When you see foreign objects on MRT tracks, chances are that they are inconspicuous and will not be staring back at you.

Well, that was not the case for Twitter user Ashley Soo.

She posted photos on her account on Jan 31 showing a creepy doll sitting on what looks to be a pipe above the MRT tracks at Dhoby Ghaut MRT station.

The doll had big eyes and was clad in a crumpled and oversized outfit.

The photos caused quite a buzz on Twitter, garnering 1,800 likes and 6,700 retweets.

Ashley tweeted shortly after uploading the photos: "YALL PLS PRAY FOR ME TONIGHT."

It is unclear who (or what) placed the toy there... assuming that the doll did not get there by itself.

SMRT has since removed the creepy object and is investigating the incident.

Visit STOMP for more stories.

The charitable organisation received a call from someone who wanted to sponsor a food drive for the needy.

As the donor initially wanted to remain anonymous, Mr Nizar Mohamed Shariff, founder of Free Food For All (FFFA), accepted the donation, and distributed 100 bags of food and necessities worth $5,460 to residents at Block 811, French Road, on Jan 21.

As it turned out, the donor, Mr Francis Lee, 40, is an unlicensed moneylender.

One of the volunteers from FFFA had searched online for Mr Lee's company's name, GT Credit, when he asked for the name to appear on T-shirts worn by volunteers at the event.

But a licensed moneylender that also goes by the name of GT Credit popped up during the search. And so Mr Nizar went ahead with the event.

The New Paper received a tip-off about the charity drive by a reader who had spotted the volunteers wearing the T-shirts.

When contacted, Mr Lee told TNP that his moneylending operation is not licensed.

Mr Nizar said he did not know this.

He said: "I was not aware that the sponsorship was from an unlicensed moneylender. It was our third collaboration with external companies and we are fairly new."

FFFA was founded in November 2014 and registered in February 2015.

When contacted, Mr Lee told TNP: "Chinese New Year was coming and I wanted to give back to society.

"I approached two or three charitable organisations but all of them ignored me."

He added that he had spent his childhood in the area and wanted to give a helping hand to the residents there.

When TNP visited GT Credit, the licensed moneylender, at its Toa Payoh office, an employee said they are aware of Mr Lee's company.

Lawyers TNP spoke to said FFFA did not do anything wrong by accepting the sponsorship, as they did not know it came from an unlicensed operation.

"There would not be any consequences if the charitable organisation did not know their donor was an unlicensed moneylender," said Mr Foo Cheow Ming, a lawyer with Templars Law.

"If the charitable organisation knowingly accepted money from an unlicensed moneylender, then they will be investigated and the money that has been (involved in) crime will be confiscated."

'NO OFFENCE'

Mr Ravinderpal Singh, a lawyer with Kalco Law who is also a board member of several charitable organisations like The New Charis Mission, said: "There is nothing illegal. There is no offence. The food drive is not related to moneylending and they did not do it to promote their moneylending activities.

"It will be difficult to try to make it a criminal offence, especially if the event organiser did not know. It is not like they are banks or financial institutions that have to do their due diligence checks."

But Charity Council chairman Gerard Ee said charitable organisations should do due diligence and conduct background checks on donors or sponsors.

He said: "If the charitable organisations do not have a robust due diligence process, then they will be subject to criticism.

"If they have done their best and could not uncover anything, they should not be faulted."

Mr Ee added: "Even though they may be unlicensed and their business is not legal, it does not mean the people in the company do not have good hearts.

"If you do know about the organisation's background then this becomes a judgement call. Some will take a moral stance...

"Every organisation has to decide the values they want to uphold."

When asked if he thinks accepting the sponsorship from Mr Lee's business was a mistake, Mr Nizar said no.

"At the end of the day, it is still an act of doing good. We should not judge one's background because he is doing a good deed.

"I felt that Mr Lee was sincere and not doing it for public attention," said Mr Nizar.

He said he will be imposing stricter protocols when working with companies in future.

myklim@sph.com.sg

This article was first published on Feb 3, 2017.
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For best friends Leah Tee and Laura Lee, both 17, being posted to the same school in the Joint Admissions Exercise (JAE) made their day.

They both got their first choice - St Joseph's Institution's International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme - when the posting results were released yesterday.

The New Paper featured the best friends yesterday on how they overcame their disabilities to help each other score distinctions in the O-levels.

Leah has cone-rod dystrophy, a severe form of colour blindness which affects her ability to differentiate colours and blurs her vision slightly.

Laura has moderate hearing loss in both ears, which makes hearing individual voices in group settings a challenge.

Leah had scored six distinctions and Laura five.

The girls have known each other since Primary One at the Convent of the Holy Infant Jesus (CHIJ) (Primary) and have been classmates most of their schooling life.

They were classmates again in CHIJ (Secondary)and have supported each other all the way, complementing each other's disabilities.

They are excited to continue their journey together in their new school, which they applied for without consulting each other.

Laura, the first of the two to check her posting via SMS at 7.30am, said: "It's nice to know I already have a friend in the new school."

After receiving a hug from her father, she texted Leah: "SJI!!!!!!!" But her friend was still asleep then.

The Tee family later gathered to pray in their living room before a nervous Leah read out her posting result.

"I was obviously overjoyed. but then I immediately thought: 'What about Laura?'" Moments later, she saw Laura's text and squealed in delight.

Her mother, Mrs Jennifer Tee, 44,said: "It's comforting to know they'll be moving on together, they really bring out the best in each other."

To celebrate their posting, the girls watched the movie, Moana, together.

Read also: Classmates are each other's eyes and ears​

chualel@sph.com.sg

This article was first published on Feb 3, 2017.
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You may think you're a speed demon now, but your ability to drive as skillfully goes down sharply as you age.

On Thursday, huge automated dispensers started popping up in Singapore handing out kits to help people test their reaction time, vision and hearing ability.

The traffic police's "Road Master Kit" is pretty low-tech, but it does what it says on the label.

Inside, you'll get a poster of a street scene to test your eyesight, a simple list of questions to assess hearing loss, and a ruler so you can do a drop test for reflexes.

To get a kit, seniors can scan their concession cards, which are commonly used on buses and trains, and the dispenser pops one out.

The traffic police designed the kit together with local healthcare providers such as the Singapore National Eye Centre, which provided consultation on the visual test.

The hearing test consists of a list of questions that seniors can do at home, and it is based upon the Hearing Handicap Inventory for the Elderly test.

For the reaction time drop test, a ruler is held up by someone else and dropped without warning.

The idea is to see how far the ruler's fallen before you react and catch it.

It's not that easy, by the way. We tried it on someone in her 20s, who failed to catch the ruler entirely.

Police statistics in the city showed that 122 elderly pedestrians, aged 60 and above, were involved in traffic accidents from January to June in 2016.

Read the full article here.

Mashable is the go-to source for tech, digital culture, and entertainment content for its dedicated and influential audience around the world.

The Malaysian native landed here in mysterious circumstances more than a year ago and was discovered while crossing a road in the western part of Singapore.

Likely a victim of smuggling, it was found injured, with part of its body deformed. But yesterday, Rahayu finally got to go home.

The Malaysian giant turtle, which was found with a fish hook in its mouth and a deformed shell, had been cared for by the Animal Concerns Research and Education Society (Acres), a wildlife rescue group.

A member of an endangered species, the turtle nicknamed Rahayu was rescued by Acres in 2015.

Yesterday, the female turtle kept its head tucked in its shell as a large group, including Minister for Social and Family Development Tan Chuan-Jin and Acres chief executive Louis Ng, gathered at Acres' premises near Choa Chu Kang to bid her goodbye.

The not-so-giant turtle was put in a crate, which was later placed in the boot of a car, for its long ride home.

Read also: Vietnam mourns death of sacred giant turtle​

Mr Ng, who is also an MP for Nee Soon GRC, noted that Rahayu had a deformed shell and was likely brought illegally into Singapore and then kept as a pet in a small tub.

