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Former Big Splash site converted into new family-friendly destination with water play areas, 12m-tall tube slide

aseanpr 28 3 月

5 minutes

SINGAPORE - Singaporeans with fond memories of the former iconic Big Splash water theme park at East Coast Park can now revisit them at the new Coastal PlayGrove, a 4.5ha development with a tube slides and water play areas that opened on Sunday (March 28) at the site. Built as part of efforts to rejuvenate East Coast Park and help spread out human traffic to the other parts of the park, the Coastal PlayGrove in Area B of the park features structures and designs that are reminiscent of the well-loved water park, including a 16m play structure that is a reconstruction of the Big Splash tower. The water park closed in 2006 and was later redeveloped as a dining and lifestyle destination. The site was handed over to the Government in 2016. The tower houses a vertical net play area, suitable for youngsters, with nets decked out in red, orange, yellow, green and blue - a nod to the distinctive five-lane coloured slides in the former water park. Visitors can also access two enclosed tube slides from the third and fourth floor of the tower, which are 7.3m and 11.9m high respectively. For younger children, they can climb and explore play nets at the base of the tower, which are suitable for ...

Morning Briefing: Top stories from The Straits Times on March 28

aseanpr 28 3 月

2 minutes

Good morning! Here are our top stories to kick-start your Sunday, March 28. S'pore public servants to work 3 days in office, 2 days at home as Covid-19 rules eased Public transport ridership is expected to rise in tandem with the return of more workers to offices. READ MORE HERE Poll finds most people in Singapore would rather work from home Only 1 in 4 of those polled wants to return to the office, with half of them saying they miss their colleagues. READ MORE HERE Tutor in Singapore left over $1m to Africa's poor kids She wrote her own obit and wanted proceeds from the sale of her Pasir Ris home to be donated. READ MORE HERE More on this topic Related Story ST newsletters: Get alerts on the latest news At least 114 killed in Myanmar in one of bloodiest days of protests The killings came as police and soldiers tried to suppress protests on Armed Forces Day. READ MORE HERE Secret gardens, mini lodge and shrine hidden in Singapore's forests People who set up and maintain such sites could be trespassing on state land. READ MORE HERE 30 years after SQ117 hijacking, is Singapore ready for another terror attack? The terrorism landscape and Singapore's counter-terrorism capabilities have...

Morning Briefing: Top stories from The Straits Times on March 27

aseanpr 27 3 月

2 minutes

Good morning! Here are our top stories to kick-start your Saturday, March 27. New code of conduct for tenancy agreements for retail premises; Govt backs call for new laws It covers key tenancy terms, including who should bear the costs in preparing the lease agreement. READ MORE HERE Efforts to free stuck Suez Canal ship with tug boats suspended till Saturday A US official said the Navy was prepared to send dredging experts to the canal, but was awaiting approval. READ MORE HERE Keen on green, but at what cost? Poll maps out S'porean attitudes to eco-friendliness Singaporeans have differing views on green living and accepting the trade-offs that they face, a survey found. READ MORE HERE More on this topic Related Story ST newsletters: Get alerts on the latest news Sole Covid-19 community case in S'pore is a Myanmar maid who initially tested negative She developed a cough and a runny nose on her first day of work at her employer's home. READ MORE HERE No quick solution to Myanmar, says Vivian Balakrishnan after meeting Indonesia's Jokowi "It's a tragedy that is unfolding... It's going to take quite some time to resolve," he said at the end of a two-day visit to Jakarta. READ MORE HE...

Misconception that job seekers need specialised skills to join sustainability sector: Experts

aseanpr 27 3 月

1 minute

SINGAPORE - From public affairs to market analysis to research work, jobs in the sustainability sector are wide-ranging and may not require specialised skill sets, say human resource experts. "There is a general misconception that you need to be highly skilled in technical roles to participate in the green economy," says Ms Jaya Dass, managing director for Malaysia and Singapore at recruitment firm Randstad Singapore. 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.

