The committee in charge of this year's National Day Parade (NDP) is investigating a glitch in an event which otherwise ran smoothly.

The National Stadium's domed roof, which lit the night sky with the Singapore flag during the previews, failed to do so during Tuesday's fireworks-filled finale, Today newspaper reported yesterday.

"The Singapore flag was not projected onto the roof of the National Stadium during the pledge-taking and singing of the National Anthem at the end of the National Day Parade, and we are in the process of ascertaining the cause," the committee told The Straits Times.

"Celebrations still went on smoothly, and the NDP 2016 Executive Committee is heartened by the spirit of Singaporeans both at the National Stadium and at home celebrating our nation's 51st birthday."

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AsiaOne, Berita Harian, The Straits Times

The stadium, located within the Sports Hub, has a retractable roof made of a lightweight and weather-resistant material that doubles as a projector screen on both sides.

This year's parade marked a return to the National Stadium after a decade, and packed a full house of 55,000 spectators.

The closed roof meant that favourites like the parachuting Red Lions and fighter jet displays were a no-show this year, but it did allow for aerial performances and suspended props.

Themed Building Our Singapore Of Tomorrow, the parade featured six acts with performances that showcased Singapore's past and its dreams of the future.

This article was first published on August 12, 2016.
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21-year-old Joseph Schooling has made history by winning Singapore's first Olympic gold medal in the 100m butterfly, doing it in an Olympic record time of 50.39s.

He edged out Olympic great, American Michael Phelps, who clocked a time of 51.14s to come in joint second place with both South African Chad le Clos and Laszlo Cseh of Hungary.

Shortly after Schooling's win, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong posted a message on his social media accounts, congratulating the young athlete, and thanking Singapore's Olympic team for "showing us what it means to work hard and never give up on our dreams".

MPs like Tan Chuan-Jin and Baey Yam Keng also took to their social networks to express their excitement at Schooling's historic win, along with many other Singaporeans.

Schooling largely dominated the 100m butterfly finals, maintaining a steady lead as he powered to the finish to claim the gold medal.

In doing so, Schooling has denied childhood idol Phelps his 23rd Olympic gold, eight years after they first posed for a photo in Singapore when Schooling was just 13.

Foreign media have called the race result an 'almighty upset' for Phelps. The most decorated athlete in history had been gunning for his 14th individual Olympic gold medal in what would be the 31-year-old's last Olympics race.

After his win in the pool, Schooling punched the water and roared with delight, Reuters reported. He also mimicked Bruce Lee's iconic hand gesture, which might have been made in reference to the tattoo on his shoulder, which says "come and take it".

Phelps swam over to pat him on the back before le Clos ruffled the youngster's hair.

By nabbing Olympic gold, Schooling will also stand to receive $1 million from the Singapore National Olympic Council, as part of its Multi-Million dollar Awards Programme.

candicec@sph.com.sg

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The Straits Times, Reuters, AFP

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Twitter screengrabs, Facebook screengrabs, Facebook/SGAG

Singapore exploded in celebration Saturday after homegrown swimming hero Joseph Schooling beat US legend Michael Phelps in the 100m butterfly in Rio to win the tiny republic's first ever Olympics gold.

The 21-year-old Asian champion set a new Olympics record of 50.39sec as he edged out his American idol Phelps, who ended in a sensational dead heat for silver alongside South Africa's Chad le Clos and Laszlo Cseh of Hungary.

Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and President Tony Tan, who was in Rio to cheer Team Singapore, led an outpouring of congratulations for Schooling, whose mixed European and Asian heritage has resonated in the immigrant society of 5.5 million people.

"It is an incredible feat, to compete among the world's best, stay focussed, and emerge victorious," Lee said in a Facebook post.

Schooling will receive S$1 million for his gold medal as part of a programme aimed at encouraging studious Singaporeans to excel in sport.

Schooling pulled off one of the biggest upsets in Rio, interrupting the 31-year-old Phelps' quest for what would have been his fifth gold in Brazil and 23rd Olympic gold in his career.

The American phenomenon, who insists he won't be back for a sixth Olympics, has a shot at one more gold in Saturday's 4x100m medley, before retiring as the greatest Olympian of all time.

Schooling meet Phelps when the US Olympics swim team was visiting Singapore in 2008, and the American helped inspire the young Singaporean to move to the United States for extensive training. Schooling is now based at the University of Texas.

Singaporean social media erupted in celebration as Schooling won in Brazil, as cheers broke out in public housing estates, where most Singaporeans live. Many people had woken up early to watch the event live.

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Twitter screengrabs, Facebook screengrabs, Facebook/SGAG

"Finally! We have done it at the grandest of stages!" Jayarethnam Pillai wrote on the prime minister's Facebook page.

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The Straits Times, Reuters, AFP

Schooling's father Colin, who hosted a viewing party at his home in Singapore, wept when his son won the medal.

"If I cry in front of all of you all, it's because I have nothing to be ashamed of," he told reporters.

"My love for my son is nothing I can describe to you all." In 2014, Colin Schooling dismissed stubborn speculation that his son was a "foreign talent" because of his surname - declaring that Joseph, a third-generation Singaporean, was a true son of the republic.

A programme to import sporting talent into Singapore has proved controversial, despite helping the country to win medals in regional and international competitions.

Chinese-born female table tennis players who were naturalised by Singapore won a team silver at the 2008 Beijing Olympics and an individual bronze in London 2012.

Singapore's first Olympics medal was won by weightlifter Tan Howe Liang, who bagged a silver in Rome in 1960.

It was a typical afternoon at Northpoint Shopping Centre until what seemed like a scene from a horror story shocked shoppers and workers there.

A young man, his clothes drenched in blood, was seen stumbling out of a toilet. He collapsed in front of a foodcourt, alarming the people around him.

What followed were shouts and calls for help. Several people ran to his side, talking to the man in the hope of getting a response.

"He did not speak, but the up and down movement of his abdomen told me he was still alive," said Madam May Wong, 51, an employee of Chen Kang Wellness, a massage parlour near where the man collapsed yesterday afternoon.

She had been on her phone when she heard a thump. When she turned towards the sound, she saw a man lying motionless on the ground, and ran towards him with several other colleagues.

Blood had soaked through his green T-shirt, and his arms were also bloodied, she said in Mandarin.

"He looked like an NSF boy. Very young. My heart hurts just thinking about it," she said.

The man has not been identified, but the police told The Straits Times he is 20 years old. He sported the crew cut common to full-time national servicemen (NSFs).

