Indonesia will not allow one of its citizens accused of causing forest fires last year to be "processed" under the laws of Singapore, said its Vice-President Jusuf Kalla.

"If there is an offence, Singapore can take action, but (the offence) occurred in Indonesia, that is the concern," he said on Sunday.

Mr Kalla was referring to Singapore's action against companies responsible for causing the forest fires in Indonesia that led to last year's transboundary haze crisis.

Environment and Forestry Minister Siti Nurbaya Bakar yesterday echoed his sentiments in her response to questions from reporters after a climate change event in Jakarta.

She said the ASEAN agreement on transboundary haze pollution is a multilateral one, and not a bilateral pact between Singapore and Indonesia.

Thus, "Singapore cannot step further into Indonesia's legal domain", added Ms Siti.

She said Singapore's Transboundary Haze Pollution Act (THPA) remains a "controversial" law that is still being debated among ASEAN officials from Singapore, Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand. That is why she feels that Singapore's action under the law against errant firms in her country is not a show of "mutual respect" to Indonesia.

"The basic principle of co-operation is that countries should respect each other's sovereignty," she said.

She added that Indonesia is not "keeping still" and has imposed sanctions on firms responsible for fires that led to the haze.

These latest comments come after Singapore's National Environment Agency said last month that it had obtained a court warrant against an Indonesian company director in line with the THPA.

This is after the director had failed to turn up for an interview despite being served a legal notice to explain his firm's measures to tackle fires on its concession land.

Ms Siti had said on May 14 that certain bilateral collaborations with Singapore will be terminated and others subjected to a review.

Singapore's Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources, however, said last week that it has renewed its haze assistance package to Indonesia, which it has been offering since 2005.

Environment and Water Resources Minister Masagos Zulkifli has maintained that Singapore's action has the support of the international community. "We are not doing anything criminal nor wrong. We are just asking for the companies and the directors to own up and be accountable for what they've done."

Indonesia has yet to indicate its acceptance of Singapore's help, but Mr Kalla said his country will accept help if it is really needed and reminded its neighbours that tackling the forest fires is "not as easy as what our friends in ASEAN think".

This article was first published on June 14, 2016.
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Test questions from a training course accredited by a Government body have had to be replaced after Internet users slammed the assessment for perpetuating workplace discrimination.

During the Workforce Skills Qualifications (WSQ) course on effective communication, participants were given a list of 10 hypothetical staff members and told they had to decide as a group which four to axe.

Descriptions of the 10 workers included elements of race, religion, sexual orientation, political affiliation and marital status.

One candidate, for instance, was described as a former Workers' Party member. Another was a divorced woman with five children. Others included a gay man, a former Catholic priest and a "confirmed racist".

Only three had indications of the employees' work competencies.

A photo of the test paper was posted on the All Singapore Stuff website after a friend of one of the participants wrote in.

The participant, Mr Lai Yew Sin, did the course last Wednesday and Thursday and said the exercise only served to confirm prejudices.

Mr Lai, an assistant therapist at Singapore General Hospital, said: "The group could not come to an agreement. It was very horrible to watch."

He failed the overall course, becoming the first person to do so since it was started in 2011. Adding that he was not angry about the grade, Mr Lai said he was more frustrated with the activity, as "the exercise will affect real livelihoods through the encouragement of unwarranted prejudices during decision-making processes".

Companies send their employees on the course to improve their communication skills in the workplace.

Course provider Eagle Infotech Consultants yesterday defended its material to The Straits Times.

Managing director Liana Tang said the test "was taken out of context", clarifying that it was not meant to prescribe procedures for hiring and retrenchment. Rather, it was "to teach diversity".

She also said the trainer had spoken on the importance of diversity before the exercise started. Mr Lai said this was not true.

Eagle has been an accredited Singapore Workforce Development Agency (WDA) training organisation since 2005.

A WDA spokesman said Eagle will replace the questions immediately because they have been made public and also due to "perceived sensitivity".

She said: "WDA would like to assure that all WSQ courses follow a rigorous pedagogical framework and trainers are accredited to provide quality training."

Mr David Ang, director of corporate services capability development at Human Capital Singapore, said: "Good human resource practices dictate that retrenchment decisions should not be based on anything other than someone's work ."

This article was first published on June 14, 2016.
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The National Environment Agency (NEA) has suspended the licence of Prata Wala at Serangoon next for two weeks for failing to keep their premise free of cockroach infestation.

