Asia Pulp and Paper (APP), one of the Indonesian companies blamed for the record-breaking haze that affected Singapore in 2015, has not provided enough information to the Singapore authorities investigating the fires.

APP has been opaque with information, despite the National Environment Agency's 17-month investigation under the Transboundary Haze Pollution Act into the firms believed to be responsible for the haze, said a spokesman yesterday.

In September 2015, at the height of the worst haze episode to plague Singapore, the NEA served APP a legal notice under Section 10 of the Act, requesting information on four of its suppliers, as fires had been detected on their lands. APP has an office in Singapore.

"The information provided by APP to date has been limited and more information is still being sought from them for NEA's investigations into these four companies," said an NEA spokesman.

The Transboundary Haze Pollution Act, passed in Parliament in August 2014, targets those responsible for causing or condoning fires if burning results in unhealthy levels of haze here.

It was wielded for the first time in 2015, with the NEA serving legal notices to a total of six Indonesian companies under Section 9 of the Act, asking them to take immediate measures to stop the fires that caused the haze.

Number of Indonesian companies the NEA served legal notices to in 2015 under Section 9 of the Transboundary Haze Pollution Act, asking them to take immediate measures to stop the fires that caused the haze.

The four APP suppliers - Bumi Andalas Permai, Bumi Mekar Hijau, Sebangun Bumi Andalas Woods Industries and Rimba Hutani Mas - were among the six.

The other two were Bumi Sriwijaya Sentosa and Wachyuni Mandira. NEA said yesterday that both companies have responded to the notices, saying they were no longer associated with the affected lands before the fires occurred in 2015.

"Following NEA's further investigation based on the information provided, NEA accepted these explanations and closed these two cases," said the spokesman.

He declined to provide details of how the claims of both companies were verified.

He added that the four APP suppliers, however, have not responded to NEA's letters despite repeated reminders.

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Photo Gallery

The haze situation in Southeast Asia from Oct 18 to 28

Source: Reuters, AFP, The Straits Times, Berita Harian

The letters were sent under Section 9 of the Act, and had requested that the companies take immediate measures to stop the fires that caused the haze.

NEA said it will seek to interview the directors of these companies if they enter Singapore.

One of them had already been served with a notice to be interviewed by NEA when he was in Singapore. However, he failed to turn up for the interview.

The NEA has since obtained a court warrant, which means that if the director enters Singapore, he may be detained by NEA for investigations.

The move to issue the court warrant was first announced last May, prompting Indonesian Foreign Ministry official Arrmanatha Nasir to say then that his government was not in favour of the law.

APP declined to comment on NEA's charge that it did not provide enough information.

Those found guilty under the Act can be fined up to $100,000 a day for causing unhealthy haze, defined as a 24-hour Pollutant Standards Index value of 101 or greater for 24 hours or more. The fine is capped at a total of $2 million.

Ms Zhang Wen of Singapore-based volunteer group People's Movement to Stop Haze said she hopes both NEA and APP can provide more clarity. "We understand that the investigation is ongoing, but if investigation findings are made accessible, the public would have a clearer picture of whether the company is accountable for the haze," she said.

This article was first published on Mar 03, 2017.
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The money that people pay for using water is enough to cover only the operations of national water agency PUB and the depreciation of its water works, pipelines and water reclamation plants, Finance Minister Heng Swee Keat said yesterday.

The annual surpluses PUB gets are transferred to its reserves to finance its plants and equipment, he told the House, addressing the issue of the water price hike that surfaced throughout the Budget debate.

"The Government pays for part of the total cost of securing a safe and clean supply of water for our people and businesses," he added, as he underlined the strategic value of water and updated members on plans for investments in the water system.

PUB intends to invest $4 billion on additional water infrastructure in the next five years.

The sewerage network will be improved as well.

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Photo Gallery

Singapore's fifth NEWater plant at Changi

Source:

The Straits Times

A deep tunnel sewerage system, costing more than $4 billion, will be completed in 2025.

Another $3 billion will be spent on other sewerage network projects, and to strengthen the resilience of the water supply, in the next five years.

These expenses exceed the revenue from the water conservation tax, which is expected to be about $1.6 billion in the five-year period, he added.

Over the past three days, MPs had voiced residents' concerns that business and living costs were expected to go up with the 30 per cent hike in water price, which will take effect in two phases, starting in July this year.

Others, however, stressed that water is a precious resource as Singapore's existence hinges on it, and that the price of water should reflect its value.

Read Also: Water price hike necessary, but why now?

"Water sufficiency is a matter of national survival," Mr Heng said, as he noted how founding Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew "obsessed over water since the Separation Agreement".

"Securing a sustainable water supply for Singapore has been an all- consuming pursuit of the Government since Independence. We lodged our water agreements with the United Nations, invested in a strong defence force and developed strong capabilities in water technologies," he added.

"Singaporeans have enjoyed uninterrupted and high-quality drinking water through rainy weather and droughts alike. This is not mere good fortune or our birthright. Rather, it is the result of long-term planning, a can-do attitude, innovation and sound policy," he said.

Mr Heng reiterated a point Environment and Water Resources Minister Masagos Zulkifli made on Tuesday, that the cornerstone of Singapore's policy on water is pricing it on sound economic principles to reflect its "long-run marginal cost" - that is, the cost of supplying the next available drop of water, which is likely to come from Newater and desalination plants.

"This ensures that users will conserve water, and we can make timely investments in the water system," he said.

Yesterday, Ms Sylvia Lim (Aljunied GRC) of the Workers' Party asked why a proposed carbon tax will be implemented only in 2019, but Singaporeans were not given a similar two-year notice for the increase in water price.

Read Also: Price hike reflects scarcity value of water: Masagos

Mr Heng said the carbon tax is new and it will take time to study carefully the details before rolling it out.

"A more fundamental point is whether Ms Lim agrees that water is of strategic significance and that we should each do our part," he added.

See water price hike in perspective, says PM Lee

Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong joined the discussion on the water price hike with a Facebook post yesterday, saying he hoped the debate in Parliament on the issue will remind Singaporeans of the value of water:

"The water price increase has triggered sharp reactions from Singaporeans. Two ministers - Chan Chun Sing and Masagos Zulkifli - spoke about this in Parliament yesterday(Wednesday).

They explained why water is an existential issue for Singapore, and why this price increase is unavoidable.

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Photo Gallery

Budget 2017: Heng Swee Keat receives warm welcome back in Parliament

Source:

The Straits Times

Singapore is an island, yet we are one of the most water-stressed countries in the world.

We have enough water today only because of our unremitting efforts since independence. For us, water will always be a strategic resource, and a matter of national security.

The Pioneer Generation knew this. So do the generations of servicemen and women who have defended Singapore.

In this situation, we have to price water properly.

Then every time we turn on the tap, we are conscious of how precious each drop is.

Read Also: Water price hike hot topic on Day 1 of Budget debate

We last revised water prices in 1997 - a long time ago. Since then, we have developed Newater.

We have also invested in desalination, which is cheaper than before but still expensive.

We need to build more Newater and desalination plants.

That is why the cost of producing water has gone up, and tariffs must rise.

We should see the 30 per cent increase in perspective.

Read Also: Budget 2017's water price hike: What you're not hearing about the 30% increase

Many households will get additional U-Save rebates.

So one- and two-room HDB households will not see any nett increase at all.

For most other HDB flats, the nett increase will only be between $2 and $11 per month.

