SINGAPORE - A driver was trapped in a garbage truck, dangling precariously over a third-floor railing of an incineration complex in the Senoko area on Monday (April 10) night.

A photo circulating on WhatsApp showed a man in the front car of a Sembcorp truck dangling over a railing. A Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) officer is shown at the site, along with what appears to be an SCDF vehicle on the paved road below.

SCDF told ST that it received a call for help at about 7.20pm for a driver who was trapped in a garbage truck on the third-level ramp of an incineration complex at 30 Attap Valley.

As the truck was slightly over the ramp edge, SCDF had to rescue the male driver using an aerial rescue platform, said the spokesman.

The driver was taken to Khoo Teck Puat Hospital.

Responding to ST queries, a Sembwaste spokesman confirmed that an incident involving one of its trucks occurred at Attap Valley Road on Monday night.

"No one was injured in the incident, however the driver was conveyed to the hospital for observation," said the spokesman.

"Safety is very important to Sembwaste. At this point it is not clear how the incident occurred. We are investigating the matter and will be working with the authorities in this regard as well," she said.

Additional reporting by Ariffin Jamar

This article was first published on April 10, 2017.
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ComfortDelGro's new flat fare option has largely won positive reviews from commuters for its simplified charges, while cabbies from the biggest taxi operator are hoping to win over more customers with it.

ComfortDelGro, which owns close to 16,500 cabs, yesterday joined ride-hailing apps Uber and Grab in offering commuters the convenience of a single and upfront fee for bookings made through its mobile app.

The new offering comes less than a fortnight after five other cab operators - SMRT, Premier, Prime, Trans-Cab and HDT - launched a dynamic pricing system for some 10,600 of their taxis under Grab's JustGrab function.

ComfortDelGro said it has received an "encouraging" response to its flat fare system, which does not have a surge variable but factors in the distance travelled and is computed based on existing surcharges.

This means its fares do not surge upwards during periods of high demand, like those of Uber's and Grab's.

ComfortDelgro spokesman Tammy Tan revealed that about 2,000 bookings were made yesterday morning with the flat fare option, and the firm expects the volume to grow.

'UPDATE'

"Many have yet to update their app and we expect more to (do so) in the next few days," Ms Tan said.

With the update, app users will be shown two sets of fares when they enter their pick-up and drop-off points: a flat fare or a metered fare given in a range.

Opting for the former means they will not have to pay additional surcharge levies, unless they change destination or make unplanned stops along the way.

Electronic Road Pricing tolls are applicable.

This simplification has won over commuters like Ms Betty Bai, 32, a senior public relations consultant.

She said the flat fares offer "peace of mind".

"I would not worry if the taxi driver takes a longer route or I am stuck in a traffic jam," she said.

Her trip from Rendezvous Hotel to AXA Tower in a Mercedes cab yesterday cost her $10.50, compared with the $12 to $13 she would normally pay.

Another commuter, events manager S. Pang, 32, however, said she was not sure if the flat fare is always the best choice, after she booked a taxi from Park Royal Hotel to Ion Orchard.

"A metered ride would cost from $7.50 to $9.50 according to the app, while the flat rate was $9. To me, it is a gamble as there is a chance that I would only have to pay $7.50," she added.

Checks by The Straits Times found that flat fares could be cheaper than their metered equivalents but not all the time.

Taxi drivers like Mr Mohammad K., 56, said flat fares will help put taxis on a more level playing field with private-hire car services.

Cabby P. Gunasagaran, 52, said: "I think flat fares can win over those customers who worry about the meter fares 'jumping' in a traffic jam. There are also many surcharges currently, which commuters find confusing."

adrianl@sph.com.sg

This article was first published on April 11, 2017.
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SINGAPORE - Shoppers and stores at Bishan's Junction 8 Shopping Centre were left in the dark on Sunday (April 9) morning after a power trip cut electricity to parts of the mall for seven hours.

The trip occurred at about 7am on Sunday morning, affecting 20 stores and affecting business, Shin Min Daily News reported on Monday (April 10).

Shops affected at the mall at 9 Bishan Place include electronics chain Best Denki, BreadTalk, FairPrice supermarket and several restaurants.

Some of the amenities such as escalators, washrooms and air-conditioning were affected by the power cut.

One employee of an electronics store who declined to be named told Shin Min that business was halted temporarily as a result.

"The escalators weren't working, and the crowd lessened," he said, adding that business dropped by at least 50 per cent as they lost potential sales from the Sunday crowd.

A shopper who gave her name as Madam Lin, a 53-year-old housewife, told Shin Min that she had planned to buy groceries at the supermarket, but left as there was a blackout.

Junction 8 posted an apology on its Facebook page at 1.50pm on Sunday.

"Dear shoppers, thank you for your patience and support," it said. "The mall's power supply has been restored and all the stores are open for business. We look forward to welcoming you in our mall."

One disgruntled shopper said on the post that the mall was "too warm to be in" and that FairPrice was closed.

The post has since been taken down.

Junction 8's centre manager Ms Maggie Chua told The Straits Times on Monday (April 10) that the power trip occurred in the mall at about 7.20am on Sunday, causing a partial power failure that affected about 20 tenants.

"We immediately activated our contractor to look into the matter and investigate the cause of the power trip. After resetting the electrical system, the disrupted power supply was progressively restored from 1.30pm and fully restored by 2.30pm yesterday," she said.

"We apologise for any inconvenience caused to the affected tenants and shoppers, and will continue to provide assistance where required."

This article was first published on Apr 11, 2017.
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SINGAPORE - About 30 people were evacuated from a mall in Clementi on Sunday (April 9) afternoon after a car caught fire in the carpark.

