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Robinsons to close last stores at The Heeren and Raffles City

aseanpr 30 10 月

5 minutes

SINGAPORE - Robinsons is liquidating its two department stores at The Heeren and Raffles City Shopping Centre, the retailer said on Friday (Oct 30). This means that Robinsons' last two stores will be closing and the company will be exiting from the Singapore physical retail scene after 162 years. Robinsons said in a statement that the liquidation decision was made after the store’s "inability to continue operations due to weak demand at department stores". Mr Danny Lim, Robinsons' senior general manager, said: "We regret this outcome today. Despite recent challenges in the industry, the Robinsons team continued to pursue the success of the brand. However, the changing consumer landscape makes it difficult for us to succeed over the long term and the Covid-19 pandemic has further exacerbated our challenges. "We have enjoyed success over the years, and it has been an honour for Robinsons to serve the Singapore market. I am grateful for the dedication of our team, and for the support shown by our customers over the years." Robinsons said that the dual trend of more people turning to online shopping and lower demand for department stores is to blame for slumping retail sales, a problem...

Membership fees for 4,500 young lawyers and those in small to medium-sized firms waived by Singapore Academy of Law

aseanpr 29 10 月

2 minutes

SINGAPORE - Young lawyers and those from small and medium-sized law firms will not need to pay mandatory membership fees to the Singapore Academy of Law (SAL) for next year (2021) in the light of the economic fallout from Covid-19. SAL announced on Thursday (Oct 29) that it has pledged $1 million to waive the mandatory fees for over 4,500 legal professionals, in its second relief package for the profession. Those eligible for the latest relief scheme include lawyers who were called to the bar from 2016, and those working in a law firm with 10 lawyers or fewer. The membership fees, which all lawyers must pay, would have cost them between $128.40 and $374.50 each. SAL chief executive Serene Wee said this group needs the most support, based on a survey carried out by the academy in April. Said Ms Wee: "Five months after we announced our first-ever relief package for members, the economic fallout from Covid-19 continues, with no sign of abating any time soon. Many members continue to face challenging times and SAL stands in solidarity with them." In the first relief package, each member received $150 in credits to purchase SAL publications or sign up for learning programmes. Those who ...

Share-A-Textbook returns for 38th year to help families in need in Singapore

aseanpr 29 10 月

2 minutes

SINGAPORE - An initiative making educational resources such as textbooks and assessment books more accessible to needy families is returning for the 38th year, this time to help those impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic as well. The Share-A-Textbook scheme by FairPrice has over the years collected, redistributed and recycled over 5.8 million textbooks. As part of its safe management measures, there will an extended distribution period this year and families will have to book time slots for the collection of textbooks. Noting how the pandemic has disrupted the economy and further impacted the less fortunate, FairPrice group chief executive Seah Kian Peng on Thursday (Oct 29) said: "Through this initiative, we hope to create a positive social impact by allowing students from less privileged background gain access to resources for their educational needs." FairPrice said that it will work with social service organisations and Community Development Councils to identify the students from low-income families and those impacted by the crisis. They can collect the textbooks at Our Tampines Hub between Dec 13 and 16. Families can start booking a time for collection from Nov 27, by scanning th...

New Hougang Heritage Trail places spotlight on historic heartland gems

aseanpr 29 10 月

5 minutes

SINGAPORE - In a 3km-stretch along Upper Serangoon Road stands three religious institutions that have stood the test of time. The Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Hougang Tou Mu Kung Temple and Haji Yusoff Mosque have a combined age of almost four centuries, with two - the church and the temple - gazetted as national monuments. The road itself is almost 200 years old. These places of worship were among 18 sites on the National Heritage Board's (NHB) latest self-guided trail - the Hougang Heritage Trail - that was unveiled on Thursday (Oct 29). The trail, the NHB's 20th, follows the launch of another heartland trail in Pasir Ris last December, when NHB said it was working to launch more such heartland trails to bring the nation's heritage to the doorsteps of Singaporeans. The new Hougang trail also features the highest number of community contributions of all of NHB's trails, with 28 individuals familiar with Hougang contributing their stories through interviews and photos. Previous trails mostly had between 10 and 20 community contributions. Such contributions help make the trail more interesting for visitors, said NHB deputy chief executive of policy and communit...

