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Singapore-Hong Kong air travel bubble has some first flights sold out

aseanpr 12 11 月

3 minutes

SYDNEY (REUTERS) - The opening of Asia's first "travel bubble" allowing tourism without quarantines since the coronavirus pandemic hit has sparked a surge in searches and bookings for travel between Singapore and Hong Kong, stirring hopes the model could be rolled out more broadly. Some of the first flights between the two cities, starting on Nov 22 on Singapore Airlines and Cathay Pacific Airways, have already sold out, amid a quota of 200 daily travellers that will rise to 400 on Dec 7. In the three hours after details were released on Wednesday (Nov 11), flight searches for Hong Kong to Singapore grew by 300 per cent, followed by a 200 per cent increase in Singapore hotel searches, according to Trip.com data. "I think in the short term, people who want to travel are, like, shaking in their pants right now to sign up to travel," said Mr Jameson Wong, APAC director of travel data firm ForwardKeys. "Christmas has been popular (for bookings), as offices will be closed." Airfares between the cities have risen by about HK$1,000 (S$174), or 35 per cent, since the travel bubble was announced last month, Daiwa analyst Kelvin Lau said in a note to clients. One-way Singapore-Hong Kong tick...

Asean Summit: Singapore calls for equitable, steady, affordable supply of Covid-19 vaccines to region

aseanpr 12 11 月

3 minutes

SINGAPORE - The region has to ensure an equitable, steady and affordable supply of Covid-19 vaccines for its people once these are available, said Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong at the Asean Summit on Thursday (Nov 12). He made the call for "vaccine multilateralism" as he stressed the importance of regional cooperation to mitigate the pandemic's long-term impact at the meeting held remotely this year. He added that Singapore supports global vaccine initiatives such as the Covid-19 Vaccine Global Access (Covax) Facility, whose members include many Asean states as well as the country's external partners. "Many leading vaccine candidates are being developed by our external partners, as well as our Asean member states too," PM Lee said. "We should work with them to facilitate the production and distribution of vaccines to meet the needs of our region." Singapore will contribute US$100,000 (S$134,900) to the Covid-19 Asean Response Fund, which helps member states procure the medical supplies and equipment needed to combat the pandemic. On the economic front, leaders should redouble efforts to enhance Asean's competitiveness in the post-Covid-19 world, Mr Lee added. He noted that there a...

Expedia’s website operator BEX says it will stop false claims

aseanpr 12 11 月

3 minutes

SINGAPORE - The website operator of online travel company Expedia Singapore - BEX Travel Asia - has ceased its false claims on the validity period of its "Daily Deals" promotions and affirmed that it will not engage in further unfair practices from Thursday (Nov 12). The announcement follows an investigation by the Competition and Consumer Commission of Singapore (CCCS) in April last year. The commission found that there were at least 55 "Daily Deals" offers on the website, which claimed to expire at 11.59pm each day but the prices remained the same after midnight. These misleading promotions included hotel deals and holiday package deals which were offered on the Expedia Singapore website and e-mailed to customers on BEX's mailing list. "Such false claims in relation to promotional prices mislead consumers into believing that there is a price benefit which is only available for a limited period, thus creating unwarranted pressure or a sense of urgency for consumers to make an immediate purchase," said CCCS. The false promotional claims by BEX had been around since 2016 and were taken down in October last year while investigations were ongoing. The consumer watchdog, which issued a...

7 Myanmar nationals arrested on suspicion of working illegally at Lim Chu Kang farm

aseanpr 12 11 月

2 minutes

SINGAPORE - Seven Myanmar nationals suspected of working illegally at a farm in Lim Chu Kang have been arrested. The seven, all men, were found sleeping in six makeshift shelters on the vegetable farm in Sungei Tengah Road during a joint operation by the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) and the Singapore Police Force on Monday (Nov 9). In a statement on Thursday, the ICA said that during preliminary investigations, the men, aged between 30 and 42, admitted that they had been staying in Singapore without valid immigration passes and had been working on the farm without valid work passes. The authorities are still investigating. The ICA warned that those who overstay in Singapore face a jail term of up to six months and a minimum of three strokes of the cane. It added that it takes a firm stance against any person who employs immigration offenders. Anyone found guilty of employing an immigration offender is liable to be punished with imprisonment for a term of at least six months and up to two years, and a fine of up to$6,000. The ICA said: "Singaporeans and home owners are reminded to exercise due diligence in checking the status of foreigners before offering them employm...

