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Over 25,000 tested as part of efforts to detect cases linked to TTSH Covid-19 cluster: Gan Kim Yong

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5 minutes

SINGAPORE - As at Monday (May 10), close to 12,500 people have been tested as part of special testing operations carried out to detect any cases linked to the Tan Tock Seng Hopsital (TTSH) cluster. Additionally, 12,000 TTSH staff and 1,000 patients, as well as close to 2,500 individuals who have been quarantined, have also been tested, Health Minister Gan Kim Yong said in Parliament on Tuesday. Giving an update on the cluster, Mr Gan stressed that though the first detected case of the cluster was a staff nurse who developed symptoms on April 28 and dutifully reported them, this does not mean that she was the first confirmed case and had brought Covid-19 into the wards. "Her responsible act enabled us to pick up the cluster at TTSH," said Mr Gan, adding that investigations are still ongoing. Of the 43 cases in the TTSH cluster, seven staff and two patients had received full doses of the Covid-19 vaccine, said Mr Gan, who is co-chair of the multi-ministry task force tackling Covid-19. "They were all either asymptomatic, or only exhibited mild symptoms, and none of them required oxygen support," he noted. Of the remaining 34 who were not fully vaccinated, six required oxygen, two are ...

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Man who used scanned copies of others’ NRICs to redeem face masks jailed and fined

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2 minutes

SINGAPORE - A man was sentenced to seven months and six weeks and fined $3,000 on Monday (May 10) for using other individuals' NRICs to redeem over 200 face masks from vending machines last year. Emerson Goh Shou En, 32, had obtained the scanned copies of persons' identity cards during his previous job as a recruiter. He used them to redeem 207 Government-issued face masks from the vending machines at Changi Simei Community Club (CC), on three occasions between May 26 and 27 last year. The court heard that six police reports were made by people who claimed that they were unable to collect face masks from the vending machines. Goh pleaded guilty to one count each of retaining illegally-obtained personal information, cheating and breaching circuit breaker measures. Two other charges for breaching circuit breaker measures were taken into consideration by District Judge Ow Yong Tuck Leong. Urging the court to jail Goh for at least seven months and six weeks, and fine him $3,000, Deputy Public Prosecutor Yeow Xuan said Goh had abused his position of trust as a recruiter. The victims had sent their scanned NRIC copies to him only for use in relation to their job applications, she added. ...

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Challenge faced by SPH news platforms stems from inability to monetise digital readership gains, says Iswaran

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4 minutes

SINGAPORE- While Singapore Press Holdings (SPH) news platforms are not declining in quality or readership, the challenge faced by its media business today stems from its inability to monetise its gains in attracting and retaining readers on digital platforms. These trends - which affect SPH, Mediacorp, and the global media industry - are expected to persist and widen, said Minister for Communications and Information S. Iswaran in Parliament on Monday (May 10). Speaking during a ministerial statement on SPH's proposal to hive off its media business into a not-for-profit entity, Mr Iswaran noted that SPH's papers, like Mediacorp's broadcast channels, continue to be trusted and valued sources of news that are well read. SPH's overall reach and readership has never been higher, with total newspaper circulation holding steady and digital circulation growing more than 20 per cent year-on-year, he noted. SPH papers' total circulation has also grown by 5 per cent from 2017 to 2020, he added. Within this period, The Straits Times' print and digital circulation has grown by about 20 per cent. As at August last year, the daily average circulation of ST on print and digital platforms was 458,2...

