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Father of killed S.League player to engage Thai lawyer

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He has been to Bangkok twice since his son was killed there last month.

And private bus driver Ramasamy Ramalingam, 60, will soon go there for a third time to engage a lawyer to help him get justice.

He and his son's friends want to know how former S.League player Sivaneswaran Ramalingam, 28, could be killed in a chokehold and what led to the deadly altercation.

Mr Sivaneswaran was killed on May 28 after a dispute with his Belgian live-in girlfriend of five years, Ms Sarah Gieghase.

Related: Father seeks answers

The incident took place in the apartment they shared with their three-year-old son.

Mr Sivaneswaran's alleged killer is believed to be Ms Gieghase's ex-husband, Mr Kevin Maes, who is also a Belgian.

Mr Ramasamy first went to Bangkok on May 28 to bring his son's body back to Singapore.

It arrived here the next day and was cremated on May 30.

Mr Ramasamy went to Bangkok again on June 2 with his son's friends - Mr Isaac Chew, Mr Ashley Ow and Mr Darrel Tan - to look for answers.

But it was not an easy task, especially due to the language barrier.

They met the Thai police, but Mr Ow, 30, said they did not share any new information.

They managed to meet the security guard who was on duty during the incident at Mr Sivaneswaran's condominium, Vista Garden in Sukhumvit.

Together, they watched closed-circuit television footage of the first-storey lobby during the incident.

Mr Chew, 29, who works in property development, told The New Paper on Monday that according to the clip, Mr Sivaneswaran was last seen alive at around 7.25pm on May 27.

He was seen entering a lift with Ms Gieghase and their son after a swim.

Shortly after midnight, the footage showed Mr Maes at the lobby.

He goes upstairs with another man who had arrived minutes later.

Mr Chew said: "At 1.20am, Sarah went downstairs. She looked frantic and appeared to be in tears when she spoke to the guard.

"When we spoke to the guard, he said Sarah told him Siva was armed. She went back upstairs and the guard called the police. Officers arrived at 1.30am."

He said the guard told them he went to the unit with the police and saw Mr Sivaneswaran lying face down on the ground.

He added: "The guard saw Kevin's knee was on Siva's upper back and he had him in a chokehold.

"Kevin's friend was holding Siva's left arm against his back and his other hand was holding Siva's legs."

According to the guard, a policeman shoved Mr Maes away, but Mr Sivaneswaran was already unconscious.

He was pronounced dead at 2.50am.


Related: Father didn't know he was dating his boss

GRANDSON

Mr Ramasamy said they did not meet Ms Gieghase and his grandson.

The pair also had not gone to Mr Sivaneswaran's funeral on May 30.

Mr Ramasamy added: "I miss my grandson. Since my son's death, she hasn't called and I also didn't try to call her as I don't think it will serve any purpose.

"An innocent soul is gone. We will be fighting for justice all the way till the end."

Mr Ow who is a former Young Lions player, said they did not get to meet Mr Maes either.

He said: "I've received about four messages from Kevin saying he could not talk about the matter. He told me to talk to his lawyer instead."

The four of them left Thailand on June 4.

The group decided to engage a Thai lawyer to help them with their case.

Mr Chew has set up a fund-raising profile on generosity.com to raise US$22,000 (S$30,000).

Most of the money will be used for the lawyer's fees.

On Monday, a Thai police officer told TNP Mr Maes is still out on bail and declined to give any more details.



Wife so upset, he had to keep eye on her

It has been an emotionally draining episode for him and his wife since their son, former S.League player Sivaneswaran Ramalingam, 28, was killed in Bangkok on May 28.

Speaking to The New Paper on Monday, private bus driver Ramasamy Ramalingam, 60, said that since the tragedy, he has spent more than $15,000, including the cost of transporting his son's body from the Thai capital to Singapore.

Mr Ramasamy earns about $3,000 a month.

On June 13, one of his son's friends, Mr Isaac Chew, 29, set up a fund-raising profile on generosity.com to raise US$22,000 (S$30,000) for the family.

Mr Ramasamy welcomed this gesture and told TNP he was so shaken by the tragedy, he found it difficult to return to work.

He only started working again yesterday.

He said: "I need to concentrate when I drive the bus. But I could not concentrate at all since Siva's death.

"My wife, who is a housewife, has taken news of the death very badly. She is always mumbling to herself and seems to be in a daze. I had to keep an eye on her at home. Things have improved slightly now."

The couple have three other sons aged between 24 and 32 years old.


ASSISTANCE

When asked why he did not ask them for financial assistance, he said his two older sons have their own families to support.

One has three children.

The other got married this year and just bought a new flat.

Mr Ramasamy added: "My youngest son is still serving his national service. So money can be quite tight for all of us."

Mr Chew, who works in property development, said US$22,000 was a conservative amount.

The bulk of it will be used to pay a Thai lawyer they will engage soon.

He said: "We have to pay the lawyer $4,000 as a deposit and she can cost us between $450 and $600 an hour. So it's not cheap. But all of us want justice for Siva."

They aim to raise the funds by July 13, which would have been Mr Sivaneswaran's 29th birthday.

As of about 10.30pm yesterday, 67 donors had contributed $4,371.


This article was first published on June 22, 2016.
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Wednesday, June 22, 2016 - 21:00
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Future Economy team looks for novel ways out of land shortage

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A SUB-GROUP of the Committee on the Future Economy (CFE) is looking at "innovative" approaches to overcome Singapore's land constraints as the economy is being restructured.

Not only is it considering new technologies to make better use of Singapore's road network, the group is also digging deep into solutions that involve putting utilities underground.

These approaches are crucial because Singapore's economy is maturing and constraints on resources, including land and energy, are "starting to bite", said Minister for National Development Lawrence Wong.

