The Films Act and the Broadcasting Act will be amended this year to take into account changes in technology, said Minister for Communications and Information Yaacob Ibrahim.
Dr Yaacob said in an interview with Malay daily Berita Harian, published yesterday, that the Government has a duty to ensure what is accessible here does not undermine racial and religious harmony or national security.
What is and is not a film has become less clear over time, he added, noting that smartphones can now shoot videos, for instance.
"Anybody can be a film-maker. Films can be distributed and transmitted via the Internet. It's a totally different regime," he said.
New services such as Netflix, a paid subscription service offering movies online, have also become popular and are now in Singapore.
The changes to the law will ensure that content ratings of streaming sites are in line with Singapore norms, he said.
"People don't watch movies in the theatres any more. They watch movies in their home, over the Internet, through their TV," said Dr Yaacob.
"How do we ensure the content meets our standards? Those are the things we have to look into."
Such trends mean that an update of the laws regulating films in Singapore is timely, the minister added. However, he acknowledged that some items such as videos on YouTube will be difficult to regulate.
In the interview, Dr Yaacob also talked about two other priorities for his ministry this year. They are: to introduce the cyber-security Bill to build up Singapore's defences, and to develop manpower to meet the needs of the infocomm technology (ICT) industry.
Singapore currently does not have a law governing cyber security.
The new law, when passed, will give the Government powers to audit sectors and make sure they have cyber defence systems in place. It will also spell out what powers the Government can have in the event of a large-scale cyber attack, for instance.
"Suppose there's an attack taking place, a big hack or a DDoS (distributed denial-of-service) attack in our power sector.
"What are the powers... the minister has to ensure we can work together with the sector to face the challenge as quickly as possible?" said Dr Yaacob on what the upcoming law will cover.
His ministry will also ensure that there is a steady stream of trained graduates from the universities and polytechnics, as well as people switching careers, to fill the jobs created in the ICT industry. It already faces a shortage of manpower.
"By 2020, we'll create 30,000 jobs but we need people for those jobs. We need to make sure there'll be enough Singaporeans to come in," said Dr Yaacob.
This article was first published on January 08, 2017.
Get a copy of The Straits Times or go to straitstimes.com for more stories.
Say "Little India" and some things may come to mind.
Super-packed 24-hour shopping paradise Mustafa. Iconic eateries such as Komala Vilas and Muthu's Curry. Pedestrians with an elastic understanding of traffic rules. Crowds of foreign workers who hang out there on weekends.
Most people would agree it is gritty and colourful at the same time.
But Mr Roy Goh Hin Soon wrote in to The Straits Times Forum, saying that as a "tourist belt", Little India is "not as organised as Chinatown".
In his letter, he said narrow walkways in the neighbourhood are safety hazards and added that local businesses that operated in the area had no relevance to tourism.
Furore resulted. Comments defending the area shot back from Singapore readers and discussion raged on social media. Many said Little India was unfavourably compared with Chinatown, which they felt lost its character after heavyhanded overhauls that took place there in the 1990s.
"Artificially creating a hawker street in Chinatown is what completely killed the authenticity of the place," says tuition teacher Junie Tang, 46, who used to work out of Chinatown six years ago.
"Sure, it might have nice buildings, but tourists are looking for the real deal - they can see a constructed set-up from a mile away."
Maintaining an authentic experience requires putting local community interests before those of tourism, says Dr Chua Ai Lin, president of the Singapore Heritage Society.
"Heritage is cultivated over time and is something that cannot be re-created. That authenticity is what people - both locals and tourists - relate to," she adds.
"It is not to say that heritage spaces cannot be improved over time, but this should not be done at the expense of the people, functions and interactions which give a place its recognisable character."
Tourists seem to agree. In Little India, The Sunday Times spoke to Ms Marissa Lee, a 19-year-old American college student who was visiting Singapore with her family.
She says: "This neighbourhood makes me truly feel like a part of Singapore - you can get so many different dishes and the colours and smells are amazing. Who wants to visit another air-conditioned mall? I would much rather walk around here, preferably with a nice mango lassi."
For the area's local businesses and residents though, Little India will always be home, whether or not they profit from the tourist dollar.
Five faces from the neighbourhood talk about why they feel such a deep belonging and why they love it - just the way it is.
Heritage neighbourhood gentrifying at its own pace
Photo: The Straits Times
If you look at the freelancers who dock at co-working space Workhouse, you would not say Little India is hyper-local and unattractive to foreigners.
Stepping into the shophouse space in Upper Weld Road, you are likely to see an international crowd tapping away at their laptops.
They could be working on an online grocery start-up (HappyFresh), organising a music festival (Neon Lights) or just stopping by to check their e-mail messages while backpacking through Singapore.
About 70 per cent of the clients are expatriates, says Workhouse owner Kunal Pawa, 30.
In response to a letter calling for a cleanup of Little India to appeal more to tourists, he says the neighbourhood is gentrifying at its own pace.
Various hip businesses have opened, such as a string of trendy cafes along Jalan Besar, an animation school in Veerasamy Road called CG Protege Animation School and nightlife events company Creative Insurgence in Dunlop Street.
The new shops "add to the charm of the neighbourhood in an organic fashion", Mr Pawa says. "This heritage neighbourhood doesn't need any heavy-handed changes made to it."
Software engineer and entrepreneur Dominique Kon, 43, has been working out of Workhouse for the past two years because he likes the central location and food options.
There is a misconception that Little India is busy and noisy all the time, he adds.
"The area is actually very quiet for the most part, with people just going about doing their own work.
"This makes it fascinating to tourists and expatriates - it is so different from the rest of Singapore, yet it has its own energy."
Vibrancy draws young businesses
Photo: The Straits Times
Full-time footballer Zulfadli Zainal Abidin is no stranger to the Little India district. Since he was 15, he has trained at Jalan Besar Stadium.
When the Warriors FC left-back player got married in January last year, he bought a four-room Housing Board flat in nearby Bendemeer. Four months ago, he moved his halal dessert shop Zulos Cafe from Clementi to Syed Alwi Road.
He runs the 700 sq ft cafe, which specialises in waffles and churros, with his wife Nur Sherillin Mohamed Jabbar, 27. Its neighbours are traditional provision shops and car mechanics.
She says Little India is "very vibrant and still has a lot of untapped potential" for young businesses looking to set up shop there.
"A lot of older, mature neighbourhoods already have big players that are established there, so it's no surprise that many young entrepreneurs are attracted to Little India."
Her husband, who turns 29 this year, refers to their neighbourhood as a "mini United Nations".
The backpackers and tourists who stay in the area make up a sizeable part of their clientele.