The fire occurred at about 1.15pm at the entrance of the carpark at The Clementi Mall, Lianhe Wanbao reported on Monday (April 10).

The vehicle caught fire suddenly as it was entering the carpark at the basement, and the driver escaped just in time, Wanbao said.

Smoke from the fire activated the fire alarms and building security evacuated the customers and stallholders in the mall.

A food stall vendor in her 40s, who gave her name as Madam Zhang, told Wanbao: "I first heard the fire alarm. Then, security came to tell us that there was a fire, and told us not to panic and walk to the first floor.

"Later, when I reached the escalator, I smelled smoke and saw black smoke coming out of the carpark."

An employee at a pet store who gave his name as Mr Weijie, 26, said that he had initially thought it was a fire drill.

"After that, a regular customer told me that a car was on fire at the entrance, and I realised it was real," he said.

The fire involved the engine compartment of the vehicle, the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) told The Straits Times.

SCDF was alerted at 1.15pm and dispatched two fire engines, two Red Rhinos and two support vehicles.

It extinguished the fire using fire extinguishers, a compressed air foam backpack and an internal hose reel.

Approximately 30 people were evacuated by building security, SCDF said.

There were no reported injuries, and the cause of the fire is being investigated.

This article was first published on Apr 11, 2017.
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A new bevy of baby otters was born in the heart of the city this month, drawing much attention from residents and passers-by who came across them at the Singapore River.

When The Straits Times went down on Monday (April 10) afternoon, the family had just ventured out for an afternoon swim in the River.

There were five otter pups, each about six weeks old, and they were taking one of their first swimming lessons.

Read also: Wild otters raise family around Marina Bay

The scene soon drew a crowd, even as an officer from the National Parks Board (NParks) went around to put up signs on otter watching "ettiquette".

Many took out their cameras and mobile phones to snap photos and videos as the adult otters coaxed the pups into the water.

It was quite a jump for the young pups from the bank of the Singapore River, which is a vertical wall.

One by one the seven adults and three pups dived into the water, but two babies remained on the bank.

The otters in the water squeaked and barked at the two pups, which ran along the bank for a few minutes, before jumping into the water - one after the other.

Read also: Watch how these otters adapt to city living in Singapore

When the brief swimming lesson ended, the family ran up some steps to rest on a small patch of grass by the river side.

Before venturing on land, one of the adults peered cautiously over the edge of the river bank.

By then, about 20 people, including a group of children on their way home from school, had gathered.

Members of the otter watching group reminded them to give the otters space.

The skittish mammals can get startled when humans get too close.

Read also: Otter nuisance at Sentosa

"I told them to keep a comfortable distance so that the otters could do what they want to do, instead of having to be on the guard all the time," said Mr Bernard Seah, a wildlife photographer and frequent otter watcher.

"If you give them enough space, you can also observe them for a longer time."

When the otter saw that the coast was clear, the rest of the family followed.

While this family of otters have been sighted at the Singapore River for some time, this is the first time there are baby otters at this location.

They moved here from Marina Bay in late 2015.

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Photo Gallery

Otters in Singapore

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

On Sunday, about 80 people gathered to watch them, in a scene similar to the crowds at Bishan-Ang Mo Kio Park in 2015.

There was a stir when the otters there had a bevy of three pups in 2015, and photos and videos of the Bishan otter family went viral.

The Bishan otters moved to the Marina Bay area in late 2015 after winning a "territorial dispute" and "kicking out" the otters originally living there.

Soon after, the losing party made the Singapore River their new home.

Otter watchers who have been observing the families over the years said that they may face difficulties raising babies at this very public location, which has limited access to resting points on land.

Read also: Otters raid fishing pond, eat up to $500 worth of fish daily

"They lost their prime territory at Marina Reservoir, so now the only place to raise their kids is along the Singapore River," said Mr Mr Jeffery Teo, a member of the Otter Working Group.

"If they lose this home due to too much human disturbance, they may have nowhere else to go to."

WHAT TO DO IF YOU ENCOUNTER OTTERS:

1. Keep your dog on a tight leash.
2. Don't touch, chase or corner the otters. Observe them from a distance.
3. Don't talk loudly, and don't use flash photography.
4. Don't feed the otters
5. Don't litter or leave sharp objects in the water

This article was first published on April 10, 2017.
Get a copy of The Straits Times or go to straitstimes.com for more stories.

SINGAPORE - A 38-year-old foreign worker was killed in an accident with a taxi in Woodlands on Sunday (April 9) night.

The accident occurred around 11.20pm at the junction of Gambas Avenue and Woodlands Avenue 7, the police told The Straits Times on Monday (April 10).

The 49-year-old CityCab taxi driver was arrested in relation to the case.

The pedestrian, whom ST understands is a foreign worker, was pronounced dead by paramedics at the scene.

Shin Min Daily News said in a report on Monday that the foreign worker was believed to have been on his way home to a nearby dormitory when he was hit.

ST understands that the taxi driver claims the traffic lights were green in his favour when the accident occurred.

ST has contacted ComfortDelgro for more information.

This article was first published on Apr 11, 2017.
Get a copy of The Straits Times or go to straitstimes.com for more stories.

The dust is far from settled for the six City Harvest Church (CHC) leaders convicted of multimillion-dollar fraud, as the prosecution gears up for another battle in court.

The Attorney-General's Chambers (AGC) has now filed a criminal reference with the Court of Appeal, raising "questions of law of public interest" that had arisen with a High Court three-judge panel's ruling on the case.

