Team Singapore's 13-strong contingent at the Rio Paralympics was accorded a distinguished honour when the para-athletes were formally congratulated by Parliament yesterday, after a showing that was historic in more ways than one.

The sombre setting of the House made way for smiles and applause as the country's leaders gave the para-athletes a 30-second standing ovation for their feats.

This is the second time athletes have been honoured in Parliament. In August, swimmer Joseph Schooling received a standing ovation for winning the 100m butterfly gold at the Rio Olympics. The nine para-athletes present also had lunch with the politicians.

In Rio, Singapore fielded its largest contingent and had its best-ever medal haul - two golds and a bronze.

Swimmer Theresa Goh, who won a bronze in the 100m breaststroke SB4 in Rio, best summed up the sentiments of her teammates when she said: "It was surreal. It's not every day you get this kind of ovation. It's really nice to be recognised."

Yip Pin Xiu added one gold each in the 50m backstroke S2 and 100m backstroke S2. The 2008 Beijing Paralympic champion also finished with two world records.

Minister for Culture, Community and Youth Grace Fu, who moved the motion to congratulate the Paralympians, said: "These 13 extraordinary athletes have shown us that with hard work and sacrifice, we can realise our dreams.

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Paralympians parade for Team Singapore

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"Their achievements also exemplify how a nation as small as ours can punch above its weight."

Ms Fu named each athlete, sharing snippets of their sporting journey, including equestrienne Gemma Rose Foo, who ruptured her spleen when she fell from her horse six months before the Paralympics.

Others followed Ms Fu in hailing the para-athletes, including Minister for Social and Family Development Tan Chuan-Jin, MPs Christopher de Souza (Holland-Bukit Timah GRC), Seah Kian Peng (Marine Parade GRC) and Sylvia Lim (Aljunied GRC), Nominated MP Chia Yong Yong and Central Singapore District Mayor Denise Phua.

Mr Tan, who is also president of the Singapore National Olympic Council (SNOC), hailed the families and friends of the Paralympians for helping them "realise their dreams".

He also spoke about forging a more inclusive society, adding: "I call on all Singaporeans to play an active role in this inclusive journey. In big and small ways, never underestimate the difference we can make, whether as family members, classmates, employers, neighbours or simply as members of the public."

Ms Lim recalled how some of her friends' children with disabilities were buzzing with excitement during the Paralympics. She said: "Now, their children were seeing before their very own eyes that, through sporting competition, they too could one day don the national colours and bring glory to Singapore."

Ms Phua hailed them as role models for all Singaporeans, noting: "If you can do it, then perhaps the rest of us can rise above our daily ailments, grievances and complaints and take on life the way you do, against the odds; making lemonade of the lemons we are handed in life."

Ms Chia, president of the Society for the Physically Disabled, rounded off the speeches with an impassioned take on how far para-sport has come since Singapore first participated in the 1988 Paralympics. She also touched on equal prize money.

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Fans welcome Team Singapore's Paralympians

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Under the Singapore National Paralympic Council's Athlete's Achievement Award Programme, a Paralympic gold has a $200,000 award, and a bronze, $50,000. The SNOC's Multi- Million Dollar Award Programme awards $1 million for an Olympic gold and $250,000 for a bronze. Both programmes are funded by the Tote Board and Singapore Pools.

Ms Chia said: "More than cash payment, it is about inclusion... If we persist in having two different standards of treatment between athletes and para-athletes, we reinforce the erroneous perception that people with disabilities are not able, and strengthen the barriers against building an inclusive society."

She also called on Singaporeans to back para-sports more. "The best of government schemes will not be good enough if we do not play our part to support our para-athletes.

"Get out of (the) living room. Can we be, if nothing else, a spectator?"

• Additional reporting by Nicole Chia

This article was first published on Nov 08, 2016.
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She was shocked and disgusted when she opened a tin of milk powder meant for her kids aged three and four.

Blogshop owner Perline Chua caught a whiff of a foul smell, and when she peered into the tin of Friso Gold 4, she could see insects crawling inside.

Madam Chua, 34, told The New Paper of the Oct 30 incident: "I am already scared of insects, so when I saw what was in the tin, I quickly closed the lid and taped the tin with masking tape."

"At first I thought there might be some contamination issues since the milk powder was brown, but I saw something crawling and realised something was not right," said the mother of three who has been buying Friso since her first child was born. Her youngest is a-year-old.

Once she discovered the problem, Madam Chua called her husband, who was overseas. He told her to wait till he returned. On Tuesday night, he e-mailed the company.

The next afternoon, a FrieslandCampina employee visited her to investigate the case and offered to exchange the defective tin for a new one.

Madam Chua accepted the new tin but refused to give up the defective tin because she was afraid that the "evidence" might be destroyed in the investigation.

She said: ""I said no, so they took photos of the milk powder and said they would inform their manufacturer in Holland to investigate."

The next day, she escalated her complaint to the Agri-Food & Veterinary Authority of Singapore (AVA), which collected the tin yesterday afternoon and said investigations are ongoing.

When asked if she noticed anything unusual when she bought it on Oct 27 at a Jurong shopping mall, Madam Chua said the tin seemed all right.

"It was only after the Friso person came and pointed it out did I realise that there was a dent at the bottom of the tin. I suspect the dent might have caused some air to flow into the tin, causing the insects to breed inside," she added.

Madam Chua's husband also took a video, which showed about 20 bugs crawling on the surface of the powder from just one side of the tin.

The dairy company's director of corporate affairs Asia, Mr Hendro Poedjono, told TNP that it was "extremely shocked" and has sent the pictures of the defective tin back to its manufacturer in Holland.

He said: "We will be checking our samples from the same batch. The safety of customers and the quality of the milk powder is our utmost priority. We will be assisting AVA in its investigations."

Asked if she had told her children about it, Madam Chua said: "No, I'm afraid they won't want to drink milk after that."

This article was first published on November 8, 2016.
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It appears that terror networks will exploit any way they can find to fund their activities, even in unexpected areas like sports and betting.

Last year, a man with possible terror links was detained after placing unusual bets at a betting shop in Belgium.

While the full facts have yet to be established, it got the attention of the Belgian authorities who are investigating the matter, a few experts told The New Paper recently.

Mr Christian Kalb, a speaker at the World Lottery Summit at the Marina Bay Sands yesterday, had told TNP earlier that the alarm was raised when a betting operator called other betting shops in Belgium to flag one of its customers.

Mr Kalb, a sports governance expert at The French Institute for International and Strategic Affairs, said: "The person, a Kurd, went to place bets in a shop owned by a Turk. The Belgian gaming regulator was contacted and the police interrogated the man, who confessed."

The nature of his confession is not known but the incident was confirmed by Mr Peter Naessens, adviser to the Belgian Gaming Commission.

He told TNP in July: "The Kurd connection is not related to match fixing but to illegal gambling machines. The investigation continues."

He said there were "indications that there might be a connection with terrorist activities".

