aseanpr

Man nabbed after suspected fake respirators worth over $200,000 seized in operation

aseanpr 21 4 月

2 minutes

SINGAPORE - In a first here, the authorities have arrested a 34-year-old man for his alleged involvement in the online sales of suspected counterfeit respirators, after more than 41,000 units of the device were seized during an operation. The medical-grade equipment is important for protecting healthcare workers in the fight against Covid-19. The man is believed to have procured them from foreign sources, the police and Health Sciences Authority (HSA) said in a joint statement on Wednesday (April 21). Last May, HSA removed more than 1,700 online listings of products making false Covid-19 related claims. Almost half (47 per cent) involved medical devices such as test kits and respirators. Over 1,600 warning letters were issued to sellers and companies hawking such goods, with sellers taking advantage of people’s concerns amid the coronavirus pandemic. The suspected trademark-infringing respirators, with an estimated street value of over $201,000, were seized during an operation on April 12 led by the Criminal Investigation Department and supported by HSA officers. “Tests are being conducted on the seized respirators to ascertain if they are counterfeit,” the joint statement said. Un...

Morning Briefing: Top stories from The Straits Times on April 21

aseanpr 21 4 月

2 minutes

Good morning! Here are our top stories to kick-start your Wednesday, April 21. Entry approvals for non-S'poreans, non-PRs travelling from India cut due to Covid-19 Travellers from India will also have to serve an additional 7-day SHN at their place of residence. READ MORE HERE New Covid-19 cluster in S'pore linked to man who was 'probably reinfected in India' MOH said it will review border measures for recovered travellers. READ MORE HERE Public servant and her husband to be charged under OSA over leaking of circuit breaker details last April The woman had illegally sent the information to her husband before it was officially released. READ MORE HERE More on this topic Related Story ST newsletters: Get alerts on the latest news Fully vaccinated dormitory resident is S'pore's sole Covid-19 community case He showed symptoms despite getting his first dose on March 12 and the second dose on April 13. READ MORE HERE Ex-US police officer Derek Chauvin convicted of murder in George Floyd case Chauvin was caught on video kneeling on Floyd's neck for more than 9 minutes in May last year. READ MORE HERE Grab's path to success built on strong culture, unwavering focus on South-east Asia The f...

New Covid-19 cluster in S’pore linked to man who was ‘probably reinfected in India’

aseanpr 21 4 月

3 minutes

SINGAPORE - A 43-year-old Indian national who had been discharged from hospital on April 6 after being deemed to be no longer infectious has been identified as a likely case of reinfection. He then infected two others. The two cases he has been linked to are an accountant, 41, and her husband, a 44-year-old restaurant manager at two eateries here. They were reported as community cases on April 16 and April 18 respectively. They are his sister-in-law and her husband. This has prompted the Ministry of Health (MOH) to open a new local cluster around the three cases. The man is here on a work pass and was classified as an imported case when he tested positive for the virus on April 2. He had arrived from India. He was taken to hospital where he was assessed to have previously recovered from the virus based on his high Ct value, which indicated a low viral load, his positive serology test result on April 4, and his negative pre-departure test taken on March 31, said MOH. He was then discharged on April 6 without being required to isolate, as he was deemed to be no longer infectious. On April 17, he was identified as a close contact of his sister-in-law and subsequently tested positive f...

1 foreign worker dead after accident along PIE, 16 others taken to hospitals

aseanpr 20 4 月

2 minutes

SINGAPORE - A 33-year-old man, who was one of 17 migrant workers travelling on the back of a lorry, died after the vehicle collided with a stationary tipper truck along the Pan-Island Expressway (PIE) on Tuesday morning (April 20). Police said that they were alerted at 6.06am to the accident along PIE towards Changi Airport before the Jalan Bahar exit. The Singapore Civil Defence Force said two people were found trapped in the rear compartment of the lorry. They were rescued using hydraulic equipment. The 17 lorry passengers, aged between 23 and 46, were taken to National University Hospital and Ng Teng Fong General Hospital. The 33-year-old man later died of his injuries. The police said two of the workers were unconscious after the accident. A 36-year-old male lorry driver was arrested for careless driving causing death. A Facebook video posted at around 10.30am shows the aftermath of the accident. Several men were seen lying on the road, surrounded by at least two ambulances and a fire engine. The accident caused traffic to be backed up until Pioneer Road North, according to the Land Transport Authority. The Straits Times understands that all of the passengers are foreign worker...

