S’pore committed to constructive ties with new Malaysian government: Vivian Balakrishnan

SINGAPORE - Singapore is committed to maintaining a constructive relationship with the new Malaysian government and keeping up good relations, said Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan. He told Parliament on Monday (Sept 13) that Singapore will continue to engage and cooperate with Malaysia's leaders to seek win-win outcomes for both countries in the long term. Dr Balakrishnan was responding to Mr Vikram Nair (Sembawang GRC) and Mr Henry Kwek (Kebun Baru) on the current political situation in Malaysia and the state of Singapore's bilateral partnerships with its neighbour. Malaysia's current Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob was sworn in on Aug 21, after Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin resigned following the loss of his parliamentary majority. Mr Ismail is the country's third premier in the past three years. Dr Balakrishnan told the House that Singapore's position is consistent - to work with the government of the day. "We have enjoyed good relations with successive Malaysian governments and leaders, and we have cooperated well with them across a very wide range of areas," he said. The minister noted that Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong spoke with Mr Ismail the next morning after he was sw...

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S’pore should make Covid-19 vaccination mandatory, so measures can ease for everyone

SINGAPORE - There is no way to stop Covid-19 infections from spreading. The only thing that prolonging, or even enhancing, safety measures can do is to slow that spread - which is Singapore's current game plan. But eventually, large swathes of the population, whether vaccinated or not, will likely encounter the coronavirus. Last Monday (Sept 6), the Government said quick action was needed to dampen the increasing likelihood of an "exponential rise" in cases, even as Singapore hits 81 per cent in its full vaccination rate. Finance Minister Lawrence Wong announced more frequent rostered routine testing for people in higher-risk settings and mandatory testing and self-isolation for those who get health risk warnings. He also urged Singaporeans to limit non-essential social interactions. Some quarters expressed disappointment, pointing out how the Government had earlier said measures would be eased once 80 per cent of the population had been fully vaccinated. But dining in at restaurants remains capped at five people if all are vaccinated, and two at hawker centres regardless of vaccination status. Working from home is still the default with only half the employees allowed back at the ...

New U-turn before Newton Circus added to ease traffic at roundabout

SINGAPORE - A new U-turn in Dunearn Road near Newton Circus was opened on Sunday (Sept 12), allowing drivers to turn into Woodlands-bound Bukit Timah Road without having to use the congested roundabout. With this, all the enhancement works at Newton Circus, which began in 2017, have been completed. Another U-turn, on the other side of Newton Circus, which allows motorists to turn from Woodlands-bound Bukit Timah Road towards the city, opened in July. The authorities hope these will reduce the number of vehicles using the roundabout, which recorded an average of nine accidents a year between 2016 and 2018. Thousands of people should benefit from the completion of the project, which had been slightly delayed by Covid-19. Minister of State for Culture, Community and Youth Alvin Tan, who is the MP representing the area, said the new U-turn will help motorists and residents better navigate Newton Circus, which “can be a bit of a mess”. Parents dropping off their children in the schools nearby – such as Singapore Chinese Girls’ School and ACS (Barker Road) – will hopefully also find peak-hour traffic less daunting, he said. “The new U-turn should alleviate traffic even more than the prev...

Fun with kids: Celebrate Mid-Autumn Festival, buy S’pore children’s books in mother tongue languages

SINGAPORE - Make family time all the more special with these ideas and activities. Gardens by the Bay's annual Mid-Autumn Festival event returns on Wednesday (Sept 15) and runs till Oct 3. Please subscribe or log in to continue reading the full article. Get unlimited access to all stories at $0.99/month Latest headlines and exclusive stories In-depth analyses and award-winning multimedia content Get access to all with our no-contract promotional package at only $0.99/month for the first 3 months* Subscribe now *Terms and conditions apply.

