Majlis Ugama Islam Singapura (Muis) menyasar mendapatkan setiap asatizah mempelajari pengalaman Kumpulan Pemulihan Keagamaan (RRG) dalam memerangi ekstremisme.

Menteri Bertanggungjawab bagi Ehwal Masyarakat Islam, Dr Yaacob Ibrahim, berkata asatizah di bawah Skim Pengiktirafan Asatizah perlu melalui programme Pendidikan Profesional Berterusan, yang merangkumi modul mengenai memerangi ekstremisme oleh RRG sejak 2013.

"Menerusi modul ini, RRG mengongsi dengan asatizah pengalamannya dalam memulih dan menyepadukan semula bekas anggota Jemaah Islamiyah ke dalam masyarakat.

"Muis dan RRG akan terus mengemas kini modul ini untuk memastikan ia relevan dan menyasarkan setiap asatizah menghadirinya," kata beliau di Parlimen semalam.

Menurut Dr Yaacob, sebanyak 80 peratus asatizah merupakan sebahagian daripada Skim Pengiktirafan Asatizah kini, dan pihaknya akan menggalak baki 20 peratus asatizah menyertai skim tersebut.

Dr Yaacob menambah bahawa ramai asatizah telah mengunjungi Pusat Sumber dan Kaunseling (RCC) RRG di Masjid Khadijah sejak pelancarannya pada 2014 bagi mempelajari usaha RRG dalam menangani ideologi ekstremis, terutama di platform media sosial.

RCC merupakan wadah penting mengutarakan suara timbal balas yang meyakinkan terhadap naratif pelampau oleh golongan pengganas dan unsur radikal lain di ruang awam, terutama wadah media sosial, untuk memikat orang lain.

Selain menyokong anggota RRG mendokumen dan menyebarkan kajian mereka berkenaan radikalisasi dan pelampauan ganas, RCC juga menjadi sumber bagi mereka yang ingin mempelajari lebih lanjut tentang Islam.

Pusat itu juga membolehkan individu mendapatkan nasihat dan bimbingan daripada RRG berhubung isu pelampau dan radikalisasi dalam sekitaran yang selamat.

Dr Yaacob berkata RRG turut mendekati pelajar madrasah peringkat menengah dan posmenengah mengenai ancaman radikal dan ekstremisme menerusi platform seperti membawa mereka ke RCC dan Seminar Prauniversiti Madrasah.

Seminar Praunversiti Madrasah itu dihadiri semua pelajar madrasah peringkat menengah dan prauniversiti dan diadakan setiap dua hingga tiga tahun sekali, kata Dr Yaacob.

"Muis akan terus memperkukuh kurikulum madrasah dengan kandungan relevan yang dibangunkan RRG," kata beliau.

Di samping itu, dalam menjawab pertanyaan tambahan oleh Dr Fatimah Lateef (GRC Marine Parade), Dr Yaacob berkata jawatankuasa masjid, termasuk kumpulan belia masjid, turut digalak mempelajari usaha RRG dan masjid boleh mengadakan programme mereka sendiri.

"Bahkan, sejak RCC dibuka pada 2014, ramai pengunjung telah datang mengunjunginya, bukan hanya daripada kumpulan agama, malah daripada kumpulan lain kerana kami mahu menggalak pemahaman lebih luas di kalangan seluruh masyarakat Singapura," kata beliau.

This article was first published on May 10, 2016.
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Hours after Mr Murali Pillai took his oath of allegiance in Parliament and was sworn in as the new MP for Bukit Batok, he was back in the constituency for his first official duty - a Meet-the-People Session.

About 80 residents were lining up outside the People's Action Party's (PAP) branch office in Bukit Batok West by 8pm, when their newly minted MP arrived.

Their problems varied, from seeking help to find a new job to asking for a ramp to be installed at a block to help elderly people.

Still, a celebratory mood was in the air. There was a flurry of excitement when Mr Murali, 48, showed up. An elderly resident said a hearty "hello" to his new MP and hugged him, saying: "Hello, my 16-year-old friend!"

He was referring to Mr Murali's 16 years volunteering with the PAP's Bukit Batok branch.