The six involved and their lawyers appeared to be studying the latest development, with senior pastor Kong Hee, 52, saying through his lawyer Edwin Tong that he would look at the filing carefully before considering the next move.

Lawyers for former finance manager Serina Wee, 40, also said they were still reviewing documents submitted by the AGC.

Read Also: City Harvest appeal: 5 key questions about the judgment

Senior Counsel N. Sreenivasan, who represents deputy senior pastor Tan Ye Peng, 44, said last night that he had just received the AGC's documents and had not discussed them with his client, while lawyers for former finance committee member John Lam, 49, and former finance manager Sharon Tan, 41, had no comment.

Former CHC fund manager Chew Eng Han, 56, who is representing himself, told The Straits Times that the move by the AGC was predictable.

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City Harvest appeal: All six leaders get reduced sentences

Source:

The Straits Times

"I don't think they will succeed," said Chew, who said he would raise a criminal reference of his own soon, without specifying what or when. Chew added that he agreed with the High Court's interpretation of the law in its ruling.

When contacted, CHC executive pastor Aries Zulkanain said: "We put all our trust in God, and we will do what we have been doing these seven years - we will pray."

Read Also: City Harvest verdict: AGC applies to take case to Court of Appeal

Lawyers told The Straits Times it was appropriate that the AGC had filed a criminal reference.

Mr Eugene Thuraisingam said there is a question of law of public interest because of the conflicting decisions, not only in the Singapore High Court but also in the interpretation of the Indian equivalent, which is considered an authority.

In the 1976 case of Tay Choo Wah, which set the legal position in Singapore till now, the High Court considered two conflicting authorities, one related to India's penal code and the other to Ceylon's.

"My opinion is that the majority got it correct," he said.

Read Also: Jail term cut for City Harvest Church leader in pop music fraud case

Mr Shashi Nathan, a partner at Withers KhattarWong, said the question of which section of the law directors should be charged under for criminal breach of trust (CBT) is one that has to be resolved as it affects future prosecutions.

At the heart of the AGC's filing is the High Court's decision to reduce the charges of CBT which the six had been convicted of.

They had all been found guilty of CBT as agents under Section 409 of the Penal Code.

But the High Court ruled that the six church leaders are not considered agents under the provision - with two of the three judges ruling that "agent" connoted someone in a professional capacity - and reduced their offences to basic CBT, under Section 406, which carries lighter sentences.

Read Also: City Harvest appeal: 4 possible scenarios facing Kong Hee and church leaders

The AGC is asking the Court of Appeal to decide on this point of law: whether a director or a member of the governing body of a company or organisation who is entrusted with or has dominion over property, can be construed as an agent.

The six CHC leaders were initially sentenced to jail terms of between eight years (for Kong) and 21 months (for Sharon Tan).

This was dramatically reduced by the High Court last Friday, to 31/2 years for Kong and seven months for Tan.

At the heart of the AGC's filing is the High Court's decision to reduce the charges of criminal breach of trust (CBT) which the six had been convicted of.

They had all been found guilty of CBT as agents under Section 409 of the Penal Code. But the High Court ruled that the six church leaders are not considered agents under the provision - with two of the three judges ruling that "agent" connoted someone in a professional capacity - and reduced their offences to basic CBT, under Section 406, which carries lighter sentences.

Key questions in the case

Q: What is a criminal reference?

A: When questions of law of public interest have arisen in a criminal matter, after the High Court has decided on the appeal, either party can file a motion to refer these questions to the Court of Appeal.

The procedure, known as a criminal reference, is provided for under Section 397 of the Criminal Procedure Code.

Q: Who can file it?

A: Both the prosecution as well as the accused person can file a criminal reference.

The public prosecutor does not need the permission of the Court of Appeal to do so, but accused persons need to seek permission.

An application for permission must be made within one month of the High Court's decision.

Q: What are questions of law of public interest?

A: The question of law must be one that is of public interest and not just personally important to the parties alone.

Q: What are the possible scenarios in the City Harvest case now that a criminal reference has been filed by the prosecution?

A: If the Court of Appeal agrees with the High Court's interpretation of the law, then the High Court's decision last Friday will prevail.

If the Court of Appeal disagrees with the High Court's interpretation, there is a wide range of possibilities.

It can give a definitive ruling on the questions of law without disturbing the convictions and sentences of the six City Harvest Church leaders.

The prosecution has, however, requested that the Court of Appeal reinstate the original convictions of the six church leaders.

If the court agrees to the request, the six will find themselves back to the 2015 convictions on the more serious criminal breach of trust charge.

However, the court has the discretion to sentence them.

Q: Will a different set of judges be hearing the criminal reference?

A: Yes. A different panel, from the other judges on the Supreme Court bench, will be convened to hear the criminal reference, and the decision will be binding.

Q: What sort of timeframe are we looking at?

A: Lawyer Shashi Nathan said it could be "months" before the Court of Appeal hears the case.

He said the court may appoint an amicus curiae (Latin for friend of the court) to give an independent view as a third party.

Q: Is there any recourse for the accused persons after the Court of Appeal rules on the criminal reference?

A: The decision of the Court of Appeal in a criminal reference is final.

Q: Can the accused persons wait for the Court of Appeal hearing to be over before they start serving their sentences?

A: The accused persons can apply to the High Court for a stay on their sentences pending the outcome of the Court of Appeal decision, said lawyers.

Q: How common are criminal reference cases in Singapore?

A: Applications are "not uncommon" but it is rare for the court to grant permission to accused persons, said lawyer Eugene Thuraisingam.