Employees of nearby shops said they did not see anyone running from the scene.

The man had collapsed in front of the Cantine foodcourt on the Yishun mall's third floor around 1pm.

Kopitiam, which operates Cantine, said the incident did not happen in the foodcourt.

A spokesman said the man had come out of the toilet before collapsing in front of the foodcourt.

The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said it received a call for assistance at the mall at 1.22pm, and dispatched an ambulance.

The man was found in a semi-conscious state and taken to Khoo Teck Puat Hospital.

The Straits Times understands that he had multiple injuries.

According to another employee of Chen Kang Wellness, there were no visible stab wounds on the man's abdomen when SCDF officers lifted his T-shirt.

The 38-year-old witness, who declined to be named, said most of the blood had collected near the man's neck."It seemed like there was a gash there," he said.

A spokesman for Frasers Centrepoint Malls, which manages Northpoint Shopping Centre, said the police cordoned off the area for about an hour, during which patrons were redirected around it.

"We continue to work closely with the police to support their investigations," she said.

Pictures of the youth's bloodied body went viral on social media, prompting speculation that a murder or stabbing had occurred.

But police said preliminary investigations suggest that it may have been a case of attempted suicide.

This article was first published on Aug 13, 2016.
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The firm that owns California Fitness was already $21.7 million in the red in January last year, but that did not stop the gym chain from signing new members and getting them to pay their fees up front.

That is how owner JV Fitness kept the chain going despite money troubles, until the chain's closure last month.

Around 27,000 members are now owed $20.8 million in unused gym access and unredeemed personal training sessions, it was revealed in a liquidation report presented to court yesterday. The debt forms most of the $30.8 million which the chain's owner is liable for. JV's total assets on record are worth $5 million and include rental deposits paid to its landlords.

Read also: California Fitness shuts all branches in Singapore

Financial statements also show that for years, JV has been accumulating losses, which stood at $25.6 million by the end of June this year.

Liquidator Tim Reid, describing the losses as "staggering", said: "The members who paid in advance... have every reason to be annoyed." He added that there is "no prospect" of getting back their money through any asset sale. After the chain closed its Orchard branch in February, the gym equipment was sold for just $20,000, he explained.

Members were shocked to hear that the gym had been losing money since 2013, and asked why it was allowed to continue selling packages.

Consumer watchdog head Seah Seng Choon called for the authorities to look into what he called a questionable practice. Said the executive director of the Consumers Association of Singapore: "Case will discuss with the ministry and the relevant stakeholders to look into protection for consumers' pre-payment."

In the liquidators' report, Mr Reid and his colleague Theresa Ng said the way the firm obtained payments in advance when it was clearly insolvent "warrants further close review".

Lawyer Lionel Tay, who acts for the liquidators, added that they will also be investigating all potential breaches of the Companies Act or any other law.

When California Fitness shut its Orchard branch six month ago, leaving it with three other outlets at Raffles Place, Bugis and Novena, it said it was a strategical business decision. Last month, after all 12 California Fitness gyms in Hong Kong were shut due to debt, a spokesman here would only say that the Singapore chain operated separately.

But on July 16, California Fitness announced that it had closed the Raffles Place branch and directed its members to the Novena and Bugis outlets. Shortly after midnight on July 20, the liquidators, who were appointed just hours earlier, announced all outlets were closed.

Read also: California Fitness liquidators looking to sell off gyms, members urged to be patient 

Property valuer Lai Kin Hoow, 32, who used only two years of his seven- year package worth over $5,000, said there were no signs that the gym had been facing mounting debts.

Another member who paid $1,700 for a 26-month package just nine days before it closed has given up hope of getting her money back. "Going forward, I hope more can be done to protect consumers," said the 38-year-old woman who works in a logistics firm and wanted to be known only as Ms See.

Lawyer Amolat Singh said it would have been up to JV's directors to make the call to stop taking in members. "If the directors continued to trade and operate when the dark clouds had clearly gathered on the horizon, that could potentially make the directors personally liable. Then again, that would be cold comfort to the members as the directors may not have the financial muscle to satisfy all the debts."

Last month, it was reported that two senior California Fitness executives in Hong Kong had been arrested by the authorities there. They are suspected of infringing Hong Kong's Trade Descriptions Ordinance, which takes to task traders who promise goods or services when knowing they cannot deliver.

Meanwhile, when asked about news that it is opening a new gym at Bugis Junction, Fitness First made it clear it is taking over the space vacated by the Shaw Theatres cinema, and not California Fitness.

Members

$20.8 million Amount owed to 27,000 members

$5.5 million in unredeemed personal training sessions

$15.3 million in unused gym access

1,468 members have filed proof of debt forms to make claims

At least 500 have yet to collect their belongings from gym lockers

Landlords

$1.8 million Amount owed in rent

• Novena outlet: $565,000

• Bugis outlet: $680,600

• Raffles Place outlet: $550,500

Employees

249 employees' services terminated, foreigners repatriated

$548,000 Amount owed

• $145,000 in CPF contributions for June

• $403,000 in salaries for July

Financial position

$200,000 Paid-up capital

$25.6 million Accumulated losses (as of June 30)

$30.8 million Total liabilities

$5 million Total assets

This article was first published on Aug 13, 2016.
Get a copy of The Straits Times or go to straitstimes.com for more stories.

Chasing pocket monsters down hospital corridors is a "no-no" for staff at the National University Hospital (NUH).

At a meeting yesterday, staff were told not to play the popular Pokemon Go mobile game while on duty, in the first reported case of a public institution advising its staff not to play the game at the workplace.

One nurse, who declined to be named, told The Straits Times: "We are supposed to focus on and take care of our patients." Another nurse said this was to maintain professionalism and ensure safety, as some people have reportedly fallen down and hurt themselves while playing the game.

Gotta catch 'em all: Pokemon Go now in Singapore

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The Straits Times, Facebook / RSAF, Facebook/SPF, AsiaOne, Capitaland

When contacted, an NUH spokesman said: "Staff have been reminded not to play the game, or any other game, while they are on duty, and to remain professional while caring for patients."

She added that the hospital also discourages members of the public from playing in areas that could affect the normal operations of the hospital or infringe on patients' privacy.

In response to queries, a Ministry of Health (MOH) spokesman said NUH's move was not part of any Pokemon "ban" by the ministry. Still, it said, hospital staff are expected to focus on their work.

