SINGAPORE'S rail system has lost its "mojo" but it is working hard to regain its earlier standing, said Transport Minister Khaw Boon Wan yesterday.

Lauding the Taipei metro system for its reliability, Mr Khaw urged rail operators SBS Transit and SMRT to emulate its example.

He noted that rail staff from the Taipei Rapid Transit Corporation (TRTC) - which was formed in 1996 - had in its early years visited Singapore to study the MRT, which began operations in 1987.

"We were then an exemplary MRT player and a subject of study," he said in a speech at a forum on rail infrastructure maintenance.

"Unfortunately, maybe due to complacency or distracted management attention, we lost our earlier standing. I prefer to use the word, we lost our mojo. Let's work hard to regain our mojo."

2 SMRT staff die in incident on MRT tracks

Click on thumbnail to view photos. Source: 

Stomp, The Straits Times, Berita Harian

He said the Land Transport Authority (LTA) is working with the TRTC to attach staff from SBS and SMRT to its metro workshops to learn its asset maintenance practices and engineering improvements.

Mr Khaw's observations were garnered from a study trip to Taipei two weeks ago, led by LTA chief executive Chew Men Leong, together with SBS and SMRT.

Last year, the TRTC clocked a mean distance of 800,000 train kilometres between delays exceeding 5 minutes.

Singapore's rail network posted an average of 130,000 train-km between such delays.

The preliminary figure for the first quarter of the year is 160,000 train-km.

Mr Khaw challenged SBS and SMRT to aim for 400,000 train-km between delays by 2018. This should double to 800,000 train-km by 2020, he added.

"This is a very high target... But looking from where we came from, and what others have already achieved, I say: why not? Let's go for it," he said.

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New and better MRT trains will cut down disruptions

Click on thumbnail to view photos. Source: 

AsiaOne, The Straits Times, Khaw Boon Wan's Facebook page

MOST of the 16 town councils have performed well in areas such as estate cleanliness and lift maintenance, according to the Ministry of National Development's (MND's) latest Town Council Management Report yesterday.

However, there was room for improvement for some in estate maintenance and service and conservancy charges (S&CC) arrears management, the report said.

The report assessed all town councils under the four indicators from April to September last year. Each indicator uses three colour bands - green, amber and red - based on measurable objective criteria submitted by the town councils and their auditors.

All except two scored green in S&CC arrears management. Potong Pasir was banded yellow, the same as in 2014, while the Workers' Party-run Aljunied-Hougang-Punggol East Town Council's (AHPETC's) score was listed as pending due to the ongoing review by its auditor, KPMG.

While MND said AHPETC had confirmed that the reports were prepared in accordance to its requirements, it noted that KMPG had made two observations in its May 13 report.

The first was that the balances in the town council's accounts receivables sub-ledger as at March 31, 2015, which were prepared by an external consultant, do not match the trial balances for the same period.

Secondly, the figures in the accounts receivable sub-ledger, used by AHPETC to calculate S&CC arrears attributable to the sinking fund, do not match the numbers in the FY2014/15 audited financial statements. The town council is investigating the reasons for the difference.

Aljunied-Hougang Town Ccouncil (AHTC) chairman Pritam Singh said in a statement that the town council has noted MND's remarks on S&CC arrears. AHTC will continue to publish on its website (www.ahtc.sg) all monthly KPMG reports for the public to track the progress and resolution of this issue.

Meanwhile, only five town councils - Ang Mo Kio, Bishan-Toa Payoh, Marine Parade, Nee Soon and Sembawang - scored green in estate maintenance. The rest were banded amber.

The report noted that the obstruction of common areas remains the top estate maintenance issue, accounting for more than a third of the total maintenance observations in FY2015.

It warned that such obstructions were fire hazards and could hamper evacuation efforts during emergencies.

There will be no report for the period from October 2015 to March this year, as MND said most town councils were in the process of handing over properties to each other, due to the 2015 General Election.

The public can access the full report at www.towncouncils.sg and provide their feedback at tcmr_feedback@mailbox.hdb.gov.sg or directly to their respective town councils.

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MORE used cars are being bought by drivers who want to work for private hire firms like Uber and Grab, dealers have told The Straits Times.

Ubi-based Yong Lee Seng Motor has been selling around 20 more used cars a month since January to such buyers, compared with last year - a rise of about 30 per cent.

I-Deal Auto Trading, in the Sin Ming area, now sells around 10 used cars a month to such buyers, as well as car rental firms and private car hire firms, a 50 per cent rise on last year.

It was a similar situation at four other dealers, including 99 Motors Trading and Prime.

Most buyers from Yong Lee Seng Motor intend to drive such cars part time. Its managing director Raymond Tang said: "They want to get extra income because the economy doesn't look good."

Car rental firms are also expanding their used car fleets. Diversified motor group Prime has about 240 used cars available for rent, but intends to increase that to 400 this year.

