Morning Briefing: Top stories from The Straits Times on Feb 13

aseanpr 13 2 月

2 minutes

Good morning! Here are our top stories to kick-start your Saturday, Feb 13. Five die after car slams into Tanjong Pagar shophouse on Saturday morning One person was sent to Singapore General Hospital with burn injuries. READ MORE HERE Singapore's economy able to bounce back this year, but some sectors will take longer to recover: PM Lee These are sectors such as tourism, transport, aviation and construction. READ MORE HERE Seniors across Singapore to start getting vaccinated against Covid-19 from Feb 22: PM Lee This comes after a month-long pilot for those aged 70 and above in Ang Mo Kio and Tanjong Pagar. READ MORE HERE More on this topic Related Story ST newsletters: Get alerts on the latest news New Covid-19 cluster found after wife and older son of Chinatown Complex shop owner test positive Apart from the two community cases, MOH also confirmed 16 imported cases on Friday. READ MORE HERE Trump defence says impeachment is about 'cancelling' opposing views, conclude presentation Impeachment 'constitutional cancel culture': Trump lawyer Trump's lawyers closed their defence arguing that the charge is an attempt to stifle speech and has no constitutional basis. READ MORE HERE SIA co...

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CNY tragedy: Five die after car slams into Tanjong Pagar shophouse, fire breaks out

aseanpr 13 2 月

4 minutes

SINGAPORE - Five people have died and one was sent to Singapore General Hospital after a car slammed into the front of a shophouse on Saturday (Feb 13) morning. In a statement to The Straits Times, the SCDF said it was alerted to a fire at 37 Tanjong Pagar Rd at about 5.40am. "The fire involved a car and the front of a shophouse. SCDF extinguished the fire with three water jets and one compressed air foam backpack," it said. Five people were pronounced dead at the scene and one, a woman, sent to SGH with serious burn injuries. ST understands that the five who died were in the car - a BMW - when the accident happened. The cause of the fire is under investigation. When ST arrived at the scene at 7.50am, about 200m of Tanjong Pagar Road was cordoned off and there was a strong burning smell in the air. Family members were spotted at the scene and are believed to have identified the bodies of the deceased. They were taken from the accident scene to the mortuary at the SGH in two police hearses. The first, carrying one body, arrived at 11.11am, while the second arrived at 11.26am with the remaining four bodies. At around 10.50am, the police expanded the cordon to block off the whole of C...

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Seniors across Singapore to start getting vaccinated against Covid-19 from Feb 22: PM Lee

aseanpr 12 2 月

5 minutes

SINGAPORE - Singapore's Covid-19 vaccination programme will enter its next phase on Feb 22, when seniors across the island start getting their jabs, said Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong on Friday (Feb 12). This comes after a month-long pilot, where those aged 70 and above in Ang Mo Kio and Tanjong Pagar - towns with a higher proportion of elderly residents - began receiving their vaccinations from Jan 27. The multi-ministry task force on Covid-19 will give more details and announce the schedule of these vaccinations, said Mr Lee, who reiterated Singapore's goal to get the country vaccinated by the third quarter or latest by the end of the year - provided no issues crop up. Mr Lee was speaking to reporters at Changi General Hospital after visiting essential workers on the first day of the Chinese New Year. Singapore has placed orders for the vaccines from multiple suppliers to ensure there is enough for everyone here, although there may be some disruptions and delays, noted Mr Lee, who said close to 260,000 people have been vaccinated to date. "I am reasonably confident that we will get the vaccines that we need this year," he said. The Ministry of Health (MOH) said last month that S...

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Singapore’s economy able to bounce back this year, but some sectors will take longer to recover: PM Lee

aseanpr 12 2 月

5 minutes

SINGAPORE - The bulk of Singapore's economy should be able to bounce back this year following the heavy hits it took last year with the Covid-19 pandemic, said Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. Such a rebound will however be uneven, and Mr Lee cautioned on Friday (Feb 12) that sectors like tourism, transport, aviation and construction will take longer to recover. "We are expecting some rebound this year. Last year was minus five to six percent. That was particularly also because we had a circuit breaker period, which had a big impact on activity," he told reporters at Changi General Hospital after visiting workers in essential services on the first day of Chinese New Year. "This year, we expect to bounce back," he added. "The Year of the Ox should be better than the Year of the Rat in terms of the economy." But the prime minister added that while Singapore is likely to perform better, it is not guaranteed that it can get to an economic level beyond where it was in 2019, before the pandemic hit. The most recent official forecasts project the economy to expand by between 4 and 6 per cent this year, after shrinking by an unprecedented 5.8 per cent in 2020. The country's recovery will de...