Lawyer Tan Hee Joek said only rare cases can satisfy the criteria to refer to the Court of Appeal as they are meant to restrict such reference unless questions of law of public interest are involved.

PAST CASES

In 2010, lawyer Bachoo Mohan Singh, who was convicted of helping a client dishonestly make a false claim before a court, succeeded in his criminal reference.

He was sentenced to three months' jail.

At an appeal in the High Court, his conviction was upheld but his sentence was reduced to one month's jail and a $10,000 fine.

But he took his case all the way to the Court of Appeal, on the legal question of what exactly is a false claim, and how far a lawyer has to go to make sure that what his client tells him is true.

Mr Singh was eventually acquitted.

In 2014, the prosecution filed criminal references in two unrelated cases of private-sector corruption.

Former Ikea food and beverage manager Leng Kah Poh and former Seagate senior director of logistics Henry Teo Chu Ha were acquitted on appeal to the same High Court judge after he ruled that their actions did not amount to corruption.

After the Court of Appeal agreed with the prosecution that the High Court's interpretation of the law was wrong, it reinstated their original convictions.

dansonc@sph.com.sg

selinal@sph.com.sg

This article was first published on April 11, 2017.
Get a copy of The Straits Times or go to straitstimes.com for more stories.

They look like a scrum of photographers covering a celebrity event or a football match.

Since last week, groups of about 20 photographers have spent hours staring at a hole in a tree opposite Pek Kio Market and Food Centre, all waiting to capture the rare sight of parrots and chicks in an urban environment.

As soon as one of the blue-crowned hanging parrots pops out, a flurry of shutter clicks can be heard, along with gasps of "oohs" and "ahs".

Well-known nature guide Subaraj Rajathurai said the excitement near Block 51, Kent Road, is probably due to the rare location.

The wildlife consultant from Strix Wildlife Consultancy said parrots, which tend to live high in the canopy, cannot make their own holes to nest in, so they use those left by other birds, such as woodpeckers.

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Photo Gallery

Birds of a feather flock together for rare sighting

Source:

The Straits Times

But in this case, the parrots chose a hole that was around 5m above ground, which offers a good angle for shutterbugs, armed with long lenses that can cost thousands of dollars.

Mr Subaraj said: "When the bird is nesting, or raising its young, it regularly comes back to the same spot. Otherwise, as a woodland specialist, it tends to live in the tree canopy and its small size means it can be hard to see."

But once the chicks are capable of leaving the nest, their parents will leave too. These chicks usually nest for about three weeks.

Some shutterbugs, like retiree Victor Tan, 58, waited nearly two hours before he was able to snap a picture of the parrots and one of the chicks yesterday.

The former IT professional first heard of them last week from one of his birdwatching WhatsApp groups, through which the news has spread quickly around the island.

Said Mr Tan: "It was very crowded when I got there in the morning. There were older retirees like me, young people and also office workers who took along their cameras during lunch hour."

This not-so-secret spot has been the subject of chatter among birdwatching groups and shutterbugs since one unknown enthusiast spread the news.

Pictures of the birds began appearing on Facebook hobby group Birds, Insects N Creatures of Asia (Bica) last Saturday, drawing more photographers to the site.

These groups have become more popular of late, with Bica growing to nearly 13,000 members since the group's creation in 2012.

Another hobbyist, who declined to be named, said he rushed to the spot last week after returning from overseas. "We can't really see the chicks but the adults will return every hour or so to feed them," he said. "It's kind of interesting."

Mr Subaraj said the photographers should be careful about disrupting the nest, such as going too close or attempting to feed the birds.

Noise from the rapidly firing camera shutters can also scare the parents away and cause the chicks to die, he warned.

This article was first published on Apr 11, 2017.
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Zainol bin Atan, 64, and his family, were nervous as they waited in a conference room at SPH News Centre last Saturday evening on April 8. They were going to be reunited with long-lost family members they had lost contact with for over 40 years.

Zainol's mother, Madia Bte Osman, and her older brother, Wahab, were the children of a Scottish officer serving in the British Army during WWII named William Angus.

William had married a Singaporean Malay woman named Halijah, also known as Bibi, and took on the name Osman after converting to Islam.

Madia and Wahab's families initially grew up together at the British Quarters in Cairnhill, but soon parted ways for reasons unknown.

Zainol's son, Muhammad Syahied, 23, had written in to Stomp last Thursday (April 6), hoping to reconnect with his father's side of the family after years of trying without success.

"I believe Stomp is a very powerful source to link people up fast," said Syahied.

Stomp published an article looking for Wahab bin Osman and his family on Thursday evening.

We also shared the article on social media platforms like Facebook, WhatsApp and Twitter to get the word out.

The next morning at around 9am, a woman named Faridah messaged the Stomp Team on WhatsApp, saying that Wahab bin Osman was her father.

One of her nieces had seen the article on Stomp and alerted the rest of the family via their WhatsApp group chat.

Unfortunately, Wahab had passed away on December 7 2011 at the age of 89.

Faridah said that she remembered her cousin Zainol from growing up together and said she used to call him 'Abang Nol'.

She called the Stomp Team from her home in Kuala Lumpur, crying with happiness at the prospect of reuniting with the lost family members on her father's side.

When Stomp gave Syahied the happy news that the family he was looking for had contacted Stomp, he was shocked to find out that his father had 11 cousins.

"I knew that my dad had a few cousins but I wasn't expecting this many!" he exclaimed.

Both sides of the family were keen to meet, so Stomp organised a reunion for the two sides on Saturday (April 8).

Despite events happening so quickly, Faridah flew in to Singapore on Friday night just for the reunion.

Most of her siblings still reside in Singapore.

