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Self-driving road sweepers deployed in public road trials at 3 places in Singapore during off-peak hours

aseanpr 14 1 月

3 minutes

SINGAPORE - Driverless road sweepers have been deployed to clean limited areas at one-north, Nanyang Technological University (NTU) and CleanTech Park at Jurong Innovation District as part of trials launched on Wednesday (Jan 13) . If the trials, expected to run till July, are successful, these "autonomous environmental service vehicles" (AESVs) will pave the way for pilot deployment on roads during off-peak hours - as soon as the early 2020s. The trials commenced on Wednesday after the National Environment Agency (NEA) said two AESV prototypes have successfully demonstrated their features. The proof-of-concept trials of the AESVs will be conducted progressively, starting with off-peak timings such as weekends and evenings, in designated small-scale environments at one-north, Nanyang Technological University (NTU) and CleanTech Park at Jurong Innovation District. In adherence to the Land Transport Authority's safety framework for autonomous vehicle trials, both AESVs will at all times have a safety driver on board who is trained to take immediate control of the vehicle if required. Operation of the AESV prototypes are also monitored in real-time from a command centre by an off-site...

Man jailed for beating up his mother after she refused to reveal her ATM card’s PIN

aseanpr 14 1 月

5 minutes

SINGAPORE - A man attacked his elderly mother with her walking stick after she refused to disclose the personal identification number (PIN) of her automated teller machine (ATM) card. He even threatened to cut all of the 77-year-old's fingers with a knife. She was so badly injured that she only crawled out of bed the next day. Adrian Yap Yin Leung, 56, was sentenced to jail for five years and three months on Thursday (Jan 14). He pleaded guilty to one count each of voluntarily causing hurt to his mother while robbing her and subsequently failing to report to the police for investigations. One other charge of possessing a false Singapore passport was taken into consideration during sentencing by District Judge Ronald Gwee. On Oct 16, 2018 at about 11pm, Yap and his mother, Madam Eunice Tsang Siew Geok, were in the unit she was residing in. Court documents do not state if they were living together. Wanting to withdraw money from his mother's POSB account for his own use, Yap asked her for the PIN of her ATM card. When she refused to tell him, Yap hit her multiple times with her walking stick. He also kicked and stamped on her body, pulled her hair and threatened to cut all of her fin...

Hume MRT shell station to be fitted out by JSM Construction Group at $34m

aseanpr 14 1 月

3 minutes

SINGAPORE - The Hume MRT station on the Downtown Line will be fitted out and made operational by JSM Construction Group at a contract value of $34.3 million, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) said on Thursday (Jan 14). Works on the station are targeted to be completed in 2025, as announced in 2019, 12 years after the Downtown Line first started running in 2013. A shell station structure for Hume was already completed in 2015 and JSM Construction Group has been tasked to build the station entrance and the ventilation shaft, and carry out other fitting-out works. Hume station is located in Upper Bukit Timah Road between Hillview and Beauty World stations. It will serve many big condominiums in the area such as Hume Park 1, Hume Park 2, Parc Palais, The Hillside and Hillview 128. The more than 20,000 residents in the area have been lobbying for works on the station to begin for about two years, with the Government previously saying that developments in the area and ridership growth did not yet warrant the opening of the station. Last year, it was revealed that works would begin in the fourth quarter of 2020. The delay in awarding the civil contract was possibly due to the time framew...

Morning Briefing: Top stories from The Straits Times on Jan 14

aseanpr 14 1 月

2 minutes

Good morning! Here are our top stories to kick-start your Thursday, Jan 14. Trump becomes first US president to be impeached twice All 222 House Democrats and 10 Republicans voted to charge Trump with incitement of insurrection. READ MORE HERE Trump denounces political violence after being impeached His message comes as violent demonstrations were anticipated across the United States this week. READ MORE HERE 26 ill, including 5 in hospital, after eating food from Eng’s Heritage at Northpoint City The restaurant had its licence suspended after customers suffered gastroenteritis symptoms. READ MORE HERE More on this topic Related Story ST newsletters: Get alerts on the latest news Pinkish-purple waters at Sentosa South Cove waterway after dead fish found near banks Marine experts identified rabbitfish, moonyfish, batfish and leatherjacket fish among the dead fish. READ MORE HERE Worker from India found to have Covid-19 during routine testing, first dorm case in S'pore since Dec 15 The man stays at Seatown Dormitory in Tuas and started work in the construction sector on Jan 6. READ MORE HERE askST: Can WhatsApp and Facebook read my messages or listen in to my calls? WhatsApp has clar...

