aseanpr

Doctor jailed and caned for assaulting girlfriend no longer allowed to practise

aseanpr 8 3 月

3 minutes

SINGAPORE - The doctor who was convicted last year of physically assaulting his then girlfriend, leaving her with a brain haemorrhage and fractures, has been struck off the Register of Medical Practitioners. Clarence Teo Shun Jie was referred to the Singapore Medical Council's disciplinary tribunal last year, soon after his sentencing in June which saw him receive three years, six months and two weeks' jail, with four strokes of the cane and a fine of $4,000. Under the Medical Registration Act, a medical practitioner convicted of a crime that implies "a defect in character which makes him unfit to practise medicine" may be referred to the disciplinary tribunal. Punishment can include fines, suspensions and removal from the register of medical practitioners. Teo, who was a locum, physically assaulted his then girlfriend on several occasions in 2017. He had met the victim in February that year on a dating app. About a month later, during an argument, Teo assaulted her for the first time. He did it again later that month and a third time in August 2017, assaulting her in his flat. He locked her in a room and repeatedly assaulted her when she refused to have sexual intercourse with him...

Women and girls enjoy less freedom in the online space than in real Singapore: Sim Ann

aseanpr 8 3 月

3 minutes

SINGAPORE - In her course of work at the Ministry of Communications and Information, Ms Sim Ann has encountered cases of victims who experienced online harm. "From time to time, they've approached us to say 'my photos were stolen'," she said. Listening to such stories prompted her to speak to more Singaporeans to understand the dangers women and girls face online. Ms Sim, who is Senior Minister of State for Communications and Information, said: "We have to ask ourselves, do our women and girls enjoy the same degree of freedom and confidence in the online space as they do in real life in Singapore. "The signs suggest there is a gap." She was particularly struck by a related video that The Straits Times produced last month. The video InstaSex had delved into the stories of teens who encountered sexual harassment and physical assault as a result of interactions on social media. "I think that really hit home. As an MP, when we hear about (such cases), it's usually because something has already happened. Someone has already become a victim. "But we may or may not interact with the victim directly. Sometimes they come through an intermediary, such as a family member." Ms Sim, a mother of...

Students still without TraceTogether tokens to receive them from schools by end of March

aseanpr 7 3 月

3 minutes

SINGAPORE - Students here who are still without TraceTogether tokens can collect them from their schools by the end of this month, according to an update on the Ministry of Education's (MOE) website last week. This suggests that mandatory use of TraceTogether in schools could begin anytime from April. In its update, MOE said that primary, secondary, junior college and Milennia Institute students who have not collected their tokens from the community centres and clubs during the national distribution exercise, will be issued one by the end of March this year. The school distribution would be carried out in phases. "For students to receive the Token from the school, parents/guardians must raise the request through the Token request form sent out by schools," it said. "Students may still collect their Tokens at any of the CCs listed on the TokenGoWhere website if they missed the deadline to request for it via their respective schools." The tokens have been distributed to the public in CCs here since September last year. Minister-in-Charge of the Smart Nation Initiative Vivian Balakrishnan had first said last December that schools will be distributing the tokens to students so that the...

Oldest NKF centre in S’pore’s west gets new equipment, more capacity, thanks to $2m donation

aseanpr 7 3 月

4 minutes

SINGAPORE - The National Kidney Foundation's oldest dialysis centre in the west of Singapore has got a new look, thanks to a $2m donation from local charity, the Lew Foundation. Located at Blk 326 Clementi Avenue 5, the refurbished centre now has 30 dialysis stations, up from 20 previously, allowing it to serve up to 180 patients a week. The redesigned layout of the centre, which was set up in 1990, has done away with the patient cubicles of the past. Instead, it now has a more open and spacious look with no partitions between dialysis stations, allowing patients to interact with one another while undergoing treatment, and enabling staff to better observe all the patients. Speaking to The Straits Times on Sunday (March 7), clinical nurse manager Vinothan Umarani said: "At one glance, I can view all the patients, identify any issues and attend to them immediately." Following the renovation, all of the centre's equipment is also brand new and fully digitalised, and the centre's storage facilities have been expanded as well. Thanking the Lew Foundation for its donation at the opening ceremony of the centre on Sunday, NKF's chairman Arthur Lang said: "The upgrading works allow for effe...