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Swabbing underway at Changi Airport after 8 staff test positive for Covid-19

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3 minutes

SINGAPORE - Staff turned up at Changi Airport on Monday morning (May 10) for a special Covid-19 testing operation for about 9,000 workers, to find hidden cases. This comes after four workers were reported to have Covid-19 on Sunday (May 9), bringing the cluster at Changi Airport to eight. All workers at Changi Airport's operating terminals will be tested, said the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) and Changi Airport Group (CAG) on Sunday night. Food and beverage and retail outlets at Basement 2 of Terminal 3 (T3) have also been closed to the public as of Monday, and all staff also have to test negative for Covid-19 before their outlets are allowed to reopen. Some airport staff said they had only been notified on Monday morning about the swabbing exercise. The first case in this cluster was detected last Wednesday (May 5), when an 88-year-old cleaner tested positive for Covid-19. Certis Cisco staff and construction workers were among those lining up at the swabbing facility at Terminal 4 on Monday morning. People were seen arriving on shuttle buses from Terminal 3 and public buses. An airport worker member who had been swabbed told The Straits Times: "I am worried but I'm...

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S’pore’s media landscape can ill-afford convulsions, closures seen around the world: Iswaran

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3 minutes

SINGAPORE - The Republic's media landscape can "ill-afford" convulsions and closures seen around the world without risking a consequential loss of diversity and choice, said Minister for Communications and Information S. Iswaran on Monday (May 10). He was making a ministerial statement in Parliament on a proposal by Singapore Press Holdings (SPH) to restructure its media business to a not-for-profit entity. The proposal, announced last week, was backed by the Government, which stated it was prepared to provide funding support for the entity. Noting that Singapore's small local market comprises just two main news media organisations - SPH and Mediacorp - Mr Iswaran said that SPH must, at this critical juncture, chart its own course to revise - and if necessary, reinvent - its business model for the digital age. "Most publications are now running deficits, and many newsrooms are shrinking, even closing," he noted. Mr Iswaran pointed out that in South-east Asia, well-known newspapers have changed hands, restructured or shut down in recent years. The Jakarta Globe, for example, ceased printing and went fully online in 2015; and the Philippine Star had a majority stake acquired by the t...

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Govt ‘does not intend nor expect’ restructuring to affect relationship between MCI and SPH newsrooms: Iswaran

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6 minutes

SINGAPORE - The relationship between the Government and newsrooms should not be affected even as Singapore Press Holdings (SPH) restructures its media business into a model that can receive state funding, said Minister for Communications and Information S. Iswaran. In a ministerial statement on Monday (May 10), he said the Government "does not intend nor expect" the transfer of SPH Media to a company limited by guarantee (CLG) to affect the relationship between his ministry and the SPH newsrooms. "The Government is mindful that our local news media must remain credible institutions that are trusted by Singaporeans, and that it remains the responsibility of the editors and journalists in SPH Media to report news and diverse opinions objectively, and from a Singaporean point of view," he told Parliament. The minister's statement follows Singapore Press Holdings' (SPH) announcement last Thursday that it plans to restructure its media business into a not-for-profit entity that can seek public and private funding, to free it from shareholders' expectations and place it in a more sustainable financial position. The move has drawn concern and questions about whether the editorial integrit...

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Morning Briefing: Top stories from The Straits Times on May 9

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2 minutes

Good morning! Here are our top stories to kick-start your Sunday, May 9. 3 workers at Changi Airport among 7 new Covid-19 community cases As a precaution, MOH will test all staff working at Changi Airport Terminal 1 and Terminal 3, and Jewel. READ MORE HERE Foreign worker levy rebates for construction, marine and process sectors to go up from $90 to $250 Some 15,000 firms facing manpower shortages and higher costs due to tightened border measures will benefit. READ MORE HERE Hotels, wedding venues in S'pore help couples adapt to new Covid-19 rules Some are offering refunds while others are absorbing the costs of pre-event testing. READ MORE HERE More on this topic Related Story ST newsletters: Get alerts on the latest news 'I thought I was going to die': Woman describes how stalker made her life a living nightmare From 2016 to last year, there was an average of about 50 cases each year of unlawful stalking in Singapore. READ MORE HERE What Mother's Day means to mums on front line of Covid-19 pandemic in S'pore Three nurses, a bus captain and a community police officer tell their Mother's Day stories. READ MORE HERE Goh Chok Tong story: Lessons for 4G leaders There are four episodes...