Covid-19 breathalyser tests may be deployed more widely in trials here before Q1 2021

aseanpr 29 10 月

6 minutes

SINGAPORE - More people here may soon be able to get tested for Covid-19 and know their results in less than a minute, simply by breathing into a tube. A test kit that can accomplish this has been developed by National University of Singapore (NUS) spin-off Breathonix. Following a successful trial at the National Centre for Infectious Diseases (NCID), the company said on Thursday (Oct 29) that it is currently in discussions with the Health Ministry (MOH) to deploy its breathalyser tests in trials at public locations in the coming months. Dr Jia Zhunan, chief executive of Breathonix, said the firm is also working to expand the NCID trial to include a further 250 patients in addition to the current 180. The company's chairman, Associate Professor Neo Kok Beng, added that they are in talks with a "major hospitality player" here to deploy the tests at such events as conferences following approval from the Health Sciences Authority (HSA). The company hopes to receive it in the first quarter of next year. Prof Neo declined to name the hospitality player. He added that Breathonix has also received some requests from groups overseas for the tests to be rolled out there. For the test, peopl...

IT glitch prevents Sengkang Town Council from receiving cash for conservancy payments

aseanpr 29 10 月

4 minutes

SINGAPORE - The new Sengkang Town Council (SKTC) has been unable to receive cash payments for service and conservancy charges at its offices, due to a glitch in its IT system. The problem was discovered after the Workers' Party-run SKTC on Wednesday (Oct 28) took over the full management of estates in Sengkang GRC that were previously under two People's Action Party-run town councils. In a statement on Facebook on Wednesday night, SKTC said staff at the town council found at 8am on Wednesday morning that "configurations for the front end collection systems were not in place". As a result, the town council could not take cash payments for S&CC. The problem was not resolved as at 6pm on Wednesday. "During our engagements with the existing IT Vendor for the Town Council Management System (TCMS), we were assured of the functionality of the system. However, the staff of SKTC noted at 8am this morning that configurations for the front end collection systems were not in place," the statement said. It added that SKTC was "working closely with the IT vendor to restore operational functionality of the TCMS as soon as possible". The town council also apologised to residents over the inconveni...

Jail for maid who purposely dipped baby’s hand in hot water, causing second degree burns

aseanpr 28 10 月

4 minutes

SINGAPORE - A maid who wanted to work for another household deliberately dipped the hand of her employer's 16-month-old baby into a pot of hot water after finding out that she would have to incur costs for a transfer. The 30-year-old Myanmar national, who cannot be named to protect the girl's identity, was sentenced on Wednesday (Oct 28) to 14 months' jail after pleading guilty to one count of using a heated substance to voluntarily cause hurt. The maid started working for the family on Dec 8 last year. Her job scope included housekeeping, cooking as well as taking care of the baby and her eight-year-old sister. After two weeks, the maid decided she wanted to work elsewhere as she did not know how to care for the baby. She approached her agency but when she learnt that she had to pay for a transfer, continued working for the family. Court documents did not state the costs involved. The maid was cooking chicken curry on Jan 14 this year in the family flat in the Buangkok area when the baby started crying at around 5.15pm. She carried the baby in her arms and continued cooking. Deputy Public Prosecutor Jane Lim said: "While the accused was carrying the victim, she felt agitated and m...

Facial and iris scans replace fingerprint scans as main mode for identifying travellers at all S’pore checkpoints

aseanpr 28 10 月

3 minutes

SINGAPORE - Facial and iris scans have replaced fingerprint scans as the main mode for identifying travellers at all immigration checkpoints, the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) announced on Wednesday (Oct 28). Singaporeans, permanent residents, long-term pass holders and other travellers who have registered their iris and facial biometrics with the agency can use the new scans at all land, sea and air checkpoints. Over two million Singaporeans, or about 70 per cent of all eligible Singaporeans, have registered their iris and facial biometrics with the agency, while 130,000 permanent residents have done so. Those who have not, or are unsuccessful when using the iris and facial scans at checkpoints, will still be able to check in by scanning their fingerprints, said ICA, which rolled out the technology together with Home Team Science and Technology Agency (HTX). ICA said the technology, which were trialled at Changi Airport and Tuas Checkpoint last year, will provide "even more reliable authentication of the identity of travellers", and is less prone to misuse as it requires specialised equipment. HTX's Wong Weiyang, who is the lead engineer of the agency's Biometrics an...