The creature, a member of the largest freshwater turtle species in South-east Asia, is the first reptile Acres has released back into the wild.

The two other animals the group previously released were both monkeys, including Asha the rhesus macaque in 2006.

"We can right this wrong by sending them back to where they came from so they can live out their lives back in the wild again," said Mr Ng.

"We didn't want this to be the final chapter in the life of all these animals."

The turtle, which weighs 30kg and measures about 70cm in length, was handed to the Malaysian authorities yesterday afternoon. It is not known how old it is.

Rahayu is expected to be released into a nature reserve in Malaysia on Sunday.

Read also: Indian police rescue 6,000 turtles in 'largest' haul

Acres' deputy chief executive Kalai Vanan, who manages the animal care and wildlife rescue department, said: "Rahayu is the first (reptile) and certainly won't be the last.

"She is an ambassador to the cause that we are undertaking, that our rescued wild animals deserve a second chance at living free and that it can be done."

Considered endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, the Malaysian giant turtle is traded for its meat and used in traditional Chinese medicine, and is also kept illegally as a pet.

At the event yesterday, Mr Tan urged members of the public to do their part by not collecting exotic pets, consuming their meat or using their body parts for medicinal or religious purposes.

The Acres Wildlife Rescue Centre is home to more than 190 wild animals rescued from the illegal wildlife trade.

The animals there were either abandoned or kept as pets in Singapore. They include Indian star tortoises and pig-nosed turtles.

Read also: Badly cut 1m-long sea turtle found dead along Changi Beach

This article was first published on Feb 03, 2017.
Get a copy of The Straits Times or go to straitstimes.com for more stories.

The Singapore Medical Council's complaints committee has ruled there was no professional misconduct by a plastic surgeon whose patient complained he had botched her breast reconstruction 2½ years ago.

Ms Chia Wei Hong, 56, is now challenging this decision by appealing to Health Minister Gan Kim Yong.

She said Dr Tan Bien Keem, the head of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery at Singapore General Hospital (SGH), had not given her a reconstructed breast that was close to the look of her natural breast.

Because of this, she said she needed additional surgery to correct the reconstruction, resulting in more scarring and medical fees.

Ms Chia complained to the SMC in September 2014. The council replied in November last year to say there was no professional misconduct on the part of Dr Tan. It said "symmetry of the breast cannot be achieved immediately", and that a second stage of reconstruction could solve the problem.

However, Ms Chia had not chosen to have that second stage of reconstruction by Dr Tan.

She was diagnosed with breast cancer in April 2014. Following a mastectomy and tests which showed the cancer had not spread, she opted for a breast implant, which was inserted in two stages.

First, an expander was inserted under the skin immediately after the mastectomy, stretching the skin as it was gradually filled with saline. This was replaced 10 weeks later, in July, by a 310cc implant.

She did not require either radiotherapy or chemotherapy.

Ms Chia said her reconstructed breast was more than twice the size of her remaining natural breast even after the swelling had receded. "I could not wear my normal fitting clothes. The reconstructed breast 'starts' high up on my chest and takes up a lot of volume so my clothes are pulled in a series of folds upwards to the shoulder," she told The Straits Times.

Dr Tan assured her the size would go down once the swelling caused by the surgery had subsided. He also told her that if she was not satisfied, she could return to have it downsized.

In September, she filed a complaint with the Singapore Medical Council (SMC).

While revisions of reconstruction do not happen often, they are not unheard of.

Dr Ong Wei Chen, a senior reconstructive surgeon at the National University Cancer Institute, Singapore (NCIS) and the National University Hospital (NUH), estimates the number of women needing such revision to be less than 20 per cent. She said: "The aim of breast reconstructive surgery is to reconstruct a mound that is as symmetrical to the other breast (as possible). However, it may not always be so.

"As long as the patient is able to fit her breasts... in a bra without too much discomfort, it should be an acceptable difference."

Being unable to fit her breast inside a bra, Ms Chia decided to look elsewhere for corrective surgery. In February 2015, she went to Raffles Hospital where plastic surgeon Walter Tan replaced the 310cc implant with one that was 120cc.

This cost her more than $15,000, for which she had to fork over $4,000, with the rest paid for by insurance. Her insurance plan covered the full bill of more than $25,000 for both operations at SGH but pro-rated coverage for surgery at a private hospital.

In its reply to her, SMC's complaints committee said it would advise Dr Tan by letter to "improve on his communication with his patients".

But Ms Chia has decided not to let her grievance rest. She said: "I appealed to Health Minister Gan Kim Yong on Dec 2, 2016, against the decision of the SMC."

The law allows the minister to ask the SMC to hold a disciplinary hearing if he feels the case justifies it. When contacted, the spokesman for SGH said the hospital and the doctor would not comment.

salma@sph.com.sg

facebook.com/ST.Salma

CASE FOR CORRECTIVE SURGERY?

"The aim of breast reconstructive surgery is to reconstruct a mound that is as symmetrical to the other breast (as possible). However, it may not always be so. As long as the patient is able to fit her breasts... in a bra without too much discomfort, it should be an acceptable difference."

DR ONG WEI CHEN, a senior reconstructive surgeon.

This article was first published on Feb 3, 2017.
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A company which is being sued by the Singapore taxman for the return of some $9.6 million in tax refunds will be allowed access to relevant documents to aid its defence, the High Court ruled.

In the first such reported case here, the court said the documents were not protected and were not immune to disclosure.

At issue was "whether documents, communications and other papers generated in the course of an investigatory audit by a public authority are protected by legal professional privilege", wrote Judicial Commissioner Aedit Abdullah in judgment grounds issued on Tuesday.

Legal professional privilege protects all communications between a lawyer and client from being revealed without the client's consent.

The defendant company had applied for access to documents relating to tax refunds granted by the Comptroller of IncomeTax.

Documents pertaining to a field audit of the company, when issues arose over the tax refunds, were also sought.

The case is rooted in tax returns that the company submitted between 2004 and 2006, seeking tax refunds for interest expenses on a $225 million loan from a bank.

Based on these returns, the comptroller granted some $9.6 million in tax refunds.

But following a review and audit completed in 2008, the comptroller concluded the company had used a tax avoidance arrangement and wrongly claimed the refunds.

The anti-tax avoidance laws empower the comptroller to disregard or vary an arrangement which is aimed at reducing tax liability.

The defendant's group of companies had undergone restructuring and obtained the $225 million bank loan, but this amount was returned through a complex series of transactions which were allegedly done to get the tax refunds.

The comptroller followed up with additional assessments, in a bid to recover the sums.

The bid was challenged by the company before the Income Tax Board of Review and the case went all the way to the Court of Appeal in what became Singapore's first anti-tax avoidance case in 2014.

The apex court had ruled that the company claimed the tax refunds under a tax avoidance arrangement but said the comptroller could not recover the money through additional assessments.

The ruling said the comptroller could instead sue the company for mistaken payment, which the comptroller indeed went on to do.

The company in turn sought access to the tax documents to prepare for its defence. Its Drew & Napier lawyers, led by Mr Jaikanth Shankar, argued that the documents would help make out if the comptroller's claims were valid.

The three groups of documents were meant to show, among other things, that the internal discussions of the officials who assessed the company for tax could show whether the comptroller was mistaken about the tax refunds.

Wong Partnership lawyers, led by Senior Counsel Alvin Yeo, countered for the comptroller that the company's bid was "a fishing expedition".

They argued that legal advice and litigation privilege applied to two of the three sets of documents.

The judicial commissioner held that all three groups of documents were "relevant and necessary" to help the company in its case and show the basis for the taxman's decision.

The judge also ruled that no legal professional privilege was attached to the documents claimed, as they were not created for the "dominant purpose" of litigation.

For instance, the audit documents sought were created to help the comptroller review the decision to grant the tax refund, and not for the lawyers to advise on the audit and the decisions taken, although it was possible the lawyers were "eventually involved".