The suspension takes effect from June 21 to July 4.

According to its website, Prata Wala, which specialises in Indian cuisine, has five mall outlets at Jurong Point, Tampines Mall, NEX, Junction 8 and Bedok Mall. 

The agency's latest suspension notices released on Monday (June 13) also included three food stalls along Tampines Street 43.

The other food stalls' licences will be suspended from June 18 to July 1.

According to NEA, the four food stalls had each accumulated 12 demerit points over the past year. Each stall was also fined $800.

Food handlers working in these suspended premises are also required to retake and pass the Basic Food Hygiene Course before they are allowed to resume work.

In addition, NEA encouraged members of the public to report poor hygiene practices in food establishments by calling NEA's 24-hour contact centre 1800 2255632.

minlee@sph.com.sg

SINGAPORE - A new album by City Harvest Church featuring pastor-singer Sun Ho has reached number one on the Singapore iTunes chart.

The album, Draw Me, which was released on June 10, contains 13 tracks and features CityWorship. Ms Ho features in four songs.

Retailing for $13.98, Draw Me topped the chart as of today (June 14), beating Adele and local artist Gentle Bones. 

Sun Ho's music career

Click on thumbnail to view photos. Source: 

YouTube screengrabs, UMusic, Xtron, SPH, Sun Ho Music, Tas einer PR, Universal Music

Ho Yeow Sun, whose stage name is Sun Ho, co-founded the City Harvest Church with Kong Hee and others. Kong and five other church leaders were recently convicted of misusing around $50 million in church funds to further the music career of Ms Ho, Kong Hee's wife. However, they have filed appeals following their conviction.

See also: The City Harvest Trial

According to The Straits Times, while physical copies of the album has sold out, the songs have not featured on Spotify Singapore's charts.

Ms Ho has had a musical career that courted controversy because of her provocative music videos. That includes a music video featuring Wyclef Jean that saw Ho dressed in skimpy clothing. 

In a Facebook post, Ms Ho said: "Recording 4 tracks for this album has been an amazing journey for me. When I step into the studio, I set aside the cares and burdens that I face daily, and I find myself just worshipping."

According to a Facebook post by the City Harvest Church, the first print run of Draw Me has been sold out. Mark Kwan, the creative director of the album also added that the album "means a lot for any member of City Harvest who has been through the last six years of trials and struggles". 

City Harvest trial verdict: All six accused found guilty of all charges

Click on thumbnail to view photos. Source: 

Reuters, The Straits Times, AFP

prabukm@sph.com.sg

A 66-year-old Singaporean failed in his bid to get senior citizen pension benefits in New Zealand after a tribunal found he had not first used his Central Provident Fund (CPF) money, as advised.

The Social Security Appeal Authority was not convinced by his concerns of being traced by the Singapore authorities if he applied to withdraw his CPF money, as there could be "significant repercussions" for his two grown-up sons, who were liable for national service (NS).

"(He) was completely unable to explain what action the Singapore authorities might be able to take against him or his sons if they became aware of his residence in New Zealand," said the Social Security Appeal Authority of New Zealand in decision grounds released last month.

Superannuation benefits of about NZ$600 (S$570) are payable fortnightly to New Zealand citizens or permanent residents over 65 who have lived in the country for at least 10 years since they turned 20, five of which must be since they turned 50 years old, according to its website.

But the payout is modified according to conditions such as deductions from income earned elsewhere or abroad.

According to the decision grounds, the Singapore citizen, who is also a New Zealand citizen, was granted the benefit when he turned 65 in November 2014 but he disclosed in his application that he had lived in Singapore for 50 years.

He had worked in various jobs in Singapore before emigrating to New Zealand in 2000 with his wife and two sons, then aged eight and 10.

The Auckland-based man, who was granted citizenship in 2004, was told by New Zealand's Ministry of Social Development to apply to Singapore's CPF Board to withdraw funds from there.

He objected and failed to comply with the July 2015 deadline issued by the New Zealand ministry. A month later, his New Zealand Superannuation was suspended.

He initially claimed it was discriminatory to require people from countries that paid pensions, such as Singapore, to be required to apply for those pensions, which were then deducted from their entitlement to New Zealand Superannuation.

He pursued the case before the two-member appeal authority, arguing among other things that his two sons, now aged 25 and 23 years and having promising careers, could be affected if his whereabouts were known to the Singapore authorities through his CPF application.