Housewife Koh Lee Moi, 57, rushed forward to garland him and asked for a photograph to be taken with him. She was at the branch office to seek help for her grandson's passport, and had bought the flower garland to show her support for Mr Murali. "I like him. I've met him a few times here. He's a very friendly person," she said.

Related:

By-election result a gauge of heartlanders' sentiments

Singaporeans vote in Bukit Batok by-election

Click on thumbnail to view photos. Source: 

The Straits Times, AsiaOne, MediaCorp, Parliament of Singapore

Mr Murali greeted his residents in English, Mandarin, Malay and Tamil.

Speaking briefly to reporters, he said: "I'm really looking forward to meeting the residents. My activists told me we have a good number. I'm hoping to process their cases as quickly as I can."

He is also planning some community programmes that will be announced when ready, he said.

When a reporter asked about his result against rival Chee Soon Juan of the Singapore Democratic Party - Mr Murali won 61.2 per cent of the vote in last Saturday's by-election - he said: "I've moved on already. I'm no longer talking about what happened in the past; I'm focusing on serving the residents."

Related:

Father instilled strong values in Murali

Also hard at work were grassroots leaders and volunteers.

Mr Leow Boon Swee, 45, the PAP branch secretary in Bukit Batok, took a look at the line outside the office and said the session would likely end around midnight. He had been by Mr Murali's side throughout the nine-day campaign. When asked if he was tired, he said: "I got some rest here and there... But our priority is to ensure the residents are helped."

Earlier, Mr Leow was at Parliament House with activists from the PAP's Bukit Batok and Paya Lebar branches to lend support to Mr Murali as he was sworn in as an MP.

Also present were former MP Yeo Guat Kwang, Mr Chua Eng Leong, Mr Shamsul Kamar and Mr Victor Lye, who had all contested Aljunied GRC with him in last year's general election.

Mr Lye said on Facebook, referring to Mr Murali's nickname: "We are so happy for Murali. We know Ah Mu will do his best for them just as he tried his best for residents in Paya Lebar ward of Aljunied GRC."

Former Bukit Batok MP David Ong, who resigned from the PAP on March 12 over an alleged extramarital affair, which triggered the by- election, said on Facebook: "Very happy with Murali's results and knowing the residents will be very (well) served by a hard-working MP. At the same time sad to have to leave Bukit Batok."

Related: David Ong apologises to Bukit Batok residents

This article was first published on May 10, 2016.
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An SBS Transit bus driver accused of negligent driving, which resulted in 23 passengers getting hurt, failed to appear at his hearing in court yesterday.

A warrant of arrest was issued for Ahmad Jamalulail Abdul Rashid, 43, a Malaysian national.

Jamalulail is accused of failing to keep a proper lookout while driving an SBS bus along Sims Avenue at about 5.25pm on July 11, 2014.

As a result, the vehicle hit the rear of another SBS bus that had slowed down because of road works ahead.

23 passengers injured after two SBS Transit buses collide along Sims Ave

Click on thumbnail to view photos. Source: 

The Straits Times

Two passengers suffered grievous injuries. Jaswinder Singh, 18, had a nasal fracture and Mr Lee Joo Long, 58, suffered injuries to his spine, court papers said.

Twenty-one other passengers, aged between 16 and 79, were also hurt.

Jamalulail was charged with one count of causing grievous hurt to Mr Lee and Mr Singh by a negligent act and one count of endangering the lives of the other 21 passengers by a negligent act.

He was granted $5,000 bail and was supposed to turn up at the State Courts yesterday.

But defence lawyer Amarick Gill told the court he had been unable to contact Jamalulail since March and later discharged himself.

Jamalulail's bailor, who identified herself as his former colleague, was ordered to attend a show-cause hearing next month.

She told the court she has since filed a police report.

If convicted, Jamalulail faces up to two years' jail and a fine of up to $5,000 for causing grievous hurt by a negligent act.

For endangering human life by a negligent act, he could be jailed up to six months and fined up to $2,500.

This article was first published on May 10, 2016.
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Yesterday, two youths, arrested for allegedly setting fire to a flat for loan sharks, were taken to the crime scene by the police.