"There was no link drawn between the documents and the (legal) advice. Without this, there can be no claim of privilege," said the judge.

He ruled that detailed directions on the orders sought and costs would be given separately.

vijayan@sph.com.sg

This article was first published on Feb 3, 2017.
Get a copy of The Straits Times or go to straitstimes.com for more stories.

The black and yellow-beaked Javan mynah may be a common sight here but it is a different story in Indonesia where they are from.

There, they have become a rare breed as a result of poaching.

There are fewer than 2,000 of them in Indonesia, with most in protected areas. In fact, the bird was recently listed as vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

One way to save threatened species such as the Javan mynah could be to "harvest" members of the same species that have been introduced outside their native habitats, suggested a study by researchers in Hong Kong and Australia.

It was published last month in the Frontiers In Ecology And The Environment journal.

In total, the authors identified 49 globally threatened species - those listed by the IUCN as vulnerable, endangered or critically endangered - which have established populations outside their native habitats.

These include amphibians, reptiles, mammals and birds, as well as insects and plants, with "introduced" populations found on all continents except Antarctica.

"Across the planet, poachers have reached into the last remote habitats to harvest wildlife populations used for clothing, or are eaten, or kept as pets in faraway cities," said Dr Luke Gibson, from the University of Hong Kong, who led the study.

"In some cases, the traded organisms have escaped and are now thriving in their introduced habitats," he added.

One example is the Javan mynah, whose population in its home country has dwindled due to demand from the pet trade.

But these birds have thrived in Singapore and adjacent parts of Malaysia after many were released in both areas - both accidentally and deliberately. Today, more than 100,000 of them are found in Singapore alone - thousands of kilometres from Indonesia.

Mr Heru Cahyono, a bird conservationist based in Java, Indonesia, said the Javan mynahs are sold in markets in Indonesia from around US$6 (S$8.50) to US$15.

"Most of the buyers are local people and bird keepers. These birds are often purchased because they can sing and chirp and they are (used) to train other birds to sing along," he added.

Dr Gibson said he and Mr Yong Ding Li, a PhD student from the Australian National University, decided to work on the study in 2015 after hearing news of a seizure of an illegal shipment of yellow-crested cockatoos in Indonesia.

"They are a species which I see every day in Hong Kong, where I currently live and work.

"It was very surprising to me that such a conspicuous species thriving in the heart of downtown Hong Kong is critically endangered."

To tackle the problem, the researchers have proposed in the paper that the overseas Javan mynahs be "harvested" to offset demand from the pet trade. This means "to capture them in some kind of legally acceptable manner and use these captured individuals to supply the pet trade", said Mr Yong.

"It creates an alternative supply - and thus alleviates the threats faced by the native Javan mynah in its range in Java and Bali."

But wildlife consultant Subaraj Rajathurai said this could raise ethical concerns as it involves taking Javan mynahs back to their native habitat to be sold for the pet trade.

A better option could be captive breeding, where Javan mynahs are caught in Singapore and bred in a facility before they are sent to Indonesia. This, however, requires good planning and coordination by the governments of both countries.

Still, Mr Yong said he believes the idea they propose in the study is valid. While capturing Javan mynahs from their natural ranges in Java and Bali is illegal, the bird is not legally protected in Singapore.

"Harvesting" those in Singapore and Malaysia may lessen the need to poach wild Javan mynahs in national parks in Indonesia, he added, noting that "increased supply would also diminish the street value of a Javan mynah".

Incidentally,the Javan mynah is believed to have contributed to the decline of bird species in Singapore, such as the common mynah and oriental magpie robin.

According to the annual bird census by Nature Society (Singapore), the common mynah is now uncommon.

In 2014, there were just 13 of these birds, with the decline starting from 2003.

In 2003, the population of the Javan mynahs increased to 841. In 2008, it hit a high of 1,364.

Said Mr Yong: "Javan mynahs have increased dramatically in over 70 years to become the most numerous species in much of Singapore and peninsular Malaysia, and are directly competing with other native mynahs and garden birds."

kcarolyn@sph.com.sg

This article was first published on Feb 3, 2017.
Get a copy of The Straits Times or go to straitstimes.com for more stories.

Walking for three hours to an old Japanese war shrine in sweltering heat on a battle anniversary is something prisoners of war would do. From Feb 16 to March 12, the public will get the chance to experience this and other similar journeys on a walking tour.

This guided trail, named The Last Days of Empire, is one of 11 organised by the National Heritage Board (NHB) and other partners to mark the 75th anniversary of the Fall of Singapore on Feb 15, 1942, when the Japanese occupation began during World War II.

Besides the tours, other activities organised as part of the commemorative event - titled Battle for Singapore and themed "resilience" - include talks and exhibitions at museums and heritage centres under the Museum Roundtable.

It is an NHB-led initiative set up in 1996 to develop a stronger museum-going culture in Singapore.

The 11 guided tours include sites such as the old Command House; key military installations constructed by the British such as Labrador battery; Gillman Barracks and Alexandra Barracks; and a night tour of Pasir Panjang.

The NHB yesterday gave the media a preview of The Last Days of Empire - a three-hour walking tour starting at the University Cultural Centre in the National University of Singapore. It will take participants to a World War II memorial plaque marking the site where 10 allied commandos in Operation Rimau were executed by the Japanese after a failed operation.

The tour will end at the Old Ford Factory, the site where British forces surrendered Singapore to the Japanese army on Feb 15, 1942. The national monument is set to reopen on Feb 16 after a year-long revamp, featuring never-before- seen archival materials.

NUS historian Mohamed Effendy, who is leading the tour along with students, said participants will be in for a few surprises about the war. For example, some Japanese publications recognised and appreciated the valour of the commandos, who "went to their deaths laughing".

"The main message we want participants to leave with is that we are responsible for our own defence," he told the media yesterday.

Other activities include a special exhibition - Celebrating 50 Years of National Service - held at the Army Museum located in Jurong East.

Members of the Eurasian Association will lead guided tours of the Eurasian Heritage Centre to provide greater insights on what the community went through during World War II.

The association will also hold a talk by war survivors.

The public can visit www. museums.com.sg for more information, and will be able to sign up for the Battle for Singapore 2017 programmes from 10am on Monday. Tour slots will be allocated on a first come, first served basis.

raynoldt@sph.com.sg

244092

2015-12-13 11:12:53

Photo Gallery

Secret World War II air-raid shelter found at Botanic Gardens

Source: The Straits Times

219345

2015-08-28 11:35:22

Photo Gallery

Unforgettable images of World War II

Source: National Heritage Board, Imperial War Museum, The Straits Times

186765

2015-04-09 12:56:25

Photo Gallery

Memories, life lessons: Stories from World War II veterans

Source: Philippine Daily Inquirer/ANN

This article was first published on Feb 3, 2017.
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Bus operator Go-Ahead Singapore, which was dogged by recruitment problems after its launch last September, now counts more than 750 bus drivers in its ranks, said its new managing director David Cutts.

This exceeds the 700 that it was looking to hire and also readies the firm to launch a new route in April, said Mr Cutts, who was appointed last Thursday.

It is a welcome change from the situation just five months ago.

Then, it had to borrow drivers from SBS Transit and SMRT under sub-contracts after 20 bus drivers left just two weeks after Go-Ahead started operations on Sept 4.

The last of these contracts ended early last month.

Go-Ahead, the second foreign bus firm to break into the Singapore bus market, also saw an unexpected change of management in November, with former managing director Nigel Wood returning to London - where Go-Ahead is headquartered - for personal reasons.

He was succeeded by Mr Cutts, who was previously the deputy chairman.

But the firm is in good shape now and is looking for new ways to improve commuters' experience, Mr Cutts told The Straits Times in an interview on Wednesday.

The company has a fleet of about 380 buses and operates 24 bus routes in the eastern part of the island.

It plans to roll out its 25th and final service, No. 68, in April - serving the Pasir Ris and Tampines area, via the Tampines North industrial estate.