The man, who was not named, suggested his sons might be forced to return to Singapore to do national service and be prosecuted as enlistment defaulters. Under Singapore laws, eligible persons who fail to register for national service may be fined up to $10,000 or jailed up to three years or both.

But the tribunal pointed out that the alleged offences under the Singapore Enlistment Act were not recognised as extraditable offences under New Zealand law and prosecution was, therefore, "remote".

"We are not satisfied that there is any real danger or disadvantage to either the appellant or his two sons if the appellant's whereabouts were to become known to the Singapore Government," wrote the Wellington-based appeal authority.

It added that the man, having worked variously in Singapore as an aircraft mechanic, hotel cashier and elsewhere had maintained CPF deposits from which he could apply to withdraw funds, since he was already past 62 years old, the minimum age for CPF withdrawal.

This article was first published on Jun 15, 2016.
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Institute of Technical Education graduates will soon be able to study the new part-time Diploma in Business Practice (Hospitality Management) under the SkillsFuture Earn and Learn Programme (ELP), which was officially launched for the hotel sector yesterday.

The one-year work-study programme is offered at Republic Polytechnic and combines on-the-job training, projects and mentoring with classroom and online learning.

ELPs are being set up gradually across different sectors and the one for hotels was launched at the poly yesterday by Ms Low Yen Ling, Parliamentary Secretary for Education and Trade and Industry.

It is now open to polytechnic graduates with diplomas in hospitality management and related fields, but opens to ITE graduates from October.

"We want to groom local talent to take on leadership roles, improve job quality and identify emerging skill needs so as to build a future- ready workforce," said Ms Low.

Although the ELP for the hotel sector was launched yesterday, the first course began last month with 48 fresh diploma graduates - the largest intake for an ELP since being introduced in March last year.

They have already been placed with 26 of the 54 hotel partners, and started work last month.

Participants work four days a week at a hotel and attend one day of class at the polytechnic. Hotels can choose to retain the students after they graduate.

Ms Isis Ong, director of learning at Singapore Marriott Tang Plaza Hotel, said: "They are very focused, enthusiastic and forthcoming in their suggestions and pick things up faster as they've done it before."

Classes at Republic poly include training at a "hotel lab" equipped with a full suite of front- and back-of-house hotel facilities. Participants will graduate with a Specialist Diploma in Hospitality Business Management.

ELP student Charlene Chong, 20, who works in the food and beverage department at Conrad Centennial Singapore hotel, said: "The ELP is a very targeted way of improving my skills in this industry."

Singaporeans who take up this ELP get a sign-on bonus of $5,000.

Some 290 placements for the programme are projected for the next three years.

This article was first published on June 15, 2016.
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Police have arrested ten people for their involvement in a brawl at Bugis Street last Tuesday (June 7).

A police spokesperson told AsiaOne that the police first received a call at about 10.20pm alerting them to the incident on June 7.

The police initially arrested nine people for unlawful assembly, but one more man was later arrested, making the total number of arrests 10.

The ages of those involved are not known.

A video of the incident was also uploaded on a Facebook page called 'SG HardTruth Community' on Monday (June 13).

Click on thumbnail to view photos. Source: 

Facebook screengrabs

In the four-minute long video, a group of people can be seen raining punches on each other and shouting at the same time.

Halfway into the video, some men clad in blue intervene and try to stop the fight.

The Straits Times reported that there were both men and women among those arrested.

According to the police spokesperson, the fight was the result of an escalation of disputes and "growing resentment" between two stallholders.

Police investigation is ongoing.

stephluo@sph.com.sg

SINGAPORE - Election expenses for the two candidates who contested the Bukit Batok by-election can be inspected at the Elections Department from Wednesday (June 15), said the ELD.

The records listing how much each candidate spent and what the money was used for will be available for inspection for six months on Mondays to Fridays between 9am and 5pm.

People's Action Party candidate Murali Pillai and the Singapore Democratic Party chief Chee Soon Juan contested the May 7 polls triggered by the resignation of Bukit Batok MP David Ong in March.

Mr Murali was elected into Parliament with 61.23 per cent of the votes to Dr Chee's 38.77 per cent.

Those who wish to view the returns will have to pay a fee of $2 for each set, and will have to inform ELD at least one working day in advance. They can send an e-mail to ELD at contact@eld.gov.sg or call 1800-225-5353, to minimise the waiting time.

Under the Parliamentary Elections Act, the election agents of all candidates who contest in an election must submit a declaration and a return of election expenses to the returning officer within 31 days after the results of the election have been announced.

