the number of apartments has risen by 47 per cent. Out of a total of 256,513 private homes, 69,701 were landed, as of the third quarter of last year, data compiled by Credo Real Estate showed. The shortage is likely to mean that developers would look towards intensifying their land use, possibly offering more strata-titled landed homes instead. These homes, also known as cluster homes, combine the posh appeal of conventional landed homes with shared condo-style facilities like pools and security. But they come with strata titles, so owners cannot renovate or rebuild their homes like in conventional landed homes.

MPs to raise low-wage workers issue

THE widening income gap and the challenges that low-wage Singaporeans face will take centre stage when Parliament sits next week. At least nine MPs will speak on these issues during a debate on inclusive growth, proposed by labour MPs Josephine Teo and Zainudin Nordin, both of Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC. Mrs Teo said her primary interest is whether low-wage workers have benefited from Singapore's sparkling growth, which hit 14.7 per cent last year. She hopes the debate will lead to greater clarity on how the Government can promote inclusive growth and a consensus among MPs on this issue. Among the MPs who will join in the debate is Ms Irene Ng of Tampines GRC. She will call for a larger portion of the Workfare Income Supplement to be paid out in cash. 'The cash portion is too small to make an impact on the low-wage worker's standard of living and ability to cope with the rising cost of living, especially if he has children to support,' she said.

Aljunied GRC to get more 'connected'

RESIDENTS in Aljunied GRC can look forward to a seamless network of park and estate connectors next year linking them to MRT stations and amenities across the constituency. The One Link@Aljunied will improve accessibility to three new MRT stations on the eastern Downtown Line - Kaki Bukit, Bedok Town Park and Bedok Reservoir - which will be open by 2017. The $3 million One Link project, expected to be completed in the last quarter of next year, will also offer residents easy access to malls and community spaces. Part of the connectors will incorporate a cycling track, the Aljunied Town Council disclosed yesterday at a media preview of its next five-year plan for the GRC. Connections of another sort are also on the cards: Internet-savvy residents used to high-speed surfing at home will be able to enjoy doing so outdoors too. The six community clubs in the constituency, as well as some fast-food outlets, restaurants and sports facilities, have already been fitted to become wireless 'hot spots'. But the GRC is looking to add markets and hawker centres to the list. The masterplan will be unveiled to residents on Saturday at an exhibition at the open space next to the Hougang MRT station.

Alleged rape victim 'too drunk to defend herself'

A YOUNG woman who was allegedly raped by a man she met at Zouk two years ago, was so drunk that she was incapable of giving her consent or fighting back against her assailant. Senior consultant forensic pathologist Wee Keng Poh gave his opinion when he testified on Day 5 of Ong Mingwee's trial. Dr Wee said the woman's blood alcohol level at the time of the alleged rape could be 255mg ethanol per 100ml of blood - above the toxic level but below the 350mg/100ml lethal level. Dr Wee, the last witness for the prosecution, said in the case of the alleged victim, the alcohol she had taken would have reduced her ability to protect herself and impaired her judgment, perception of others and ability to resist both physically and verbally. District Judge Hamidah Ibrahim called upon Ong, 28, to enter his defence. After conferring briefly with his lawyer Goh Siok Leng, he said he would give evidence in the witness stand. He will do so when the hearing continues on Feb 14. Ong, who runs a provision shop in Toa Payoh North, is alleged to have raped the then 22-year-old woman at a unit above the shop in the early hours of Feb 12, 2009.

Taxi ends up on Parklane pavement

A TAXI ploughed through bushes and hit a bicycle and a man before ending up on the walkway outside Parklane Shopping Mall just after 10am on Friday. The man, a cleaner from Purechem Veolia, was picking rubbish from the bushes when the incident happened. He escaped with minimal injuries. The taxi driver, Tan Geok Lin, in his 50s, was sent conscious to hospital. 'It happened very fast. I flew and was on the pavement. I was so panicky,' said Mr Ripin Sulong, a Malaysian. The 44-year-old said that he was lucky that he landed on his side. He said that his left arm, wrist and foot were hurting when The Straits Times spoke to him at the scene. A manager from the environmental company said that they would send him to a company doctor for a thorough check-up. He added that he had been told that the taxi driver had been low on glucose, and had lost control of his vehicle. Investigations are ongoing.

Quick News: Friday, January 07, 2011

Changes made to polling districts

THE Elections Department on Friday announced that changes have been made to polling districts, four days after it released news of a new round to update the electoral registers. The changes to polling districts are to ensure that no polling station handles too many or too few voters. They were set out in a 109-page notification on the electronic version of the Government Gazette. The last round of polling district changes were announced in February last year. Such changes routinely take place when voter registers are updated. The law requires voter registers to be revised within three years of the last general election, which was in May 2006. As some voters would have changed addresses since then, the Elections Department looks at their registered addresses as of a specified date and reassigns these voters to the appropriate polling districts.