Lower fees for adult day activity centres for lower-income persons with disabilities

aseanpr 20 4 月

4 minutes

SINGAPORE - Persons with disabilities from lower-income families will pay less for services at adult day activity centres from October this year, as part of plans to improve their quality of life and services received. Adult day activity centres and disability homes will also receive more funding, meant to raise the standards of care and services, the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF) announced on Tuesday (April 20). The ministry is also piloting a new disability case management programme meant to better support persons with disabilities who have higher support needs and their caregivers. These moves come about a week after MSF unveiled a slew of recommendations put forth by two work groups under the Third Enabling Masterplan to improve the lives of persons with disabilities here. MSF said that from Oct 1, 2021, a fee cap will be introduced for day activity centre clients from households with gross per capita household income of $2,800 a month or less. Over 500 of the more than 1,300 existing clients, who currently pay between $106 and $754 monthly, will see their fees reduced. The reductions range from six to 81 per cent depending on income tier, and this means the n...

New pilot to better support persons with higher need disabilities and their caregivers

aseanpr 20 4 月

3 minutes

SINGAPORE - In 2019, Mr Singam Murugiah twice tried to enrol his adult daughter, who has intellectual disability, at a centre where she could pick up skills and learn to be more independent. She dropped out both times within a month of enrolling. Ms Shantini was too afraid and uncomfortable because of the unfamiliar surroundings, said the 66-year-old. Due to issues with his own health as well as caregiving duties, Mr Singam does not work. It has him worrying for his 31-year-old daughter's future. He is the main caregiver for his family. His 51-year-old wife has health issues and 28-year-old daughter does not work. He also has a 35-year-old son who is married and does not live with them. When social workers stepped in, they identified Ms Shantini as having a form of social anxiety. She is also afraid of loud noises and having strangers around her. As a result, she avoided leaving her home in Chua Chu Kang, said Ms Jocelyn Tan, head of social work at Movement for the Intellectually Disabled of Singapore (Minds). "Her father, the main caregiver, was facing a significant amount of caregiver stress and burden as Shantini was fully dependent on him for daily necessities," she added. Over...

Boao Forum: Covid-19 has given world a common cause to band together, says President Halimah

aseanpr 20 4 月

4 minutes

SINGAPORE - Covid-19 has given the world a common cause to band together, and underscored the importance of multilateral cooperation, said President Halimah Yacob at the Boao Forum for Asia on Tuesday (April 20). She added that over the past year, countries have worked together in innovative ways through mechanisms such as the World Health Organisation-led vaccine initiative, suggesting that multilateral institutions, including the WHO, can also set standards and provide a science-based framework as countries work on reopening their borders. "International cooperation is crucial in surmounting this crisis," she said. She was speaking in a video message at the opening plenary of the annual conference, with a focus on strengthening global governance amid a world in flux. Travel restrictions have prevented many foreign delegates from attending the event held in the Chinese island province of Hainan this year, with many taking part virtually. President Halimah noted that while the global outbreak has led to the loss of lives and livelihoods, and exacerbated existing global divisions as well as the weakening of multilateral forums and institutions, it has also catalysed opportunities fo...

SMRT to change entire taxi fleet to electric vehicles in 5 years

aseanpr 20 4 月

2 minutes

SINGAPORE - SMRT aims to change all its taxis to 100 per cent electric vehicles within five years as part of efforts to go green. The first batch of 300 electric taxis will arrive progressively in Singapore from July, the transport operator announced in a statement on Tuesday (April 20). The electric vehicles could include sedans, station wagons and multi-purpose vehicles. SMRT has 1,796 taxis in its fleet, according to the Land Transport Authority in February. SMRT said: "The electrification of the entire taxi fleet is part of SMRT's growth strategy in green businesses under its sustainable urban mobility services arm, Strides Mobility." Besides taxis, other mobility services using electric vehicles such as vans, limousines and buses will also be rolled out. SMRT's transition to cleaner-energy taxis began in 2013, when more than 600 Toyota Prius Hybrid cabs were added to its fleet. Last year, SMRT's fleet became 100 per cent hybrid. SMRT Road Holdings president Tan Kian Heong said: "In line with Singapore's Green Plan, we are excited to be among the first point-to-point transport operators to commit to the deployment of electric taxis on a large scale. "This is a key part of our p...