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Singapore couples say ‘I do’ despite higher wedding costs, Covid-19 curbs

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3 minutes

SINGAPORE - Mr Jerrold Tan and Ms Stephanie Chan decided not to hold off on their wedding celebrations any more, despite a 10 per cent guest dropout rate and higher costs following the roll-out of stricter Covid-19 regulations. The veterinarians, both 29, tied the knot at Mandarin Oriental, Singapore on Saturday (May 8). They had postponed their wedding celebrations twice owing to the pandemic. "As long as it was safe for us... (we decided) we would go ahead... with the 100-person wedding that we had planned for," said Mr Tan. New regulations were announced on Tuesday, in response to a recent spike in community cases. The rules, which kicked in yesterday, include mandatory pre-event testing (PET) for all unvaccinated attendees of wedding receptions involving more than 50 people. For wedding solemnisations where more than 50 people are attending, PET is also required for an unvaccinated wedding couple. Mr Tan and Ms Chan were unfazed by the PET requirements and having to spend more - as each test cost between $60 to $80 per guest - saying it was better than postponing their wedding again. The couple also shared a video of the PET - prepared by the hotel - with their guests, to assua...

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Covid-19 test providers see spike in demand after S’pore tightens restrictions

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4 minutes

SINGAPORE- Providers of pre-event testing (PET) for Covid-19 are ramping up resources and hiring or training more staff as they handle a spike in demand. They were already taking bookings for large-scale events when the Ministry of Health (MOH) last Tuesday (May 4) announced a tightening of restrictions after a surge in local cases. From May 8 to May 30, the capacity limit for weddings is 250 people with PET or 50 without PET. Dr Cheryl Glenn, medical director of Sata CommHealth, said the charitable healthcare organisation had seen a 90 per cent increase in inquiries for testing, with more than 100 last Wednesday alone. Most of these were for weddings. Some wedding invitations could have been sent out much earlier to up to 100 people who could then attend without PET. Dr Glenn said there were also inquiries for sporting events and events held in educational institutions. Sata CommHealth is still managing with the increased load, she added. It has a number of staff trained in doing the antigen rapid test (ART) usually used for PET. "We also have access to a pool of temporary and locum staff who can perform ART. Concurrently, we are training more of our staff, such as our clinic assi...

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Lawyers handling more stalking, harassment cases in S’pore

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1 minute

SINGAPORE - Lawyers The Sunday Times spoke to said they have seen an increase in stalking and harassment cases their firms handle in recent years. Head lawyer Gloria James of law firm Gloria James-Civetta & Co said the firm has handled about 10 such cases as at last month, compared with 14 in total last year, and eight in 2019. Please subscribe or log in to continue reading the full article. Get unlimited access to all stories at $0.99/month Latest headlines and exclusive stories In-depth analyses and award-winning multimedia content Get access to all with our no-contract promotional package at only $0.99/month for the first 3 months* Subscribe now *Terms and conditions apply.

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What Mother’s Day means to mums on front line of Covid-19 pandemic in S’pore

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1 minute

SINGAPORE - Some of them have not seen their families for more than a year since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic. Others are worried about bringing the virus home with them. Three nurses, a bus captain and a community police officer tell their Mother's Day stories. Please subscribe or log in to continue reading the full article. Get unlimited access to all stories at $0.99/month Latest headlines and exclusive stories In-depth analyses and award-winning multimedia content Get access to all with our no-contract promotional package at only $0.99/month for the first 3 months* Subscribe now *Terms and conditions apply.