Read also: Review decision to allow online gambling: NCCS

Given the deadly March bombings at an airport and metro station in Brussels in which 32 people were killed, the Belgian authorities are exploring all leads, said Professor Laurent Vidal from University Paris 1.

In May, he told TNP: "I can confirm that the Belgian authorities have looked into the allegation of ties between match fixing and terrorism, but I cannot tell you if it does concern the Kurdish channel."

But Mr Eric Bisschop, vice-federal prosecutor at Belgium's head of organised crime unit, told TNP in May that initial investigations into the Kurd had not turned up any clear links to terrorism activities.

While terror groups have traditionally engaged in human and drug trafficking, counterfeiting operations, kidnapping and the sale of contraband cigarettes, it is nonetheless a concern that they could be involved in the betting and sporting industries.

Former Fifa security head Chris Eaton told TNP that he would not be surprised if terror groups are also tapping on the expertise of Singapore match-fixing syndicates.

Prof Vidal, who is also the chairman of the Sorbonne-ICSS Research Program on Ethics and Sports Integrity, said: "Terror cells are using sports like any other channels to collect money. Today, it's much easier to fix a match than to develop drug businesses. If it's not stopped, it's a big threat."

In the past, D Company, an organised-crime and terror network headed by Dawood Ibrahim, a fugitive of Indian origin, who remains on Interpol's Wanted List, had used sports to fund terror activities.

D Company has been linked to cricket match fixing.

Read also: Gamers place bets of up to hundreds of dollars on e-sports

In 2013, The Times of India reported that Dawood had personally set illegal betting rates for Indian Premier League cricket matches. He is accused of being involved in the 1993 Mumbai bombings and the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks by Pakistan-trained militants.

Dr Tom Heenan of Monash University in Australia said a percentage of D Company's revenues went to outfits like Lashkar e-Tayyiba, one of the largest and most active terrorist groups in South Asia.

Dr Heenan, who presented his research on Dawood at a symposium in Australia last year, told TNP: "I read a recent academic article in which the decline in the drug market internationally meant that terror groups had shifted their interests to the sports betting markets, particularly the illegal market which draws on hawala networks."

Hawala is a traditional system of transferring money used in Middle-East and South Asian countries - the money is paid to an agent who then instructs an associate in the relevant country or area to pay the final recipient.

Both Dr Heenan and Mr Kalb believe terror groups target match fixing and gambling because of the slim chance of getting caught and the difficulty in tracking the international movement of money.

CRIMINAL ACTIVITIES

Dr Heenan said: "It is inevitable that as with other black-market criminal activities with high returns, sports betting would be targeted by terror groups. For starters, it's the perfect means of 'washing' money."

Locally, Singapore Pools has a "multi-layered" monitoring system to spot unusual betting patterns that could suggest possible match fixing, money laundering or any other illegal activity.

It is part of a network called the Global Lottery Monitoring System, an initiative by 27 member operators in 25 countries.

A Singapore Pools spokesman told TNP: "Launched in June last year, the global surveillance system uses a fraud-detection system to monitor sports betting to detect any unusual or suspicious betting patterns, providing 24/7 coverage of the various betting markets worldwide."

Read also: Punters find ways to bet online despite ban​

The Ministry of Home Affairs said Singapore takes a very serious view of any support for terrorism-related activities including terrorism financing.

Its spokesman told TNP: "The authorities will take firm and decisive action against any person who provides, collects or possesses property for terrorist purposes.

It would not be unreasonable to assume a terror group is tapping on the expertise of Singapore match-fixing syndicates, said former Fifa security head Chris Eaton.

The keynote speaker at the World Lottery Summit Singapore yesterday, told The New Paper on the sidelines: "I would not be surprised at all if Singapore criminals are being used by terrorist organisations to raise money. In the end, it's the money motivation that they copy."

Since 2010, Mr Eaton and his team of investigators have uncovered numerous fixes - including international friendlies and warm-up matches ahead of the 2010 World Cup in South Africa - executed by Singaporeans such as Wilson Raj Perumal and alleged kingpin Dan Tan Seet Eng.

Investigations revealed that the Singaporeans were well-connected to organised crime syndicates in Europe and had an established infrastructure to move money globally.

Italian court documents showed that the Singapore kelong syndicate allegedly headed by Mr Tan had made several million euros rigging matches in Italy's Serie A and Serie B.

"Historically, terrorism has always copied organised crime in making money," said Mr Eaton.

"Often they'll employ organised crime to do the collecting for them because they know how to corrupt politicians and players."

Equally of concern are football and sport clubs being used as "radicalisation tools" in countries like Bahrain and parts of North Africa, he added.

"Because you already have kids who are ready to follow a leader, to be influenced by a hero and to be told they have a mission in life to win.

"You put this whole motivation in sport and you put into a terrorist environment, it becomes ready-made," he said.

After Singapore Pools chief executive officer Seah Chin Siong's address, "What's the fight now and what's next in the fight against match fixing?" at the Global Lottery Monitoring System session yesterday, four experts gave their views.

Read also: S'porean loses $400,000 in online football betting​

STAKES

One of them, Mr Friedrich Martens, head of Integrity Betting Intelligence System from the International Olympic Committee, said match fixing in Olympic sports paled in comparison to football because of the lower stakes involved.

While some experts have claimed the size of global football betting pie to be in the region of US$500 billion (S$695b) to US$1 trillion, the estimated betting pie for the Rio 2016 Olympics was between 6 and 10 billion euros (S$9b and S$15b), he said.

He also said there were no cases of manipulation of an Olympic event at Rio 2016.

Ms Daniela Giuffre, head of the Integrity in Sport Unit at Interpol, said she had noticed a trend in Interpol's Soga (Football Gambling) operations.

Despite the arrest of more than 12,000 people in 7,400 raids in several Asian countries and the recovery of more than US$53 million in recent years, less cash was seized each time.

This is because organised crime groups are moving towards Internet gambling and even betting on legal sports betting sites.

zaihan@sph.com.sg

This article was first published on November 08, 2016.
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Social media platforms such as Facebook and Line are familiar to many in Singapore but active users should exercise more precaution as there might be scammers lurking on these sites.

Police said this in a statement today (Nov 8) and pointed out that these scams, which usually involve transferring money overseas, can take place in at least three ways.

In one instance, victims would receive unsolicited messages from scammers impersonating a China official by using a spoofed local telephone number containing "999" or a spoofed China telephone number containing "110" for the Chinese police.

These scammers would ask for personal and banking information to access the victims' internet banking accounts to make illegal transactions. In some cases, the victims were instructed by the scammers to transfer a sum of money using bitcoin vending machines, said the police in the statement.

Some victims have also been contacted by unknown individuals who claimed to be brokers or staff from Hong Kong banks or Hong Kong financial security firms. These victims would then be introduced to attractive investments packages that promised "returns of 10 to 50 times the amount invested".

Those who are active on online dating websites should also be wary of potential scam tactics, said the police statement.