Duo offers workshops to show people how to live sustainably

aseanpr 27 3 月

1 minute

SINGAPORE - When Ms Lara Rath and Ms Anuja Aggarwal moved to Singapore, they looked for resources to help them live greener lifestyles. The two women hail from India but became friends in Hong Kong before moving here on separate occasions a few years ago, with their husbands and children. 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.

Keen on green, but at what cost? Poll maps out S’porean attitudes to eco-friendliness

aseanpr 27 3 月

1 minute

SINGAPORE - Stanley Lim is all for living the eco-friendly life mapped out under the Singapore Green Plan 2030 - as long as it costs him nothing and does not inconvenience him. The world is not going to end during his lifetime, says the 45-year-old teacher over the phone. 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.

Five months’ jail for man who was supervisor during 2018 workplace accident that left worker paralysed

aseanpr 26 3 月

3 minutes

SINGAPORE - A man who was the supervisor during a 2018 workplace accident that left a worker paralysed from the waist down has been sentenced to five months' jail. Lua Hua Keong, 66, who was with Lua Chan Electrical and Construction Contractors at that time, was in court on Thursday (March 25) after his conviction in January of a negligent act that endangered the safety of his workers, including Mr Ye Ko Ko. The accident occurred on Feb 3, 2018, while workers from Lua Chan - including Mr Ye - were erecting part of a dome-shaped tent at a field in Ang Mo Kio. Lua was the supervisor in charge of the 14-member team at that time. Mr Ye and two other workers were supporting a part of an arched frame structure when it was being lifted manually to an upright position. The structure collapsed when another part of it suddenly slipped, and Mr Ye was struck on the head. He became unconscious and was taken to Tan Tock Seng Hospital. Court documents state that the accident left Mr Ye with spinal injuries. He became paralysed waist down with his upper limbs severely weakened, and is now wheelchair dependent. It was revealed that a proper risk assessment was not conducted before work started at t...

New alliance aims to promote culture of mentoring for youth

aseanpr 26 3 月

3 minutes

SINGAPORE - When Ms Elfi Sufiyanti was a teenager struggling with friendship issues in secondary school, someone from Care Singapore helped her navigate through her problems. Now 26, she is working with the youth-centric charity to mentor other young people. Knowing first-hand how much it had helped her, she is hoping more will take part in mentoring programmes to help young people, including those struggling with self-image and self-esteem issues. To this end, Minister of State for Culture, Community and Youth Alvin Tan on Friday (March 26) announced the Mentorship Alliance for Action (AfA), to develop common resources and share best practices on mentoring to raise standards of mentoring in the youth sector, and help young people achieve their full potential. This is the 20th AfA announced since such partnerships between industry players and the Government were launched in June 2020. The new Mentoring AfA will work with other organisations to build up the pool of volunteer mentors and develop training courses for them. It is co-led by non-profit Mentoring Alliance Singapore and National Youth Council (NYC) and includes other organisations involved in mentoring such as Care Singapo...

Six charged over alleged role in illegal gambling syndicate

aseanpr 26 3 月

2 minutes

SINGAPORE - Six men appeared in court on Friday (March 26) over their alleged involvement with an illegal gambling syndicate. They were among 66 people who were arrested in an islandwide police crackdown on criminal syndicates in October 2018. The six are: Muk Yuen Seng, 49; Yong Chee Sum, 63; Aw Teck Huat, 53; Tan Beng Chee, 45; Tan Lei Peng, 34; and Steven Foo Kee Meng, 40. They are accused of being members of an organised criminal group that managed an illegal gambling den and face gambling-related charges. Foo and Tan Lei Peng are said to have instructed other individuals to commit gambling-related offences for the group. All six men are also accused of being members of an unlawful society. Foo and Aw were additionally charged under the Corruption, Drug Trafficking and Other Serious Crimes (Confiscation of Benefits) Act (CDSA), for allegedly dealing with money earned from managing the gambling den. "This is the fourth organised criminal group identified for prosecution for various offences under the Organised Criminal Act (OCA), which came into force on June 1, 2016," said the police in a statement on Thursday. Under the OCA, those guilty of being in an organised criminal group...