For three-quarters of businesses, water bills will go up by less than a $1 per day ($25 per month). Minister Masagos shared these in his speech.

I hope this public debate reminds us how important and valuable water is, and how we can all help to conserve water, so that we always have enough water in Singapore."

5 KEY QUESTIONS ON WATER

1. WHY MUST THE PRICE OF WATER RISE?

The price of water has to reflect what is called the long-run marginal cost (LRMC) - that is, the cost of supplying the next available drop of water.

This is likely to come from Newater and desalination plants.

As there is a limit to recycling used water in Newater plants, three desalination plants are being built within the next three years.

As more used water is reclaimed for Newater, the liquid waste is more difficult and costly to treat.

Building pipes to deliver water has also become pricier, as Singapore becomes more built up.

Pricing water right will ensure users conserve it, and enable investments in water infrastructure.

2. WHY HIKE THE PRICE NOW?

The price of water has not gone up in 17 years, since 2000. There is never a good time to raise prices, noted Finance Minister Heng Swee Keat.

But the costs of producing water are rising. PUB plans to invest $4 billion in additional water infrastructure over the next five years.

The Government is also making investments in the sewerage network.

This includes the Deep Tunnel Sewerage System, which will be ready in 2025 and will cost more than $4 billion.

Another $3 billion will also be spent on other sewerage network projects, and to strengthen the resilience of the island's water supply.

Also, water levels in Johor's Linggiu Reservoir, from which Singapore draws its water, have been falling in recent years, and climate change could worsen matters.

3. HOW DID 30 PER CENT FIGURE COME ABOUT?

The Government still needs to build more desalination plants and Newater plants.

So details on the costs involved in aspects of water production are commercially sensitive, and revealing specifics could prejudice future bids.

But Environment and Water Resources Minister Masagos Zulkifli told MPs that even with the 30 per cent hike, the price of water would be below cost.

4. HASN'T TECHNOLOGY HELPED?

Technologically, Singapore has squeezed everything it can from the current water processing technology.

It will take several more years to achieve the next breakthrough and bring it to a deployable scale.

5. WOULDN'T THERE BE A KNOCK-ON EFFECT ON OTHER COSTS?

The price hike translates into 75 per cent of businesses seeing an increase of less than $25 per month in water bills - or less than $1 a day.

Some businesses have said they will not increase prices.

Extra U-Save rebates for households means those in one- and two-room HDB flats will not see any increase on average.

For other HDB flat types, monthly water bills will go up by between $2 and $11 per month.

Overall, spending on water will remain at about 1 per cent of household income for most families.

ziliang@sph.com.sg

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

Alternative news website All Singapore Stuff was forced to apologise to police yesterday for posting a fake article.

The supposed writer of the article claimed the police had failed to take action after she reported that a male schoolmate had "duped" her into having sex with him when she was 14 years old, and that he later started bullying her.

The writer, who claimed to be a 16-year-old student, gave a police report number to support her story. She further claimed that the police advised her to drop the case as she would be sent to the Girls' Home, and the schoolmate to the Boys' Home, after investigations.

The Straits Times (ST) understands that while a police report bearing the same number as the one posted exists, the nature of the report is different.

In a statement to ST on Wednesday, the police said: "The police would like to clarify that the article and allegations against the Singapore Police Force are untrue."

Not only are the claims false, the writer is also a fake. "A police report has been lodged by a member of the public, whose identity is believed to have been misused as the contributor of the article," added the police.

They requested that All Singapore Stuff provide information on the contributor, saying they "take a serious view of any allegations against its officers and will investigate each case thoroughly".

If the allegations are found to be false, the police will take action against the people involved, they said.

All Singapore Stuff has since removed the article, which was published on Wednesday, and put the police statement in full on its Facebook page and website yesterday.

The website said the article had been submitted anonymously and it does not have any details about the contributor.

Last November, the website apologised after posting a fake news article claiming the roof of Punggol Waterway Terraces had collapsed.

Another alternative news website - the now-defunct The Real Singapore - posted a fake news report in 2015 about complaints that caused a scuffle between the police and participants during the Thaipusam procession that year. The husband and wife behind the site were later jailed for eight and 10 months respectively on charges of sedition.

In March last year, Home Affairs and Law Minister K. Shanmugam criticised socio-political blog The Online Citizen for giving the impression that the police had lied about being in plain clothes when they arrived at a 14-year-old's school for an investigation, and that the teenager was interviewed and intimidated by five police officers, among other matters.

This article was first published on Mar 03, 2017.
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SBS Transit has earned $2,040,000 for improvements to 25 bus services, while SMRT Buses received $1,403,300 for improvements to 20 services.

The incentives were given out as part of a trial "carrot-and-stick" scheme to get public bus operators to improve service reliability and reduce bus bunching.

The money was given for improving the regularity of 45 bus services in all, said Transport Minister Khaw Boon Wan on Tuesday, in a written reply to a query about bus reliability filed by MP Liang Eng Hwa.

Read also: New $7.2b bus deals for SBS, SMRT

Mr Khaw said there was a 20 per cent reduction in average additional wait times for the bus services, from December 2015 to August last year.

This is the final assessment period of the Bus Service Reliability Framework (BSRF) pilot, which started in February 2014. From the previous three assessment periods, SBS received about $2.87 million in total, while SMRT got $1.23 million.

Under the BSRF, public bus operators are given monetary incentives for reducing commuters' excess waiting time, or handed penalties if the waiting time increases.

Read also: LTA rewards $1.34m to SBS Transit and $504k to SMRT for improving bus waiting times

The framework also uses an "On Time Adherence" standard, which measures the proportion of times that the bus service arrives less than two minutes earlier, or five minutes later than its scheduled timing.

The BSRF is incorporated into the bus contracting model, which the bus industry fully transited to last September, and has been implemented for 108 services, resulting in a 15 per cent reduction in average additional wait times, said Mr Khaw.

National University of Singapore transport researcher Lee Der Horng said it was appropriate to raise the BSRF standards to reflect the changing operating environment, which includes an expansion of the bus lane scheme.

From March 21 last year, the Land Transport Authority extended the operating hours of full-day bus lanes by three hours, until 11pm.

This article was first published on Mar 03, 2017.
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Singapore strongly believes that the documents relied on by Malaysia in its bid to overturn a 2008 judgment awarding Pedra Branca to the Republic do not satisfy the criteria under which it applied for a revision.

Its legal team has carefully studied the application that Malaysia filed last month at the International Court of Justice (ICJ), including the three documents it cited to support its bid, Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan said yesterday.

"We will submit to the ICJ our comprehensive and compelling rebuttal to Malaysia's application by June 14, which is the time limit fixed by the ICJ," he said during the debate on his ministry's budget. "We are confident of our legal team and our case."

Read also: ICJ makes public details of Malaysia's bid to revise 2008 Pedra Branca judgment

He was responding to Parliamentary Secretary for Home Affairs Amrin Amin and Mr Baey Yam Keng (Tampines GRC), who asked about the Pedra Branca case.

Malaysia last month filed an application to revise the 2008 judgment, citing three "new facts" to argue that "Singapore's officials at the highest levels did not consider that Singapore had acquired sovereignty over Pedra Branca from Johor".

Read also: Malaysian official on Pedra Branca: We'll defend borders, keep good ties 

It based its application on Article 61 of the ICJ's Statute, which provides that an "application for revision of a judgment may be made when it is based only upon the discovery of some fact of such a nature as to be a decisive factor".