There have been cases of victims receiving friend requests from unknown individuals and eventually getting romantically involved or forge friendships with these unidentified people.

Victims were typically instructed to transfer money to banks in Hong Kong and China on the pretext of reasons such as paying tax fees to release a gift that was stuck at customs.

The authorities have observed that scammers are using social media platforms and dating websites such as QQ, Wechat, Facebook, Line, and Okcupid to reach their victims and would like to advise members of the public to take the following precautions when they're online:

- Call the agency's official telephone number to check that they had contacted you. It is unlikely for government agencies to send unsolicited messages or make unsolicited calls to members of the public on the social media for official matters.

- Ignore instruction to remit or transfer money. Do not give out personal information and bank account details to strangers. Criminals can use the personal information and bank details such as internet bank account username and password, OTP code from token and impersonate you;

- Exercise caution when befriending strangers through social media platforms. Be wary when asked to send money overseas.

- Call a trusted friend or talk to a relative before you act.

For those with information related to such crimes or if in doubt, call the police hotline at 1800-255-0000, or call 999 for urgent assistance.

ssandrea@sph.com.sg

The Government is prepared to review laws that criminalise suicide, said Senior Minister of State for Home Affairs Desmond Lee in Parliament yesterday.

He was responding to a question from Mr Louis Ng (Nee Soon GRC), who asked whether the Government's stance on the matter was set in stone.

Under Section 309 of the Penal Code, those who attempt suicide can be punished with jail for up to a year, or with a fine, or both.

"The ministry is prepared to review the position, but in so doing we must recognise that this is not a straightforward exercise," said Mr Lee. "We need to make sure we do not inadvertently send the message that we no longer believe that it is wrong to take one's own life."

At the same time, law enforcement agencies and emergency services that respond to crises where a person is attempting suicide need to have powers to intervene and, after that, refer the individual to services for psychological and medical help.

The response from the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) came in the light of several high-profile cases of suicide that made headlines.

Earlier yesterday, Nominated MP Kuik Shiao-Yin had asked why the Government supported criminalisation of suicide, and what kind of psychological support was provided for those who attempted such a crime.

Mr Lee said that while in practice prosecutions were rare, the matter was something Singapore needed to take a stand on.

"It was thought to be important that society should signal through the law that it opposes people taking their own lives," he said.

He pointed out that only two people were prosecuted for attempting suicide last year, out of 1,096 reported cases. Incarceration of such individuals was even rarer, said Mr Lee. From 2011 to 2015, only five people charged with attempted suicide were jailed.

When responding to cases of attempted suicide the police's priority is to "ensure the person's safety", said Mr Lee, adding that arrests are made only to prevent the individuals from doing harm to themselves or others.

In such situations, handcuffs are used only to ensure safety or to prevent the individual from running away, said Mr Lee.

He also said that all cases would be recommended some form of medical or psychological support. Individuals could be referred to the Samaritans of Singapore (SOS) or the Institute of Mental Health, or their next of kin could be roped in to help.

Said Mr Lee: "Everyone has a part to play in paying attention to warning signs of suicidal tendencies of the people around us, especially family and friends. We should not hesitate to refer those who need support to the services that are available."

dansonc@sph.com.sg

This article was first published on November 08, 2016.
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Workers' Party MP Pritam Singh yesterday accused the Government of allowing lottery operators Singapore Pools and Singapore Turf Club to offer legal online gambling in order to "make more money".

In an adjournment motion in Parliament, Mr Singh (Aljunied GRC) said there has been a "glaring lack of clarity" as to how the Government is preparing to address "the scourge of online gambling".

This drew a sharp response from Senior Minister of State for Home Affairs Desmond Lee, who said it was the "most disturbing thing I've heard this evening".

He called upon Mr Singh's Workers' Party to make clear its position on online gambling and give specific suggestions on what should be done instead.

In a 20-minute-long speech, Mr Singh raised numerous questions about the Government's decision in September to exempt the two operators from the Remote Gambling Act.

He said the most common reaction he has heard from Singaporeans is that the Government "just wants to make more money".

Mr Singh added: "Is providing for exempt operators a way to redirect gambling spending away from illegal overseas operators to local operators which are owned by the Tote Board?"

He said the argument that the Tote Board gives money to charities is "morally questionable" and "akin to saying that it is okay to harm some people in order to help others".

He refused to accept the argument that the exempt operators allow the Government to manage crime associated with gambling and added that legalising online gambling will more likely attract first-time gamblers.

But Mr Lee pointed out that illicit online gambling was growing worldwide and Singapore would not be spared. Gamblers still found ways to bet online despite hundreds of websites being blocked. A total ban would drive the problem further underground.

"So we need a valve - legal, run by non-profit organisations, where people have to sign up, so we know who they are, with mechanisms to promote responsible gaming, for us to try to intervene early before the problem gets out of hand," he said.

Mr Singh had "made rather serious allegations about the motivation of the Government", he added.

Mr Lee also noted that during the second reading of the Remote Gambling Act in 2014, Mr Singh had pushed for a total ban on online gambling.

In the same debate, Workers' Party's Mr Png Eng Huat (Hougang) contradicted Mr Singh and said the ban will drive the problem underground.

Said Mr Lee: "What is the Workers' Party's true position on this matter? Even after this evening, even after the allegations have been made about the Government's intentions, I don't think we are any wiser."

He asked the Workers' Party to put on the table specific suggestions on how a total ban on online gambling would work. "For example, do you support a complete ban on VPN and technology that skirts around blocking measures?"

Mr Lee did not get a response as time ran out.

mellinjm@sph.com.sG

This article was first published on November 08 2016.
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SINGAPORE - An average of 1,200 Singaporeans have renounced their Singapore Citizenship (SC) each year from 2005 to 2015.

The annual SC renunciation rate remains low at under 0.1 per cent, said Deputy Prime Minister and Coordinating Minister for National Security, Mr Teo Chee Hean, in a written reply to questions asked by Non-Constituency Member of Parliament, Mr Leon Perera to Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.

Mr Teo had answered on behalf of PM Lee.

Mr Teo also said the most frequent reasons given for Singaporeans renouncing their citizenship include family-related reasons - such as marriage to a foreigner or to join their family members overseas, preference for a different lifestyle or environment, or career or business-related reasons.

"Our focus is to ensure that Singapore continues to be the best home for all Singaporeans. We will continue to develop an attractive living environment and a thriving economy which creates good jobs and opportunities for Singaporeans. We also want to strengthen Singaporeans' bonds with each other, and build a strong sense of identity and belonging to the nation.

"We actively engage our Singaporeans who are studying or working overseas. Through efforts such as the Overseas Singaporean Unit's programmes and initiatives, Singapore Day in selected cities overseas being one example, we seek to ensure that our overseas Singaporeans maintain a strong identity and remain connected and committed to Singapore's future even while they are overseas," added Mr Teo.

spanaech@sph.com.sg

SINGAPORE - Wealthy Link Pte Ltd has made the highest bid of $2.6 billion to buy land in Singapore's downtown Marina Bay in a tender that attracted seven property developers, the government said on Tuesday.