$5k rise in rebates on cleaner cars, surcharges for pollutive ones, to kick in next year

aseanpr 12 11 月

3 minutes

SINGAPORE - Rebates on the purchase of cleaner cars will be increased by $5,000 from Jan 1 next year to Dec 31, 2022 under the Vehicular Emissions Scheme (VES). Cleaner taxis will have their rebates increased by $7,500 in the same time period, under the programme aimed at nudging motorists towards more environmentally friendly models of private transport. In addition, surcharges for more pollutive cars will also be increased by $5,000 for cars, and $7,500 for taxis, in the carrot-and-stick model. This will kick in on July 1, 2021, instead of the start of the year to allow time for the market to adjust, and will be in effect until Dec 31, 2022, the National Environment Agency (NEA) and the Land Transport Authority (LTA) said in a joint statement on Thursday (Nov 12). The authorities say the move will help to steer Singapore towards its goal of phasing out internal combustion engine vehicles by 2040. The increased rebates and surcharges mean buyers of cleaner cars will be awarded with rebates of up to $25,000, up from the previous $20,000, while buyers of the most pollutive cars will be penalised by $25,000, also up from $20,000. The VES scheme was introduced in 2018 to reduce carbon...

Domestic workers caring for the elderly overworked, lack support in Singapore: Report

aseanpr 11 11 月

4 minutes

SINGAPORE - Domestic worker Nalin (not her real name) does not get enough sleep every day. She has been caring for a 92-year-old with dementia for two years, looking after her throughout the night. During the day, she is unable to rest as she worries about leaving her care recipient unsupervised. Another domestic worker Kevaly (not her real name) has been taking care of a wheelchair-bound 89-year-old stroke patient with early-stage dementia for nine months.When Kevaly felt ill, her employer pressured her to continue working and accompany her charge to senior day care despite having been given a medical certificate by the doctor. These domestic workers were among 25 whose struggles with overwork and a lack of support were told in a research report released by the Association of Women for Action and Research (Aware) and Humanitarian Organisation for Migration Economics (Home) on Wednesday (Nov 11). Their ages ranged from 27 to 53, and they were mostly from the Philippines and Myanmar. The domestic workers had worked about five years and four months on average in Singapore. Besides the domestic workers, researchers interviewed four MDW employment agencies, seven employers of domestic ...

FairPrice’s ‘no plastic bag’ initiative extended for another year following positive response

aseanpr 11 11 月

2 minutes

SINGAPORE - NTUC FairPrice will extend its "no plastic bag" initiative for a year from Thursday (Nov 12) following positive responses from customers, the supermarket giant said on Wednesday (Nov 11). A total of 15.6 million plastic bags were saved since the initiative began last November with 25 outlets onboard, FairPrice said. Customers at these outlets who require bags could purchase them at 20 cents for each transaction at FairPrice, FairPrice Finest and FairPrice Xtra supermarkets, or at 10 cents for each transaction at Cheers and FairPrice Xpress convenience stores. "About seven in 10 customers who shopped at participating supermarkets chose to bring their own bags or refused plastic bags, while close to nine in 10 customers did the same at convenience stores," said FairPrice. The $600,000 in plastic bag charges collected in the past year will be donated to environmental and community causes. "The significant number of plastic bags saved in this short span of one year is a testimony of the greater public awareness for the environment," said FairPrice group chief executive Seah Kian Peng. From Thursday (Nov 12), there will be 11 FairPrice, FairPrice Finest and FairPrice Xtra su...

Man charged with slashing Certis enforcement officer with sickle

aseanpr 11 11 月

2 minutes

SINGAPORE - A man who allegedly slashed a Certis enforcement officer with a sickle earlier this week was charged on Wednesday (Nov 11) with one count of assault. Vikneswaran Sivan, a 30-year-old Singaporean, is accused of using the weapon to slash Mr Mohamad Afiq Mohamad Jamil's calves at Block 503C Canberra Link near Sembawang Road at around 7.40pm on Monday. Certis and the National Environment Agency (NEA) had said in an earlier joint statement that Mr Afiq and another Certis officer were on enforcement duty against public health offences, such as littering and smoking, when the incident occurred. Both officers were attached to the NEA at the time. After somebody was issued a fine for a smoking offence, Vikneswaran allegedly attacked Mr Afiq. The agencies said the attacker "was present but not implicated in the smoking enforcement action". Some residents in the area told The New Paper they heard screams during the incident. A domestic helper was quoted as saying: "When I looked out, I saw a man lying on the road in pain. He looked like he had been hit by a car and was holding his leg and screaming." Vikneswaran was arrested within seven hours of the incident. A bloodstained sickl...