He sits on the CFE, a high-level panel tasked to chart the direction of Singapore's economic restructuring.

He is co-chair of one of the CFE's sub-committees on Future City, which is concerned with the infrastructure needed for the future; Tan Chong Meng, group chief of PSA International, is the other chairman.

Speaking at the Singapore International Chamber of Commerce annual general meeting luncheon, Mr Wong said: "Underpinning all of these ideas is the consistent theme of innovation. That is the way we have to think about the economy going forward."

At the event, he shared "preliminary" recommendations in five areas that the group is looking at.

The first is infrastructure - that which is needed to enhance connectivity, brought about by better technologies.

Mr Wong said that for example, housing estates could be equipped with the necessary infrastructure to facilitate the movement of autonomous vehicles. Such vehicles, called "people mover systems", are already in use in Gardens by the Bay.

These vehicles can very well operate in Singapore's housing estates in 15 years, he said; it is already a work-in-progress.

The second area the Future City sub-committee is looking at lies in going underground to overcome land constraints.

Reclamation projects have helped Singapore expand land area, he said, but the country can do more to exploit the potential for underground developments; putting power stations underground is being considered.

"It costs more, but it will free up surface land for development, and potentially from a cost-benefit point of view, it will be worth doing in the longer term," he said.

The third area the group is looking at is enhancing Singapore's position as a global city. The central business district (CBD) will be expanded after the Pasir Panjang port facilities are moved to Tuas; a second CBD will come up in the Jurong Lake District.

The fourth area is the co-locating related industries. There is potential for Jurong to be a centre for clean technology companies, Woodlands to be the hub for advanced manufacturing, and Punggol, for creative industries, said Mr Wong.

The fifth area would be ensuring the security of key resources.

Singapore is already looking for a site for a second liquefied natural gas terminal, and will maximise space to harness alternative energy sources.

The Housing Development Board has already issued tenders for companies to deploy solar panels on rooftops of housing estates, he said.

Terming these plans as medium- to long-term ones that may not immediately address concerns, Mr Wong said they will take several terms of government to implement.

"These are not five-year plans, but that is a uniquely Singaporean competitive advantage ... We can plan long term and we have been doing so," he said.


This article was first published on June 22, 2016
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Wednesday, June 22, 2016 - 17:00
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CNB warns of callers who impersonate its officers and ask for money

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SINGAPORE - If you receive a phone call or WhatsApp message from someone claiming to be from the Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB), who first says that you "have cases with CNB" and later asks you for money, take heed: It's either a prank or a scam.

In a statement on Tuesday (June 22), CNB highlighted such reported incidents and that it will be working with the police to investigate them.

CNB said that its officers are not allowed to request for any favours in money or in kind, nor to threaten any person to provide monetary favours in order to facilitate a case.

Anyone who suspects that they have been a victim of such pranks or attempts to dishonestly appropriate money are advised to contact CNB at 1800-325-6666 or e-mail CNB_Feedback@cnb.gov.sg to report their suspicions.

spanaech@sph.com.sg

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COE premiums highest this year in all categories

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SINGAPORE - Certificates of entitlement (COE) premiums have ended highest this year in the latest tender results out today (June 22).

COEs for cars up to 1600cc in category rose to $55,200 from $53,694 from the previous tender on June 8.

COEs for cars in category B that are above 1600cc rose to $57,010 from $56,000.

Goods vehicles and buses in category C saw their COE premium rise as well, from $46,434 to $48,002.

In category D of motorcycles, COE premiums were steady but up from $6,302 to $6,303.

And in the open category, COE premiums are $57,390, up from $55,100.

The Straits Times said in its report that the premiums are "now at their highest this year, driven up by the Monetary Authority of Singapore's surprise move to relax car loan curbs as well as aggressive bidding from private-hire players such as Uber."

spanaech@sph.com.sg

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2 clinics suspended from participating in Chas for making false claims and flouting guidelines

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Two dental clinics will be suspended from participating in the Community Health Assist Scheme (Chas) for making false claims and flouting guidelines, said the Ministry of Health (MOH) on Wednesday (June 22).

The suspension affects Phoenix Dental Surgery's clinics at Ang Mo Kio and at Marine Parade, and is the first case of suspension from Chas.

The statement said that audits revealed that both clinics have continuously made claims that are non-compliant with MOH rules and regulations.

The includes a number of claims for procedures which, based on audit findings, were not performed.

The two clinics were informed of these findings in May this year.

Chas is a national programme which benefits Singaporeans from lower- to middle-income households, as well as all Pioneer Generation Singaporeans. Under the programme, those eligible can receive subsidies for medical and dental care at participating general practitioners and dental clinics.

MOH said that aside from the Chas suspension, it has also referred the matter to the police for investigation into possible criminal offences.

"MOH will review the situation, taking into consideration the status of the police investigations, before considering if the clinics can resume their participation in Chas," said the statement.

The clinics will also need to prove to MOH that they have taken all steps to rectify all past non-compliances and are able to ensure future compliances.

Dentists at the clinics can continue to practise in accordance with their registration with the Singapore Dental Council.

However, treatments performed by dentists at these clinics during the period of suspension will not be eligible for Chas subsidy.

Both clinics have also been directed to inform their Chas and Pioneer Generation patients that they will no longer be able to benefit from the subsidies from the date of suspension.

Chas and Pioneer Generation cardholders who wish to check the Chas subsidies that clinics have claimed for them can do so by logging in to the "My Chas" module on the Chas website (www.chas.sg) or by calling the Chas hotline (1800-275-2427).

sujint@sph.com.sg

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Free early morning MRT rides to be extended to 2017

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SINGAPORE - Free early morning train rides into the city have been extended - for a third time - to June 30, 2017.

Minister of State for Transport Josephine Teo made the announcement on Thursday (June 23) after giving an update on the scheme, which was introduced by the Land Transport Authority (LTA) in 2013.