Muis plans to raise $2m for Punggol's 1st mosque

THE Islamic Religious Council of Singapore (Muis) has announced plans to raise funds for the nation's newest and most expensive mosque. To cost $15 million, the Punggol mosque will sit at the junction of Punggol Place and Punggol Field, near the area's MRT station, and be up by 2014. Construction will likely start in 2012. The high cost was to rising construction and land costs, Muis said at a press briefing on Thursday. The site, about the size of 10 tennis courts, will serve a congregation of 4,000 worshippers. It will be the first mosque in the Punggol area. A committee comprising 15 residents of Punggol and Sengkang were appointed in December 2010 to oversee the mosque's fundraising activities. Construction costs are funded separately by the Mosque Building & Mendaki Fund.

Singapore gets top marks in global law survey

SINGAPORE was rated No.1 in the civil justice systems in the Rule of Law Index 2010 of the World Justice Project. It is a project to rank the quality of legal systems in the context of the rule of law. The accolade drew the notice of Chief Justice Chan Sek Keong who raised the point in his address at the official opening of the Legal Year ceremony, to underline the star quality of the legal system here. Law Minister K. Shanmugam weighed in on the issue explaining how this had been achieved and said the system here protects the independence of the judiciary, and extremely high-quality judges are appointed from the legal service as well as from the profession. Asked about some people still mocking the justice system, he said the 'more they mock, the better we do, so let them keep mocking, we will become better and better as a financial centre, as a city state and as a legal services centre.' Separately , Singapore's fight against financial crimes has been beefed up and taken to the next level. Attorney-General Sundaresh Menon in his speech, said a new Economic Crimes and Governance Division has been created, in addition to the current Criminal Justice Division and the State Prosecution Division. ' Its officers will focus on and specialise in the prosecution of even the most sophisticated financial crimes, and regulatory offences.' More than 500 guests and members of the legal fraternity were present including Senior Minister S. Jayakumar, High Court judges and law officials from Hong Kong, Malaysia and Brunei.

Accused in SLA scam should be jailed for a long time

EX-SWIMMING instructor Ho Yen Teck who is the first accused in the Singapore Land Authority (SLA) $12 million scam to admit to his crimes should be jailed for a long time, said a prosecutor on Friday. Deputy Public Prosecutor Jean Chan said the 31-year-old played a significant role and was a persistent offender working hand-in-glove with his co-conspirators. The court heard that SLA was induced to award a total of 195 contracts to Ho's seven sole proprietorships which received $9.8 million between January 2008 and March 2010. Ho had admitted to 21 charges of conspiring with Koh Seah Wee and Lim Chai Meng to cheat the SLA by rendering false invoices for fictitious IT maintenance services and goods which were not delivered. Both Koh, 40, and Lim, 37, were then working in SLA. Their cases are pending. Another 174 counts will be taken into consideration when Ho is sentenced next week. Arguing for a stiff sentence, DPP Chan said the offences were committed against a public institution over a substantial period of time, resulting in the loss of an astronomically large sum of public funds. Ho, DPP Chan said, played a pivotal role in the conspiracy. She said the offences seriously undermined the integrity of the public procurement process. Pleading for leniency, his lawyer Jackson Eng said Ho was no more than a puppet in the entire exercise. Of the $9.8 million received from SLA, Ho only received about $200,000. He had voluntarily surrendered $53,799 to the police and was offering to make another $3,800. Counsel said the offences were borne out of Ho's personal difficulties. Ho can be jailed for up to 10 years and fined on each charge.

 

Both Lions and management to blame: ST Readers

THE blame for a disappointing national football side should fall on both the players and management. This was the general sentiment among readers of The Straits Times, after the Football Association of Singapore (FAS) announced that the Lions would be disbanded following disappointing performances last year. Other than turning in poor performances, like their failure to qualify for the final round of the Asian Cup last February and last month's Suzuki Cup disaster, the Lions were plagued by disciplinary problems such as smoking and curfew-breaking. The news resonated with readers, drawing more than 200 'likes' on The Straits Times webpage in a matter of hours. Many said that the disbanding was long overdue. 'It's due time that the team should have been disbanded. This time, make sure to train them in full discipline. Kudos to FAS president for taking this step... albeit finally,' Sonny Pereira wrote on The Straits Times' Facebook page. Bert Thongchai praised the decision as well. 'We need Maradonas, not Prima Donas.. Rule with iron fist please, (and show) no more sentiment. Show the players you mean business.' However, a more prevalent opinion was that the management should share the blame for the Lions' poor showing. Wrote SivaG on Twitter: 'Players are to blame too, of course. But why make them scapegoats? Officials must be brave enough to take responsibility - none have so far.' Clarice Felix agreed, lamenting: 'To produce good players you need to have good management. Maybe it's time to get some new good players and revamp the management too but it's hard these days. Gone are the days of the Gelek King and the Kallang Roar.' However, some thought the decision wasn't addressing the true root of the problem and was just a 'knee-jerk reaction', as Matthew Lim put it. He explained, "When we had discipline problems and under-performed these past couple of seasons, nothing was done. Should something have been done earlier to prevent the rot from settling in?' Agreeing, Kelvin Chan chimed in: 'I think enough has been discussed and debated over our National Team. So many years of feedback, opinions, public opinion, public support, Sponsors support... all down the drain. They can do whatever they want right now...who cares.' Some suggested looking north, to Malaysia, for ideas on revamping the team. Wrote Joe Danker Monreal, 'I think if Malaysia can do it with all locals, why not us? If Malaysia can, so can we.' Syamil Mirza agreed, adding that 'FAS should consider having an all-local squad, from the coaches to the players, just like the Malaysia team and we see how it goes from there. At least if the team still doesn't live up to expectations, we can still be proud of them because they're all born Singaporeans.'

