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

aseanpr 9 4 月

2 minutes

Good morning! Here are our top stories to kick-start your Friday, April 9. Heng Swee Keat steps aside: What lies ahead for PAP's 4G in electing its new leader and team builder Even as they deal with the fallout from the latest development and select their next leader, the 4G team stressed that the crisis will not rupture their unity. READ MORE HERE 4G leaders should be given chance to relook succession plan holistically, says Chan Chun Sing PAP leaders stress it is about picking someone best able to ensure the team can be greater than sum of its parts. READ MORE HERE Who will be Singapore's next PM with Heng Swee Keat stepping aside? Chan Chun Sing, Ong Ye Kung, Lawrence Wong and Desmond Lee are likely candidates. READ MORE HERE More on this topic Related Story ST newsletters: Get alerts on the latest news Heng Swee Keat's decision catches many by surprise; Pritam Singh pledges to work with next 4G leader "We await the forthcoming Cabinet changes, and the 4G PAP leadership's next choice for PM," said Mr Singh. READ MORE HERE PM Lee to stay on until new 4G leader is chosen to replace DPM Heng He added that while the Govt's immediate focus is on the health and economic crisis, succes...

Vaping is harmful and not cool, says lung surgeon who has operated on vapers

aseanpr 9 4 月

1 minute

SINGAPORE - Users of electronic vaporisers often consider the activity safer than cigarette smoking and less harmful to others because it is smokeless. But the sweet scent of exhaled vape clouds masks potential health risks, said medical experts The Straits Times spoke to recently. 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.

4 S’poreans, 1 Malaysian director charged with conspiring to launder over $2 million

aseanpr 8 4 月

2 minutes

SINGAPORE - Five men were charged on Thursday (April 8) with being part of a conspiracy to launder more than $2 million through shell companies. One of them, Tan Hock Keat, a 34-year-old Malaysian, had allegedly taken instructions from an unidentified man to open corporate bank accounts in the name of shell companies. Tan was previously the director of DM Advisory Private Limited, a Singapore-based company that provided corporate secretarial services. He is accused of engaging bank officer Phua Wee Hao, a 33-year-old Singaporean, to recruit nominee directors for the shell companies. Between 2016 and 2019, the Singapore Police Force's Commercial Affairs Department received eight police reports from victims who were allegedly deceived into wiring around US$1.67 million (S$2.24 million) into the bank accounts of six shell companies. The companies are Plutusteam, Glidertex, Birseltex Global, Temco Industrial, Integrated Invest and Modelana Trading. The police added that there was also an attempted transfer of around HK$3.24 million (S$558,000) into the bank account of Jiangsu Chengde Steel Tube Share Co - a Chinese company that produced steel tubes - but it did not go through as the ba...

Average of 12 people a year taken to task for not providing safe conditions for maids cleaning windows: MOM

aseanpr 8 4 月

3 minutes

SINGAPORE - The authorities here took about 60 people to task from 2016 to 2020 for failing to provide safe working conditions for their maids while cleaning windows. The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) said those implicated included employers and their household members. It added that they were warned, issued with composition fines or prosecuted, depending on the severity of the case. The ministry was responding to queries from The Straits Times on the 26-year-old Indonesian maid who died in hospital after being found at the bottom of a block of flats near Hougang MRT on March 29. The police said that they had received a call for assistance at Block 464 Upper Serangoon Road at 4.53pm. The woman was unconscious when she was brought to Sengkang General Hospital by the Singapore Civil Defence Force, where she later died. She is believed to have been cleaning windows when she fell. MOM said that it is investigating the incident. "MOM expresses our deepest condolences to the deceased's family. The Centre for Domestic Employees is in touch with her family members and employer to provide assistance," said an MOM spokesman on Thursday (April 8). The ministry added that it takes a serious view ...