In November 2015, Go-Ahead beat seven other short-listed firms to win the Loyang tender, giving it the rights to operate 25 services.

The first five months have been anything but smooth, but Mr Cutts said that the firm has learnt from the bumpy ride.

Read also: Go-Ahead scales back multiple route policy​

To better monitor staff morale and concerns, it now organises focus groups, has informal engagements and better work scheduling, to keep staff happy

"Our attrition over the last couple of months has been very low. We are talking maybe one or two a week, sometimes zero," he added.

In Singapore, over 1,000 bus drivers resign every year - a turnover rate of about 15 per cent.

Go-Ahead also scaled back on interlining, a practice in which bus drivers ply multiple routes - a source of unhappiness early on.

While interlining is widely used by Go-Ahead in Britain, it is applied sparingly in the industry here.

Mr Cutts said: "What we didn't realise was that for many bus captains who were coming over from other operators, it was not what they were used to."

Now, fewer than 10 per cent of bus drivers - mainly those who ply feeder services - interline, driving two or more routes in a day.

The firm also plans to go bigger on technology in the coming months.

It hopes to employ data analytics to analyse journey times between bus stops, so it can come out with more accurate bus schedules, Mr Cutts said.

It is also outfitting its buses with a telematics system - a device which can monitor a bus driver's driving behaviour, such as how hard he brakes, takes corners or accelerates.

Mr Cutts said drivers can be guided on their driving habits.

"If they are driving more smoothly, they are burning less fuel and giving our passengers a more comfortable and safe journey," he added.

The extra attention to detail has not gone unnoticed.

Recruitment executive Jennifer Tham, 27, who took service 2 last month, said the bus captain - whom she had earlier asked about the route, mentioning her stop - went the extra mile to wake her up after she fell asleep and nearly missed her stop. "It made my day, and I was really surprised he did that."

Government Parliamentary Committee for Transport deputy chairman Ang Hin Kee said of Go-Ahead's teething issues: "New operators need to figure out the right management style and business operations, and transit in smoothly. That is a challenge for any new player, local or foreign."

Read also: Go-Ahead Singapore to launch bus services on Sept

Go-Ahead takes over routes, Pasir Ris interchange

Go-Ahead Singapore raises starting basic salary of bus captains to $1,950

adrianl@sph.com.sg

This article was first published on Feb 03, 2017.
Get a copy of The Straits Times or go to straitstimes.com for more stories.

From March 1, there will be a cap on the amount that Indonesian domestic workers need to pay recruiters and agencies to work in Singapore.

It is set at no more than $2,700 for a two-year contract, the Indonesian Embassy said in a circular sent to Singapore agencies and recruiters in Indonesia on Tuesday.

The cap will be $2,550 for Indonesian domestic helpers from Java.

Its move comes after similar guidelines were announced last week for Filipino domestic workers, who should borrow only up to $1,100 to cover the costs in their home country before coming here.

The Indonesian letter to agencies also reminded them of the minimum monthly salary of $550 before payments in lieu of days off.

A spokesman for the Indonesian Embassy told The Straits Times yesterday that there are still workers being overcharged and receiving less than minimum wage.

She said the embassy is able to check employment terms and payment details when domestic workers renew their contracts or register for a compulsory identity card.

"If we see any agencies still giving high deductions or low pay, we will contact them to remind them. If they don't comply, we will impose a freeze on processing their paperwork," the spokesman said.

Besides agency fees here, the payment caps also include the fees for recruiters and expenses in Indonesia,which come to about $1,500 and $1,350 for workers from outside and within Java respectively.

There are an estimated 120,000 Indonesian domestic workers here.

Agents said recruiters in Indonesia will have to reduce the amount they charge, to meet the cap.

Although the cost structure was previously stated by the Indonesian authorities, some domestic workers have been paying sums of more than $3,000, said Association of Employment Agencies (Singapore) president K. Jayaprema.

She added that the embassy's latest message provides more clarity for all agents on how much they should be collecting from workers and employers.

"It levels the playing field for agencies, and hopefully employers will also be more aware of the rules," she said.

Humanitarian Organisation for Migration Economics acting executive director Jolovan Wham said that the fees are still too high and there should be greater transparency on the cost breakdown.

He added: "Excessive fees leave domestic workers demoralised as they spend months with little or no payment, and may already find it tough to cope with the stress of live-in domestic work."

Read also: Hiring maids becoming dearer with new rules

Pay maids' salaries through Giro​

Higher pay for Indonesian maids from next year

joseow@sph.com.sg

This article was first published on Feb 03, 2017.
Get a copy of The Straits Times or go to straitstimes.com for more stories.

SINGAPORE - On his 38th birthday on Friday (Feb 3), policeman Iskandar Rahmat failed in his bid to escape the gallows for the 2013 Kovan double murder, after Singapore's highest court dismissed his appeal, rejecting his claim that he had acted in self-defence.

In rejecting his appeal, the Court of Appeal said Iskandar had intendedto kill both victims - car workshop owner Tan Boon Sin, 67, and his son Chee Heong, 42 - and found his account to be "incredible" and "unbelievable".

After hearing the verdict, 16 family members and friends of the accused, including his parents and sister, took turns to talk to Iskandar, who was in the dock. Some were seen crying. The family declined to speak to reporters.

The next-of-kin of the two victims were not in court.

The appeal verdict marks the end of the saga in terms of the court process. The next step would be to file a clemency petition to the President.

Iskandar was found guilty in December 2015 of killing the two men on July 10, 2013, at the older Tan's Hillside Drive house in Kovan.

Iskandar fled in the older victim's Toyota Camry. The son's body was caught under his father's car and was dragged for more than 1km, leaving a trail of blood as onlookers watched in shock.

Iskandar, who was saddled with debts and facing imminent bankruptcy, said during his trial that his plan was just to rob the older Mr Tan and then run off with his valuables.

He said that the older man had attacked him with a knife first and he reacted in self-defence. When the son stepped into the house, he charged and threw a punch, said Iskandar, so he retaliated.

Iskandar's account was rejected by the High Court at the end of his trial.

Justice Tay Yong Kwang, pointing to the number and severity of the wounds inflicted on the two victims - mainly in the vital areas of the head, neck and chest - ruled that Iskandar had attacked "cruelly and relentlessly with the clear intention of causing death".

The older victim suffered 27 stab and slash wounds and died from a slit throat. His son, who was found with 20 knife wounds, died from a stab to the neck that damaged three major blood vessels. Iskandar had relatively minor injuries on his hands.

In October last year, Iskandar appealed against his murder conviction, raising the same argument that the older victim had attacked him first.

His lawyer also tried to admit a forensic pathology report to support his contention that Iskandar suffered defensive injuries and a psychiatric report to show that Iskandar suffered from an acute stress reaction and an adjustment disorder at the time, which qualified him for a defence of diminished responsibility.

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2015-07-30 11:32:17

Photo Gallery

Kovan double murder: Former policeman sentenced to hang

Source: The Straits Times, The New Paper, SPH

During the trial, the court heard that Iskandar, then a senior staff sergeant, learnt that the older victim kept a large amount of cash in a Certis Cisco safe deposit box, after Mr Tan lodged a police report about money being stolen from it.

In his plan to steal the remaining $600,000, Iskandar posed as an intelligence officer carrying out a sting operation to catch the thief.

He persuaded Mr Tan to take out all his valuables, on the pretext of putting a surveillance camera inside the safe deposit box. He then offered to escort Mr Tan to his three-storey terrace house.

Iskandar claimed that at the house, Mr Tan realised he was being tricked, became angry and attacked him with a knife. He said he wrested the knife from Mr Tan and slashed him in self- defence.

This article was first published on Feb 3, 2017.
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SINGAPORE - A scion of the family behind retail giant Metro, who is on trial for drug-related charges, admitted in a 2014 statement to the Central Narcotics Bureau that he smoked cannabis every day.