Hawk Asia Pacific has seen a 20 per cent rise in the number of people renting used cars for private hire this year. It has bought about 100 used cars since last year to cater to this.

Uber did not respond to ST queries while Grab said it does not rent cars to its drivers.

However, the easing of loan curbs announced by the Monetary Authority of Singapore last Thursday, which has made new cars more affordable, has raised questions about whether the trend towards used cars will be affected.

Dealers hold mixed views.

Some like Mr Tang, who is also first vice-president of the Singapore Vehicle Traders Association, thinks the number of private hire buyers will still rise and few will go for new cars as the downpayment required is still higher.

For instance, a new Toyota Corolla Altis 1.6 on sgcarmart.com costs $112,888 and will require a minimum downpayment of $33,866. A used version of the same model, registered in 2011, costs $64,800, with a downpayment of $19,440 needed.

One can also recover a larger proportion of a used car's cost if one scraps it in the short term, compared with a new car, said Mr Tang.

But Neo Nam Heng, chairman of Prime, stresses that a key factor is how COE prices react.

Already, demand for new cars is rising and will push COE prices up, he notes. Daily new car sales at his group have increased by 50 per cent since the announcement.

Higher COE prices make it more expensive to own a new car. People who want to drive for private car hire firms may then prefer used cars to new ones, he noted, adding that "in the next two, three rounds, the COE will likely shoot up by $5,000 to $10,000".

Park Byung Joon, adjunct associate professor at SIM University, said some private hire drivers will buy new cars instead, as the new measures improve their affordability.

"The COE prices may go up but monthly payment is going to get lower," he noted.

The used cars bought for private car hire normally have three years or below left on their COEs and cost $10,000 to $50,000, noted Mr Tang. Their scrap value ranged from $5,000 to $13,000.

Donovan Loh, 27, who sells food at night markets, bought a Honda Civic with about a year left on its COE last September and drives part time for Uber and Grab.

He did not reveal how much he paid for the car, but said he has been earning $1,000 to $2,000 a month on average - "more than enough" to cover instalments for his car and its expenses.

jkoh@sph.com.sg

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Uber protests around the world

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Reuters, AFP

SINGAPOREANS support the idea of inclusion but do not walk the talk, a survey has found.

While most people believe that children with and without disabilities can study together, only half of parents polled were comfortable with having a special needs child sitting next to their own child in class.

Also, only one in 10 Singaporeans are confident of interacting with special needs children.

These were some of the findings of a survey - released yesterday at a press conference - which asked more than 1,000 people for their experience of inclusion in daily life and early education. The survey was commissioned by local philanthropic house Lien Foundation.

The findings suggest that Singaporeans are tolerant rather than accepting towards special needs people, said Ng Tze Yong, programme manager at Lien Foundation.

"Singaporeans embrace the idea of inclusion, but there is a gap between what we think and what we do," said Mr Ng.

"Building handicapped ramps, parking lots and toilets is the easy part. We now need to move beyond that to dismantle the obstacles in our minds and the barriers in our hearts," he added.

Inclusion means ensuring that everyone, including those with disabilities, is given the opportunity to realise his potential in the same environment.

Asked about the current level of acceptance and degree of social interaction between the public and special needs children, more than half of the respondents said that Singaporeans were willing to share public spaces with such children but not to interact with them.

Only eight per cent of those polled felt that Singaporeans were willing to go the extra mile to make a special needs child feel welcome.

Yet, nearly half of them believe that new laws are needed to promote the rights of such children.

For instance, eight in ten of them believe that it should be compulsory for such children to go to school. They are now exempted from the Compulsory Education Act.

One possible reason why special needs children, such as those with learning and behavioural difficulties or physical disabilities, are not accepted fully in society is the lack of interaction between the public and such children.

For over a third of the respondents, such children are not part of their social circle. Only a quarter of parents surveyed reported that their children are friends with them.

However, the survey also found that Singaporeans' uncertainty about interacting with special needs children falls when the frequency of interactions rises.

Given this correlation, clinical psychologist and researcher Kenneth Poon said there should be more opportunities for interaction so that friendships and shared interests can form.

Tang Hui Nee, assistant director and head of community services at KK Women's and Children's Hospital, said it would help if there was more public education and exposure.

Three in four of the respondents said being informed in advance about the special needs of a child will help them be more understanding when disruptive behaviour happens.

To better understand the needs and challenges of the special needs community, a separate survey of 750 parents of children with special needs is being done and the findings will be released next month.

jantai@sph.com.sg

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Each year, 90 to 100 new cases of childhood cancer are detected in children under 15 years old in Singapore.

While some of them might be too young to fully understand what cancer is, the physical trials children with cancer go through requires no explanation.

Through TrekInvicta, a social initiative dedicated to Singapore and the Children's Cancer Foundation, Prasatt Arumugam hopes to challenge himself and inspire youths to action.