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Morning Briefing: Top stories from The Straits Times on Feb 12

aseanpr 12 2 月

2 minutes

Good morning! Here are our top stories to kick-start your Friday, Feb 12. Mother and daughter reunited after 42 years, in time for Chinese New Year A trip to the doctor's office when she was 12 ended up as a defining moment for Mrs Germaine Littlewood. READ MORE HERE Chinatown Complex shop owner and son are among 3 new Covid-19 community cases The man and his son did not seek medical treatment despite showing symptoms. READ MORE HERE If Senate does not convict Trump, 'he can do this again,' Democrats say as they rest case in impeachment trial "If he gets back into office and it happens again, we'll have no one to blame but ourselves," Representative Jamie Raskin told the Senate, wrapping up the prosecution arguments. READ MORE HERE More on this topic Related Story ST newsletters: Get alerts on the latest news Family reunites for Chinese New Year after a year apart The reunion dinner was extra special for a Singaporean who flew here from Germany with her sons. READ MORE HERE CNY: A time to celebrate family in a more inclusive manner During this festive season centred around the family, it is a good time to reflect on what family means and realise that it extends beyond your blood re...

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An extra special reunion after months of uncertainty

aseanpr 12 2 月

4 minutes

Having been separated from her family here for almost a year, yes-terday's reunion dinner was extra special for housewife Cynthia Tan Kloth, who has been living in Germany with her husband and two children. After months of uncertainty over travel curbs and lockdowns, the 39-year-old Singaporean flew here on Dec 31 with her sons - Friedrich, six, and Maximilian, one. She had booked a direct Singapore Airlines flight from Frankfurt, a three-hour drive from their residence in Lenzkirch, Germany. The trio spent New Year's Eve in quarantine at the Regent Singapore hotel near Orchard Road. Mrs Kloth's husband, chief digital officer Eckhard Kloth, usually travels with them to Sin-gapore once a year but had to remain in Germany due to work commitments. The couple met while he was working here in 2013, and they relocated to Germany in 2015. She said: "Over the five years I lived away from Singapore, I had always returned for Chinese New Year. "It is the most important season of the year for us, a time when we get to meet our relatives. "I did not want to miss it this year as well." Mrs Kloth finally returned to her parents' flat in Punggol on Jan 14. She will be spending the next few days c...

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MOH welcomes insurers’ move to adjust terms for full-rider IPs

aseanpr 12 2 月

4 minutes

The Ministry of Health (MOH) has welcomed the latest measures by private insurers to adjust the terms for those on existing Integrated Shield Plans (IPs) with riders that cover hospital bills in full. NTUC Income has begun informing policyholders on such plans that they will soon have to co-pay part of their bills when their policies are renewed. Four other insurers having IPs with such riders say they are moving policyholders to co-payment riders, or considering doing so. MOH said yesterday that these changes, together with other efforts by the Government such as the publication of fee benchmarks, "will further encourage prudent use of healthcare services, and keep healthcare costs sustainable for all Singaporeans". "IP policyholders can continue to tap their MediSave to pay for their co-payment amounts under all riders, subject to the MediSave withdrawal limits," the MOH told The Straits Times, which reported on the issue on Wednesday. MOH also said it had been kept informed by the individual private insurers on their independent reviews of existing IP riders which were bought before March 8, 2018. "We welcome and are supportive of the changes that have been announced, as they su...

