aseanpr

Driving centre takes down notice requiring students to show TraceTogether data before entry

aseanpr 7 5 月

3 minutes

SINGAPORE - ComfortDelGro Driving Centre (CDC) has removed a notice on its website which announced that entry to the driving centre would be denied if visitors' TraceTogether app showed that they had been in close proximity to Covid-19 cases. A new notice was put up on Friday morning (May 7). The new notice said: "In line with the latest guidelines from the relevant authorities, the TraceTogether app or TraceTogether token is required for entry into ComfortDelGro Driving Centre with effect from May 17, 2021. Check-in with identification cards will discontinue from June 1, 2021. "We will be reaching out to assist learners who have already submitted their request form to postpone their tests. We apologise for any inconvenience caused." On Thursday, the company had put up a notice on its website to inform driving school students and visitors that the TraceTogether app was required for entry into the centre. Those whose TraceTogether records showed that they have possible exposures to Covid-19 cases would be barred from entering the driving centre. CDC had also said that TraceTogether tokens and identity cards could also be used to enter the premises, although it did not explain how it...

Lawyer who opposed trainee’s bid to be called to the Bar under investigation for giving false evidence

aseanpr 6 5 月

3 minutes

SINGAPORE - A lawyer, who made the rare move of opposing a trainee's bid to be called to the Bar, is being investigated by the police for giving false evidence, the Attorney-General's Chambers (AGC) said on Thursday (May 6). The investigations include a possible offence by Mr Tan Jeh Yaw for falsely declaring to the Singapore Institute of Legal Education that he was qualified to supervise trainees during their practice training stint. The development came after High Court judge Choo Han Teck, in written grounds of decision in April, flagged several issues that arose from an application by Mr Kuoh Hao Teng to be admitted to the Bar. Mr Tan, who had supervised Mr Kuoh's six-month training stint at his firm, had made the unusual move of objecting to the trainee's application for admission to the Bar. He claimed Mr Kuoh played computer games and watched movies during office hours and did not complete the work assigned to him - allegations the trainee denied. Mr Tan's objections continued when Mr Kuoh submitted a fresh application after completing a second training stint under the supervision of another lawyer, who gave him a glowing report. But, in a twist, Mr Kuoh's counsel, Ms Luo Li...

Driving centre students turned away as their TraceTogether records indicate proximity with Covid-19 cases

aseanpr 6 5 月

2 minutes

SINGAPORE - Some students taking lessons at ComfortDelGro Driving Centre (CDC) have been turned away as their TraceTogether App showed that they had been in close proximity with Covid-19 cases. The Straits Times is aware of at least two driving students to date who were turned away. In a notice on its website and app, the driving centre said: "For entry into ComfortDelGro Driving Centre, please note that the TraceTogether App is required. As a safety precaution, entry will not be allowed should your TraceTogether App display 'Possible Exposures'." Students whose theory or practical lessons fall within the 14 days from the date of "possible exposure" are encouraged to cancel them online in advance. "For lessons scheduled for today and tomorrow, please submit this Possible Exposure Cancellation Request Form. Lesson fees will be refunded into your store value account within three working days upon cancellation," the notice added. The form requires students to submit their Learner ID, as well as venues where they were possibly exposed to a Covid-19 case and their last possible exposure date according to their TraceTogether and SafeEntry records. The Straits Times has contacted CDC for ...

Man gets jail for taking upskirt videos near MRT stations soon after completing probation for same offence

aseanpr 6 5 月

3 minutes

SINGAPORE - A 24-year-old man recorded upskirt videos just months after completing probation for a similar offence. Marcus Phua Xie Yi was sentenced to 15 weeks' jail on Thursday (April 6) after pleading guilty to 15 insult of modesty charges. The court took into consideration 28 other similar charges. Phua took the upskirt videos on multiple occasions between May and October 2018, committing the offences at various locations, including near the Singapore Institute of Management and several MRT stations. The court heard that he would typically follow victims from behind and use his mobile phone to record a video clip when they were on the escalator or staircase in front of him. He would later transfer the clips to his laptop for his own viewing pleasure. He was eventually caught on Oct 12, 2018 after he followed a woman as she alighted at the bus stop at Clementi Road in front of the Singapore University of Social Sciences. He recorded a video clip as the victim was going up a nearby overhead bridge, and then returned to the bus stop. Another man was at the overhead bridge and noticed what Phua had done. The man confronted Phua who then deleted the video clips he had taken on that ...