On the first day of his trial on Friday (Feb 3), the court heard that in the statement given on Oct 31 that year, Ong Jenn, now 41, also told Station Inspector (SI) Jeffrey Lim that he last smoked the drug before going to sleep just the day before.

Ong, who is represented by Senior Counsel (SC) Tan Chee Meng from WongPartnership, was first charged on Nov 1, 2014 with trafficking in cannabis, as well as possession and consumption of the drug.

Ong is accused of two counts engaging in a conspiracy with a man known as Mohamad Ismail Abdul Majid to traffick a controlled drug. The remaining six charges have been stood down.

Mohamad Ismail was found to be in possession of a block of 92.68g of vegetable matter later found to be cannabis near a bus stop along Jurong Port Road at around 4.20pm on Oct 30, 2014.

Mohamad Ismail was also allegedly found to be in possession of one block containing 385.1g of fragmented vegetable matter later found to be a cannabis mixture.

On Sept 16, 2015, he was jailed for 22 years and ordered to receive 18 strokes of the cane after pleading guilty to three of the seven drug-related charges against him.

Two of Mohamad Ismail's charges were related to Ong's current ones.

In his statement, Ong referred to Mohamad Ismail as "Mike". He also admitted that the $2,000 found in his possession when he was arrested at Ngee Ann City earlier that day on Oct 31, 2014, was to pay "Mike" for two blocks of "weed" - which is a slang for cannabis.

Ong had told SI Lim, who took the stand on Friday, that he had bought cannabis from Mohamad Ismail more than 15 times and that the drug was for his personal consumption.

In his argument, SC Tan said that unlike what was stated in the two proceeded charges, his client did not obtain the drug for trafficking.

Ong Jenn is the grandson of Metro founder Ong Tjoe Kim and the son of its former group managing director Jopie Ong.

The trial resumes this afternoon.

If convicted of engaging in a conspiracy to traffick the drug, Ong can be jailed between five and 20 years, and receive between five and 15 strokes of the cane for each count.

This article was first published on Feb 3, 2017.
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Malaysia said on Friday (Feb 3) it has filed an application at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to review a judgment made in May 2008 that awarded Pedra Branca to Singapore after making "discovery of some fact of such a nature as to be a decisive factor".

Malaysia filed the application to the ICJ on Thursday (Feb 2) over the sovereignty of the island, said a statement issued by Malaysia's Attorney-General Mohamed Apandi Ali. "The application was made by Malaysia upon the discovery of some fact of such a nature as to be a decisive factor, which fact was, when the judgment was given, unknown to the Court and also to Malaysia as the party claiming revision," the statement said.

"The discovery of the new facts is important and they should be ventilated in a court of law accordingly. Thus, as agreed by both parties in the Special Agreement, the International Court of Justice is the appropriate forum for this."

Tan Sri Apandi added in the statement: "We are also confident that the requirements as stipulated under Article 61 of the Statute of the International Court of Justice have been met in that, inter alia, the application for revision is brought within six (6) months of the discovery of the new fact, and within ten (10) years of the date of the Judgment." He did not elaborate on what the new discovery is.

The dispute pitted Malaysia's claim of original title to Pedra Branca against Singapore's claim of taking lawful possession in 1847 and continuous exercise of sovereignty ever since. The ICJ was also asked to determine to whom nearby Middle Rocks and South Ledge belong.

Malaysia's arguments

Malaysia's legal case rested on its claim that the Sultanate of Johor had possessed title to the island since its establishment in 1512. That original title was then transmitted to the State of Johor, and subsequently to the Federation of Malaya, which Johor joined in 1948.

To explain Singapore's presence on the island, Malaysia cited an 1844 letter that it claimed was a grant of permission by the Johor rulers to the British, for the latter to build and operate a lighthouse there. Malaysia argued that the British and their successor, Singapore, were merely lighthouse operators and never exercised sovereignty over the island.

Singapore's arguments

Singapore said Pedra Branca was terra nullius, or no man's land, when the British took lawful possession of it in 1847.

Britain's conduct from 1847 to 1851, in financing and building Horsburgh Lighthouse, and building piers and rain channels on the island, showed its intention to take sovereign control of the island. Britain thus acquired title to the island through its peaceful occupation of it.

Subsequently, Britain and, later, Singapore, maintained that title through an open, continuous and effective display of state authority over the island from the 1850s up to the present. In international law, such conduct is known as effectivites.

Singapore also noted that Malaysia never once protested against Singapore's exercise of sovereignty over the island. Then, in 1979, Malaysia asserted a "belated claim" by publishing a map that placed Pedra Branca within its territorial waters for the first time, it said.

Singapore also produced a 1953 letter from Johor's top civil servant at that time to the British authorities, in which the former wrote that "Johore does not claim ownership of Pedra Branca". That letter, Singapore argued, was a disclaimer of title by Johor that was binding on Malaysia.
 

The court's judgment

The court recognised that Johor had the original title to Pedra Branca, but ruled that by 1980, when the dispute over the island crystallised, sovereignty over Pedra Branca had passed to Singapore.

It found that the island remained in the sovereignty of Johor when the British made preparations in 1844 to build Horsburgh Lighthouse there. But the court noted that sovereignty over territory might pass as a result of the failure of the state that has sovereignty to respond to concrete manifestations of the display of territorial sovereignty by the other state.

It noted that Johor's 1953 reply showed that as of then, Johor understood that it did not have sovereignty over Pedra Branca/Pulau Batu Puteh.

It found Singapore's activities since then - investigating shipwrecks, granting permission to Malaysian officials to visit and survey surrounding waters, installing military communications equipment, and proposing reclamation plans - a titre de souverain, that is, conduct that confers title on the party responsible. It also noted the failure of Malaysia and its predecessors to respond to the conduct of Singapore or its predecessors, ruling that by 1980, sovereignty over Pedra Branca had passed to Singapore.

The court also found that the original title to Middle Rocks should remain with Malaysia as the successor to the Sultanate of Johor. As for South Ledge, which falls within the overlapping territorial waters generated by both larger maritime features, the court ruled that it belongs to the state in whose territorial waters it is located.

Read also: Johor Sultan seeks to reopen Pedra Branca case

This article was first published on February 3, 2017.
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Singapore's legal team is closely studying Malaysia's application and documentation for a revision of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) judgment on sovereignty over Pedra Branca, Middle Rocks and South Ledge, a Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) spokesman said yesterday.

The team includes senior lawyers well acquainted with the issue. It includes Attorney-General Lucien Wong, former deputy prime minister and law minister S. Jayakumar, Ambassador-at-Large Tommy Koh and former Chief Justice Chan Sek Keong.

Professor Jayakumar, Professor Koh and Mr Chan were leading figures in the team that represented Singapore when Singapore and Malaysia referred the dispute over Pedra Branca, Middle Rocks and South Ledge to the ICJ in 2003. Both countries made their respective cases at a three-week-long hearing in 2007 before judges of the ICJ in The Hague, the Netherlands.

In its 2008 judgment, the ICJ found that sovereignty over Pedra Branca belonged to Singapore, sovereignty over Middle Rocks belonged to Malaysia and sovereignty over South Ledge belongs to the state in the territorial waters of which it is located.

Read Also: Malaysia seeks to revise judgment on Pedra Branca, citing discovery of 'new facts'

The three features in the Singapore Strait are located some 40km east of the Republic's main island.

Yesterday, the MFA spokesman noted of the ICJ's ruling: "Its judgment was final, binding and without appeal."

He added: "Under Article 61 of the Statute of the ICJ, an application for revision of a judgment may be made only when it is based upon the discovery of some fact of such a nature as to be a decisive factor, and which was, when judgment was given, unknown to the court and the party claiming revision. Such an application must be made within 10 years of the date of the judgment, and at latest within six months of the discovery of the new fact.

"Malaysia has informed us that it has made an application for revision of the ICJ's judgment."

Malaysia filed its application to revise the judgment on Thursday.