Man accused of selling replica guns allegedly tried to engage unsuspecting Grab driver to deliver goods

aseanpr 8 4 月

3 minutes

SINGAPORE - A man accused of selling replica guns online allegedly tried but failed to engage an unsuspecting private-hire car driver to deliver the goods, a district court heard on Thursday (April 8). Liu Huijian, now 41,is on trial for an offence under the Arms and Explosives Act. According to court documents, the Singaporean allegedly had in his possession 156 guns from which pellets could be discharged, as well as component parts of such guns. They were found in a Sims Place flat on Nov 16, 2018. The Grab driver, Mr Tan Chee Pheow, took the stand on Thursday, the first day of Liu's trial. He recalled receiving a booking at around 9am to transport a passenger from the Sims area to Woodlands. However, Mr Tan told the court he could not remember the date of the booking. He said when he arrived at the pick-up point, a man knocked on the window of his car. Mr Tan told District Judge Sharmila Sripathy-Shanaz that the man then handed him a box, claiming it contained items such as books and magazines. But he sensed something was amiss when he found that the box was heavy. Mr Tan told the man to open the box as he was "worried" that it might contain "something illegal". The man initiall...

Britain setting up new health office with Singapore’s Health Promotion Board as model

aseanpr 8 4 月

1 minute

SINGAPORE - The Health Promotion Board (HPB) in Singapore will be the model for a new office Britain is setting up to lead its efforts to improve and level up the public's health. Announcing the move on March 29, the country's Department of Health and Social Care said: "This office and approach will be modelled on successful methods to this agenda internationally, such as in Singapore, which has a Health Promotion Board, and has pioneered new digital public health schemes, such as their 'National Steps Challenge'." 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.

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

aseanpr 8 4 月

2 minutes

Good morning! Here are our top stories to kick-start your Thursday, April 8. Singapore's tourism industry to tap sustainability, wellness and tech trends for growth Are S'pore's attractions too touristy? | THE BIG STORY Challenge for Singapore is to reinvent global travel, prepare for long-term success. READ MORE HERE Police knock on doors to warn about scammers Officers carry out house visits and neighbourhood patrols, often with anti-scam pamphlets and other materials. READ MORE HERE Taiwan train crash: Body parts found after last carriage removed; authorities seek damages DNA from the passengers' remains have been sent to Taipei for further identification. READ MORE HERE More on this topic Related Story ST newsletters: Get alerts on the latest news Battle of the sidewalks: Cyclists versus pedestrians Battle of the Sidewalks: Cyclists versus pedestrians | CloseUp | The Straits Times Serious collisions have plagued Singapore's overcrowded sidewalks in recent years. READ MORE HERE S'pore's sole new Covid-19 community case is Myanmar maid who tested negative while serving SHN The patient then developed a headache last Friday and shortness of breath on Sunday. READ MORE HERE NEA to l...

S’pore woman on ‘quest for revenge’ against doctor has appeal dismissed, ordered to pay costs

aseanpr 7 4 月

3 minutes

SINGAPORE - A woman, deemed by the court to be on a "quest for revenge" against a doctor, had her appeal dismissed on Wednesday (April 7). Ms Serene Tiong, who was sued for defamation by Dr Julian Ong, had sought the court's permission to sue HC Surgical Specialists (HCSS) chief executive Heah Sieu Min on behalf of HCSS for alleged breach of director's duties relating to the company buying an additional 19 per cent stake in Dr Ong's firm. The High Court dismissed her application last year after it found that she had a vendetta and lacked good faith. On Wednesday, the Court of Appeal dismissed her appeal against last year's judgment, noting that Ms Tiong was driven by revenge and has a history of conflict with Dr Ong. In 2018, Ms Tiong made a complaint against Dr Ong, alleging that he and another medical specialist had colluded to have sex with vulnerable women patients. Dr Ong sued her that year for defamation after she circulated the complaint to other doctors. The Singapore Medical Council is currently still investigating. On Sept 25, 2019, a day before HCSS' annual general meeting (AGM), Ms Tiong bought 100 shares in the company. She did so to attend the AGM and raise concerns a...

