The number of cases tackled by the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB) last year was the lowest in 32 years.

The bureau received 808 complaints - including some that were not related to corruption - down from 877 in 2015. Of these, 118, or 14.6 per cent, were registered for investigation. This is the lowest number since 1984.

Most of the corruption complaints that were not pursued contained insufficient, vague or unsubstantiated information.

"Corruption in Singapore remains at low levels and... the situation is well under control. But we must not rest on our laurels. Corruption will always be a work-in-progress because of the innate human nature of greed and temptation," said CPIB director Wong Hong Kuan.

The numbers were disclosed yesterday at the launch of a new anti-bribery standard by the bureau and Spring Singapore which can benefit local companies that are expanding overseas.

Mr Wong said most of the cases investigated by the CPIB were from the private sector. They accounted for 85 per cent of all cases registered for investigation last year - down by 4 percentage points from 2015.

The remaining 15 per cent came from the public sector. Although this was a slight increase from the 11 per cent recorded in 2015, the CPIB noted that due to the small numbers, the 4 percentage point increase "is not significant".

Read also: First corruption, now abduction in custody spat?

There were 104 individuals convicted of corruption offences last year: 100 were private-sector employees, and the remaining four were from the public sector.

The CPIB noted that areas of concern highlighted in the private- sector cases centred on maintenance work relating to removal of copper cables, cleaning and water-proofing services and the purchase and supply of fire safety, electrical and mechanical equipment at wholesalers and retailers.

Spring and the CPIB said one way to help businesses enhance anti-bribery controls is to have an effective compliance programme such as the new Singapore Standard ISO 37001 (SS ISO 37001) that was announced yesterday.

Read also: Man gets 90 weeks' jail, $1.1m penalty for corruption

The ISO 37001 standard that Singapore is adopting was developed by the International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO) in October last year.

The standard, which companies can adopt voluntarily, will help Singapore firms manage corruption risk when they venture overseas. Spring said companies would gain an "additional stamp of confidence" in their systems and processes to help them grow internationally.

"Spring will be working with public and private stakeholders to provide assistance in terms of training, consultancy, certification and funding," said Ms Choy Sauw Kook, assistant chief executive for quality and excellence at Spring Singapore.

The standard includes a series of measures that represent globally recognised anti-bribery good practices. They include anti-bribery policy and training for staff, project risk assessments, financial and contractual controls.

Spring and the Singapore Accreditation Council will be working with stakeholders to develop an accreditation scheme so that relevant bodies can provide SS ISO 37001 certification services by the end of this year.

The CPIB also launched an anti-corruption guide for businesses yesterday.

This article was first published on Apr 13, 2017.
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A Housing and Urban Development Company (HUDC) estate in Eunos that had been privatised has gone on the market, just days after a similar estate in Hougang was put up for collective sale.

Owners at Eunosville in Sims Avenue expect offers of between $643 million and $653 million, which translates to about $780 to $790 psf per plot ratio (psf ppr).

That could make the 330-unit Eunosville the largest collective sale in recent years, surpassing the $638 million paid for Shunfu Ville last year, said marketing consultant OrangeTee yesterday.

It would also dwarf Rio Casa in Hougang, which went on sale with expectations of more than $450.8 million, or about $586 psf ppr.

Read also: Former HUDC estate up for en bloc sale

The asking price for Eunosville includes a top-up premium of about $181 million for a new 99-year lease and for intensification of the 376,713 sq ft site, which is less than 100m from Eunos MRT station.

The owners, who reached the requisite 80 per cent consent needed for the collective sale in less than four months, would each get around $1.9 million to just over $2 million.

The estate, which has 70 years left on its lease, has 255 maisonettes in 10 blocks and 75 walk-up apartments across four blocks.

Read also: Last HUDC estate of Braddell View privatised

The strata floor area for a maisonette is between 156 and 165 sq m (1,679 to 1,776 sq ft), and apartment sizes are from 152 to 160 sq m.

A redevelopment could yield about 1,035 units with an average size of 90 sq m each.

Mr Alex Oh, OrangeTee's director of business solutions, said selling prices would be in the region of $1,450 psf for a new condominium, with a break-even level of about $1,250 psf.

OrangeTee's executive director of business solutions, Mr Marcus Oh, said: "The recent tweak to the cooling measures has injected some optimism into the residential market... Strong sales results at recent launches such as Grandeur Park Residences... show buyers are still keen to invest in projects with strong locational attributes such as proximity to MRT stations."

This article by The Straits Times was published in The New Paper, a free newspaper published by Singapore Press Holdings.

A few months after her son's birth, administrative worker Liu Xin realised that he had a bad case of eczema - a skin condition which causes itchiness.

She took him to KK Women's and Children's Hospital (KKH), where doctors asked if she preferred that the next consultation be done through video call via a smartphone or computer. She said yes.

"It would have caused us some trouble to take the baby to the hospital," Ms Liu, who is in her 20s, told reporters yesterday, giving the thumbs up to telemedicine.

Her six-month-old baby is one of the first patients to use the new video call system, which is being rolled out nationwide, starting with six public healthcare institutions, including KKH.

Dr Mark Koh, who heads the hospital's dermatology service, said he sees around 200 eczema patients a week, 40 of whom would be suitable for video consultations with pharmacists, who check on a patient's skin and make sure the medication is suitable. "It replaces a follow-up appointment with the doctor and saves an extra visit, especially if the eczema is well controlled," he said.

Read also: IMH launches nationwide study to gauge mental health of adults in Singapore

Pharmacists will help arrange for a face-to-face appointment with a doctor if they decide that the child needs one, he added.