WHO team to fly from S’pore to Wuhan today

aseanpr 14 1 月

2 minutes

A World Health Organisation (WHO) team of international experts is due to depart Singapore today for the Chinese city of Wuhan, a spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) said yesterday. The team is investigating the origins of the coronavirus, which was first detected in the central city of Wuhan in late 2019. On Tuesday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian had told a regular news briefing in Beijing that the team was due to arrive in Wuhan today from Singapore. In response to queries, the Singapore MFA spokesman said: "We note that the PRC (People's Republic of China) MFA has mentioned at its press conference on Jan 12 that the World Health Organisation international mission to investigate the zoonotic origin of Sars-CoV-2 would fly from Singapore to Wuhan on Jan 14. "As a member of the WHO and a friend of both China and the WHO, Singapore is happy to play our part by facilitating the transit of the members of the WHO's international field mission. "The international mission is mandated by a World Health Assembly Resolution co-sponsored by more than 130 countries, including Singapore and China. "We have maintained Changi Airport as a transit hub and implemen...

Registration for MOE kindergartens to open in February

aseanpr 13 1 月

2 minutes

SINGAPORE - Registration for the 2022 school year at 43 Ministry of Education (MOE) kindergartens will open from 9am on Feb 5 to 4pm on Feb 9, said MOE on Wednesday (Jan 13). There were 29MOE kindergartens in 2019 and 36 last year. The Education ministry aims to be operating at least 60 kindergartens by 2025. Registration is open to Singapore citizens and permanent residents born between Jan 2 2017 and Jan 1 2018. It will be carried out online at the MOE kindergarten website (www.moe.gov.sg/mk). Results will be released on Mar 31. To disseminate information to parents amid Covid-19 restrictions, MOE will be holding a centralised virtual open house for the kindergartens through Zoom on Jan 30, from 10am to 1pm. "Interested parents will have the opportunity to learn more about MOE kindergarten's curriculum, programme, facilities and other offerings before selecting their preferred kindergarten," said MOE in its Wednesday statement. Sign-ups for the open house are open until Jan 28 at: https://form.gov.sg/#!/5fcf3558454d0100111ab591 MOE has emphasised that the three major mother tongue languages - Chinese, Malay and Tamil - are offered at these kindergartens. "All MOE kindergartens of...

Hospital employee sentenced to 3 months’ jail for molesting colleague at workplace

aseanpr 13 1 月

3 minutes

SINGAPORE - While watching a movie together on a computer screen at their workplace, a male hospital employee molested his female colleague. When the 20-year-old woman pushed the offender's hand away, he locked the main door to the room and continued to touch her inappropriately. On Wednesday (Jan 13), the 34-year-old Singaporean was sentenced to three months' jail after pleading guilty to one count of molestation. Details about his identity, workplace and occupation cannot be revealed owing to a gag order to protect the victim's identity. The pair were at their workplace at around 1pm on July 23, 2016 when they decided to watch a movie together. To do that, the man turned off the lights in the room. Deputy Public Prosecutor Emily Koh said: "While they were watching the movie, the accused held the victim's hand and rubbed her hand with his hand. "The accused then let go of her hand and placed one of his hands onto the victim's stomach, over her T-shirt. The victim pushed his hand away." Undeterred, the man touched her again. When she pushed his hand away, he got up, locked the door and returned to sit beside her. The court heard that he then molested the woman again. "The victim tr...

HDB launches flat portal; includes new flat listings, financial calculators and loans information

aseanpr 13 1 月

2 minutes

SINGAPORE - Those hunting for a new home can now get pricing and loan information of Housing Board (HDB) flats on a new platform which aims to streamline the process of buying and selling a place. The portal, which is being progressively rolled out from Wednesday (Jan 13), consolidates information on current and upcoming flats sold directly by the HDB, said National Development Minister Desmond Lee in a Facebook post. He added that it may include HDB resale flat listings in subsequent phases. The portal includes customised financial calculators as well as information on housing loans provided by the HDB and various participating banks. Buyers can use the calculators to estimate their housing budget, to help them compare their housing options, said Mr Lee. Those planning to sell their flats for now can tap the calculators to estimate their sales proceeds, which also take into account monies which have to be returned to their Central Provident Fund. They will also be able to view past transactions around their estate. "This new portal will make it more convenient for home buyers and sellers to gather information on the purchase or sale of a flat through a single integrated platform,"...