Sea Jia Sheng, 16, and Chong Sheng Wei, 18, are accused of starting a fire at the main door of a two-room rental unit at Block 59, Lengkok Bahru, in Redhill, at 2am on May 1.

Both suspects were arrested at their homes.

A couple and their 14-month-old son were sleeping in the flat when the fire started.

Sea and Chang were charged in court last Friday under the Moneylenders Act 2010.

Yesterday, they arrived in a grey van and were taken to the unit on the 10th storey.

Both wore red polo shirts, blue bermudas and slippers.

They were also restrained at the wrists and ankles and flanked by two plain-clothes officers.

Click on thumbnail to view photos. Source: 

Shin Min Daily News, Lianhe Wanbao

They stood outside the unit for not more than five minutes and were seen gesturing towards the charred floor in front of the flat.

Both suspects are believed to be involved in two other harassment-by-fire cases at Hougang Street 51 and Sembawang Drive on May 1 and May 2 respectively.

The Lengkok Bahru occupants had been living there for only two weeks when the incident happened. Their 14-month-old child was taken to hospital for smoke inhalation.

The boy's father, who wanted to be known only as Mr Tan, 50, said he had not borrowed money from loan sharks.

Mr Tan, a salesman, said the town council had helped to paint the areas affected by the fire and smoke, but the charred floor and tiles outside his unit had not been cleaned up yet.

If convicted of acting on behalf of an unlicensed moneylender, committing or attempting to commit any acts of harassment, the duo can be jailed up to five years and fined a maximum $50,000.

They can also receive up to six strokes of the cane.

tammei@sph.com.sg

This article was first published on May 10, 2016.
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It was Mother's Day but for the mum of a one-year-old girl, Sunday will forever be etched in her memory as her worst nightmare come true.

Richelle Teo, who had celebrated her first birthday five days earlier, was found unconscious in her home at Block 225, Simei Street 4.

There were reportedly bruise marks on her neck.

What followed was a manic scramble by her parents to try to save her. Tragically, it was all in vain.

Richelle was pronounced dead on arrival at Changi General Hospital (CGH).

A woman who lives directly above the Teos' sixth-storey unit told The New Paper that she and her husband were at the open-air carpark at the foot of the block when they saw the family running towards them.

Mrs Teo, who was carrying Richelle, was with her husband, their four-year-old son and an elderly woman.

The neighbour, who declined to be named, said she and her husband did not know the Teos but recognised them as their neighbours.

Click on thumbnail to view photos. Source: 

The Straits Times, Shin Min Daily News, Lianhe Wanbao

See also: Indonesian maid charged

FRANTIC

She told TNP in Malay at her home yesterday: "My husband and I were about to leave for the market when the lady ran up to us. She was holding her baby and said, 'Please help me. Please take my baby to the hospital. Please.'

"She was frantic. We didn't hesitate and told them to get into our car quickly."

The neighbour said Mr Teo had told the others to go ahead without him. Mrs Teo, her two children and the elderly woman got into the back of the neighbour's car.

As her husband drove to CGH, the nearest hospital, Mrs Teo was bawling her eyes out while begging little Richelle to "wake up".

The neighbour said Mrs Teo kept telling her daughter in Mandarin, "Mei Mei, wake up. Please, Mei Mei, open your eyes" during the journey.

"I asked her what happened but she was crying so uncontrollably that she couldn't answer. Instead, the elderly woman replied that the baby had been strangled," said the neighbour's husband.

"I can't stop thinking about the journey in the car on Sunday.

"I keep hearing her son telling me, 'Uncle, please drive faster. Uncle, please drive faster.'

"My stomach churned when I heard his innocent voice cry out like that."

Police said they received a call at about 9.20am on Sunday, requesting for assistance at the Teos' unit.

On arrival, the officers established that a one-year-old girl was being taken to CGH.

The neighbour said: "The moment we reached the hospital, I ran into the building and asked the first hospital employee I saw for help."

The hospital employee took the baby from Mrs Teo's arms and rushed off with her. Mrs Teo, her son and the elderly woman followed him.