Suspect arrested for stealing 3 motorcycles in Woodlands, Canberra and Redhill

aseanpr 6 5 月

1 minute

SINGAPORE - A 28-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of stealing three motorcycles, and is due to be charged in court on Friday (May 7). The motorcycles were reported stolen from estates in Woodlands, Canberra and Redhill on Tuesday and Wednesday, said the police. The suspect was identified through ground inquiries and images from police cameras, and was arrested on Wednesday, they added. All three motorcycles have been recovered. The man will be charged with theft of motor vehicle, which carries a prison term of up to seven years and a fine. The police advised motorcycle owners to adopt measures like parking in well-lit areas, installing anti-theft alarms and using additional locking devices such as disc brake locks. They added that spare keys should not be left inside the motorcycle box. More on this topic Related Story Man arrested for stealing private bus Related Story Man arrested for allegedly stealing motorcycle from Yishun carpark

MAS bans former insurance agent for giving false and misleading information to client

aseanpr 6 5 月

2 minutes

SINGAPORE - An insurance agent, who misled a client about the terms of a policy, has been banned from providing financial advice for two years. Investigations showed that Mr Lim Chew Keat gave false information to a client about an investment-linked insurance policy, the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) said in a statement on Wednesday (May 5). He told the client that she could stop paying more premiums and withdraw what she had already paid part of the way through the policy term. He also told her that the policy provider would match her first annual premium with an equivalent top-up to the policy amount, when the actual agreement was for the provider to match only half of it. Mr Lim has been barred from Tuesday for two years from providing any financial advisory service, and from taking part in the management, becoming a director or becoming a substantial shareholder of any financial advisory firm, under a prohibition order from MAS. He was formerly employed by Synergy Financial Advisers, which has since made a refund to the client and cancelled her policy. More on this topic Related Story MAS bans ex-insurance agent, former bank staff for fraud and dishonest conduct Related...

Parks and developments recognised for good landscape design and management

aseanpr 5 5 月

3 minutes

SINGAPORE - A total of 27 parks and developments in Singapore have been recognised for good landscape design and management under an enhanced certification scheme by the National Parks Board (NParks). The 2020 Landscape Excellence Assessment Framework certification schemenow puts more emphasis on ecology, the integration of greenery in design and park management in line with the City in Nature vision, NParks said in a statement on Wednesday (May 5). Some of the award recipients include Yale-NUS College, three of the wildlife parks operated by Wildlife Reserves Singapore (WRS) and Jurong Lake Gardens. The annual scheme, which started in 2013 to recognise new and existing developments, was extended to include parks under a new category last year. Similar to developments, the 12 parks that were recognised were assessed on several factors such as design and landscaping, accessibility, community well-being and engagement, environmental sustainability, conservation and biodiversity, and maintenance strategies. Platinum is the top award under the scheme. Under the developments category, Yale-NUS College was re-certified as a Gold recipient with special mention for promoting community well...

Singapore steps up Covid-19 safety measures at pre-schools and early intervention centres

aseanpr 5 5 月

3 minutes

SINGAPORE - There will be more entry restrictions at pre-schools and early intervention centres from Saturday (May 8), including a ban on all parents except those with newly enrolled children. Mixing of children between different classes will also not be allowed, while field trips and other large group activities conducted outside centres will be suspended. These are part of efforts to tighten Covid-19 measures at centres, in line with the national effort to slow viral transmission, said the Early Childhood Development Agency (ECDA) on Wednesday. However, children under seven will not be required to use the TraceTogether application from May 17 - the date the usage of the contact-tracing system becomes compulsory at venues. The rules will be implemented together with the current set of Covid-19 rules in place at pre-schools, including more cleaning, temperature and health checks up to three times a day, and cohorting in centres. From Saturday to May 30, only people who are needed to support operations within centres, those performing necessary functions such as licensing, and parents accompanying newly enrolled children will be allowed into centres. All other parents will not be al...