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

Good morning! Here are our top stories to kick-start your Sunday, Sept 12. Chinatown Complex closed after Covid-19 cluster with 66 cases; S’pore reports 555 new infections All staff working at Chinatown Complex are being tested for Covid-19. READ MORE HERE Messages of unity, resolve mark 20th anniversary of 9/11 attacks The greatest lesson from that day was the value of national unity, Mr Biden said. READ MORE HERE RSAF scrambled F16 fighter jets on Saturday in response to potential air threat A Royal Malaysia Police helicopter flew over Pulau Tekong on Saturday morning at around 9.20am. READ MORE HERE More on this topic Related Story ST newsletters: Get alerts on the latest news About 1,000 F&B, retail businesses open in S'pore each month despite pandemic Not only did the number of businesses formed exceed that of closures, more businesses opened compared with that during the pre-pandemic years, between 2017 and 2019. READ MORE HERE How the Covid-19 cluster linked to Jurong Fishery Port was contained The Jurong Fishery Port cluster is Singapore's largest Covid-19 cluster in the community to date. READ MORE HERE S'pore opens Covid-19 vaccination channels for overseas-based citizens...

About 1,000 F&B, retail businesses open in S’pore each month despite pandemic

SINGAPORE - Analogue is a two-week-old sustainability-focused cocktail bar at Chijmes. Despite the various lockdowns and construction delays brought about by Covid-19 restrictions, its founder, Mr Vijay Mudaliar, 32, went ahead with its opening. Please subscribe or log in to continue reading the full article. Get unlimited access to all stories at $0.99/month Latest headlines and exclusive stories In-depth analyses and award-winning multimedia content Get access to all with our no-contract promotional package at only $0.99/month for the first 3 months* Subscribe now *Terms and conditions apply.

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Record number of students and graduates receive Sinda awards

SINGAPORE - Close to 750 students and university graduates received the Sinda Excellence Awards on Saturday (Sept 11), the largest cohort of recipients in the award's 30-year run. The self-help group's awards are given to those who have done well in their academic studies, or sports and art endeavours. The recipients on Saturday included pupils who received good results in the Primary School Leaving Examination, and university graduates with bachelor's degrees. The awardees received between $150 and $500. Held annually since 1992, the awards have honoured more than 8,000 students over the years. More students this year qualified for the awards across various categories. For instance, there were 123 PSLE recipients this year, the largest number in five years. Speaking at the hybrid award ceremony on Saturday, Second Minister for Finance and National Development Indranee Rajah said that the Indian community's academic performance "is on a very positive, upward trend". She cited the recently released population census, which reported that 67.4 per cent of Singaporean Indians hold a diploma, degree or other post-secondary qualifications, up from 59.3 per cent a decade ago. Congratulati...

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Construction firm Samwoh to face charges for unauthorised drainage works that caused Pasir Ris flood

SINGAPORE - National water agency PUB will be taking action against construction firm Samwoh for unauthorised drainage works that caused a prolonged flood in Pasir Ris last month. The junction of Tampines Avenue 10 and Pasir Ris Drive 12 is not flood-prone, but Samwoh's actions led to a flood that stranded cars and motorists for almost two hours on Aug 20, PUB said on Saturday (Sept 11). It will be filing charges against Samwoh under the Sewerage and Drainage Act. Those found guilty may be fined up to $50,000 for works affecting the storm-water drainage system, and up to $20,000 for unauthorised alteration of the system. A 200m section of the traffic junction was affected, with knee-high water in some places. Thirteen vehicles were partially submerged and several motorists required help to evacuate their vehicles. At least one person was taken to hospital. The flood persisted for almost two hours - an unusually long event, as most flash floods in Singapore subside within about 30 minutes. PUB said in a statement that the drainage system there was "more than adequate to cope with the rainfall intensity" on that day. Water is channelled to Sungei Api Api, a canal about 1km from the f...

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New nursery for coastal trees launched on Pulau Ubin to help restore island’s shores

SINGAPORE - A one-hectare grove on Pulau Ubin dedicated to planting and growing coastal trees for rejuvenating the island's coasts was launched on Saturday (Sept 11). The new coastal arboretum - which is a little more than the size of a football field - will act as a nursery for about 500 trees, spanning around 70 native species, by the end of the year. These trees will be later replanted at the island's coasts to help restore Pulau Ubin's coastal habitat, which experts have said has been partially lost over the years to urban development. To kick off planting work on the arboretum, 50 coastal trees comprising nine species will be grown there this month. The new grove is nestled in the Ubin Living Lab, which is located south-west of the island. The laboratory is a facility for field studies and environmental education. To launch the site on Saturday, Minister for National Development Desmond Lee and Minister for Sustainability and the Environment Grace Fu planted saplings of the critically endangered seashore nutmeg - a native coastal tree previously believed to be extinct - at the nursery. Saturday also marked Ubin Day, first held in 2002, which aims to celebrate the rich natural ...