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Infected SIA stewardess did not serve passengers on UAE flight; only outside contact was with cleaners during Dubai stopover

aseanpr 11 2 月

3 minutes

SINGAPORE - The Singapore Airlines (SIA) stewardess who tested positive for Covid-19 after a turnaround flight to the United Arab Emirates last month did not serve any passengers on both legs of the trip. But the 41-year-old Singaporean had come into contact with some cleaners during the stopover at Dubai International Airport, said Transport Minister Ong Ye Kung, who gave more details of her case on Thursday (Feb 11). The stewardess on the Jan 30 flight was serving business class, which had no passengers, he told reporters at an event to mark the first SIA flight manned by fully vaccinated crew. She did not disembark from the plane, as there was no layover, and was a passenger for the return leg. She had sat with other crew members at the back of the plane in their own area, which had a dedicated toilet. "The rest of the crew who sat with her, they are okay. Only she was infected," Mr Ong said, adding that the authorities are still investigating. The Health Ministry reiterated on Tuesday that it takes a few weeks for individuals to build up immunity against Covid-19 after completing vaccination, and it is possible to get infected just before or after inoculation. The stewardess, w...

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A*Star scientist elected to prestigious US engineering academy based on her work in Singapore

aseanpr 11 2 月

3 minutes

SINGAPORE - Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*Star) senior fellow and head of NanoBio Lab Jackie Y. Ying has become the first scientist to be elected as a member to the prestigious United States National Academy of Engineering (NAE) based on her research in Singapore. Recognised for her contributions in nanotechnology, Professor Ying, an American, is one of only two - among the 106 new American members elected - who are based outside the US, A*Star said in a statement on Thursday (Feb 11). Election to the NAE is among the highest professional distinctions accorded to an engineer. It was no easy feat for Prof Ying to be elected, given that she has been residing outside the US for the past 18 years. Academy membership honours those who have made outstanding contributions to engineering, such as areas of engineering research and education, as well as the pioneering of new and developing fields of technology and making major advancements in traditional engineering fields. The election of new NAE members, which involves many steps, is a year-long process. The final vote for membership, which is done by existing members, takes place in January. NAE was founded in 1964. With ...

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No reunion lunch this year, but 180 elderly residents in Bukit Merah cheered by festive bentos

aseanpr 11 2 月

3 minutes

SINGAPORE - A decade-long tradition of reunion lunches for elderly residents living in Bukit Merah had to be cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic, but 180 of the seniors still received a festive treat as bentos were distributed to them on Thursday morning (Feb 11). Mr Ong Chong Beng, 79, was all smiles when he received the bento set and a tote bag with two containers of pineapple tarts and two oranges. "I feel very happy receiving all these; I like eating Chinese New Year snacks," he said in Mandarin. Mr Ong has lived in the block for over 30 years and would go for the reunion lunches, which began in 2010. His favourite part of the lunches would be chatting and catching up with his neighbours. "This year we can't gather because of Covid-19, so I'm looking forward to next year, hopefully we can all meet up together," he added. The Henderson-Dawson Citizens' Consultative Committee (CCC) and Henderson-Dawson Integration and Nationalisation Champions (INC) started hosting the Chinese New Year Eve lunches for elderly residents who live alone. However, safe distancing measures in place mean that a reunion lunch in a large group was not possible this year. On Thursday, more than 20 volu...

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More than 35,000 pre-schoolers take part in art to learn about Total Defence

aseanpr 11 2 月

4 minutes

SINGAPORE - To cultivate an appreciation of Total Defence, more than 35,000 children from some 500 pre-school centres are making artworks as part of their lessons leading up to Total Defence Day on Feb 15. Called Our Hopes, Our Singapore Art Jam, the programme aims to teach children the importance of Total Defence, its six pillars and how every Singaporean plays a part in building a strong, secure and cohesive nation, including the fight against Covid-19, said Safra in a statement on Thursday (Feb 11). The collaboration between Safra and the Association of Early Childhood and Training Services (Assets) also aims to strengthen psychological defence among families by encouraging positive conversations about the future beyond the pandemic, Safra added. The activity involves the children sketching their hopes and dreams for the future on a foldable art frame that can be taken home for display. This is meant to serve as a reminder for families to play their part to safeguard Singapore's way of life and keep these aspirations alive, it said. Total Defence is a national defence framework introduced in 1984 to drive the message that every Singaporean has a part to play through the six pill...