These returns are required to ensure accountability and transparency in the candidates' campaign finance, ELD said.

Parliamentary election candidates are allowed to spend $4 for each voter in the constituency they are contesting.

This article was first published on June 14, 2016.
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Singapore

PARIS, Singapore and London hold the top three spots in a ranking of global cities for green buildings in a recent White Paper published by management consultancy firm Solidiance.

The White Paper aimed to assess and compare the performance of top 10 global cities in relation to green buildings.

According to Solidiance, Green buildings are one of the most important elements in the discussion of sustainable development.

Accounting for more than 40 per cent of energy use and responsible for an estimated 30 per cent of city-wide emissions, buildings make up the largest energy-consuming sector worldwide.

The global cities are assessed for their green building performance across four categories: city-wide green building landscape, building efficiency and performance, green building policies and targets and, green city culture and environment.

Paris and Singapore took the top spots by excelling in all four assessments.

According to the White Paper, they were the only two cities that ranked within top five in every category.

Singapore stood out as a forerunner by topping the category of green building policies and targets.

The city aims to green 80 per cent of its built-stock by 2030.

Amendments in the city-state's Building Control Act in 2008 also requires all new buildings and existing ones to undergo major retrofitting to achieve, at the minimum, a certified rating under the Green Mark Scheme, Singapore's green building certification scheme.

By 2014, more than 25 per cent of the city's entire built-stock were green buildings.

CEO of World Green Building Council, United Kingdom, Terri Willis said: "Singapore can certainly be considered a leader in the field of green building. The city target for 80 per cent of buildings to achieve BCA Green Mark standards by 2030 is ambitious but achievable, and the Singapore Green Building Council (SGBC) will play a key role in delivering this."

London, however, takes the lead under the category of green building landscape by achieving the highest number of green buildings.

68 per cent of buildings in London are green buildings, which can be linked to the fact that the United Kingdom was the first country to introduce a green building certification system.

Paris and Singapore rank closely behind with 64 per cent and 48 per cent respectively.

Paris, Sydney and Singapore were on top of the list when it came to the overall performance and efficiency of its green buildings.

Paris came up on top for its low percentage of carbon emissions, which is attributable to the city's built environment.

The level of energy used in buildings in Paris and Singapore were amongst the lowest in the list, reflective of the cities' level of eco-consciousness.

Their efficiency is evidence that both local and international building certifications set a strong benchmark for green building performance.

Singapore comes in fourth, closely behind Sydney, Paris and New York for the assessment of a green city's culture and environment.

While each global city has adopted their own set of policies and regulations to combat climate change, some have performed better.

For example, New York performed particularly well in renewable energy consumption, standing in first place.

The rankings include newcomers Beijing, Dubai and Shanghai, that have joined the green building movement in 2010.

Despite their lagging behind in certain categories, the rankings should see changes in the future as these newer "green building cities" set ambitious targets to catch up to other cities' levels.

This article was first published on June 15, 2016.
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SINGAPORE - Like Peter Pan who never grows up, you can relive old Singapore this weekend (June 18 and 19) at Waterloo Street.

The second edition of the quarterly Bras Basah.Bugis Arts Sprawl is organised by the National Heritage Board, and will feature live reading sessions of well-loved titles such as James and The Giant Peach and Where the Wild Things Are.

Participants can also join craft-making workshops by FMS Fashion Makerspace to create personalised coin pouches and mini bean bags used in the traditional game of "five stones".

Besides these arts and heritage offerings at Waterloo Street - a lively school district in the 1960s and 1970s - there will be an art market with 50 art and retail vendors selling items such as jewellery pieces, pins, as well as the Japanese Raindrop Cake, which has recently garnered immense online popularity.

There will also be music performances by home-grown multi-genre artistes such as Stranger Fox, Jean Goh, Twofoldsband and Stanley Ho.

Visit www.brasbasahbugis.sg for more info.

grongloh@sph.com.sg

A Grab driver had an unfortunate encounter with a female passenger who refused to leave his car for an hour.

A contributor to citizen journalism website Stomp and Grab driver, Stanley, shared the video and driver's account on the Facebook group SG GrabCar & Uber Drivers.

According to the driver, Eugene Tan, he had driven her to her destination at Block 327C Anchorvale Road and ended the trip just before reaching.

She then started kicking up a fuss about a $15 promo code that Grab was offering riders that she had not keyed in and accused him of ending the trip early so that she could not key it in.