Two new species of flies discovered in Pulau Ubin mangroves

SINGAPORE - Two new species of flies with quirky characteristics were discovered in the mangroves of Pulau Ubin in 2018 and 2019. While one's offspring dwells in dung, the other feeds on sandflies - a known pest and bane of many beach-goers. The insect-gobbling fly, found in May 2018, is called the long-legged fly, and its scientific name - Trigonocera ubinensis - was inspired by the island. For the April 2019 discovery of the new sepsid fly, or black scavenger fly, that has a faecal connection, it was a double victory. Not only is the insect a new species, its discovery also saw the creation of an insect category, or genus, new to science. This is notable because a genus ranks above a species in the hierarchy of biological classification, said the National Parks Board (NParks). The agency announced the twin discoveries on Ubin Day, which fell on Saturday (Sept 11). First held in 2002, Ubin Day celebrates the natural and cultural heritage of the northern island. Both flies were found by Dr Patrick Grootaert - an NParks research fellow and head of entomology at the Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Science - while he was doing fieldwork on Pulau Ubin. The findings underscore the ri...

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More road dividers to be installed at Tanjong Pagar Road after fatal CNY accident

SINGAPORE - More safety features will be installed at Tanjong Pagar Road by the end of the year, said the Land Transport Authority (LTA) on Wednesday (Sept 8). This follows the fiery pre-dawn accident on Feb 13, the second day of Chinese New Year, when a white speeding BMW slammed into a vacant shophouse unit and burst into flames. All five men in the vehicle were killed. LTA told The Straits Times more road dividers will be installed along Tanjong Pagar Road in the coming months. The intersection between Tanjong Pagar Road and Tras Link will also have traffic lights and pedestrian crossings installed. Members of Parliament for the area, Ms Indranee Rajah and Ms Josephine Teo, said earlier that the Traffic Police and LTA would look into the road conditions there. Among the suggestions were more cameras and speed bumps. Responding to queries from ST, LTA said that according to past records, the location is not accident-prone and there are already several existing traffic-calming measures. These include on-street parking, centre median strips and designated crossing points aimed to slow down motorists. To improve the safety of traffic conditions in the area, it will be putting in pla...

S’pore’s laws help prevent terror attacks like supermarket stabbing in New Zealand: Shanmugam

SINGAPORE - Singapore's laws have enabled the authorities to act quickly on cases of suspected radicalisation and prevent terrorist attacks like the recent stabbing in New Zealand, said Law and Home Affairs Minister K. Shanmugam. The Internal Security Act (ISA) allows law enforcement to detain people at an early stage as they are thinking of or planning attacks, he noted, adding that it also gives such suspected radicals better prospects for rehabilitation. Speaking to reporters on Friday (Sept 10), he said there have been many serious terror incidents in various regions in the 20 years since the terror attacks in the United States on Sept 11, 2001. Every country handles the threat of terrorism differently, and Singapore's approach is based on a few key fundamentals, he added. The minister listed good intelligence, a zero-tolerance approach towards violent extremism and strong inter-communal relations, as well as the ISA, as factors that help Singapore deal with the limited number of radicalised cases that emerge. He brought up the terror attack in the city of Auckland last Friday (Sept 3), where police shot and killed a violent extremist after he stabbed and wounded at least six p...