Morning Briefing: Top stories from The Straits Times on March 7

aseanpr 7 3 月

2 minutes

Good morning! Here are our top stories to kick-start your Sunday, March 7. Easier tax claims process for work-from-home expenses in Singapore This includes the cost of air-conditioning and Wi-Fi. READ MORE HERE PES review by SAF: Better matching roles with soldiers’ abilities Screening and classification review could lead to a more optimal deployment, say observers. READ MORE HERE Fewer blood donors in S'pore in 2020, but collection at 5-year high This could be due to rise in percentage of those donating more than once, said the Singapore Red Cross. READ MORE HERE More on this topic Related Story ST newsletters: Get alerts on the latest news Some Singaporeans staying on in Myanmar despite violence in the streets There are 500 Singaporeans registered with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Myanmar. READ MORE HERE Robert Chua used to rule television, now he wants to build a food empire Launching a food business in the midst of a pandemic is a bad idea, friends said. But in August last year, his Joy Luck Teahouse opened in Ion Orchard. READ MORE HERE Same old, same old, maid abuse cases are a blight on Singapore Past cases make clear that current safeguards are inadequate - all the mo...

Worried for safety of their family and friends in Myanmar

aseanpr 7 3 月

5 minutes

SINGAPORE - Student Susan Pyi, 21, spends every waking hour here worried for the safety of her family in Myanmar. The Singaporean, who was born and raised there, has a seven-year-old brother who lives with their mother and grandmother in Yangon. Ms Pyi lives in Singapore with her father. She said her mother often hears gunshots near their apartment. Ms Pyi is most concerned about her brother, who likes to go onto the balcony, where stray bullets could pose a risk. "I've seen a lot of pictures of kids getting hurt, so I'm really worried about him," she said. To make matters worse, she loses contact with her family on days when the authorities in Myanmar cut off access to the Internet. "I don't know what's happening and I just feel so helpless," she said. Protests, largely led by young people, broke out in several cities in Myanmar after military officials staged a coup on Feb 1 and detained the country's de facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi, along with many other leaders of the National League for Democracy - Myanmar's elected ruling party. The military crackdown which followed left many dead and injured, and more than 1,000 people were arrested. Amid the ensuing chaos, word spread that...

Five father-friendly organisations receive awards

aseanpr 7 3 月

3 minutes

SINGAPORE - At real estate company City Developments Limited, fathers have three days of leave to attend family-related activities, such as their child's first day of school. Staff with Singaporean children aged below 12 months also have two weeks of paternity leave, in addition to the two weeks legislated here. The firm was one of five organisations from the public and private sectors to receive Great Companies for Dads Awards at a ceremony on Wednesday. President Halimah Yacob, who handed out the awards, said pro-family workplaces can be cultivated with the support of employers. "Organisations that have adopted a work-life policy also reap benefits, such as increased staff productivity and higher level of engagements at work," she said. The award, launched by non-profit organisation Centre for Fathering (CFF), is the first accolade for organisations that help fathers balance family life with the workplace. Since 2015, CFF has been the driving force behind Singapore's nationwide fathering movement - Dads for Life - which seeks to inspire and mobilise fathers to become more involved with and be a good influence on their children. The award for companies was launched in conjunction ...

Two new groups set up under PAP women’s wing to study women’s issues

aseanpr 6 3 月

5 minutes

SINGAPORE - The People's Action Party (PAP) women's wing will be setting up two new groups to look into research and policy to help it better address the issues faced by women in Singapore, Manpower Minister Josephine Teo said on Saturday (March 6). The research group, led by Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC MP Yeo Wan Ling, will look into emerging trends - such as remote working - and their impact on women, said Mrs Teo, who is also chairman of the PAP women's wing. "For example, how can remote working help women juggle their roles as caregivers, and yet not become marginalised when it comes to career progression?" said Mrs Teo during an event in Punggol held ahead of International Women's Day on Monday. This group will also sharpen its sensing of women's views, on topical issues such as Primary 1 registration rules and the new sentencing framework Law and Home Affairs Minister K. Shanmugam spoke about in Parliament on Friday. Mr Shanmugam had said that the maximum penalties for three sexual offences are set to be raised following a review of penalties for hurt and sexual offences. The PAP women's wing had in July last year expressed its serious concerns about the apparent inadequate sentenc...