The price offered by Wealthy Link, part of IOI Properties Group Bhd, is a reflection of the steady restoration of investor confidence in the Singapore office market, Christine Li, director research at real estate services firm Cushman & Wakefield, said.

She said Grade A office market has been down for the past six quarters, but was likely to recover post-2017 when new supply is completed.

Singapore's Urban Redevelopment Authority said in a statement that a decision on the tender award would be taken after all the bids had been evaluated.

Worries about jobs in a tepid economy were uppermost in the minds of five MPs as they shot a series of questions at Manpower Minister Lim Swee Say yesterday, with a sharp focus on help for retrenched professionals, managers, executives and technicians (PMETs) and job -matching.

Mr Gan Thiam Poh (Ang Mo Kio GRC) asked for the success rates of job-matching and training programmes in helping PMETs, while Nominated MP Randolph Tan wondered whether the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) monitored if participants of the programmes stayed on at the jobs they were placed in.

Responding, Mr Lim said 6,400 PMETs found jobs through statutory board Workforce Singapore and the Employment and Employability Institute in the first nine months of this year.

Also, the number of schemes to help PMETs switch careers will expand from 22 to 50 by year's end.

His ministry also tracks participants of training and job placement programmes by age and sectors.

But the key indicator of the programmes' success is whether people stay employed, said Mr Lim. "Even if they leave the company but continue to be in employment, the outcome is still positive.''

Latest figures show 11,890 workers were retrenched in the first nine months of this year. But figures on how many of them were PMETs are not available.

Last year, of the 13,450 workers retrenched, more than 9,000 were residents, of whom about seven in 10 were PMETs.

Labour MP Patrick Tay (West Coast GRC) suggested MOM work closely with unions and bosses to reduce the number of job mismatches. Mr Lim agreed, saying: "There's a lot more we need to do and can do."

Mr Murali Pillai (Bukit Batok) asked if MOM would encourage companies to give a forecast of their hiring plans before allowing them to hire foreigners.

Mr Lim said that while employment forecasts can be made for industries, "not many companies are prepared to make that kind of commitment upfront".

Labour MP Desmond Choo (Tampines GRC) asked MOM to consider linking job training and placement programmes with the new jobs that investments bring.

The minister said that was already being done, with training and job placement programmes arming workers with new skills in demand. Portable medical benefits for workers was another issue raised.

Will the Government promote or even make it compulsory for companies to give medical benefits tied to the individual worker rather than to his employment with the company?

Mr Lim, in his reply to Mr Ong Teng Koon (Marsiling-Yew Tee GRC) and Nominated MP and union leader K Thanaletchimi, said portable medical benefits are not popular because companies find their premiums costlier.

"The take-up rate has not been high," he said. Only 4 per cent of companies surveyed by MOM in 2013 gave that benefit.

He added that the Government sees MediShield Life, introduced last year, as a portable medical insurance scheme that companies can be encouraged to tap on.

MOM will work with unions and employers to promote the scheme, Mr Lim said.

tohyc@sph.com.sg

This article was first published on November 9, 2016.
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Some applaud move to set aside next presidential election for community but others fear it may be seen as tokenism.

Members of the Malay community reacted to news that Singapore's next president could come from among their ranks with a mix of cheer and concern.

While some yesterday applauded the move to set aside the 2017 presidential election for the Malay community, others still wrestled with worries that this special arrangement would fly in the face of meritocracy and be seen as tokenism.

Association of Muslim Professionals vice-chairman Zhulkarnain Abdul Rahim, 35, pointed out that young Malays like him have yet to see a member of their community take up the mantle of president.

Mr Yusof Ishak, who died in office close to five decades ago, was Singapore's first and only Malay president so far. Community leaders and observers say possible candidates for the post next year include Speaker Halimah Yacob and former minister Abdullah Tarmugi.

Said Mr Zhulkarnain, a law firm partner: "To me, having a varied representation across all races and possibly gender, in the highest office in the land, is important to all Singaporeans, in particular the young. This new system... guarantees that a Singaporean child growing - going to school, national service, and then on to working life - would probably see presidents from different races.

"That is a strong visual for racial diversity in his formative years."

And, Iseas - Yusof Ishak Institute fellow Norshahril Saat, 33, said it would be worrying if a president does not emerge from a particular community for longer periods of time. "It will further entrench certain stereotypes about the community's capability," he said.

But concerns about a reserved election undermining meritocracy or being seen as tokenism remain.

On Monday, Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs Yaacob Ibrahim reiterated that Malay candidates must meet the same standards demanded of those from other communities, insisting: "We do not want, and we cannot accept, tokenism."

Still, some like analyst Liyana Mohamad, 26, said the very concept of an election set aside for Malay candidates gives the community an unfair shot at the office of president.

"No matter how much it is stressed that what is important is quality, you are still clearing the field of other qualified candidates for the benefit of one community. I cannot bring myself to accept that," she said.

"If the president is to be a unifying symbol, it is going to be hard when there are people across all communities - Malay and non-Malay - divided over the move."

Former Nominated MP Zulkifli Baharudin, 57, wished Malay candidates can contest openly, alongside those from other communities, even as he acknowledged accommodations may have to be made.

He said: "Ideally, voters would be colour-blind, and race would not matter, but we are not at that stage yet. But, I don't think this system should be entrenched forever. As society grows and changes, we should be able to think about doing away with the reserved election. I am certain I will see that day happening.

"And until the Malays can stand on their own two feet, without any assistance, without any special arrangements, we have not arrived."

asyiqins@sph.com.sg

This article was first published on November 9, 2016.
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The Government's fiscal position and budget have to be carefully considered when deciding whether to expand the Home Improvement Programme (HIP), National Development Minister Lawrence Wong said in Parliament yesterday.

He was responding to Ms Lee Bee Wah (Nee Soon GRC) who had asked whether the scheme, which upgrades ageing flats, can be extended to units built after 1986 when they become 30 years old.

The scheme, introduced in 2007, applies only to flats built up to 1986 and which have not undergone the Main Upgrading Programme.

Ms Lee pointed out that some blocks in Nee Soon South were built just after the cut-off date, in 1987 and 1988.

This has led to residents comparing flats that have been upgraded with those that have not.

Mr Wong noted that the HIP is not a one-time expenditure, but a multi-year expense that has cost "billions of dollars".

Of the 300,000 eligible flats, more than 200,000 have been selected to undergo the programme. The remaining eligible units will be selected by the 2018 financial year.

"So when we want to think about another round of upgrading, I think it's fair and prudent for the Government to think about sustainability, to consider whether or not we are able to afford such a major programme that will run through many years, potentially even past this term and future terms of government," said Mr Wong, who is also Second Finance Minister.

"Certainly from an MND (Ministry of National Development) point of view, I will be very happy to support this and I will want all our older towns to be upgraded as soon as possible. From an MOF (Ministry of Finance) perspective... I have to say we will have to consider this very carefully and study and make sure that budget availability is sustainable," he added.