Its Attorney-General Mohamed Apandi Ali said in a statement that the application was made "upon the discovery of some fact of such a nature as to be a decisive factor, which fact was, when the judgment was given, unknown to the court and also to Malaysia as the party claiming revision".

He added: "We are also confident that the requirements as stipulated under Article 61 of the Statute of the International Court of Justice have been met in that... the application for revision is brought within six months of the discovery of the new fact, and within 10 years of the date of the judgment."

He did not elaborate on what the new discovery entailed.

But Mr Apandi noted that Malaysia's application for a revision of the judgment is "a continuation of the process" both countries embarked on when they agreed to submit the dispute on sovereignty over Pedra Branca, Middle Rocks and South Ledge to the ICJ.

He added: "The discovery of the new facts is important, and they should be ventilated in a court of law accordingly. Thus, as agreed by both parties in the Special Agreement, the ICJ is the appropriate forum for this."

The ICJ comprises 15 judges, who are elected to nine-year terms by the United Nations General Assembly and the UN Security Council.

Singapore will submit its observations to the ICJ after studying Malaysia's application.

At the same time, the ICJ will begin deciding on the admissibility of the application - that is, whether the facts submitted were presented within six months of being discovered, as well as whether they are decisive.

The Straits Times understands that this process alone may take more than a year to complete.

If the court decides that the criteria are met, the case will go on to the next stage of proceedings.

Representatives of both countries may also have to appear before the ICJ to argue their case.

ICJ ruling on dispute

In 2008, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) awarded Pedra Branca to Singapore. It recognised that Johor had the original title to Pedra Branca, but found that sovereignty over the island had passed to Singapore by the time the dispute crystallised in 1980.

Malaysia had argued that the Sultanate of Johor had possessed the title to the island since its establishment in 1512. That original title was then transmitted to the State of Johor, and subsequently to the Federation of Malaya.

It also put forth that the British and their successor, Singapore, were merely lighthouse operators and never exercised sovereignty over the island.

Singapore's case was that Pedra Branca was terra nullius, or no man's land, when the British took lawful possession of it in 1847.

In building the Horsburgh Lighthouse and other infrastructure, Britain showed its intention to take sovereign control of the island. Subsequently, Britain, and later, Singapore, maintained that title through an open, continuous and effective display of state authority over the island from the 1850s up to the present.

Singapore noted that Malaysia never once protested against Singapore's exercise of sovereignty over the island. It also produced a 1953 letter from Johor's top civil servant at that time to the British authorities, in which the former wrote that "Johor does not claim ownership of Pedra Branca".

The ICJ noted that Johor's 1953 reply showed that as of then, Johor understood that it did not have sovereignty over Pedra Branca.

It found Singapore's activities since then - investigating shipwrecks, granting permission to Malaysian officials to visit and survey surrounding waters, installing military communications equipment, and proposing reclamation plans - a titre de souverain, that is, conduct that confers title on the party responsible.

The court also found that the original title to Middle Rocks - two smaller outcrops nearby - should remain with Malaysia as the successor to the Sultanate of Johor.

As for South Ledge, the court said it belongs to the state in whose territorial waters it is located.

TIMELINE

1979

• Dec 21: Malaysia publishes a new map of its territorial waters and continental shelf, including Pedra Branca in its territory.

1980

• Feb 14: Singapore's Ministry of Foreign Affairs issues a diplomatic note rejecting Malaysia's new claim.

1981

• Dec 17: Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew and his Malaysian counterpart Mahathir Mohamad agree to resolve the ownership of Pedra Branca through the exchange of documents.

1994

• Sept 6: Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong and Dr Mahathir agree to submit the Pedra Branca case to the International Court of Justice (ICJ). Officials meet nine months later.

2003

• Feb 6: Singapore and Malaysia sign a pact to refer the Pedra Branca dispute to the ICJ.

2004

• March 25: Singapore and Malaysia submit their first set of written arguments on the Pedra Branca dispute to the ICJ.

2007

• Nov 6-23: A three-week hearing before 16 judges of the ICJ in The Hague begins. Singapore and Malaysia put up their cases.

2008

• May 23: The ICJ delivers its ruling, awarding Pedra Branca to Singapore, Middle Rocks to Malaysia, and South Ledge to the state in whose territorial waters it is located. Both sides have since met regularly to discuss the implementation of the ICJ judgment.

ziliang@sph.com.sg

reme@sph.com.sg

This article was first published on February 4, 2017.
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A childcare centre that was ordered on Tuesday by the authorities to close next month, was yesterday told that it can remain open, on the condition that the amount it owes be paid by March 7.

Character Montessori in Punggol was served a lease termination notice after owing the Singapore Land Authority (SLA) two months of rental fees.

After factoring in interest for the late payment and GST, the outstanding sum is about $72,000.

About 90 children are enrolled at the centre.

There are four other centres in the pre-school chain, but they are not affected, according to Chinese evening daily Lianhe Wanbao's report on Thursday.

The centre had been given "numerous e-mail reminders" and two "notices of demand" since Nov 10 last year, and was told its lease would be terminated on March 31.

Its founding principal Grace Yong told The Straits Times that after she e-mailed Minister for Social and Family Development Tan Chuan-Jin on Thursday to appeal for help, the centre was told yesterday morning that it could remain open, provided it pay the outstanding sum, as well as the February rent of about $32,000, by March 7.

Responding to queries, an SLA spokesman said the centre had been "persistently late with rental payments" since February last year, and SLA issued 14 notices of demand, followed by four termination notices from May to November. However, these were withdrawn after the centre made late payment of its rental arrears.

Last December, SLA learnt that the centre was under receivership.

After the centre did not pay rent that month and last month, SLA issued notices of demand.

SLA said the centre made a proposal to settle the outstanding amount, and "should (the centre) adhere to its proposal and settles all outstanding arrears, it can continue operating at the premises".

The centre told parents on Wednesday that two incidents had "drained our financial buffers significantly".

An administrator allegedly embezzled more than $120,000 over two years till the middle of last year, when the deed was discovered during a financial audit. She was sacked and has been arrested.

The centre has also had to pay more than double its previous rental rate, after bidding for its site at 420, Punggol Road, in 2014.

The site was up for tender then as the centre's lease was due to expire.

Ms Yong said she is "confident" of meeting the deadline to pay the amount owed.

"We've taken cost-cutting measures since the last quarter of last year, such as reducing the headcount at our HQ."

Said housewife Q. Ren, 34: "I'm somewhat relieved that the centre won't close, as the teachers are really good. But I hope the management will keep to its promise (of resolving the issues). It'd be a pity if the teachers leave because of this."

Rental rates in the spotlight

Character Montessori's monthly rent in Punggol Road is an eye-watering $32,050 for a building with an indoor space of under 500 sq m.

That it was almost forced to close down after being in arrears in payments to its landlord, the Singapore Land Authority (SLA), has cast a spotlight on the rents that childcare centres face.

What Character Montessori paid is not unusual in the sector, based on checks of other recent open site tenders.

Some centres in Housing Board void decks pay monthly rents of about $20,000 for sites with a floor area of about 500 sq m.

This is despite efforts by the authorities to curb rental costs. In 2013, the Early Childhood Development Agency and the SLA stopped the practice of awarding sites to the childcare firm that offers to pay the most.

Such a practice often sparked bidding wars among operators and pushed up fees for parents.

In the new tender-evaluation process, the bid price makes up only half the score, with the rest - the "Q-score" for quality - made up by other criteria such as the fees the childcare centre charges as well as its track record.

In the case of the Punggol Road site, the last open tender took place in 2014.

There were 12 bidders.

The highest bid was $32,555 and the lowest was $19,000.

Character Montessori - which had occupied the site since 2007 - bid $32,050, more than double the rental rate it had paid previously.

The top bidder, Kindle Preschool, did not get the site as it had a low Q-score of nine points out of 50.