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Enhanced training for religious teachers among new initiatives by Muis; plans to build new mosques deferred

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3 minutes

SINGAPORE - Plans to build new mosques, including one in Tampines North, will be deferred in light of the Covid-19 pandemic. The Islamic Religious Council of Singapore (Muis) will instead prioritise the upgrading of existing mosques, said Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs Masagos Zulkifli on Saturday (May 8). This decision comes after Muis carried out a review of its Mosque Upgrading Programme to ensure greater prudence in spending community funds, said the minister, who was speaking at Muis' annual workplan seminar that was held virtually this year. Over the past five years, $60 million from the Mosque Building and Mendaki Fund - a community fund contributed to by Muslim workers - has been used to build two new mosques and upgrade 11 existing ones. But Mr Masagos noted that the livelihood of many workers has been affected by the pandemic. "We expect the recovery from the crisis to take some time, and the coming years will continue to be challenging for the community," he said. The minister said plans to build new mosques will be reviewed when the economy recovers. Meanwhile, ongoing works to upgrade the Bencoolen, Malabar and Khalid Mosques are expected to be completed by the e...

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Foreign worker levy rebates for construction, marine and process sectors to go up from $90 to $250

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2 minutes

SINGAPORE - About 15,000 firms in the construction, marine and process sectors will get higher foreign worker levy rebates between May and December, given the manpower shortages and increased costs brought about by Singapore's tightened border measures. The rebate for each worker will be increased from $90 to $250 per month, said the Manpower Ministry (MOM) in a statement on Saturday (May 8). These sectors play an essential role in Singapore's development, it said, adding that government agencies are working to transform these businesses and reduce their reliance on manpower through the industry transformation maps. This will help the affected sectors become more resilient to future shocks. "However, these efforts will take time to bear fruit," MOM said. "In the immediate term, the increased costs continue to weigh heavily on these firms." This is why the higher rebates are being given out. The first round of higher rebates for the month of May will be paid out in June. Employers can consider using these rebates to retain existing workers and bring in work permit holders from lower-risk countries or region, the ministry added. The Government will decide closer to December if there ...

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Morning Briefing: Top stories from The Straits Times on May 8

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2 minutes

Good morning! Here are our top stories to kick-start your Saturday, May 8. S’pore stops accepting new work pass holders from high Covid-19 risk places, including maids Workers needed for key strategic projects and infrastructural works will be an exception. READ MORE HERE 3 of 4 new Covid-19 community cases unlinked, including man who visited Raffles Hospital, TTSH One of the new cases is linked to the Pasir Panjang Terminal cluster. READ MORE HERE Low-intensity physical activities can continue in S'pore gyms under new Covid-19 measures The changes were the result of talks with business owners and professionals in the sport industry. READ MORE HERE More on this topic Related Story ST newsletters: Get alerts on the latest news Working at keeping economy open amid Singapore's Covid-19 fight Would Singapore have avoided what is happening now if it had shut the borders early? READ MORE HERE SPH media restructuring: The challenge of funding and sustaining quality journalism Many media titles around the world are grappling with the challenge of funding and sustaining quality journalism. READ MORE HERE Hiccups in Singapore's political transition process are to be expected: ESM Goh He adde...

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SPH media restructuring: The challenge of funding and sustaining quality journalism

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10 minutes

SINGAPORE - Few newspapers can claim to have been continuously published for 200 years, and on Wednesday (May 5), The Guardian joined their ranks. One key strength of the publication that has helped it prevail through ups and downs over the years is that it has been managed by a trust that has enabled and empowered it to hew to the spirit of its original investors, who were not in the business to make a quick buck. Many media titles around the world are grappling with the challenge of funding and sustaining quality journalism. On Thursday, Singapore Press Holdings (SPH), which publishes The Straits Times, announced plans to restructure its media business, SPH Media, which includes ST, and eventually park it under a new company limited by guarantee (CLG). Noting that the media business faces financial challenges over the next few years, SPH chairman Lee Boon Yang said one key driver has been digital disruption. Worldwide, traditional media organisations have seen readership and revenues drop as anyone can access information any time, anywhere on the Internet. SPH's media business has seen operating revenue halve over the past five years, driven largely by the drop in print advertisi...