Both Ms Lee and Ms Jessica Tan (East Coast GRC) raised the issue of clothes drying racks, which are sometimes challenging for residents, especially the elderly, to use. Many old flats come with pipe sockets for laundry poles to be slotted in, but these can be difficult to manoeuvre with heavy loads of laundry.

Ms Tan asked if the design could be modified even if the HIP could not be extended in totality.

Mr Wong gave the assurance that feedback from residents will be factored into future upgrading projects, even in the form of smaller refinements.

"We will always take into consideration feedback like the ones that have been expressed about hanging of clothes, and we will see what we can do in future rounds of upgrading," he said.

yeosamjo@sph.com.sg

This article was first published on November 9, 2016.
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Living with cancer: An ST series

Every day, five people here are diagnosed with colorectal cancer and two die of it. These numbers are far too high, say experts, since this is one of the most preventable cancers.

But not enough people here are using the available screening tools to detect the cancer in the early stages, or better yet, catch the problem before it becomes cancer.

Generally, colorectal cancer develops from polyps that grow on the inside walls of the large intestines and the rectum. If the polyps are discovered early and removed, they are not allowed to become cancerous.

It usually takes more than a decade for a polyp to become a tumour, so there is a large window of time for it to be dealt with.

In the US, where 60 per cent of people aged 50 and older have colonoscopy screening, the incidence of this cancer has fallen by 30 per cent over the past decade. It is now the fourth most common cancer there.

In Singapore, it remains the top cancer, although the rise in cases appears to have plateaued since 2000.

Singapore is ranked 16th by the World Cancer Research Fund in terms of the incidence of this cancer. It is higher in countries like South Korea and Australia, but lower in Japan and the United States.

Younger people getting diagnosed with colorectal cancer

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Doctors advise a test every year to detect any blood in stools that could signal the cancer and a colonoscopy every decade from the age of 50, when the incidence of this cancer starts to climb.

The procedure, in which a tiny camera is inserted through the anus into the intestines to check for polyps and cancerous cells, costs about $1,200 to $2,000. Subsidised patients pay about $300 to $500. Depending on the complexity, between $1,250 and $1,850 for this test can be paid for with Medisave.

Overall, however, the rates of surviving colorectal cancer have improved vastly over the years.

The prognosis is especially good for those whose tumours are discovered in the early stages, before they have broken through the walls of the intestines.

Dr Ho Kok Sun, a colorectal surgeon at Mount Elizabeth Medical Centre, said the standard treatment is surgery if the cancer is still within the colon.

This is classified as stages one and two. Patients at this stage have a very high chance of surviving beyond five years, the holy grail for cancer survival.

But once it has spread through the four layers of the colon wall, the odds of survival plummet. Said Dr Ho: "Once it's spread through the wall, as the intestines move, the cancer cells are like rice grains dropping off the surface. That's one of the worst types of spread."

When that happens, the loosened cancer cells can attach themselves to a host of organs and tissues nearby.

The cancer can also spread from the lymph nodes into the blood stream and the rest of the body, with the liver typically being the first target.

Dr Chee Cheng Ean, a consultant in haematology-oncology at the National University Hospital, said the actual stage of the cancer sometimes cannot be determined until after surgery, when the nearby lymph nodes are removed and checked. At least 12 nearby nodes need to be removed to check if they have the cancer.

At stages three to four, the cancer has spread to the lymph nodes or broken through the intestinal wall. Patients in those stages would need chemotherapy to reduce the risk of recurrence - 50 per cent in stage three without chemotherapy - to 40 per cent.

"The actual benefit is 10 percentage points, which is enough to justify chemotherapy," she said, since it means that out of 10 patients doing chemotherapy, the cancer would not recur in one additional patient.

Younger people getting diagnosed with colorectal cancer

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Doctors are divided on the benefits of chemotherapy for stage two cancer, where the cancer has breached the colon wall but has not affected the lymph nodes. As the risk of recurrence is lower, so too are the benefits of chemotherapy.

Both Dr Ho and Dr Chee say Singapore offers "state-of-the-art" treatment for colorectal cancer, including targeted therapy that works best with certain types of colorectal cancer.

16 must-knows for colorectal cancer prevention

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Merck Serono, Reuters, AFP, Shutterstock.com

As a result, deaths have fallen, even though more people are getting the cancer. Between the five-year periods of 2005-2009 and 2010-2014, the five-year survival rate went up from 46 per cent to 51 per cent for men, and from 51 per cent to 53 per cent for women.

Even patients with stage four cancer, in which it has spread to other parts of the body, are living longer than they did before.

Said Dr Ho: "For stage four cancer 20 years ago, when people asked how long they had, the answer would be six weeks to six months. "Now, we have patients on long-term chemotherapy. We can control, but not cure, it."

The effect of this treatment varies, he said. For some, quality of life is "lousy" for a few days after treatment, then fine for the next few weeks, and the whole cycle then repeats with the next treatment. This can go on for years. Others say it is so bad, they would rather die.

salma@sph.com.sg

facebook.com/ST.Salma

This article was first published on November 9, 2016.
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Living with cancer: An ST series

Mr Arun Rosiah is not just a physical exercise specialist by profession. He also walks the talk, taking part in marathons, and is able to do hundreds of push-ups a day.

So it came as a rude shock when he discovered he had third-stage colorectal cancer at the age of 51.

He first noticed something was wrong in March last year. He needed to go to the toilet more frequently and there was blood in his stools, which were pencil thin.

But he felt no pain so he did not go to a doctor till the end of October.

In fact, if not for his vertigo spells, he probably would have put it off even longer. The primary school teacher waited for a school break before going to the Woodlands Polyclinic, where the doctor referred him to specialists at National University Hospital.

The vertigo turned out to be minor - but not his other problem. The specialist said it looked "nasty" and that Mr Arun needed a colonoscopy as soon as possible.

"I immediately thought I had cancer and that I was going to be dead soon," he recalled.

But he kept the ominous possibility from his wife, also a teacher, even while she went with him to the hospital. She said: "He looked calm when he came out, so I didn't think it was anything serious."

They had lunch, and were going for "retail therapy" when she asked him: "So, what did the doctor say?"

16 must-knows for colorectal cancer prevention

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Merck Serono, Reuters, AFP, Shutterstock.com

That was when she found out. She broke down completely and was furious that he had kept his problem a secret from her till then. That night, they told their children, now aged 14, 18 and 20.

But he did not start his treatment immediately, against his doctor's advice. His older children were still studying at the polytechnic, but it was the year-end holidays for his youngest son.

He and his wife decided to take him for a short holiday in Penang.

Mr Arun recalled: "I was afraid this might be the last time we could go on holiday together."

The price for the hotel room was high, since it was a last-minute booking. While they were checking in, the staff at G Hotel Kelawai asked why they had not booked earlier for a cheaper rate. They upgraded the family to a suite when they found out.