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

aseanpr 6 3 月

2 minutes

Good morning! Here are our top stories to kick-start your Saturday, March 6. Budget debate: S'pore to revamp healthcare subsidy system for more targeted support MOH will channel more money towards ensuring that those at the lowest income levels get the help that they need. READ MORE HERE Budget debate: More than 350,000 Singapore residents have received first Covid-19 jab, says Gan Kim Yong More than 40,000 seniors above the age of 70 have also received their first dose. READ MORE HERE Myanmar's influencers: How key stakeholders inside and outside the country could shape its future As the death toll mounts in Myanmar, questions are being asked about whether Asean, the UN and China can and should do more. READ MORE HERE More on this topic Related Story ST newsletters: Get alerts on the latest news Quest for equality: What ought to be relooked amid review of issues concerning Singapore women? Some say it has to start with the Constitution, while others point out that men play an equally important role. READ MORE HERE Sigh of relief in Taiwan after China's parliamentarians start meeting There had been speculation on whether China's National People's Congress would pass a law on nation...

Health for life: New initiatives to keep S’poreans healthier longer, help them cope with illness better

aseanpr 6 3 月

4 minutes

SINGAPORE - A slew of new programmes and changes was announced by the Ministry of Health on Friday (March 5) to keep people healthier longer, and help them cope with illness better. Rei Kurohi summarises the key initiatives and when you can expect them. Striving for better health for all What An inter-agency task force has been set up to develop a five-year Child and Maternal Health and Well-being action plan, aimed at helping women prepare for motherhood, and helping children attain good health and well-being from their early years. When The task force will implement the plan in phases, with the first phase expected to be ready by early next year. What An updated Action Plan for Successful Ageing will be launched to improve seniors’ quality of life, empower them to continue contributing to society, and support them in staying connected to the community. When The Government will launch the plan next year. What A work group has been set up to improve the health of ethnic minority groups in Singapore. It will design programmes to rally the respective communities against poor health habits. When The group was formed last month and will start by focusing its efforts on the Malay commun...

Medical social worker finds meaning in supporting Covid-19 patients

aseanpr 6 3 月

3 minutes

SINGAPORE - When the pandemic struck last year, Dr Ho Lai Peng encountered an anxious Covid-19 patient hospitalised at the National Centre for Infectious Diseases (NCID) who was separated from her young children. The patient was worried about her children's well-being, as they were in another hospital with a relative who had been admitted for another infection. Says Dr Ho, a principal medical social worker at NCID: "Her children were anxious as well, as they were away from their mother. "It was important to work with the other hospital during this period to coordinate care until both patients were safely discharged. "It was also important to provide a listening ear to the mother and talk to her, as this would help reduce anxiety." For the past 30 years, Dr Ho has been a medical social worker providing counselling and emotional support to patients - and their families - with difficulties adjusting to medical conditions or who are in the hospital for emotional issues. She now leads a team of 20 medical social workers and staff at NCID. Dr Ho and her team help facilitate video calls between Covid-19 patients and their families, communicate a grave prognosis to the families if the pati...

Budget debate: S’pore to revamp healthcare subsidy system for more targeted support

aseanpr 6 3 月

4 minutes

SINGAPORE - The healthcare subsidy system is being revamped to ensure that those who need financial help the most get more of it. This comes with the rising consumption of healthcare services as the population ages, and Singapore looking to strengthen its healthcare system. The Government's share of healthcare spending has been going up - from 40 per cent in 2013 to 46 per cent in 2018. And it will continue to rise. To ensure that people at the lowest income levels get the help that they need to improve their health outcomes, the Ministry of Health (MOH) will channel more money to them. To achieve this, it will do a major revamp of the public sector subsidy structure by the middle of next year that will affect inpatient and outpatient subsidies. There will be changes to the subsidies in acute and community hospitals, specialist outpatient clinics and for day surgery. Speaking at the debate on his ministry's expenditure, Health Minister Gan Kim Yong said: "We have to be prudent in how we allocate limited resources to ensure that the support we provide is more targeted to benefit those with greater need." There will be just one subsidy range for the two subsidised ward classes - B2 a...