She adds that assumptions that the area is dirty or unsafe are unfounded. The couple have also made friends with many foreign workers who live nearby.
"Some of these men have helped us without expecting anything in return, going so far as to carry items and move heavy equipment when they saw us struggling to do it alone," she says. "This neighbourhood is very warm."
When third-generation hawker Li Rui Fang decided to quit her job at a Japanese multi-national company to take over her father's prawn noodle stall four years ago, she ventured away from his original location in Whampoa and open at Tekka Centre in Little India instead.
"I was looking for a new location and was contemplating Chinatown. But after visiting Tekka, I stopped looking," the 33-year-old says. "I loved how spacious the place was and how it was central and minutes away from an MRT station. I was sold from the get-go."
Today, the young hawker runs the new stall with her parents - the outlet in Whampoa is managed by her aunts - and starts selling food at 6.30am.
"I am here by 2am every day to start my preparations and, though the area is quiet, I have never felt unsafe," she says. "Cleaners are also regularly cleaning up the area, which has helped keep the space more neat and hygienic."
When asked about Little India being deemed too messy and disorganised to attract visitors, Ms Li says many of her local customers travel from far and wide to eat at Tekka Centre.
Tourists, in turn, are often drawn to stalls with long lines and are more open to trying out unconventional food when they see locals tucking into the dishes.
"I do agree that ventilation and cleanliness can be improved in Tekka Centre, but enforcement is already under way to try and make that happen," she says, mentioning that there has been word about the food centre undergoing a renovation in the near future.
"A place like Little India that sees such a high volume of people is undoubtedly going to get a little crowded sometimes, but neighbourhood means a lot to Singaporeans of all races. I don't think it needs to be changed too much. It is fine as it is."
Restaurant rooted in Little India
Photo: The Straits Times
In its 21-year history, North Indian restaurant Jaggi's has been nothing but loyal to Little India.
It has moved around several locations, but stayed in the neighbourhood, starting from a small shop in Kerbau Road in 1995.
Two years later, it moved into a shophouse in Race Course Road. Regulars will probably be most familiar with this address as the restaurant stayed here for 19 years. Its no-nonsense, canteen-like atmosphere belied the authentic Punjabi dishes. Its specialities include butter chicken and masala chai.
Now, that outlet is temporarily closed for renovation and Jaggi's has moved around the corner to a shop in Chander Road, where it will remain until the end of the year.
Owner Gurcharan Singh, 57, says his restaurant will always have a presence in Little India. Jaggi's also has two outlets in the Central Business District.
He says: "No other place in Singapore has the same authenticity and vibrancy as this neighbourhood. It's one of a kind.
"People who visit Little India regularly have their routines - they have grocers they prefer and restaurants they love, many of which have been in Little India for decades."
Mr Singh, who is also vice president of Indian Restaurant Association Singapore, knows of the suggestion by a letter writer to "clean up" Little India so it becomes a more palatable tourist destination.
He agrees insofar as infrastructure is concerned, such as having a centralised bin disposal area. But he thinks the Government should leave the businesses, even the ones not catering to tourists, alone.
"The buildings in this area are truly part of our heritage - these were built at a time when Singapore was just coming up and industry was just starting," he says.
His oldest son Jagwinder Singh Nerwal, 31, who helps run the family business, says overzealous overhauls could turn off Singaporean customers. Half of Jaggi's clientele is local, he adds.
"The attraction of Little India is that it is not only traditional, but also multi-faceted and diverse. Being too heavy-handed for the sake of organising the area for tourists may drive away local business from shops and restaurants."
Sense of community rarely found elsewhere
Photo: The Straits Times
Mr Vikneshwaran Kobinathan, 29, is a programme manager at local indie cinema The Projector. For the past 19 years, the film geek has been living in Little India, in a four-room Housing Board flat just behind Tekka Market, with his family.
The bachelor says he cannot imagine living anywhere else. One of the reasons is the area's authenticity, its "organised chaos".
"Here, you can find a grocer next to a sari shop which is next to a mechanic or a temple. It isn't sanitised like what we have come to expect from so much of Singapore."
It is also multicultural. He says: "To this day, people are surprised when I tell them my immediate neighbours are Chinese or that many old businesses in the area are operated by Chinese and Malays."
But he has not always been this passionate about his neighbourhood. When his family moved from a landed property in Sophia Road to the Tekka flat, he admits to missing his old home deeply. "I felt a bit uncomfortable telling people where I lived, especially when schoolmates or strangers passed snide judgments about the neighbourhood."
And while he still receives the occasional insensitive comment about his neighbourhood being messy, he has decided to focus on the positive. He feels a deep affection for the old shops of his childhood, which are still surviving, such as the barbershop at Little India Arcade where he has cut his hair his whole life.
"Residents and business owners know one another personally, whether it's the guy I buy sandwiches from or the cobbler who mends my shoes. It's a sense of community that is rarely found anymore in urbanised Singapore."
This article was first published on Jan 08, 2017.
Get a copy of The Straits Times or go to straitstimes.com for more stories.
Where there used to be lively crowds, Rochor Centre is now a ghost town to Bryanna Koh, 16.
"I have lived here all my life. I have so many fond memories of my home, and it has never been so quiet," she said.
By the middle of next month, Bryanna and her family of five will possibly be the last household to depart the iconic Rochor Centre, which will be demolished to make way for the North-South Expressway.
Twenty-two households still remain, Central Singapore District Mayor Denise Phua told The Sunday Times.
There were 567 households living in the four Housing Board blocks previously. Of these, 504 chose to take up replacement flats in Kallang Trivista.
The number of holdouts continues to dwindle. At 10pm last Thursday, 10 units in Rochor were lit up at night, showing signs of daily life in the four multi-coloured blocks. This contrasts with about 30 units lit up at the same hour on Dec 20.
Bryanna said she grew up in a tight community of Rochor residents and shopkeepers.
"My favourite place was this friendly shop which sold Buddhist offerings downstairs. When we were young, the uncle passed us old clothes that they no longer wanted," said Bryanna, who is currently waiting for her O-level results.
Due to examinations, she could not join a barbecue party thrown by her neighbours to commemorate the end of Rochor Centre. With most neighbours having left, she said: "It feels lonely here now."
The family busted the original deadline of Dec 30 due to the late collection of the Kallang Trivista keys, said Bryanna's mother, who wanted to be known only as Mrs G. Koh.
Said Mrs Koh, who has lived there for two decades: "HDB gave us an extension till March to move out, though we will probably be able to move out in February after the renovation at Kallang is complete."
She said the keys were ready in August but there were delays in submitting the paperwork to HDB.