Prasatt, 25, started volunteering with Children's Cancer Foundation as part of the organisation's play personnel after going through the experience of losing his aunt to a cancer relapse.

Several times each month, Prasatt engages in distraction play for kids visiting the hospital for tests, treatments and consultations.

Distraction play, which comes in the form of LEGO workshops or even simply playing the child's favourite game, prevents them from associating the hospital with pain and discomfort by giving them something fun to look forward to.

Credit: Christopher Parwani

Prasatt has also put his career on hold in order to commit himself to completing the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT).

The Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) that Prasatt will be embarking on for TrekInvicta is a 4,280 km-long trail spanning from Canada to Mexico.

This will be Prasatt's bid to be the first Singaporean to complete the PCT, a trail with more than a 50 per cent abandon rate.

As an avid hiker himself, Prasatt has completed high-altitude treks in Nepal, USA and Tibet, but nothing as monumental as the PCT.

This hike is Prasatt's way of leading by example and expressing his solidarity with people suffering from cancer.

The glowing testimonials from Prasatt's supporting advisors speak of his infectious passion and his hope to inspire youths to give back to the community using their own talents and abilities.

Credit: TrekInvicta

TrekInvicta's efforts to make itself heard are also worth mentioning as their website and promotional video are incredibly well-made and interesting.

Their infographic for the PCT trail makes the trail easy to understand, and makes the initiative much more relatable overall.

Their word-of-mouth promotion (friends and family sharing) has resulted in 1,000 people talking about TrekInvicta, and has already raised S$18,166 out of its S$26,660 goal, S$10 for every mile in the PCT.

Credit: Chen “Freakofnatur” Yiji/Piktochart/NUS Business

Social initiatives are a great way to grant visibility to problems in society but do not provide a long-term solution for them.

Social enterprises, businesses that are set up to fulfil a social goal by utilizing business practices and strategies, offer a sustainable solution.

One prominent social enterprise is Eighteen Chefs, which is aimed at giving former convicts employment and a second chance by teaching skills to them.

Singapore's Center for Social Enterprise, or "raiSE", oversees a slew of initiatives for social enterprises for ranging from startup grants to financial help for expansion.

One springboard which allows entrepreneurs to emulate Prasatt's spirit is raiSE's VentureforGood grant.

With a focus on new and existing social enterprises addressing social gaps or needs, the grant is open for applications from now till 6th June 2016.

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A total of 2,221 cartons of duty-unpaid cigarettes and 70 bundles containing 70kg of unmanufactured tobacco were seized from a bus at the Tuas Checkpoint on Sunday (May 29).

The potential duty and goods and services tax on the contraband cigarettes and unmanufactured tobacco amounted to about $199,810 and $19,270 respectively.

Officers from the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) had asked the driver of the Malaysia-registered bus to stop for checks at about 5.50am.

The bus was carrying 2,221 cartons of cigarettes and 70kg of tobacco. Photo: ICA

During inspection, the officers found the contraband items hidden in various compartments of the vehicle.

The driver, a 37-year-old Malaysian man, as well as the contraband items and vehicle, have been handed to Singapore Customs for further investigations.

xiuhuil@sph.com.sg

A Facebook post by Malaysian user Verna Ling with tips for Malaysians planning to work in Singapore has gone viral.

The post, though written in a listicle format, is surprisingly poetic - especially when she talks about her personal experience when she first came to Singapore alone at 19 to work. Her post has garnered over 1,900 reactions and has been shared over 766 times at time of writing - quite an impressive feat for 3 day old Facebook post.

She shares with her readers (or, 'friends', as she refers to them) the reality of working in Singapore - from the amount of money needed to survive, to the types of permits foreign workers hold, to asking if their urge to work in Singapore is simply for pride's sake, since scrimping and saving in Malaysia might earn them similar rewards.

Here's our translation:

#latenightinspiration #workinginsingapore #tips #thingsyouneedtoknow

I still remember I was 19 when I came to Singapore alone for work.

The first job had a basic salary of S$700 - I had to OT to death to get the salary I'm earning now.

Along this journey,

I would be lying to myself if I said I didn't miss home;

saying that I'm not feeling sad when I'm sick and alone is lying to my parents;

eating instant noodles for 3 consecutive weekends and pretending I'm not hungry is also a lie I tell myself.

But since you want to earn 3 times the amount of money,

you need to work at least 3 times as hard!

Especially in a financially-advanced country like Singapore,

I'd suggest you find another route if you want to enjoy and yet earn 3 times the salary.

When you think about home expenses,

when you think about buying clothes, bags, shoes and plane tickets,

do you also realise that by earning and saving back in Malaysia, you can get them too?

Did anyone force you to come to Singapore to work at gunpoint, or is it simply for your pride?