Ngee Ann Poly student allegedly armed himself with knife to rob woman

aseanpr 7 4 月

2 minutes

SINGAPORE - A Ngee Ann Polytechnic (NP) student has been accused of arming himself with a knife to rob a woman of $40 last year. The Singaporean teenager is said to have committed the offence at a Lengkong Tiga block of flats, near Jalan Kembangan, at around 1am on Oct 3 last year, about a month before his 18th birthday. Since he was just 17 when he allegedly robbed the woman, he cannot be named under the Children and Young Persons Act, which covers individuals below 18 years of age. Responding to queries, NP told The Straits Times on Wednesday (April 7) that the teenager is still one of its students. Its spokesman added: "We take a zero tolerance approach towards any acts of misconduct and will not hesitate to take disciplinary actions against students found guilty of breaching our student code of conduct to ensure a safe and conducive environment for our school community. "We have extended counselling support to the student and are unable to comment further as the case is before the courts." The student was charged with the offence earlier this year and according to court documents, he had allegedly put the woman "in fear of death". His bail has been set at $15,000 and the case h...

Unemployment rates in Singapore decline for fourth straight month in February

aseanpr 7 4 月

2 minutes

SINGAPORE - Unemployment rates here continued to drop for the fourth consecutive month in February as the economy recovers. The unemployment rate peaked in September last year and persisted through October, before falling steadily since November. Singapore's employment situation has continued to improve, with declines seen across the overall, resident and citizen unemployment rates, said Manpower Minister Josephine Teo on Wednesday (April 7). A report by the Ministry of Manpower the same day revealed that the overall unemployment rate fell to 3.0 per cent in February, down from 3.2 per cent in January. Resident unemployment, which refers to Singapore citizens and permanent residents, declined to 4.1 per cent, from 4.3 per cent in the preceding month. Meanwhile, the citizen unemployment rate dropped from 4.5 per cent to 4.3 per cent. Some 96,800 residents were unemployed in February this year, including 85,900 citizens. In a Facebook post, Mrs Teo said: "Although the unemployment rates remain elevated and have not yet returned to pre-Covid-19 levels, we are seeing good progress with jobs growth." She noted that under the Jobs Growth Incentive, payouts were made to 27,000 employers, ...

New standards for Mice sector launched as S’pore prepares to hold larger events, welcome visitors

aseanpr 7 4 月

3 minutes

SINGAPORE - Singapore has launched a new certification programme for the meetings, incentives, conventions and exhibitions (Mice) sector for large-scale events to be conducted in a safe manner. Event organisers, venue owners and suppliers who meet strict benchmarks and uphold best practices in areas such as hygiene and sanitisation, safe distancing and emergency management will be able to display a mark of assurance that they meet Singapore government standards, which can serve to assure global participants, such as conference attendees. The SG SafeEvents Certification, billed as a first-of-its-kind programme, was launched on Wednesday (April 7) by the the Singapore Association of Convention and Exhibition Organisers and Suppliers (Saceos). The certification is aimed at giving Mice players here a competitive edge as they recalibrate their business operations for a Covid-19-safe marketplace, said Saceos president Aloysius Arlando. Adherence to the national standards provides a mark of assurance to the industry and the global community that events organised by certified organisers and suppliers, and held at certified venues, are "recognised under the programme to be safe, and the hea...

S’pore to get 4 new attractions including Museum of Ice Cream and Sentosa rotating gondola

aseanpr 7 4 月

4 minutes

SINGAPORE- An ice cream museum and another thrill ride in Clarke Quay are some of the new attractions Singaporeans can expect from this year, as Singapore seeks to enhance its attractiveness to prepare its hard-hit tourism sector for recovery. Sentosa will also welcome its own attraction next year, the SkyHelix Sentosa, an open-air rotating gondola that will ascend 35m above ground and offer views of Singapore's southern coast. There are also plans to have a new attraction at the vacant site between Somerset Skate Park and Killiney Road, as part of a plan to test-bed new concepts in Orchard Road. Announcing these plans on Wednesday (April 7) at the Tourism Industry Conference, an annual event organised by the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) for industry players, chief executive of STB Keith Tan said these new projects will help to support the tourism sector and increase its attractiveness. "These projects are a welcome breath of fresh air amongst all the negativity and bad news in the last year. Since the pandemic hit, we have focused on how to weather this 'long winter,'" Mr Tan said, adding that it is now time to focus on how Singapore can prepare for the future and thrive to becom...