An HDB spokesman said it considered the circumstances of Rochor residents who asked for an extension and would work with them to vacate their units.
Said Mrs Koh: "I feel privileged to be the last one to leave Rochor. I can't bear to say goodbye too."
While a small number of households still live in the blocks, municipal services at Rochor Centre are still available. All corridor lights remain lit through the night, even on floors where the residents have left.
Cleaners from the Jalan Besar Town Council still work daily, especially at the common refuse disposal on the fourth floor, to remove hazardous trash generated by the mass exodus of residents, such as broken glass and sharp objects.
Ms Phua, who is an MP for Jalan Besar GRC, said several agencies - the Jalan Besar Town Council, HDB, National Environment Agency and the Singapore Police Force - responded to her appeals to continue serving the remaining residents.
Said Ms Phua: "The situation is not without challenges because an estate that is emptying may attract more dust and pests. It takes a village to make things work."
This article was first published on January 08, 2017.
Get a copy of The Straits Times or go to straitstimes.com for more stories.
A Facebook user posted a photo of a letter from the Housing and Development Board (HDB), advising the recipient to "remove" his cat from his home by Jan 11 after receiving feedback that he was keeping a cat in his flat.
A contributor alerted citizen journalism website Stomp to the post by Alfredo Seow after it started gaining traction on Facebook.
The Estate Manager who wrote the letter added that "cat-related nuisance such as shedding of fur, defecation in public areas and noise disturbance can spoil the estate's living environment and disrupt good neighbourliness".
The post has garnered over 1,700 shares, 895 reactions and more than 500 comments since it was posted on Saturday (Jan 7).
OK HDB, this is a little too much don't you think?
[edit] Disclaimer: This is NOT a letter that I received. A friend of mine got it and merely shared his situation.
Many of those who commented are cat lovers, who questioned why dogs are allowed in HDB flats when cats are not.
According to the HDB, 62 breeds of dogs are allowed in flats while cats are not allowed at all.
Replying to a comment, Alfredo said: "Oh well, time to find a dog that behaves like a cat then. [Because] apparently, they don't shed fur or make a mess."
Facebook user Haz commented on the 'irony' of the situation by sharing his aunt's own experience: "My aunt also kena until SPCA (Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals) came to collect her cats. All [because] the neighbour complained that the cats made her dog bark all the time. The IRONY. (sic)"
However, another commenter, Michelle, tried to see both sides of the issue.
"I have friends whose cats have leapt [out] of their windows trying to catch birds, or just to escape home. any cats have such tendencies, and HDB flats aren't built with ledges and corrugated surfaces that are conducive for cats that like to chill outside. I think HDB is just being cautious by discouraging flat owners to keep cats in flats. That being said, I also know a lot of flat owners [who], with careful measure, have kept their cats till they grow old, and given them good lives."
Said Elton Liaw: "Cats are considered small breed animals and why it is not allowed to be kept in HDB? At least they are toilet trained and will keep themselves clean.
Fellow cat owner Susan Tan agreed and wrote: "HDB needs to explain: I keep my cats perfectly well indoors. I don't live in HDB. So what is the difference between HDB and non-HDB walls that the cats can't be contained in one but non issue in the other? FLAWED and OUTDATED law HDB!!!!"
"Punish irresponsible cat owners who let cats roam freely without supervision who live in any form of housing! Don't punish all cat owners by banning cats for those who live in HDB flats," she added.
A number of netizens also responded to Stomp's article on the hot-button issue.
One commenter, Anastasia, said: "In my area (Yishun), there is a dog fight every day."
Meanwhile, Lena wrote: "Cats are so quiet, you don't even know they exist...unlike dogs."
Another commenter, Rasyid, added: "Yes! Of course not happy...then when a dog keeps barking throughout the night, why do they not consider this kind of nonsense?"
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2014-07-30 10:56:26
Photo Gallery
Woman with 20 cats told that they must go by Thursday
More HDB residents are turning to closed-circuit television cameras or wireless cameras to monitor their neighbours' misdeeds.
But some of them do not realise they have to first make a police report and get permission from their town council before they can set up such surveillance equipment.
Even then, the cameras can only be used for up to six months before they have to be taken down.
An officer manning the HDB branch customer service line confirmed that before setting up a CCTV camera, a police report has to be made. The town council should then be informed. Following that, permission from the town council may be obtained.
Said Mr Marvin Poh, public relations manager of the Ang Mo Kio Town Council: "The town council may issue permits for CCTV camera installations for harassment cases after police reports have been made."
The camera, he added, "must only capture the movements or activities happening within the boundaries of the owner's unit". This refers to the immediate area outside a residence, but not into a neighbour's home.
Late last month, Mr Ng Jun Wei, 28, found that a camera perched on his neighbour's window was pointing straight at his door. The undergraduate complained on the Ang Mo Kio Town Council (AMKTC) Facebook page of a violation of privacy.
Days later, his family put up their own camera.
Photo: The Straits Times
The dispute started four years ago with mutual complaints of noise and has since escalated to claims of harassment and verbal abuse.
Both parties have lodged multiple police reports against each other.
Mediation has not helped.
Mr Ng's neighbour, a housewife in her 40s, said her family got permission for their camera late last month. Mr Ng said he has asked for approval for his camera, and is considering filing for a protection order against alleged harassment.
Criminal lawyer Rajan Supramaniam has seen a 20 per cent rise in residents installing cameras to monitor and gather evidence of misdeeds.
He sees about five to eight cases of neighbour disputes in a month, up from two to three cases a month two years back. He is also a volunteer at Meet-the-People Sessions in Hougang, advising residents on disputes. "There are guidelines that say you should not be pointing a camera into people's bedrooms, or homes. That would be a violation of privacy."
AMKTC bylaws state that written permission is required before anything can be installed on common property. Offenders may be fined up to $1,000.
Mr Supramaniam said cameras are permitted on a temporary basis and have to be removed after an issue is resolved. "The town council may give up to six months for the CCTV camera to be removed."
Such surveillance is also becoming a source of dispute. As of last November, about one in 10 cases before the Community Disputes Resolution Tribunals, a last resort when mediation fails, involved "surveillance" as a cause of complaint. A State Courts spokesman said surveillance includes observing a neighbour's movements in and out of a flat, or using a mobile device to record them.
Mr Supramaniam believes more can be done to raise awareness of the rules, which may prevent situations from escalating. For instance, town council staff could do regular inspections and take action against those without permits, even when there are no complaints.
Steeper fines could be imposed, he added, and notices displayed around neighbourhoods so residents are aware of the regulations.
This article was first published on Jan 08, 2017.