The driver then explained to her that she needed to key in the code before booking her ride but she remained adamant and refused to leave the car, calling him a "smart alec".

Not knowing what to do, Eugene called the Grab corporate office and passed the phone to the woman who then demanded whoever was on the line call her directly on her mobile.

Passenger refuses to leave Grab taxi for an hour over promo code dispute

Click on thumbnail to view photos. Source: 

Internet screengrabs

She then continued to shout and interrupt Eugene's conversation on the phone.

When he mentioned the police, she quickly decided it was better for her to call them herself and spoke to the police while he was on the line with the corporate office.

She claimed that the driver had purposely ended her booking in order to get more bookings.

According to Eugene's post in the Facebook chat group, she remained in his car for an hour.

He wrote:

"Police activated, waste of public resources. Isn't this [a] rider from hell?"

Watch the exchange in the video below.

Visit STOMP for more stories.

SINGAPORE - The Transboundary Haze Pollution Act (THPA) has nothing to do with sovereignty or national dignity, the Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources (MEWR) emphasised in a sharply-worded rebuke to Indonesian Environment and Forestry Minister Dr Ir Siti Nurbaya Bakar.

Dr Nurbaya had said earlier on Monday (June 13) that Singapore could not "tread on the realm of law that was under Indonesia", and that Singapore's actions showed that it "did not respect Indonesia".

Reiterating that the THPA is targeted at commercial entities responsible for transboundary haze pollution in Singapore, an MEWR spokesperson said: "The THPA was drafted with advice from experts in international law and complies with international law. It is not directed at any individual nor company based on nationality."

"Indonesia should welcome this additional tool to curtail irresponsible activities that have affected the health, social and economic well-being of Indonesians and people in the region.

"If anything, the companies will hide behind any opacity if they can, to avoid being held accountable and further perpetuate the haze problem that has plagued the region for decades."

Indonesia president Joko Widodo cuts short US trip due to haze

Click on thumbnail to view photos. Source: 

AFP, Reuters

On May 11, Singapore's National Environment Agency (NEA) had obtained a court warrant against an Indonesian company director after he failed to turn up for an interview despite being served a legal notice.

The Indonesian was summoned to explain measures his company has taken to mitigate fires on its concession land.

The Indonesian government then issued a series of conflicting statements, starting with its Foreign Ministry spokesperson Arrmanatha Nasir, who claimed that Indonesia had lodged a "strong protest" against NEA's actions.

A spokesperson from Singapore's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) clarified one day later on May 13 that it did not receive any presentations from the Indonesians.

"Mr Arrmanatha's remarks are puzzling," the MFA spokesperson said.

On Sunday (June 12), Indonesian Vice-President Jusuf Kalla said that Jakarata would not allow its citizen to be "processed" under Singapore's law, The Straits Times reported.

"If there is an offence, Singapore can take action, but (the offence) occurred in Indonesia, that is the concern," he said in the same report.

Commenting on Dr Nurbaya's comments, veteran Singaporean diplomat Mr Bilahari Kausikan said on his Facebook page on Tuesday (June 14) that Singapore is enforcing its own laws.

"The only reason we are "entering into their legal domain" is because they have been singularly ineffective in enforcing their own laws,' he wrote.

The straight-talking ambassador-at-large added: "What they are claiming is we cannot enforce our own laws against an Indonesian national which is tantamount to claiming extraterritorial immunity for Indonesians.

"This is not merely arrogant but patently absurd, or at least absurd if one did not have reason to suspect that the individual in question was not connected to senior Indonesian figures who may be complicit in the environmental crimes we want to question him about.

"From that perspective the Indonesian position is entirely logical."

grongloh@sph.com.sg

Singapore's move to go after companies linked to fires in Indonesia that led to last year's haze is not an issue of sovereignty or national dignity, said a Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources (MEWR) spokesman yesterday.

The ministry said its actions under the country's Transboundary Haze Pollution Act (THPA) was aimed at deterring and prosecuting entities that are responsible for transboundary haze pollution.

"The THPA was drafted with advice from experts in international law and complies with international law," added the spokesman.

"It is not directed at any individual nor company based on nationality."

MEWR was responding to comments in recent days by Indonesian Vice-President Jusuf Kalla as well as the country's Environment and Forestry Minister Siti Nurbaya Bakar about Singapore's decision to take court action against an Indonesian company director via the THPA.