Zainol, Syahied and four other members of their family arrived at the SPH News Centre first.

Madia, who is now 93, was unable to make the trip due to her poor health.

Zainol was emotional just minutes before the reunion:

"I'm the only one on my mother's side left and I'm so happy to be reunited with my uncle's family for the sake of my children and grandchildren."

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Stomp reunites descendants of WWII Scottish army officer and Singaporean wife

Source:

Stomp

Wahab's side of the family arrived soon after with more than 20 members including Wahab's widow, eight of his 11 children, and some of his grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

When Zainol and his family walked in to meet his relatives for the first time in over 40 years, he simply asked "Do you remember me?" in Malay.

The families took each other in, with some expressing recognition and others still trying to figure things out.

Zainol walked around greeting his relatives, exchanging smiles, hugs and kisses with happy tears in his eyes.

Although awkward at first, the two families soon relaxed and started mingling and getting to know each other better.

Both sides had brought old photographs to share with each other and the families settled down to share stories and catch up on the time they had lost.

The family also bonded over food that had been prepared specially for the reunion as laughter and chatter filled the air.

After two hours of catching up and exchanging contact information, they decided to call it a wrap.

"I think we should go now because if it were up to them (the older generation), we would be here all night," joked one younger relative.

Syahied ended the reunion gratefully:

"I want to thank Stomp for helping us to reunite and thank everybody for coming. I hope in the future we can have more family gatherings and just keep in contact."

Faridah replied on behalf of her family: "We would like to thank you too...for looking for us."

Visit STOMP for more stories.

The most expensive criminal trial in Singapore's history is set to get even more expensive.

Lawyers' fees for the 142-day City Harvest Church (CHC) trial at the State Courts, from its start in May 2013 to sentencing in November 2015, had previously been estimated to cost more than $10 million.

But this could rise by between $1 million and $5 million more, now that the prosecution has referred the case to the Court of Appeal.

This came after a High Court appeal last Friday ended with jail terms for all six defendants cut.

Read also: City Harvest appeal: 5 key questions about the judgment

Each of the five defendants who are still being represented by lawyers could incur at least $1 million more in legal fees, for what is likely to be the most crucial stretch left in the long-drawn case, said senior lawyer Foo Cheow Ming.

"As the criminal reference (at the apex court) is crucial and will affect the bottom line fate of each party, I don't see the additional fees as being lower than $1 million per head, as starters, maybe even more."

Taking a different view, Senior Counsel Thio Shen Yi said additional legal costs might possibly be kept at about $250,000 per party as the criminal reference will be centred solely on the interpretation of Section 409 of the Penal Code.

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Photo Gallery

City Harvest appeal: All six leaders get reduced sentences

Source:

The Straits Times

"The work the lawyers have to do at this stage may be fairly limited. They know the facts of the case well and instead, they will be now diving deeper into an isolated point of law."

The sixth defendant, former CHC fund manager Chew Eng Han, has been representing himself since May 2014.

Four of the other five are represented by high-ranking senior counsel, who typically charge $1,200 or more an hour, lawyers said. And the appearance of these top counsel in the High Court or Court of Appeal usually costs about $10,000 to $20,000 a day.

Read also: City Harvest lawyers to study AGC filings before next move

However, the lawyers may agree on a cap on legal fees, depending on a client's ability to pay.

The CHC trial is the second longest in history, beaten only by a drug-trafficking case in the 1990s that went on for 168 days.

Senior Counsel N. Sreenivasan, who represents CHC deputy senior pastor Tan Ye Peng, said yesterday: "The truth of the matter is that most, if not all, of the accused (including my client) have long run out of funds to pay their fees during the trial itself, let alone for the appeal and now the reference."

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Photo Gallery

City Harvest Church leaders return to court for appeals

Source: The Straits Times, The New Paper

But the lawyers have continued "because it is our duty to complete a job that we have started and because we have come to see our clients as people caught in circumstances that they did not fully appreciate at the time events took place".

The lawyers for the other four defendants declined to comment.

In June 2012, the Commissioner of Charities (COC) issued an order to restrict CHC from paying the legal fees of those involved in the case, and neither the church nor its employees may be involved in raising funds for the legal costs.

A COC spokesman told The Straits Times the order is still in force.

However, the church, in a list of questions on the case posted on its website, said that while it is restricted by the authorities from helping to pay for the legal fees, "individual members are free to support them".

Read also: City Harvest verdict: AGC applies to take case to Court of Appeal

This article was first published on Apr 12, 2017.
Get a copy of The Straits Times or go to straitstimes.com for more stories.

Some of the six City Harvest Church (CHC) leaders facing jail for their roles in Singapore's largest case of misuse of charity funds will start serving their sentences by April 21, said a notice posted on the church's website.

No names were mentioned.

Last Friday, church founder Kong Hee and five others were sentenced to jail terms of between seven months and 3½ years for investing millions in sham bonds to fund the pop music career of his wife in a church mission and then covering up their tracks.

Five - Kong, deputy senior pastor Tan Ye Peng, former fund manager Chew Eng Han, former finance committee member John Lam and former finance manager Serina Wee - had sought a two-week deferment of their sentences. Former finance manager Sharon Tan had asked for two months' deferment.

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Photo Gallery

City Harvest appeal: All six leaders get reduced sentences

Source:

The Straits Times

Their requests were granted.

On Monday, the prosecution filed a criminal reference to ask the Court of Appeal to rule on questions of law of public interest.

Yesterday, Chew told The Straits Times that he has informed the High Court that he intends to apply for permission to file his own criminal reference.