Character Montessori tied with Knowledge Universe at 89 points overall out of 100, with equal scores in the bid price and quality components.

It was eventually selected through a random ballot.

Character Montessori's founding principal Grace Yong blamed the high rent as a reason it had delayed making payment.

"The doubling of rent increased our costs significantly and impacted our cash flow more than expected," she wrote in appeal letters to MPs.

Queried over why the company had gone ahead to bid at a rate that it could barely afford, Ms Yong argued that the bid price "still plays a key role" in the awarding of sites.

"If the bid price we offer is less than the average price among the bidders, we lose some points (in the score)," she told The Straits Times.

The average bid was about $25,710 for the Punggol Road site.

The proportion of operating costs that goes to rent varies across centres, as this partly depends on how many teachers the centre hires, and can range from 10 per cent to as much as 50 per cent.

But cost pressures come mainly from rent and staff costs.

goyshiyi@sph.com.sg

This article was first published on February 4, 2017.
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The co-owner of a popular popiah store in Joo Chiat died in 2012 after taking a dangerous mix of medication.

But it was just by accident.

The coroner had earlier ruled his death a suicide.

The Court of Appeal finding now entitles his estate to claims of $1.2 million from personal accident insurance policies.

In judgment grounds released on Thursday, the apex court overturned a ruling last year that dismissed his family's insurance claims against AIA Singapore, clarifying what makes for an accident as described in a personal accident insurance policy, in order to qualify for an insurance payout.

The Court of Appeal had to consider the question: Did Mr Quek Kiat Siong know it could end his life when he took the medicinal drugs that caused his death?

According to the forensic pathologist, he died from multi-organ failure with acute lung bleeding due to mixed drug intoxication.

Chief Justice Sundaresh Menon said in a written judgment that the evidence points to a 50-year-old who was resilient, made plans for the future and had no lack of desire to carry on with life.

On Aug 4, 2012, Mr Quek was found lying unresponsive on his bedroom floor.

Besides previously being admitted to hospital for back pain, he was treated for anxiety, depression and insomnia, and was prescribed 14 drugs by different doctors.

His family's bid to make insurance claims in 2013 was rejected, after his death was ruled a suicide by the coroner.

His elder sister Victoria then took out a civil case in 2014 against AIA to seek payouts on two personal accident policies.

Defence lawyers Lim Tong Chuan and Joel Wee of Tan Peng Chin LLC said AIA was not liable as Mr Quek must have intentionally overdosed, and his death was not accidental or involuntary, as drug consumption is not an involuntary act.

Last April, Justice Judith Prakash ruled that Mr Quek "probably deliberately consumed more medication than he should have", causing his death.

His family, represented by lawyers Melanie Ho, Chang Man Phing and Tang Shangwei of Wong Partnership, appealed against the decision.

They said he might not have consumed more than was prescribedand his state of mind did not suggest he had planned to take his life.

The apex court found that the quantity and variety of drugs prescribed to Mr Quek were at the high end.

Even in the prescribed doses, they could result in the adverse reactions that led to his death.

The forensic pathologist said the combination of medication killed him.

The court also found that Mr Quek seemed to be in a positive mood in CCTV footage the night before he was found dead.

He also bought two second-hand luxury cars in the previous month despite never owning a motor vehicle before, and moved to a house in Everitt Road to avoid falls at home and cope with his back pain.

These were positive signs, and it was likely he took his medication as prescribed, not expecting it to cause death, the Chief Justice said.

Even if Mr Quek did not follow the prescription, he would still be within the scope of the insured risk if he did not intend or expect to suffer injury, added the Chief Justice.

In response to queries, AIA Singapore said it "will be in touch with the Quek family soon to arrange for payment to the insured's estate".

Read Also: Insurance suit: Man's death 'not accident'

'Death of family hero a great loss'

Mr Quek Kiat Siong was found lying unresponsive on his bedroom floor in the family's Everitt Road house on Aug 4, 2012, after consuming medicinal drugs.

He had been prescribed 14 drugs by different doctors and was taking up to 26 pills every day, the written judgment revealed.

"His death was a great loss to the family," said his elder sister Victoria, 60, who also helps to run the family business which their father started in 1938 in Joo Chiat Road.

Mr Quek, who was single, had lived in the Joo Chiat Road premises for most of his life with Ms Quek and another sister.

She said her brother would be up at 5.30am every day to get the family business going.

The co-owner of the popular Kway Guan Huat Joo Chiat Popiah & Kueh Pie Tie would prepare the dough for the popiah skin and fix up the hot pan before having his breakfast, said Ms Quek.

"After his national service, it was the same routine for him every day," she told The Straits Times.

"He was very actively involved in the family business."

The fourth youngest in a family of 16 siblings, Mr Quek stopped the heavy lifting only after seeking treatment for a back injury in 2009.

He developed symptoms of depression when he was no longer able to carry out many manual tasks.

In July 2012, Mr Quek was admitted to Mount Elizabeth Novena Hospital because of his back pain.

He was also receiving treatment for anxiety, depression and insomnia.

In January 2013, the family was told the insurance claim was not payable because the coroner had found his death to be a suicide.Later in the year, AIA added that Mr Quek "must have sustained bodily injury in an accident before the sum assured is payable".

"We were sure that he would not have taken his own life," said Ms Quek.

"He had been making major plans, such as how to expand the family business and how to get the children involved."

Besides its day-to-day operations, Mr Quek handled the strategic decisions and administrative work, she said.

"To all of us, he was a hero," Ms Quek added.

He was generous to his nieces and nephews, even buying a car for one of his nephews.

"He was the uncle who was able to rally the younger nephews and nieces to learn the trade of popiah-making. He mentored...seven of them to come on board," she said.

One of his nephews, Mr Michael Ker, 40, gave up being a pharmacist to succeed Mr Quek after his death.

On the appeal result, Ms Quek said: "It's not about the insurance money; it's about who he was as a person and the honour of our family."

Read Also: Insurance battle over unusual death

byseow@sph.com.sg

This article was first published on February 4, 2017.
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Help doc, too much meds are making me sick
 

Avoid mixing TCM with cancer drugs

Alexandra Hospital feels more like a chalet than a hospital.

The three-storey hospital blocks - comprising several linked buildings - are spread across sprawling grounds of 130,000 sq m, surrounded by greenery.

It even has a football field.

Its corridors are wide and airy and the hospital's main entrance at Block 1 overlooks a butterfly garden facing Alexandra Road.

Mr Lee Yan Chang, an executive architect from the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA), says: "The intention was to provide airy spaces and encourage fresh air to circulate through the grounds so patients could recuperate - fresh natural air was considered 'health giving'.

Furthermore, there was no air-conditioning back then, so that is why the buildings are more spread out."

Members of the public are encouraged to enjoy the greenery at the hospital, especially the butterfly garden.

Mr Lee says: "The butterfly garden is a unique community landmark of the area that offers a quiet sanctuary everyone can enjoy. It is worth a visit if you are in the vicinity."

But beneath the serenity of the hospital's grounds lies an unsettling history: Staff and patients at the hospital were massacred by Japanese troops on Feb 14, 1942, during the Japanese invasion.

In recognition of the hospital's WWII history, the National Heritage Board marked it as a Historic Site in 1998.

377365

2017-02-04 14:17:06

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Japanese troops killed staff and patients at Alexandra Hospital in WWII

Source:

The Straits Times

Berita Harian

Built in 1938 by the British Armed Forces, it was originally known as the British Military Hospital until it was handed over to the Singapore Government in 1971 for a symbolic $1.

It was then opened to the public as a general hospital.

Mr Lee adds that it is rare to find old hospital buildings which still function as hospitals today.

"Look at the Old Changi Hospital - it's no longer used as one," he says, referring to the hospital's old premises in Halton Road in Changi.

It moved to new premises in Simei in 1997.

Alexandra Hospital's simplified neo-Classical-style buildings, typical of military buildings built in the 1930s such as the former military camp Gillman Barracks, are made of reinforced concrete with walls filled with local bricks.