Depending on the hospital, patients may pay for the video consultations upfront after their first face-to-face doctor's visit, and the costs could be lower than seeing a doctor face-to-face.

Mr Bruce Liang, who is chief executive of Integrated Health Information Systems and chief information officer at the Health Ministry, said that they will be monitoring patient feedback on these virtual consultations to make sure patients are comfortable with the technology.

Some, like housewife Catherine Ng, 59, have reservations. "An online consultation just won't have a human touch. In face-to-face consultations, the doctor and patient can communicate better," she said.

However, 19-year-old Lee Xin Min has no qualms about using video call technology for medical consultations, as long as the quality of care remains the same.

Said the student: "Telemedicine sounds incredibly convenient... I can arrange my time around the consultation and return immediately to what I was doing before."

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Volunteer clowns bring joy to sick kids at KK Women's and Children Hospital

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The Straits Times

Telemedicine is not a novel concept. Seven years ago, Khoo Teck Puat Hospital started a similar scheme with eight nursing homes. But in that case, a special video conferencing set was used as the technology on smartphones was not so readily available.

The success of the scheme was limited by the need for specialised hardware, said Dr James Low, a senior consultant in the hospital's geriatric medicine department. "Cabling in our hospital and the nursing homes was required when we started," he said.

But even with the constraints, he added, it helped save nursing home residents and their caregivers a trip to hospital.

Services provided and how they work

Q How will the new video consultation system work?

- Patients make appointments after their first face-to-face consultation with a doctor. They will be sent a virtual appointment invitation link.

- On the appointment day, they log in to the video call using a smartphone app or a Web browser.

- A check to verify their identity is then done.

Q What services are provided through video calls, and what is the timeline of their rollout?

 KK Women's and Children's Hospital

When: November last year.

What: Speech therapy, home care for children, breastfeeding consultations, pharmacy follow-up and consultation for young eczema patients.

Institute of Mental Health

When: November last year.

What: Psychiatric counselling and residential care nurse support.

Tan Tock Seng Hospital

When: January.

What: Post-stroke care, infectious diseases care, staff training at day care centres, medication counselling and refills.

Singapore General Hospital

When: This month.

What: Speech therapy.

National University Hospital and National University Cancer Institute, Singapore

When: June.

What: Post-stroke inpatient care at offsite wards, cancer patient care.

This article was first published on Apr 13, 2017.
Get a copy of The Straits Times or go to straitstimes.com for more stories.

She may have been heavily intoxicated but the woman at the centre of an abduction and rape trial could still have given consent, a forensic psychiatrist testifying for the defence told the High Court yesterday.

The woman was a 22-year-old intern working for a food and beverage company when she met Ong Soon Heng, 40. Ong was a friend of the company's owners.

She was at Zouk with colleagues and Ong when he allegedly plied her with drinks before driving her to his home in Hume Heights, where he raped her in the early hours of July 24, 2014.

Dr Tommy Tan said although the woman had consumed a lot of alcohol, she could still have spoken and agreed to sex. He said despite not being entirely sober, the woman would have been aware of her surroundings and might have known Ong removed her clothes, reported evening daily Shin Min Daily News.

Read also: Man acquitted of raping lover's daughter; no photos taken of alleged crime scene

Dr Tan was responding to defence lawyer Peter Fernando's questions.

Her judgment would have been impaired and Dr Tan said she would not have considered the consequences of going to bed with Ong while she had a boyfriend.

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Feminist groups speak up about rape culture in Singapore

Source: The Straits Times, The Malaysian Feminist's Facebook

Ong, who took the stand last Friday and on Tuesday, had also claimed it was the woman who wanted to go to his house.

CCTV footage from the club showed the woman throwing up, unable to stand, and having to be helped out of the establishment. Ong agreed she may have passed out, but could still be roused. Wanting to ensure her safety, he took her to his place. He then helped her into a room where they started kissing, and she did not reject him when they had sex, he claimed, adding that she previously told him she enjoyed spending time with him.

Ong said he and the woman were having an affair, reported Chinese daily Lianhe Zaobao. Ong's housemate and another friend testified that Ong and the woman appeared to have an intimate relationship.

Read also: Immunity for marital rape being reviewed

The defence team also disputed the alcohol concentration found in the woman's blood. She was found to have a blood alcohol concentration level at the time she was at Ong's house of between 210.50mg and 254.50mg per 100ml of blood. By way of comparison, the legal limit for driving is 80mg per 100ml.

Dr Tan yesterday estimated a lower blood alcohol concentration level of 178.25mg per 100ml of blood, said Shin Min Daily.

The incident came to light after the woman's boyfriend tracked her down to Ong's home at about 6.30am using a mobile phone tracking app. Despite never being uncontactable in the course of their three-year relationship, she went silent on her mobile phone the night of the incident, her 28-year-old boyfriend told the High Court on April 6. When he saw her, she was lying in a stupor on Ong's mattress. She could barely open her eyes, he said.

This article was first published on Apr 13, 2017.
Get a copy of The Straits Times or go to straitstimes.com for more stories.

I applaud Dr Yap Kim Hao's call for "religious pluralism" (Need for those who can teach religious pluralism; April 11).

It is a reality that religious communities, even in Singapore, remain in their silos.

It is not uncommon for religious organisations and businesses to place emphasis on recruiting those who are of the same faith, even for roles not directly religion-related.

Of course, it is their prerogative to do so.