About 65,000 commuters use the Free Pre-Peak Travel scheme daily, Mrs Teo said at Travel Smart Day 2016 held at Asia Square.

There has been a sustained reduction of 7 to 8 per cent in the number of commuters during the morning peak period, according to LTA.

The scheme was initially launched in June 2013 as a year-long trial but was extended twice and was due to end on June 30 this year.

Under the programme, commuters who end their journey before 7.45am on weekdays at 18 designated MRT stations get to ride for free.

Those who exit at these 18 stations between 7.45am and 8am get a discount of up to $0.50 off their train fare.

The 18 designated stations are Bayfront, Bras Basah, Bugis, Chinatown, City Hall, Clarke Quay, Dhoby Ghaut, Downtown, Esplanade, Lavender, Marina Bay, Orchard, Outram Park, Promenade, Raffles Place, Somerset, Tanjong Pagar and Telok Ayer.

maryanns@sph.com.sg

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Novena underpasses to be demolished

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Two underpasses in the Novena area will be demolished to make way for construction work on the upcoming North-South Corridor, which is expected to begin next year.

One of the linkways connects the Velocity@Novena Square shopping mall and Revenue House, which houses government agencies such as the Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore and the Singapore Land Authority, while the other links Novena MRT station to Goldhill Centre in Thomson Road.

Chinese daily Lianhe Zaobao reported yesterday that the two underpasses would be demolished.

A spokesman for the Land Transport Authority (LTA) confirmed that the underpasses would be temporarily affected by construction work.

"LTA is studying various options to reconstruct the underpasses as part of the upcoming project," he said, adding that LTA was still in the "preliminary stage" of the study and would provide more details when available.

Nanyang Technological University transport consultant Gopinath Menon said he did not believe the demolition of the two linkways would badly affect pedestrians.

"They still have the option of above-ground pedestrian crossings," he said.

Mr Gopinath added that the future linkways could connect all the buildings in the area, similar to how City Hall MRT station is linked to the Esplanade and Suntec City by a series of underground retail spaces.

Experts agreed the reconstruction of the underpasses would provide an opportunity to improve them.

Mr Chong Kee Sen, former president of the Institution of Engineers, Singapore, said the underpass leading to Revenue House, currently accessible only by a staircase on the Novena Square side, was not very friendly to the elderly or the disabled.

"We can take advantage of the situation to make the underpasses more user-friendly," said Mr Chong.

Mr Lim Peng Hong, former president of the Association of Consulting Engineers Singapore, said the cut-and-cover method used to build underground expressways here made the demolition of the underpasses inevitable.

He also said features such as ramps could make the future underpass more accessible to bicycles, strollers and wheelchairs.

"There's no reason to rebuild the underpasses exactly the same," said Mr Lim.

Businesses in the area, however, worry that the demolition of the underpasses would mean less human traffic in the interim.

"Taking this route is a habit for some and is how we get our customers," said 27-year-old Michael Boh, who works in an electronics store in the basement of Square 2 mall.

Patrons of the shopping malls said the closure of the linkways would inconvenience them.

"I would be less inclined to visit the area because it would definitely be more inconvenient," said 20-year-old student Rebecca Lim, who shops at United Square and uses the underpass from the MRT to get there via Goldhill Plaza.

It was announced in January that the 21.5km-long North-South Corridor, originally slated as a vehicular expressway, would be Singapore's first integrated transport corridor, featuring dedicated bus lanes as well as cycling and pedestrian paths.

Connecting towns in the north such as Woodlands and Sembawang to the city, the North-South Corridor is expected to be completed in 2026.

azhaki@sph.com.sg

racheloh@sph.com.sg


This article was first published on June 23, 2016.
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Stealth warship docks at VivoCity

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A stealth frigate from the Singapore navy will be among the exhibits that the public will get to come up close and personal with at the Navy@Vivo event, which begins today.

The RSS Tenacious and its on- board Sikorsky S-70B naval helicopter will be docked at the VivoCity Promenade. The warship was one of the Republic of Singapore Navy's (RSN's) vessels which took part in anti-piracy operations in the Gulf of Aden in 2014, as well as multilateral naval exercises in Australia last year.

About 12,500 members of the public are expected to board the Formidable-class stealth frigate during the four-day event. They will be taken on a tour of the 3,200-ton ship, and will be shown its missile deck, flight deck, bridge and living quarters.

The theme of the event at VivoCity is "Maritime Force for a Maritime Nation".

Displays at the exhibition will include a replica of a submarine's control room and the crew's living quarters. There will also be opportunities for members of the public to fire a computer simulation of the guns on the RSN's new Littoral Mission Vessels, which will become operational for maritime security patrols next year.

Online balloting for tickets to tour the RSS Tenacious has closed, but Navy@Vivo's chairman, Military Expert (ME) 7 Andy Tay, said that they will be doing on-site balloting to allow members of the public to board based on the ship's carrying capacity.

"We had requests for more than 40,000 tickets, and we've set aside a good number of tickets for two-hourly ballots for on-site visitors,"said ME7 Tay.

He also emphasised the navy's ongoing role in defending Singapore's interests on the seas.

"We want visitors to be cognisant of the fact that we are a maritime nation and that the navy is that maritime force that plays a pivotal role in ensuring the safety of our maritime nation."

As part of the RSN's outreach efforts, 29 beneficiaries from the Children's Cancer Foundation and Chen Su Lan Methodist Children's Home were invited to sail on the RSS Tenacious as it made the trip from Changi Naval Base to the VivoCity Promenade yesterday.

Muhd Faisal Abdul Kader, 19, a beneficiary of the Children's Cancer Foundation, said: "I am lucky and proud to be able to ride on the ship. It is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to be able to ride on a warship."