6 years and 10 months’ jail for man who took part in staged heist involving $418,000

aseanpr 26 3 月

3 minutes

SINGAPORE - A man who took part in a staged robbery involving $418,000 in cash was sentenced on Friday (March 26) to six years and 10 months' jail. Joshua John Foo Kuo-Li had faced a slew of charges before pleading guilty in a district court earlier this month to one count of cheating linked to the staged heist and two unrelated assault charges. The 25-year-old Singaporean also admitted to a criminal intimidation charge and seven drug-related offences. The court heard that Foo had worked with 28-year-old Ernest Leong Zhang Sheng to stage the heist in 2019. Leong was then engaged as a courier for Royston Lim Swee Sheng, a 39-year-old who was involved in the illicit money-changing trade. In proceedings which took place earlier, Deputy Public Prosecutor Sunil Nair said that on Feb 19 that year, Leong travelled to South Korea with two other couriers - Ng Yu Jie, 22, and Hong Jing Hui, 28 - to physically transport $418,000 to Singapore. While in the country, a man handed Ng the money. He then split the sum among the three couriers for ease of transportation to Singapore. Leong, who wanted to keep the money for himself, called Foo three days later and told him of the plan to cheat Lim by...

LTA awards $604m contract for Hougang interchange station on Cross Island Line

aseanpr 26 3 月

2 minutes

SINGAPORE - Hougang interchange station on the Cross Island Line and its tunnels will be built at a cost of $604 million by Samsung C&T Corporation. The Land Transport Authority (LTA) awarded the civil contract to the South Korean firm on Friday (March 26). Works should start in the fourth quarter of the year, the authority said. Hougang interchange station is under phase one of the Cross Island Line, which is set to begin operations in 2030. This stretch of the line runs from Aviation Park to Bright Hill, and all tenders have been called and are being progressively awarded. Samsung C&T Corporation's contract covers the design and construction of the station and tunnels, as well as alteration works to the existing Hougang station along the North East Line, which it also built. The company is now also building Caldecott and Marine Parade stations on the Thomson-East Coast Line and Xilin station on the Downtown Line. Its track record includes building Kovan station on the North East Line, as well as Expo and Upper Changi stations on the Downtown Line. The Cross Island Line is Singapore's eighth MRT line, and will link major hubs such as Jurong Lake District, Punggol Digital District ...

Over 150,000 employers to get more than $3b in Jobs Support Scheme payouts from end-March

aseanpr 25 3 月

3 minutes

SINGAPORE - From March 30, more than 150,000 employers will receive payouts of over $3 billion under the Jobs Support Scheme (JSS) of wage subsidies. The payment will benefit over two million local employees. Employers who have made mandatory Central Provident Fund contributions for their local employees for the months of September to December 2020 by the stipulated deadlines will qualify to receive the payout, said the Ministry of Finance (MOF) and Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore (Iras) in a joint statement on Thursday (March 25). With this payout, over $24.5 billion in JSS support would have been disbursed since the introduction of the scheme at the Unity Budget in February 2020. For the upcoming payout in March, employers will receive up to 50 per cent support for the first $4,600 of gross monthly wages paid in September, October, November and December 2020. Employers in the hardest-hit aviation, aerospace, and tourism sectors will get 50 per cent support; while those in food services, retail, arts and entertainment, land transport, and marine and offshore will get 30 per cent support. Employers in the built environment sector will get 50 per cent support for wages paid in...

HSA warns against 4 ‘weight-loss’ products; consumer suffers nausea, insomnia after taking pills

aseanpr 25 3 月

2 minutes

SINGAPORE - Four products sold on e-commerce sites and social media platforms were found to contain sibutramine, a banned substance that could increase the risk of heart attack and stroke. On Thursday (March 25), the Health Sciences Authority (HSA) said that a man who took one of the products, Flash Slim, experienced serious adverse effects including nausea, insomnia and palpitations. The product claimed to help users burn stubborn fat, with results guaranteed within one to five days. The public should not purchase or consume these products, the HSA said, adding that it has worked with the e-commerce and social media platforms to take down the listings. Sellers have also been warned. The three other products found to contain sibutramine are Leedee Botanical Beverage Mix Pineapple Juice Powder with African Mango, Quinn S Amyera and Schocolite Double Chocolate Cookies Drink with Hoodia Gordonii Extract and L-Carnitine. Members of the public had alerted the HSA about the products. "These slimming products were marketed to burn fats quickly and show results in as early as seven to 14 days," said HSA. Other side effects of sibutramine include insomnia and hallucinations. In 2019, a cons...