Get a copy of The Straits Times or go to straitstimes.com for more stories.
Reservist training is not something I usually look forward to, but I was secretly thrilled when I received my annual call-up last year.
My unit was headed to Taiwan, where I had spent a month training during my days as a full-time national serviceman (NSF) just over a decade ago, for 11 days.
Given that this was to be my second-last in-camp training, it seemed like a poetic way for my army life to come full circle.
When we finally shipped off and arrived at our destination in southern Taiwan, the military camp was instantly recognisable.
I had last set foot here a few months shy of turning 20. Now I am almost a year into my 30s, and the squat, spartan buildings arranged around a tarmac square looked exactly the way I remembered.
The living quarters hadn't changed a single bit either. There were still no lockers, usually found in all barracks in Singapore. And the dormitories were still filled with rows of double-deck beds crammed close together, leaving only narrow passageways strewn with our duffel bags.
As a teenage full-time soldier, I had found the conditions a step down from my bunk in Singapore, though still adequate. But it was a whole other story now as a working adult used to certain creature comforts.
I wasn't the only one finding our circumstances a challenge. Someone forgot to bring a towel, having never had to pack one for all his business trips overseas. And since there were no attached ladders to our beds, it was a minor miracle that none of us - approaching middle age and with developing pot bellies to prove it - fell while clambering up and down
We were in Taiwan - one of several places including Australia and Thailand where land-scarce Singapore conducts overseas training - together with a full-time battalion and our mission was to play the role of enemy forces during one of their exercises.
Sharing the camp with the young ones gave us older national servicemen (NSmen) a chance to observe them up close.
They were lean and fit, and generally well-disciplined, marching in neat columns whenever moving about the camp in numbers. One of my friends noted simply: "They look like soldiers."
Just about the only flaw I could spot was a penchant for leaving stray bits of food at the water cooler whenever they went to get hot water for their instant noodles.
But other than that, they hardly gave us a chance to point and mutter, "Kids nowadays..." before shaking our heads and recounting how much harder we had it in our day.
No, our age gap was emphasised in other, more personally humbling ways. My friend and I were wandering around the small military compound and came across a set of chin-up bars. We had served together as NSFs and could crank out at least 12 chin-ups easily - back then.
On the spur of the moment, we decided to do a few chin-ups for old times' sake. But then, we spotted some NSFs spying on us from a corner.
Not wanting to lose face while they were watching, we unwisely pushed ourselves and finally struggled to a grand total of eight chin-ups each.
We nursed a neck ache for days.
THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS
Once out in the field, a bunch of NSFs were assigned to us as drivers. At times, we regarded each other as strange specimens from an alien world.
We marvelled at their ability to fall asleep at the drop of a hat. No pocket of time was too short for them to find a shaded spot, lie down and instantly be in deep slumber.
We, on the other hand, tossed and turned endlessly, swatting at bugs and trying to find a comfortable position, finally drifting to sleep before being jolted awake almost immediately by the loud snores of our buddy.
The NSFs, in turn, seemed to find pleasure in comparing our different life stages. After I told one that I had enlisted in 2004, he exchanged a stunned look with his friend and informed me that he had just started primary school back then.
Facepalm moments aside, this trip turned out to be one of my most positive reservist stints.
Usually, people drag their feet when there is work to be done. Or someone comes down with a mysterious ailment just before we head off to the jungle.
But this time, everyone pulled their weight. The equipment was moved quickly, the area cleaning was done efficiently, and there was definitely much less of the sense that people were trying to lie low to avoid responsibility.
Perhaps it was because everyone knew we were nearing the end of our time in uniform. And since every task that we performed might well be the final time we went through with it, we might as well give it our best shot.
Unable to sleep out in the field at night, we spent hours chatting about our work and families, and cracking nonsensical jokes. I will always find it amazing how a bunch of men can report for duty as strangers, share some of the most intimate details of their lives over a few weeks and then go back to being strangers once their time is served.
We also got to play soldier one last time, engaging the NSFs in mock gunfights as part of their training. The boys were tough, manoeuvring about with youthful vigour.
Later, many of us admitted that these young soldiers were impressive and we were glad that they would be the ones protecting the country from now on.
I was reminded of these NSFs when I realised that Singapore will mark the 50th anniversary of national service (NS) this year.
The essence of NS has been 50 years of an inter-generational changing of the guard, as one soldier hangs up his uniform for good, while another steps up to bear arms in his place.
Today, NS enjoys widespread support among the population, but it was not always so. When NS was made compulsory in 1967, several anti-NS protests sprang up, with the largest attracting 300 demonstrators.
Now, the institution - besides serving a primary purpose of defending the nation - has evolved to take on greater meaning and is seen as an important rite of passage for Singaporean males.
I am fortunate to have had a meaningful experience during my final stage of NS and even though there have been bumps along the way, I am glad to have been a part of this journey.
This article was first published on Jan 08, 2017.
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If you are a Raffles Country Club (RCC) golfer, you might feel like you've just been hit on the head by a stray ball after missing a short putt for a double bogey.
Ouch! Ouch! Ouch!
It's especially painful because RCC was one of those unaffected by the announcement in 2014 involving several clubs whose leases were due to expire in 10 years' time.
Keppel Club would be no more by 2021 and others like the Singapore Island Country Club and Tanah Merah Country Club (TMCC) would lose some of their land. A year later, in 2015, it was announced that Jurong Country Club was next on the Government's acquisition list.
But Raffles seemed safe at the time because its current lease extended to 2028, the longest of all the clubs on 30-year leases.
Wednesday's announcement that its entire 146ha would be acquired next year was a lightning strike from way beyond the out-of-bound markers.
It's every golfer's nightmare now playing in Singapore - will his club be next?
What a change in fortune from not that long ago, when the golfing gods looked kindly on the fairways here and declared there was room for more.
The Urban Renewal Authority's 1991 Concept Plan, which is the country's strategic land use and transport masterplan, envisaged having 29 golf courses, up from the then 22.
This was what it said:
"Land will also be safeguarded for more sports facilities. Swimming pools, stadiums, tennis courts, squash courts and golf courses will be increased in number...
"As we begin Living the Next Lap, it is plain to see that there will be no lack of entertainment or recreational opportunities. Singapore will become a playground, perhaps even an internationally renowned one, a home and workplace that offers a great deal more than just home and work."
Golfers thought then they were a protected species.
Why do they now look like an endangered lot?
While there are specific reasons for the acquisition of Raffles and Jurong - to make way for the construction of the High Speed Rail (HSR) to Kuala Lumpur and other transport facilities - there appears to be a change in thinking about golf courses in Singapore.