The fact had to be unknown to the court and also to the party claiming revision when the judgment was given.

Read also: MFA: Singapore studying closely KL's application over Pedra Branca

The request for revision must also be made within six months of discovery of the new fact - in this case, Aug 4, 2016.

Malaysia cited three documents in its application last month. The first is a confidential telegram from Singapore's top colonial official to the British Secretary of State for the Colonies in 1958, which Malaysia says shows that he "did not consider the island of Pedra Branca to be part of Singaporean territory".

The second is a report about a naval incident near Pedra Branca.

The third document is a map of naval operations in the Malacca and Singapore straits from 1962.

Malaysia said two of the documents, from the United Kingdom National Archives, were declassified after the 2008 judgment. The third document's release date is unknown.

The territorial dispute between Singapore and Malaysia had also involved two smaller maritime features, Middle Rocks and South Ledge, near Pedra Branca.

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

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

The ICJ had considered correspondence from 1953 between Singapore's colonial officials and Johor as being of central importance.

Johor's top official had written in a 1953 letter that "the Johor government does not claim ownership of Pedra Branca". The court found this showed that while Johor had the original title, "as of 1953, Johor understood that it did not have sovereignty over Pedra Branca".

Singapore's legal team on the case includes senior lawyers well- acquainted with the issue. Dr Balakrishnan said Singapore is very fortunate to still have former deputy prime minister and law minister S. Jayakumar, Ambassador-at-Large Tommy Koh and former chief justice Chan Sek Keong - the leading figures in the original team on the Pedra Branca case.

They are working with a younger team of "bright legal minds" in the Attorney-General's Chambers, to build up expertise and experience in the next generation, he added.

On whether this episode will affect ties with Malaysia, Dr Balakrishnan said bilateral relations are excellent, and mutually beneficial bilateral co-operation will continue.

Singaporeans should not be disconcerted by these developments, he said. "Even with the best of diplomatic and personal relationships, we must expect other states to act in their own self-interests."

Part of what underpins Singa- pore's good relations with Malaysia is a commitment by both sides to resolve disagreements amicably, in accordance with international law, while allowing co-operation to continue, he said.

The Foreign Affairs Ministry, in a separate statement yesterday, announced that Singapore has chosen Judge Gilbert Guillaume - a member of the Permanent Court of Arbitration who was president of the ICJ from 2000 to 2003 - as a judge ad hoc for the case.

Under the ICJ's Statute, if there is no judge of the nationality of the parties on the Bench of the Court, the parties may each choose a judge ad hoc who will take part in the decision on the case.

This article was first published on Mar 03, 2017.
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Older public servants who are re-employed at the same job grade will no longer have their salaries cut, Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean said yesterday.

"These officers will continue to receive their last-drawn salary," said the minister-in-charge of the civil service, adding that the Government recognises the contributions and experience of its older workers.

Its move reflects the practice in most companies now, and is a result of the public service's latest review of its guidelines for re-employing workers, he said.

Re-employment contracts may be offered to officers who turn 62 up till age 67. About 1,300 officers were re-employed last year.

During the debate on the Prime Minister's Office budget, Mr Teo also outlined key priorities for the public service.

One of them is driving innovation.

Education Minister (Higher Education and Skills) Ong Ye Kung has been appointed to champion public service innovation and will focus on a number of key areas that require close coordination among agencies.

These include the review of regulations to better support innovation and entrepreneurship, and adopting procurement methods that support industry development.

In all, 24 MPs raised questions, asking about a range of public sector plans, from going digital to employing people with disabilities.

Mr Teo said another priority is to develop skills in IT and engineering in officers.

About 10,000 civil servants will be trained in the next four years in areas such as data analytics, in keeping with the country's push to go digital.

Such training will help them come up with policies and deliver better services to people, he said.

Developing public officers is another key priority, said Mr Teo, laying out the human resource policy changes in the pipeline.

From July, public officers and pensioners on older medical schemes who are hospitalised at community hospitals will have up to 28 days' stay covered.

Currently, their medical benefits cover only their stay in restructured hospitals.

The public service will also look at hiring more people with disabilities in meaningful jobs.

In response to Nominated MP Chia Yong Yong, Mr Teo said about 270 disabled people worked in the public service as of the end of last year.

Suitable vacancies are posted on the job portal run by disabilities support agency SG Enable, he added.

Senior public servants are also appointed to champion the hiring and integration of disabled people in their organisations.

This article was first published on Mar 03, 2017.
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Two brothers clashed over a will left by their late mother that would have given the beneficiary greater control over the family business empire.

Mr Girish Patel, 65, argued that the will, from 2005, was valid. It named him as the sole executor and beneficiary of Mrs Prabhavati Patel's estate.

The estate included her late husband's assets, which were transferred to her after he died without a will.

But Dr Yashwant Patel, 70, alleged that Girish fabricated the will to secure control of the assets. He said that an earlier will from 1986, anointing him the sole executor and beneficiary, was valid.

Mrs Patel - who had two other sons, Rajnikant, 72, and Suresh, 64 - died in London in September 2011.

Recently, a London court held that the 2005 will was forged and ruled that the 1986 will was valid.

The legal tussle between Girish and Yashwant was part of a long-running and acrimonious court fight among the four siblings over control of the family business empire, which the judge noted might be worth US$200 million (S$282 million).

The court found that Girish had influenced two others - Ms Ranjanbala Patel and Ms Jayshree Patel - to both "falsely" witness the will, which was forged on blank papers signed in advance by Mrs Patel.

"I am not able to attach any weight to the account of events given by Girish, Ranjanbala and Jayshree except to the extent they are reliably corroborated by other evidence," wrote English High Court Deputy Judge Andrew Simmonds, in decision grounds issued last month.

Mrs Patel had lived in Singapore with Suresh and his family in the 40 years leading up to her death. Her husband, Mr D. P. Patel - who came to Singapore with her in the early 1950s and started a commodities business - died in 1992.

The family business continued to thrive and now operates on a global scale through several corporate vehicles, including the Aumkar Plantations in Malaysia, Barrowfen Properties in Britain and Australian company Agromin, which trades in pulses and grains.

Although Mrs Patel lived in Singapore with Suresh, she regularly visited her three other sons in the United States, Australia and Britain.

Girish claimed that it was during a 2005 visit to London, where he lived, that she made the will naming him the sole executor and beneficiary of her estate.

He claimed that Mrs Patel had signed the will, witnessed by his former employee Ranjanbala and by Jayshree, who was married to his brother-in-law.

Girish said that his mother did not mention she had made a will in 1986 in Yashwant's favour.

Yashwant, who trained as a doctor in Singapore and is now a New York-based senior radiologist, alleged that Girish fabricated the will to secure control of the assets.

The assets included shares in family companies, registered in Mrs Patel's name, which would have given him an advantage in ongoing litigation among the brothers over the Patel businesses.

The judge noted that in the proceedings involving the will, Suresh actively supported Yashwant's case while Rajnikant played no part at all.

He observed that expert evidence was called by both parties on the newer will but "there was no expert evidence which went positively to support Girish's account of the execution of the will in 2005".

"I accept Yashwant's contention that Girish had a strong motive for forging the will," said Judge Simmonds, in rejecting the document.