Ex-Wildlife Reserves Singapore employees among 12 charged for corruption involving over $2.4m

SINGAPORE - A Rolex watch and a "Chanel" labelled wallet were what two employees obtained while working at Wildlife Reserves Singapore (WRS). But they were not rewards for good work but ill-gotten gains. One of the duo, Barry Chong Peng Wee, 54, allegedly received bribes of more than $2.4 million over 12 years. Chong, who is also known as Danial Chong, was charged on Friday (Sept 10) with 107 counts of corruption involving the bribes between 2005 and 2016. He also faces a charge under the Corruption, Drug Trafficking and Other Serious Crimes (Confiscation of Benefits) Act for using $15,900 of his ill-gotten gains to buy a Rolex watch in 2013. Eleven other people linked to Chong's alleged offences were charged with multiple counts of corruption on Friday. They are Chin Fong Yi, 44, who also worked for WRS, and 10 men who bribed Chong to advance the business interests of their companies. Court documents did not say what Chong and Chin worked as at WRS. Chin is said to have obtained bribes of more than $50,000 from two of the men between 2010 and 2015. These were for not reporting that the duo's company, Shin Yong Construction, was giving bribes to Chong. Chin is accused of receiving ...

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First giant panda cub born in S’pore is a boy; public can submit names until Sept 19

SINGAPORE - The first-ever cub born in Singapore to giant pandas Kai Kai and Jia Jia is a healthy baby boy. The panda cub was born on Aug 14 at the River Safari after seven attempts by its parents to conceive. Wildlife Reserves Singapore (WRS) said on Friday (Sept 10) that its panda care team determined the cub's gender through a series of visual assessments. The WRS team, led by animal care officer Trisha Tay Ting Ni, subsequently confirmed that the baby panda was male after consulting a team of experts from the China Conservation and Research Centre for Giant Panda (CCRCGP). The CCRCGP experts examined a series of photos and videos that were shared by the WRS panda care team and gave their feedback. Dr Cheng Wen-Haur, deputy chief executive officer and chief life sciences officer at WRS, said the cub's mother, 12-year-old Jia Jia, has exceeded all expectations in caring for her cub. Dr Cheng said: "The panda care team has decided to allow this period of maternal care to continue for as long as possible for the duo to strengthen their bond. While supporting Jia Jia's care of the cub, we were able to determine the cub's gender through close visual observation and will only retrieve...

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

Good morning! Here are our top stories to kick-start your Friday, Sept 10. 450 new locally transmitted Covid-19 cases in S'pore; unvaccinated 62-year-old man dies of Covid-19 The number of new cases is more than double the figure one week ago, on Sept 2, when it stood at 191. READ MORE HERE Unlinked cases less relevant when S'pore treats Covid-19 as endemic: Experts Shifting the focus means resources can be better used elsewhere. READ MORE HERE Little India shops look forward to business boost from pilot scheme for migrant workers Up to 500 vaccinated migrant workers living in dorms will be allowed to visit Little India each week. READ MORE HERE More on this topic Related Story ST newsletters: Get alerts on the latest news New way to calculate school-home distance to help more P1 kids to qualify for nearby schools Changes will result in slightly over 10% more homes added to the list of those near primary schools. READ MORE HERE Will primary school registration changes lessen stress and competition for places? Senior education correspondent Sandra Davie looks at what the changes mean for parents and their children. READ MORE HERE Why are HDB resale prices rising and what does this m...

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Little India shops look forward to business boost from pilot scheme for migrant workers

SINGAPORE - For the past year and a half, shopkeepers in Little India have been hit hard by a drastic fall in income as migrant workers who would throng the area on weekends were confined to their dormitories as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic. Crowds of more than 200,000 workers on a typical pre-pandemic weekend dwindled to just a few thousand who live outside of the dorms, said Mr Ruthirapathy Parthasarathy, honorary secretary of the Little India Shopkeepers and Heritage Association (Lisha). So the announcement of a long-awaited pilot scheme allowing up to 500 vaccinated migrant workers to visit Little India weekly is music to the ears of businesses. Mr Ruthirapathy, 52, told The Straits Times that Lisha has been working with the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) to turn the pilot programme into reality. Two weeks ago, it held an on-site meeting with MOM to discuss the possibility of having workers visit Little India. Last Saturday, it conducted a site visit with MOM officers, going to Sri Veeramakaliamman Temple, Masjid Angullia and various shops in the area. Sri Veeramakaliamman Temple will extend its visiting hours to accommodate workers in the pilot scheme, said Mr Ruthirapathy. M...