Man admits to telling daughter to take sleeping pills and lie to cops about trying to kill herself

aseanpr 11 11 月

4 minutes

SINGAPORE - A man told his 11-year-old daughter to consume sleeping pills after he had a dispute with his estranged wife in April 2018. A district court heard that he wanted to show the woman that their marital disputes had caused the girl to feel stressed. He also wanted his wife to feel that she was at fault for not taking proper care of their child. The girl complied and ended up losing consciousness. She was warded in KK Women's and Children's Hospital (KKH) for more than a month. The man later told the girl to lie to the police and tell an investigating officer that she had voluntarily consumed the pills as she wanted to kill herself. Again, the girl complied. But four months later, she told the truth to a social worker. The 40-year-old Singaporean man, who cannot be named owing to a gag order to protect his daughter's identity, pleaded guilty in court on Wednesday (Nov 11) to one count each of ill-treating a child and intentionally perverting the course of justice. He also admitted to an unrelated harassment charge. Deputy Public Prosecutor Joshua Phang said that the man lived with his daughter in a Toa Payoh flat. His wife lived in another flat in Woodlands. On April 7, 2018...

Licences suspended for eight retailers who sold cigarettes to underage buyers

aseanpr 11 11 月

2 minutes

SINGAPORE - Eight tobacco retailers have had their licences suspended for selling cigarettes to underage buyers between July and September. Caught for selling tobacco products to persons below the age of 20 by the Health Sciences Authority's (HSA) ground surveillance and enforcement team, the outlets will not be allowed to sell tobacco products for six months as it was their first offence. The eight retailers are Sin Tong Hong Eating House, Fresh Foods Supermarket, G& G Gambas, HNH, Happy Grocer Trading, Reshmi Mini Mart, Superluck Food Court and U Stars Supermarket, the authority said on Wednesday (Nov 11). The current minimum legal age to use, possess or buy tobacco products is 20 years old. It will be raised to 21 years old from Jan 1, 2021. "All tobacco retail licensees are reminded to educate their employees on the law pertaining to the sale of tobacco products and for sellers to verify the age of those who wish to buy tobacco products," HSA said. Those caught selling tobacco products to underage buyers can be fined up to $5,000 for the first offence and up to $10,000 for the second or subsequent offence. Their tobacco retail licence will be suspended for six months for the fi...

Probation for youth who molested 7-year-old girl and filmed himself committing offence

aseanpr 10 11 月

2 minutes

SINGAPORE - A full-time national serviceman was sentenced to 21 months' probation after he molested a seven-year-old girl and used his mobile phone to film himself touching her. The clip was found on Zachary Lim Shao Rong's laptop when police investigated him for a separate upskirt offence. Both offences were committed while Lim was a polytechnic student. The 20-year-old Singaporean was sentenced on Tuesday (Nov 10) after he pleaded guilty to one count each of molestation and insulting a woman's modesty. As part of his sentence, he has to remain indoors from 10pm to 6am every day and perform 40 hours of community service. He is prohibited from using mobile phones, tablets or any devices with attached cameras. His mother and stepfather were also bonded for $5,000 to ensure his good behaviour. The court heard that the first incident happened on Feb 14, 2018. Lim was on his way home at around 5.15pm when he spotted the seven-year-old girl and her friend at a fitness corner in Bukit Panjang. He approached the victim and asked the child if she would like to use the pull-up bar in the exercise area. Lim lifted her to the bar and while she was hanging from it, he took out his mobile phone...

Singapore could have a Covid-19 vaccine by early 2021; close to $300m commitment from S’pore authorities to make and buy vaccine

aseanpr 10 11 月

4 minutes

SINGAPORE - Singapore could have a Covid-19 vaccine by early next year. The first shipments of the vaccine co-developed by Singapore researchers are expected in the first quarter. Arcturus Therapeutics, the American pharmaceutical company working with Duke-NUS scientists on the vaccine, said this on Monday (Nov 9), as it announced positive preliminary results from the early stage clinical trials ongoing in Singapore. Singapore's Economic Development Board (EDB) is pumping in some US$45 million (S$60.5 million) into the manufacture of the vaccine, said Arcturus. EDB will also have the right to purchase up to $175 million of the vaccine at pre-negotiated prices, with shipments expected to begin in the first quarter of 2021, said Arcturus. Duke-NUS Medical School's Professor Ooi Eng Eong, who had co-developed the vaccine with Arcturus, said the results so far show that the vaccine could be effective as a single dose. "This differentiates this investigational vaccine from many other Covid-19 vaccines in development," said Prof Ooi, who is also a member of Arcturus' Vaccine Platform Scientific Advisory Board. "The vaccine has the potential to provide important public health benefits by ...