When contacted by The Straits Times, Mr Ajaib Haridass, the Singapore lawyer for Yashwant, said: "We are extremely satisfied with the outcome of the judgment."

vijayan@sph.com.sg

This article was first published on Mar 03, 2017.
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If you're a big fan of hearty, old-school dim sum, you might want to journey to Hua Nam Restaurant soon.

The 49-year-old institution that dishes out flavours of the 1970s in an ageing shophouse at Upper Thomson Road will shut for good at the end of March, reported Shin Min Daily News today.

The third-generation owners, who are already in their 60s, told the Chinese paper that they want to retire soon and would not be passing the business to an external party.

Founded by their grandfather, Mr Siew Hoy Yean, it began as a roadside hawker stall in the 1950s before moving into the coffeeshop in 1968.

One of the current owners, Mr Sam Siew, 54, told Shin Min that they churned out 1,000 steamers of hand-made dim sum every day during its heyday.

But competition from new eateries and the construction of an MRT line in front of the shop have taken its toll on shop profits.

chenj@sph.com.sg

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Photo Gallery

5 fancy dim sum restaurants in Singapore

Source:

Simply Her

The New Paper

Kai Garden

Joyden Treasures

Empress

Mitzo

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2015-12-30 16:55:52

Photo Gallery

Saving Hong Kong's handmade dim sum

Source:

Singapore - Twenty-seven years of marriage, two British sons and a granddaughter could not protect Singaporean Irene Clennell from deportation, but now the feisty grandma is fighting to get back to her family.　

Clennell, 52, was deported to Singapore Sunday, despite being the primary caregiver for her sickly British husband John, who she said has sunk into a mire of depression since she left.　

"He was crying," she told AFP in an interview at her sister's cramped suburban home in the Southeast Asian city state, where she is sleeping on the sofa as she tries to find a legal way back to her family in Britain.　

John had femoral artery bypass in his leg last year and suffered a subsequent hernia. Since then, she said, he has struggled to walk far and needed help dressing himself.　

"Before, it was different because he was fit and well -- he was able to look after himself. But now he can't because of his condition," she said, adding that she had been his sole caregiver at their County Durham home.　

Clennell has been holed-up at her sister's Singapore flat, talking to the media and trying to coordinate her legal fight to be allowed back into Britain since she was deported February 26.　

Her British sister-in-law has hired an immigration lawyer and set up a crowdfunding campaign to cover her legal fees, which had raised more than £53,000 (US$65,000) by Friday.　

Her husband is so desperate for them to be reunited he has written to a French minister asking whether they could live in France as a family, said Clennell, who arrived in Singapore with hardly any money or possessions after a period in UK immigration detention.　

Clennell first arrived in Britain in 1988 and worked as a receptionist at a London hotel where she met her husband, a construction worker. She was subsequently granted indefinite leave to remain in the country.　

But she lost this right after spending long periods of time in Singapore, initially to have help from her family raising her young children, and then to care for her elderly parents before their deaths.　

Clennell said she now regrets leaving for so long as she didn't realise it would create so many problems.　

"I think that's the mistake," she said, adding it would be difficult for her husband to now move to Singapore due to his medical conditions, which require expensive care.　

Her deportation has forced Clennell to again part from her two sons and her two-year-old granddaughter in Britain.　

Read also: Singaporean forced to leave UK family, has only $20 with her 

Ever since losing her right to remain in the UK, Clennell has struggled to get visas -- in December 2007, she said, she was not allowed back into Britain.　

"I'd bought all the Christmas gifts for my sons, my nieces and for John," she said, wiping tears from her eyes at the memory.　

"At the airport in Newcastle, I was told that I couldn't enter the country... When they said they were going to send me back, I could hear my younger son screaming."　

After that incident, Clennell applied for leave to enter Britain in 2008 but was rejected, as were two subsequent appeals. She spent five years in India working as a forex trader.　

In 2013, Clennell managed to enter as a visitor and has remained since, overstaying her visa. She reported fortnightly to an immigration centre and it was during one of these sessions in January that she was detained.　

Britain's controversial spousal visa system means that the British partner in a marriage has to prove earnings of at least £18,600 and the couple have to demonstrate long stretches of uninterrupted time living in Britain.　

While the Clennells meet the first criteria, the periods Irene spent out of the country have posed a problem.　

The threshold was put in place in 2012 as part of efforts to drive down the number of immigrants arriving in Britain from outside the European Union.　

A spokesman from Britain's Home Office said in a statement all applications are considered on their individual merits and in line with immigration rules.

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Photo Gallery

52-year-old grandma back in Singapore after deportation

Source:

The Straits Times

Irene Clennell

SINGAPORE - Yang Yin, the former tour guide from China who was convicted of cheating a rich Singaporean widow of $1.1 million, will serve a longer jail term of nine years.

Yang, 42, was convicted in September last year for two offences of criminal breach of trust and sentenced to six years in jail. He had misappropriated the money from Madam Chung Khin Chun, now 90, in 2010 and 2012.

On Friday (March 3), the High Court extended the jail term to nine years on grounds that the initial sentence imposed by the State Courts on the Chinese national was manifestly inadequate.

In his oral judgement, Judge of Appeal Tay Yong Kwang said that original six-year jail term did not "reflect adequately the abhorrent nature of the accused's conduct leading to the offences and after they were uncovered".

The Attorney-General's Chambers (AGC) had appealed for a longer jail term of 10 to 11 years.

Justice Tay said that general deterrence has to be the main sentencing principle in the case.

"In every society, taking advantage of vulnerable persons in the community is completely unacceptable and utterly reprehensible.

It must be denounced and deterred by sentences that reflect this sentiment in clear and strong terms," he said.

He did not mince his words, noting that Yang had "claimed audaciously and shamelessly that he was a caring man looking after the needs of the victim as though she were his grandmother".

In reality, Justice Tay said, Yang had "eased his way smoothly, cunningly and methodically" into the victim's life over time to siphon off her assets.

The two crimes that he admitted to, Justice Tay added, was part of an "elaborate scheme encompassing practically all the earthly possessions of Madam Chung", including her sprawling bungalow.

Had he succeeded, the assets that he siphoned off "would have elevated him to such heights of wealth that he probably would not need to work for the rest of his life", Justice Tay said.

"In all likelihood, the accused would have become a millionaire many times over if he had not been exposed by the victim's niece," he added.

Justice Tay had heard arguments from both the AGC and Yang's lawyer Irving Choh on Friday before giving his judgement.

Read also: Yang Yin's PR status revoked

Mr Tan Ken Hwee, AGC chief prosecutor, urged the High Court to set a new benchmark in sentencing and take firm and decisive action because Singapore's rapidly ageing society means that there will be more vulnerable seniors. He cited two recent cases where elderly and vulnerable victims were cheated by people they trusted.

He pointed out that Yang had caused a high level of harm to the victim and that he was highly culpable in the crimes because Madam Chung was vulnerable and had placed an extraordinary amount of trust in Yang who was her caregiver.

"The Singapore public has witnessed, though this case, elder financial abuse at its most egregious, said Mr Tan.

Yang's lawyer, Mr Irving Choh of Optimus Chambers LLC, disagreed.

Mr Choh argued in a written submission that the six-year jail term was "not manifestly inadequate and should be upheld". He said that Principal District Judge Bala Reddy, who sentenced Yang in September, had already considered the aggravating factors of the case and imposed a higher than normal jail sentence for the amount that was misappropriated.

Mr Choh produced in court a table of criminal breach of trust offences and punishments to argue that the jail sentence of more than 10 years sought by the AGC would be "manifestly excessive and crushing".