"Patient care and safety are our hospitals' top priority," the spokesman said. "To ensure that attention to patients is not compromised, our public hospitals periodically advise their staff to refrain from engaging in non-work-related activities during working hours and within the institution's premises."

Read also: Don't call me stupid or crazy just because I play Pokemon Go

Since the launch of Pokemon Go in Singapore on Saturday last week, players of the game have gathered at parks and public housing estates to catch the game's virtual pocket monsters, which seemingly pop up in real locations.

Players are able to spot them through their smartphone cameras.

The game makes use of popular landmarks and points of interests to serve as "PokeStops", where players can obtain free items, or "Gyms", where players battle one another. These places can be located all over the island, such as at MRT stations, parks and even hospitals.

Human resource experts said NUH is doing the right thing, noting that playing games at work affects productivity.

Ms Linda Teo, country manager at recruitment firm ManpowerGroup Singapore, said "it will not reflect well on the company if frontline employees are caught playing the game by customers".

Shipyard and factory workers operating heavy machinery could also jeopardise their safety if they are allowed to play the game, she added.

Pokemon Go: A beginner's guide

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The New Paper

This article was first published on Aug 13, 2016.
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A rare, reclusive monkey native to Singapore is on the brink of extinction, but a new strategy is in place to ensure its kind can live on.

The Raffles' banded langur, also known here as the banded leaf monkey, once thrived across the island. But urbanisation has whittled down its population to a paltry 60 at most, according to 2010 data.

However, help has arrived for the black-and-white leaf eaters. A strategy to conserve them was yesterday launched by Ambassador-at-Large Tommy Koh.

A collaborative effort between several organisations in Singapore and Malaysia - such as the Wildlife Reserves Singapore (WRS), the National Parks Board (NParks) and universities from both sides of the Causeway - will involve enhancing the forest habitat for the monkeys.

This will be done through reforestation and the provision of more forested habitats, such as new nature parks, which will allow the monkeys to move between forest fragments. These "green corridors" will give the monkeys a larger area to forage for food, thus expanding their living area from the Central Catchment Nature Reserve, where they can now be found, to nearby forest patches.

More research into the creatures, as well as the development of education material to raise awareness of the monkeys, is also on the cards.

Compared to its cheeky cousin, the long-tailed macaque, the Raffles' banded langur is less known, perhaps due to its shyness and preference for staying high up in forest canopies.

While its reclusiveness ensures it does not come into conflict with humans, it has also made it hard to study them. But the new initiative will put more eyes and ears on the ground to observe them.

Scientists and naturalists from Malaysia, such as those from the Malaysian Nature Society and the National University of Malaysia, will collaborate with Singapore organisations such as WRS, NParks and the Jane Goodall Institute (Singapore) to conduct surveys and research, for instance.

The Raffles' banded langur, which can be found only in Singapore and Johor in Malaysia, is one of three recognised sub-species of the banded langur, commonly known as the banded leaf monkey.

Each of the three sub-species is found in different parts of South-east Asia, and little is known about them. Singaporean researcher Andie Ang, 31, who has been studying the Raffles' banded langur since 2008 under National University of Singapore Professor Rudolf Meier, believes the strategy will allow more data to be collected.

"Plans to conserve the langur must be backed by data collected across its range to include the different populations in Singapore and Malaysia, and not just in specific geographical areas," she said.

Ms Ang chairs the Raffles' banded langur working group - a committee of experts formed under the new strategy - tasked with forming an action plan to guide and implement the conservation work, which will receive $250,000 in funding over the next two years from the WRS Conservation Fund.

Dr Sonja Luz, WRS director of conservation and research, said: "Together with NParks, we are fully committed to be a part of the pioneering approach to manage the species over the long term, so Singapore does not have a primate going extinct on our watch."

While the newly launched conservation strategy targets the Raffles' banded langur, Ms Ang believes information gleaned from it could inform future conservation strategies for the other two sub-species.

Chairman of the Johor branch of the Malaysian Nature Society Vincent Chow told The Straits Times: "Johor is very rich in biodiversity but we don't have enough specialised researchers.

"Any scientific research will go a long way towards unravelling the secrets of Johor's flora and fauna and (help in making) the first step towards preserving our natural heritage.

"(The society) will assist in any way we can in the species action plan for the Raffles' banded langur, and welcomes more cross-border collaborative projects."

Two species native to Singapore

RAFFLES' BANDED LANGUR

The banded leaf monkey (above) and the long-tailed macaque, both native to Singapore.PHOTO: COURTESY OF NICK BAKER

Although it is known in Singapore as the banded leaf monkey, the Raffles' banded langur is actually a sub-species of the banded leaf monkey. There are three recognised sub-species, which are found in different parts of South-east Asia.

The other two are the Robinson's banded langur, which can be found in the north of Malaysia, Thailand, and Myanmar; and the East Sumatran banded langur, found in East Sumatra in Indonesia.

The Raffles' banded langur can grow up to 84cm in length, including its tail. It is about twice the size of the long-tailed macaque, the only other monkey species in Singapore.

Although the Raffles' banded langurs were once widespread here, there are now at most only about 60 of them in Singapore, according to 2010 research findings. These monkeys can now be found only in the Central Catchment Nature Reserve.

The last one in Bukit Timah Nature Reserve was mauled to death by dogs in 1987 when it ventured to the ground.

LONG-TAILED MACAQUE

The banded leaf monkey and the long-tailed macaque (above), both native to Singapore.PHOTO: COURTESY OF PREMA

Including its tail, this monkey can grow up to 56cm in length.

It is native to countries such as Singapore, Bangladesh, Brunei, Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam.

In Singapore, there are now more than 1,000 of them.

Their original habitat includes secondary forests and mangroves, but they can now also be encountered in parks and urban areas such as Bukit Batok Nature Park and Sentosa.

They often come into conflict with humans when they venture into residential areas in search of food.

This article was first published on Aug 13, 2016.
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Housewife Emmiellia Arip and her family were looking forward to moving from a rental unit in Changi into a flat of their own.

Ms Arip, 44, and her husband bought the four-room resale flat in Bukit Batok because they felt it was good value for money at $320,000.

But their happiness has been marred by the discovery of not one or two - but 14 - gaping holes in the ceiling board of their living room.

Ms Arip and her husband, a food and beverage manager, bought the unit at Block 509 in Bukit Batok Street 52 on June 28.

Renovation began two weeks later. On July 20, as contractors were removing the false ceiling installed by the previous owner, they found holes in the ceiling board above it.