Singapore, Malaysia to work closely to keep supply chains going amid state of emergency: Chan Chun Sing

aseanpr 13 1 月

2 minutes

SINGAPORE - Singapore and Malaysia will continue to work closely to keep supply chains going amid the movement control restrictions and state of emergency declared in Malaysia, said Minister for Trade and Industry Chan Chun Sing on Wednesday (Jan 13). Mr Chan was speaking to reporters during a visit to speciality chemicals company DuPont Singapore. When asked about the latest developments in Malaysia and whether it would affect Singapore's supply chain, he said: "We are in close contact with our Malaysian counterparts regarding the latest movement control, and also the state of emergency. "I've exchanged texts with my counterparts and I think we have shared our commitment to make sure that we continue to keep our trade flows going, keep our supply chains going, to the benefit of both countries." Mr Chan added that over the last few days, Singapore's supplies and trade flows with Malaysia have continued "as per normal". He added that since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, Singapore has been preparing itself for potential disruptions to its supplies and supply chains by diversifying the latter, and also by stockpiling and stepping up local production where possible. These disrupti...

Skill up to step up: Switching careers from teaching to IT engineering

aseanpr 13 1 月

6 minutes

SINGAPORE - During his years as a secondary school teacher, Mr Kenneth Chua frequently spoke to his students about the joys of learning, the importance of upskilling, and the value of resilience. In 2019, after 10 years of teaching, he realised that "he had not been walking the talk", that he was not fulfilling his potential and that he could learn more and grow further. The 38-year-old decided to leave his job at the end of that year and pick up new skills. Last March, he enrolled for an immersive software engineering course at coding school General Assembly. This was under the Tech Immersion and Placement Programme (TIPP), an initiative by the Infocomm and Media Development Authority of Singapore to build tech talent. The 12-week course taught Mr Chua skills such as website development and equipped him with fundamental programming and computer science knowledge. It cost him $5,550, after a $9,100 TIPP subsidy. He is now five months into a new job as a systems quality assurance engineer for e-commerce platform Shopee. In his teaching career, Mr Chua taught computer applications for Normal (Technical) students and mathematics. He was at Bartley Secondary School from 2009 to 2014 an...

Man accused of defacing a statue of Mary in church courtyard acquitted of all charges

aseanpr 12 1 月

2 minutes

SINGAPORE - A man accused of trespassing into the premises of the Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary last year and defacing a statue of Mary was acquitted of all charges in a district court on Monday (Jan 11). Race Koh Jun Xian, now 38, was handed a discharge amounting to an acquittal, which means he cannot be charged again with the same offences. The State Courts online portal did not disclose reasons behind his acquittal. Koh was charged on Nov 20 last year with one count of each of criminal trespass and defiling a place of worship with intent to insult a religion. He had earlier told the court: "I did not do this intentionally. I was sincere in wanting to pray to Mother Mary. I wanted to beautify her, I did not know this was an offence." He was then ordered to be remanded at the Institute of Mental Health. According to court documents, the church was closed to the public at the time of the offence on Nov 12 last year because of renovation works. Police received a report that same day that the statue in the courtyard of the Catholic church in Upper Serangoon Road had been defaced. Koh was identified after officers from Ang Mo Kio Police Division conducted ground in...

Pioneer gynaecologist, 104, receives honorary doctorate from NUS

aseanpr 12 1 月

5 minutes

SINGAPORE - Dr Oon Chiew Seng, one of Singapore's first obstetricians and gynaecologists, has received an honorary degree from the National University of Singapore (NUS) for her lifelong dedication to medical education and public service. Dr Oon also set up Singapore's first dementia home after she retired. On Tuesday (Jan 12), the 104-year-old was presented with an honorary Doctor of Letters degree by President Halimah Yacob, who is also the NUS Chancellor, at a ceremony held at the University Cultural Centre at NUS Kent Ridge Campus. NUS said in a press release that the honour was in recognition of Dr Oon's accomplishments as one of Singapore's pioneer obstetrics and gynaecology (O&G) practitioners, as well as for her contributions in women's health, anti-ageing science and dementia. Dr Oon, the youngest of 10 children, was born in Penang in 1916. She was a nurse in the 1930s. She then studied to become a doctor at King Edward VII Medical College in Singapore, a predecessor institution of NUS. She graduated in 1948. During World War II, she continued her studies in India, where she lived in a flat shared by four families with 16 children. Rainwater was constantly leaking through ...