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Working at keeping economy open amid Singapore’s Covid-19 fight

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1 minute

Singapore has reintroduced some safety measures as a new wave of Covid-19 infections spreads through the community, fuelled by new and more contagious variants of the coronavirus, such as the B16172 "double mutant" strain first detected in India. With 10 active clusters in the community and 43 people infected in the past week, the country is witnessing its worst outbreak in close to a year. Please subscribe or log in to continue reading the full article. Get unlimited access to all stories at $0.99/month Latest headlines and exclusive stories In-depth analyses and award-winning multimedia content Get access to all with our no-contract promotional package at only $0.99/month for the first 3 months* Subscribe now *Terms and conditions apply.

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askST: How do CT values and serology tests tell if a person is still infectious?

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4 minutes

SINGAPORE - Looking at serology tests and CT values are ways to determine if a person is still infectious or has recovered from a past infection. Clara Chong sheds light on what these mean. Q: What is a serology test? A: A serology test involves a blood sample, to detect the presence of antibodies. It can show if the person might have been previously infected. Patients have antibodies around two weeks after they recover from the infection and will not have them at the point of infection. Serology tests are done by the Health Ministry to understand if a patient has the virus antibodies, which could imply an earlier infection. Q: What is CT value and how does it relate to viral load? A: Otherwise known as cycle threshold, CT value is a number that comes up during a real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (real-time RT-PCR) test, used widely here and touted as the gold standard for Covid-19 testing. The test looks for genetic sequences specific to Sars-CoV-2, the virus causing Covid-19. During a PCR reaction, genetic material from the virus is amplified, and multiple copies are created. Amplification takes place through a series of cycles - a single copy becomes two,...

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Almost half of residential consumers switched to retailers after Open Electricity Market roll-out

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3 minutes

SINGAPORE - Close to half of all residential consumers have switched to buying electricity from a retailer since the electricity market in Singapore was fully liberalised two years ago, the Energy Market Authority said on Friday (May 7). Currently, about 49 per cent of all residential consumers buy electricity from a retailer, with 43 per cent on fixed price plans and 5 per cent on discount-off-tariff plans. Under a fixed price plan, consumers pay a constant rate throughout the contract duration, for example, 20 cents per kilowatt-hour. With a discount-off-tariff plan, consumers enjoy a fixed discount off the prevailing regulated tariff throughout the contract duration. The Open Electricity Market (OEM), which gives consumers a choice of their electricity provider, was progressively rolled out nationwide from November 2018 to May 2019. Previously, SP Group was the only supplier of electricity to households in Singapore. Out of the 12 retailers here, Keppel Electric currently has the biggest share, with about 22 per cent of the residential market, followed by Geneco at about 20 per cent, and Tuas Power at about 15 per cent. The EMA also released findings from its Consumer Satisfacti...

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Chee Hong Tat to replace Koh Poh Koon as NTUC deputy secretary-general on May 15

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4 minutes

SINGAPORE - Senior Minister of State for Transport and Foreign Affairs Chee Hong Tat will join the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) on May 15 and become its deputy secretary-general, replacing Dr Koh Poh Koon, who is Senior Minister of State for Health. In a statement on Thursday (May 6), NTUC said Mr Chee - who is relinquishing his appointment in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs as part of the Cabinet changes announced last month - will be co-opted into its central committee. The 47-year-old will also take on the role of group director of NTUC's training and transformation group. In addition, he has been appointed as a cadre member of the Union of Power and Gas Employees (Upage) and an executive secretary in the United Workers of Electronics and Electrical Industries (UWEEI). As part of the Cabinet reshuffle, which will take effect on May 15, Dr Koh will take on a new appointment in the Manpower Ministry as Senior Minister of State, in addition to his role in the Ministry of Health (MOH). The 49-year-old will be relinquishing his positions in the labour movement. Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong had written to NTUC president Mary Liew on April 21 to request that Dr Koh return fu...