It was the best holiday they had ever had, said his wife, whose name is also Rosiah. He began treatment this January.

His doctors decided to try to shrink the tumour, which was in the rectum, with chemotherapy and radiation, before they removed it through surgery.

The first few sessions were fine, but then the radiation took its toll. Moving his bowels felt like "there were more than 1,000 needles poking me. On a pain scale of 1-10, this was a 12", said Mr Arun.

His doctor gave him painkillers, which worked but made him constipated. That then caused bloatedness and pain. That period was "horrendous", he said.

But there was good news to come. Following surgery to remove the tumour and 20cm of his large intestine and rectum, doctors found he was clear of cancer.

By October, he was back at work.

He still has a stoma bag to collect his faeces while his body recovers but this is temporary. It will be removed next month and he will be "normal" again.

But life is anything but normal now. After his close brush with death, he is closer to his family, his faith and to the friends who stuck by him. What has not changed is that he is training for next year's StanChart marathon.

This article was first published on November 9, 2016.
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The authorities will continue to engage heritage groups regarding the conserved Ellison Building which will be affected by the development of the North-South Corridor.

Mr Desmond Lee, Senior Minister of State for Home Affairs and National Development, said in Parliament yesterday that the agencies involved will "work closely" with the heritage community on the construction methods to protect Ellison Building and "measures that should be taken to preserve the heritage and history of the site".

He said the Government will finalise its implementation plans for the building, which lies at the junction of Selegie Road and Rochor Canal Road, after these discussions.

In August, the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) and Land Transport Authority (LTA) had said that one of Ellison Building's nine units would be torn down and later rebuilt, to make way for the construction of the corridor.

This led to widespread concern and appeals from the heritage community.

The 1924 landmark was constructed by Romanian Jew Isaac Ellison and is known for its cupolas, as well as the Star of David on its facade.

The Straits Times previously reported that during engagement sessions with the agencies last month, experts had suggested other possible ways to avoid the demolition and reconstruction option.

These included propping up the structure and strengthening its foundation while the corridor, a 21.5km expressway connecting estates in the north to the city centre, is built, and providing underpinning support for the building while works are being done.

Mr Lee said the original alignment of the corridor would have affected more buildings such as the iconic Rex Cinema, and more units of the Ellison Building.

But because the authorities recognised their heritage value, detailed engineering studies were done "over many years" to minimise the impact on them.

On that basis, URA gazetted Rex Cinema and Ellison Building for conservation in 2008, knowing impact would be minimal, with a commitment to ensure any potential impact would be mitigated.

Mr Lee also said it had been the intention of the agencies to hire a conservation specialist after it issued the design and build pre-qualification tender to invite applications from contractors for the corridor.

He said the authorities have also met representatives from the heritage community twice.

Nominated MP Kok Heng Leun asked if the agencies had considered realigning the corridor to avoid the Ellison Building when the alignment plan for the corridor was first announced in 2011.

In response, Mr Lee said it was not possible to avoid the Ellison Building since public infrastructure criss-crosses underneath the area. He said Rochor Canal runs under one side of Bukit Timah Road. He also noted that the North-East MRT Line cuts across Bukit Timah Road, while the Downtown MRT Line runs beneath Bukit Timah Road. He said the tunnel cannot be lowered further into the ground to avoid the underground infrastructure as doing so will affect the MRT stations and even more buildings. Mr Kok also asked if engagement with non-governmental organisations could happen more upstream, and if the ministry would consider making cultural impact assessments to include heritage, the environment, economy and social elements as mandatory for development projects.

Mr Lee highlighted the National Heritage Board's ongoing survey of sites and landmarks as a first step towards a more long-term strategic plan for heritage planning.

On cultural impact assessments, he said "this is something we need to study carefully". 

melodyz@sph.com.sg

This article was first published on November 9, 2016.
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A lowly messenger or a key player? That question took centrestage at the trial of former BSI banker Yeo Jiawei, 33, yesterday with conflicting portraits of his alleged role in a complex money-laundering scheme.

Yeo's lawyer, Mr Philip Fong, suggested his client was a minor player in business dealings with Malaysian tycoon Low Taek Jho and Mohamed Ahmed Badawy Al-Husseiny - two key figures in the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) scandal.

Mr Fong made the suggestion while cross-examining prosecution witness Jose Renato Carvalho Pinto, a relationship manager with financial services firm Amicorp.

On Monday, Mr Carvalho described how Yeo began to enjoy the high life once he linked up with Mr Low and Al-Husseiny, a former high-level official of Abu Dhabi state fund International Petroleum Investment Co (IPIC). Al-Husseiny, an American, has been detained by Abu Dhabi authorities and is awaiting extradition on 1MDB-related charges, media reports say.

But Mr Fong yesterday portrayed Yeo, who is facing four counts of obstructing justice, as someone merely "relaying instructions" to Amicorp on behalf of Al-Husseiny. Mr Carvalho agreed when Mr Fong put it to him that Al-Husseiny was the one who gave instructions to Yeo.

"So Yeo was just an intermediary and messenger," Mr Fong said.

BSI Bank caught in 1MDB scandal

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Mr Carvalho replied: "A messenger doesn't fly private jet ... He was staying at (Emirates) Palace Hotel and flying private jet. He was not a DHL messenger." Emirates Palace is a five-star luxury hotel in Abu Dhabi, which Mr Carvalho said Yeo had name-dropped when "talking big about spending nights in expensive hotels".

Mr Fong maintained that Yeo was not given any power of attorney, and had no authority to make decisions on behalf of clients.

But Mr Carvalho said Yeo was "not only involved in wire transfers, or scheduling voice mails". He testified that Yeo had told Amicorp how to structure funds for fake entities supposedly linked to the legitimate Aabar Investments PJS.

Prosecutors say four of these fake entities were set up, all with identical or almost identical names to Aabar Investments PJS, a unit of IPIC, with the intent to confuse. Al-Husseiny was director of these bogus entities. Amicorp had also set up bank accounts for one of them. These include Aabar International Investments PJS Ltd (BVI) and Aabar Investments PJS Ltd (Samoa).

Mr Carvalho said yesterday: "Yeo was working on the restructuring of funds for these Aabar entities. He had a plan on how to restructure the funds."

He testified that Amicorp, relying on information from Yeo, had concluded two of the Aabar entities were owned by the IPIC unit, and so were legitimate.

Among the fake entities was Aabar Investments PJS Ltd based in the British Virgin Islands. It has not been named in the trial but is reported to have received US$3.5 billion (S$4.9 billion) from 1MDB.

Mr Carvalho said he suspected these entities were bogus after IPIC told the London Stock Exchange in April it did not own the entity based in the British Virgin Islands.

gleong@sph.com.sg

This article was first published on November 9, 2016.
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Singapore - Your neighbourhood 7-Eleven store will be getting a makeover. For starters, it could be up to 1.3 times larger than existing stores - about 800 sq ft, or nearly the size of a badminton court.