This is the fifth time a ship has docked at VivoCity for the Navy@ Vivo event.

The exhibition in VivoCity will be from 10am to 10pm every day till it ends on Sunday. Ship visits are from 9am to 9pm.

This article was first published on June 23, 2016.
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Stealth warship docks at VivoCity

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Students notch up work experience before university

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Fresh out of junior college at the end of last year, Ms Poh Yong Han, 19 spent three months interning at the Ministry of Home Affairs, working on security outreach programmes and independent research on Singapore's political history.

Now, she has started work at a social enterprise start-up, all while volunteering, travelling and learning Korean.

She is one of many students seeking a taste of working life while waiting for their university terms to open.

In Singapore, terms open in August and, abroad, mostly between late August and October.

More than half the 100 students from pre-university institutions that The Straits Times contacted are now in part-time or temporary jobs, and more than a third of them are interning.

Internships taken on by students range from those in statutory boards to small design firms, while almost all part-time and temporary jobs are in either the food and beverage (F&B) sector or tuition industry.

Internships focus mainly on learning skills related to professional industries, while part-time and temporary jobs are usually in more general areas such as F&B.

Four of the eight organisations offering internships contacted said they saw no change in the number of internship requests in the past two years, while the other four reported an increase.

Ms Vivien Chan, editor of Youth.SG, a lifestyle and news website, said: "We have definitely seen more pre-university students applying for our internships. More students do not want to waste their holidays, and are coming here for the work experience.

"There are even a few students here who are taking gap years, and this is something we did not have five years ago," she added.

Ms Por Hui Fang, 19, an intern at PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), said: "I am working as a project assistant to get a feel of the work in this particular industry and know what to expect after university."

Like her, almost three-quarters of those on internships said they wanted to learn more about the specific industries.

Ms Elysia Lim, 19, who taught English and literature at a secondary school, said: "I derive joy from sharing my knowledge with others. "On top of that I've learnt how to manage a class, handle unplanned circumstances and also improved my content mastery."

The most common motivation among those working was money. They earn $6.50 to $9 an hour.

"I am using the money earned to pay for my driving lessons and travels," said Ms Audrey Choo, 19, who has worked as a cashier, cook and waitress.

Of those polled, only six said they are taking a gap year before going to university.

Ms Ang Kia Yee, 20, who could have gone to university last year, took a break and will study English literature and creative writing in Britain this October.

She has interned at local theatre companies, directed theatre productions and organised arts camps for secondary and junior college students.

She said: "I wanted to understand whether theatre is something I want to do in the future. I felt like I needed to understand the reality of writing and directing as a profession.

"I think the gap year is also a good break from school. It gave me a more hands-on experience. Some may think that taking a gap year may adversely affect chances for university applications, while some think that only people with poor A-level results take gap years."

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xsun@sph.com.sg


This article was first published on June 23, 2016.
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Ikea recalls Patrull safety gates

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SINGAPORE - Ikea is recalling all child safety gates in the Patrull series, the furniture store said in a statement on Thursday (June 23). 

It urged customers who have the Patrull, Patrull Fast or Patrull Klamma safety gate to "immediately stop using it" and return it to any store for a full refund.  

Ikea is recalling the safety gates as a "precautionary measure" after receiving reports from customers where the Patrull safety gates have opened unexpectedly and children have fallen down stairs. Some of the incidents have required medical attention, said Ikea. 

However, there have been no such incidents reported locally. 

A third party investigation has shown that the locking mechanism is not reliable, posing a risk for young children, despite approved tests to applicable standards.

Ikea has apologised for any inconvenience this may have caused.

"At Ikea, we have zero tolerance regarding child safety," says Maria Thörn, Acting Business Area Manager at Children's Ikea in Ikea of Sweden.

"Whenever we get indications of a possible safety issue with any of our products, we act. We cannot accept that there is a risk of injury while playing and as an immediate and precautionary action we recall all Patrull safety gates," she added. 

The Patrull safety gates have been sold in all Ikea markets, including Singapore, but the affected products have been pull off the shelves, said Ikea. 

Customers may proceed to any Ikea store with their Patrull, Patrull Fast or Patrull Klamma safety gates, including any Patrull safety gate extension, for a full refund.

No proof of purchase is required. 

maryanns@sph.com.sg

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Thursday, June 23, 2016 - 13:45
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DNA sample leads to man's arrest 12 years after raping child

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In 2002, a 23-year-old Malaysian man abducted and raped a 12-year-old girl near her home in Singapore.

And he got away with the savage crime for 12 years, despite leaving his DNA on the victim and at the rape scene.

About three years after the rape, Lee Ah Choy married a woman in Johor Baru (JB), and she bore him a son the following year.

After the marriage, he lived in JB and commuted daily to Singapore, where he worked as a carpenter.

It was only in 2014 that the law caught up with him when he was arrested in Singapore for an alleged theft.

A blood sample was taken from him and sent for DNA testing.

His fate was sealed when his DNA profile was found to match the one taken from the rape scene and his victim's body.

Lee, now 37, was yesterday sentenced to 16½ years' jail and ordered to receive 18 strokes of the cane after pleading guilty to one count each of rape, outrage of modesty and criminal intimidation for his assault of the 12-year-old girl.

A fourth charge for abducting her was taken into consideration during sentencing.

The victim, a Malaysian who is now 26, cannot be named to protect her identity.

Deputy Public Prosecutor (DPP) Shahla Iqbal told the court that the victim was in Secondary One when Lee raped her.

She would leave her home, an HDB flat in the north-west, at around 6.40am every weekday to go to school.

At the time, Lee worked and lived in a factory in Sungei Kadut Street 3, about 1.3km away. He returned home to JB intermittently.

Though his working hours were from 9am to 6pm, the girl noticed him at the void deck of her block on five separate occasions when she was going to school. This was several days before the rape.