But it is sad that instead of living and working side-by-side with non-religious affiliated parties to forge mutual understanding and friendships despite their differences, these groups choose exclusivity and isolation.

Read also: Rise and fall of a superstar church

I have seen it even in charity and volunteer organisations, where one can overhear remarks like "this person will not have genuine compassion because he does not share our faith" or "he is an outsider, so he cannot fully understand our religious goals".

Rhetoric like this from any religious organisation or individual is disconcerting. Such comments are dangerous and not to be accepted here.

With the City Harvest case and the one in which an imam made insensitive remarks, it is clear that religious leaders have a big influence over their followers.

But what are they doing to promote religious pluralism?

In this age of heightened consciousness of one's religious identity and of religious diversity, Singapore can never deviate from our pledge of "regardless of race, language or religion".

Wong Lai Chun

This article was first published on Apr 13, 2017.
Get a copy of The Straits Times or go to straitstimes.com for more stories.

Jail terms ought to be the norm in cases where serious damage or injuries occur as a result of dangerous driving, the prosecution argued yesterday as it urged the High Court to lay down sentencing guidelines for such offences.

Fines should be appropriate only in cases that have not ended in accidents - or where only minor damage or injury has been inflicted - and there are no other compelling reasons for stronger deterrent sentencing, said Deputy Public Prosecutor Francis Ng.

This would reflect Parliament's intentions when it enhanced the maximum sentences for dangerous driving more than two decades ago, he said.

The recommendations came in the prosecution's appeal yesterday against a lorry driver initially fined $3,000 for running the red light and knocking down a pedestrian, who suffered serious head injuries.

Read also: One driver arrested, 3 others assisting with investigations for driving against flow of traffic in recent incidents

Justice See Kee Oon agreed with prosecutors to replace the fine with a one-week jail term. The driving ban was lengthened from 11 months to 18 months.

The judge said he would set out his full grounds at a later date.

In August 2015, Koh Thiam Huat beat the red light along Hougang Avenue 9 and hit Ms Nur Amalia Adam, 20, as she crossed the junction with the lights in her favour. She was hospitalised for seven days for a skull fracture and brain injuries and given 42 days of hospitalisation leave.

DPP Ng argued that this case fell within the category of cases addressed by Parliament in 1996 when it enhanced penalties to give the courts greater flexibility in handing out custodial sentences that would deter errant road use.

Jail terms were doubled - from six months to a year for first-time offenders and from a year to two years for repeat offenders. Maximum fines were more than doubled - from $1,000 to $3,000 for first-time offenders and from $2,000 to $5,000 for repeat offenders.

Read also: Driver in fatal AYE accident charged in hospital

DPP Ng said penalties were aimed at reducing road accidents and checking drivers who displayed "irresponsible and dangerous driving habits".

Jail terms, compared with fines, would have a greater deterrent effect, he added.

But sentences meted out have been variable, with precedents "pulling in different directions" for similar cases, he said.

He urged Justice See to provide sentencing guidelines for such offences to provide greater clarity for the lower courts.

Citing Traffic Police statistics, he noted that in 2015, the number of traffic accidents resulting in injuries increased to 8,058 from 7,809 the year before.

The number went up even further last year to 8,277.

This article was first published on Apr 13, 2017.
Get a copy of The Straits Times or go to straitstimes.com for more stories.

A woman who has been accused by former actor Edmund Chen of causing trouble for his career and family is claiming that she is innocent, and says that she is not afraid to step forward to give her side of the story.

According to Lianhe Wanbao, the woman, identified as "Miss H" by the Chinese evening daily, also stressed that she was never goddaughter to Chen and wife, actress Xiang Yun.

Lianhe Wanbao had reported that Miss H had also become close with Chen's family, used his name to approach business contacts, and had also wanted Chen to pay for her to go to Hong Kong with him and his daughter. Chen had also given his story in two Facebook posts on Monday and Tuesday (Apr 10 and 11).

But in a phone interview Wanbao, Miss H rebutted a number of Chen's accusations. She added that she had been in contact with her lawyer and was considering taking legal action to protect the interests of her partners and clients.

Read also: Edmund Chen, Xiang Yun cheated of over $10,000 by 'goddaughter'

1. She never used his money to go to Hong Kong

Miss H denied ever asking Chen to pay for her flight and hotel in Hong Kong, saying that such a claim had made her seem like a "prostitute".

"I never did that. I went over to Hong Kong for work, and I used my own money on the flight and accommodation," she said, adding that she would be able to give proof of this.

She also explained that she had been invited by the territory's tourism department to discuss Chen's new illustrated book, which has "cities" as the theme.

2. She was not Chen and Xiang Yun's goddaughter

Miss H also explained that the issue of Xiang Yun taking her as a goddaughter came about when she attended a media event with the veteran actress.

She added that when she was in Hong Kong, Xiang Yun's daughter had also recommended that she continue using such an identification.

However, she said that she was not Chen and Xiang Yun's actual goddaughter, and had never recognised Chen as her godfather either. "Every time I contacted him, I would either call him 'boss' or Edmund," she said.

3. She never used Edmund Chen's name to take on jobs

On Chen's claim that she had approached business contacts in his name after their working relationship ended, Miss H vigorously denied doing so.

She said that she had even sent an e-mail out to inform clients that she had left his company in February this year, and had not accepted any work on his behalf after that.

4. She never disappeared and it was Chen who could not be contacted

Miss H also rebutted Chen's claim that she had become uncontactable, claiming instead that it was him who could not be contacted.

She said that she had been unable to contact Chen over the past month about honouring commitments made in previous work contracts, adding: "Some clients even considered going through the media to get to him."