The neighbour said: "The only time I saw the baby's face was when the hospital employee took the baby from her mother.

"There was a bruise right across her neck, from one end to the other. Her lips had already gone dark, almost black."

ARRESTED

The police said the toddler was pronounced dead at 10.08am. A 30-year-old woman was arrested later that day.

The suspect, Ms Maryani Usman Utar, is the Teo family's Indonesian maid. The police took her back to the scene yesterday to help with investigations.

Chinese daily Lianhe Wanbao reported yesterday that at the time of her arrest, the suspect "was holding a toy doll in a pink dress, which is believed to be related to the case".

Shin Min Daily News reported that this was Ms Maryani's first time working in Singapore. She arrived here in January last year.

It added that she "didn't talk much to the neighbours".

Another maid, who works for the Teos' next-door neighbour, told TNP that she had seen Ms Maryani "a number of times before but they had never spoken to each other".

The police said yesterday evening that Ms Maryani will be charged in court today with culpable homicide not amounting to murder.

crobert@sph.com.sg

This article was first published on May 10, 2016.
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SINGAPORE - Hawkers here are discouraged from using disposable plates, bowls and utensils made of polystyrene foam, better known as styrofoam, which are non-biodegradable and environmentally unfriendly.

But the Government will not impose a ban on them in consideration of other factors, such as the cost of alternatives and inconvenience to hawkers and consumers, Senior Minister of State for the Environment and Water Resources Amy Khor said on Monday (May 9).

Other types of disposable ware, such as plastic containers and coated paper boxes, cost about two to three times more than the clamshell polystyrene foam packaging, she added.

Dr Khor noted that the use of reusable crockery is more cost-effective than using styrofoam packaging, even after taking into account the costs of manual collection and washing. However, there may be manpower constraints.

The Government is working to discourage hawkers, through the hawker associations, the use of disposable ware, Dr Khor said.

"We need to take into account the cost of alternative options, as well as manpower constraints for these hawkers and the inconvenience that may be caused. As much as possible, we'll encourage them not to use disposable ware, particularly for dining in," Dr Khor told Parliament.

She was responding to a question raised by Miss Cheng Li Hui (Tampines GRC), on whether the National Environment Agency (NEA) will consider imposing a ban on the use of styrofoam packaging in hawker centres in view of its detrimental effects on the environment.

A number of cities around the world, including Penang in Malaysia, New York, Minneapolis, San Francisco and Seattle in the United States, have implemented bans on polystyrene foam packaging.

Dr Khor said that while polystyrene foam packaging may be of concern in some countries where waste is landfilled, it is incinerated safely in Singapore at waste-to-energy incineration plants, which are fitted with pollution control equipment.

This article was first published on May 10, 2016.
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Parliament approved mostly technical changes to 51 existing laws yesterday under the Statutes (Miscellaneous Amendments) Bill, with one change in particular drawing the attention of Workers' Party MPs.

It was to align the Government Proceedings Act with other laws, by removing a limit to how much legal fees the Government can be awarded when it goes to court.

Previously, this amount was capped at the costs of two lawyers. Yesterday's amendment allows the Government to be awarded the legal costs of more than two lawyers.

Ms Sylvia Lim and Mr Low Thia Khiang (both of Aljunied GRC) debated with Senior Minister of State for Law Indranee Rajah over the change.

They said it could end up deterring citizens from seeking legal redress against the Government because they are now faced with potentially higher legal costs.

Ms Indranee said the change would bring legal proceedings involving the Government in line with normal civil proceedings. She added that it is ultimately the courts that decide on the amount of costs to award, "so the safeguard there is that it lies in the hands of the courts".

But Ms Lim said an individual or private entity taking the Government to court usually does not have the same resources to call upon as the state. She said the Government should take "a broader view... even a magnanimous view" in deciding on the change.

Mr Low also raised the same points, saying: "Is it a good thing for Singapore that people who somehow feel victimised by the Government are intimidated by the cost, (because they) don't know how much the court is going to decide?"

Ms Indranee countered that not all who sue the Government have no money. "There are any number of parties with different situations and they may have different financial means," she said.