Six months’ jail for man who molested elderly cleaner after she gave him money to buy food

aseanpr 19 4 月

2 minutes

SINGAPORE - A 46-year-old man has been sentenced to six months' jail for molesting an elderly cleaner after she gave him money to buy food. Chua Wee Meng pleaded guilty on Monday (April 19) to one count of outraging the 68-year-old woman's modesty. Another similar charge was taken into consideration during sentencing by District Judge Wong Li Tein. The victim, who was working as a part-time cleaner when Chua committed the offence against her, cannot be named because of a gag order to protect her identity. The court heard that on June 19 last year, the woman was waiting for the lift at the lobby of a Housing Board block in the Queenstown area. Chua approached her and asked for $4 to buy food. He molested her after she gave him half the amount. Shocked, she refused Chua's subsequent request for money. She then entered the lift and returned to her unit. The woman later told her daughter about the incident, and a police report was made. In sentencing Chua on Monday, District Judge Wong said the man had committed the offence on an elderly woman who "had demonstrated kindness to him". The judge also said the amount of fear caused by Chua's act to the woman cannot be understated, noting t...

CNB makes record seizures: Largest cannabis haul since 1996, biggest haul of heroin since 2001

aseanpr 19 4 月

3 minutes

SINGAPORE - The Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB) has seized its largest haul of cannabis since 1996 and its largest haul of heroin since 2001. Together with other drugs, the amount found during its latest raid is enough to feed the addiction of more than 12,400 drug abusers for a week. The drugs are estimated to be worth more than $2.3 million. During a press conference on Monday (April 19), CNB said that in the drug bust last Friday, it seized about 23.6kg of cannabis, 16.5kg of heroin, 2kg of Ice and some 110 Ecstasy tablets. Most of the haul was found in the home of a 22-year-old Malaysian man in the vicinity of Choa Chu Kang Avenue 4. There were previous seizures of 33.4kg of cannabis in 1996 and 34.8kg of heroin in 2001. In the most recent operation, the suspect was arrested at the ground floor of the housing block by CNB officers and found with four bundles of cannabis. The officers seized another eight bundles of heroin, two bundles of Ice and the Ecstasy tablets in his bedroom. They also found 27 bundles of heroin and 20 bundles of cannabis in a duffle bag and backpack in the storeroom of the unit. The drugs were shown to the media during the press conference. These included ...

Consumer watchdog Case gets new executive director

aseanpr 19 4 月

2 minutes

SINGAPORE - The Consumers Association of Singapore (Case) has appointed a new executive director. In a statement on Monday (April 19), the consumer watchdog announced that Ms Lee Siow Hwee replaced incumbent Loy York Jiun at the beginning of the month. Mr Loy, 47, has returned to the National Trades Union Congress, from which he was seconded as deputy executive director of Case on April 1, 2016. He was appointed as executive director in 2017. Ms Lee, 42, has served in the People's Association for 18 years in roles, including as deputy general manager of Central Singapore Community Development Council as well as constituency director of Moulmein-Cairnhill and Jurong Central constituency offices. During the peak of the Covid-19 pandemic last year, she led several national assistance schemes to support affected households and local businesses in central Singapore. These included the CDC Student Meals Scheme, which helped families living in flats under the Public Rental Scheme with children studying in primary and secondary schools defray the cost of buying meals while on home-based learning. Case president Lim Biow Chuan said: "With Siow Hwee's extensive experience in working with sta...