Yang was also jailed for two years and two months in September last year for a slew of crimes over his immigration status, including falsifying receipts for a sham company in order to stay in Singapore and obtain permanent residency. He will serve a total of 11 years and two months in jail.

His permanent residency was revoked by the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority in November last year, after he was convicted and sentenced by the State Courts.

Yang had met Madam Chung, a retired physiotherapist, in 2008 when he acted as her private tour guide during a China trip. A year later, he moved into her bungalow in Yio Chu Kang and claimed the widow wanted him to be her "grandson".

Madam Chung's husband Dr Chou Sip King, died in 2007 and the couple have no children.

Yang had pleaded guilty to misappropriating $500,000 in February 2010 and $600,000 in January 2012 from Madam Chung. His crimes came to light in September 2014 when he was arrested and charged a month later.

While the criminal trials may have come to an end, Yang faces a High Court law suit brought by Madam Chung's niece Hedy Mok. Madam Mok has sued Yang for manipulating her aunt into handing over control of her assets estimated to be worth $40 million.

tohyc@sph.com.sg

Read also: Yang Yin saga: A recap of the case

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

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Photo Gallery

Ex-tour guide Yang Yin jailed 6 years

Source:

The Straits Times

Singapore Police Force

In a civil suit, the High Court had on Feb 6 awarded a judgment of $1.1 million to Madam Hedy Mok and her aunt, Madam Chung Khin Chung, the elderly woman who had been manipulated by Yang Yin into handing over control of her assets estimated to be worth $40 million.

But it is unclear if the award would bring the civil suit to a close.

The judgment was revealed by Yang Yin's lawyer Irving Choh, during an appeal at the High Court yesterday against his client's sentence for criminal breach of trust.

"They wanted only $1.1 million, I do not know why," said Mr Choh, who added that the High Court also awarded Madam Chung and Madam Mok $30,000 in legal costs.

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Photo Gallery

Tussle over widow's $40m assets: A look at Madam Chung’s bungalow

Source: The Straits Times, Raymond Tan

When asked by Justice Tay Yong Kwang, who heard the appeal against the sentence, why he had brought up the civil suit award, Mr Choh replied: "This is for background and to update (the court)."

Later, Madam Mok, 63, told reporters she is still mulling over what else to do in the civil case in which she sued Yang in 2014 on behalf of her aunt, who has dementia. "I haven't decided yet." The tour agency owner noted that even though Yang had admitted to cheating her aunt of $1.1 million, there is still about $5 million that remains unaccounted for.

On the increase in jail term from six to nine years, she said: "It is good. I am happy that he got more years in jail." Madam Mok's lawyer Peter Doraisamy of Peter Doraisamy LLC yesterday confirmed the award.

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Photo Gallery

Tussle over widow's $40m assets turns ugly

Source: The Straits Times, Madam Hedy Mok, Lianhe Wanbao, Madam Chang Phie Chin, Court Documents

"We are in the process of enforcing the judgment," he said, declining to comment on the suit further.

Read also: Jail term for Yang Yin extended to 9 years

Yang had met Madam Chung, a retired physiotherapist, in 2008 when he acted as her private tour guide during a China trip.

A year later, he moved into her bungalow in Yio Chu Kang and claimed the widow wanted him to be her "grandson".

Madam Chung's husband, Dr Chou Sip King, died in 2007, and the couple have no children.

Yang had pleaded guilty in August last year to misappropriating $500,000 in February 2010 and $600,000 in January 2012 from Madam Chung.

Read also: Yang Yin's PR status revoked

Toh Yong Chuan

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Photo Gallery

Ex-tour guide Yang Yin jailed 6 years

Source:

The Straits Times

Singapore Police Force

This article was first published on Mar 04, 2017.
Get a copy of The Straits Times or go to straitstimes.com for more stories.

One would think that as the owner of a bookstore, Mr Kenny Leck would have plenty of time to devour as many books as he wants.

But don't be so quick to judge a book by its cover. Like many of us, Mr Leck does not get to read as much as he would like to.

"I don't get enough time to read at all," said the founder of local bookstore BooksActually.

"Most of my reading is done in the hours before I sleep, because when I am working here, I don't get much time to read."

Mr Leck, 39, works nearly every day at the bookstore, which is currently located in the quaint Yong Siak Street in Tiong Bahru.

In its 12 years, BooksActually has moved three times. It has been in its current premises for the past six years.

But the relocation has not taken away the bookstore's character.

BooksActually has carved out a distinct feel, with various knick-knacks and vintage items - collected by Mr Leck - on display and for sale alongside paperbacks and hardcovers.

"People tell me that the interior is nice, but I don't actually put much effort into it," said Mr Leck. "It's more like, I put the items wherever I see there is space."

Mr Leck's passion has always been books.

Before starting BooksActually, he worked at Tower Books and Borders - experiences he said were invaluable in helping him start his bookstore.

Mr Leck started out selling books at various book fairs, but his vision was to open a bookstore of his own.

He said: "It had to lead to having my own space. It just makes sense to have a bookstore."

It took him just seven months to accumulate enough money to rent his first space, the second storey of a shophouse in Telok Ayer Street in Chinatown.

The best part of having a physical store?

Laughing, Mr Leck said: "I get to have all the books I want. Naturally, I can't read everything, but still, nothing beats seeing so much stock and being able to run my hands all over it."

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Photo Gallery

Iconic bookstore to shut down

Source:

CHALLENGES

Running a bookstore has its challenges, obviously.

He constantly worries about rent - it has motivated him to save for a property for BooksActually.

The day-to-day operations can also wear him down, as the bookstore is open nearly every day.

Mr Leck cut a humble figure when talking about his staff - he has three full-timers and six part-timers - saying how important they are to him.

"I need to put in place a good team to support me to ensure that, as we move ahead, the bookstore achieves things that it wants to achieve," he said.

Mr Leck offered many reasons why he founded BooksActually: He grew up with a love of reading, readers here need a place to get less "commercialised" titles and - practically - he wants to make money.

But what seems to be the strongest reason is his desire to ensure the longevity of local literature.

"There are not enough access points for local books.

"We should try to carry as much Singlit (Singapore Literature) as possible, because it is our narrative at the end of the day," said Mr Leck.

"If we don't carry our stories, who will?"

Other than ensuring that his bookstore is well stocked, Mr Leck and his team manage publishing company Math Paper Press, which regularly releases works by local authors.

BooksActually was also part of the committee for the recent #BuySingLit campaign - an industry-led movement to celebrate local stories - which took place over the last weekend of February.

With so much going on, it is no surprise that Mr Leck hardly has time to read.

"The most I have ever read was when I was bedridden for a week and a half with an injury," he said.

"I was in a lot of pain, but it was also the best time of my life - I got to read a lot."

harizbah@sph.com.sg

This article was first published on Mar 06, 2017.
Get The New Paper for more stories.

May Schooling takes some persuading to say yes to this interview.

"Joseph is the one you want," protests the mother of Singapore's first Olympic gold medallist.

"I'm just his mother. What is there to write?"

Or, she suggests, why don't I interview her husband Colin instead?

No, I say, readers are interested in the woman behind the swimming champion.

After some to-ing and fro-ing on WhatsApp, she finally agrees and arranges to meet at Violet Oon Singapore in Bukit Timah.

Just hours before, Joseph, 21, smashes a record at a college swimming meet in the United States where he's studying.