Mr Kalla said that Singapore cannot take action against its citizens responsible for last year's forest fires, while Ms Siti accused the Republic of not exercising "mutual respect" by invoking the THPA.

She said the Asean agreement on transboundary haze pollution is a multilateral one, and not a bilateral pact between Singapore and Indonesia. As such, "Singapore cannot step further into Indonesia's legal domain", she added.

Ms Siti also said the THPA remains a "controversial" law that is still being debated among Asean officials from Singapore, Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand.

That is why she feels that Singapore's action under the law against errant firms in her country is not a show of "mutual respect".

MEWR, however, said the key driver of the recurring transboundary haze is commercial.

It said companies' blatant disregard for the environmental and social consequences of the haze, which affects millions of people in the region, should not go unchecked.

"The phenomenal amount of greenhouse gases also emitted during the burning of peatland will have a profound effect on climate change that the world is battling to slow," said the spokesman.

"This is therefore not an issue of sovereignty or national dignity."

The ministry emphasised that Singapore respects Indonesian sovereignty and it is for that very reason that Singapore has repeatedly requested local authorities to share information on companies suspected of illegal burning in Indonesia.

Fires burning on concession land owned by private companies are said to have caused the haze crisis which affected many countries in South-east Asia.

The smoke from fires last year sent air pollution to record levels, resulting in at least 19 deaths from haze-related illnesses and more than half a million Indonesians suffering from respiratory infections.

The World Bank estimates that the fires and haze caused at least US$16 billion (S$21.7 billion) in economic losses for Indonesia alone.

Indonesian officials, however, do not expect a repeat of the crisis this year, though that may be due more to favourable weather than progress in addressing the underlying causes of the blazes, reported Bloomberg News yesterday.

Satellite imagery detected about 730 hot spots so far this year, down from more than 2,900 in the first six months of last year, according to government data.

Mr Raffles Panjaitan, the Environment and Forestry Ministry official tasked with overseeing fire prevention, said integrated fire patrol teams have been deployed in villages where forest fires are an annual occurrence.

"Normally forest fires are quite rampant in February and March, but there are no fires in villages where patrols are deployed," he said.

tkchan@sph.com.sg

This article was first published on June 16, 2016.
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Separating Web surfing from computers that are plugged into classified information systems is a practice entrenched in many operations, including those in the banking sector and the military.

Yet, a heated online debate ensued, with keen interest shown by international media, after The Straits Times reported last Wednesday on the Singapore Government's impending move to hive off Web surfing from public servants' work computers.

The move, which will take effect next May across 100,000 computers, is aimed at plugging potential leaks from work e-mail and shared documents amid heightened security threats.

It is particularly striking in its breadth.

Everyone in the public service - except teachers, as they are plugged into a separate internal network - will be affected.

Public servants who need to surf the Internet for work will get to do so on dedicated Internet terminals, which will be provided.

Public servants can also surf on their personal mobile devices, and forward non-classified e-mail from their work computers to personal accounts.

In adopting such a sweeping policy, Singapore is outdone only by Russia, whose intelligence services in 2013 went back to using manual typewriters to thwart alleged spying by the United States.

The German government had also reportedly said it was considering going back to typewriters and ditching e-mail completely for the same reason.

The suggestion was met with strong opposition from parliamentary committee members, who called it "absurd".

The German government had also in 2013 instructed its MPs to use only encrypted mobile phones for sensitive calls.

In Britain's civil service, a handful of computers in highly sensitive departments are already cut off from the Internet, but this is not markedly different from the current practice in Singapore.

Here, the Ministry of Defence and the Ministry of Home Affairs, for instance, have had the no-surfing rule on work computers for years.

Camera phones are also not allowed into restricted military premises.

The questions now are: Why must such separation apply broadly to all 100,000 public service computers? And could the move have been more finely calibrated?

SMART YET SECURE

The argument for it stems from Singapore's ambition to be a smart nation, where government agencies become more connected to one another to up the ante on e-citizen services.

As Singapore's Cyber Security Agency (CSA) chief executive David Koh said: "We can't be a Smart Nation that is trusted and resilient if our systems are open and vulnerable."

After news broke of the planned public service Internet restriction, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said from Yangon, where he was on an official visit, that with the rising sophistication and number of cyber threats, it was time to introduce measures that require public servants to use separate computers for work e-mail and Internet access.

"Otherwise, one day you find all your NRIC numbers, addresses and income tax returns for sale on the Internet... how will the Government explain?"

The Government also recognised the limitations of even the latest technologies against new threats.