Job recovery in S’pore likely slow and uneven despite immediate rebound in retail, F&B: MAS

aseanpr 28 10 月

4 minutes

SINGAPORE - The road to recovery for the labour market is likely to be slow and uneven, with resident unemployment rates taking a longer time to reach pre-crisis levels compared with during the global financial crisis, said the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS). In its review of the macroeconomic situation released on Wednesday (Oct 28), MAS said the unemployment rate of Singaporeans and permanent residents is expected to decrease gradually next year after peaking in the second half of 2020, but will remain elevated overall. It added that this will weigh on wages for the rest of this year and possibly into 2021. These projections for the labour market are despite employment prospects looking up in the immediate term in the retail and food and beverage (F&B) sectors, and in support services such as cleaning and security industries. These business areas rebounded quickly with Singapore exiting the circuit breaker in June, said MAS. In construction, the gradual resumption of activities in the second half of this year would also likely lead to more hiring. As for the travel-related sector, MAS said some modest employment recovery can be expected with the easing of safe distancing m...

TikTok to hire 3,000 engineers, including in Singapore, for global expansion

aseanpr 28 10 月

2 minutes

NEW YORK (REUTERS) - TikTok has plans to hire about 3,000 engineers over the next three years, mostly in Europe, Canada and Singapore, the company told Reuters on Tuesday (Oct 27). The move shows that the popular short-video app has not given up on its expansion plans despite lingering uncertainty over its ownership. US President Donald Trump has ordered China's ByteDance to divest TikTok amid concerns over the safety of the personal data it handles. "To support our rapid global growth, we plan to continue expanding TikTok's global engineering team, including adding approximately 3,000 engineers in Canada, Europe, Singapore, as well as the US, over the next three years," a TikTok spokesperson said. The US will remain one of the engineering hubs for the company and hire more staff, the spokesperson added. There are about 1,000 engineers working for TikTok outside of China, nearly half of them based in Mountain View, California. Reuters previously reported that ByteDance plans to invest billions of dollars and recruit hundreds of employees in Singapore, which it has selected as its South-east Asia headquarters. Mr Trump said last month that a preliminary deal for Oracle and Walmart t...

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

aseanpr 28 10 月

2 minutes

Good morning! Here are our top stories to kick-start your Wednesday, Oct 28. S'pore strengthens status as global logistics hub amid Covid-19 crisis The sector weathers supply chain disruption and is expected to grow, create more quality jobs for Singaporeans, Trade and Industry Minister Chan Chun Sing said. READ MORE HERE Travellers from more countries allowed to serve stay-home notices at own place of residence These countries include Finland, Japan, Norway, South Korea and Thailand. READ MORE HERE TraceTogether tokens to be distributed one constituency at a time from Oct 29 This is to prevent long queues from forming at certain community centres. READ MORE HERE More on this topic Related Story ST newsletters: Get alerts on the latest news The double whammy of Covid-19 and automation Covid-19 is already inducing a global recession. At the same time, it has also accelerated companies' plans to automate work processes, which could lead to more job losses, says associate editor Vikram Khanna. READ MORE HERE Father overwhelmed by support from public for 8-year-old in coma after Woodlands crash "My phone has been ringing non-stop with people checking how they can help," said Mr Eric Ta...

Coronavirus: Two more individuals plead guilty to being part of illegal gathering of 13

aseanpr 27 10 月

3 minutes

SINGAPORE - Two more individuals admitted on Tuesday (Oct 27) to being part of a gathering in June that flouted safe distancing measures amid the Covid-19 pandemic. Mohamad Iman Abdul Rahim, 19, and Norsyahmi Norhesham, 21, each pleaded guilty to one count of breaching rules under the Covid-19 (Temporary Measures) Act by meeting more than four people not living in the same place of residence as themselves. When sentencing each of them at a later date, Deputy Principal District Judge Seah Chi-Ling will take into consideration one similar charge for flouting safe distancing rules and another charge for drinking in public between 10.30pm and 7am. On Tuesday, he called for reports to assess if the duo are suitable for probation. They are expected to be back in court on Dec 8. Iman and Norsyahmi were among a group of 13 who gathered illegally until the wee hours of June 28 at the fitness corner near Block 42 Beo Crescent, off Havelock Road. There were two minors in the group. As part of phase two of Singapore's economic reopening, which took effect on June 19, groups of up to five people can meet outside of homes, such as at restaurants for meals. They should practise safe distancing an...