It's no wonder his mother is looking pleased when she walks into the bistro-styled Peranakan restaurant in a bright red blouse and black slacks.

She and Ms Oon, the owner and food writer, are friends who go back more than 20 years when Mrs Schooling's publishing business did a book on Ms Oon's recipes.

"When May told me 'Joseph wants to win the Olympics' many years ago, I said, 'Oh, really?'," Ms Oon recalls, arching an eyebrow.

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Photo Gallery

Schooling brings home Singapore's first Olympic Gold

Source: The Straits Times, Reuters, AFP

Many Singaporeans were equally sceptical when the Rio Games rolled round in August last year.

Would Joseph - touted as Singapore's big Olympic hope - pull it off? He did, beating not just Michael Phelps to win the 100m butterfly, but also setting an Olympic record.

Since then, his parents Colin, 69, tall and dapper, and May, 62, motherly and gregarious, have become Singapore's most famous parents.

They are recognised wherever they go.

Because Joseph is not here, they have also been receiving awards on his behalf, including The Straits Times Athlete of the Year.

The family also won The Straits Times Singaporean of the Year award last month.

Life must have changed for you, I say as we dig into our starters of kueh pie tee and tauhu goreng.

"It has changed in a good way," she says.

"I'm very happy that Singapore has embraced what Joseph has done and I'm so happy that he did Singapore proud.

"I have told the papers before - I have lost my identity. I don't have a name any more. When people meet us on the streets, they recognise us and it's always, 'That's Joseph's mummy and Joseph's daddy'."

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Photo Gallery

Hundreds give Joseph Schooling triumphant homecoming at Changi Airport

Source: The Straits Times, AFP, Reuters, The New Paper, Hannah Alkaff, Lianhe Zaobao, AsiaOne

The attention hasn't always been positive though.

There have been nasty comments online, especially before his Olympic win.

Of these social media trolls, she says: "I've always told Joseph, 'This is the one per cent who are just troublemakers. We don't care'."

But actually, she does care, because in the next breath she says she wishes she could fight these keyboard warriors and go online to take them down.

"I'm very protective," she says.

Then she adds with a shrug: "But it's okay. We accept them as well. We hope to turn them around. That's why I told Joseph, 'As long as you keep doing well, they can say what they like'."

Mrs Schooling has a reputation in swimming circles for speaking her mind.

In person, her manner is friendly but also feisty and forthright.

She has a don't-mess-with-me (and my family) vibe and she doesn't suffer fools gladly.

She has always been outspoken, she says, as we move on to dishes including chap chye, a vegetable stew, which is her favourite and which she eats with relish.

Read Also: Schooling happy with run

She puts it down to growing up in Ipoh, Malaysia, where she was involved in plays and debates while studying at the Methodist Girls' School there.

She was also a tomboy who loved sports and did well in them.

She represented Perak in tennis, netball and athletics - the throwing events - and played softball at state and national levels.

Ironically, swimming was one sport she didn't do.

She learnt to swim only after Joseph was born and is an average swimmer.

"Ipoh is an inland town. We don't have that many swimming pools. There is only one swimming club and the swimming club is for the rich. I was from a poor family, okay? We never thought of swimming."

Her late father was a civil servant who became treasurer of Perak.

But even then - and she likes to remind Joseph this - he was earning just RM1,300 (S$412) when he retired.

"But we all survived and before that, his salary was even less."

She was number two in a family of four girls and one boy.

Read Also: Schooling smashes 8-year record at US swim meet

Although her father and family were entitled to live in government quarters, her mother insisted that they own their own home. Her father did extra jobs to pay for their house in Housing Trust, off Kampar Road.

Her mother, who'll be 89 this year and lives in Ipoh, did not have an education but made sure the children had dance and piano lessons, scrimping to make this happen.

Two of Mrs Schooling's sisters became piano teachers.

"People say I'm a Tiger Mum but no. It was instilled into us that education is important," she says.

She, too, plays the piano and is qualified to teach it.

But she has no patience for teaching and regards the piano more as a means to let off steam.

"Sometimes when frustrated, I'd go on the piano, bang on it and after that... you feel all calm."

She pounds her hands on an imaginary keyboard to illustrate.

What she was more keen on was sports. To pay for her sports gear, she gave tuition and played the piano at ballet classes.

"You can earn a few hundred dollars a month and that was how I paid for my games."

Read Also: Schooling, Zheng Wen, to focus on world championships

Sports was how she met Colin.

Their paths first crossed when she was 13 and he 20, at a Pesta Sukan softball tournament in Penang.

She was part of the Perak team and he was playing for Singapore in the Pirates team.

Colin, she says, likes to say that was when he first saw her. But she was oblivious to him.

"I was only 13, I had no time for boys. I mean, we admired Pirates the team because they were the top team, but when you are 13, you don't think about these things."

Their teams were thrown together again in the years that followed and she got to know him, his brothers and cousins, who also played softball.

After A levels at Anglo-Chinese School in Ipoh, she went to TAR College in Kuala Lumpur and got a diploma in accounting.

In 1979, she came to Singapore and joined Goh Tan & Co where she did audit work, and also studied for her Association of Chartered Certified Accountants qualifications.

Still crazy about sports, she joined the Singapore Recreation Club to play softball.

And there Colin popped up again.

A lot of their dates revolved around sports.

"He didn't propose. It was just like we did this, this, this, and then, want to get married or not?" she says.

"When he was young, he looked like a better version of Prince Charles," she adds.

Both sides of the family had to adjust when they got married in 1983.

"All my friends were Chinese, he was Eurasian. Difficult. My mum at first said, 'Gwailo, leh!' (Cantonese slang for Westerners). My mother-in-law, of course, thought I shouldn't be marrying him because I'm not Eurasian. So it was a very interesting marriage where we had to overcome cultural differences.''

Mr Schooling was then selling boilers for Guthrie.

For a while, they lived in a rental flat in Hillview Avenue in Upper Bukit Timah.

In 1990, they started their own company M'exim, which deals with manufacturing machinery.

Four years later, Mrs Schooling set up a publishing business Pen International.

She had three miscarriages before Joseph came along in 1995, 12 years into their marriage and when she was already 40 and Mr Schooling, 47.

By then, they had bought an HUDC flat in Bedok Reservoir, and later moved to a Lagoon View condominium.

Joseph knew at a young age that he wanted to be an Olympic champion and his parents sent him to the US when he was 14 to pursue swimming.

They took turns to go there to be with him.

Did the marriage suffer during those years?

She says they were preoccupied with Joseph and in any case, "we were already quite senior, lah".

She gets irritated when people say it was cruel for Joseph to have been sent away at such a young age.

"I'm the one who said, 'Don't go, wait until at least Secondary 4'. But he said, 'No, mum. I must go now', because he was aiming for the Olympics - not me."

She recalls how the mother of a swimmer once asked how her child could get the "scholarship" Joseph got.

"We said, 'What scholarship? This is a papa-mama scholarship'."

It's been said they spent $1 million on Joseph's Olympic dream.

I ask if the figure is accurate.

She says his school and swimming fees, housing and airfare for the family travelling up and down would have been about US$100,000 (S$140,000) a year.

It's been eight years.

"I haven't done the maths yet, okay? All I know is that I'm always looking for money somewhere or other. But Joseph was quite lucky in the sense that things fell into place. When we needed the money, the money came. That's why I say God guided him along the way."

There was a house in Perth, Australia, that they sold, and an endowment policy that matured.