Mr Koh said that a firewall could filter, at best, half of all malware.

This is because the tool - typically the first line of defence for most systems - works well only on known malware, and is less effective against new ones.

Over the past year, 16 attacks against the Singapore Government's networks made it past firewall systems, CSA revealed.

Most networks are also designed to have other basic protections such as anti-virus software as well as intrusion detection and prevention systems, which work like firewalls.

But these tools are unable to identify fresh malware.

This is because hackers know how to disguise malicious programs as benign-looking installer apps, for instance, to escape detection.

Hackers also frequently change a malware's distribution location to avoid detection and blocking.

Some hackers also design malware to stop snooping temporarily when anti-virus software is scanning a computer.

"This extends the life of the malware in its undetected state," said Mr Vitaly Kamluk, global research and analysis director of the Moscow-based security systems specialist Kaspersky Lab Asia-Pacific.

All it takes is one click by a curious individual on malware embedded in a Web link or an e-mail attachment to put an entire network in the hands of a hacker.

MORE CALIBRATION

However, some people have wondered why a more calibrated approach is not being taken in Singapore's move.

Security software firm Fortinet Asia-Pacific's vice-president, Mr George Chang, said current identity and access control technologies, for instance, are able to limit the information one can receive or view based on an employee's job scope.

A calibrated approach would have less of an impact on the productivity of public servants, and thereby make more sense.

Under the proposed new arrangements, a social media specialist in public service, for example, would have to lug two laptops home to receive e-mail on one computer and surf the Web for research work on the other.

As classified e-mail messages cannot be forwarded to personal e-mail accounts, the Web links embedded in these classified e-mail would have to be typed out in full on a mobile tablet or another device just to view the Web page.

Text on the Web page also cannot be copied if any reference needs to be made to it - and must be typed out - in the e-mail reply.

Banks also face a tremendous amount of threats from hackers and cyber thieves. But they have so far not issued a blanket separation policy.

The Straits Times understands that many banks give only some personnel - such as analysts, sales staff and corporate communications employees - Internet access on their work stations, recognising that online research is key to their role.

But specific file-sharing, Web-hosted e-mail and pornography websites are blocked.

The fear is that staff may download malware accidentally from dodgy websites, or share sensitive documents online.

Mr Patrick Chew, head of operational risk management at OCBC Bank, said the bank has no plans to change its graduated approach at the moment, although it frequently reviews its policies.

"So far with our existing measures, we are able to balance our business needs without compromising the requirements for security," he said.

Banks have also disabled the USB ports of employees' computers to prevent any information leak or malware from entering the system when storage drives are inserted.

And yet, "authorised" storage drives will be allowed on government computers.

It is unclear what makes a drive an authorised one in this instance.

But commercial software is available to block certain models of drives, and regulate access to USB devices by the time of day and week. Security software can also capture logging activities, such as what files are copied onto what sort of devices.

Arguably, a USB port - especially when it is not disabled - is as much of a security gap as Web surfing is on public servants' computers.

After all, what brought down Iran's nuclear plant in 2010 was a malicious computer worm delivered via an unassuming piece of technology: the USB drive.

An Iranian double agent working for Israel reportedly plugged the deadly USB drive into a computer in Iran's Natanz nuclear facility.

The malware quickly propagated and knocked the facility offline, temporarily crippling Iran's nuclear programme.

Also, as safe as manual typewriters may seem, top secret documents can still be photocopied and the information leaked to the photocopier's serviceman who has access to stored images.

They could also be photographed on a mobile phone.

There is no such thing as foolproof protection.

There are pros and cons for various approaches. A more finely-calibrated approach, however, will allow the Government to strike a better balance between productivity and security in the public service.

If banks can reach an equilibrium between securing their systems and delivering cutting-edge online convenience, then perhaps the public service's blanket policy is worth a second look.

itham@sph.com.sg

This article was first published on June 16, 2016.
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SINGAPORE - The Ministry of Education (MOE) announced on Thursday (June 16) that the registration for Primary 1 pupils next year will begin on June 30 and end on Aug 26.

According to a press statement by MOE, all primary schools will open for registration from 8am to 11am and from 2.30pm to 4.30pm from Mondays to Fridays during the registration period.

Children born between Jan 2, 2010 and Jan 1, 2011 (both dates inclusive), have to be registered at this year's registration exercise for admission next year.

Parents can find more details on the list of primary schools and vacancies available on the Primary 1 registration website.