2 in 5 security officers abused on the job, with figures rising due to Covid-19: Survey

aseanpr 25 3 月

4 minutes

SINGAPORE - Security officers here say it has become increasingly common for them to be subjected to some form of abuse, with the Covid-19 pandemic being blamed for increased tensions. A survey of 1,002 officers, conducted between September and November last year, found that two in five security officers were exposed to some form of abuse in their course of work. A previous survey of 707 officers released in June last year found that about one in three was abused on the job. Commenting on the results released on Thursday (March 25), Union of Security Employees (USE) executive secretary Steve Tan said that the officers were most commonly subjected to verbal abuse. This was in part because of the need for additional security checks in the light of safe measurement measures introduced amid the pandemic. "Visitors to various properties were asked to comply with safe management measures, and the person asking them to do it was the security officer," said Mr Tan. He added that officers were also under pressure from clients to ensure that the safe management rules were followed. "What is very clear is that Covid-19 has increased the tensions at the site," said Mr Tan. USE and the Singapor...

50,000 staff in education sector receive Covid-19 vaccination letters; over 80% have made appointments

aseanpr 25 3 月

4 minutes

SINGAPORE - Over 80 per cent of staff in education institutions who have been invited to take the Covid-19 vaccine have made appointments to do so, said Education Minister Lawrence Wong. Close to 50,000 letters were sent out on March 10 in the first batch of invitations, encouraging educators to take their jabs so as to reduce the risk of transmission in the community. The response from the education sector has been very positive, said Mr Wong, noting that some staff have already taken their first jab. "(I'm) very glad to see them step forward, in the spirit of protecting not just themselves, but their students and school community," said Mr Wong in a Facebook post on Thursday (March 25). The vaccination exercise for teachers comes as the Ministry of Health expands the national vaccination programme to personnel who offer essential and front-line services. More than 150,000 teachers and other staff will be offered the Covid-19 vaccine, the Ministry of Education had said earlier this month. The exercise covers those working in primary schools, secondary schools, junior colleges and Millennia Institute, as well as those in special education schools, the Institute of Technical Educati...

Gardens by the Bay sakura season extended till April 11

aseanpr 25 3 月

2 minutes

SINGAPORE - Visitors to Gardens by the Bay will have three extra weeks to enjoy the popular peach and cherry blossoms display, with the Sakura Featuring Hello Kitty floral display running till April 11. Due to the ephemeral nature of the blooms, the annual sakura season previously ran for a total of three weeks at the gardens. But this year's display, which opened on March 1, was marked by a delay in the shipment of cherry blossom trees from Europe. This was because of disruptions in the shipping industry, Gardens by the Bay said on Wednesday (March 24). Speciality sakura trees from Japan had arrived as scheduled. Gardens by the Bay said that the trees from Europe, which arrived two weeks ago, have since been incorporated into the floral display. Visitors will need to pre-purchase timed-entry tickets online from Gardens by the Bay's website or via its smartphone app. The $100 digital SingapoRediscovers Vouchers, issued by the Singapore Tourism Board, can also be used. It allows admission into Cloud Forest, OCBC Skyway and Flower Dome, which houses the Sakura Featuring Hello Kitty floral display. For updates on the state of the flowers blooming, visitors can check Gardens by the Bay...