Even though I'm simply a young person in society,

but I still wish to give some piece of advice to those who have just arrived in, or are planning to come to Singapore to work:

• Please prepare a resume before coming to find a job: a person with a proper resume will always succeed over someone who calls and says, "Hello, are there any job vacancies? I'm Malaysian, do you hire Malaysians?"
• Please do not use your Malaysian educational background to ask for a higher salary: do you think Singaporeans have lower education levels? Or do you think they aren't as skilled in verbal communication?
• Please ensure that you can afford at least one month of living expenses before coming down (1 month of rent + 1 month of deposit + 1 month of food expenses + 1 month of transport expenses)
• Holding the same job for over 6 months can help you avoid taxes from the government, and is also good for your resume (even if you change your work permit, the record follows you) If you came to Singapore for a friend/relative/significant other with plans to live with each other, you're simply wasting your time. Yes, you thought about the other person, but will the other person think of you? *Bosses very rarely hire sisters or friends because when one runs, the other does too.
• Don't be limited by locations, Singapore's public transport makes travel very convenient. "I want to find a place in Yishun because my boyfriend lives there", "I want to find a place in Jurong, so I can live between M'sia and S'pore", "I want to find a place near town, it feels more high class". Why don't ask for a job at the house next door then?
• When starting at your job, never ask your boss to lend you money, even if it gets tough. Once you ask, you're done for.
• Malaysians need to be 18 years old before coming to Singapore to work.
• You must have a work permit before starting work, or else your boss and colleagues would be fined.
• You can't do part-time jobs with your permit - if found out, you'll be fined.
• You need to have a medical examination before applying for a permit. Those with diabetes, heart disease and other serious illnesses would not be allowed to get their permits. Most importantly, get appropriate spectacles if you are short-sighted.
• The company needs 2 Singaporeans' CPF before they can hire 1 Malaysian.
• Levies are subject to grades: If foreign workers account for 25-40 per cent of your company, and if you don't have SPM, then the levy would be S$700. 10-25 per cent would bring it to S$550, and those below 10 per cent would be S$420. (With SPM, the amount would be cut by S$100, and so on)
• What is considered a pass in SPM: This is subject to approval. Even though the Malaysian government says that failing Bahasa Melayu and Sejarah means that you don't possess SPM, an official from Ministry of Manpower (MOM) would sometimes accept it on a case-by-case basis. *You must have at least one pass. The transcript must be original with the green-coloured paper and the education ministry's logo. Transcripts on white paper will not be accepted.
• A diploma in welding can only be used to reduce levies in a welding factory!
• Renting a HDB in Singapore: 1 room costs around S$700-1,000; sharing a room with 1 person would cost around S$250-350.
• The landlord will definitely ask for your temporary permit or passport - this is because they need to declare to HDB before you can apply for a formal permit.
• Regarding WP, SP, EP: WP is the lowest grade of permits (you can apply with even with Primary School education); SP is when your monthly salary is at least S$2,200 (Diploma); EP is when your salary is S$3,500 and above (Diploma/Degree).

If there are any mistakes, please correct me, and do message me if there are any queries!

I'll help when I can, because Malaysians should help each other!

Malaysian readers who have experienced working in Singapore, do you agree with her statements?

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A BOY who was taken to hospital after a wild boar reportedly chased and injured him in Punggol has returned home.

The boy, whose age is unknown, was taken to KK Women's and Children's Hospital on Sunday after the Singapore Civil Defence Force was alerted to an incident at Block 184 Edgefield Plains at 2.17pm and dispatched an ambulance.

However, it was not clear what injuries the boy suffered.

When approached at his flat on Monday, the boy's father would only say that his son had returned home and was feeling better, reported The New Paper.

Meanwhile, several people also said they spotted the creature in the neighbourhood.

A Facebook post by user Joanne Wan on Sunday night claimed that a wild boar about 1m in size had been spotted at the same block.

"It was last seen fleeing near Meridian LRT," she added.

Click on thumbnail to view photos. Source: 

Reuters, The Straits Times, Facebook screengrabs, Law Ing Sind, Wildlife Reserves Singapore, Marcus Chua

Related: Wild boars sighted in Punggol

A wild boar was also sighted in the vicinity by a contributor to citizen journalism website Stomp at around 3.30pm on the same day. She said the animal had dashed in front of a lorry she was in, near Block 106B.

In response to queries, the Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority of Singapore (AVA) said it had received feedback on wild boar sightings in the Punggol area and was conducting control operations.

"Members of the public who encounter wild boars should stay calm and not approach the animal," said a spokesman.

The presence of wild boars in the area is not new.

Last year, residents of Edgefield Plans also complained to the AVA regarding wild boars, with some even resorting to carrying wooden sticks to defend themselves.

A recent joint advisory by the AVA, National Parks Board (NParks) and Wildlife Reserves Singapore states that the wild boar is native to Singapore. It can weigh up to 100kg and has a lifespan of over 20 years.

The advisory said the animals are increasingly spotted all over the island in recent years, due to their quick reproduction rates, presence of ideal foraging habitats and the lack of natural predators.