One reason for this: The 1991 plan projected a much smaller population than what later planners had to work with.
Then, the plan was for a population of only four million in Year X - an unspecified future date used for planning purposes. Today, it is already 5.6 million, so the pressure for space for housing, transport, recreation and other uses is much greater.
There were no plans for the HSR in 1991, and the planned MRT extensions were much more modest than what we're seeing today.
When these were later put on the drawing board, some things had to give.
But why was golf the main fall guy?
Couldn't the misery have been more widely spread among other activities?
Enter the political winds blowing across the island which have not been favourable to a sport played by a small, exclusive group.
The growing income divide between the rich and the rest and the public reaction to it have made governments everywhere wary of being seen to be promoting the interest of the well-heeled.
Singapore too has had to moderate its ambition of being a global city attracting the rich and famous with their jet-set (and golfing?) lifestyle.
There is also greater awareness today of the environmental costs of building and maintaining golf courses, including the amount of water needed.
It is entirely possible golf has been a casualty of this political reckoning.
The game is played by an estimated 36,000 in Singapore, or less than 1 per cent of the population.
There is not much sympathy for their loss, no champion for their cause.
It has been said there are fewer golfers among the top echelon of the public service than during the earlier years.
I joined TMCC in 1983 because of my boss at the Ministry of Communications, its permanent secretary, Mr Sim Kee Boon.
He was an avid golfer and built the two 18-holes at TMCC - Garden and Tampines - with the same care and attention to detail as he developed the airport.
The minister in charge then was Mr Ong Teng Cheong, who also played golf.
I did not at the time, but didn't need much encouragement to pick it up, not when your bosses played the game and you wanted to be part of the club.
It's not the case today.
There is declining interest among the younger generation, including in the political and public service leadership.
It takes up too much time; there are many other options available today for the physically active and which don't cost as much.
I'm afraid Singapore golfers have to accept the reality that their bogey-free days are over.
In fact, they have had it too good for probably too long.
There is no city in the world with so many golf courses within such close reach, half an hour by car at the most.
In many other places, it would have taken at least two hours to reach the nearest course.
But proximity is a double-edged club.
Being too close to the city also increases the risk of being acquired as the city grows.
Singapore golfers now know this the painful way.
Ouch!
The writer is also a senior fellow at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies.
This article was first published on Jan 08, 2017.
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The first thing I remember about Keith Vivian Wiltshire was the way he bounced into the nondescript classroom at the old Raffles Junior College (RJC) in Ghim Moh, with his thick beard and shock of silvery bronze hair.
My classmates and I were seated in two, perhaps three, rows across the width of the room. He would have none of it. "Rearrange the chairs," he declaimed, or words to that effect. He wanted us ranged in a circle around him. Only thus, face to face with him and each other, in an egalitarian circle, would we be able to discuss literature, and debate and argue with one another, and in the process learn about life.
Not for him the hierarchy of the standard classroom, with the teacher in front, chalk in hand, lecturing or admonishing rows of silent students. Once we got over our initial shock and apprehension, tutorials were lively, rambunctious. We learnt to speak up.
I felt a sense of intellectual homecoming in his classes, where we would read mystery plays, parse Wilfred Owen, analyse Hamlet, and argue with him when he would criticise the Singapore system. He taught us how to think, how to reason and how to speak up.
He once taught us about trust, making all of us practise falling backward into a circle of our classmates' vigilant hands.
Keith was one of the first batches of tutors hired by the Ministry of Education to coach JC students keen to study the humanities at Oxbridge or Ivy League universities. They belonged to what was first called the Promsho programme (pre-university cum overseas undergraduate scholarship for the study of humanities at Oxbridge), later renamed the Humanities programme for short.
I was in the RJC humanities class of 1985/1986.
Even 30 years later, as news of his death broke, the WhatsApp group for my JC classmates exploded into chatter as we reminisced and remembered him fondly for the impact he had on our lives.
He died on Jan 3, aged 83, two years after a stroke that made him lose part of his mobility and slurred his speech. I saw him last around 2009, at his home in Bristol, and last spoke to him about two years ago, when he was hospitalised after the stroke.
Because he had taught in Singapore for decades, he touched many lives here. On Facebook, I read several touching tributes to him.
New York-based Singaporean poet Koh Jee Leong wrote: "Confronted by our intellectual lethargy and moral turpitude, he would strive to provoke us into thinking and acting. I still remember how he would constantly inveigh against the uselessness of mathematics as a subject of study, an opinion I was secretly pleased to endorse, until a classmate... stood up to him in (defence) of math, and then he broke into a smile and said, 'Finally, someone contradicted me!' He did not want our agreement, but our growth, in having the courage of our convictions."
Mr Tan Chuan-Jin, now Manpower Minister, wrote: "If there ever was a teacher who made the greatest impact on me, it'd have been Mr Wiltshire... Always pushing us to question and challenge, nothing was sacrosanct in the pursuit of a richer and deeper understanding of what we believe in. He was a critic of the Government, he made classes fun and funny, he kicked me in the butt for asking silly questions."
My RJC classmate, Benjamin Pwee, who went on to enter opposition politics, wrote that Keith taught us to "love the humanities, to understand literature and poetry, to think for ourselves, to be polite and gentlemanly yet robust in our thinking and arguments. And just as he has trained some of us who joined the ruling political party, he also trained others of us like me who joined the Opposition camp. And also those of us who went on to become political journalists and diplomats, as well as lawyers and bankers. Mr Wiltshire, we all owe you a huge debt, and for showing us what 'just' being a high school teacher can do".
What Keith taught me was twofold. First, that a good teacher, mentor or leader shares not only his knowledge and insights, but also his life.
When he was our teacher, Mr Wiltshire invited us to his home - first an apartment in the Leedon area, and later, a house with a garden and rambutan tree in the Bukit Timah area. For heartland kids like myself, it was awesome visiting a house with a large garden.
He shared his political views with us - he was a Fabian socialist and a critic of Singapore's too-capitalist economy and too-competitive pressure-cooker education system and too-rigid political system .
Once we graduated from JC, he insisted we call him Keith, and he and his wife Pauline became friends. When he retired and went back to Britain, he wrote missives to his legion of ex-students, typed closely on A4-size paper. I enjoyed his diatribes - against polluting cars; against nuclear energy; and against the Singapore Government.
To try to disabuse him of his sour views on Singapore, I sent him a subscription to The Straits Times overseas weekly paper for years - until he told me to stop during one of my visits. This was after he became disheartened with Singapore, saying he had been refused entry at Changi Airport on one of his trips and had had to be put on a flight back to London, suffering deep vein thrombosis as a result of the back-to-back flights. I never quite knew why, whether his occasional meetings with dissident figures or his membership of Amnesty International had raised alarm.