However, the centre protruding structure at the front of Block 1 is not part of the building's original architecture.

It was added during one of the many renovations the hospital underwent from the 1970s to 1990s - the exact year it was added is not known - to provide shelter at the drop-off point.

During the renovations, the original glass louvres and mild steel frames at Block 1 were replaced with tinted full-glass windows and its pre-cast concrete cross balustrades on its facade were filled up.

This allowed the hospital to extend the rooms for additional space to meet the growing needs of its patients.

Three blocks - 1, 2 and 6 - were gazetted for conservation by the URA in June 2014.

"What's unique about Singapore's redevelopment is that it is a nice balance between keeping the heritage and meeting the modern needs - in this case, helping to meet the increase in demand for hospital beds," says Mr Lee.

"In terms of heritage, we get to keep the most significant buildings of Alexandra Hospital as a reminder of it being a military hospital and its involvement in WWII."

alywoo@sph.com.sg

This article was first published on February 4, 2017.
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Hawker centres are set to reinvent themselves.

They could be remodelled into spaces hosting community events and a training ground for future generations that will keep the trade alive.

This is the vision of the Hawker Centre 3.0 Committee, tasked with breathing life into a sector suffering from an ageing workforce and a shortage of new blood.

The 14-member committee, which spoke to more than 800 people over the last year, has made proposals that could change the hawker centre as we know it.

Centres could come with free Wi-Fi, for instance, or have a centralised dishwashing service and even stalls where aspiring hawkers can try their hand at the trade, according to the committee's report submitted yesterday.

One major issue is the growing demand for food sellers, particularly with 20 more hawker centres expected to be built by 2027.

However, it has been hard to attract younger Singaporeans to what they see as a back-breaking profession. Today, the median age of hawkers is 59.

To make the sector more appealing, the committee's proposals are geared towards supporting new hawkers and raising the productivity of existing ones.

They also aim to turn food centres into social spaces for community events and even performances.

This idea is also to encourage a considerate hawker culture - where patrons return trays, for instance.

Said committee chair Amy Khor, Senior Minister of State for the Environment and Water Resources: "The vision is for our hawker centres to be appealing and vibrant social spaces where people from all walks of life can enjoy affordable and tasty food... and where hawkers can continue to make a decent livelihood."

Mrs Rosa Daniel, committee member and chief executive of the National Heritage Board, pointed out that hawker centres today are more than just places where people gather to eat.

"If you can make it a space where experiences are memorable and enjoyable, that would be better," she said.

This effort has already started, with hawker centres featured on heritage trails, for instance.

The committee proposed that a few stalls in some centres be used as "incubation" stalls for aspiring hawkers to experience the profession for some time, and provide structured training in cooking hawker fare and running a hawker business.

Centralised dishwashing services so that hawkers do not have to wash their own dishes, cashless payment systems, as well as equipment that automates repetitive tasks like the chopping of onions and chilli, were also suggested to raise productivity and keep costs low.

Environment and Water Resources Minister Masagos Zulkifli said his ministry is studying the report.

Hawkers and patrons welcomed the proposals, though some pointed to the hurdles.

Ms Grace Ow, 36, who runs a Hokkien noodle stall in Bukit Timah Food Centre, pointed out that about $10,000 is needed to start off as a hawker, which deters many.

"The incubation stalls allow them to know if they like the job before taking the plunge," she said.

Foodie K.F. Seetoh, founder of food guide Makansutra, felt some ideas were not new.

"But we need action and a diligent call for it," he said.

Administrative manager Karen Kan, 42, said that while the idea of having performances in hawker centres could make them more vibrant, most people just eat and go.

"Moreover, hawker centres are already buzzing with noise and chatter," she said.

samboh@sph.com.sg

This article was first published on February 4, 2017.
Get a copy of The Straits Times or go to straitstimes.com for more stories.

Aspiring hawkers may get a chance to see if they can make the cut at "incubation stalls", where they will be provided with basic equipment and learn the trade from more experienced hawkers.

This was one of the recommendations in the report submitted by the Hawker Centre 3.0 Committee to the Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources yesterday.

Mr Wong Kok Weng, 36, who quit selling mobile phones to start a salad stall in Amoy Street Food Centre in 2015, said having incubation stalls is a great idea.

The first six months were an uphill struggle, he said.

"At first, I wasted a lot of food and time as I didn't know how much and when to prepare."

Despite being surrounded by food, he was eating one meal a day.

"I didn't dare to eat as I didn't know when customers would turn up," he recalled.

"Over time, fellow hawkers gave me advice on the peak hours, and I also learnt that some items can be prepared the night before. But not all stalls are so helpful, as they may be worried that you will take business away from them," added Mr Wong, who runs a one-man show.

Mr Douglas Ng, 26, who started a fishball noodle stall in Golden Mile Food Centre in 2014, said the incubation stalls would be a good start.

He said that whether they really help budding hawkers would depend on whether the hawkers would need to pay rent and other costs during their stint.

This was not specified in the recommendations.

When he started out, Mr Ng forked out $2,500 a month in rent from his savings, and broke even after 11/2 years.

Mr Fabian Toh, 36, who sells Cantonese dessert in Chinatown food centre, represents the latest generation in a family business that goes back to 1966.

He said many new hawkers try too hard to be creative, offer too many varietiesor are overconfident about recipes, which could lead to disappointment.

"If you want to cook something, just cook that something and make sure you do a good job. The rest doesn't really matter," said Mr Toh.

Mr K.F. Seetoh, founder of food guide Makansutra, said implementing the incubation stalls idea would not be simple, as "some dishes require more than basics as a start".

"For example, a bak chor mee (stall) requires blanching stations, mise en place sections and a back wok station to make sauces and sambal, differing from, say, a chicken rice stall," he noted.

"So, this has to be properly managed to meet the expectations of a new and eager set of street food chefs."

Automation and pooling resources the way to go for food centres

At Bukit Merah Central Food Centre, hawkers do not have to wash their own dishes or utensils.

Instead, they pay a fee for their dirty crockery and cutlery to be taken away and washed at a factory, and returned the next morning.

For Madam Irene Koh, 58, that saves her about $400 - the additional amount of money she would have had to fork out each month to hire someone to help her clean up.

"It saves time, labour and water... It has made our lives easier," said Madam Koh, who runs Mei Ji Fish Ball Noodle with her husband.

A central dishwashing service was among the recommendations proposed by the Hawker Centre 3.0 Committee yesterday, to improve productivity at hawker centres, a move that can help keep costs lower for hawkers and, in turn, patrons.

Pooling resources and buying in bulk from suppliers, and using equipment to automate repetitive tasks such as the chopping of vegetables, were also highlighted.

Hawkers interviewed said they were open to buying common ingredients such as noodles, rice, salt and sugar in bulk as that would drive down their expenses, though they would still have to buy their own key ingredients such as prawns, for instance.

As for new machinery, some pointed out that this would be difficult because their stalls were too small.

However, automation made sense for Mr Raymond Tan, 59, who runs a dumpling stall in Block 50A, Marine Terrace, as he got weaker with age.

Last year, he spent $15,000 on a customised wok that stirs its content automatically.

Now, he is able to fry 20kg of pork at a go, double the previous amount. "I think this machine will help me stay in business longer," he said.

Senior Minister of State for the Environment and Water Resources Amy Khor, the committee chairman, noted that hawkers are wary of any additional costs, and said the team has suggested that the Government consider an incentive scheme to get them on board such productivity-enhancing initiatives.

"Hawker centres are close to the hearts of Singaporeans, and our recommendations are aimed at supporting Singaporeans who aspire to join the hawker trade, while at the same time ensuring that the public will continue to have access to affordable and tasty food in a clean and pleasant environment," she said.

samboh@sph.com.sg

linyc@sph.com.sg

This article was first published on February 4, 2017.
Get a copy of The Straits Times or go to straitstimes.com for more stories.