Otterly delightful surprise for office workers in Penang Road

aseanpr 12 1 月

1 minute

SINGAPORE - Office workers at 9 Penang Road were surprised by some unexpected wildlife guests on Monday (Jan 11). A group of 13 smooth-coated otters were seen trooping through the building towards Fort Canning Park to the delight of their onlookers. Led by one adult, the frolicking family slowly made their way through the 24-hour link to Fort Canning Park. Otters have been spotted in various urban locations in Singapore, including the streets outside Mustafa Centre, a swimming pool of a condominium in Newton and Tan Tock Seng Hospital. In 2018, the relationship between Singapore and its otters was lauded by top international otter expert Nicole Duplaix as a role model for the world on co-existing with the animals. Dr Duplaix said that Singapore is unique because the number of otters that have settled in the country's urban environment is unheard of anywhere else in the world. More on this topic Related Story Otters are the latest exotic pet trend in Asia, but their rising popularity may be their undoing Related Story Have an otterly fun time at Otah's pop-up

S’pore firms must innovate to seize opportunities in electronics, manufacturing: Chan Chun Sing

aseanpr 12 1 月

5 minutes

SINGAPORE - Companies here need to continue to innovate for Singapore to successfully capture new economic opportunities in electronics and manufacturing created by advances in technology such as artificial intelligence (AI) and the Internet of Things (IoT). Making this call on Tuesday (Jan 12), Trade and Industry Minister Chan Chun Sing encouraged companies involved in the distribution of electronic components and in wholesale trade to "take bold steps... and chart new paths of growth through innovation". "We also need our local hardware technology start-ups to continually innovate and develop new technologies, participate in (Singapore's) growth and improve the resilience of our manufacturing sector," he said. Speaking at the official launch of the PlanetSpark Innovation Centre in Changi Business Park, Mr Chan cited two emerging global trends the Government is trying to address that companies can play a role in: the transformation of the electronics and advanced manufacturing sectors, and the growing need to improve the resilience of supply chains. On the first trend, he noted that the Covid-19 pandemic has accelerated efforts to digitalise and this will continue as companies see...

Covid-19 shows how scientists must collaborate to make breakthroughs, says DPM Heng

aseanpr 12 1 月

4 minutes

SINGAPORE -The fight against Covid-19 shows international collaboration is crucial if the world wants to continue making scientific breakthroughs, Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat told young scientists at a global virtual summit on Tuesday (Jan 12). He said sharing the virus genome with the global community had allowed various diagnostic test kits to be developed quickly and led to the creation of safe and effective vaccines in record time. "We must build on the positive momentum of collaboration in the fight against Covid-19 and redouble our efforts to work in stronger partnership - across disciplines, across borders, and across industries, academia and governments," he said in the pre-recorded opening address at the 2021 Global Young Scientists Summit. "This will allow us to not only overcome this pandemic, but also other global challenges such as poverty, ageing and climate change." The annual summit, which runs from Tuesday until Friday and is hosted by the National Research Foundation (NRF), will feature 21 globally recognised scientists and involve more than 500 young researchers from 30 countries. In his opening speech, Mr Heng - who is also the NRF's chairman - emphasis...

Second landslip in 8 days at TPE slip road towards Loyang Avenue

aseanpr 11 1 月

3 minutes

SINGAPORE - A second landslip in eight days has occurred near the Tampines Expressway (TPE) slip road towards Loyang Avenue. The Land Transport Authority (LTA) announced on Sunday (Jan 10) that continuous rain caused soil erosion. The landslip was detected by LTA engineers and contractors who had been monitoring the slope after seven drain railings in a monsoon drain gave way in a similar incident on Jan 2. "Preliminary investigations indicate that the stability of the slope is not affected," the LTA said in a Facebook post. On Sunday night, the slip road was closed for repair works. In an update on Monday morning, the LTA said that one lane of the slip road has been reopened. The other lane remains closed while slope repair works continue. "Besides this slip road, motorists may continue to use alternative routes to get to destinations around the area too," it added. Responding to queries from The Straits Times, an LTA spokesman said that the authority will continue to monitor road conditions closely and take any necessary precautionary measures to ensure public safety. The latest landslip along the same slope was expected, and more could follow. "Repairing one spot where the slope...