More than 4kg of drugs worth $460,000 seized in CNB bust

aseanpr 5 5 月

2 minutes

SINGAPORE - More than 4kg of heroin and methamphetamine, also known as Ice, were seized by the Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB) on Monday (May 3) in an operation that led to the arrest of three men. In a statement on Wednesday, the drug busters said two Singaporeans aged 19 and 55, and a 32-year-old Malaysian were picked up. The drugs are estimated to be worth close to $460,000. Officers also seized $7,837 in cash during the operation, which took place in multiple locations. The operation started with CNB intercepting a vehicle in the vicinity of Woodlands Avenue 8 on Monday. After arresting the 19-year-old, CNB officers searched him and the vehicle, and found a total of 1,720g of heroin and 1,028g of Ice concealed in Chinese tea packaging. In a follow-up operation, officers arrested the 55-year-old Singaporean at Woodlands Industry Park E3, where 1,262g of heroin and $3,837 were seized. A search of his residence in the Bendemeer Road area further uncovered 218g of heroin and cash amounting to $4,000. This then led the officers to the 32-year-old Malaysian, who was arrested in the vicinity of Woodlands Road. Investigations into the drug activities of all three suspects are ongoing. C...

Morning Briefing: Top stories from The Straits Times on May 5

aseanpr 5 5 月

2 minutes

Good morning! Here are our top stories to kick-start your Wednesday, May 5. Pharmacist, patient and 3 visitors added to TTSH Covid-19 cluster, taking total to 40 All were detected from proactive testing of patients, visitors and staff at TTSH or their close contacts. READ MORE HERE S'pore extends SHN to 21 days for travellers from higher-risk places Travellers must also stay in dedicated SHN facilities. READ MORE HERE 5-person limit for social gatherings, gyms to be closed: What are S'pore's new Covid-19 measures? Stricter Covid-19 measures, such as fewer people allowed for events, will take effect from May 8 to May 30. READ MORE HERE More on this topic Related Story ST newsletters: Get alerts on the latest news Singapore's tighter Covid-19 measures a blow to gym owners, while organisers reschedule, adjust mass sport events No spectators will be allowed for sports leagues and events like the S'pore Premier League. READ MORE HERE Novice cyclist killed in accident involving shuttle bus at NTU bought bicycle the week before Wong Siew Yuen, 49, was also bored at home as she had been unable to see her husband and son in Malaysia. READ MORE HERE Edibles gardening takes root in Singapore ...

It’s a constant hum: North-South Corridor construction noise keeps some residents awake, expected to ease in 2023

aseanpr 5 5 月

1 minute

SINGAPORE - Since February, Mr Joseph Goh has not had a good night's sleep. Noise from the construction work right outside his apartment frequently startles his newborn son, waking the infant up at night. 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.

May 13 Istana Open House cancelled due to worsening Covid-19 situation

aseanpr 4 5 月

2 minutes

SINGAPORE - The Istana Open House event next Thursday (May 13) will be cancelled due to the worsening Covid-19 situation. The event has been cancelled due to the latest call from the Multi-Ministry Taskforce to reduce social interaction, said the Istana in a statement issued by the President's Office on Tuesday (May 4). Ticket-holders will be able to go to the next Istana Open House event with their existing tickets. The plan was to begin reopening the Istana to the public in stages, with the Covid-19 situation in Singapore stabilising in recent months. "However, since we announced the restarting of this open house, there has unfortunately been an increase in the number of local Covid-19 cases. We have therefore decided to err on the side of caution and cancel the Istana Open House," said the Istana. On April 28, the Istana had announced that it would open its grounds to the public for the first time since the Covid-19 pandemic began. The occasion was to mark both Labour Day and Hari Raya Puasa, which fall on May 1 and May 13 respectively this year. Before the pandemic, the Istana welcomed visitors on the public holidays of Hari Raya Puasa and Labour Day yearly. Last year's onset o...