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6 weeks’ jail for ex-Miss Universe Singapore contestant who used friends’ card details to shop online

aseanpr 11 2 月

3 minutes

SINGAPORE - A former Miss Universe Singapore contestant who memorised her friends' debit card details and used these to spend $2,000 online was on Thursday (Feb 11) sentenced to six weeks' jail. Ashley Rita Wong Kai Lin, 27, had pleaded guilty in December last year to four counts of accessing materials on a computer without authority. The charges involved about $1,000 in total. During sentencing, the court also considered 27 other similar charges involving the remaining amount. The Singaporean, who was a Miss Universe Singapore contestant in 2017, had committed the offences in 2016 after a break-up with her boyfriend. One of her victims was a friend - Mr Andrew Lim, 28. When she noticed he had left his wallet on a table, she removed a debit card and memorised the details before returning it to the wallet. Between Sept 7 and Sept 24 in 2016, she used the information to make online purchases totalling more than $700 on platforms such as Lazada Singapore. After Mr Lim found out about the unauthorised transactions, he confronted Wong and she admitted to the crime. The court heard that Wong had earlier memorised the debit card details of another friend, 26-year-old Kimberly Qwee. On Jul...

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Army Ant宣布上线加密混合器ANTUSDT更好保護隱私

aseanpr 10 2 月

1 minute

London, UK – 近日，Army Ant宣布正式上线加密混合器ANTUSDT，更好的保护用户隐私。弱匿名性 VS 可能性的“黑幣”，用戶更願意選擇哪一個呢？數字貨幣實際算不上完全的匿名（偽匿名性），加密混合器因此誕生——ANTUSDT。數字貨幣位址不會聯繫到現實生活中某個真實的身份，但是如果操作不當，實際上是會的。人们可以通過關聯區塊鏈中的多個節點，追溯到某一筆特殊的交易，然後通過分析區塊鏈資料和KYC/AML資料，知道是誰發的這筆交易，甚至包含更多細節，如：地點、交易緣由等。首先，瞭解下混幣原理。混幣是什麼？提到數字貨幣，人們很容易想到它的兩個特性，一是去中心化，另一個是匿名性。不過加密貨幣自身匿名性是有局限性的。雖然不需要實名認證，不能通過位址對應出使用者的真實身份，但是區塊鏈上的交易是公開的，如果有心人刻意去查找，也是可以通過大資料分析找到一些線索的，除非每個人都像中本聰一樣謹慎無跡可尋。不過，有一種服務卻可以為使用者提供足夠高的隱私保護，那就是混幣服務。混幣，顧名思義就是將來自不同發幣位址的幣混合起來，然後再發送出去。通過這個過程切斷了一個交易的輸出位址和輸入位址之間的對應關係，從而更好的保護用戶的隱私。其實混幣過程就像是好多人往許願池裡扔硬幣，如果大家扔進去的硬幣都是1元的，那麼人们雖然可以知道誰在什麼時間扔進去多少1元硬幣，但是當工作人員清理這些硬幣並整理的時候，人们是無法分辨哪個硬幣是由誰扔進來的。由於比特幣區塊鏈是一種公共總帳，它記錄了比特幣網路上的每一筆交易，而通過混幣之後就無法知曉到底哪一個進來的交易應該對應哪一個出去的交易，因此也就很難查詢到交易者的加密貨幣存儲在哪裡，存儲了多少，最大程度的保護了用戶隱私。一般情況下，多次混幣、每次少量幣，效果更好。结论：混幣是一個隱私保護的功能，混幣交易難以追蹤。將資金與其他用戶的資金進行混合，在現有使用者的帳戶系統和混幣後的新帳戶之間創建隨機的關係，這樣的機制可以實現交易的匿名和所有服務的匿名。 ANTUSDT平臺優勢根據市場調查，市場上的混幣器都是對商戶開放，ANTUSDT是唯一對商戶與散戶開放的混幣器。 ANTUSDT其業務範圍還包括：加密貨幣代收、代付、壓幣借現、壓現借幣、多國多平臺承兌等。 ANTUSDT混幣實現收益的原理商戶需要用到相應的幣種，散戶供應商戶使用，商戶給予相應的傭金（為保證資金池有充足閑餘資產供提幣，每次混幣都需要使用者主動授權，得到用戶授權資產才會進行協助混幣。合作商戶均已繳25枚BTC等值的押金，以及5倍以上足額流動保證金，確保ANTUSDT業務零風險）。 ANTUSDT規則介紹普通用戶可以通過單次授權，參與兩種混幣方式賺取混幣傭金。 ANTUSDT跨鏈混幣由ANTUSDT打造大型混幣池，集合了市面上流通量最大的幣種。 ...