"They immediately contacted me. I came down, I saw, and I got the shock of my life," said Ms Arip.

She said she and her husband are the flat's third owners.

She contacted the Housing Board and was told that, as the new owner, she had to take responsibility for the defects and pay for any repair works.

HDB told The Straits Times that, because the flat is a resale unit, the buyer, having bought it on a caveat emptor basis, "will be responsible for any irregularity carried out by the seller in the flat".

But Ms Arip hopes HDB can fix the holes for free. "My new house's renovation is almost complete, except for the ceiling. I told my contractors not to do anything. It's not my doing. Why should I pay for it?"

She said she had inspected the flat before buying it, but the holes had been covered, so she did not know about them.

HDB told ST that, when the block in question "was completed some 30 years ago in 1985, there were no holes in the 'original' ceiling".

An investigation found that the holes were probably created during the installation of the false ceiling by the past owner, said HDB.

"We have explained to the flat owner that these openings do not affect the structural stability or safety of the flat or the building," it said.

Mr Rajan Supramaniam, a lawyer at Hilborne Law LLC, said that before buying a resale flat, valuation and inspection of the unit have to be done, and it is the buyer's responsibility to do them properly. But he noted that, in this case, the ceiling was covered and the owner might not have seen it.

"If she had known about the defect during the valuation and inspection stage, then she could have asked the previous owner to absorb the costs," he said, adding that HDB does not have to pay for repair of the holes, unless they make the building structurally unsound.

"If it's a new flat such as a Build-To-Order one, and the problem concerns the workmanship, then HDB will bear responsibility," he noted. "But if it's a resale flat, and the defect is cosmetic and within the confines of the unit, then it would just become part of the buyer's renovation costs."

The "lemon law", which protects consumers against defective goods, does not apply here, said Consumers Association of Singapore executive director Seah Seng Choon, as it does not apply to property.

This article was first published on Aug 13, 2016.
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If you haven't heard by now, Joseph Schooling has made history for winning Singapore's first Olympic gold medal.

He did it with an Olympic record timing of 50.39seconds in the 100m butterfly finals, beating his idol, US swimmer Michael Phelps.

Screams of jubilation and joy as well as congratulatory messages took social media by storm on Saturday morning with even Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong making a Facebook post to say that Schooling has done the country proud. Indeed he has.

But his win in Rio has also opened a floodgate of creative puns and jokes cheekily playing on Schooling's last name.

Over the past few hours, some of you might have been subject to lame ones and already rolled your eyes out of their sockets. Trust me, expect to hear more over the next few days. This is only just the beginning.

But just in case you're living illegally in a hut somewhere in MacRitchie, completely cut off from the world, AsiaOne will bring you up to speed with what to expect when you finally decide to crawl out of the woodwork.

Here are the top four Joseph Schooling puns you will likely see and cringe at amidst all the celebrations, arranged in no particular eye-rolling order. Drum roll please...

1. The Michael Phelps pun

"Phelps got schooled!"

Photo: AFP

2. The public holiday pun

Question: "Will Singapore get a public holiday to celebrate the win?"

Answer: "No, because it will affect schooling kids."

3. Schooling has graduated

Photo: Facebook / SGAG

4. Schooling is now an evolved Pokemon

Photo: Facebook / SGAG

sujint@sph.com.sg

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Twitter screengrabs, Facebook screengrabs, Facebook/SGAG

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The Straits Times, Reuters, AFP

SINGAPORE - 50.39. Four little numbers that will now forever be a part of Singapore's sporting history.

Of course, the number refers to Joseph Schooling's Olympic record-breaking timing in the 100m butterfly final.

And 4D-loving Singaporeans were quick to spring into action, trying to cash in on a set of numbers that many now view as auspicious.

Images circulating on social media showed that the number 5039 was sold out for the 4D draw at Singapore Pools' outlets islandwide, just hours after the Texas-based swimmer became Singapore's first ever Olympic gold medallist.

Today reported that punters who tried to lay a bet on the number were rejected.

By midday, various users, including Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong's wife Ho Ching, had also taken to social media to say that the number had been sold out.

In the competition that took place at 9.12am (Singapore time), Schooling beat out childhood idol and the most decorated Olympian of all time, Michael Phelps, to first place. Phelps, South Africa's Chad le Clos and Hungarian Laszlo Cseh all tied for the silver medal.

Schooling's victory resulted in jubilant scenes nationwide, while the Internet also responded with characteristic wit and humour.

Singaporean punters are often on the lookout for numbers that they consider to be lucky. AsiaOne recently reported on a machine at the popular Maxwell Road Food Centre that churns out 4D and Toto numbers at the click of a button.

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Twitter screengrabs, Facebook screengrabs, Facebook/SGAG

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The Straits Times, Reuters, AFP

seanyap@sph.com.sg

His grown-up daughter was the first to alert him when she asked: "Daddy, how come your name is in the news?"

It was the night of Aug 4, and lawyer Edmund Wong Sin Yee had his name splashed all over the Internet.

District Judge Shawn Ho had earlier rebuked Mr Wong for his conduct in court when defending a client accused of outrage of modesty.

He called the lawyer's line of questioning of the victim "misguided", and described his conduct as "indecent" and "scandalous".

Read also: Lawyer who focused on molest victim's breast size rapped by judge

Mr Wong, 58, told The New Paper in an exclusive interview over the phone on Wednesday: "My first reaction was, 'How come? Oh boy.'

"All of this has been misinterpreted, the way the press has been reporting it. When everybody reads (the newspapers), they think this lawyer is horrible, how can he do that? I myself would agree (if that were true)."

He may think that, but there is no mistaking Mr Wong's intent in trying to put the victim on trial by focusing on her attractiveness and breast size as factors that could have tempted his client to commit the offence.

His controversial remarks not only gained online infamy for being misogynist and victim-blaming, but also prompted Law Minister K. Shanmugam to post about him on Facebook last Friday.

"His case theory was that only attractive women get molested. Novel argument. They don't (as far as I know) teach that in law school", Mr Shanmugam wrote.

"I wonder what Edmund's response will be if he was told all men who say this should be castrated."

On Thursday, the Association of Women for Action and Research (Aware) announced that Mr Wong had been nominated for its annual Alamak! Awards, which are given out to Singapore's "most jaw-dropping instance of sexism".

It has not helped that Mr Wong himself has had several run-ins with the law. 

Just months after passing his Bar exam, he got into a road rage incident, and was later jailed for a year and suspended from practising law for two years.