RSAF Chinook helicopter makes first landing on Royal Australian Navy ship

aseanpr 27 10 月

3 minutes

SINGAPORE - A Chinook helicopter from the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) has made its first landing on an Australian ship, a move that demonstrates the trust and interoperability between the two sides and could lead to better cooperation in times of crisis. The landing of the CH-47D Chinook, from the RSAF's Oakey Detachment in Queensland, Australia, on the landing helicopter dock ship HMAS Adelaide took place in the waters off Townsville last Saturday (Oct 24). The defence ministries of both countries said the move demonstrated the closeness of the two armed forces and their ability to work together. In a Facebook post on Tuesday, Singapore's Ministry of Defence said landing on a ship was not easy as it involves precise manoeuvres and teamwork due to challenging conditions at sea. "The deck-landing is a reflection of the high levels of cooperation and interoperability between the two militaries," it said. The event was part of the lead-up to the commemoration of 30 years of Singapore Armed Forces training in Shoalwater Bay Training Area, Queensland, later this year. Oakey Detachment commander, Lieutenant-Colonel Jimmy Neo, said: "It means a lot to Oakey Detachment for the s...

1,300 jobs available in S’pore’s logistics sector amid Covid-19 pandemic; 1 in 3 for PMETs

aseanpr 27 10 月

5 minutes

SINGAPORE - About 1,300 jobs are currently on offer in the logistics sector, with about one in three for professionals, managers, executives and technicians (PMETs). This makes up over 60 per cent of the more than 2,100 jobs and training openings available as at end-September, said the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) in its weekly jobs report on Tuesday (Oct 27). The PMET jobs include roles such as regional business sales managers and business development managers, with monthly salaries of between $4,000 and $7,000, with a median of $5,000. Meanwhile, logistics managers earn about $3,700 to $7,250 a month, with a median of $5,500. The bulk of the jobs - about 64 per cent - are non-PMET roles, as the sector requires a workforce to carry out functions such as warehousing, transportation, and value-added services like labelling and packaging. These non-PMET jobs include transport clerks, who typically receive monthly salaries of $1,900 to $2,400, with a median of $2,175. Material and freight handling workers earn between $1,600 and $2,350 monthly, with a median of $2,050. Apart from jobs, there are also about 510 company-hosted traineeships and attachments, as well as about 290 training op...

Jail, caning for ex-SAF regular who molested a girl and tried to molest another 4 months later

aseanpr 27 10 月

4 minutes

SINGAPORE - A former Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) regular was sentenced on Tuesday (Oct 27) to 7 1/2 years' jail and six strokes of the cane for molesting a girl and attempting to molest another victim four months later. Mohamed Ardlee Iriandee Mohamed Sanip was convicted on Feb 27, following a trial, of molesting an eight-year-old girl in January 2018. On March 23, he admitted in court that he had tried to molest a 10-year-old girl in May that year as well. The two girls cannot be named due to a gag order. Court documents did not disclose Ardlee's rank and role at the Safti Military Institute - his deployment at the time of the offences. Before sentencing Ardlee on Tuesday, District Judge John Ng noted that the 40-year-old was a first-time offender but added that his offences were "very serious" and they involved young schoolgirls. Judge Ng said the punishment should be severe enough to "reflect the condemnation" of such acts. In her submissions, Deputy Public Prosecutor Sruthi Boppana stated that Ardlee had developed an interest in young girls a month before targeting the first victim. The DPP added that he was also "predisposed to thoughts of molesting them, and had thought of d...

New joint task force to champion protection of local PMEs

aseanpr 27 10 月

3 minutes

SINGAPORE - Professionals, managers and executives (PMEs), particularly older ones, now have a champion in the form of a new task force that aims to protect their career prospects and keep them relevant for the new economy. This was announced on Tuesday (Oct 27) by National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) secretary-general Ng Chee Meng, who said PMEs, especially those aged between 40 and 60, are more vulnerable due to economic transformation and technological disruption. Co-led by NTUC assistant secretary-general Patrick Tay and Singapore National Employers Federation (SNEF) executive director Sim Gim Guan, the task force comprises union and industry representatives from the industrial, service and public sectors. Mr Ng and SNEF president Robert Yap will be its advisers. During his keynote speech at the Labour Research Conference 2020 on Tuesday, Mr Ng outlined the task force's three key areas of focus. It will work towards enhancing employability and reducing risk of retrenchment; encouraging employers to retain and build capabilities for the workforce; and enabling PMEs through upskilling and reskilling. Over the next six months, the group will engage PMEs and employers through poll...