On why the change is necessary, she said each case requires a different amount of work from the lawyers, so it is best left to the courts to decide on costs in an objective and fair manner.

When costs are awarded in favour of the Government, it also means the other party has ultimately failed in its legal challenge, "meaning that that case should not have been brought in the first place", she noted.

She added: "When this Government is engaged in litigation...(it) does its best to be fair, objective and rational about it. So, it would not be our approach to use cost to be oppressive, but to seek cost where we think that it is fairly and justly incurred and to leave it to the courts to make the appropriate decision."

Speaker Halimah Yacob put an end to the exchange after a few rounds of clarifications by Ms Lim and Mr Low, saying all parties had made their point. "I don't think there's going to be any further development," she said.

This article was first published on May 10, 2016.
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SINGAPORE - Police have arrested three men and three woman, aged 33 to 41, for suspected involvement in cheating at both the Marina Bay Sands and Resorts World Sentosa casinos.

The police said that the six comprises four Russians, a Czech and a Filipino woman. They are suspected of cheating "using electronic devices" at the casinos' slot machines.

The police said in a statement today (May 10) that they were alerted to a case of suspected cheating at the Sentosa casino on May 7. Four suspects were arrested at the casinos the next day, while two others were arrested at a hotel in Tanjong Pagar.

A laptop, 16 mobile phones, cash and "other items" worth more than $125,000 were seized, the police said.

The Russians and the Czech will be charged in court today. If convicted, the five could be jailed up to seven year or fined up to $150,000. Police said that the investigation against the Filipino woman is still ongoing.

See also: 5 arrested, including a dealer, for cheating at casino games

sinsh@sph.com.sg

SINGAPORE - The Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) warned today that a fake website is trying to obtain information like identity card and passport numbers.

The website at www.ica-spg.org is fake and is trying to "phish" for personally identifiable information, it said.

It reminded members of the public to use only the official ICA website at www.ica.gov.sg.

It said that a police report has been made about the fraudulent site, and that no data at the official site has been compromised.

sinsh@sph.com.sg

SINGAPORE - Police have arrested five people, including a dealer at the Marina Bay Sands casino, for cheating at casino table games.

The police said they were alerted to a case of suspected criminal breach of trust by a dealer at the casino on Saturday (May 7). They said that the 23-year-old man is believed to have colluded with the other suspects where he would overpay his accomplices with larger winnings at table games.

The police conducted an operation on Sunday and Monday and arrested the five suspects, including three other men and a woman, aged 22 to 48.

Cash amounting to $118,000 was seized, they said.

The five will be charged in court tomorrow. The suspects face a jail term of up to seven years or a fine up to $150,000 if found guilty. The former dealer of the casino will also be charged with criminal breach of trust as servant, which carries a maximum jail term of 15 uears or a fine.

See also: 6 foreigners arrested for cheating at casinos' slot machines

sinsh@sph.com.sg

He was annoyed with the stray.

So he killed the cat by throwing it from the 13th storey of his Yishun Ring Road Housing Board block.

Yesterday, Lee Wai Leong, 41, who has been diagnosed with moderate intellectual disability, pleaded guilty to one count of animal abuse.

Court papers said he had taken a lift to the ground floor of his block at about 10.30am on Oct 30 last year.

He picked up the adult male mackerel tabby domestic shorthair from a nearby staircase landing and took the lift to the 13th storey.

He threw the cat over the parapet before taking the lift down to see if it had survived the fall.

An unknown caller alerted the police to the dead cat, which was found to have suffered significant organ tissue bleeding and multi-organ failure.

Lee was arrested and charged with one count of causing unnecessary suffering to the cat under the Animals and Birds Act on Dec 29 last year.

A report from the Institute of Mental Health (IMH) said he had moderate intellectual disability even though he was of sound mind at the time of the offence.

He told the IMH psychiatrist he killed the cat as it was noisy and had entered his home once before.

Yesterday, defence counsel Josephus Tan, who was assigned by the Criminal Legal Aid Scheme, said in mitigation that Lee was a simple-minded person who had dropped out of school after Primary 4.