"Although they appear shy, they are still wild animals and are unpredictable in behaviour which could pose a risk to public safety," the advisory said.

"Like many other wild animals, wild boars will only attack if they are cornered or if they feel threatened."

The three tips when one encounters wild boars are:

Be calm and move slowly away from the animal. Do not approach or attempt to feed the animal;

Keep a safe distance and do not corner or provoke the animal, such as using a flash while taking pictures of it;

If you see adults with young piglets, leave them alone. These are potentially more dangerous because they may attempt to protect their young.

mklee@sph.com.sg

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FOUR Bangladeshi workers detained last month under the Internal Security Act (ISA) were found guilty yesterday of financing terrorism.

The four are Rahman Mizanur, 31; Miah Rubel, 26; Md Jabath Kysar Haje Norul Islam Sowdagar, 31; and Sohel Hawlader Ismail Hawlader, 29. All pleaded guilty in court yesterday.

They were charged on Friday with providing or collecting money to fund terrorist acts in Bangladesh.

The four were part of a group of six charged under the Terrorism (Suppression of Financing) Act. The other two - Zzaman Daulat, 34 and Mamun Leakot Ali, 29 - have denied the charges. A pre-trial conference for them will be held on June 9.

27 radicalised Bangladeshis arrested under ISA

Click on thumbnail to view photos. Source: 

Ministry of Home Affairs

Court documents show that they were led by Rahman, with Mamun as the deputy leader. Miah was in the group's financial council, while Jabath handled the group's media.

Zzaman and Sohel were in the group's security and fighter councils respectively.

The six were among eight men arrested between late March and early last month. Working in the marine and construction industries, they called themselves the Islamic State in Bangladesh (ISB). They were planning attacks back home in hopes of toppling the government, with the aim of forming an Islamic state in Bangladesh.

dansonc@sph.com.sg

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A couple with 30 cats in a three-room flat in Bedok North has raised residents' hackles, with the Housing Board and Cat Welfare Society stepping in.

The pair have kept more than 40 cats in their flat at Block 703, Bedok Reservoir Road in seven years, Chinese newspaper Shin Min Daily News reported yesterday.

Even though they have given away more than 10 in two years, neighours are still unhappy over the remaining 30 felines and the hygiene issues they could cause.

The owner of the cats, who gave her name as Rosna, told Shin Min that it started when she fed a stray cat seven years ago. It kept reproducing, and the house was filled with cats.

"The stray cat had four kittens, and the family just kept growing, till at one point there were 44 cats under the same roof," said the housewife in her 60s.

Responding to neighbours' complaints, Ms Rosna said that there is protective wire mesh in the house to keep the cats from wandering out. She said that it could be strays outside passing urine or defecating that made the residents unhappy.

She added that she and her husband were cat lovers, but that there were more and more felines in the house, so they hoped to find people to adopt them.

"We spend more than $300 a month to look after the cats. The house was originally supposed to be rented out, but whenever potential tenants see there are so many cats, they are unwilling to sign the contract," she said.

An HDB spokesman told My Paper yesterday that HDB's principal consideration n setting the rules on pet ownership is "to preserve a pleasant living environment and maintain good neighbourly relations".

"We need to strike a balance between residents who are pet lovers and those who are more sensitive to the disamenities caused by animals," she said.

"When we receive feedback about unpermitted pet ownership in HDB flats, we will advise the flat owners to make alternative arrangements to rehome their pets."

HDB received feedback about this particular case in February this year and "advised the owners to find an alternative home for the cats".

"With their agreement, we have contacted the Cat Welfare Society (CWS) to help rehome the cats. The CWS is in the midst of assisting the family with the rehoming."

A CWS spokesman told Shin Min that they have been aware of Ms Rosna's case for two weeks now, and have interviewed her as well as neutered the cats.

"Some members of the public have also donated cat food, beds and such items to the owner, but there are too many cats, we were unable to take in all of them and can only wait for kind-hearted people to adopt them."

The spokesman also reminded cat lovers to neuter their pets.

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WASHINGTON - Hungry for a new fine dining frontier, Michelin's fabled guide is rolling into the US capital city for the first time, officials said Tuesday.

Anonymous Michelin inspectors are already out dining their way across Washington, the fourth US city to get its own guide.

The guide goes on sale in October, covering just the federal District of Columbia, for now, and suburbs in later editions.

The tiremaker's guides are written by inspectors who remain anonymous, reserve anonymously and pay for their own meals so they experience dining as any customer would.

"Washington is one of the great cosmopolitan cities in the world, with a unique and storied past that includes, among so many other things, a rich culinary tradition that continues to evolve in exciting new directions," said Michael Ellis, international director of the guides.

Though famous for ranking the best of the best, Michelin's guide also will identify the best meal for under $25 (S$34).

Washington is the fourth new international guide added this year, along with Seoul, Shanghai and Singapore.