SMRT to distribute S’pore-made electric motorcycles

aseanpr 19 4 月

3 minutes

SINGAPORE - Electric motorcycle maker EuroSports Technologies has teamed up with SMRT-owned Strides Transportation to develop, market and supply smart electric motorbikes. In an announcement to the Singapore Exchange on Monday (April 19), EuroSports Technologies said the two local companies have signed a memorandum of understanding which will see Strides appointed as the sole distributor of commercial electric motorcycles in Singapore and the Asia-Pacific region. This range of two- and three-wheelers will be separate from EuroSports' Scorpio brand of premium electric motorbikes. They will be targeted for food delivery and logistics applications. EuroSports Technologies - part of listed sportscar distributor EuroSports Global - will be rolling out the new range of commercial motorbikes by the fourth quarter of this year - ahead of the Scorpio's 2022 production. Like the Scorpio, these motorcycles will be equipped with smart features such as over-the-air software updates, connectivity to the Internet of Things and in-house charging systems. But they will have lower performance, fewer premium features and a substantially lower price tag. Formed in 2016, Strides provides limousine and ...

Morning Briefing: Top stories from The Straits Times on April 19

aseanpr 19 4 月

2 minutes

Good morning! Here are our top stories to kick-start your Monday, April 19. Covid-19 vaccine take-up rate for seniors in S'pore expected to rise: Experts Despite mobility and literacy issues, more will go for the jab as they gain confidence in it. READ MORE HERE 34 cyclists in S'pore caught breaking rules on roads over 2 days: LTA They include 16 cyclists who rode on the road without helmets and another 16 who ran the red light. READ MORE HERE Sole Covid-19 community case in S'pore tests preliminarily positive for B117 strain The bunker tanker crewman did not disembark from the vessel except to go for Covid-19 testing and vaccination. READ MORE HERE S'pore takes Swiss cheese approach to Covid-19 contact tracing Each method may have its shortcomings, but put together, they make up a solid whole, said the head of MOH's contact tracing centre. READ MORE HERE ‘I wanted to escape this life by hiding who I was’ Japan’s ‘untouchables’ are still ostracised in modern times purely because of their lineage. READ MORE HERE US, China agreement set to spur global climate action The agreement is likely to bolster Mr Biden’s climate summit on Thursday and Friday. READ MORE HERE Gig workers in S'po...

Man who sexually groomed 13-year-old girl jailed for two years and 10 months

aseanpr 18 4 月

3 minutes

SINGAPORE - A man who started sexually grooming a teenager when she was 13 years old has been jailed for two years and 10 months. Nick Chong Seng Cheong, 24, had sex with the girl on multiple occasions and also paid her for it. He pleaded guilty on Monday (April 12) to three counts of sexual penetration of a minor under 14 and one count of possessing obscene films. Seven charges of sexual penetration of a minor were taken into consideration by District Judge Janet Wang during sentencing. The girl cannot be named due to a gag order to protect her identity. Court documents state that Chong was a project lead at an engineering company when he committed the offences. He became acquainted with the victim through chat application ChatIW in October 2017. They subsequently communicated via WhatsApp, and Chong would ask the girl to send him photographs of her private parts. He also sent her photographs of his genitals and videos of himself performing a sex act. Chong later suggested that they become "friends with benefit", to which the girl agreed, on the condition that she would be paid whenever they engaged in sexual activities. By that time, the girl had informed Chong that she was 13, t...

Bodies of two men retrieved from Singapore River near Clarke Quay

aseanpr 18 4 月

2 minutes

SINGAPORE - The bodies of two men, aged 26 and 28, were retrieved from the Singapore River early on Sunday (April 18). Police said they were alerted at 1.57am to a case of suspected drowning near 6 Eu Tong Sen Street - the address of Clarke Quay Central. A spokesman for the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said it received a call for water rescue at about 2am. Its officers saw no signs of the missing persons upon arrival. Divers from the SCDF's Disaster Assistance and Rescue Team (Dart) were deployed to perform an underwater search. Dart also deployed an underwater remotely operated vehicle to aid the search effort. This allows search operations to be conducted using sonar-imaging equipment that maps out underwater terrain. "This reduces risks for the divers due to poor visibility underwater, and also reduces search time," said the SCDF spokesman. The bodies were found and retrieved by the divers, one at about 4am and the other at about 5.45am. Both men were pronounced dead at the scene by an SCDF paramedic. "Based on preliminary investigations, the police do not suspect foul play," said a police spokesman. Investigations are ongoing. More on this topic Related Story Body of mi...