Click on thumbnail to view photos. Source: 

Stomp, Facebook screengrabs, Shin Min Daily News, Lianhe Wanbao, The New Paper, Facebook / Yishun 326 Tabby Cat, Tra Cy's Facebook

LOW IQ

He said his client has the estimated IQ of a 10-year-old or less, is unable to work and spends his day helping out with household chores and looking after his 14 pet fish.

He added that his client, who is facing only one charge, was not responsible for the other cat deaths in Yishun.

Mr Tan said that Lee's parents, elder brother, sister-in-law and niece have also taken measures to ensure that he does not abuse more cats.

He has to sleep with his parents in their bedroom and they lock the door using a newly-fitted bolt lock.

Only Lee's mother has the key to it, to prevent him from wandering out.

Mr Tan urged the court to consider probation and to enable his family to get him professional help.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Lee Zu Zhao said Lee could be considered for counselling and extended supervision, given he is a simple-minded person.

DPP Lee said the circumstances were unique and exceptional and did not object to the calling of a probation suitability report.

District Judge Mathew Joseph noted this was Lee's first offence and he did not act with any perverse cruelty.

He is expected to be back in court on June 7.

The maximum punishment for this offence is a $15,000 fine and 18 months' jail.

rloh@sph.com.sg

This article was first published on May 11, 2016.
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For years now, some residents at a Pasir Ris HDB block have not been able to hang their laundry outside their windows to dry.

Pigeons have been plaguing a column of units in Block 628, Pasir Ris Drive 3.

A resident who has been living on the fifth storey of the block for over 20 years has a habit of feeding pigeons from her window.

Often, the resident, who is known to her neighbours as Ms Tan and who is in her 40s, also tethers the birds by their legs to her kitchen window.

Madam Goh, a 44-year-old teacher who lives next to Ms Tan, told The New Paper: "When we bought this unit five years ago, they were already here. We thought it was a normal pigeon nuisance. But she's the one who's always feeding the pigeons and that's why they stayed.

"We have to put a netting just to prevent the pigeons and their feathers from coming in. We put it up around three years ago, because the birds came into our kitchen and ate our food."

Another resident who has lived in the block for more than 20 years and who declined to be named, said that she could see the legs of the pigeons attached to strings whenever they flew up to her flat.

She complained about the pigeons' faeces and the smell.

An elderly woman living below Ms Tan's flat, who also declined to be named, said: "Our windows are not the sliding type, so the birds are always standing on top of the windows when I open it.

"Sometimes, when the windows are just cleaned, the birds' droppings dirty them."

Some residents have tried speaking to Ms Tan, but the situation has not improved.

Woman tethers pigeons to her 5th storey window

Click on thumbnail to view photos. Source: 

The New Paper, Lianhe Wanbao

TOWN COUNCIL SAYS

A Town Council spokesman said: "All the relevant agencies are aware of the pigeon nuisance, which is caused by one of the residents feeding them by throwing out food from windows. We have conducted joint-visits to advise the suspected resident.

"On many occasions, we have also carried out ground treatment (culling of pigeons) in order to reduce the pigeon population.

"As it requires multi-agencies to work together to resolve the issue, we will continue to work with the various agencies concerned."

When TNP visited Ms Tan's flat on Monday, she did not answer the door. Though the pigeons were not tied to her windows any more, they were still roosting in the area.

lphyllis@sph.com.sg

This article was first published on May 11, 2016.
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THE dreaded exposure of the Panama Papers has turned up some household names in Singapore including the three local banks but there is also a fair bit of confusion as some names have been misused.

On Monday, the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) published online detailed data from the Panama Papers trove on more than 200,000 secret offshore companies.

It is easy to search the database, and find out who's behind almost 320,000 offshore companies and trusts from the Panama Papers and the Offshore Leaks investigations, said the ICIJ.

Last month, the ICIJ said it would be sharing the massive leak of 11.5 million documents from Mossack Fonseca, a Panama-based law firm with offices in more than 35 countries, including Singapore.

The disclosures showed that some world leaders, such as Russian President Vladimir Putin and British Prime Minister David Cameron, and many celebrities including Jackie Chan have links to offshore companies.