A man suspected to have killed a cat after allegedly kicking and throwing it on the floor in Tampines has been arrested.

A press statement issued by Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority (AVA) said the 25-year-old suspect who allegedly abused the cat at Block 884 Tampines St 83 was arrested yesterday (May 31).

The man was nabbed in Tampines St 84 at about 1.30am in a joint operation with the police.

Mr Joshua Teoh, deputy director of AVA's Animal Management Group, acknowledged the role residents played in sharing information on the suspect, which led to his arrest.

He said: "We are heartened by their civic-mindedness. The information provided helped us to establish the identity of the suspect quickly. We urge members of the public to be vigilant and share information on animal cruelty cases to AVA via our 24-hour hotline."

AVA was alerted to the cat abuse in the wee hours of May 26. Its officers collected the cat carcass for post mortem. 

It came to light after the Cat Welfare Society made an appeal for information on its Facebook page. According to a resident, the animal was "slammed on the ground twice" and "burned with a lighter" by a man who looked like he was in his 20s, wrote the society.

Anyone found guilty of animal cruelty can be fined up to $15,000 and/or jailed up to 18 months, or face both punishments for the first offence. For second and subsequent offences, the maximum penalty is $30,000 or a jail term of up to 3 years, or both.

AVA hotline: 1800-476-1600

chenj@sph.com.sg

Starving cat transformed into glamour puss after rescue

Click on thumbnail to view photos. Source: 

@Pussinglam Instagram

SINGAPORE - A 12-year-old boy is Singapore's latest hero after his sister shared his deed of kindness on Facebook yesterday (May 31).

It seems that Ashvin Gunasegaran was the first person to approach two drivers in an accident to offer help, while other people - presumably many adults - were "busy crowding around taking pictures or videos".

When he learned that the driver of one of the cars is pregnant and was bleeding, he ran to ask his friends to call for an ambulance.

According to Ashvin's sister, the accident happened yesterday at a busy junction. A photo she posted of the accident showed that it was in Yishun Avenue 2.

Miss Laava Gunasegaran said her brother was on his way home after a remedial lesson. He was crossing the road when he heard a loud "boom" behind him.

When he saw that a car had crashed into another, Ashvin appraoched the two drivers instinctively, she said, paying no heed to the fact that he could get hurt. "Impatient" drivers were already moving their cars around the accident vehicles then, she described.

One of the drivers told Ashvin that she may be stuck and asked him to try opening her car door, Miss Gunasegaran said. When Ashvin learned that the other driver is pregnant and was bleeding, he wasted no time asking his friends to call for an ambulance.

When Miss Gunasegaran asked Ashvin why he didn't ask adults to help, he told her: "I don't know! Everybody was so busy crowding around taking pictures or videos. I don't know why nobody came to help!"

Miss Gunasegaran said in her post that she was not trying to "show off". Touched by her brother's action and feeling proud of him, she just had to share.

sinsh@sph.com.sg

Call them the new breed of pre-school teachers.

They are infinitely patient - they will repeat their questions as many times as required. Nor are they likely to scold - even if they are poked or prodded by curious children.

Meet Pepper and NAO, two humanoid robots who have been helping out in two pre-schools here, under a six-month trial to see how robots can be used to teach children in interactive ways.

Pepper, a 1.2m humanoid robot with a touchscreen on its chest, has been reading stories like The Tortoise And The Hare to pupils at My First Skool Jurong Point.

NAO, who is half of Pepper's height, has been interacting with pre-schoolers from MY World at Bukit Panjang by telling stories too and even dancing.

The pre-schools are collaborating with the Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore (IDA) and Nanyang Technological University in this pilot.

Together, they "explore the use of social-humanoid robots in early childhood through interactive storytelling and collaborative play", said Minister for Communications and Information Yaacob Ibrahim, who announced the initiative at the opening of the Infocomm Media Business Exchange at Maria Bay Sands yesterday.

The collaboration is part of a larger push by the Government to work more closely with industry partners in its Smart Nation push to integrate technology and connectivity into everyday life in Singapore.

Another partnership announced yesterday is a pilot at Sentosa where solar panels will be used to power outdoor Wi-Fi access points in a green and cost-efficient way from now to September next year.

Visitors to the Merlion Walk will be able to access the Wireless@SG network while outdoors. These solar panels can cut the installation time of outdoor Wi-Fi by up to five times and the cost by up to half.

IDA is working with wireless networking firm Aruba, telco M1, local technology firm Skylab and Sentosa Development Corporation in this trial. Visitors can also access outdoor Wi-Fi at Palawan Beach, Siloso Beach, and Fort Siloso Skywalk. However, these points are not powered by solar panels.

"If this pilot is successful, we could potentially expand Wireless@SG to reach more outdoor areas in a sustainable manner, and bring public Wi-Fi coverage in Singapore to the next level," said Dr Yaacob.

He also provided updates on the TechSkills Accelerator programme, launched in March, which aims to help job seekers pick up skills in the infocomm technology sector.