But he did not let his run-ins with the Singapore authorities affect his friendships with his former students, some of whom had become senior government leaders. He was proud of his students' achievements and not embarrassed by what they had become. He collected works by students and friends on a bookshelf in his Bristol home - I was happy to add a couple to his collection.
His students were multi-faceted; and each of us took away diverse personal memories and lessons. One of my classmates remembers him most for his left-footed dribble in football: "I remember his love for football and his considerable skill in playing the game... how he ran us ragged on the football field in the annual teachers and student football matches."
From observing Keith, I also learnt that it was all right to change one's faith and ideology, and that one can remain passionate about wanting to change the world even when one changed one's mind as to the best way to go about it.
Born in Devizes, Wiltshire, in October 1933, he enlisted in the military at the age of 18 and served with distinction, leaving as a sergeant.
He went on to theology school and became a Methodist minister in the 1950s. He later left the church and became a teacher of the secular humanities. I once remarked that he was no longer a Christian; but he corrected me, saying he continued to believe in Jesus - not the divine Christ worshipped by Christians, but the Jesus whose teachings he admired. For a fundamentalist Christian such as I was then, that distinction was an eye-opener.
He was a socialist and a Labour Party supporter for many years. But in his later years, he was an avid Green Party supporter and even candidate. Wikipedia records that in his home constituency of Stoke Bishop in Bristol, where he retired, he came in fourth of four candidates, winning 409 or 6.84 per cent of the votes for the local city council elections in 2005. That, I know, would not have discouraged him, because it was an improvement on the 1999 result when he got 178 votes or 2.15 per cent.
Keith was at heart an activist - wanting first to change the world for God; and in his final years taking a stand for the Green Party, winning one hard vote at a time. He would have been over 70 when he campaigned in 2005.
The activist in him never stopped trying to make the world a better place. But it was as a teacher that he found and fulfilled his lifelong mission - changing the world one student at a time.
This article was first published on Jan 08, 2017.
Get a copy of The Straits Times or go to straitstimes.com for more stories.
<p>The first thing I remember about Keith Vivian Wiltshire was the way he bounced into the nondescript classroom at the old Raffles Junior College (RJC) in Ghim Moh, with his thick beard and shock of silvery bronze hair.</p>
SINGAPORE - Five people were injured in an accident involving a bus and a car at Choa Chu Kang Drive on Sunday (Jan 8) afternoon.
The accident happened at about 2pm near Block 689B, Choa Chu Kang Drive, the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said.
The SMRT bendy bus, service number 302, had crashed onto the pavement near the HDB block and the windscreen was shattered.
The car is understood to be a Mercedes.
Five people involved in the accident, all conscious and stable, were taken to hospital.
Three of the injured are children, including two seven-year-old boys who were taken to KK Women's and Children's Hospital.
A 12-year-old girl and a 60-year-old woman were both taken to National University Hospital.
The bus driver, 52, was taken to Ng Teng Fong General Hospital, police said.
"They suffered abrasions, headaches, breathlessness, giddiness and palpitations," said a SCDF spokesman.
"We are currently assisting the Traffic Police with investigations and reaching out to the injured parties to render necessary assistance," said Mr Mr Patrick Nathan, SMRT's vice-president of corporate information and communications.
SCDF sent three ambulances and one fire engine to the scene. Police investigations are ongoing.
This article was first published on January 8, 2016.
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JOHOR BARU - Singaporeans made up the largest proportion of foreign traffic offenders in Johor between 2010 and last year.
There were 184,014 unpaid summonses and 3,423 drivers being blacklisted, the New Straits Times reported.
Malaysia's Traffic Enforcement and Investigations Department chief Mahamad Akhir Darus told reporters yesterday that Singaporeans were followed by motorists from Brunei, with 63,696 unpaid summonses and 509 blacklisted drivers in the same period.
Others nationalities include Thais, with 22,334 (unpaid summonses) and 1,116 (blacklisted), and Indonesians with 2,880 (unpaid summonses) and 36 (blacklisted).
Mr Mahamad Akhir was speaking after leading 200 policemen from Bukit Aman and Johor on a three-day operation to nab law-breaking drivers of foreign-registered vehicles, beginning on Jan 6.
He said: "Foreign-registered drivers always say police are collecting money for the government to give out (through) BR1M (1Malaysia People's Aid cash handout scheme).
"We are not a revenue collection agency. Our mandate is to enforce and educate road users whose disregard for traffic rules can cause deaths and accidents."
Mr Mahamad Akhir added: "So far this year, 5,710 vehicles have been inspected at three road blocks and five people have been arrested.
"A total of 3,275 summonses have been paid."
This article was first published on Jan 9, 2017.
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Cabinet minister Yaacob Ibrahim has ruled himself out of the upcoming presidential election, which will be reserved for Malay candidates.
In an interview with Malay newspaper Berita Minggu published yesterday, the Minister for Communications and Information said he does not see himself running for president and is happy in his current role.
"I like to do policy work because it affects people's lives," said Dr Yaacob, who is also Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs.
"I'm happy insofar as I think I can effect change, to bring about a better Singapore. I'd like to remain in that position."
Dr Yaacob, 61, has been touted as a potential candidate for the presidential election that must be held by August.
He is one of several Malay individuals who meet the eligibility criteria based on public sector experience.
In November last year, Parliament passed several changes to the Constitution that included stricter eligibility criteria and a provision to ensure a president from a minority race is elected from time to time.
The move paved the way for Singapore to have its first Malay president in over 46 years, since the country's first president Yusof Ishak died in office in November 1970.
While Dr Yaacob does not intend to contest the presidency, he said there are enough Malay candidates for the highest office in the land.
STEP UP
"Whoever steps up must not see the office as a job," he said, adding that they should see it as a calling.
The person will have to qualify based on the higher bar and earn the respect of all Singaporeans, he noted.
"What we must make sure is that the person must be a 'damn good president'. A president that is so good, people forget his or her race," he added.
He acknowledged that he was initially "very uneasy" with the idea of a reserved election, but noted it is necessary for all Singaporeans, as a reminder that this is a multiracial nation.
Dr Yaacob, who entered politics in 1997 and has been a Cabinet minister since 2002, also spoke about other issues.
On the international front, he is worried about the shift in attention from global problems such as climate change and poverty to "petty politics, hatred politics, misogynistic ideas like what Donald Trump is peddling".
When politicians stoke public anxieties to win votes, it results in a climate of fear.