5. She did not sow discord between Chen's children

In a Facebook post on the issue, Chen also accused Miss H of sowing discord between his son and daughter, causing the two siblings to enter a "cold war" situation. However, Miss H denied ever doing so.

She revealed that the family had once been displeased when Chen's son had introduced his girlfriend to them. "The sister had some opinions, and would sometimes look for me to confide in me," she explained.

Chen: She invited me to nightclubs

After the story emerged, many netizens have speculated that Miss H may have had ulterior motives in getting close to Chen.

According to Wanbao, Chen acknowledged that the woman had previously invited him to her birthday party, and had also asked him to accompany her to nightclubs.

But he never once accepted any of her invitations, saying: "I never gave her the chance."

Chen also said that he always arranged to meet Miss H in a public environment, and would even bring along his daughter for their meetings.

seanyap@sph.com.sg

Singapore actor, Adrian Pang shares what he learnt on autism and what it means to us as a society.

Unless we're directly involved, we see autism from a distance. We see it without clarity, distinction, or form.

As a team, we knew that going into the production Falling, we would be entering an entirely new world. We did as much research as we could. We spoke with many parents, siblings, and coaches of individuals with autism.

One parent told me that what she needed more than anything in the world was respite.

A moment of relief from the challenges of raising a child with autism. It's something many parents with autistic children need.

We spent time at St. Andrew's Autism Center interacting as much as we were able to with adults who had autism. It's one of the few places that does offer some respite to the parents. But there is a limit to what they can do. About one-in-a-hundred people in Singapore fall into the spectrum of autism. One per cent. It may not sound like a large number, until you start to break it down.

According to the Autism Resource Center in Singapore there are 50,000 Singaporeans with autism. Most of them, almost 38,000, are adults. With figures like these, there isn't always room at St. Andrew's to provide respite to all those families. What will this mean for the thousands of others without families to care for them?

Like the spectrum of autism, the solutions to the growing challenge of autism will be equally wide and varied. No single institution can solve it, there will be no singular approach that will work, and just like the parents, we as a society, need to prove ourselves strong enough, brave enough, and loving enough to open our eyes, minds, and hearts to the special ones amongst us.

It is easy to look at the behaviour of the autistic and immediately think the worst of them, to judge. One parent I spoke to ended up making cards to hand out to passers-by as they "tsk tsk"-ed their way past her son as he had a meltdown - usually caused by the overstimulation of crowds or loud noises. The card simply informed them that he was autistic and asked for their understanding.

The biggest worry these parents have is about how their autistic child will cope after they're gone. Who will take care of them? Who will "love someone who is difficult to love"?

I feel our understanding, as a people, as a society, has to grow in order for there to be a place for the autistic in our world.

Learn more about autism and the prevalence of autism in Singapore.

A story by Our Better World- telling stories to inspire good, an initiative of the Singapore International Foundation.

The protracted downtrend in Singapore's property market is poised to end next year, with home prices set to double by 2030, Morgan Stanley said in a Wednesday note.

"Property market bears expect slower population growth, an ageing population, and a structural growth slowdown to weigh on the long-term property market outlook," the note said. "We disagree and believe home prices will double by 2030."

That implies a 5 to 6 per cent increase per annum and would mark a reversal from a long downtrend in home prices.

In the first quarter, overall private home prices fell 0.5 per cent on-quarter, the 14th straight quarter of declines. This time around, however, the bulk of the decline was in relatively small landed property segment, while non-landed prices were steady.

The city-state's housing prices surged more than 60 per cent from 2009 through 2013, propelled by rock-bottom global interest rates and quantitative easing in developed economies, even as the government enacted a series of cooling measures from 2011 to prevent a bubble from forming.

Read also: Is Singapore's property market headed for a quick upswing

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What type of property in Singapore should you buy

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But in early March, the government scaled back some of the curbs, including lowering the seller's stamp duty and shortening the minimum holding period to avoid it.

Morgan Stanley said that was a signal the property market was closer to the bottom, which should improve buyer sentiment.

There were signs buyer sentiment has already picked up: One recent launch, Park Place Residences, sold its entire phase one, initially set at 40 per cent of the 429-unit total before being raised to 50 per cent, within a day.

The bank expected sales volume would surge this year, with the increases in transaction volumes to spur prices higher next year.

Supply was also set to decline, the bank noted. From 2014-16, private residential supply added around 20,000 units a year, twice the historical average since 1990, it noted. But in 2017-18, supply levels were set to fall 40 per cent each year, it said.

The property market in Singapore can be closely watched for economic and investment implications.

Morgan Stanley noted that around 91 per cent of Singapore's resident households own their homes, with residential property around 45 per cent of total household gross assets last year.

Additionally, Asian investors tend to have large allocations to property in their portfolios.

Read also: How much will it cost to live in Singapore in 2050

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Most expensive real estate markets worldwide

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While property bears were pointing to an aging population, Morgan Stanley noted a rising household formation rate driven by singles, and a shift toward higher-skilled foreign workers.

It estimated that by 2030, one in five Singapore households would be occupied by just one person, up from one in eight in 2010.

Additionally, it expected "a combination of bequest motives, lease buyback schemes, and shifting manpower trends assuage property market selling pressures that come as the population ages."

It also expected that Singapore's medium-term economic growth potential of around 3 per cent over 2016-2030 meant it would outperform other developed economies and support income growth.

On Thursday, Singapore reported first-quarter gross domestic product (GDP) grew 2.5 per cent on-year, down from 2.9 per cent in the fourth quarter of 2016.