It is where you could pick up a freshly-prepared meal, take a seat or even meet friends.

These are among the ways the country's largest convenience store chain is keeping up with disruption - by being a disruptor itself - even as the incumbent in a traditional, now-ubiquitous business.

Steven Lye, chief operating officer for 7-Eleven Singapore, made no bones about this in a recent interview with The Business Times.

The chain intends to do this by emulating aspects of the Japanese convenience stores, which are known to be "top notch", by stocking premium products, introducing seating areas, and creating an entirely new range of fresh-chilled, ready-to-eat meals delivered to the store daily. This is quite a step-up from 7-Eleven as a pitstop everyone knows for only basic, everyday items.

It got its name in 1946, from its stores staying open daily between 7am and 11pm. Its move to stay open 24 hours started in 1963.

In Singapore, the chain is run by the Dairy Farm Group, and now has a network of more than 430 outlets.

Mr Lye said: "We want to convey the message that we are no longer just a place for small needs. We want to be at the top of our customers' minds."

Besides fresh-chilled, ready-to-eat meals, 7-Eleven Singapore's expanded, elevated range of products include lifestyle products and even IT gadgets. It has also added 7-Connect lockers, self-collection stations where parcels from online shopping can be picked up, and cash-withdrawal machines hosted by the major banks.

In July, 7-Eleven invested S$350,000 in a branding campaign with the tagline "There's Always 7-Eleven", seeking to shift customer perception of its outlets from that of a stop for basic needs to a one-stop shop for groceries, toiletries, bill payment, cash withdrawals and more.

Mr Lye said: "In order to accommodate the extensive additions, future 7-Eleven stores will have an area of about 800 sq ft where possible."

He added that the items sold at each store will depend on its location. Those in tourist haunts such as Orchard Road and Marina Bay will stock backpacks, suitcases and souvenirs; its Marine Parade outlet near the East Coast Park will sell kites.

Tech developments are also in the pipeline, said Mr Lye. One is a loyalty app named 7-Rewards, due to roll out next year; through this, regular customers can redeem free gifts or buy products at discounts after they have run up a certain level of spending.

Another new tech service is the 7-Connect Kiosk, a self-help machine for quicker bill payments; 7-Eleven counters will also accept wave-payment methods such as Apple Pay, Android Pay and Visa Paywave.

Mr Lye said the company has opted for an "invigorating direction" by refreshing the aesthetics of its existing stores; the larger outlets will also have enough space for seating areas for customers to enjoy their purchases on the spot.

"As a brand, we understand the importance of keeping up with the times and constantly evaluating the needs of customers. Hence, we have made a conscious effort to innovate."

He is particularly excited about the new range of fresh-chilled, ready-to-eat meals. These are prepped and delivered upon order to ensure freshness, and will replace the current range of frozen-thaw meals by the first quarter of 2017.

He said: "The tech behind the new fresh-chilled meals is a strong value proposition that we are introducing to the market. Over the past 18 months, we have embarked on a strategy to take these ready-to-eat meals to a whole new level."

The meals are said to utilise superior ingredients and authentic flavours, and have a shelf life of two days, compared to five days for the current frozen-thaw range in stores.

The fresh-chilled meals come in clear packaging so that their quality and freshness can be seen.

Current flavours include Hainanese chicken rice, braised duck rice, butter chicken biryani as well as three flavours of premium Japanese pastas. Mr Lye said that come 2017, 7-Eleven Singapore customers can expect over 40 different flavours.

This article was first published on November 9, 2016.
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SINGAPORE - A local woman has been sentenced to two weeks' jail on Monday (Nov 7), for her failure to care for her 39 pet cats.

Together with other drug-related offences, Roslina Roslani, 34, was sentenced to a total of five years six months and four weeks' jail.

The Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority of Singapore (AVA) had inspected her home at Block 207 Yishun Street 21 on Feb 25 this year, following public feedback about animal faecal odour coming from her unit.

The 39 felines found inside, all in poor physical condition and health, were surrendered to AVA. Four died later due to underlying medical conditions, while another had to be euthanised due to bad health.

The remaining 34 cats were handed to the Cat Welfare Society for re-homing.

In a media release on Tuesday (Nov 8), AVA said it condemns acts of animal cruelty, including neglect, which compromises the animals' welfare.

"Animals from hoarding cases are often in bad physical and health conditions. We investigate all feedback on cruelty and we will take enforcement action, where necessary.

"Hoarding of pets may also cause public safety, nuisance and hygiene issues to the community, such as pest. AVA urges pet owners not to hoard animals, and be responsible and considerate pet owners so as not to cause inconvenience to the community."

First-time offenders are liable to a maximum fine of $15,000, with a potential 18 months of jail.

On top of the AVA's enforcement action and efforts to raise awareness on animal welfare, the public is advised to be vigilant and promptly report animal hoarding cases through AVA's 24-hour hotline, 1800-476-1600, or its website (https://www.ifaq.gov.sg/AVA/apps/feedback.aspx). All information shared will be confidential.

This article was first published on November 8, 2016.
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A domestic helper who helped ease the burden of a career mum with three young kids received a Mother's Day surprise this year - a scrapbook showing photos of her own son from across the sea.

Missing her family after working in Singapore for a year, Edelyn was so grateful to her employer for cobbling together the album after she secretly contacted her husband in the Philippines for the photos.

The true tale of a mother's gratitude to the caregiver who had to make sacrifices in order take care of someone else's kids was the inspiration behind AsiaOne website's winning campaign for its advertising client Canon, 'From a Mother to a Mother'.

Running for 12 weeks on Singapore Press Holdings' BrandInsider content marketing platform since early May, it beat other contenders to snag the silver award for best digital advertising campaign in the Digital Media Awards 2016 organised by the World Association of Newspapers and News Publishers.

The grateful working mum in the story is none other than BrandInsider editor Cynthia Loh, who penned her experiences in the heartfelt article. It was accompanied by a short video, which features impromptu interviews with her and Edelyn. And of course, the propitious moments when she received the scrapbook

On how her team arrived at their winning idea, Loh said: "The client brief was to revive interest in photo printing and share moments that are worth reliving through photos. The BrandInsider team brainstormed for a story that would resonate with their target audience and had authenticity too.

"As Mother's Day was coming up and one of our team members had a soft spot for migrant workers (and we all agreed that these workers contributed to our lives in positive ways), we put the two and two together, and realised we had a wonderful story to tell. We bounced this idea around the office, including our video team, and received good feedback. So we shared the idea with the client who agreed to it and that's how the story went."

The mostly unscripted clip, which shows both women in tears as Edelyn talked about her sacrifices to eke out a living overseas in order to help her family back home, has none of the hard sell that one sees in many ad campaigns.

"At the end of the day, this isn't just a video to market a printer, this is a video that celebrates a mum and motherhood, and is powered by the beauty and power of photos," said content curator Dewi Sriwahyuto, adding that it is the aim of the team to execute meaningful campaigns that would provide value to readers too.