Joining the Singapore navy is ‘not crazy’: New RSN recruitment ad

aseanpr 11 1 月

4 minutes

SINGAPORE - "Join the navy? You must be crazy," a father tells his daughter and flings her duffel bag - presumably packed for her first day of enlistment - into a swimming pool. This is the opening scene of a video posted by the Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN) on Monday (Jan 11) and sets the theme for its latest recruitment campaign: The way friends and family often react to news of a loved one signing on with the maritime force. "We really wanted to tell people that it's not crazy to join the navy, if you understand our mission, our ideas and all the things that we do to ensure the safety, security and sovereignty of this country," said Colonel Ho Jee Kien, who heads the RSN's personnel department. The action-packed, cinematic advertisement can be viewed on the RSN's social media channels. It will be complemented by shorter clips on different navy vocations that will be progressively rolled out over the course of the year. They form part of a new recruitment campaign seeking to appeal to Generation Z, or those born from the mid-1990s. But the RSN also aims to attract applications across the board, from Singaporeans who are either students, pre-enlistees to national service, full-...

Paramedics among 80 Home Team officers to receive Covid-19 vaccination

aseanpr 11 1 月

4 minutes

SINGAPORE - The start of the vaccination exercise for the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) will see 80 Home Team officers involved in front-line healthcare operations receiving their Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 shot on Monday (Jan 11). A total of 1,050 officers will be progressively vaccinated in the coming weeks, the ministry said in a statement. The vaccination exercise, including the second dose, is expected to be completed in six weeks. The personnel involved include Singapore Civil Defence Force's (SCDF) Emergency Medical Services (EMS) officers, staff from the Home Team Medical Services Division, and front-line officers from the Home Team Science and Technology Agency and Singapore Prison Service. The exercise is in line with the Expert Committee's recommendation that those at risk of being infected with Covid-19, in particular healthcare and front-line workers, should be vaccinated first. A total of 1,123 Home Team officers were identified for the first phase of the vaccination operation, and 94 per cent of them agreed to receive the jab. Prior to vaccination, all officers were screened for their vaccine eligibility, based on their medical history and pre-existing medical conditi...

Dean of SMU law school among three new Senior Counsel appointed

aseanpr 11 1 月

2 minutes

SINGAPORE - Three individuals were appointed as Senior Counsel at the opening ceremony of the new legal year on Monday (Jan 11). They are: Professor Goh Yihan, dean of Singapore Management University's (SMU) School of Law; Ms Kristy Tan of the Attorney-General's Chambers (AGC); and Mr Abraham Vergis, managing director of Providence Law Asia. Prof Goh joined the National University of Singapore as an assistant professor in 2011. He moved to SMU in 2014, and was appointed the dean of SMU's School of Law in 2017. Before academia, he was a justices' law clerk and later became the first-ever senior justices' law clerk at the Supreme Court of Singapore. In 2008, he was appointed an assistant registrar. Ms Tan was an equity partner in law firm Allen & Gledhill LLP before joining the AGC in 2018. She now serves as the head of the advocacy group in the organisation, dealing with litigation matters involving civil, commercial, criminal and public law. Mr Vergis, a lawyer with more than 21 years of legal experience, handles both local cases and international arbitration matters. He has also served as the chairman of the Law Society's Criminal Legal Aid Scheme Committee, defending criminal cas...

Singaporeans encouraged to give e-hongbao this Chinese New Year as safer, environmentally friendlier option

aseanpr 11 1 月

4 minutes

SINGAPORE - With Chinese New Year around the corner, the "hongbao" - or red packets - traditionally exchanged during this period are on the minds of many Singaporeans. While hongbao are usually given hand-to-hand, it has become common practice in China for relatives to send each other e-hongbao via messaging app WeChat. In a statement on Monday (Jan 11), the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) encouraged Singaporeans to opt for e-hongbao this Chinese New Year. "They will help to reduce queues for physical notes and are more environmentally friendly," MAS said. One way to send e-hongbao is via PayNow. Those who bank with Citibank, DBS Bank , OCBC Bank, Standard Chartered Bank, UOB and Maybank will soon be able to add Chinese New Year greetings and graphics when they do so. The messages can be sent via WhatsApp or SMS. "PayNow enables the tradition of giving hongbao to continue, digitally and safely. Customers may contact their bank for more information on how to send hongbao digitally with PayNow," said the Association of Banks Singapore in a separate statement on Monday. Some Singaporeans prefer gifting new physical notes but these are often returned to the banks by the public af...

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