"The Singapore economy is likely to see a cyclical recovery from better-than-expected external demand," the note said. "Given that changes in economic conditions have a direct bearing on the property market, the improving macroeconomic outlook would be supportive of a property market recovery."

Student colluded with MBS dealer for extra chips

A Chinese national who colluded with a casino dealer to pay him extra cash chips while playing at the casino tables was jailed for 15 weeks yesterday.

Li Zhifen, 25, a student, had admitted to 20 charges of colluding mostly with Jiang Kaiwan, 24, then a dealer with Marina Bay Sands (MBS) casino, to get money from playing at Baccarat and Sic Bo tables at the casino between April 14 and May 3 last year.

Fifty-nine other charges were taken into consideration.

Jiang, who was dealt with earlier, was jailed for about 10 months for criminal breach of trust and colluding with Li and Chinese national Dong Hao, 23, also a student, to overpay them chips.

He had pleaded guilty last year to 20 of 90 charges involving $138,275.

Dong has been dealt with, having served eight weeks' jail on six of 19 charges.

A district court heard that Jiang would either overpay winning wagers to Li at casino tables he operated or omit to take his losing bets, and might even pay out on Li's losing bets.

Whenever Li wanted to change chips, Jiang would give him extra chips.

The chips would then be converted to cash at the casino.

In April last year, Li roped Dong into the fraudulent practice.

After each scam, the trio would meet in the toilets of MBS' hotel tower to split the proceeds.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Randeep Singh Koonar said that some time in March last year, Jiang told Li he had unintentionally overpaid a patron at one of the tables and it was not discovered by MBS management.

After a discussion, the duo hatched the fraudulent practice to overpay chips.

In total, the three men caused the casino to lose $19,700.

Restitution amounting to $20,275 was made collectively by the trio on May 30 last year.

In mitigation, Li's lawyer Alagappan Arunasalam said his client was a "passive follower" of Jiang, who was the mastermind and had used his client to take revenge on his employers.

He said Jiang was unhappy with the casino for the way it had handled and sided with unruly patrons whenever disputes involving Jiang occurred.

Li, he added, is remorseful for his actions, is of very good character, and has spent his free time helping out in charitable institutions.

The maximum penalty is a $150,000 fine and seven years' jail on each charge.

Two Russians used high-tech tools for slot-machine scam

Student from China, Russian syndicate members jailed; others involved in the scams have already been dealt with

Two more syndicate members were jailed yesterday for using sophisticated technology to record gaming machines at casinos and later predicting the next mass payout of the machines.

Russians Vladislav Logachev, 41, and Andrei Egorov, 33, were sentenced to 45 months and 30 months in prison respectively.

Their accomplice, Czech national Radoslav Skubnik, 41, was jailed for 22 months last year.

Logachev had pleaded guilty to six of 16 charges while Egorov had admitted to three of 13 charges.

Over three days in May last year, the trio won $108,995 from cheating at play at Marina Bay Sands (MBS) and Resorts World Sentosa casinos.

The court heard that some time in 2012, Skubnik joined a Russian syndicate operating in casinos in the United States, Europe and Macau, targeting slot machines from certain manufacturers.

Syndicate members would form teams consisting of "a master" (team leader) and "players".

After using the devices to record the play patterns of slot machines, the master would upload the information to an unknown server for analysis and decoding.

The decoded data was then sent back to the master, who in turn distributed it to the players.

Armed with the decoded data, players returned to the same slot machines with the devices, which would alert them to when the next big payout was going to be made.

Logachev taught Skubnik and Egorov how to use the devices in Russia.

Skubnik was then sent to carry out the scam in casinos in Europe and Macau.

At the end of each job, each player would get 10 per cent of the winnings while the master would get 15 to 20 per cent, with the remainder going to the syndicate.

Some time in March last year, Logachev arranged for some syndicate members to travel to Singapore.

The members used their devices to record the play patterns on specific slot machines at the casinos.

These recordings were then analysed and the data was given to Logachev while he was in Russia.

Logachev then brought the analysed data in a laptop to Singapore.

All three arrived in Singapore on May 5 last year to commit cheating at play.

An MBS security officer alerted police to the scam on May 8.

All the winnings have been recovered by the police.

Logachev and Egorov's sentences were backdated to May 10.

They could have been fined up to $150,000 and/or jailed for up to seven years on each charge.

elena@sph.com.sg

This article was first published on April 13, 2017.
Get a copy of The Straits Times or go to straitstimes.com for more stories.

If you loved the 1990s Hollywood hit Sister Act, then this musical will make you say "Whoopi!"

Direct from the United States, the five-time Tony-nominated Sister Act is coming to Singapore in May.

It tells the story of wannabe disco diva Deloris Van Cartier whose life takes a surprising turn when she witnesses a murder. She is put into protective custody in the one place the police are sure she won't be found - a convent!

Disguised as a nun, she finds herself at odds with both the rigid lifestyle and an uptight Mother Superior. Using her fabulous disco vibe and killer voice to inspire the choir, Deloris breathes new life into the church, but in doing so, blows her cover.

Soon, it's nun-on-the-run time but Deloris helps her fellow sisters find their voices as she unexpectedly rediscovers her own.

"To hear people laugh and cheer the way they do at Sister Act - a show people think they know but are pleasantly surprised to discover is not what they are expecting - is a magical experience for a producer," said Whoopi Goldberg, producer of the original production, who also played the lead role of Deloris in the 1992 blockbuster and sequel. "Happily, audiences across the country are able to get in on the fun as Deloris and her fabulous sisters spread the love nationwide."