Blogger Leong Sze Hian ordered to pay PM Lee $133,000 for defamation over sharing of article

aseanpr 24 3 月

2 minutes

SINGAPORE - The High Court has ordered blogger and financial adviser Leong Sze Hian to pay Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong $133,000 for defamation. The sum includes $100,000 in general damages and $33,000 in aggravated damages. Mr Leong was sued for sharing, on his Facebook page, an article from the Malaysian news site The Coverage that falsely linked PM Lee to the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) corruption scandal in Malaysia. Justice Aedit Abdullah said in a written judgment on Wednesday (March 24) that Mr Leong did so "without making any enquiries as to its truth whatsoever" and displayed "reckless disregard of whether the article was true or not". "When seen cumulatively with his refusal to apologise for the defamatory words, malice may be made out on the facts," the judge said. PM Lee's lawyers had argued for $150,000 in damages, in line with what was awarded in a previous defamation case involving blogger Roy Ngerng. But Justice Aedit said that in Mr Leong's case, there was "limited basis to award such damages". He said: "The malice in this case, unlike in several of the other cases cited to me, did not involve a defendant wilfully posting something he knew to be false at ...

Man charged with attempted rape of 15-year-old girl arrested after failing to show up in court

aseanpr 24 3 月

3 minutes

SINGAPORE - The 21-year-old who skipped a court appearance on Monday (March 22) where he was supposed to enter his plea over sexual assault charges has been arrested. Police said he was picked up on Tuesday, the same day they detained another 21-year-old man for allegedly harbouring him. The fugitive is one of two men accused of sexually assaulting a 15-year-old girl when she became drunk after a game of Truth Or Dare. His co-accused has already pleaded guilty to raping the girl. The man faces one count of attempted rape and two counts of sexual assault by penetration. The parties in the case cannot be named because of a gag order to protect the victim's identity. The accused was 18 years old when he allegedly committed the offences on Oct 17, 2017, at the foot of a Housing Board block in Pasir Ris Street 51. The court heard that the accused had gone missing on Monday after having breakfast with his father and lawyer. The court hearing was scheduled for 10am. At around 9.10am, he complained of an upset stomach and left for the toilet. He then could not be found, and also did not respond to phone calls and text messages. A warrant of arrest was issued by the High Court the same day....

SLA appoints Frasers Hospitality Trust CEO as new chief, effective April 12

aseanpr 24 3 月

2 minutes

SINGAPORE - The Ministry of Law (MinLaw) on Wednesday (March 24) announced that it has appointed Mr Colin Low as the new chief executive of the Singapore Land Authority (SLA). The appointment will be effective April 12, 2021. He succeeds Mr Tan Boon Khai, who was appointed chief executive of JTC Corporation on Sept 1 last year. SLA's current deputy chief executive, Mr Simon Ong, will relinquish his appointment as acting chief executive on April 12. Mr Low, 44, has about two decades of experience in investment and corporate business development, where he covered the hospitality, retail and other real estate asset classes in the private sector, said MinLaw. He is currently the chief executive of Frasers Hospitality Trust, a hospitality real estate investment trust listed on the Singapore Exchange. Prior to this, he was head of hotel investment properties for Europe, the Middle East and Africa at London-based CBRE Hotels. Mr Low graduated with a Bachelor of Social Science (Honours) degree in economics from the National University of Singapore. In a statement on Wednesday, MinLaw said: "The Ministry of Law and SLA welcome Mr Low, and look forward to his leadership in SLA's ongoing work...

Morning Briefing: Top stories from The Straits Times on March 24

aseanpr 24 3 月

2 minutes

Good morning! Here are our top stories to kick-start your Wednesday, March 24. Muslim leaders told last August that position on nurses wearing tudung under review, likely to change: Shanmugam The Govt was discussing this internally as it could see good reasons to make this change, he said. READ MORE HERE Singapore's temperatures rising despite cooling effects of La Nina: Climate report Last year was the eighth warmest year on record. READ MORE HERE At least 70 police reports filed against Singaporean-run crypto trading platform Torque Investors are claiming millions lost in cryptocurrencies on the platform, run by S'porean businessman Bernard Ong. READ MORE HERE More on this topic Related Story ST newsletters: Get alerts on the latest news Store workers, gun rights supporter, grandfather-to-be among Colorado shooting victims For 51-year-old Teri Leiker, who had worked at the store for 30 years, it had long been a happy place, said a friend. READ MORE HERE Malaysia's police chief causes ripples with claims of corruption in senior ranks of force Abdul Hamid Bador said he knew of former police chiefs using serving police officers to do their bidding. READ MORE HERE New centre aims to ...

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