Then he was held in detention for seven years on suspicion of being a drug cartel boss.

Coming under the spotlight for the molest trial and having his "colourful antecedents" brought up again had caused him distress, Mr Wong said.

"I felt offended (that my past was brought up), but I've gone through all of that and everybody makes mistakes."

He declined to comment about his seven-year detention, but said he chose not to talk to the press after his release because he had wanted to keep a low profile.

He added: "If I'm really that bad, do you think they would have given me back my practising certificate? Of course, they did investigate.

"But my being able to return to practising, in a way, exonerates me. They had nothing (on me).

"I decided to come back to law, and just want to stay humble and make a living."

But controversy continued to follow Mr Wong.

In November last year, the Attorney-General made a complaint with the Law Society against Mr Wong for improper conduct and practice, including using an expletive and making inappropriate remarks while a prosecution witness was testifying during a trial.

Days after the Law Society disciplinary tribunal fined him $3,000 for that case, Mr Wong was hit by the complaint on Aug 8 over his conduct in the molest trial.

Read also: Lawyer who focused on molest victim's breast fined by disciplinary tribunal in another case

Mr Wong said that at 58 years of age, he is tired of dealing with all the backlash.

"I never expected things to turn out this way. I thought they were minor things. People have committed far worse crimes than me."

Asked about his conduct in court, he said: "My job is to defend my client, and in doing so, I might have crossed the line. The judge can always reprimand me. In fact, he did stop me and I stopped."

Mr Wong is determined to keep practising law.

"I still have to survive, keep my head up. I do my best for my clients, I fight whatever I can score for my client. I'm not doing something dishonest," he said.

"But after all this, I think I will be more reserved from now on."

He denies staring at molest victim's breasts in court

District Judge Shawn Ho had harsh words for lawyer Edmund Wong Sin Yee's line of questioning and described his conduct in court as "unacceptable", "indecent" and "scandalous".

In his 44-page grounds of decision in convicting Xu Jiadong released on Aug 4, Judge Ho devoted six pages to reprimanding Mr Wong.

Xu, a 24-year-old student from China, had been accused of brushing his forearm against the breast of a 22-year-old woman on a train at Toa Payoh MRT station on July 9, 2014.

Xu was jailed for five months for outrage of modesty.

The grounds of decision mentioned in detail an incident during the trial when Mr Wong asked the victim to stand up on the witness stand.

When Judge Ho asked why he had done that, Mr Wong said: "Your Honour, I want to see... how attractive (she is) when (she) stands up..."

This prompted the victim to ask: "Is this necessary?" before adding: "I feel very offended."

Mr Wong said in response: "I think it's important because I'm going to ask you even more insulting questions later on."

When Deputy Public Prosecutor (DPP) Kong Kuek Foo asked Mr Wong if it was his case that only attractive women would get molested, he said: "If you get an old lady, you think people want to molest her?

"...I want to show that if she is wearing a very low-cut (top) with a very voluptuous breast protruding out... then of course... the higher the tendency that people might commit such an offence.

"So I'm trying to put my case that, you know, looking at the day (how) she was dressed and... her breast size and all these things... whether there is temptation for anybody or the accused to do such a thing."

NO DISPUTE

Mr Wong told The New Paper that while he did not dispute the verbal exchange in court, he wanted to give it context and tell his side of the story.

"The conversation was only meant to be between the judge, DPP and me. It was not directed at her (the victim)," he said.

"Unfortunately, it was in open court and the victim could hear it. At no point of time did I ask the girl any questions about her appearance and other unpleasant things."

As for the judge ticking him off for staring at the victim's breasts, he pleaded his defence: "I was not staring at her breasts. When you stare at a person, you stare at the whole body, right? How could I just stare at her breasts?"

Asked why he told the victim he had more insulting questions for her, Mr Wong said he meant that he would be asking questions she might disagree with, not personal questions or those about her physical appearance.

"She accused my client of molest, but my client's stand is it was accidental. So that could be insulting to her," he said.

The Attorney-General's Chambers has filed a disciplinary complaint with the Law Society against Mr Wong, noting that his conduct during the molest trial had fallen "far short of the standards of professional conduct and represents a flagrant abuse of the function of the advocate and solicitor".

He compares himself to Subhas

Lawyers who got into trouble with the law have been allowed to return to practise law.

The most famous example was the late Subhas Anandan, who was called to the Bar in 1971.

In 1976, he was arrested for his alleged involvement in a secret society. Like Mr Edmund Wong Sin Yee, he was detained without trial under the Criminal Law (Temporary Provisions) Act (CLTPA).

Mr Anandan was released nine months later on a Police Supervision Order.

Mr Wong told The New Paper: "We have two things in common - we were both detained under the CLTPA, and we are both famous. Just that he's famous while I'm infamous."

Nonetheless, questions have surfaced over how Mr Wong was allowed to practise law despite being in trouble with the law and his conduct in court.

COMPLAINT FILED

On Monday, the Attorney-General's Chambers (AGC) filed a disciplinary complaint with the Law Society against Mr Wong for his line of questioning during the outrage of modesty case. This is his second disciplinary complaint over the past year.

If found guilty of professional misconduct, the sanction may be a warning, reprimand, fine or a referral to the Court of Three Judges, where the sanction may extend to suspension or being struck off the rolls.

A Law Society spokesman explained that practising certificates authorising an advocate and solicitor to practise in Singapore are issued by the Supreme Court Registrar.

Under prescribed circumstances, the Attorney-General and the Council of the Law Society can request the Registrar to refuse applications or to impose conditions attached to the practising certificate.

These include circumstances where the lawyer might have been sentenced to jail, or been convicted of an offence involving dishonesty or fraud, or any offence in relation to his conduct in his practice of law.

Lawyers contacted by TNP declined to comment specifically on Mr Wong, but suggested that he might have been allowed back to the Bar because he had been "punished" for his previous wrongdoings.

This article was first published on Aug 13, 2016.
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Despite the bombings in Thailand on Thursday and yesterday, some Singaporeans heading to the kingdom remain unfazed about their holiday choice.

The New Paper spoke to five passengers who were checking in for a Phuket-bound Tigerair flight at Changi Airport yesterday evening.

A Singapore permanent resident from Malaysia, who wanted to be known only as Prathabini, 26, told TNP: "I've planned this holiday for three months, and this will be the only holiday I am going for this year because I am so busy. I don't want to cancel it."

The technology researcher is going there to meet her secondary school friends from Malaysia.