"I've also requested a stay in sentence and asked for advice on how to extend bail pending the outcome of the criminal reference. I've not got any reply yet."

Read also: Jail term cut for City Harvest Church leader in pop music fraud case

Kong's lawyer, Senior Counsel Edwin Tong, said his client has not yet decided whether he will surrender on April 21 or seek a stay of his sentence.

Senior Counsel N. Sreenivasan, representing Tan Ye Peng, said his client "has not made any changes to his plans". Tan had told reporters on Friday that he would "like to serve the sentence and move on".

This article was first published on Apr 12, 2017.
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Three Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) paramedics brought life into the world while responding to an incident in Novena, successfully delivering a baby boy in his home.

The happy father, Mr Kean Ho, 39, was so grateful that he tried to send a hamper to the paramedics, which was ultimately rejected as SCDF does not accept gifts.

So, he took to Facebook to pen his gratitude and recount how the paramedics of ambulance AB 113 delivered his second son at their five-room flat in Block 54, Kent Road, last Friday morning.

"I'm really, truly grateful to the paramedics. The hamper didn't work, so the only way I know to thank them from the bottom of my heart is via social media," said the minimart operator.

His wife, Madam Keryn Toh, 29, said she felt an intense contraction at around 7.45am which left her paralysed with pain in the living room. Mr Ho quickly called for an ambulance and began pacing worriedly in the carpark.

An SCDF spokesman confirmed it was alerted at around 8.10am.

Mr Ho said: "Minutes of waiting seemed like hours. My younger sister was with my wife and was also on the phone with the operator."

Read also: Skin woes during pregnancy

When the ambulance arrived, the crew noticed that the mother's water bag had burst and the baby's head could be seen, said the spokesman. "The crew immediately proceeded to deliver the baby," he added.

Mr Ho said he was in a panic at the time, recalling: "They were supposed to take her to hospital but, as it would have been too late, the officer in charge decided to deliver the baby there and then."

He admitted being doubtful of the paramedics at first as he was unsure if they were trained to deliver a child.

Mr Ho said: "The paramedics were so professional, which calmed us and assured (us) that we were in good hands."

His son, who is still unnamed, was born at 8.25am, just minutes after the ambulance arrived. Both the mother and the baby were taken to KK Women's and Children's Hospital by ambulance, the SCDF spokesman said.

Madam Toh, a secretary, said: "I'm very grateful for the smooth and super-fast delivery. The baby and I are both safe and well."

Both parents are now busy taking care of their newborn son, but want to try and reach out to the paramedics again.

Mr Ho said: "I passed my mobile phone number to one of the paramedics but they have not contacted me yet. I want to thank them properly."

This article was first published on Apr 12, 2017.
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When passengers are bumped off overbooked flights, the practice in Singapore is to ply them with compensation. This includes travel vouchers, meals or hotel accommodation, on top of being placed on an alternative flight to the destination, airlines told The Straits Times.

There have been zero complaints against overbooking from January last year to date, said a spokesman for the Consumers Association of Singapore. Said Singapore Management University's transport specialist Terence Fan: "Customers who are bumped off are typically well- handled and well-compensated here. The staff might tell you they could upgrade your ticket to business or first class for your next flight, for example."

The issue of what airlines do when flights are overbooked is now a talking point, after a United Airlines passenger was dragged from an overbooked plane on Sunday. Aviation analyst Shukor Yusof of Endau Analytics said overbooking is not illegal, but United handled the situation poorly: "There are many other ways to persuade passengers to not fly, apart from using brute force."

A Jetstar spokesman said: "Airlines in this part of the world have a much more conservative approach to overbooking than airlines in the United States."

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Passenger brutally dragged off overbooked United Airlines plane

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In Singapore, he said the passenger will be bumped off and placed on an alternative flight at the check-in counter, rather than be made to deplane after boarding.

The management of these passengers is "carefully handled" by Singapore Airlines, said its spokesman. "We are generally able to accommodate or make alternative arrangements for our customers who have a confirmed booking."

It is an industry practice for airlines to overbook, as almost every flight has a small percentage of passengers who do not show up, said a spokesman for Scoot and Tigerair. Affected passengers can get a full cash refund if they prefer to make their own arrangements, he said.

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An interview with Singapore Airlines CEO

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The airlines did not respond to questions on how often they need to bump off customers, and how they decide who must give up their seats.

Professor Fan said the practice is necessary as airline companies operate on razor-thin margins. "It allows airlines to compensate for no-shows from other passengers. These passengers might pay a cancellation fee, but it will not completely recover the cost of having empty seats on the flight," he said.

This article was first published on Apr 12, 2017.
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Two new cases of locally transmitted Zika virus infections have been found at the Poh Huat Terrace/Terrasse Lane area, in the neighbourhood of two other clusters discovered recently.

The National Environment Agency (NEA) yesterday said both new cases are residents in the vicinity, and the new cluster has been notified.

Vector control operations and outreach efforts have started in the new cluster, said NEA, which urged the community to take action.

Read also: First Zika cluster of 2017 reported at Simon Place in Hougang

This comes barely a week after the second Zika cluster of the year was found nearby at Flower Road/ Hendry Close, in the Kovan area.

Meanwhile, the cluster at Simon Place, off Poh Huat Road, which was the first cluster found this year, closed yesterday and will be kept under surveillance, said NEA.

It added that "residents and stakeholders are urged to maintain vigilance and continue to eliminate mosquito-breeding habitats, as there could still be asymptomatic or mild, undiagnosed cases which might result in further transmission".

NEA is also continuing with vector control operations in the Flower Road/Hendry Close cluster.