The musical features original music by eight-time Oscar winner Alan Menken (Beauty And The Beast, The Little Mermaid, Little Shop Of Horrors), with a vast inspiration of musical styles from Motown, soul and funk to great big disco anthems.

It received five 2011 Tony Award nominations including Best Musical, Best Original Score and Best Book Of A Musical. Directed on Broadway by four-time Tony Award winner Jerry Zaks (Guys and Dolls, Smokey Joe's Cafe), the production features choreography by Tony and Olivier Award nominee Anthony Van Laast (Mamma Mia, Bombay Dreams).

It opens at the MasterCard Theatres in Marina Bay Sands on May 9 for a limited engagement. Tickets, priced from S$65, are now on sale.

For bookings, visit www.MarinaBaySands.com/ticketing or www.sistic.com.sg.

Blogger Amos Yee was prosecuted for making vicious statements about Christians and Muslims, and not for political dissent as The Economist implied, said the High Commissioner for Singapore in London, Ms Foo Chi Hsia.

She was responding to an article published in the newspaper, "No place for the crass", on April 1, about Yee's recent successful application for asylum in the United States.

A Chicago immigration judge had granted Yee asylum after ruling in a 13-page decision that Yee was persecuted for his political opinion when he was charged in Singapore in 2015 and 2016.

The US Department of Homeland Security had opposed Yee's asylum application, on the basis that Yee had been legitimately prosecuted.

The Economist article, commenting on the episode said: "Immigration judges often grant asylum with a simple, spoken ruling. This one explained himself over 13 pages."

It also suggested, quoting the judge, that the public outrage over the 18-year-old's comments had mostly focused on his criticism of founding prime minister Lee Kuan Yew.

The article described Yee's online posts as "a profanity-laced video...calling Lee 'a horrible person', an 'awful leader' and a 'dictator'.

It added that Yee had only mocked Christianity in "small part", around 30 seconds, of the 519-seconds long video.

Ms Foo, in a letter published in The Economist on April 12, said these assertions were not true, adding that Yee had disparaged Christians and Muslims in his online posts.

Citing examples, she said: "In 2015, Mr Yee insulted Christians, saying Jesus Christ was 'power hungry and malicious' and 'full of bull'.

In 2016, he said: 'the Islamics seem to have lots of sand in their vaginas…But don't mind them, they do after all follow a sky wizard and a paedophile prophet. What in the world is a 'moderate Muslim'? A fucking hypocrite, that's what!'"

"The Economist may agree with the American judge that such bigotry is free speech. But Singapore does not countenance hate speech, because we have learnt from bitter experience how fragile our racial and religious harmony is. Several people have been prosecuted for engaging in such hate speech," she added.

The Ministry of Home Affairs, in a statement last month, had said it is the prerogative of the United States to take in people who engage in hate speech.

The US, said the MHA, adopts a different standard from Singapore towards hate speech. "It allows some hate speech under the rubric of freedom of speech. The US for example, in the name of freedom of speech, allows the burning of the Quran."

The Economist article had called the MHA statement a "huffy response".

The Association of Criminal Lawyers of Singapore, citing the US judge's ruling, said last month that its members were "outraged" by the judge's "baseless and unwarranted" findings.

Citing this, The Economist said: "Saying such things about a ruling of a Singaporean court, ironically, could put the speaker at risk of prosecution for contempt."

Ms Foo said that contrary to the suggestion, Singapore's laws on contempt do not prevent fair criticisms of court judgments.

She added that The Economist article itself demonstrates this.

"Singapore's court judgments, including Mr Yee's case, are reasoned and published, and can stand scrutiny by anyone, including The Economist," she said.

Yee was charged and convicted for engaging in hate speech against Christians in 2015.

He was also convicted on another charge for publishing an obscene image. He was sentenced to a total of four weeks imprisonment for these charges.

In 2016, Yee was charged again for hate speech, this time against Muslims and Christians.

He pleaded guilty to the charges and was sentenced to six weeks imprisonment and a fine of $2,000.

Both times, he was represented by counsel.

This article was first published on April 13, 2017.
Get a copy of The Straits Times or go to straitstimes.com for more stories.

A 29-year-old woman has been arrested for trying to bribe three police officers.

She had been stopped for a check along Stamford Road at about 3pm on Tuesday (April 11), by three officers conducting anti-vice operations.

The Straits Times understands that the woman was believed to have been involved in prostitution activities.

She offered the three - Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Chan Wai Hoong, Station Inspector (SI) Ng Bak Guan and Corporal Ruby Yau from Central Division - a sum of money to let her go.

She did so despite being warned that bribery is a serious offence.

The officers rejected her bribe and arrested her for attempting to bribe a police officer.

The case has been referred to the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau for investigation.

Police are also investigating the woman for her suspected involvement in vice activities, under the provisions of the Women's Charter.

Said SI Ng Bak Guan: "Every police officer bears upon their shoulders the trust from the public to uphold the highest standards of integrity and to be fair and impartial. This must never be shaken."

This article was first published on April 13, 2017.
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A dead body was found on Thursday (April 13) morning in the Singapore River.

Police said they were alerted to the discovery at about 8am. It is understood that a cleaner working at the river found the body.

The victim was pronounced dead by paramedics at the scene. The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said that officers retrieved the body of a Chinese man in his 60s.

Mr Moses Arumugam, a tour bus driver, saw a forensic vehicle and police cars at Connaught Drive when he was there at about 10am.