Lee tried to befriend her, but she ignored his advances.

On the fifth occasion, on Oct 17, 2002, he blocked her way and asked if he could take her out. Though she ignored him, he followed her until she boarded a bus.

She told her older brother about the incident and found out that he had also seen Lee loitering at their void deck. But they did not tell their parents.

The next morning, Lee blocked her way again. As she walked away, he told her that he needed her help to pass some money to his godsister who lived nearby.

When she declined, Lee grabbed her left arm and ordered her to follow him.

She swung free, but he put his arm around her shoulder and pulled her to a nearby block, where they got into a lift and went up to the fourth storey.

He then dragged her to the end of a corridor. DPP Iqbal said Lee had planned the rape in advance because he had earlier laid out pieces of cardboard in that spot.

The court also heard that the HDB estate was new at the time, with many units still unoccupied.

The girl burst into tears when Lee forced her to sit down at a nearby flight of stairs. He took out a paper cutter and threatened to cut her if she did not stop crying.

The terrified girl continued sobbing, and he placed the weapon on the floor.

DPP Iqbal said: "The victim seized this opportunity and grabbed the paper cutter, and pointed it at the accused.

"He looked at her and calmly told her that if she cut him once, he would cut her thrice in return."

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He then snatched the cutter from her and placed it on the floor again.

The girl tried to run away when he made her sit on the cardboard, but he grabbed her haversack and dragged her back.

Despite her struggle, he pinned her down, pulled down her panties and molested her.

He then raped her. After he was done, they got dressed and took the lift down.

She hurried home and told her mother about her ordeal. Her father reported the rape to the police at around 9.20am.

The victim was taken to the National University Hospital that day and was found to have suffered tears in her private parts.

Swabs were taken from her and the crime scene, but the police could not establish the identity of her attacker.

But Lee's days of eluding justice ended on Dec 18, 2014, when he was arrested at Anchorvale Street in Sengkang for alleged theft.

For rape, he could have been jailed up to 20 years and received up to 24 strokes of the cane.

Victim afraid to take lift

The victim, 26, still feels sad and afraid even though the rape happened about 14 years ago.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Shahla Iqbal told the court yesterday that the incident had caused the victim great psychological harm.

"The victim dropped out of secondary school as she lost interest in her studies, felt depressed, was afraid to take the lift on her own (and) had nightmares," she said.

"She rarely goes out to socialise with family or friends, (and) avoids men."

Stressing that the victim also suffered physical injuries to her private parts after the rape, she urged Judicial Commissioner Hoo Sheau Peng to sentence the rapist, Lee Ah Choy, now 37, to between 16 and 18 years' jail with 18 strokes of the cane.

The court heard that the victim was just 12 years old and a virgin when he raped her on Oct 18, 2002.

DPP Iqbal said: "It is clear that the accused had forcibly robbed the victim of her innocence without any regard for the emotional and physical pain that she would suffer thereafter.

"The accused was clearly only concerned with gratifying his own perverse sexual desires."

Lee's lawyer, Mr Richard Siaw Kin Yeow, asked JC Hoo to sentence his client to about 15 years' jail with 15 strokes of the cane.

He added that the theft allegation that resulted in Lee's arrest on Dec 18, 2014, had arisen from an employment dispute.

"Our client categorically denies any wrongful act (in this matter), and we understand that the prosecution will not be pursuing the matter," he added

Mr Siaw also said that Lee had not told his wife and their 10-year-old son about his sexual offences.

He said: "For the rest of his life, our client will suffer the pain and regret of bringing immense shame to his family. He now faces the serious prospect of losing his wife and son."

How DNA differentiates

DNA samples can be taken from almost anywhere in the body, including skin, blood and other bodily fluids.

According to a BBC report in 2013, 99.9 per cent of the DNA from two people will be identical.

What makes us unique is the 0.1 per cent of DNA code sequences that vary from person to person.

The report said: "These sequences are called genetic markers, and are the part of the code that forensic scientists use when doing a DNA test."

Parental, forensic and genetic testing look for similarities in the genetic markers between two biological samples.

The report added: "The chances that two unrelated people have identical profiles is less than one in a billion.

"Identical twins are the only people who have identical genetic markers. The more closely related two people are, the more likely it is that some of their genetic markers will be similar."

But recent research says there's a new test that can differentiate between the DNA of identical twins.


This article was first published on June 23, 2016.
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The Market in Singapore where the best things in life are Really Really Free

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There's a market in Singapore held every two weeks where absolutely everything is free. TNP reports on the unusual things that people gave away.

There is a market held every two months in Singapore where everything is absolutely free.

People can walk away with clothes, shoes or CDs without paying a single cent.

However, what was more eye-catching were the services - such as yoga story telling or a roadside spa - that were given away as well.

ABOUT THE FREE MARKET

The Singapore Really Really Free Market (SRRFM) has been held since 2009.

"At first we were worried that nobody would come and that nobody would take things, but we didn't expect people to respond so well," said Mr Woon Tien Wei, a spokesman for the event and organisers, Post-Museum, an arts collective that runs cultural and social projects in Singapore.

He said that there is hardly any cost in organising the event.

It is usually co-organised with other groups, who offer a location to have the market for free. The only cost they incur is man hours of the volunteers.

Sunday's market was organised in conjunction with the Kapor Chatparty by Octopus Residency - a group of individuals whose interest lies primarily in creative place-making and community art engagement.

It was held at the Singai Tamil Sangam building at Kampong Kapor.

Now into to the 43rd edition of the event, the organisers show no signs of stopping yet. The event is usually held every two months, but the next one will held on July 17, in Marine Parade.

More details can be found on their Facebook page.

WHAT: Yoga storytelling

WHO: Mr Balakrishnan Matchap

In an area where most people were giving away things like clothes and curios, Mr Balakrishnan Matchapwas giving away stories.