A governing council, made up of both government members and industry partners overlooking the programme has been set up. It will focus on creating job opportunities in the digital sections of three main areas: financial services, healthcare and infocomm technology.

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SINGAPORE - A dormitory operator has been fined $300,000 for housing foreign workers in overcrowded and unsanitary conditions, the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) said on Wednesday (June 1).

Dormitory operator KT Mesdorm which runs the Blue Stars Dormitory is the first dormitory operator prosecuted and convicted in Court. The operator pleaded guilty to all 30 charges brought against the company.

The dormitory was permitted to house up to 4,500 workers, but a joint inspection by MOM and the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) on July 30 2015 found that there were in fact, 5,098 bed spaces and 5,042 foreign workers residing there.

"By intentionally taking in more residents than permitted, KT Mesdorm had caused the infrastructure and amenities in the dormitory to be over-taxed, resulting in overcrowded, unsanitary and unhygienic living conditions," MOM said in a statement.

Dormitory operator fined $300k for overcrowded, unsanitary worker accommodation

Click on thumbnail to view photos. Source: 

Ministry of Manpower

"The health and well-being of the workers residing in the dormitory were severely compromised," it added.

According to the Ministry, the companies whose workers lived in the dormitory were not aware that the dormitory had exceeded its approved occupancy limit.

Following the inspections, KT Mesdorm has rectified the overcrowding issue and improved the living conditions in the dormitory, MOM added.

Under the law, dormitory operators who provide unapproved accommodation and aid employers to breach regulations face a fine of up to $10,000 and/or imprisonment of up to 12 months for each offence.

ljessica@sph.com.sg

A WOMAN who went to a stairwell to check on a young woman whom her husband saw sitting there alone found the young woman lying in her own blood and called for help.

The incident happened at 9.50am on Tuesday at Block 276, Toh Guan Road, Chinese daily Lianhe Wanbao reported yesterday.

Housewife Gao Minghe, 57, told Wanbao that her husband had seen a woman sitting by herself at the stairwell with her back to him when he had gone out to the corridor to throw some rubbish.

When he was returning home, he saw that she had lain down as if to rest.

He told Ms Gao about what he had seen, and they took their grandson out for breakfast 10 minutes later.

When they were at the lift, Ms Gao felt uneasy about the woman and decided to head to the stairwell for a look.

She found the young woman on the floor, with a lot of blood on the steps.

Said Ms Gao: "The girl was unconscious and looked very pale. There was a kitchen knife at her right and her left wrist had a very deep cut, which had bled a lot. It looked like she was bleeding out completely."

Ms Gao immediately called the police, while her husband and paramedics who arrived later kept trying to wake the girl up. She did so a while later and looked expressionless.

According to Ms Gao, the police found the woman's address from identification she had on her, and her mother and brother rushed to the scene when notified.

The police told My Paper yesterday that a 24-year-old woman was arrested in relation to a case of attempted suicide and was sent to Ng Teng Fong General Hospital while conscious.

Residents told Wanbao that the woman was very quiet and was usually seen with her family.

Ms Gao said: "Luckily I went back to make sure, otherwise if we had just gone down for breakfast, a life would have been lost." Police investigations are under way.

myp@sph.com.sg

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JAKARTA - Furious officials sent troops to Indonesian islets near Singapore after an online map of an eco resort mistakenly suggested they belong to the city-state.

Indonesian lawmakers also demanded the country's sovereignty be defended as anger mounted at the map of the under-construction "Funtasy Island".

The map initially showed the islets that make up the resort in blue, the same colour as Singapore, prompting outrage in Indonesian media at what they said was an attempt to claim their country's territory by stealth.

Both governments scrambled to defuse the escalating anger, with the city-state's foreign ministry saying it was "deeply puzzled" since it did not claim the islands while Jakarta insisted it was a mistake.

The six islets were also changed to red on the website map, one of the colours on the Indonesian flag.

But by this point, Indonesian army and navy personnel had already been dispatched from a local base at the weekend to the resort to place the country's flag on the highest point of one of the islands.

Local tourism chief Guntur Sakti said he had sent a warning to Singapore over the map, while Indonesian parliament speaker Ade Komaruddin told news website Tribunnews that "our sovereignty must be upheld".

However Indonesian foreign ministry spokesman Arrmanatha Nasir played down the row, saying it was due to a mistake by the group Funtasy Island Development, which is building the resort.

"The issue has basically been resolved," he said. "The mistake has been corrected".

Funtasy Island Development insisted in a statement it recognised the islands were all Indonesian and it had never claimed the resort was inside Singaporean territory.

It added the map was just "to show the location of Funtasy Island Resort and for showing the distance between Singapore and Funtasy Island Resort".

The affluent city-state and its huge neighbour have a historically acrimonious relationship. They clashed repeatedly last year after Indonesian forest fires choked Singapore with toxic smog for weeks.