A cordon was set up at Esplanade Park and Mr Arumugam saw a blue tent by the water. The body had been retrieved from the river by then.

Two boatmen were seen questioned by policemen, he said.

Police are investigating the unnatural death.

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2017-04-13 21:14:36

Photo Gallery

Dead body found in Singapore River; police investigating unnatural death

Source:

The Straits Times

This article was first published on April 13, 2017.
Get a copy of The Straits Times or go to straitstimes.com for more stories.

SINGAPORE - A food and beverage manager, who drove a Nissan GTR reaching a top speed of 219 kmh in an illegal race that beat a Lamborghini, was sentenced to two weeks' jail on Thursday (Apr 13).

Koo Kwok En, 37, was also fined a total $2,500 and banned from driving for 18 months after admitting to taking part in the illegal race, dangerous driving by accelerating and travelling at very high speed, and driving without insurance coverage along Seletar Link at 12.16am on May 9, 2015.

Two other counts of racing and dangerous driving at about 12.20am the same day were considered in sentencing.

The court heard that Koo, who drove his wife's Nissan GTR, had asked Kevin Pratama Chandra, 24, to race with him in his Lamborghini.

The duo and their friends were part of a group who had parked their high performance cars along the left side of Seletar Link that day.

At that time, Traffic Police officers on anti-illegal racing operations saw the GTR and Lamborghini drive off Seletar Link in the direction of Tampines Expressway (TPE).

When Kevin gave the "OK ready'' signal to start the race, the two vehicles started moving forward and accelerated rapidly, driving at very high speeds.

Initially, Kevin was ahead of Koo who eventually overtook him. The in-car camera in the GTR showed that its speed was 219kmh briefly towards the end of the race, which exceeded the speed limit of 60kmh.

Spectators cheered at the side of the road during the race.

Neither Koo nor Kevin had a permit from the police to take part in a "competition of speed''.

Koo admitted he knew that his actions had caused danger to himself and other road users.

Kevin is claiming trial and his case is at pre-trial conference stage.

Koo, represented by Mr Raymond Lye, could have been jailed for up to six months, fined up to $2,000 and banned from driving for at least 12 months for illegal racing.

The maximum penalty for dangerous driving is a $3,000 fine and 12 months' jail, and for the insurance charge, a $1,000 fine and three months' jail plus 12 months' disqualification.

This article was first published on April 13, 2017.
Get a copy of The Straits Times or go to straitstimes.com for more stories.

SINGAPORE - Three dental surgeons and a manager from a dental company were charged in court on Thursday (April 13) with abetment by conspiracy to cheat the Central Provident Fund Board by submitting multiple fraudulent Medisave claims.

Cecil Goh Chin Chye, 47, The Smile Division's group managing director, and Yeo Meow Koon, 46, the group practice manager, face 612 charges each, while dentists Daniel Liew Yaoxiang, 35, and Steven Ang Kiam Hau, 42, are accused of 280 and 283 charges respectively.

The total amount disbursed in Goh's case was about $900,000. Court documents show that he was involved in treating two patients in 49 charges.

In the case of Liew and Ang, the total amounts paid out were $388,700 and $434,241 respectively.

The alleged offences took place between 2011 and 2014 and involved 29 patients altogether.

Except for Ang, the other three are also accused conspiracy to commit forgery for the purpose of cheating.

Court documents say that Liew, Yeo and Goh abetted by scheming to forge the clinical notes of two patients, intending that they be used to cheat the Ministry of Health during a Professional Medisave Audit on The Smile Division @ Hougang Central Dental Surgery between Oct 30 and Nov 20, 2012 and at The Smile Division @ CCK between Nov 8 and 25, 2013.

The Ministry of Health (MOH) said in a press release on Thursday (April 13) that it had served notices of its intended suspension of the Medisave accreditation of the three dentists.

The dentists will be given two weeks to respond to MOH. If no satisfactory explanation is given, their Medisave accreditations will be suspended from May 5 this year. This means they can continue to provide dental treatment, but will not be able to make Medisave claims on behalf of patients.

MOH added that it will refer the matter to the Singapore Dental Council, given the severity of the alleged offences.

Goh's bail of $500,000 and Liew's $300,000 bail were extended.

In the case of Ang, the prosecution sought court bail of $300,000.

His lawyer, Mr Wendell Wong, argued that bail should be set at no more than $200,000.

He said his client only received a fraction of the $400,000 involved.

He said the treatments were done on the patients at rates lower than the Singapore Dental Centre and they related to only 14 patients.

District Judge Christopher Goh set bail at $250,000 for Ang.

Objecting to the $100,000 bail proposed by the prosecution for Yeo, her lawyer Tan Hee Joek said his client was a mere employee and does not get any commission.

Bail of $80,000 was offered.

Mr Hamidul Haq represented Goh and Mr Chen Chee Yen for Liew.

A pre-trial conference is scheduled for May 11.

The maximum punishment for cheating is 10 years and a fine, and similarly for forgery.

This article was first published on April 13, 2017.
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SINGAPORE - The Land Transport Authority (LTA) has revealed images of a decal which private-hire drivers have to display on their car's windscreens from July 1.

The 14cm by 10cm plastic display - about twice the area of a road tax disc - must be pasted on the front and rear windscreen. The decal is tamper-evident, which means enforcement officers will be able to tell if it is removed and re-pasted.

The LTA said the measure is "to allow for easier identification of registered private-hire cars, and facilitate enforcement against offences such as unregistered cars providing chauffeured services, or private hire cars picking up passengers by street-hail".