She will be staying for four days in Patong, the main tourist area on Phuket island, where two bombs went off yesterday.

The string of bomb attacks also hit other popular tourist towns in Thailand, including Hua Hin, Trang and Surat Thani, leaving four dead and many injured. 

Click on thumbnail to view photos. Source: 

Reuters, Twitter, AFP

Other tourists interviewed at Changi Airport said they were not worried as they believed that security would be tightened following the bombings.

A Singaporean who wanted to be known only as Ms Poppy, 21, said: "We feel scared, of course. But we are going because we feel that after the bombings, they would step up the security. "

She will also be staying in Patong.

Similarly, airlines and travel agencies were not deterred by the bombs.

Singapore Airlines, Jetstar and SilkAir said yesterday that they had no flight cancellations.

SilkAir said that it will continue to monitor the situation closely.

A Chan Brothers' travel adviser, who wanted to be known only as Ms Valencia, said: "There has been no cancellation to Phuket at the moment."

Ms Alicia Seah, director of public relations and communications at Dynasty Travel, said it does not have any customer at the affected areas.

She said: "The next group of about 80 customers will be leaving for Bangkok at the end of August and about 20 to Phuket and Hua Hin. "All customers are adopting a wait-and-see attitude. There are no cancellations at this juncture."

On social media, there were more than 172,000 tweets with the hashtag PrayForThailand worldwide.

Twitter user @fiorentiachen posted: "Just saw #PrayForThailand trending, god bless those who are injured and those who didn't make it, sad to see what's been going on lately."

LOOKS NORMAL

Meanwhile, Ms Hui Yan, 26, a Singaporean holidaymaker who arrived in Phuket yesterday morning, said that the shops were closed.

She was clearing immigration with her friends at Phuket airport when the bombings took place and will be on holiday there till Sunday.

The marketing executive is staying a couple of blocks away from one of the bomb sites.

"We were not affected by the bombings, but we saw that Bangla Road (which leads to the beach) was cordoned off. We walked around the area, people didn't appear shaken, it's like a normal day," she said.

"The bombings haven't sunk in yet, but I think we'll take care to avoid crowded areas."

This article was first published on Aug 13, 2016.
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Singapore's Olympic hero Joseph Schooling will be returning home with the country's first ever gold medal on Monday morning (Aug 15).

Twitter account @sgolympics tweeted a video of our young national pride checking in at Rio de Janeiro-Galeão International Airport at 1.52am on Aug 14.

According to The Straits Times, he is scheduled to touch down at Changi Airport at 5.30am on Singapore Airlines flight SQ67 on Aug 15.

The 21-year-old made history after smashing the current Olympic record and clocked a swim time of 50.39 at the Men's 100m Butterfly. He also beat the legendary Michael Phelps, who has won 22 Olympic gold medals at time of reporting.

Minister for Social and Family Development Tan Chuan-Jin teased that he is on the same flight as Schooling, posting a Facebook status that he 'brought something special' home.

Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong also called the 21-year-old Olympic champion to congratulate him.

According to PM Lee's Facebook post, Joseph Schooling also told him that he was returning on Monday Morning.

Here's Schooling on board the flight SQ 67:

Speaking to ST aboard the flight, Schooling said, "Just want to be home, eat Chye tow kway (fried carrot cake)."

The pilot of the flight announced to passengers that Schooling and his mother May are on board and congratulated the Olympic champion on his gold medal win.

Click on thumbnail to view photos. Source: 

The Straits Times, Reuters, AFP

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The Ministry of Education (MOE) is keeping a closer watch on children who are not part of the mainstream school system.

Previously, permission from MOE was needed only for Singaporean children who wished to be homeschooled or attend Foreign System Schools such as the Singapore American School.

But smaller, full-time private schools, some of which base their programmes on overseas education models, will also now need to get permission from MOE if they wish to admit Singapore citizens at the primary and secondary levels.

The Sunday Times understands that at least six private schools here are affected by the new rule.

These include Victory Life Christian School (VLCS), Heritage Academy and TLS Academy, all private schools offering the Accelerated Christian Education (ACE) curriculum widely adopted in the US.

All are registered with the Council for Private Education, and admit a mix of local and foreign students.

Asked about the new rule, MOE would say only that it "would like all Singaporean children to attend our mainstream schools to acquire a common set of core values, knowledge and skills".

Mrs Jan Boey, 62, VLCS' founder, said she worried about the new rule at first but now welcomes it after seeing that Singapore students who do not fit the mainstream can still be admitted to the school.

"MOE wants national education for all Singapore citizens. It is good for the ministry to know which are the students who pull out from the mainstream, and that there is a place where students who cannot fit into the system can turn to," she said.

Under the Compulsory Education Act, a child must attend a national primary school. Only those with special needs or attending designated religious schools - the six madrasahs for primary school-going children and San Yu Adventist School - may be exempted.

The period of compulsory education is limited to Primary 6. On average, there have been about 50 homeschooled children per cohort in the past five years, the MOE said.

VLCS, located in Balestier Point, has grown from having only 17 students in 2002 to about 130 now.

There are currently 42 Singaporean students enrolled in grades seven to 12. They earn an American high school diploma based on their school credits and can take the Scholastic Aptitude Test.

Mrs Boey said: "Some parents feel that their children need a safer environment that teaches values alongside religious education.

"Other children were bullied in school, and did not like going to school, and their parents had to look for an alternative."

Last month, three Singaporean siblings who relocated here after growing up in Japan were given the nod by the MOE to join VLCS.

Mrs Candy Yim, a missionary in her 40s, said she decided to send her three children, aged 12 to 15, to VLCS even though they had considered public schools.

"The standards of English in Singapore are very high, compared to Japan, and my son would have entered the Normal (Technical) stream if he joined a public school.

"Under the ACE curriculum, the students can get school credit for Japanese, and the Christian environment is also good for them."

Heritage Academy in Yishun will welcome its first students soon. Most students are foreigners from regional countries, though a few Singaporean parents have asked about its secondary curriculum.

Said education policy expert Jason Tan of the National Institute of Education: "Mainstream education is seen as a prime means of socialising young people and preparing them for adulthood. The authorities want to regularly monitor students who are not part of the mainstream system. Even one child who slips through the cracks could be one child too many."

yuensin@sph.com.sg

This article was first published on August 14, 2016.
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For the first time in Singapore's history, an athlete will take centre stage in Parliament.