At the Singapore Really Really Free Market (SRRFM) on Sunday, the yoga teacher asked participants to put a metal bowl on their heads as he hit it lightly, allowing the sound from the bowl to resonate around the person.

He also told stories, accompanied by basic yoga movements he taught.

"The stories serve as a healing tool. People remember kindness and they remember stories," he said.

WHAT: Worm castings

WHO: Mr Faiz Zohri

Many people would cringe at the thought of worms crawling on their hands, but for Mr Faiz Zohri, 32, handling worms is a pastime.

The landscape architect has been creating "worm castings" in his free time for the past two years

Essentially, Mr Faiz mixes rubbish like food waste and newspapers with soil and worms in a container. After about two months, the soil turns black, indicating that the waste has been processed by the worms to make compost, hence "worm castings". Compost helps plants grow better.

Many curious people who approached Mr Faiz received samples to take home.

He usually gives the compost to friends, who use it in their gardens, but when he heard about the SRRFM in April, he decided to go there with a few containers to share his hobby with everyone else.

WHAT: Roadside spa

WHO: Miss Ng Xi Jie, 29, a freelance artist

The side of the road is not where one would typically find a spa.

However, that is exactly what Miss Ng Xi Jie, 29, created at the SRRFM on Sunday.

Miss Ng, who also goes by her Hindi nickname, Bindi, created a pop-up spa experience by giving people homemade natural facials on yoga mats while they listened to relaxing South Indian-inspired music.

Miss Ng started the "Bindi Roadside Spa" to engage the migrant worker community.

"The spa allows people to indulge in self-care and wellness, something they cannot normally do because of their busy schedules," said Miss Ng.

In three hours, Miss Ng gave 12 facials to both migrant workers and Singaporeans at the event.

Mr Murugesan, 33, a construction worker, walked out feeling happy and refreshed.

He said: "It is very nice, what they do here."


This article was first published on June 23, 2016.
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TRS founder ready to plead guilty

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In a surprising turn of events, Yang Kaiheng, founder of socio-political website The Real Singapore (TRS), indicated yesterday that he wished to plead guilty to the seven sedition charges he faces.

Yang, 27, had originally claimed trial, denying he had posted inflammatory articles on the TRS website and Facebook page between 2013 and 2015.

During the trial, which went on for seven days in March and April, Yang claimed his involvement in TRS was for only a month in 2012 after helping to set it up.

The trial was supposed to have resumed yesterday until his lawyer told the judge in chambers about his client's intention to plead guilty.

During the trial, Yang claimed that his wife, Ai Takagi, 23, an Australian national of Japanese descent, was responsible for the day-to-day business and editorial content of TRS.

Between December 2013 and April 2015, TRS raked in almost half a million dollars in advertising revenue, the court heard.

In April, Yang claimed that he and Takagi had been inspired to start TRS after their Facebook page, which petitioned for the removal of new Member of Parliament (MP) Tin Pei Ling after the 2011 General Election, garnered about 60,000 likes.

But during cross-examination, Deputy Public Prosecutor G. Kannan asked how this was possible when the couple had not yet met during the 2011 GE period.

DPP Kannan said he had a log of very personal and embarrassing WhatsApp messages that proved they had met only after the petition Facebook page was created.

Yang's lawyer tried to interject, but Yang then conceded: "It's okay, Your Honour, I admit I am lying."

The next day, Yang again admitted to lying - this time for having falsely told the police he did not know that his friend, Mr Damien Koh, was involved in setting up TRS.

Yang had met Mr Koh, who later quit TRS, during their University of Queensland days.

Yang told the court: "I was being investigated for sedition during my interview. I didn't want to implicate my friend. I was sure he had nothing to do with sedition in the TRS site."

Yang turned up at the State Courts yesterday wearing a long-sleeved T-shirt and knee-length bermuda shorts.

He is expected to be back in court tomorrow.

If convicted of each charge under the Sedition Act, he faces up to three years' jail and a fine of up to $5,000.

Takagi pleaded guilty to sedition in March after also initially claiming trial and was jailed 10 months.

Now about five months pregnant,, she began serving her sentence on April 22.

HIS CHARGES

  • Yang Kaiheng is accused of seven counts of sedition:
  • An article falsely asserting that a Filipino family caused an incident between the police and participants at last year's Thaipusam procession.
  • A similar Facebook post.
  • An article alleging that a Filipino employee bribed a colleague to delete traces of his misdeeds to ensure that only his countrymen were hired by the company.
  • An article portraying women from China as home-wreckers whose main motive was "trying to hook" Singaporean men.
  • An article that had an editor's note warning companies about hiring foreigners over Singaporeans.
  • An article claiming that Filipino managers working here would give preferential treatment to subordinates of the same nationality at the expense of Singaporeans.
  • Copied an article from Stomp about an elderly woman who told her grandson to urinate into a bottle on an MRT train, then doctored the article to say she was a Chinese national who allegedly had an accent and posted it on TRS.
  • An eighth charge of failing to produce documents to the police for investigations has been stood down.

TIMELINE OF CASE

2012

The Real Singapore (TRS) is set up.

February 2015

TRS publishes an article on Feb 4 alleging that a Filipino family's complaint over noise from drummers led to a scuffle during the Thaipusam procession on Feb 3. The police receive reports about an "insensitive article" online the next day. The authorities arrest Yang Kaiheng and Ai Takagi in Singapore that month.

April 2015

Yang and Takagi are charged with sedition and failing to produce documents to the police.

May 2015

The Media Development Authority suspends TRS' operating licence and orders that it be taken down.

August 2015

Yang and Takagi open two ramen stalls in two National University of Singapore foodcourts.

October 2015

They get married.