Owners of private-hire cars registered with the LTA on or before Feb 28, 2017, will have their first pair of tamper-evident decals affixed at no cost.

Owners who registered their vehicles after Feb 28 will have to get the decals affixed at $20 (including GST).

They can only obtain and get their decals affixed at the following locations from next Monday (April 17):

- Vicom/JIC inspection centres

- STA inspection centres

- Uber and Grab affixing centres

Failure to affix these decals will be an offence under the Road Traffic Act. More details on the penalties will be made known at a later date.

Letters have been mailed to all registered private-hire car owners to inform them of the requirement.

The tamper-evident decals will be inspected when private-hire cars undergo regular vehicle inspections. If a decal has been tampered with, the vehicle owner will not be allowed to renew road tax for the vehicle.

This article was first published on April 13, 2017.
Get a copy of The Straits Times or go to straitstimes.com for more stories.

Singapore - It was deemed as a landmark victory, when in 2011, Madam Choo Hong Eng won her battle against Marina Bay Sands casino in claiming the full amount of her $410,000 winnings from hitting the jackpot at a slot machine. The casino had initially denied her of her winnings by offering a car worth $250,000, claiming a malfunction with their slot machine.

Better known as "Jackpot Aunty", Madam Choo's high profile battle with the casino drew even more attention when she decided to give all her winnings to various charity organisations and support charitable deeds. Since then, her charity work has drawn much attention, to the extent that some call her an attention seeker trying to boost the reputation of her vegetarian eateries chain.

In the seventh episode of "The Newsmaker", the outspoken Madam Choo shares her joys and woes of the attention her high-profile charity deeds has brought her, and how that has not stopped her from rallying for support to do more good.

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Photo Gallery

'Jackpot auntie' insuring plaque for $5m

Source: The Straits Times, The New Paper, Lianhe Wanbao, Shin Min Daily News

About "The Newsmaker":

"The Newsmaker" (封面人物) is one of 10 SPH-produced short form digital video series as part of a pilot Public Service Broadcast initiative. In this 13-part series, people who have made news headlines in the past share with the host Fred Lai (Content Producer, Chinese Media Group Digital) how the news events changed their lives and how they have been coping since then. All episodes come with English subtitles.

This series is also available on the zaobao.sg website and mobile app.

Bangkok's popular creative market Artbox is now at Marina Bayfront and Singaporeans are flocking to it, only to find themselves stuck in a sweaty crowd and under the rain too.

The hyped up event, Artbox Singapore, is being held from 3pm to 11pm this weekend and next, and is the local version of Thailand's largest hipster enclave in Bangkok where Thais sell their creative ware and craft.

It also offers food and music under pretty fairy lights that light up the area to make it feel almost like one of those Christmas markets you find in Europe.

However, it wasn't that pretty an experience for many, who have taken to social media to express their disappointment, describing their experience at the flea market as being "so cramp you can't even walk".

Some are even telling their friends on social media to abort mission and forget about visiting the venue.

There are around 320 stalls and other shipping container units at the 50,000 sq ft area beside Marina Bay Sands.

A 50,000 sq ft area is slightly larger than a football field, so it's a wonder how so many stalls and even live performances can be packed into it.

More than 400,000 visitors are expected to attend Artbox Singapore over these two weekends, according to organiser Invade Industry.

So you've been warned. If you hate crowds, avoid Artbox Singapore.

But if you don't mind smelling sweaty pits and probably getting drenched by the rain just to find out what the hype is about, it may well be worth the visit.

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2017-04-15 14:08:45

Photo Gallery

Artbox Singapore opens to large crowd at Marina Bay

Source:

The Straits Times

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Photo Gallery

Hipsters digging the art scene in Artbox Bangkok

Source:

Artboxthailand's Facebook

klim@sph.com.sg

SINGAPORE - The Transport Ministry and the Land Transport Authority will be housed under one roof in a new integrated complex at the Jurong East MRT station.

In response to press queries, an LTA spokesman said international architectural firm Aedas has been appointed to conduct multi-disciplinary consultancy services for the project, including the design of the building.

The latest Budget book stated that $56.8 million has been set aside for the study as well as site investigations.

"As part of overall efforts to optimise land use by decentralising government offices away from the city centre, MoT and LTA are planning for a new MoT-LTA Building adjacent to the existing Jurong East MRT station," the LTA spokesman said, adding that the project would include an integrated transport hub.

The MoT-LTA Building is slated for completion after 2020. It will free up sites currently taken up by the two organisations, including those at prime locations such as North Bridge Road and Hampshire Road.

It will also accommodate LTA's burgeoning headcount, currently hovering around 6,000. The LTA recently opened office premises in Bedok because there was no more space at its Hampshire Road location.

National University of Singapore transport researcher Lee Der-Horng said: "This is part of the decentralisation effort. Singapore's urban development style was overly concentrated in the current CBD and Marina Bay.

"From a transport point of view, this type of development will inevitably cause stronger tidal effects and burden transport networks and public transport systems.

"Given Jurong East's role as the second CBD, government can take the lead to move their offices there... We have seen similar efforts in other cities such as Seoul and Beijing, and even Kuala Lumpur."

The LTA had previously wanted to build a multi-storey headquarter complex next to Buona Vista MRT station. That development - which was to cost around $500 million - would have yielded 120,000 sq m of office space, of which the authority had planned to lease out about half.

But a public outcry over the project's price tag derailed that plan. The site is now occupied by the New Creation Church.

This article was first published on April 14, 2017.
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