Ex-Yuhua CC officer jailed for pocketing $50,700

BETWEEN 2008 and October 2010, a constituency support officer of the Yuhua community club diverted $50,700 he collected as fees from participants attending courses, into his own pocket. On Friday, Koh Wee Ngiap, 36, pleaded guilty and was jailed four months by a district court. The offences came to light when a deputy manager checked the accounts and realised that a large amount of funds was missing. Koh, now jobless, could have been jailed up to seven years for misappropriating the money.

Alleged rape victim's alcohol level 3 times legal limit

THE blood-alcohol level found in a young woman at the time of an alleged rape by Ong Mingwee was more than three times the legal limit for drink driving. The 255mg ethanol per 100 ml of blood was above the toxic level but below the lethal level of 350mg, said a forensic pathologist. Senior consultant forensic pathologist Wee Keng Poh testified on Friday at Ong Mingwee's rape trial that the level found on the then-22-year-old woman would physically or mentally incapacitate her. She would also not be capable of giving consent. Dr Wee said the alcohol she had taken would reduce her ability to protect herself, impair her judgment, her perception of others, as well as her ability to resist both physically and verbally.
Ong, 28, is said to have raped the woman at a flat above his family-run minimart at Toa Payoh North in the early hours on Feb 12, 2009. After calling 14 prosecution witnesses, the prosecution closed its case. District Judge Hamidah Ibrahim called on his defence. Ong, who elected to give evidence, will take the stand when hearing continues on Feb 14. The maximum penalty for rape is 20 years' jail and fine or caning.

Five face 32 more fake casino chips charges

FIVE Indian nationals accused of using fake casino chips at Marina Bay Sands were accused of 32 more similar charges on Friday. Asfaq Usman, 25, Maqsud Ibrahim, 28, Vishal Sopan Gurav, 26, Soheel Ahmad Jamil Ahmad, 33, Kunal Balan Shettiyar, 24, are alleged to have conspired with Ijaz Ahmed and others unknown in December, to use as genuine, counterfeit chips. Ijaz, who is believed to be in Mumbai, has not been charged. Except for Soheel, the rest are said to have presented one to two pieces of fake chips with a face value of $1,000, to exchange genuine chips in smaller denominations with croupiers at MBS casino on Dec 29. A police prosecutor told the court that the five are believed to be working for a syndicate dealing with counterfeit casino chips. The court heard that only $17,000 had been recovered from the $47,000 involved. Asfaq's lawyer is Mr Subhas Anandan while Mr S.K. Kumar is acting for the rest. Bail of $60,000 was offered to each. A pre-trial conference is set for Feb 11. If convicted, each faces a fine of up to $150,000 or a jail term of up to seven years or both.

Lorry hit 140kmh trying to beat cops

A LORRY ran a police roadblock, beat a red light and blazed down Jurong Town Hall Road at 140kmh trying to outrun a pursuing police car early on July 6 last year. The driver, Bagavath Singh Jayakkumar, 31, was eventually cornered after the 3km high-speed chase. At the police station later, the Indian national refused to breathe properly into a breathalyser. On Thursday, he was jailed a month for dangerous driving and fined $2,500 for failing to provide a specimen of his breath for the breathalyser test. The court heard that police conducting checks at a roadblock along Jurong Town Hall Road at 1.20am that day had signalled him to stop. But he simply drove through, eventually reaching a speed that was twice the 70kmh allowed on that road, even as a patrol car, siren blaring, stayed on his tail. Jayakkumar was forced to stop at the junction of Boon Lay Way and Jurong East Street 31, as there was no way through the vehicles that were waiting at the red light. Smelling strongly of alcohol and failing the breathalyser test conducted by an officer, he was arrested and escorted to Clementi Police Division for another attempt to measure the alcohol level in his breath.



COE prices fall: Time to buy a 1.6-litre car?

STEP on it if you are thinking of buying a 1.6-litre or smaller car. The certificate of entitlement (COE) premium for this vehicle category dipped by $7,240 to $38,889 on Wednesday, but dealers expect the price to go up in the next few months of bidding. The road bump ahead for consumers is an expected cut in the vehicle quota this year to possibly the lowest on record.
COEs, which give one the right to buy a car here, are central to Singapore's Vehicle Quota System, which enables the Government to control the growth of the car population and road congestion. Anyone seeking to buy a car has to bid for a COE in that category of vehicle, determined by engine size. On Wednesday, the premium for cars up to 1,600cc and taxis fell by 15.7 per cent - the highest of all vehicle categories - compared with the last round of bidding two weeks ago. The $38,889 figure is also $8,715 less than the unprecedented high of $47,604 a month ago, sparked by dealers reportedly scrambling to fulfil sales targets.