When the House sits today, a proposal will be made to congratulate national swimmer Joseph Schooling on winning Singapore's first Olympic gold medal.

Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong first announced that Parliament would move a motion to recognise the win on his Facebook page on Saturday, adding that Schooling said he would attend the sitting.

Read also: The story of Schooling

A motion is a proposal for MPs to get something done or to express an opinion on a topic of interest.

Speaker of Parliament Halimah Yacob told The Straits Times yesterday it would be a first, as is fitting for the historic win at the Rio Olympics.

"This is our first Olympic gold medal so we don't have a past experience," Madam Halimah said, adding that Schooling had flown Singapore's flag high.

The 21-year-old swimmer upstaged the greatest Olympian of all time to win Olympic gold, when he beat US swimmer Michael Phelps in the 100m butterfly in Rio on Saturday morning.

Click on thumbnail to view photos. Source: 

The Straits Times, Reuters, AFP

His record-breaking time of 50.39sec pipped Phelps' 51.14sec.

The Straits Times understands that a minister will be moving the motion today - that is, make an opening speech to explain the rationale and objectives for his or her proposal. MPs can then register their interest to speak, and the debate will be open to the floor.

At the end of the debate, the House votes to endorse the motion, usually by acclamation.

Madam Halimah said that this would all take place before Parliament takes its mid-afternoon break, typically around 4pm.

MPs told The Straits Times they received an e-mail message about the motion on Saturday.

Hundreds give Joseph Schooling triumphant homecoming at Changi Airport

Click on thumbnail to view photos. Source: 

The Straits Times, AFP, Reuters, The New Paper, Hannah Alkaff, Lianhe Zaobao

Read also: Big homecoming for Joseph Schooling

Dr Lim Wee Kiak, who chairs the Government Parliamentary Committee for Culture, Community and Youth, said he would be among those supporting the motion.

"(It) is something quite unique, as far as I know this is something that has not been done before in the 10 years I've been in Parliament," he said.

Weightlifter Tan Howe Liang had brought home a silver medal in the Rome Olympics in 1960. At that time, Singapore was under British rule, and had a legislative assembly instead of a Parliament.

PM Lee, announcing the plan for the motion on Saturday, had said that he looked forward to seeing Schooling today, and to personally congratulate him on the win.

The Parliament sitting begins at noon, and members of the public who wish to attend can view proceedings from the public gallery.

This article was first published on Aug 15, 2016.
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SINGAPORE - Olympic gold medalist Joseph Schooling has been allowed to defer enlisting in national service (NS) till the 2020 Olympic Games, Minister of Defence Ng Eng Hen announced on Monday (Aug 15).

Dr Ng said in a statement that the Armed Forces Council has approved the swimmer's request for an extension of his deferment in order to train for and compete in the next Olympic Games which will be held at Tokyo in 2020.

His request was supported by the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth (MCCY).

Schooling won Singapore's first ever Olympic gold medal last Saturday (Aug 13) in the men's 100m butterfly finals. He was also the first Singaporean to establish an Olympic record.

"These are spectacular achievements which have brought national glory to Singapore and filled our entire nation with pride," Dr Ng said.

The 21-year-old swimmer had previously deferred full-time NS in 2013 to train for the 2016 Olympics.

Dr Ng added that from 2013 to the 2016 Olympics, "Schooling has been exemplary in fulfilling the raison d'etre for his deferment - he trained hard and met all performance milestones on his way to Olympic glory."

Click on thumbnail to view photos. Source: 

The Straits Times, Reuters, AFP

In 2013, Dr Ng said in Parliament that requests for NS deferment may be granted "in exceptional circumstances to individual sportsmen, who are assessed to be potential medal winners at international competitions like the Olympic Games and bring national pride for the country."

Individuals will have to show why deferment is necessary for them to train full-time and compete successfully at international competitions. Each case will be assessed individually in consultation with MCCY.

According to the Minstry of Defence, there are four other Singapore athletes who were granted deferment from full-time NS:

- Ang Peng Siong, Swimming, 1980 to 1986

- Peter Leong, Swimming, 1996 to 1999

- Sng Ju Wei, Swimming, 1998 to 2003

- Maximilian Soh Khyan Tat, Sailing, 2007 to 2008

Dr Lee Wei Ling, the sister of Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, yesterday spoke up against a Bill on contempt of court laws, only to apologise for some of her comments hours later after getting a clearer picture.

She said that she had made wrong assumptions about the Administration of Justice (Protection) Bill, which seeks to put in writing contempt of court laws that have until now been left to the courts to define.

But she stood by her criticism of the law, saying that it would limit public discussion on issues of interest.

The Bill, which covers three main areas of the law of contempt including prejudicing court matters, disobeying court orders and scandalising the courts, is set to be debated when Parliament sits today.

Dr Lee yesterday first said in a Facebook post that the Bill would "gag debate on issues that are important to Singaporeans".

To illustrate her point, she cited a letter she had written to The Straits Times in 2008 about retail magnate Tang Wee Sung being sentenced to a day's jail after he was convicted of trying to buy a kidney illegally.

Dr Lee, who felt the sentence was too light, said Law Minister K. Shanmugam had encouraged and supported her in writing the letter.

But she said Mr Shanmugam, who was then a lawyer in private practice, "seems to see justice only from the point of view of the Government" now.

A few hours after her post went up and was shared widely, she put up a second post saying she had been wrong in her assumptions.

She said she had spoken to Mr Shanmugam, who had clarified that the letter she wrote in 2008 would be allowed under the proposed law.

She added: "I am relieved by the clarification given by Mr Shanmugam, and I apologise for any embarrassment I may have caused to Mr Shanmugam."

Currently, contempt of court laws are based on laws established by judgments of cases heard in court.

The Bill seeks to provide greater clarity on what kind of actions run afoul of the law and also sets the maximum punishment.

Three Nominated MPs (NMPs) have proposed changes to the Bill that they said would make the legislation clearer.

The proposed changes, listed in a notice of amendments issued by Parliament on Friday, will be tabled at today's Parliament sitting, when NMP Kok Heng Leun will also present a parliamentary petition on behalf of a group seeking to delay the passage of the Bill.

The 249 Singaporeans who signed the petition contend that it may restrict legitimate discussion of issues that are of public interest.

See also: Dr Lee Wei Ling reveals contentious part of unpublished article for ST

See also: Lee Wei Ling: Papa would've cringed at 'hero worship'

This article was first published on August 15, 2016.
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Students Geena Ang and Andrea Chua washed their faces in flower water, changed into red T-shirts and wooden clogs, and then went on stage in front of 300 friends, parents and community leaders - to bite on a cooked rooster's head.