Smooth start to Singapore’s first pre-event Covid-19 screening

aseanpr 26 10 月

5 minutes

SINGAPORE - The opening of Singapore International Energy Week (SIEW) 2020 on Monday (Oct 26) saw the first ever pre-event Covid-19 swabbing taking place. A pilot run of pre-event testing using Antigen Rapid Tests (ART) was earlier announced by the multi-ministry task force on Oct 20. At the time, Health Minister Gan Kim Yong said that a successful pilot run might contribute towards a loosening of group size caps for social gatherings. But he cautioned that the tests, which are less sensitive than the Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) tests used conventionally, may not be able to catch every single Covid-19 case and that safe distancing measures would still need to be observed. When The Straits Times arrived at the Sands Expo and Convention Centre, where SIEW 2020 is being held, on Monday morning, there were no long queues or crowds typically associated with Mice (Meetings, Incentives, Conventions and Exhibitions) events. Signs were present on various levels at the centre reminding participants to download the TraceTogether app. TraceTogether tokens were provided free of charge at the entrance to the hall where the event was being held. The Straits Times was told that participants we...

S’pore to import electricity from Malaysia in pilot trial over 2 years

aseanpr 26 10 月

5 minutes

SINGAPORE - The little red dot wants a greener energy mix, and is taking multiple steps to achieve this - from an electricity import pilot with Malaysia to soaking up more sunshine at home and investing in research on emerging low-carbon technologies. Minister for Trade and Industry Chan Chun Sing on Monday (Oct 26) laid out the steps that Singapore will take to be a "bright green spark" for the world - a place where ideas and applications can be an inspiration and help to create more sustainable and higher quality living environments. As part of its plans, Singapore hopes to tap green energy from around the region through regional power grids. The groundwork for this will be laid through an electricity import pilot with Malaysia over two years. "We will be kicking this off with 100 megawatts of electricity imports over a trial period of two years," said Mr Chan. This will make up about 1.5 per cent of Singapore’s peak electricity demand. "This (trial) can help us to access clean energy from regional countries and improve our energy resilience. We have been working closely with Malaysia and are thankful for their strong support," Mr Chan said in his opening remarks at the Singapore...

Morning Briefing: Top stories from The Straits Times on Oct 26

aseanpr 26 10 月

2 minutes

Good morning! Here are our top stories to kick-start your Monday, Oct 26. Malaysia's King rejects emergency plan, PM Muhyiddin to discuss decision with Cabinet The King believes the government under Muhyiddin can continue implementing policies to tackle Covid-19. READ MORE HERE Use of 2 flu vaccines should stop temporarily after deaths in S. Korea: MOH The two vaccines are SKYCellflu Quadrivalent and VaxigripTetra. READ MORE HERE Malaysia's PM Muhyiddin loses emergency bid but wins royal endorsement The King may have rejected his request to declare an emergency but Muhyiddin has not come out empty-handed. READ MORE HERE Malaysia's King rejects state of emergency plan: What's next? Muhyiddin's leadership faces the prospect of defeat when Parliament reconvenes on Nov 2. READ MORE HERE Malaysians hail King's decision not to declare state of emergency #Daulat Tuanku, or long live the King, was trending on Twitter following the royal proclamation. READ MORE HERE WHO reports third straight daily record in coronavirus cases The WHO's complete figures for Saturday showed that 465,319 cases were confirmed. READ MORE HERE Shrinking base of white blue-collar voters makes it harder for Trump D...

A ride to remember

aseanpr 26 10 月

1 minute

A roller-coaster ride at the Wonderland Amusement Park in Kallang on its opening day on Aug 22, 1969. Buy this photo at: bit.ly/SGWonderland Photonico is a website offering high-quality stock photos that celebrate Asian contemporary culture and heritage. It is a platform that showcases the thousands of editorial and stock photos that our staff and contributing photographers shoot. These photos can be purchased for personal and commercial use at an affordable price. www.photonico.asia To contribute photos, get in touch with us at team@photonico.asia 1 SEARCH SEARCH from a vast selection of curated Asian culture and heritage photos. 2 BUY BUY photos of old and modern Singapore, travel, nature, food, daily life and more. 3 USE USE the photos on different platforms with our various licensing options. 1 SHOOT SHOOT your own photos of Singapore and Asian street scenes, nature, daily life and travel. 2 SHARE SHARE them with us and be part of our community of photographers at Photonico.asia 3 EARN EARN when your photos are sold with our 50 per cent revenue share programme.

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