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Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken discuss Asean cooperation, Covid-19, Myanmar situation in phone call

aseanpr 10 2 月

2 minutes

SINGAPORE - Singapore Minister for Foreign Affairs Vivian Balakrishnan and his US counterpart Antony Blinken discussed Asean cooperation, Covid-19, climate change and Myanmar situation on Wednesday (Feb 10) as they reaffirmed bilateral ties in a telephone call. Dr Balakrishnan congratulated Mr Blinken on his appointment as Secretary of State. "They reaffirmed the excellent and longstanding relations between Singapore and the United States, and the strong and growing cooperation in defence and security, as well as in trade and investment. "They also agreed to collaborate closely on the global response to Covid-19 and climate change," Singapore's ministry of foreign affairs said in a statement. Dr Balakrishnan welcomed the Biden administration's efforts to engage with the region and strengthen cooperation with Asean and other regional partners. "They also agreed to collaborate closely on the global response to Covid-19 and climate change," the statement added. Mr Ned Price, US State Department spokesman said in a separate statement confirming the phone call: "Secretary Blinken and Foreign Minister Balakrishnan reflected on the enduring friendship and shared interests between our nati...

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S’pore residents living in smaller HDB flats more likely to have aspirations for better housing

aseanpr 10 2 月

4 minutes

SINGAPORE - Singapore residents who live in smaller Housing and Development Board (HDB) flats are more likely to have aspirations for better housing, as compared to those who live in five-room or executive flats. Such aspirations to have a bigger flat, to live in private property, or to live in a purchased flat instead of a rental flat, are also the most prevalent among younger HDB residents, with more than seven in 10 of those aged below 35 who wanted to do so. Meanwhile, close to eight in 10 elderly HDB residents aged 65 and above said they were content with their flat type. These findings were captured in the latest HDB Sample Household Survey released on Wednesday (Feb 10). It is conducted once every five years. The report, which surveyed about 7,800 HDB households in 2018, tackled issues related to public housing, ranging from residents' housing aspirations, to their family ties and aspirations. Aspirations for better housing saw the highest increase among those living in one- and two-room flats, with more than half saying in 2018 that they wished to have better housing, compared to 37 per cent of respondents in 2008. The figure increased by 10.8 percentage points from 2008 to...

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Singapore resident population in HDB flats falls to 3.04m, with smaller households spread over more flats

aseanpr 10 2 月

6 minutes

SINGAPORE - The number of Singapore residents living in HDB flats has dipped for the first time since 2003, even as the number of HDB households continued to climb. A total of 3.04 million Singapore residents - or about 76 per cent of Singapore residents - lived in HDB flats in 2018, as compared to 3.06 million in 2013. They made up 1.01 million households, up from 0.91 million five years ago, according to the latest HDB Sample Household Survey, which is conducted once every five years. One reason for this trend is that the size of household units living in HDB flats is shrinking, with an average of 3.1 people per household in 2018, down from 3.4 in 2013 and 2008. This could also be due to more residents upgrading to private property, said Ms Christine Sun, OrangeTee & Tie's senior vice-president of research and analytics. She noted that there had been a substantial number of mass market private home and executive condominium launches between 2013 and 2018. The HDB report, which surveyed about 7,800 HDB households in 2018, tackled issues related to public housing ranging from HDB residents' housing aspirations, to their family ties and aspirations. More single households, fewer ext...