Three new features on national job portal to weed out discriminatory hiring

aseanpr 10 11 月

4 minutes

SINGAPORE - Three new features have been rolled out on the national jobs portal MyCareersFuture to strengthen progressive hiring practices among employers. A key thrust of the portal is to "provide as many job seekers as possible a fair chance at the roles advertised", said Workforce Singapore (WSG), the Tripartite Alliance for Fair and Progressive Employment Practices (Tafep), and the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) in a joint statement on Tuesday (Nov 10). The features aim to set a new standard for other job portals to follow, they said. They are: 1. Prompting employers to adhere to TGFEP when placing job advertisements An "Employer Prompt" feature reminds employers to adhere to the Tripartite Guidelines on Fair Employment Practices (TGFEP) when crafting job postings, and before they are published on MyCareersFuture. 2. Better guidance for employers in crafting neutral job ads Social listening technology is used to review all job postings published on MyCareersFuture, and potentially discriminatory terms or mentions are flagged to employers. Employers are guided on how they can improve their job postings, so they are better able to attract and find the most suitable candidates. Employ...

Port of Singapore named best seaport in Asia for the 32nd time

aseanpr 10 11 月

2 minutes

SINGAPORE - Singapore beat out three other contenders - Hong Kong, Shanghai and Shenzhen - to clinch the title of best seaport in Asia, for the 32nd time. The Port of Singapore won the "Best Seaport - Asia" award at the 2020 Asian Freight, Logistics and Supply Chain (Aflas) Awards held in Hong Kong on Monday (Nov 9), said the Maritime and Port Authority (MPA) on Tuesday (Nov 10). "This is a testament to the Port of Singapore's efficiency and continued leadership in driving maritime innovation," said MPA. The Aflas Awards are organised by the publication Asia Cargo News to recognise organisations that demonstrate leadership as well as consistency in service quality, innovation, customer relationship management and reliability. The winners emerged from votes cast by readers of the publication. "As a global hub port, the Port of Singapore continues to play a key role in keeping global supply chains going, particularly as the world economy starts re-opening," said MPA chief executive Quah Ley Hoon. "While we are humbled by this affirmation and thank the industry for their support, we will continue to strive to uphold high standards of service and drive initiatives that enable a low-car...

Morning Briefing: Top stories from The Straits Times on Nov 10

aseanpr 10 11 月

2 minutes

Good morning! Here are our top stories to kick-start your Tuesday, Nov 10. Up to 100 patrons allowed at clubs under S'pore nightlife pilot; karaoke joints open to groups of up to 5 Patrons must show proof of having taken a Covid-19 test in the last 24 hours before they can enter. READ MORE HERE Biden announces 13-member Covid-19 task force, urges Americans to wear masks as cases soar "A mask is not a political statement,” said Mr Biden. READ MORE HERE Biden's memorable visit to S'pore in 2013 included surprise stop at hawker centre He drank $3 lime juice at the hawker centre and stopped to chat with diners. READ MORE HERE More on this topic Related Story ST newsletters: Get alerts on the latest news Republican Senator McConnell says Trump within his rights to probe US election 'irregularities' McConnell did not acknowledge Biden as president-elect or Harris as vice president-elect. READ MORE HERE Why Pfizer's ultra-cold Covid-19 vaccine will not be at the local pharmacy any time soon The vaccine needs to be kept at minus 70 deg C or below, posing logistical and storage challenges. READ MORE HERE TraceTogether check-in at venues is better, (cyber) safer New system is more effective ...

Discover hidden heartland gems with new tours around Singapore’s neighbourhoods

aseanpr 9 11 月

3 minutes

SINGAPORE - For those who have always wanted to explore the nooks and crannies of Singapore's heartland, a new series of tours launched on Monday (Nov 9) hopes to do just that. The first of 10 tours will be on Nov 29, taking participants through the estates of Ang Mo Kio and Kebun Baru. Around 80 spots are available for the tour, which includes stops at locations of historical and cultural significance around Ang Mo Kio Town Central and Kebun Baru Neighbourhood Centre. Led by guides from City Tours, these heartland jaunts will last approximately three and a half hours, and will involve eight groups of no more than 10 people moving around the districts. In Ang Mo Kio, one will be able to explore wall murals and visit old shops and stores that have been standing for decades. And in Kebun Baru, tour participants will visit hidden gems like the district's bird cage street, where bird singing competitions used to be held. Foodies can also anticipate stops at the Mayflower Market and Hawker Centre, and Ang Mo Kio Central Market and Food Centre. The tour will also include a ride on a FunVee open-top double-decker bus, complete with live commentary. Those who are unable to go for the tours...