The leak has led to the resignations of Iceland's prime minister Sigmundur David Gunnlaugsson, and Spain's industry minister Jose Manuel Soria.

But the data leaked can be confusing because some names don't match up.

For instance, Law Society of Singapore is not The Law Society of Singapore which represents lawyers here. A spokesperson of the Law Society said: "The Law Society of Singapore does not have any overseas accounts, nor has it incorporated any overseas entities. The Law Society's name has obviously been misused and we will be conducting an inquiry into that."

Search DBS and DBS Foundation comes up but a spokeswoman from DBS Bank said that it is not the same entity which was launched in 2014 as part of the group's SG50 celebrations. DBS set up the S$50 million DBS Foundation in conjunction with the nation's Jubilee.

But DBS does have offshore entities such as DBS Trustee and The Development Bank of Singapore Ltd (now known as DBS Bank Ltd), as disclosed in the database.

"The use of professional services providers is common," said the spokeswoman.

"With regard to offshore or trust structures, the law obliges us to take steps to identify ultimate beneficial owners and we do not support the use of concealment techniques. As with any incident, we study all information carefully and take action where required," she said.

UOB Private Banking & Trust also pops up when you search UOB and it states that the data is from Offshore Leaks and that its agent is Portcullis Trustnet. "UOB does not use Mossack Fonseca's office in Panama," said a bank spokeswoman.

Portcullis Trustnet, a Singapore-based company, came under fire in 2013 when its documents were also leaked. ICIJ had previously said Portcullis TrustNet - since renamed Portcullis Group - was helping the rich to use offshore entities to dodge taxes.

OCBC Bank has several offshore entities, according to the database.

Koh Ching Ching, OCBC head of group corporate communications, said high net worth individuals may use the services of various professional service providers, such as accounting firms, corporate secretarial firms and law firms for legitimate purposes, for example, setting up of offshore or trust structures for wealth planning purposes, such as estate planning.

"Offshore structures are also used for other legitimate purposes such as business finance or mergers and acquisitions," said Ms Koh.

OCBC's private bank Bank of Singapore "exercises stringent screening controls to ensure compliance with both internal and regulatory requirements, including anti-money laundering and tax evasion laws, before on-boarding a client", she said.

Foreign banks such as HSBC have several offshore entities on the database like HSBC Trustee (Singapore) Limited.

The regulators here - the Ministry of Finance and Monetary Authority of Singapore - said they "are reviewing the batch of information that was released this morning on the persons and entities identified in the Panama Papers".

"If there is evidence of wrong-doing by any individual or entity in Singapore, we will not hesitate to take firm supervisory and enforcement action," they said in a joint statement.

Panama Papers: Secret accounts of the rich and powerful

Click on thumbnail to view photos. Source: 

AFP, Reuters, The Star/ANN

This article was first published on May 11, 2016.
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Update (4.45pm) - SMRT said on Twitter at about 4.40pm that train service from Yishun to Yio Chu Kang stations has resumed.

Train services from #Yishun towards #YioChuKang have resumed. Free regular bus and free shuttle bus service are still available.

— SMRT Corporation (@SMRT_Singapore) 11 May 2016

-----

SINGAPORE - A train fault has disrupted MRT service from Yishun to Yio Chu Kang stations.

SMRT tweeted the disruption at about 4pm, and said that service is expected to resume at 4.25pm. However, a later tweet at about 4.25pm said that they "are working to recover service".

[NSL] UPDATE: No train service from #Yishun to #YioChuKang. We are working to recover service.

— SMRT Corporation (@SMRT_Singapore) 11 May 2016

Free regular bus services are available from Yishun to Yio Chu Kang it said about 5 minutes later.

A passenger on a train said that his train got stuck after a lightning strike.

@SJiasheng yah I'm otw to yck then suddenly got lightning. Next thing I knew the train stopped moving

— Li Wen ^-^ (@whensgsingssg) 11 May 2016

SMRT did not say if service in the opposite direction is affected.

sinsh@sph.com.sg

SINGAPORE - The People's Action Party's (PAP) Murali Pillai has won the majority of overseas votes in the Bukit Batok by-election, the Elections Department (ELD) said in a statement today (May 11).