Morning Briefing: Top stories from The Straits Times on April 18

aseanpr 18 4 月

2 minutes

Good morning! Here are our top stories to kick-start your Sunday, April 18. Arm pain, fever and fatigue: Side effects of Covid-19 vaccine mean immune systems are reacting Side effects tend to be more pronounced in those with more robust immune systems, such as young people. READ MORE HERE Brother, colleague of NUS researcher who tested positive among 4 new Covid-19 community cases The researcher's brother, who works at DBS Bank in Changi, had been working mostly from home. READ MORE HERE How best to counter the virus of disinformation on Covid-19 vaccines? Continue ground engagement and raise awareness of the agendas of those who deliberately mislead, says Singapore editor Zakir Hussain. READ MORE HERE More on this topic Related Story ST newsletters: Get alerts on the latest news Sexual abuse of children on the rise in S'pore: Why victims are afraid to speak out More child sexual abuse cases have been investigated by the authorities in the past decade. READ MORE HERE Britain's Queen Elizabeth stands alone as royal family bids farewell to Prince Philip Mourners at the ceremony in Windsor Castle were limited in number due to Covid-19 rules. READ MORE HERE Heavy rain triggers flooding...

To protect children sexually abused by family members, CPS officers draw up safety plan

aseanpr 18 4 月

1 minute

SINGAPORE - When the Ministry of Social and Family Development is alerted to a case of intra-familial child sexual abuse, its Child Protective Service (CPS) ensures the child is kept safe. This entails having an adult who can ensure the child is not left alone with the perpetrator, said manager of the CPS investigation team Nurul Nadiah Mohamed Noor, 29. 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.

Building rapport with victims key to solving sex crimes, says police officer

aseanpr 18 4 月

1 minute

SINGAPORE - As a police officer investigating a serious sex crime, he once spent half an hour on the floor talking to a girl about Korean pop stars before she felt comfortable enough to share her story with him. Deputy Superintendent Ker Boon Tat, 34, told The Straits Times that having a connection with the victim is key to solving crimes. 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.

Singapore to run for membership in UN’s main drug policymaking body

aseanpr 17 4 月

3 minutes

SINGAPORE - Singapore intends to run for membership in the United Nations Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND), the main drug policymaking body of the UN. Membership will be for the term between 2024 and 2027. This was announced by Minister for Manpower and Second Minister for Home Affairs Josephine Teo when she addressed the 64th session of the UN CND in the Austrian capital, Vienna. The session was held from April 12 to 16 and was attended by the Singapore delegation virtually. The Singapore delegation, led by Mrs Teo, comprised officials from the Ministry of Home Affairs, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Central Narcotics Bureau, the Singapore Prison Service (SPS) and the Health Sciences Authority. There are 53 member states in the CND, which meet annually to review and analyse the global drug situation, develop strategies on international drug control, and recommend measures to address the problem around the world. Singapore has been participating actively as an observer at the CND. This year's session saw the adoption of the CND statement on the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on the world's drug problem. The statement emphasised the importance of continuing efforts, taking ...

Morning Briefing: Top stories from The Straits Times on April 17

aseanpr 17 4 月

2 minutes

Good morning! Here are our top stories to kick-start your Saturday, April 17. Thomson Road building to be demolished: Owners of residential units left stunned "Taking the building away is like taking away my retirement fund," said one unit owner who is a semi-retired architect. READ MORE HERE 4 key challenges ahead for Singapore's next 4G leader Insight looks at the main issues that lie ahead and the traits needed to handle them. READ MORE HERE Senior research fellow at NUS one of two Covid-19 cases in the community His three tests done during quarantine on March 25, April 3 and April 10 were all negative. READ MORE HERE More on this topic Related Story ST newsletters: Get alerts on the latest news 'They played us for fools': Disgruntled vendors decry late, missing payments from Naiise They expressed frustration at how Naiise founder Dennis Tay blamed Covid-19 for the company's undoing. READ MORE HERE Biden, Suga vow unity as US, Japan take on China challenges While China loomed large in their discussions, Japan was also careful to appear to be isolating China. READ MORE HERE 5Cs? It's 3 new Cs such as caring for environment that resonate with young S'poreans: DPM Heng He acknowled...

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