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Zika outbreak in Singapore

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The Straits Times

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Outreach efforts are ongoing, including distributing information leaflets and insect repellents. Residents are requested to allow NEA officers to carry out inspections and indoor spraying of their homes too.

Most infected people do not develop symptoms, heightening the risk of a "resurgence as it may take some time before a reintroduced Zika virus is detected", said NEA.

Members of the public should seek medical attention if they are unwell, especially with symptoms such as fever and rash. They should inform their doctors of the location of their residence and workplace.

Read also: New Zika cluster in Hougang

This article was first published on Apr 12, 2017.
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A man was tasered during a confrontation with police in Woodlands on Sunday night.

A video clip, posted on Twitter on Monday, showed the man in a stand-off with two policemen.

He was shown in a second clip being pinned down and surrounded by several officers.

The Straits Times understands that a Taser, an electric stun gun, was used in a bid to apprehend the man, who is in his 40s. He was charged in court yesterday.

Twitter user Purgat0ry, who recorded the video, claimed the man was under the influence of drugs.

"The dude was high on drugs and was just looking for people to slash," he wrote in a post.

Last November, police officers used the Taser on a 30-year-old man who had turned aggressive when they approached him at Lavender MRT. He later kicked one of the officers.

Another incident in March last year involved a 31-year-old man who was found with an offensive weapon during a routine check at Yio Chu Kang MRT station.

Ng Jun Sen

This article was first published on Apr 12, 2017.
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The authorities reiterated yesterday that the Sungei Road flea market will not be relocated, even as a new group is petitioning to get the issue heard again in Parliament.

In one-on-one engagements with some 200 vendors conducted at the market last week, a sizeable number of vendors had indicated they were interested in taking up lock-up stalls at hawker centres, or continuing their trade in places such as temporary flea markets.

Some said they would like to apply for either employment or financial assistance, or both, if they cannot continue their trade.

A statement, issued jointly by the National Environment Agency, Ministry of National Development, Ministry of Social and Family Development, Workforce Singapore, National Heritage Board and Singapore Police Force, said: "The respective agencies will be following up closely with these users individually to engage them further on the various options that they had expressed interest in."

It added, categorically, that the market will not be relocated.

This reinforced the message delivered by Environment and Water Resources Minister Masagos Zulkifli in Parliament earlier this month that the authorities "have engaged enough" with vendors and that to meet them again is tantamount to promising that the Government's stance will change and that redevelopment will not start.

The minister had said: "There are alternatives. But, should we put up another site like this which is deemed to be like Sungei Road but not in Sungei Road? I don't think this is something we want to dwell (on) further."

The decades-old Sungei Road market will be making way for future residential developments.

Its last day of operations will be on July 10.

Despite the repeated assertions that the decision is final, the president of the Association for the Recycling of Second Hand Goods, Mr Koh Ah Koon, 76, believes that there is a "glimmer of hope" since Singaporeans have stepped forward to help the market.

The petition by Save Sungei Road Market aims to gather 1,000 signatures for the cause.

The one-page letter asks the Government to designate an alternative site for the market, hold a dialogue "empathetically, genuinely and comprehensively" with vendors to understand their needs, as well as to help the vendors to continue making a living "in a dignified manner that takes into account their experience and abilities".

The group's Facebook page, which was set up in late March, has had more than 500 likes. Its 20 core members come from the arts, academia, heritage, IT and public relations sectors.

One of them, community-based artist Tan Biyun, told The Straits Times she believes the free-hawking zone should be retained.

She said: "The Sungei market vendors have no wish to stand in the way of redevelopment. The question is, have we considered redeveloping to include this one-of-a-kind market, given the fact that many parts of Singapore are designated as mixed-use developments?"

The group is seeking the help of an MP sympathetic to the cause to submit its petition to Parliament.

A parliamentary petition is a formal request by the people for the House to consider a certain issue.

It is guaranteed to make its way to the nation's highest lawmaking body, so long as it has at least one signature and is submitted by a Member of Parliament.

Ms Tan added that the group believes in the cause.

"This group wants to journey with the vendors to the point where our campaign goals are met or the issues are resolved satisfactorily."

In Parliament, Mr Masagos had said five of the 11 original permit- holders at the Sungei Road flea market have indicated interest in operating stalls at Golden Mile Food Centre and Chinatown Market.

All 11 were given the option of renting stalls at subsidised rates after the market's last day.

melodyz@sph.com.sg

This article was first published on April 12, 2017.
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A burst water pipe between two Housing Board blocks in Aljunied flooded a carpark yesterday morning, with national water agency PUB and the Marine Parade Town Council temporarily supplying some 75 households with water from an alternative source.

A pipe between blocks 105 and 106 in Aljunied Crescent burst at about 3am, Lianhe Wanbao reported on Tuesday.

A photo provided by a Lianhe Wanbao reader of a carpark there shows the area flooded with muddy water.

A grocery store employee, who gave his name only as Mr Anbarasam, 27, told the Chinese evening daily that he heard the pipe burst in the morning.

"I didn't take notice of it, but when I came to work at 6am when it was still dark, I stepped into mud that came up to my ankle," he said.

Responding to queries from The Straits Times, PUB said it was informed of the incident yesterday morning.

"Our officers found a leak in the pipe that supplies water to Block 105 and Block 106 in Aljunied Crescent and we immediately proceeded to isolate the leaking pipe," said the PUB spokesman.

"The leakage surfaced and washed up earth materials to the nearby carpark."

Repairs were completed and the water supply fully restored by 3.30pm.

While repair works were being carried out, PUB and the town council provided an alternative water supply to affected households, which get their water directly from the PUB water mains.