The resort website describes the development, which is 16 kilometres (10 miles) from Singapore, as the world's biggest eco park, where visitors can stay in villas and enjoy nature trails and water sports.

JOHOR BARU is conducting a trial run of its long-delayed Vehicle Entry Permit System (VEP) on incoming Singapore vehicles at its Causeway and Second Link checkpoints, which will last till July 15, Malaysian media reported.

During the trial period, which began at midnight yesterday, Singapore vehicles entering Johor need not pay the VEP fee of RM20 (S$6.60), reported Bernama news agency.

The fee will only be imposed from July 16.

"Meanwhile, the registration of vehicles for VEP will be open until the end of the year," Hasni Mohammad, chairman of Johor's Public Works, Rural and Regional Development Committee, told Bernama.

Singapore vehicles not registered with VEP, which is run by Malaysia's Road Transport Department (JPJ), will be refused entry into the country after the system is fully implemented.

Surviving the Causeway crush

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The New Paper

A road charge of RM10 is to be paid during registration, which will be valid for five years.

According to Mr Hasni, 120,000 Singapore vehicles have already registered.

Johor's transport chief also said the JPJ will be involved in the trial for two weeks - which will mainly ensure there are no glitches when using the cameras and sensors installed on vehicle lanes to read number plates and the VEP identification tags, reported The Star daily.

But Mr Hasni warned that Singapore-registered vehicles which have not settled summonses will be detected.

There will be JPJ staff available round the clock at the checkpoints to help officers and drivers who run into problems with the system, said Mr Hasni.

Starting yesterday, Malaysian immigration officers must also personally check vehicles carrying many passengers to ensure the correct number of passports are submitted.

The VEP, which was originally slated for launch in August last year, looks unlikely to be fully implemented before next year.

How to register

•Create an account at Malaysia's Road Transport Department (RTD) website.

•You can download your Vehicle Registration Card PDF file from the website of Singapore's Land Transport Authority and upload it to the RTD website. Once successful, a PDF confirmation slip will be sent to you via e-mail.

•Those registering at the Johor Customs, Immigration and Quarantine Complex will need to have their vehicle registration card, latest insurance cover note and passport with them.

•To collect the VEP tag, users must have the registered vehicle, passport, confirmation slip and RM10 (S$3.30) for an administration fee.

•The VEP tag is valid for five years and must be renewed three months before the expiry date. •For more details, visit the RTD website at https://vep.jpj.gov.my

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SINGAPORE - Workers' Party (WP) chief Low Thia Khiang on Wednesday (June 1) dismissed talk of a split within his party, following a surprise challenge mounted for his post last Sunday at his party's internal elections.

He said the party's internal elections had in fact strengthened it for the future, by showing that the WP is a political party that "can accept open competition, accept diversity of views, and in diversity we move on together as a party".

He also said he was surprised that some party members had taken to the press to criticise his leadership style and decisions, saying that his door had always been open to feedback.

Mr Low was speaking to reporters at the sidelines of his meet-the-people session at Hougang.

Questions about the party's unity had arisen after he was challenged for his secretary-general position by fellow Aljunied GRC MP Chen Show Mao at the party's internal central executive council election on Sunday. Mr Low prevailed with 61 votes to Mr Chen's 45.

But since then, some party members have spoken up in public about the cause of the challenge, saying that there was a faction in the party that had backed Mr Chen as they were unhappy with Mr Low's leadership style.

They charged that he was not open to alternative views, and also favoured younger members with higher academic qualifications, such as lawyers and academics, for leadership posts.

Responding to these criticisms, Mr Low said his focus is to make sure the party's renewal efforts are on track.

"I want to focus on the renewal and also to help in the transition so that WP can continue serve Singaporeans in the future and at the same time be connected to the younger Singaporeans because in every election there's always younger voters," he said.

He added that as the party's leader, he had to make decisions for the benefit of the party and in the interest of Singapore.

"I'm prepared to always explain, to justify, and I'm prepared to (be) subject to the members' verdict and judgement," he said adding there were ample avenues for members to raise their concerns.

"So it is quite surprising to me that now some of them are saying perhaps there is a lack of avenue for such consultation processes or (there is an) issue with transparency. I don't really understand where they are coming from."

But instead of seeing his party's election as a "negative" episode, he emphasised repeatedly, Singaporeans should be more confident now of the WP as it had managed to move on together as a party despite the diversity of views.

He also pointed to how the election had allowed the party to bring in younger people in their 30s and 40s into the party's top decision-making body, which is important for renewal.

On whether he felt disappointed that 40 per cent of his party's cadres had not voted for him during the election, he said: "I look at this with an ordinary mind...I'm always prepared for anyone who feel that he can be a better person to be secretary-general. And I think the party should decide who is a better person to be secretary-general to lead the party, I will accept that."

yanliang@sph.com.sg

This article was first published on June 01, 2016.
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