January 2016

They open a third ramen stall at a coffee shop in Ang Mo Kio Avenue 8.

March 2016

Yang claims trial while his wife pleads guilty. Takagi is sentenced to 10 months' jail.

April 2016

During Yang's trial, he admits to lying on two different occasions before the trial is adjourned to June. Takagi begins her sentence on April 22.

June 2016

Yang indicates he wishes to plead guilty.


This article was first published on June 23, 2016.
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At least 17 hurt in AYE crash involving two lorries and a bus

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At least 17 people were injured in an accident involving two lorries and a bus along the Ayer Rajah Expressway (AYE) towards the city on Thursday (June 23) morning.

The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) told AsiaOne that it was alerted to the incident at 7.15am.

It dispatched a fire engine, three ambulances and one support vehicle to the scene of the accident, which was near the AYE's Clementi Avenue 6 exit.

The Straits Times reported that all 17 were passengers from one of the lorries, and they suffered minor injuries.

The SCDF said that nine of them were taken to the National University Hospital while the remaining eight were taken to Ng Teng Fong General Hospital.

The Land Transport Authority first tweeted about the incident at 7.15am, and asked motorists to avoid the AYE's lane 3.

sujint@sph.com.sg

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Compulsory finance scheme for Indonesian maids

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A new bank scheme that is compulsory for newly arriving Indonesian maids will give them greater control of their own finances, while their employers will no longer have to foot large sums of money to pay agents on their behalf.

The Household Service Workers Industry Scheme (HIS) is part of the Indonesian government’s efforts to improve the treatment of its citizens who work overseas as domestic workers.

Details were announced by the Association of Employment Agencies (Singapore) (AEAS) yesterday.

It signed an agreement with Indonesia’s National Agency for the Placement and Protection of Indonesian Migrant Workers in February to work together on the plan.

Under the new scheme, an Indonesian domestic worker will take up a personal loan of about $1,700 from Maybank Indonesia to cover the cost of training, passport applications, medical checks and placement fees for the Indonesian agencies, AEAS president K. Jayaprema said.

This currently can cost up to $3,600, and is usually paid for first by the Singapore employer.

Helpers then repay them by taking a salary cut for several months.

The new framework requires a domestic helper to use the finance scheme to apply for an identity card to work overseas, said Ms Jayaprema.

On arriving in Singapore, her employer will credit her full salary every month into her local Maybank account, from which she will repay the loan, with interest, over eight months.

She will also pay a separate service fee to the Singapore agency – which will now be capped at $1,000 – in instalments of, say, $50 a month, over 20 months.

Maids must also not be charged a transfer fee if they change employers, and Indonesian domestic workers must be paid a minimum salary of $550.

Saying the scheme was about transparency, Ms Jayaprema said helpers would be able to take charge of their lives and manage their own finances.

“Employers, too, don’t need to fork out thousands of dollars for the placement fees and costs upfront.”

AEAS has been conducting training in recent months for local agents to learn the new scheme.

Agents who have attended the day-long training course, costing $650 for association members, can apply for certification to show they are following the scheme.

So far, 89 agencies have been certified, and the first workers using the bank finance scheme are scheduled to arrive here next week, said Ms Jayaprema.

AEAS will also be setting up a mediation centre to oversee issues with HIS, recruitment agreements and contracts.

Indonesian Embassy counsellor Didit Parlambang said he is waiting for details from the Indonesian government on the implementation of the new system.

“But the goal is good, to protect the workers,” he said.

joseow@sph.com.sg


This article was first published on June 24, 2016.
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PSB Academy to offer over $1.2 million in merit scholarships and bursary schemes

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SINGAPORE - Private education institution PSB Academy has announced over $1.2 million in merit scholarships and bursary schemes for this year.

The scholarships, bursary grants and financial aid offered are for the academy's diploma and degrees awarded by its university partners from Australia and UK.

Grants will also be given out through community groups such as Sinda and Mendaki.

In a statement, the institution said that it expects about 100 students "with exemplary moral character and strong community spirit" to benefit from the initiative.

Derrick Chang, chief operating officer of PSB Academy, said that there are plans to get more parties such as financial institutions involved.

"We are already in talks with a financial institution to absorb the cost of interest arising from the student loans that the institution would be extending to its members. This will be a first for the private education sector, and we hope to share more details in due course," he said.

ljessica@sph.com.sg

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No Singaporeans affected by tornado in China: MFA

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No Singaporeans have been affected by the tornado that hit China's Jiangsu province yesterday (June 23), the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) said in a statement.

At least 98 people have died and about 800 injured after winds of up to 125 kmh struck around Yancheng city.

On behalf of Singapore, the MFA has sent "deep condolences" to the families of the victims and wishes those injured a speedy recovery.

It added that the Singapore Consulate-General in Shanghai is in touch with the local authorities and is contacting Singaporeans who have e-registered with the Consulate-General.

Singaporeans in Jiangsu who are in need of consular assistance can contact the Singapore Consulate-General in Shanghai or the 24-hour MFA Duty Office at:

Singapore Consulate-General in Shanghai
Tel: +86-21-6278 5566
Email: singcg_sha@mfa.sg

MFA Duty Office
Tel: +65 6379 8800 / 8855 (24-hour hotline)
Email: mfa_duty_officer@mfa.gov.sg

on Facebook

The terrifying moment when a tornado reaches a building with people hiding inside in Funing county, Jiangsu province. READ MORE: http://shst.me/dlb

Posted by Shanghaiist on Thursday, 23 June 2016

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The low-down on POSB's new Save as You Serve programme for NSFs

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I know of at least one relative who has passionately vowed to ensure her son never does NS. I know she's passionate because she's been talking about it since she found out it was a boy. 20 years ago. Yes, we're all quite excited to see what happens when he tio the saman letter from CMPB anytime now.