Maritime sector to receive $20 billion in investments by 2024, new jobs to be created

aseanpr 5 3 月

5 minutes

SINGAPORE - Singapore's maritime sector can expect $20 billion in investments from industry players by 2024. This will create more jobs here, said Senior Minister of State for Transport Chee Hong Tat on Friday (March 5). The number of maritime tech start-ups will also more than triple from 30 to 100 by 2025, while a new programme will be launched to develop leaders with knowledge of key maritime issues and strong business networks. Speaking in Parliament during the debate on the budget of the Ministry of Transport, Mr Chee said: "We aim to bring in $20 billion in total business spending commitments from maritime companies from 2020 to 2024, and create more jobs and opportunities for our people." These will be in areas including maritime law and arbitration, ship management and marine insurance. He outlined three targets for the local maritime ecosystem to strive towards - to be integrated, innovative and inclusive. The maritime sector here did well last year, handling 36.9 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs), and growing in scale and diversity, said Mr Chee. "We attracted 11 new shipping groups to Singapore, and worked with eight maritime companies to expand their operation...

Close shave for Punggol East home owner as glass door shatters suddenly

aseanpr 5 3 月

5 minutes

SINGAPORE (THE NEW PAPER) - A mere four seconds was the difference between Mr Sito Rong Feng walking unscathed into his kitchen and being hit by a sliding glass door as it shattered into smithereens. When the wedding photographer had the close shave last month, his first thought was the safety of his 15-month-old twin sons who were playing in a playpen in the living room of the family's Punggol East flat. He found pieces of the tempered glass in the playpen, but his boys were unhurt. Glass was scattered across the living room, and Mr Sito, 38, and his wife, Ms Eldora Lie, 33, sustained minor cuts on their feet. "If I had walked slower, I would've got injured. Worse, if my boys had been sitting on their high chairs at the dining table, they could have been seriously hurt when the glass fell," he told The New Paper on Thursday (March 4). "My wife also does work at the dining table all the time. So I guess you can say it was good timing that this happened when no one was there." Footage from a closed-circuit television camera shows the door exploding with a loud sound and crashing onto the floor about four seconds after Mr Sito walked into the kitchen. Mr Sito said before they moved i...

Covid-19 crowd control measures at some sites during Qing Ming festival

aseanpr 5 3 月

4 minutes

SINGAPORE - Crowd control measures to ensure safe distancing will be introduced during Qing Ming, or the Chinese tomb-sweeping festival, with visits to some sites limited to two per household. The festival this year takes place on April 4. The National Environment Agency (NEA) on Friday (March 5) said crowds are expected to peak on Good Friday, which falls on April 2, as well as on the weekends between March 20 and April 18. Those driving to Mandai Columbarium on these days will have to book an appointment, as crowds are expected to be larger this year due to high niche occupancy. Visitors should carpool, the NEA said. Those visiting Choa Chu Kang Cemetery and government-managed columbariums in Choa Chu Kang, Mandai and Yishun are advised to limit the number of visitors to two per household. These columbariums will remain open 24/7 from March 20 to April 18. Visitors are encouraged to go on weekdays. To reduce traffic congestion, visitors can also take shuttle bus services which will be provided. For Choa Chu Kang Cemetery and Columbarium, a shuttle bus service at 15-minute intervals will be provided at $1 per trip between the NEA's claims and registration office at Christian Cemet...

Keys to fixing political, Rohingya crises lie within Myanmar itself: Vivian Balakrishnan

aseanpr 5 3 月

7 minutes

SINGAPORE - The keys to reconciliation, and the solution to both the political and humanitarian problems roiling Myanmar, lie within the country itself and in the hands of its people, said Singapore's Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan on Friday (March 5). He also called it "the height of national shame for the armed forces of any country to turn its arms against its own people". Civilian protests against a Feb 1 military coup have led to deadly clashes with security forces nationwide, leaving at least 54 killed with over a thousand arrested. "There's a limit to how far external pressure will be brought to bear," said Dr Balakrishnan in Parliament, in response to Mr Leon Perera (Aljunied GRC) who asked what concrete steps Asean could take to address the turmoil in Myanmar, after its military - the Tatmadaw - overthrew and detained elected government leader Aung San Suu Kyi and members of her National League for Democracy (NLD) party. Dr Balakrishnan said: "It doesn't mean we approve of what they have done and how they do it. And we are clear in our expressions of disapproval. But let us also be realistic. "Ultimately, only the people of Myanmar, including the armed forces, the Ta...