Delighted with the award, Serene Goh, head of SPH Content Lab, said: "This award demonstrates their creativity and expertise in the field, and establishes them as a forerunner in storytelling in the digital space. I'm sure they will continue to bring in many more great, award winning ideas in the days to come!"

chenj@sph.com,sg

The US dollar may not dip that badly, but anxiety looms for those planning to work or study in the US

Financial markets

Stock markets in Singapore and across Asia will see an immediate decline, said IG market strategist Bernard Aw.

Yesterday, Singapore stocks finished 1.1 per cent lower, with the benchmark Straits Times Index losing 30.36 points to 2,789.88.

A large part of it is caused by the uncertainty brought about by a Trump administration, Mr Aw told The New Paper.

"Investors are a little concerned about how this will change America's political strategy, foreign and trade policies towards other countries.

"This concern will stay till there is more clarity from Mr Trump himself."

The US presidential election result is reminiscent of Britain's Brexit result in June in terms of the surprise factor, he said.

"But if you look at the data, stock markets recovered quite strongly in August.

"Your guess is as good as mine what will come next," he added.

Do not expect the US dollar to dip like the sterling, Mr Aw said.

The Singapore dollar might appreciate against the greenback, but not to a large extent because it is the world's reserve currency, he explained.

Read also: Clinton: This will be painful for a long time

Jobs / Trade

For Singapore, whose economy is plugged into the world economy, the quicker the markets bounce back, the better.

But this will only happen when there is domestic political stability, greater certainty in economic policy, and most of all, consumer confidence. Until then, jobs creation is likely to be be subdued, said Dr Mustafa Izzuddin from the Iseas-Yusof Ishak Institute.

The Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), a free-trade pact that the US signed with 11 Pacific-Rim nations, including Singapore, will also be of concern, said Dr Mustafa.

Singapore companies would have benefited from the historic deal to ease trade in goods and services among the member nations, which make up about 40 per cent of the world economy.

"Given that Mr Trump is opposed to the TPP, as asserted during the electoral campaign, the TPP signatories... would want to know whether the TPP is still on the table for negotiation, or that it will be scrapped altogether so long as Mr Trump is president," he said.

Some Republicans have already asserted that the TPP is all but dead, with Alabama Senator Jeff Sessions saying: "There will be blood all over the floor if somebody tries to move that through the Congress any time soon."

Read also: Asia on edge over how Trump will act in office

Defence / Security

For Singapore and other South-east Asian nations, the burning question is whether Mr Trump will continue President Barack Obama's policy towards the region or re-pivot it away from the region, said Dr Mustafa.

"The Trump presidency is likely to reassess America's defence and security commitments around the world, including countries in South-east Asia such as Singapore," he said.

"Singapore is likely to want some form of assurance as to the current and future status of the defence policy and co-operation between the US and Singapore

"Moreover, Singapore is a staunch proponent for the US to be engaged in South-east Asia, particularly to serve as a balance of power with Chinese assertiveness in the region, not least with regard to the dispute in the South China Sea."

Read also: Anti-Trump protest breaks out in California

S'poreans going to US

It may be a time of worry and anxiety for minorities, including Muslims, who live in the US or those from countries such as Singapore who plan to study or work in the US.

This is because of Mr Trump's caustic and virulent rhetoric against minorities during the electoral campaign, said Dr Mustafa.

"However, often times, what is said and promised in the heat of an electoral campaign does not get translated into official policy.

"It would be prudent to wait until the Trump administration lays out in detail what exactly will be its policy towards Muslims in particular and the Muslim world more generally," he said.

Read also: Muslim women afraid to wear hijab in public after Trump win

This article was first published on Nov 10, 2016.
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2016-11-09 16:14:33

Photo Gallery

Donald Trump wins US presidency in stunning upset

Source:

AFP

Reuters

Users of electric scooters, hoverboards and other personal mobility devices (PMDs) who are caught riding recklessly could face stiff penalties of a fine, or a jail sentence, in the future.

A new law is being proposed to govern where and how these devices should be used, and what criteria they must meet, such as weight.

The Active Mobility Bill will cover cyclists and riders of electric-powered bicycles (e-bikes), which are mainly regulated under the Road Traffic Act currently.

The Bill was introduced in Parliament by Transport Minister Khaw Boon Wan yesterday.

If passed into law, it will bring about harsher penalties for sellers of non-compliant e-bikes, such as those which can go faster than 25kmh, for example.

First-time offenders who sell such e-bikes or illegally modify them currently face a fine of up to $2,000 or jail of up to three months, under the Road Traffic Act.

Under the proposed law, which will also apply to sellers of PMDs, the fine will be raised to $5,000.

The Bill's rules and code of conduct for cyclists and PMD users is based on the recommendations from an expert panel formed to boost the use of bicycles and PMDs.

Read also: 20 e-scooters seized after users caught illegally riding on roads

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2016-09-24 14:31:15

Photo Gallery

E-scooter rider dices with death by overtaking bus

Source:

Stomp

The guidelines put forward by the Active Mobility Advisory Panel - formulated after a nationwide public consultation - were fully accepted by the Government in April, but have yet to be passed into law.

The guidelines include the different types of devices that are allowed on footpaths, shared paths and cycling paths.

The maximum speeds and criteria for the devices are also laid out. For example, PMDs like electric scooters should not weigh more than 20kg and have a maximum speed of 25kmh.

The recommendations, however, did not spell out any proposed penalties for errant PMD users. These were revealed for the first time yesterday with the Bill's introduction.

Those who do not stop to render assistance to victims in an accident could face fines of up to $3,000, or a jail term of up to a year, or both. Reckless users can be handed fines of up to $5,000, jailed up to six months, or both.

The Bill also seeks to provide the Land Transport Authority (LTA) and other agencies, such as the National Parks Board, with powers to enforce the new set of rules, such as examining whether PMDs are non- compliant and seizing them if so.

Community volunteers under the Active Mobility Patrol Scheme, who are tasked to educate the public about the safe use of PMDs, will also be empowered under the proposed law to obtain the personal particulars of errant users.

Read also: Two e-scooters seized in clampdown on bad drivers

Mr Sitoh Yih Pin, chairman of the Government Parliamentary Committee for Transport, said the proposed penalties will serve as a "strong deterrent to all riders and users against reckless and irresponsible behaviour".

On Monday, the LTA said it had seized 20 electric scooters since May, after their owners were found riding on the roads. More than 1,400 notices have also been issued to cyclists for using non-compliant e-bikes between January and September this year, the LTA said.

Last month, two e-bike users were killed after they were hit by a trailer truck.

Transport consultant Gopinath Menon said besides education and mutual understanding between different road users, penalties are necessary to promote the right behaviour. "Without the teeth, you can't get things done," he added.

The Active Mobility Bill will likely be debated in Parliament at its next sitting in January.

Read also: Fast e-scooters not rare - but dangerous​

adrianl@sph.com.sg

This article was first published on November 10, 2016.
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