"Things just came along, not much, but enough... you struggle along."

She says she has been asked why Joseph's studies and training aren't being fully funded by the Government.

"I was told, 'Why you so stupid? If Singapore wants your son to swim for them, they should pay.' I said, 'Tan ku ku' (a Hokkien phrase for "it won't happen").

"That's why I keep telling everybody, if you feel your son or daughter has it, it's up to you whether you want to support them. If you're going to wait for people, don't do it, okay?"

Still, she is grateful for the support shown to Joseph and wants to do her part to "rally sports" here.

Mrs Schooling, who is a permanent resident, is thinking of setting up a sports academy to help and inspire youngsters to take up sports at a competitive level.

"We want to tell all the kids, no matter what sport you do, if you really train hard at it, you can get to whichever level you aim for. It might not be the Olympics but at least let's try and get into the national teams."

She surprises me when she says she believes talent and genes play a very small role in what makes an athlete good.

"I think most people can be trained. Seriously. The only thing the kid has to have is ball sense... Talent is only like 10 per cent of the equation."

Hard work, however, makes all the difference.

She says Joseph, who's studying at the University of Texas in Austin, is "technically good for two more Olympics" and she believes that the number of golds he wins in future depends on "how many he wants".

They speak twice a day, even if it's just "a good morning and a goodnight and love".

Does she have a view on girlfriends?

"I encourage Joseph to have friends, whether girls or guys doesn't matter to me," she says.

"He makes his own bed and if badly made, he will have to live with it."

We've finished lunch but there's quite a bit of food left.

Mrs Schooling asks for it to be packed up.

"Never throw food away," she declares.

"I go back I can still eat, no problem."

In the days that follow, Joseph goes on to break two more records at the college meet.

Here in Singapore, you can bet the woman who loves him the most was beaming with pride.

WHAT WE ATE

VIOLET OON SINGAPORE

881, Bukit Timah Road

• Kueh pie tee: $17
• Tauhu goreng: $9
• Dry laksa (x2): $44
• Rebong masak lemak (chicken stewed in spiced coconut gravy): $19
• Sambal bendi: $10
• Chap chye: $15
• Jasmine rice: $1
• Bubur cha cha panacotta: $10
• Pulot hitam: $12

Total (with tax): $158.90

sumiko@sph.com.sg

This article was first published on March 5, 2017.
Get a copy of The Straits Times or go to straitstimes.com for more stories.

As the Government spends more in areas such as healthcare, it also needs more revenue, said Home Affairs and Law Minister K Shanmugam at a dialogue with residents on Sunday (March 5).

"Money is not going to come from the sky... We have to pay for what we use, and we just have to trust the Government to be efficient with its use of the money," he said.

He was responding to a resident's question about what would happen if the Government received less net investment income than what was projected.

The resident was one of about 160 women who attended a health talk organised by Nee Soon GRC, in collaboration with the National Healthcare Group Polyclinics, to mark International Women's Day on Wednesday (March 8).

Mr Shanmugam and Nee Soon GRC MP Lee Bee Wah spoke about the Budget 2017 announcements before the health talk.

Mr Shanmugam added: "As a family, you have to spend less than what you earn. As a country, we have to learn to spend less than what we have. With all the rising costs and rising expenditure, we need to look at where the extra money (needed) is going to come from."

He also explained the need for the 30 per cent increase in water tariffs - the first in 17 years - which was announced last month.

He pointed out that one- and two-room HDB households will not see any nett increase at all, while for most other HDB flats, the nett increase will only be between $2 and $11 per month.

During the health talk, residents learnt how to manage their food intake and exercise, to stay healthy even as they age.

Ms Lee said: "Women are the centres of many workplaces, families and communities, but they can only do so if they stay healthy. I hope this talk (provides) our female residents the information to protect themselves against diseases, and live a happy and long life."

goyshiyi@sph.com.sg

This article was first published on March 5, 2017.
Get a copy of The Straits Times or go to straitstimes.com for more stories.

Changi Airport's future Terminal 5 will very likely be served by two new MRT lines, to make it more accessible to travellers and visitors.

A final decision has not been made, but The Straits Times understands that the plan is for both the future Thomson-East Coast Line and Cross Island Line to be linked to the new mega passenger terminal.

When this happens, it is likely that the existing MRT link between Singapore Expo and Changi Airport will cease to operate.

Currently, commuters going to the airport have to alight at Tanah Merah station on the East-West Line and take a shuttle train from a central platform to the airport.

The Thomson-East Coast Line - scheduled to open in stages from 2019 to 2024 - is likely to stop at the future T5 before terminating at the existing Changi Airport MRT station. As for the Cross Island Line, targeted to be completed by 2030, the plan is to link the line to Changi East's new industrial zone before it heads to T5.

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Photo Gallery

Free hot towel shaves, head and face massages at Changi Airport

Source:

AsiaOne

The possibility of extending the new lines to Changi Airport was first revealed by Transport Minister Khaw Boon Wan in July at an MRT groundbreaking ceremony.

He said then that an extension of the Cross Island Line to the airport would also complement the future high-speed rail link between Kuala Lumpur and Singapore, as the MRT line will be linked to the high-speed rail's Jurong East terminus.

T5, slated to open before the end of the next decade, is being built in Changi East, which is now separated from the existing airport terminals by Changi Coast Road. The new terminal will eventually be bigger than T1, T2 and T3 combined.

Read also: Non-flight services take off at Changi Airport

The Changi East development will include a new industrial zone that will house aerospace and other aviation-related businesses.

A direct train link between the city and Changi Airport is a must, transport experts said.

Many other Asian airports, including those in Bangkok, Tokyo, Shanghai and Hong Kong, provide a rail option - in some cases, an express service - for travellers and visitors.

National University of Singapore transport researcher Lee Der Horng said that, while some may argue that an express service is less critical in Singapore, given the proximity of the airport to the city, travellers and visitors still expect good train and other transport links to and from Changi.

"It would be a wise move to extend the Thomson-East Coast and Cross Island lines to Changi East," he said.

Building a station at Changi East's future industrial zone would be a boon for airport workers too, said Singapore Aircargo Agents Association chairman Steven Lee.

"The existing air freight terminal that is near the airport is very inaccessible by public transport, which makes it inconvenient for the thousands of workers based there.

"If there is an MRT station at the new industrial zone, it would be great news for the workers," he said.

Read also: Global contest to design Changi Airport's Terminal 5 kicks off

karam@sph.com.sg

This article was first published on Mar 06, 2017.
Get a copy of The Straits Times or go to straitstimes.com for more stories.

One day, Ms Patricia Poo will become totally blind.

Ms Poo has only partial sight in her left eye and is completely blind in her right. Despite her poor vision, she has continued to pursue her passion for running, which was the only sport she could take part in when she was in primary school.

The 23-year-old receptionist has embraced it even more since then, with the help of a guide runner.

"If I run outside, I can't run alone because I don't know what's ahead of me," she said.

"When there are steps, a turn, uneven ground or people, that's when our guides come in. They are our eyes."

Ms Poo, who joined sports cooperative Runninghour in 2013, is featured in this instalment of Heroes Among Us, a video series which explores the lives of everyday people who overcome extraordinary challenges.

Runninghour will hold its third annual "blindfold" run on May 13 this year where members of the public can experience what it is like to run "blind" with the aid of a guide.

This article was first published on Mar 6, 2017.
Get a copy of The Straits Times or go to straitstimes.com for more stories.