E-scooter rider pleads guilty to causing death of elderly cyclist in 2019 accident

aseanpr 4 5 月

3 minutes

SINGAPORE - An e-scooter rider pleaded guilty on Tuesday (May 4) to causing the death of an elderly cyclist in a 2019 accident. Malaysian Hung Kee Boon, 22, had faced several charges including causing the death of Madam Ong Bee Eng, 64, by performing a rash act. The Singapore permanent resident on Tuesday also admitted to one count of riding a non-compliant personal mobility device (PMD), which is an offence under the Active Mobility Act. One other charge for riding an unregistered PMD will be taken into consideration by Principal District Judge Victor Yeo during sentencing. The incident happened at around 10.20pm on Sept 21, 2019. Hung was riding an e-scooter on a cycling path near Block 539 Bedok North Street 3 at estimated speeds of between 27kmh and 43kmh. The speed limit on cycling paths is 25kmh. Madam Ong was at the time riding her bicycle across the path towards a nearby zebra crossing. Hung failed to avoid the logistics assistant packer in time and collided with her. Madam Ong was flung onto the ground. She was found unconscious and bleeding from her head by passers-by who had rushed to the scene. Both Hung and her were taken to hospital. Madam Ong was later found to have ...

A total of 26 public places cleaned after visits by TTSH Covid-19 cluster patients

aseanpr 4 5 月

3 minutes

SINGAPORE - A total of 26 public places visited by Covid-19 patients linked to the Tan Tock Seng Hospital (TTSH) cluster have undergone deep cleaning and disinfection. Officers from the National Environment Agency (NEA) were deployed to monitor the cleaning and disinfection works to ensure that they were done according to NEA guidelines, the Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment said in a statement on Tuesday (May 4). The statement also said that four food and beverage outlets have been ordered to close following stepped-up enforcement checks by the authorities over the weekend. These are Club Peaches, Alive @ SG Pub, Tangmen Restaurant and Club Empire. All the establishments except Club Empire are repeat offenders, and all four are located in Orchard Road. This is the second time that the three repeat offenders have had to close. All had breached Covid-19 rules such as allowing customers to intermingle and serving alcohol after 10.30pm. Eleven individuals were fined over the weekend for breaching measures at F&B outlets. Nine of them committed their offences at Club Peaches. The remaining two were fined $300 each for not wearing a mask at Tekka Centre despite multiple war...

US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin to speak in person at Shangri-La Dialogue in early June

aseanpr 4 5 月

2 minutes

SINGAPORE - United States Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin will participate in the annual Shangri-La Dialogue from June 4 to 5 and speak on the US' Indo-Pacific strategy, the Pentagon announced early on Tuesday (May 4). The summit's London-based organiser, the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS), added that this will mark Mr Austin's first trip to South-east Asia, and that on top of delivering an on-the-record speech, he will also be conducting bilateral and multilateral meetings on the sidelines. Cancelled in 2020 because of the pandemic, the Shangri-La Dialogue resumes this year as an in-person gathering of high-level defence policymakers from around the world, with an event "bubble" centred on the Singapore hotel it is named after. Mr Austin tweeted that the event will be a "great" opportunity to discuss security challenges facing the Indo-Pacific. IISS-Asia executive director James Crabtree said on the same platform that a host of ministers from Asia, Europe and the Middle East are confirmed speakers at the event in Singapore. The names of other speakers and attendees were not immediately available, although IISS said more details will be shared in the coming ...

TTSH stops admitting new patients in wake of growing Covid-19 cluster

aseanpr 4 5 月

3 minutes

SINGAPORE - Tan Tock Seng Hospital (TTSH) has stopped admitting new patients from Tuesday (May 4). The hospital is fighting to contain a growing Covid-19 cluster with 35 linked patients as of Monday night. On Monday, the Ministry of Health said that other hospitals - both public and private - would be helping to take on the load as patients are diverted from TTSH. MOH has also asked all hospitals to defer non-urgent surgical operations and admissions, as well as non-urgent specialist outpatient clinic appointments, until further notice. TTSH said in a Facebook post on Tuesday morning that those requiring urgent care should visit a GP or the nearest care facility. "We seek your kind understanding that this will allow us to focus on containing this Covid-19 hospital cluster, conserve our manpower and continue supporting the pandemic response at our National Centre for Infectious Diseases during this period," it said. The hospital added that it would continue to review its measures with the Ministry and take all necessary actions for the safety of its patients and staff. The TTSH cluster formed last week after a nurse at the hospital's ward 9D was confirmed to have Covid-19 on April 2...