But maybe my relative shouldn't need to worry. Yesterday, POSB announced a new Save As You Serve programme, one that is supposed to encourage full-time National Servicemen, better known as NSFs, to start saving with POSB as soon as they enlist. And to sweeten the deal, POSB is offering interest rates of an extra 2 per cent per year on your monthly savings.

Wah! An extra 2 per cent interest per year is a lot! Quick, tell me how to get it.

Obviously you have to be a NSF first. It doesn't matter which vocation you're in - other than the Army, Navy, Air Force, Police and Civil Defence NSFs are all eligible. Also, you have to make sure your NS allowance is going into a DBS or POSB savings account.

Then, you have to open a separate POSB Save As You Earn account. This is the account that you will contribute to monthly. For regular Singaporeans, this POSB Save As You Earn account (or SAYE) usually earns a pretty pathetic 0.05 per cent interest per year (you can earn up to 0.25 per cent interest per year if your monthly savings amount is higher). Just how pathetic is that? Let's see - if you put in $100 regularly into the SAYE account each month, after 2 years you will have saved $2,400. Your interest after 2 long years? $1.25. Even a single MRT ride can cost more than that these days.

But for NSFs, now you get an additional 2 per cent interest per year in your SAYE account, on top of the normal 0.05 per cent rate. This means, if you save $100 each month, you will enjoy a total of $51.80 after 2 years. That's more than half your monthly contribution!

You can change the amount you save anytime you want, but the monthly amount can only be between $50 and $3,000 each month.

Is there a catch? What's to stop me from just dumping in all my piggy bank savings to enjoy the extra 2 per cent interest?

Other than the fact that you can only contribute a maximum of $3,000 each month, and that you can't withdraw from your SAYE account without forfeiting all your interest? Nothing's stopping you from putting in as much money as you can to enjoy the high interest rate.

Plus, you can change the monthly contribution amount as often as you want, so don't feel like you're forced to commit the same amount each month.

That said, the extra 2 per cent interest per year is only valid as long as your NS allowance is being credited into the DBS or POSB savings account that the SAYE account draws from. That means, once you stop getting your NS allowance, you will stop earning the extra interest. So if you defer your NS, or serve less than 2 years, you'll only enjoy the extra 2 per cent interest for the time you spent serving your country.

But just in case you think that extending your NS obligation will help you earn more money, this extra 2 per cent interest per year is capped at 2 years.

Okay, let's be practical here, just how much should I, an NSF, be saving each month with POSB?

If I had my way, I'd say you should put up to 90 per cent of your entire NS allowance with POSB! At the risk of sounding like an old fart, It's insane just how much NSFs are getting in their monthly NS allowance these days. Recruits (or trainees, if you're with the Police) are now getting $560 each month!

Whatever do you need so much for? You spend at least 5 days each week in camp, with your meals all provided for. If your sergeant doesn't like your face, then you spend all 7 days in camp, with your meals taken care of. You'll never get a chance to spend that money! So unless you need that money to start some illegal gambling operation in camp (the golden rule: do whatever you want, just don't get caught) you're probably better off putting as much as $500 of that allowance into your POSB SAYE account.

Assuming you save $500 a month from the time you enlist, till the day you ORD 2 years later, let's look at how much you'll earn in interest. After 24 months, you would've saved $12,000! Because you save $500 each month, your POSB SAYE interest rate is 0.20 per cent per year. And since you're an NSF, you'll get 2 per cent interest per year on top of that. So at a 2.20 per cent interest rate per year, that's about $275 you can earn in interest after 2 years.

Of course, this assumes you don't withdraw from this SAYE account for the two years of service, otherwise you'll forfeit all your interest earned.

So how do I maximise my benefits if I'm going into NS?

You should apply for the SAYE account within the month when your first NS allowance is credited into your account. That way you'll enjoy the full 2 years of extra interest. If you're already serving NS, you should still apply for the SAYE account as soon as possible, but remember that the extra interest is only credited while you're still getting NS allowance.

If you've already ORDed? Don't worry, you can still enjoy more than 2 per cent interest with these savings accounts.

This article first appeared on MoneySmart.


MoneySmart.sg is Singapore’s leading personal finance portal, and aims to help people maximise their money with powerful tools and engaging content.

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Paradise Group fined $530,000 for stealing gas

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SINGAPORE - Restaurant chain Paradise Group was fined $530,000 on Friday (June 24) for tampering with its restaurants' gas meter installations and dishonestly consuming gas, Energy Market Authority (EMA) said in a press statement.

In March 2012, City Gas detected an abnormally low consumption of gas at Taste Paradise, a restaurant at the ION Orchard shopping mall. City Gas and SP PowerGrid (SPPG) then carried out an inspection and found that the restaurant's gas meter installation had been tampered with.

First, the lock on the gas meter bypass valve was found to be different from those used by SPPG. Secondly, the bypass valve of the gas meter installation had also been opened, allowing gas to flow without registering on the meter. The bypass valve is to allow for maintenance works without disrupting gas supply.

According to the statement, subsequent inspections carried out at 23 other Paradise Group restaurants in April 2012 also uncovered similar tampering of their gas meter installations.

The group faces 29 charges altogether.

City Gas estimated that the meter tampering by Paradise Group had cost the gas supplier over $600,000 worth of gas. The fine of $530,000 is in addition to the cost of gas illegally consumed and recoverable by City Gas.

Mr Yeo Yek Seng, Deputy Chief Executive (Regulation) of the Energy Market Authority (EMA) said: "Our gas supply is an essential utility. Theft of utilities is unacceptable and results in other consumers having to pay more. Tampering of meters may also possibly disrupt gas supply and pose safety risks. EMA will take firm action against anyone who tampers with their gas meters and tries to dishonestly consume gas".

debwong@sph.com.sg

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