Tiger Brokers Singapore Achieves 100% Growth in Account Openings for Three Consecutive Quarters in 2020; Continues to Focus on Untapped Gen Z Market

aseanpr 6 4 月

8 minutes

- Sees Singapore as a huge potential growth market for online trading especially among the younger Singaporeans who are getting more savvy with investing online. SINGAPORE, Apr 6, 2021 - (ACN Newswire) - Tiger Brokers Singapore, the Xiaomi-backed online trading platform, today revealed continued exponential growth and momentum among its user base in Singapore. The online and mobile-focused brokerage saw 100% growth in customer accounts for three consecutive quarters in 2020. Wu Tianhua, Chief Executive Officer of UP Fintech Holding Limited shared, "The total addressable market in Singapore is huge. The country has one of the highest rates of digitalisation in the world, and a nation-wide preference for digital banking which is supported by high tech infrastructure and key fintech initiatives led by the government, making it a very attractive and relevant market for Tiger Broker's services. This is a market that has huge potential for us, and we are working hard for incremental market growth, especially focused on younger Singaporeans who are getting more savvy with their investment needs." Eng Thiam Choon, Chief Executive Officer of Tiger Brokers Singapore, also...

Jail, caning for non-teaching staff member who molested ‘cute and adorable’ boy in primary school

aseanpr 6 4 月

2 minutes

SINGAPORE - A man working as an operations support officer in a primary school took a liking to an eight-year-old boy he found "cute and adorable". Chong Choon Ying hugged the pupil in school on numerous occasions when no one else was around. In early 2017, he wrapped his left hand around the boy's shoulders and used his other hand to touch the boy's groin. The boy did not tell his teachers or parents about this at first as he thought no one would believe him. He finally broke his silence about two years later and told his father about what Chong had done to him. Chong, a 48-year-old Singaporean, pleaded guilty on Tuesday (April 6) to a molestation charge and was sentenced to 14 months' jail and one stroke of the cane. A second molestation charge was taken into consideration during sentencing. The boy cannot be named because of a gag order to protect his identity, and details about the school have been redacted from court documents. Deputy Public Prosecutor Heershan Kaur said Chong had spotted the boy at his workplace while carrying out duties, which included maintenance work and locking up the classrooms after school hours. He started hugging the boy soon after. The DPP said: "Acc...

S’pore to have 11 public holidays in 2022, including 5 long weekends

aseanpr 6 4 月

1 minute

SINGAPORE - There will be five long weekends in 2022, according to the Ministry of Manpower's (MOM) release on gazetted public holidays - one more than this year's four. Of the 11 public holidays next year, three will fall on Sundays, while two will fall on Mondays. One falls on a Friday. However, as Labour Day and Hari Raya Puasa fall on consecutive days on May 1 and May 2 next year, they will be part of a single long weekend of four days. As May 1 is a Sunday and the following day is also a public holiday, Tuesday that week - May 3 - will be a day off. The two other Sunday holidays are Vesak Day and Christmas Day. The days off for these will be the following day. The other Monday holiday is Deepavali on Oct 24, while the Friday holiday is Good Friday on April 15. More on this topic Related Story Free outdoor fun at new playgrounds in East Coast Park and Botanic Gardens Related Story More orchids, attractions at National Orchid Garden's enhanced display area

Civil contracts worth $526m awarded to build 4 MRT stations serving NTU, Jurong industrial area

aseanpr 6 4 月

3 minutes

SINGAPORE - Construction of four more Jurong Region Line (JRL) MRT stations that will serve Nanyang Technological University (NTU) and the Jurong Town Corporation industrial area is set to begin this quarter. The Land Transport Authority (LTA) awarded two civil contracts valued at $263 million each for this on Tuesday (April 6). The contracts are for the design and construction of the four stations and associated viaducts. The stations are part of the JRL’s third phase, which is expected to be completed in 2029. Two of the stations, tentatively named Jurong Hill and Jurong Pier, will serve the industrial area around Jurong Pier Road. The other two, Nanyang Gateway and Nanyang Crescent, will be located on NTU’s campus. Once completed, the new stations will help commuters save up to 30 minutes in travelling time. For example, NTU students travelling from Choa Chu Kang now need an hour to get to the Lee Wee Nam Library on campus. The journey involves transferring from the North-South Line to the East-West Line and then taking a bus. With the JRL, the same trip would take only 35 minutes. The first contract covering Jurong Hill and Jurong Pier stations, as well as a 1.1km viaduct betwe...