13 under probe for flouting Covid-19 rules after police raid

aseanpr 3 5 月

2 minutes

SINGAPORE - Thirteen people, aged between 21 and 33, are being investigated for breaching Covid-19 safe distancing rules. The police said in a statement on Monday (May 3) that they conducted a raid last Saturday on an office unit in Ubi Road 2 and found the five men and eight women allegedly drinking alcohol and socialising. The public entertainment and liquor are believed to have been provided at the venue without valid licences. The authorities found and seized karaoke equipment as a case exhibit. A 31-year-old man is believed to be the operator of the unit and will also be investigated for offences under the Public Entertainments Act and Liquor Control (Supply and Consumption) Act 2015, said the police. The offences of providing public entertainment and supplying liquor without a valid licence each carry a fine of up to $20,000. For flouting safe distancing measures, offenders may be jailed for up to six months, fined up to $10,000, or both. The police advise the public to take the prevailing safe distancing measures seriously, and say they will continue to take tough enforcement action against illegal activities. "Those found engaging in illicit activities, or in breach of safe...

No point in Covid-19 rules if hospital visitors allowed to take masks off for food or drinks

aseanpr 3 5 月

4 minutes

SINGAPORE - As the number of Covid-19 cases in the community surged over the past week, at least one public hospital has been lax with regard to visitors to its wards. About one in four of them were spending their entire time in a ward without wearing a mask. I can speak only of one hospital because that was what I observed on more than one visit to several of its wards over the weekend. But the reaction of the staff was even more surprising than seeing maskless visitors. I asked a ward nurse why visitors were allowed to remove their masks. She replied that it was because they were eating, but was rather exasperated when I pointed to three people nearby who were clearly not. She then said the same rules that applied to restaurants extended to hospital wards. This begged the question - why were visitors even allowed to eat in the wards? Given the Covid-19 pandemic, hospitals had restricted the number of visitors to two per patient. But letting them spend time in a ward without a mask on - and some were actually walking around the ward without one on - defeats the purpose of the restriction. I noticed a young man had a small bag of potato crisps, occasionally snacking on it. He was i...

Co-founder of Sabana Reit fined for harassment

aseanpr 3 5 月

2 minutes

SINGAPORE - The former chief strategy officer and head of investor relations of Sabana Real Estate Investment Management was fined $8,000 on Monday (May 3) for harassment. Tay Chiew Sheng, 45, a co-founder of Sabana Reit, pleaded guilty to two counts of harassment. Another two similar charges were taken into consideration for sentencing. The court heard that between August and October last year Tay sent out letters to multiple organisations alleging incompetence on the part of one Ms Ng Shin Ein. Ms Ng, an investment professional, was also Singapore's non-resident ambassador to Hungary. She was previously an independent director of Sabana Reit, but resigned late last year. Multiple copies of the letters written by Tay were sent anonymously to companies and organisations which Ms Ng was associated or had dealings with, including the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS), Starhub and the Securities Investors Association (Singapore). The letters alleged that Ms Ng was incompetent, and had only secured her position on the board of several organisations because of her familial ties. The names of her family members were also inclu...

Activist Gilbert Goh investigated for holding up placard outside ICA building

aseanpr 3 5 月

2 minutes

SINGAPORE - Police are investigating local activist Gilbert Goh for carrying out a public assembly without a permit. Last Saturday (May 1), Mr Goh posted a picture on his Facebook page showing him holding up a placard outside the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) building. The placard had the words "Please ban all flights from India we are not racist! Just being cautious". The post has more than 400 comments and had been shared more than 1,400 times as at Monday morning. A police spokesman said it received a report last Saturday alleging that Mr Goh had taken part in a public assembly without a permit. "Mr Gilbert Goh did not have a police permit to carry out the public assembly," said the spokesman. "The police would like to remind the public that organising or participating in a public assembly without a police permit in Singapore is illegal and constitutes an offence under the Public Order Act." Investigations are ongoing. All long-term pass holders and short-term visitors who travelled to India within the last 14 days have been barred from entering or transiting through Singapore since April 23. The move was announced by the multi-ministry task force on Covid-19, foll...

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