Workplace discrimination and new racial harmony act among topics of interest for Malay community

SINGAPORE - There is great interest in how fair workplace guidelines will soon become law, as announced in Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong's National Day Rally (NDR) speech on August 29. This is evident from the questions being asked about how seriously the Tripartite Alliance for Fair and Progressive Employment Practices (Tafep) will take complaints on discrimination at the workplace. The concerns were raised, among other issues, during a post-NDR dialogue session with grassroots volunteers and Malay-Muslim community leaders on Wednesday (Sept 08) night. About 200 participants attended the event organised by The People's Association Malay Activity Executive Committees Council. The panellists for the dialogue included Minister in the Prime Minister's Office Maliki Osman. Questions from the floor probed the panellists regarding discrimination in the workplace and how Tafep will address the issue. A participant who joined the dialogue through Zoom asked for clear guidelines to be put up regarding language requirements for job postings. Issues facing Singapore's ageing population were also brought up during the dialogue. Someone from the floor described his experience facing age-relate...

Jail, caning for teacher who made former pupil his ‘godson’ and later molested him

SINGAPORE - A male teacher who made a former pupil his "godson" and later molested the boy during a sleepover was jailed for 2½ years on Thursday (Sept 9). The man, 36, was also sentenced to three strokes of the cane. He was earlier found guilty of two counts of molestation and another charge of attempted molestation after a trial. Details about the man, the boy and the school cannot be revealed because of a gag order protecting the victim's identity. The man has been suspended from service since July 2017 and no longer teaches in any school. He used to be the victim's Primary 6 form teacher and taught English, mathematics and science in 2016. The court had earlier heard that he and his victim had a "normal teacher-student relationship" at the time. But they also met outside the school three times that year. They grew closer after the release of the boy's Primary School Leaving Examination results. He had gone to the victim's home to help the child with selecting a secondary school. The court also heard that the boy had been raised by a single mother and he never had a father figure before the teacher came into his life. The boy agreed to become the teacher's godson in early 2017 a...

Man pleads guilty to throwing raw pork bone towards mosque balcony

SINGAPORE - Despite being in full view of a mosque's members, a 57-year-old man threw a raw pork bone towards the building's balcony. Singaporean Lim Beng Wei pleaded guilty on Thursday (Sept 9) to a charge of public nuisance. Two other charges for public nuisance - one for throwing another bone and the other for throwing butter towards the roof of the Singapore Musical Box Museum at 168 Telok Ayer Street - will be taken into consideration during sentencing by the court at a later date. Court documents state that Lim bought two raw pork bones, among other things, from a supermarket in Tanjong Pagar on the morning of Jan 14. He headed towards Masjid Al-Abrar, which is located at 192 Telok Ayer Street, intending to throw a bone at the mosque. When he reached the building, he removed a bone from its packaging and flung it towards the second-level balcony of the mosque. The court heard that his actions were captured by the building's closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras. The CCTV footage was later reviewed by police officers, who were investigating a call claiming that a person had vandalised the Singapore Musical Box Museum's premises. The museum is located near the mosque. Accord...

HDB resale prices rise in August to just 0.1% below peak; record high of 26 million-dollar flats sold: SRX

SINGAPORE - Housing Board resale prices rose for the 14th consecutive month, climbing at a faster pace of 1.1 per cent in August compared with July, according to flash data from real estate portal SRX on Thursday (Sept 9). Prices are just 0.1 per cent off the peak in April 2013 according to SRX data, which means September prices are likely to hit a record high as strong demand continues to outstrip flat supply. With more construction delays expected, resale flat demand strengthened despite August being the Hungry Ghost month, when sales typically slow down. Last month, The Straits Times reported that five Build-To-Order (BTO) projects are facing even longer delays as their main contractor Greatearth has gone bust due to financial difficulties. The completion dates for these BTO projects, and many other ongoing ones, had already been pushed back because of manpower and supply disruptions in the construction sector caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. Ms Christine Sun, senior vice-president of research and analytics at OrangeTee & Tie, said more home seekers could have turned to the resale market in the face of uncertainty in the BTO market. "Some of the affected buyers may have chosen t...