"That is very dangerous because what you have unleashed is something you cannot control. People will now see that it is legitimate for you to victimise Muslims, minorities, women," said Dr Yaacob.
Asked about what can be done to help Rohingya refugees fleeing persecution in Myanmar, he said Singapore is giving humanitarian aid and the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore (Muis) has raised funds.
Muslim Singaporeans are concerned about what happens to other Muslim communities, but they cannot meddle in the politics of other countries, he pointed out.
On the economy and jobs, he said Malay-Muslim self-help group Mendaki, which has had success in lifting the community through education programmes for students, is mulling over how to help workers with skills upgrading.
This will help those who lose their jobs owing to disruptions to the economy.
Citing taxi driving as an example, Dr Yaacob said cabbies run the risk of having Uber "eat" them up if they do not change. "Continuous learning must be our next battle cry for the community," he said.
tohyc@sph.com.sg
This article was first published on January 9, 2017.
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"Test results have shown that the seawater quality is normal," the agency said, adding that it will continue to monitor the water quality.
The oil spill was caused by a collision between two vessels off Pasir Gudang Port in Johor, which caused 300 tonnes of oil spillage after damage to one of the vessel's bunker tanks.
SINGAPORE - The Singapore Government has asked that Hong Kong authorities immediately return the nine Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) Terrex infantry troop carrier vehicles that were seized by Hong Kong Customs in November last year, Defence Minister Dr Ng Eng Hen said in Parliament on Monday (Jan 9).
In a Facebook post, Dr Ng explained that the Singapore Government had asserted its sovereign rights over the Terrexes and other equipment that are being held in Hong Kong.
"Under international law and Hong Kong law, these equipment were immune for any measures of constraint abroad and therefore must be returned to Singapore immediately," he wrote.
Dr Ng added that Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong had written to Hong Kong chief executive Leung Chun-ying over the issue.
"[The] Hong Kong government responded that they needed time to complete investigations and that the matter would be handled in accordance to their law. We welcome their response and hope this matter will be resolved satisfactorily with our Terrexes returned in accordance to law," Dr Ng wrote in the post.
The key points of Dr Ng's speech were also highlighted in a post on Cyberpioneer, the official Facebook page of the SAF.
Dr Ng also said that the SAF moves over 700 military platforms around the world using commercial shipping companies every year, and has done so for over 30 years.
"The shipping companies are contracted to comply with all relevant international and local port rules, and to avoid places where security risks such as piracy is high," according to Cyberpioneer's post.
Cyberpioneer also said that the SAF has conducted a comprehensive review of its shipping processes. "In places where the risk of detention of SAF assets is assessed to have increased, the SAF will take additional precautions even if it means higher freight charges."
SAF is also considering the possibility of leasing space to house the equipment at overseas training sites, and to buy additional units to meet operational requirements where necessary.
Here's a quick look at what Defence Minister Dr Ng Eng Hen had to say about our Terrexes.
The Singapore Army
The Republic of Singapore Air Force
Republic of Singapore Navy
SINGAPORE - Singapore must conduct its foreign policy as a sovereign, independent nation, even though other countries may put pressure on the Republic, Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan said on Monday (Jan 9), addressing questions in Parliament about the Terrex vehicle incident.
"It is natural for other countries to want other parties to act entirely in line with their own national interests," said Dr Balakrishnan.
"However, it is important for us to conduct our foreign policy as a sovereign independent nation, and not be seen as acting at the behest of any other country."
This is essential to Singapore's international credibility, standing and relevance to its foreign partners and friends, he added.
Dr Balakrishnan was responding to Mr Zaqy Mohamad (Chua Chu Kang GRC), who asked about how Singapore will conduct its diplomatic relations with China following an incident in November where nine Singapore Armed Forces Terrex infantry carriers on their way back to Singapore from Taiwan were seized in Hong Kong.
The vehicles are still being detained in Hong Kong.
Dr Balakrishnan added that Singapore's relations with China, as well as its interactions with Hong Kong and Taiwan, are "based strictly on our 'one China' policy".
"We have consistently abided by this policy and understandings reached... and we will continue to do so," he said.
He said that leaders in Singapore and China have continued to engage each other, and Singapore is working with China in areas such as the Belt and Road Initiative and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership free trade deal.
"Singapore's relations with China, and our relations with other major powers, should not be seen as a zero-sum game. We believe in an interdependence characterised by open, inclusive, regional architecture that promotes collaboration and win-win outcomes."
Workers' Party's chief Low Thia Khiang (Aljunied GRC) later asked if China's economic progress has led to it becoming a "big bully".
In response, Dr Balakrishnan said Singapore believes that "a strong China... that is deeply engaged with the rest of the world and economically integrated is one that brings enormous benefits".
"We have to focus on the opportunities, whilst at the same time, recognising that there will be issues to resolve from time to time. Now, this is where we have to learn to take things in our stride," he said.
"This is where we sometimes have to courteously, respectfully differ and remind everyone, big or small - please let Singapore be Singapore."
Dr Balakrishnan also called on Parliament to show solidarity with the Government on its foreign policy strategy.
"Hopefully all members of this House - whether from opposition, or NCMPs (Non-Constituency MPs) or NMPs (Nominated MPs) - stand with the Government," he added.
"This is one of those occasions for us to learn the right lessons, to stand together because ultimately, foreign policy begins at home."
Graphic: Ministry of Defence
This article was first published on January 9, 2016.
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SINGAPORE - Presidential hopefuls will get more time to submit their papers, and the committee tasked to decide if they qualify to run for office will also have more time to vet the applications.
These are among some of the changes to the Presidential Elections Act proposed in Parliament on Monday (Jan 9).
They follow the broader constitutional changes to the elected presidency that were passed last November, and spell out the nuts and bolts of how presidential elections will be carried out.
MPs will debate the latest amendments when Parliament sits in February, and are likely to pass the Presidential Elections (Amendment) Bill in time for this year's election, due by the end of August.
Under the proposed changes is one that will give candidates more time for to prepare their applications, which now require more information.
The deadline for applying for a certificate of eligibility will be extended to five days after the writ of election is issued, up from three days.
The Presidential Elections Committee will also have more time to vet these applications.
Next, Nomination Day will start a minimum of 10 days after the Prime Minister issues the writ of election, up from the current minimum of five days.
In another change, a 16-member Community Committee will be set up to make sure the practice of reserved elections runs smoothly. It will assess whether a candidate belongs to a particular racial group.
Under the constitutional changes passed in November, provisions were put in place to ensure that people of minority groups are elected as president from time to time.
A presidential election will be reserved for members of a particular racial group if there has not been a president from the group for the five most recent presidential terms.