Morning Briefing: Top stories from The Straits Times on April 6

aseanpr 6 4 月

2 minutes

Good morning! Here are our top stories to kick-start your Tuesday, April 6. S'poreans who invested with crypto-trading platform Torque lose life savings Woman lost $2.5 million, including some $200,000 invested by her in-laws. READ MORE HERE MRT, bus commuters could be subject to frisk searches under proposed laws The checks can be conducted by police officers, whether or not they are in uniform, and "approved persons". READ MORE HERE New Bill will allow Govt to borrow up to $90b for long-term national infrastructure projects Safeguards will be in place so that the money borrowed is used sustainably and responsibly. READ MORE HERE More on this topic Related Story ST newsletters: Get alerts on the latest news Photos of suspect looking on after Taiwan train crashed trigger outrage He was watching as victims scrambled to safety, and apparently knew by then that his truck caused the tragedy that killed 50 people. READ MORE HERE Stingrays common around S'pore and are known to be docile unless disturbed: Experts Sentosa Development Corp has urged the public to be vigilant after two beachgoers get stung. READ MORE HERE ERP rates to go up by $1 at certain stretches of CTE, AYE from April 1...

Managing the nation’s finances as one would a household

aseanpr 6 4 月

1 minute

SINGAPORE - "If you drive a car, I'll tax the street, If you try to sit, I'll tax your seat. 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.

Man jailed and fined $61,000, one of 8 found guilty of selling e-vaporisers online

aseanpr 5 4 月

2 minutes

SINGAPORE - Eight people were prosecuted for selling electronic vaporisers and related items in Singapore between November 2020 and February this year. Goods worth more than $50,000 were seized from them. The eight, aged 26 to 41, whose cases were unrelated, were fined a total of $172,500, the Health Sciences Authority (HSA) said on Monday (April 5). The highest penalty of one week's jail and a fine of $61,000 was meted out to repeat offender Akmal Syafiq Marzuki, 33. He had bought the illegal items from suppliers overseas and sold them through four accounts on online platforms Instagram and Carousell. His activities were detected and disrupted by HSA officers. E-vaporisers, which include e-cigarettes and e-cigars, are battery-powered devices that heat a liquid containing nicotine to produce a vapour which is inhaled. Another online seller, Sarah Davinia Ng See Mun, 32, was fined $11,000 for selling e-vaporisers on Carousell and Whatsapp. She advertised the devices as "Shisha Time Disposable Electronic Hookahs" which came in flavours such as menthol, blueberry and grape. Interested buyers would message her on the platforms. She operated the business with her husband, who assisted i...

Singapore residents aged below 45 will be invited to book Covid-19 vaccination appointments from June

aseanpr 5 4 月

3 minutes

SINGAPORE - Those aged below 45 will be invited to book their slots for Covid-19 vaccine appointments from June, if all goes as planned, said Senior Minister of State for Health Janil Puthucheary on Monday (April 5). He added that as at April 3, around 1.05 million individuals have received at least one dose of the vaccine, of which more than 468,000 individuals have received their second dose and completed the full vaccination regimen. Updating the House on Singapore's vaccination programme, Dr Janil said about 60 per cent of eligible seniors aged 70 and above, and close to 70 per cent of eligible seniors aged 60 to 69, have received the Covid-19 vaccination or booked their vaccination appointments to date. Additionally, about half, or close to 500,000 of residents aged 45 to 59 have registered for their vaccinations so far. "We are encouraged by the strong response," said Dr Janil, adding that those who have registered for their vaccinations will progressively receive invitations through SMS to make appointments. "This may take some time given the number who have registered," he said, adding that about 17 per cent of those aged 45 to 59 have received the vaccination or booked the...

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