Home-grown singer-songwriter Beth Yap, better known by her nom de plume Bittymacbeth, comes from a musical family and has been playing the piano since she was six.

But it was only after watching TV singing competition American Idol that she started harbouring dreams of becoming a singer.

The 22-year-old features in the seventh episode of the third season of ST Sessions, The Straits Times' online video series which features rising talents in the home-grown music scene performing stripped- down live sets.

Currently a student at Berklee College of Music in Boston, Yap says in the video: "I grew up in a musical family, but it was only when I was 12, I was watching American Idol, seeing all these people live out their dreams of being singers, that I thought that, hey, I kind of want to do it too."

Her father was a guitar teacher and her older brother plays music as well.

Her songs espouse positivity. An original tune that she performs in the episode, Haters Gon' Hate, is about "taking time to understand and listen to people instead of judging them on preconceived notions".

The song is from her debut album, Beauty For Ashes, which she launched with a concert at the Esplanade Recital Studio last year. The release went to No. 1 on the local iTunes and Apple Music's R&B/Soul charts.

Yap, whose music encompasses genres such as soul, jazz, pop and funk, says in the ST Sessions video that she wants to put her music education to good use and give back to the creative scene here.

"I just hope that with everything that I learn and all the opportunities (that I get), and all the people out there (that I meet), that I'll be able to grow so much more and not only make my own music better, but really contribute more to Singapore's music and arts scene."

ST Sessions' third season is part of a series of digital video programmes produced in a partnership between the Info-communications Media Development Authority of Singapore and Singapore Press Holdings.

The new season features eight acts, including singer-songwriter Tim De Cotta and indie duo Tomgirl. A new episode is launched every other Friday.

This article was first published on Mar 6, 2017.
Get a copy of The Straits Times or go to straitstimes.com for more stories.

It's tough being a wild animal in Singapore nowadays, having to share the creeping concrete jungle with human beings.

Two otters recently displayed their adaptability in navigating the city by climbing up a ladder from a drain, shown in a video clip captured by photographer Bernard Seah.

In his Facebook post, Mr Seah expressed his wonder, saying: "A couple of weeks ago, I discovered that smooth-coated otters learned to climb ladders."

He said that the curious critters also sniffed his iPhone which was used to film the video.

Last Thursday (March 2), the mammals were also spotted basking in the sun at Marina Bay's floating platform where the art exhibition Art-Zoo was taking place.

Recently, some of these wild animals are venturing out of their usual haunts like Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve, Pulau Ubin, and Changi into parts of the city.

They have been spotted at Marina Bay or the Singapore Botanic Gardens and have also taken up residence in Bishan-Ang Mo Kio Park.

Adorable as they may be, members of the public should not touch, chase, or corner otters, the National Parks Board (NParks) says.

If you encounter these animals, it is best to observe them from a distance and not feed them as they can forage for clams, fish, and other small creatures from the environment.

According to NParks, otters are listed as critically-endangered in Singapore.

And did you know that enamoured Singaporeans also chose the Bishan otters to represent the country as part of the nation's 51st birthday celebrations?

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2016-02-12 14:45:30

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Otters in Singapore

Source: The Straits Times, NParks, facebook, Jeff Tan YouTube, The New Paper, AFP

minlee@sph.com.sg

An online petition has been started on Charge.org, asking for a harsher sentence for convicted paedophile Joshua Robinson.

The 39-year-old American mixed martial arts (MMA) instructor was found guilty on Thursday (March 2) for having sex with underage girls and possessing child pornography.

He was sentenced to four years imprisonment by district judge Crystal Ong who said "the law must come down hard on such individuals so as to specifically deter them from re-offending and also to deter others from committing such acts against vulnerable young persons."

The petition was started by a Ms Sarah Woon, who claims she is a close family friend of a 6-year-old girl whom Robinson had shown an explicit video while she was waiting for her father who was training at the gym.

Ms Woon wrote in the petition: "As a parent and an early childhood educator advocating for the voiceless in our country (and children everywhere, with the fact that upon release this paedophile could be anywhere around the world, abusing his mixed martial arts trainer's credentials), I find this unacceptable and absolutely intolerable.

"Unfortunately, the 6-year-old in this traumatic case is a daughter of a close friend and it absolutely breaks my heart and those of all our friends and family."

Ms Woon started the petition on Sunday and as of Monday morning, it had garnered over 1,910 supporters.

Among a number of those who have shared the petition on Facebook is renowned Thai mixed martial artist and entrepreneur Chatri Sityodtong.

He shared the link on his Facebook page on Monday, calling for martial artists to "stand up together against evil".

The petition comes after numerous comments were posted on news reports and social media about the relatively lenient sentence for Robinson.

In an interview with TODAY, the dad of the 6-year-old girl who was shown porn by Robinson said he was outraged by the man's four-year jail sentence.

He took to social media to express his anger: "They lock drug abusers up for much longer than four years…but a child sexual abuser? Just a slap on the wrist!"

The father said in the interview that Robinson is well-known in the martial arts industry here and even taught in schools.

In fact, it has also been revealed in The Indepedent that Robinson had been a "poster boy" once for Contact Singapore, a campaign to attract global talent to work in Singapore.

Here's a video of Robinson being featured in the video:

klim@sph.com.sg

They might be labelled as "100 per cent natural ingredients" but two weight loss products sold in Singapore have now been found to contain a banned substance.

The Health Sciences Authority (HSA) released a statement Monday (Mar 6) warning the public to avoid buying or consuming the products labelled as 'Anyang Herbal Blue' and 'Anyang Herbal Red'.

Both products were marketed as weight loss products but were found to contain "very high levels" of sibutramine, a banned substance, after they were tested by HSA.

Sibutramine was previously available as a prescription-only weight loss drug but has been withdrawn from Singapore since 2010, due to an increased risk of heart attacks and strokes, said the HSA.

'Anyang Herbal Red' was found to contain undeclared potent Western medicines: diclofenac (a painkiller) and phenolphthalein (a laxative).

Although it was touted to have "no side effects", one woman in her late 20s who consumed 'Anyang Herbal Blue' complained of several ailments including heart palpitations, nausea, trembling of hands and legs, sweating and insomnia.

Based on dosage instructions labelled on 'Anyang Herbal Blue' and 'Anyang Herbal Red', a consumer could end up taking as much as eight times the maximum allowable amount of sibutramine per day. These dangerously high levels of sibutramine would predispose consumers to serious adverse effects, the statement read.

According to HSA, one seller (Jessie Cosmetics) had sold the weight loss products on a social media platform as well as directly to friends. The seller is currently assisting HSA's investigation.

HSA has also directed the immediate cessation of the sale of both products after the undeclared potent ingredients were found.

The authorities are warning sellers to stop the sale of 'Anyang Herbal Blue' and 'Anyang Herbal Red' immediately and that it is illegal to sell and supply complementary health products (such as health supplements, traditional medicines) containing undeclared potent western medicines or banned substances.

Anyone who supplies illegal health products is liable to prosecution and if convicted, may be imprisoned for up to 3 years, fined up to $100,000 or both.

Members of the public are encouraged to visit www.healthdangers.sg to learn more about the dangers of buying illegal health products from dubious sources.

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2016-06-03 19:59:01

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Do not buy slimming pills online, doctors warn

Source: The New Paper, The Straits Times, Lianhe Wanbao

ssandrea@sph.com.sg