Those who wish to register online are required to use their SingPass.

stephluo@sph.com.sg

The two candidates who contested the Bukit Batok by-election spent a total of $169,291 on election expenses, with Singapore Democratic Party chief Chee Soon Juan spending more than Mr Murali Pillai of the People's Action Party.

Dr Chee spent $3.39 per voter, while Mr Murali, who won the polls, spent $3.19 per voter.

In all, Dr Chee's expenses reached $87,200.

His biggest expenditure - at least $38,280, or almost 45 per cent - went to printing and distributing traditional campaign materials such as posters and newsletters, according to receipts submitted to the Elections Department, which made them available for public inspection for six months, starting yesterday.

Another big-ticket item was the holding of four rallies: They cost at least $33,673.

These two items made up about 85 per cent of his total expenditure.

Mr Murali's bills came up to $82,091.

Like Dr Chee, his rally logistics and campaign materials formed a huge part of his total cost.

The two rallies he held cost $28,590, while his expenses on traditional campaign materials added up to $27,331.

The May 7 by-election, triggered by the resignation of MP David Ong in March, was won by Mr Murali with 61.23 per cent of the votes against Dr Chee's 38.77 per cent.

During the campaign, Mr Murali hired local production company Freeflow Productions to film and edit three videos, including one that had him speaking in Mandarin and asking residents to call him "Ah Mu". This cost him $9,630.

The SDP spent $3,852 on postage for 10,793 letters. It also paid engineering company Multi Wall Engineering $14,659 to distribute 28,000 fliers and deliver equipment to rally sites.

In contrast, social media expenses were much lower.

Dr Chee, who had said at last year's general election that social media helped change people's perception of him, spent $646 on Facebook advertising against Mr Murali's $317.

Dr Chee also dished out more than half of what Mr Murali spent on food for his activists and volunteers: $5,369 versus $2,356.

Dr Chee's bill, however, included a $2,354 thank-you dinner for 100 volunteers after the by-election.

A PAP spokesman said Mr Murali had a volunteer who cooked many of the meals.

A three-page-long grocery bill amounting to $454 showed such items as 50kg of rice and six cans of luncheon meat. In between, receipts showed that his volunteers enjoyed McDonald's nuggets and Old Chang Kee curry puffs.

Both candidates' bills for the by- election were within the $102,908 legal limit, or $4 for each of the 25,727 registered Bukit Batok voters.

The law requires candidates to submit their election expenses to the Elections Department after the polls.

Besides election expenses, the candidates also had to declare the donations they received.

Mr Murali said he received $82,091 from the PAP headquarters, a sum that covered all his election expenses. Dr Chee said he did not receive any donation.

Singaporeans vote in Bukit Batok by-election

Click on thumbnail to view photos. Source: 

The Straits Times, AsiaOne, MediaCorp, Parliament of Singapore

rachelay@sph.com.sg

This article was first published on June 16, 2016.
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A man has made a police report against a pro-government Facebook page for violating a ban on election advertising during the Bukit Batok by-election.

Mr Augustine Lee accuses Fabrications About The PAP of publishing two Facebook posts on May 7, which was Polling Day.

He alleged that one post had asked people to vote for People's Action Party (PAP) candidate Murali Pillai, and the other post had criticised Mr Murali's opponent, Singapore Democratic Party chief Chee Soon Juan.

Police confirmed yesterday that a report was made and said they are investigating the matter.

This comes nearly three weeks after an Elections Department officer made a police report against blogger Roy Ngerng, former political detainee Teo Soh Lung and socio-political website The Independent Singapore over online posts made on May 6, Cooling-Off Day, and Polling Day.

In his police report, made on Monday, Mr Lee said one of the posts allegedly said: "Vote Murali because he's working for you. Not because you are part of a political journey."

The other allegedly had a quote from former presidential candidate Tan Cheng Bock, "which criticises... Dr Chee", said Mr Lee, who sent the police report to the press yesterday.

The posts have been taken down.

Election advertising, which includes posts intended to enhance the standing of a party or candidate or to promote their electoral success, is prohibited on Cooling-Off Day and Polling Day.

The ELD had said this is meant to give voters time to reflect rationally on issues raised before they vote.

Posting election advertising on those days is an offence under the Parliamentary Elections Act. A person found guilty of doing so may be fined up to $1,000, jailed for up to 12 months, or both.

yanliang@sph.com.sg

This article was first published on Jun 16, 2016.
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