Singapore team’s Covid-19 neutralising antibody test kit is first to get US FDA approval

aseanpr 9 11 月

4 minutes

SINGAPORE - A kit that detects whether someone has antibodies which neutralise the coronavirus, invented by local researchers, has become the first of its kind to receive authorisation from the United States' Food and Drug Administration (FDA). On Friday (Nov 6), the FDA said on its website that it had given emergency use authorisation for the kit, known as cPass. cPass was invented by a team led by Professor Wang Linfa, director of Duke-NUS' emerging infectious diseases programme, and co-developed with biotech company GenScript Biotech Corporation and the Agency for Science, Technology and Research's (A*Star) Diagnostics Development Hub (DxD Hub). It can be used to see if vaccines work, check what proportion of the population has already been infected, and to assist in contact tracing by enabling the health authorities to retrace the steps of the virus. cPass also does not require highly specialised equipment or training to use, and returns results in just an hour. On Sunday, Prof Wang told The Straits Times that the FDA's approval was extremely significant not just for his team, but for Singapore as well. He said: "To have the FDA approval as the first and only commercial kit to ...

20-year-old among 14 charged for selling electronic vaporisers online

aseanpr 9 11 月

2 minutes

SINGAPORE - From June to August 2020, 14 people were charged for selling electronic vaporisers (e-vaporisers) and related items in Singapore. More than $50,000 worth of goods were seized from them, and they were fined a combined total of $255,500. All 14 cases were unrelated. The youngest offender, aged 20, was sentenced to a 15-month supervised probation, while the rest were fined between $5,500 and $47,500. Aged between 20 and 43, the offenders bought e-vaporisers and related accessories from suppliers overseas and sold them illegally on social media and e-commerce platforms, said the Health Sciences Authority (HSA) in a statement on Monday (Nov 9). E-vaporisers, which include e-cigarettes and e-cigars, are battery-powered devices that heat a liquid containing nicotine to produce a vapour which is then inhaled. E-vaporisers and accessories seized from the peddlers. PHOTO: HEALTH SCIENCES AUTHORITY HSA said that the offenders were caught as part of its cyber-surveillance and enforcement activities against to the illegal import and sale of e-vaporisers and related accessories in Singapore. From 2018 to today, HSA has prosecuted 35 people for selling e-vaporisers and related accesso...

Youth trespassed into NUS dorm multiple times and took women’s undergarments

aseanpr 9 11 月

2 minutes

SINGAPORE - A youth trespassed into a dormitory at the National University of Singapore (NUS) eight times over the course of about six weeks as he wanted to take women's undergarments. Goh An Soon, now 20, who was not an NUS student at the time of the offences, pleaded guilty on Monday (Nov 9) to one count each of misappropriating the lingerie and trespassing. Deputy Public Prosecutor Tan Pei Wei said that Goh would go to the dormitory at King Edward VII Hall in Kent Ridge Road whenever he felt an urge to look at the undergarments. He did so between Dec 19, 2018, and Feb 1 last year. He would check washing machines at the dormitory's laundry areas, or among the clothes hung to dry in the common corridor for lingerie left unattended. The DPP added: "He claimed that he would then take the undergarments to pantry rooms in neighbouring blocks of the campus to look at them up close, and that he left the undergarments behind in these rooms thereafter." But according to court documents, he took more than just women's underwear. For instance, on Jan 16 last year, he took five laundry bags containing items including a pair of socks, two towels and a pair of men's underwear. The following mo...

6,370 jobs available in Singapore’s manufacturing sector; 1 in 10 in hard-hit marine and offshore industry

aseanpr 9 11 月

5 minutes

SINGAPORE - About 6,370 jobs are on offer in the manufacturing sector, with one in 10 from the hard-hit marine and offshore sub-sector. These make up over 60 per cent of the more than 10,400 job, traineeship and training opportunities available as at the middle of last month, said the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) in its weekly jobs situation report on Monday (Nov 9). At 6,370, the number of jobs available is almost double the 3,200 openings in the sector at the end of August. Within the sector, electronics, precision engineering and food manufacturing had the greatest number of available openings, said Manpower Minister Josephine Teo at a virtual media conference on Monday. She added that it is important to give job seekers an idea of the range of options available to them, and help them to get into these openings. Of the jobs available now, seven in 10 are for professionals, managers, executives and technicians (PMETs). Electronics engineers can earn monthly salaries of between $4,300 and $6,000. The median monthly pay is $4,700. The salary for mechanical engineers is about $3,500 and $5,250 a month, with a median of $4,150, while that of manufacturing engineering technicians is $1,...

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