But if no eligible candidate from that group comes forward, the election will be reserved for another eligible group. In the event that no other group is eligible, a fresh writ will be issued declaring an open election.
The Community Committee will consist of a chairman, and three sub-committees for the Chinese, Malay, and Indian and other minority groups. Each sub-committee will have five members.
All who want to run for president must declare to the Community Committee which of the three main communities they consider themselves a part of.
They will be issued a certificate for that community if the sub-committee is satisfied that they belong to that community.
The upcoming election will be reserved for Malay candidates, and all candidates must have a Malay community certificate to run.
Prospective candidates must apply to both the Community Committee and the Presidential Elections Committee.
Both committees must tell them about the outcome of their application no later than the day before Nomination Day.
In an open election, every candidate must also declare the racial group they belong to, so that it can be determined when reserved elections should happen.
A person who does not belong to the Chinese, Malay, and Indian and other minority groups will not be issued a community certificate, but can still stand in an open election if he gets a certificate of eligibility.
For example, a naturalised Singaporean of Japanese heritage might not be considered part of the Chinese, Malay, or Indian and other minority communities.
More time for overseas voters to register, automatic recounts
Other changes were proposed to make elections more efficient.
To make it more convenient for overseas Singaporeans to vote from abroad, the deadline to register as an overseas voter will be extended.
It will now be two calendar days after the issue of the writ of election, instead of on the day it is issued.
Additionally, recounts of votes will be automatically done if the number of votes between the top candidate and any other candidate is 2 per cent or less of the total valid votes.
This avoids unnecessary delays. Now, the 2 per cent margin allows candidates or their counting agent to ask for a recount.
This article was first published on January 9, 2016.
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"Let's have some patience and give this matter time to resolve through an appropriate legal or judicial process," he told Parliament yesterday.
Dr Balakrishnan was responding to Chua Chu Kang MP Zaqy Mohamad's supplementary question on starting an open dialogue with the Chinese government on the seizure of the nine Terrex Infantry Carrier Vehicles (ICV) in November.
Foreign Affairs Minister Vivian Balakrishnan.Photo: Reuters
The vehicles were en route to Singapore after an exercise in Taiwan before being detained over licensing issues, as described by the Ministry of Defence.
Mr Zaqy was concerned about how the incident would affect Singapore's diplomatic relations with China.
NATIONAL INTEREST
Dr Balakrishnan said Singapore, as a small state, would encounter expectations from countries to act in line with their own national interest.
Of the realpolitik, he said: "It is important for us to conduct our foreign policy as a sovereign independent nation and not be seen as acting at the behest of any other country.
"This is essential for our international credibility, our standing, our relevance and our usefulness to our partners and friends."
Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen told Parliament the detention of the nine Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) Terrex ICVs in Hong Kong does not comply with international law.
He explained that the vehicles are the property of the Singapore Government and protected by international law. Under the principle of sovereign immunity, property belonging to a country cannot be seized or forfeited.
He cited a previous case in 2010, where South Korean military equipment - including personnel carriers and light tanks - was also seized by Hong Kong authorities. They were later returned.
Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong had written to Hong Kong Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying requesting the immediate return of the SAF armoured vehicles, said Dr Ng.
The Hong Kong authorities have said the ongoing investigation will take some time to complete.
They will also handle the matter in accordance with their laws - a response Singapore welcomes, said Dr Ng.
"Adherence to the rule of law has been the fundamental basis for peace and stability for the last half century in Asia. It has enabled countries both large and small to build trust and confidence in one another, co-operate and prosper together," he said.
fjieying@sph.com.sg
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2016-07-01 15:01:52
Photo Gallery
SAF will overcome manpower issues through technology: Defence Minister
JOHOR BARU - In a 48-hour crackdown, thousands of Singaporean motorists were caught for unpaid writs of summons, paying fines close to RM200,000 (S$64,400).
The operation on Friday and Saturday saw 5,710 foreign vehicles checked, with 3,000 Singaporean motorists settling 3,275 writs of summons, according to the Malay Mail Online.
They had to pay on the spot, or their vehicles would be confiscated and returned only after they paid up.
Bukit Aman traffic police investigation and enforcement (operation) officer DSP Bakri Zainal Abidin said Singaporeans were responsible for most of the 275,663 unpaid writs of summons, ahead of motorists from Indonesia, Brunei and Thailand.
Since 2010, Singaporeans accumulated 184,024 unpaid writs of summons, which can be paid through government portals, and 3,423 arrest warrants.
DSP Bakri told the Malay Mail Online that some motorists test drive their cars on the four-lane highways after getting them tuned up, while others go on "adventure rides" in cars such as Lamborghini and Ferrari that sometimes result in accidents.
"Their mentality against Malaysian traffic regulations must change, as we are determined to keep the roads safe," he said.
He added that the police operation, named Op Saman Tertunggak Warganegara Asing, would be conducted regularly. It involved advanced high-definition camera technology and the Mobile Compound Online Pay System.
According to the report, the checks were done at the Gelang Patah Rest and Relaxation stop near the Second Link, the Pandan Rest and Relaxation stop at Eastern Dispersal Link and Km 2 of Jalan Tebrau.
- THE STRAITS TIMES
This article was first published on Jan 10, 2017.
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Punters who had placed sports bets with Singapore Pools over the weekend were unable to collect their winnings.
One of them, Mr Wang Guozhi, 55, a store manager, told Lianhe Wanbao that he had won $1,500 in football bets over the weekend.
On Sunday, he went to two betting stations in Toa Payoh, but could not collect his winnings.
He told Lianhe Wanbao: "I went to the betting stations and was told that there was something wrong with the system and I couldn't collect my winnings.
"Many football fans are used to using their money from the winnings to place their next bets, but now they have to use their savings."
The sign says that Singapore Pools is “not able to process sports prize claim temporarily”.Photo: Wanbao
FIRST TIME
He added that this is the first time he could not collect his prize, after many years of placing bets.
The Singapore Pools website carried a notice informing punters of technical difficulties as of yesterday afternoon.
Punters were advised to hold on to their tickets until further notice.
Singapore Pools operates 88 branches and four LiveWire betting venues across the island.
When contacted yesterday, a Singapore Pools spokesman told The New Paper: "We are experiencing some technical issues with sports prize claims at our outlets, including LiveWire venues, and are working on resolving them."
She said that all other Singapore Pools' services are operating as per normal, and that customers can present their sports bet tickets at their outlets for prize claims from 9am today.
"We are sorry for the inconvenience caused," the spokesman added.
bxliew@sph.com.sg
This article was first published on Jan 10, 2017.
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