Mr Murali received 24 overseas votes, while his opponent Singapore Democratic Party secretary-general Chee Soon Juan pulled eight votes.

The 32 votes were counted today at the ELD Training Centre at Victoria Street.

A total of 52 overseas electors were registered.

Mr Murali had beaten Dr Chee with 61.2 per cent of local votes at the May 7 by-election.

The total number of votes vast now stands at 24,224, inclusive of 622 rejected votes. This is 94.16 per cent of the 25,727 registered electors in the Bukit Batok Single Member Constituency.

Singaporeans vote in Bukit Batok by-election

Click on thumbnail to view photos. Source: 

The Straits Times, AsiaOne, MediaCorp, Parliament of Singapore

huizhen@sph.com.sg

SINGAPORE - A rare, selfless and humble individual who contributed to Singapore throughout his life.

That is how Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong described the late philanthropist and businessman Lee Seng Gee in his condolence letter, dated today (May 11), to Mr Lee's wife Dr Della Suantio.

Mr Lee died yesterday (May 10) at the age of 95 after a long illness.

He had headed the Lee Foundation, started by his father Lee Kong Chian in 1952, since 1967.

"As chairman of the Lee Foundation, Mr Lee led it to become the largest private charitable foundation in Singapore. It donated close to $1 billion to many good causes, regardless of race, language and religion," PM Lee wrote.

He also highlighted that the Lee Foundation has, through giving out scholarships and bursaries, encouraged students to not only strive for excellence but also give back to the community.

This has helped give wayward youths fresh purpose in life, created opportunities for socially disadvantaged individuals and strengthened families, PM Lee wrote.

"His life reminds us that success is not defined by the wealth you amass, but by your contributions to the community," he added.

huizhen@sph.com.sg

SINGAPORE - An SMRT train was struck by lightning during a thunderstorm today afternoon (May 11), causing train service from Yishun to Yio Chu Kang stations on the North-South Line to be disrupted for over 40 minutes.

SMRT said in its initial tweets, starting at about 4pm, that the train service was disrupted due to "train fault".

[NSL] : No train service from #Yishun to #Yio Chu Kang due to a train fault. Expected resumption time: 4:25pm.

— SMRT Corporation (@SMRT_Singapore) 11 May 2016

In an updated report today evening, The Straits Times reported that Mr Patrick Nathan, SMRT's vice-president of corporate information and communications, said: "At 3.46pm today, it was suspected that lightning struck a location between Yio Chu Kang and Khatib Station along the North-South Line."

The report also said that the driver, who "smelled something burning", reported the incident.

The affected train had to be pushed out by another train, and passengers alighted at Yio Chu Kang station. The train has been withdrawn from service.

Service on the stretch resumed at about 4.35pm, according to SMRT.

[NSL] CLEARED: Train services from #Yishun towards #YioChuKang have resumed.

— SMRT Corporation (@SMRT_Singapore) 11 May 2016

sinsh@sph.com.sg

@SJiasheng yah I'm otw to yck then suddenly got lightning. Next thing I knew the train stopped moving

— Li Wen ^-^ (@whensgsingssg) 11 May 2016

SINGAPORE - SMRT has released the timings at which train services at the 13 stations along the North-South and East-West MRT lines will start on Sundays between June 5 and Dec 18.

The public transport operator had announced last month that train services at these stations would start an hour later at 7am on Sundays, "to allow engineers more time to carry out track maintenance and renewal works on the western sector of the network".

The 13 stations are those from Joo Koon to Queenstown station on the East-West Line and from Jurong East to Bukit Gombak station on the North-South Line.

SMRT has advised commuters who need to travel before 7am during the affected period to use existing bus services to get to other MRT stations or use the Circle Line and Downtown Line to get to the city.

Additionally, there will be a new parallel bus service plying the route between Joo Koon and Bukit Gombak stations (via Jurong East station) in both directions. The service will operate with a 10-minute interval between 5.30am and 7am on Sundays from June 5 to Dec 18.

huizhen@sph.com.sg