"Those receiving their water supply from the rooftop water tanks were not affected," said the spokesman.

lydialam@sph.com.sg

This article was first published on April 12, 2017.
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An SMRT bus collided with an Uber car in the Marina Bay area yesterday afternoon, injuring two people.

The empty SMRT bus collided with the white Toyota Sienta at the junction of Bayfront Avenue and Raffles Avenue at about 2pm.

The driver of bus service 171 told The Straits Times at the scene that the driver of the Uber car and his two passengers were taken to hospital.

However, the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) and police yesterday said a woman in her 30s was taken to Singapore General Hospital, while the 46-year-old Uber driver was taken to Raffles Hospital.

The Straits Times understands that the woman's injuries were quite serious, and she was accompanied to the hospital by the other Uber passenger, who was not hurt.

The in-service bus was empty at the time as it had just come from a terminal nearby.

Mr Nicholas Chew, 25, a public relations executive who saw the aftermath, said he was in another Uber car when he saw the bus in the middle of the road.

"It was blocking the entire road, so cars couldn't get on the flyover beside the Helix Bridge. Beside it, there was a very badly banged-up car. A woman was being tended to by paramedics," he said.

The Land Transport Authority, in a tweet at 2.16pm, advised drivers to avoid the left lane on Raffles Avenue towards Raffles Link, after Bayfront Avenue, as there had been an accident there.

Mr Patrick Nathan, vice-president for corporate information and communications at SMRT, said that no passengers were on the bus and the bus captain did not suffer any injuries.

"The driver and two passengers on board the private car were taken to the hospital."

He said that SMRT has reached out to the three people and is investigating the accident.

The police are investigating.

The area has seen a number of accidents in recent years.

Last year, an elderly man was taken to the hospital after a taxi ran into him along Bayfront Avenue.

In October 2015, a 33-year-old motorcyclist died after a three- way collision with a van and a car at the junction of Marina Boulevard and Bayfront Avenue.

lydialam@sph.com.sg

yaohui@sph.com.sg

This article was first published on April 12, 2017.
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For those who regard museum visits as boring - think again. It's now possible to "play games" at the National Museum of Singapore using a virtual and augmented reality app.

That's right, just like playing Pokemon Go. And it is done with the museum's new Tango-enabled Architectural Tour, which transports visitors back in time and brings them on a journey of how the museum evolved over time.

Tango, a technology platform created by Google, is a set of sensors and computer vision software that enables smartphone augmented reality (AR).

The National Museum of Singapore is among the first museums in the world to adopt this location-based technology, said the museum today.

Using indoor mapping, virtual reality and AR technology, visitors will be able to explore how the building has evolved over the past 130 years on top of viewing previously displayed artefacts - such as the famous Revere Bell that former US President Barack Obama mentioned during his toast remarks to Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong at the 2016 White House State Dinner in Washington DC.

There are currently six points of interest during the tour, including the opportunity to have an AR view of the museum's iconic Indian Fin Whale skeleton.

The 42-feet-long skeleton occupied the exact same space in 1907 and was returned to Malaysia in the 1970s, said the museum.

Registration is free but on a first come, first served basis - so if this tour is right up your alley, you might want to book yourself a slot soon.

A gentle reminder: Catching Pokemons is not part of this tour despite the use of AR.

The Tango-enabled Architectural Tours will run from April 22, 2017. For more information, visit www.nationalmuseum.sg.

ssandrea@sph.com.sg

SINGAPORE - Singapore's trade-reliant economy contracted 1.9 percent in the first quarter from the previous three months on an annualised basis, data from the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI) showed, matching the median forecast in a Reuters survey.

The slump was seen as payback for the outsized 12.3 percent jump in the fourth quarter, with many analysts seeing growth tracking in line with government forecasts for 2017.

Year-on-year, the economy grew 2.5 per cent in the first quarter, easing from the 2.9 per cent growth in the previous quarter, according to MTI.

The central bank acknowledged a "slightly" improved outlook for the global economy but said downside risks remain, alongside"significant policy uncertainty."

Nomura economist Brian Tan said the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) sounded "cautious" about the economic outlook, which is likely to dampen speculation that the central bank could tighten policy at the next policy review in October. "It's a bit too soon to tighten policy," Tan said.

As the global economy perked up from late last year, Singapore's exports and manufacturing have bounced from depressed levels, helping lift inflation in line with official forecasts.

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Tips on how to avoid going broke in times of economic slowdown

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Meanwhile, the central bank held policy steady as expected on Thursday, saying a "neutral" stance will be needed for an extended period as data showed the city state's economy contracted in the first quarter.

Analysts said the MAS' reiteration of the forward guidance from its last review and warning of "significant policy uncertainty" dampened any expectations of tightening in October.

The Singapore dollar rose slightly after the MAS said it will maintain its rate of appreciation of the Singapore dollar at zero percent, with the width of the policy band and the level at which it is centred unchanged. "A neutral policy stance is appropriate for an extended period and should ensure medium-term price stability," the MAS said in its semiannual monetary policy statement.

18 of 19 analysts in a Reuters survey predicted the MAS would keep monetary policy unchanged - one analyst expected an easing - after having eased policy three times since January 2015, most recently in April 2016.

The MAS manages monetary policy by changes to the exchange rate, rather than interest rates, letting the Singapore dollar rise or fall against the currencies of its main trading partners because trade flows dwarf the city state's economy.

MAS said core inflation was projected to average 1-2 percent, compared to 0.9 percent in 2016. All-items inflation is expected to rise to 0.5-1.5 percent from minus 0.5 percent last year.