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A-level results release set for Feb 19

aseanpr 10 2 月

2 minutes

SINGAPORE - Students who sat the A-level examinations last year will receive their results next Friday (Feb 19) at 2.30pm, said the Ministry of Education (MOE) and the Singapore Examinations and Assessment Board (SEAB) in a joint statement on Wednesday. Given the Covid-19 situation, arrangements have been made for school candidates to receive their results in their classrooms instead of as a cohort. Only those collecting their results will be allowed entry into schools, and they will be expected to observe safe management measures, said MOE and SEAB. Students who are unwell, or on quarantine order, stay-home notice or leave of absence should not go to school to get their results and instead should view their results online via the SEAB's results release system. The system will be accessible from Feb 19 to March 5. The A-level results will be released online from 3.15pm on Feb 19. Students eligible for SingPass can log in to this system using their SingPass account, while international students should use their SEAB-issued PIN, which has been sent to the e-mail addresses provided to SEAB by their schools. Students can also appoint a proxy to collect a physical copy of their results....

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President Halimah urges Singaporeans to get vaccinated in Chinese New Year message

aseanpr 10 2 月

3 minutes

SINGAPORE - The response to Singapore's Covid-19 vaccination effort has been encouraging but could be better, President Halimah Yacob said as she urged all Singaporeans to get vaccinated against the virus. In a Chinese New Year message on Wednesday (Feb 10), she said Singapore is entering the Year of the Ox with a greater sense of hope and optimism because a Covid-19 vaccine is now available. "However, having the vaccine is only one part of the equation. What is of equal importance is to make sure that everyone is vaccinated," she said. "The response has been encouraging but we can do even better. So please get vaccinated to protect yourselves and your loved ones." Even with a vaccine, it will still be important to continue practising safe distancing, as it will take some time to develop immunity, the President noted. "The faster we resolve this health crisis, the quicker we will recover economically. Everyone has a part to play." Madam Halimah said she understood how difficult it will be to celebrate Chinese New Year with the various restrictions in place this year due to the coronavirus, but added that she hoped Singaporeans will still be able to spend time meaningfully with thei...

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16,900 participate in dialogue series to drive policies and changes in Singapore

aseanpr 9 2 月

3 minutes

SINGAPORE - After hearing from 16,900 Singaporeans across all ages and races, the two ministers guiding a mass public engagement exercise have once again repeated their call for people to partner the Government, promising that there will be more room for them to drive policies and changes. The Singapore Together Emerging Stronger Conversations, conducted from June to December last year, have already provided the impetus for at least four public-private partnerships bringing together non-governmental organisations, regular Singaporeans, companies and public sector agencies. These Alliances for Action will work towards improving work-life harmony, encouraging corporate social responsibility, promoting digital skills and literacy, and providing digital devices to those with fewer means. Releasing the report on the conversation series on Tuesday (Feb 9), Minister for National Development Desmond Lee said in a statement: "Singaporeans can look forward to the opening up of policy spaces so we can work with Singaporeans to drive positive changes in Singapore." Minister in the Prime Minister's Office Indranee Rajah added: "I encourage Singaporeans to continue to step forward, listen and pl...

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Wet markets around S’pore still crowded days before CNY

aseanpr 9 2 月

5 minutes

SINGAPORE - Wet markets around Singapore are still seeing huge crowds three days before the start of Chinese New Year. The Straits Times was at the wet markets in Kovan, Chong Pang and Potong Pasir on Tuesday morning (Feb 9) and some customers said they had to queue for more than two hours. Safe distancing measures did not appear to be observed in some queues. When ST visited the Kovan Market and Food Centre at Block 209 Hougang Street 21 at 10am, a queue of about 250 people had formed from the market all the way to Kovan MRT station, about a three-minute's walk away. Customers said they had been queueing for between one and two hours. A customer, who wanted to be known only as Madam S. Koh, 60, had been queueing for about 1½ hours and said this was the first time she had seen such a long queue in more than 50 years. She said: "I'm not surprised, it's quite expected. CNY is coming. I think people are doing last-minute shopping." Ms Sera Ho, 62, who works in a legal firm, said the queue was not so long when she visited the market last Saturday. Ms Ho, who usually spends about an hour to do her shopping but took three hours today, said: "The queue is very long because of safe distanc...

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