New panel to be set up to achieve greater consistency in sentencing: Shanmugam

aseanpr 5 3 月

2 minutes

SINGAPORE - A new advisory panel will be set up to achieve greater consistency in sentencing, Law and Home Affairs Minister K. Shanmugam announced in Parliament on Friday (March 5). The key function of the panel will be to issue publicly available sentencing guidelines that will be "persuasive" but not binding on the courts, he said. In coming to this decision, Mr Shanmugam said his ministries studied the experience in other jurisdictions, namely England, Wales and Scotland. "We noted that the formation of a sentencing body that promulgates sentencing guidelines can be useful. It can enable proactive publication of guidelines to pre-empt or address areas of concern," he said. He said the guidelines will also provide greater clarity to the public about the likely sentence and the relevant factors to be considered in sentencing. For instance, if the panel decides to issue guidelines for a hurt-related offence, it can set out a framework of different sentencing bands, based on the twin factors of harm and culpability. The framework can also include relevant aggravating and mitigating factors to be considered in sentencing. Mr Shanmugam said the panel is expected to be an inter-agency ...

Sentosa to become carbon-neutral destination by 2030: Chan Chun Sing

aseanpr 4 3 月

3 minutes

SINGAPORE - Sentosa will be transformed into a carbon-neutral destination by 2030, as part of its long-term sustainability plan. Announcing this in Parliament on Thursday (March 4) during a debate on the Government's sustainability plans, Trade and Industry Minister Chan Chun Sing said the move is part of Singapore's efforts to capture opportunities in the green economy and in preparation for the rebound in global tourism. In the future, tourists would be more interested in sustainable travel options, such as eco-friendly hotels and attractions, he said. The Sentosa Development Corporation (SDC) said in a press release that it will identify and work with technology partners to testbed sustainable technologies and concepts on Sentosa. It will also engage some 200 businesses within the resort island to work towards its carbon-neutral ambitions. Among its key priorities are to decarbonise energy systems in Sentosa, reduce food waste and introduce green travel options. SDC and state investor Temasek have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to, among other things, identify opportunities to test solutions to lower the island's carbon footprint. The partnership will also explore ne...

Budget debate: Electricity prices likely to go up, but efforts will be made to ensure a gradual rise

aseanpr 4 3 月

4 minutes

SINGAPORE - Electricity prices are likely to increase as Singapore's electricity overcapacity situation normalises and fuel prices rise, said Second Minister for Trade and Industry Tan See Leng on Thursday (March 4). However, he noted that price surges and volatilities will be managed. "Even if prices must go up, the Government will do its best to ensure that this increase is gradual, and it will act where necessary to minimise excessive surges," said Dr Tan. Addressing questions on electricity prices from Mr Saktiandi Supaat (Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC) and Mr Liang Eng Hwa (Bukit Panjang), Dr Tan said that wholesale electricity market prices are indeed well-depressed currently. Generation companies (gencos) had built excess capacity to cater to projected bullish demand around a decade ago. But this did not materialise, and intense competition between the gencos have led to electricity prices falling below the full cost of production, he explained. But the overcapacity situation will likely be alleviated in the near future and it is thus inevitable that prices will rise, he said. "Over the medium to long run, electricity prices normalising is inevitable... No company that is commerciall...

‘Very few’ requests from commuters to use child booster seats in taxis during trial

aseanpr 4 3 月

4 minutes

SINGAPORE - A trial to equip taxis here with child booster seats has seen a low utilisation rate, with very few requests from commuters to use such seats, Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Transport Baey Yam Keng said on Thursday (March 4). He was responding to Mr Louis Ng (Nee Soon GRC), who had asked for an update on a pilot programme launched by SMRT Taxis in March last year to progressively equip its fleet of 2,800 cabs with child booster seats. The six-month trial was extended by three months till last December due to the eight-week circuit breaker period, Mr Baey said, and about 1,750 SMRT taxis were equipped with booster seats. The booster seats will remain in these taxis despite the low utilisation rate and SMRT will provide further updates on their usage, he told Parliament. SMRT is the first taxi operator here to offer free child booster seats for its commuters, and Mr Baey said the Land Transport Authority (LTA) will be glad to consider similar trials by other taxi operators. While private cars and private-hire cars are required to have appropriate child restraints or booster seats for children under 1.35m in height, taxis are exempt from this requirement. Pointing out ...

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