It was all part of an ancient Teochew coming-of-age ritual for young people that was held at the Chui Huay Lim Club yesterday.

The two Hwa Chong International School students, both 14, were among 12 girls and 15 boys, mostly in their teens, who took part in the ceremony organised by Teochew clan association Kityang Huay Kuan.

The age-old practice, better known to Teochews as Cu Huay Hng, means "leaving the garden".

Popular among Teochew families in Singapore in the past, the practice has been forgotten over time, with many Teochews marrying Chinese of other dialect groups.

It has its origins in China's Song Dynasty, dating back over 1,000 years.

"It's fun and interesting, except the rooster's head bit, which I was too afraid to do," said Geena, grand-daughter of Kityang Huay Kuan's adviser Ang Nam Teck, 79.

In the end, she touched her lips on its neck.

Her schoolmate Andrea added: "I have learnt more about my own Teochew history and culture by taking part."

Others who took part included Parliamentary Secretary for Culture, Community and Youth Baey Yam Keng's 16-year-old daughter Zo-Er, a fourth-year student at Dunman High School.

Kityang Huay Kuan youth leader Markus Tay, 44, said his clan organised the event for the first time on its premises in Geylang last year.

"The response was so good, we decided to open it up to all young Teochews in the community this time," he said, adding that it will probably be held every two years from now on.

Most of the other Teochew clans and groups offered support, including Ngee Ann Kongsi, Teochew Poit Ip Huay Kuan, the Teochew Federation and Chui Huay Lim Club.

Kityang Huay Kuan president Ang Chee Guan, 67, said he hoped Cu Huay Hng - originally a ceremony to initiate young Teochews into adulthood when they turn 15 - would promote gratitude and other values.

Retired academic Lim Weiyi, 68, who was at the ceremony, said: "I went through the ceremony myself when I turned 15, but few families still carry out such a practice today.

"I am happy to see it being revived."

Ms Sim Ann, Senior Minister of State for Culture, Community and Youth, and Finance, was the guest of honour.

She said of the ceremony: "It will help kids understand the love from their parents, instil in them the need to give back to society and help bring the Teochews closer as a community."

This article was first published on August 15, 2016.
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A widower whose wife died following complications from liposuction procedures to smooth "dents" in her thighs is suing both doctor and clinic for alleged negligence.

Madam Yeong Soek Mun, 44, who was the regional marketing development head of major pharmaceutical company Roche Diagnostics Asia Pacific, collapsed half an hour after a two-hour operation at TCS @ Central Clinic in June 2013.

She was taken by ambulance to Singapore General Hospital but died about 21/2 hours later.

Mr Seto Wei Meng, 51, as co-administrator of her estate, is seeking damages, claiming her death was caused by, or was partly due to, the lack of the duty of care by three parties.

The three defendants - the surgeon who performed the operation, the medical holding company that acted as collection agent and the company that owned the clinic - deny the claims in a High Court civil suit that follows a coroner's probe into the death.

The coroner's inquiry in April 2014 certified the cause of death as "pulmonary fat embolism" - a rare complication from liposuction and fat transfer procedures. It involves the entry of a significant amount of fat particles into the vascular system which can travel and block blood vessels.

Associate Professor Gilbert Lau, a senior consultant forensic pathologist, clarified at the time that liposuction, when performed with or without fat transfer, is known to carry the risk of fat embolism.

He added that the fat transfer procedure might also be sufficiently traumatic to disrupt the blood vessels and result in fat embolism.

State Coroner Imran Hamid recorded a "misadventure" verdict on her death, making clear that she did not die from foul play.

But he had harsh words about part of the record-keeping involved, pointing out that "adverse patient outcomes may result in poor record-keeping, especially if one attempts to obviate the adverse medico-legal repercussions flowing from it".

"I would like to reiterate that the sooner the importance of maintaining contemporaneous, accurate and detailed clinical records is realised, the better for all concerned.

I would leave it to the family and the State to decide on whatever steps they deem appropriate to take."

Mr Seto, in court documents filed, claimed his wife had not been properly advised about the risks involved in liposuction procedures.

Represented by lawyers Kuah Boon Theng and Felicia Chain, he added that the operation was performed in such a manner as to introduce a high volume of fat into her circulation that led to pulmonary fat embolism, among other things.

The doctor, defended by lawyer Charles Lin, said Madam Yeong had been advised about the procedures' risks and alternatives to them a month before the operation. She had also been assessed as fit to undergo the operation.

The second and third defendants, represented by lawyers Lek Siang Pheng and Lu Xi Min, disclaimed any liability, pointing out that the doctor was a visiting consultant and not an employee of the holding company or the clinic.

He operated as an "independent contractor" and was accredited to perform certain operations, using the clinic's facilities. They added that at the time, TCS was managed by the third defendant.

They argued that Madam Yeong suffered from a known risk of the procedure which can result in internal failures and lead to death within a few hours, among other things.

A High Court pre-trial conference is due later this month.

This article was first published on Aug 15, 2016.
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She was told to wind down the rear tinted windows of her car but she allegedly refused to comply.

When she was told to step out of her car with her two teenage children, the Singaporean woman is said to have made a vulgar hand gesture at the Malaysian immigration officer.

She also allegedly shouted vulgarities while pressing the car horn repeatedly.

For doing so, the 42-year-old woman and her children have been detained at the Johor Baru checkpoint.

The incident happened at the Sultan Iskandar Customs, Immigration and Quarantine Complex at 3.30pm last Friday.

The three had claimed that the immigration officer allegedly asked them for a bribe, which they refused.

The incident came to light when Facebook user Pokok Tumbang posted in Malay on the page entitled JB Traffic, Road Blocks and Potholes Report.

HANDCUFFED

Also posted there were pictures of the police report, the trio being arrested and handcuffed and the three in the holding room at the checkpoint.

The post, which was picked up by social media and shared by netizens,was removed by the administrator of JB Traffic, Road Blocks and Potholes Report yesterday.

The incident was reported in citizen journalism website Stomp and Shin Min Daily News.

It is not known if the woman and her children were entering Malaysia or returning to Singapore, or if they are still being detained by the Malaysian authorities.

Attempts to call the Malaysian authorities and the woman at her home here were not successful.

When contacted, a Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman told The New Paper: "Officials from the Singapore Consulate-General in Johor Baru have visited the detained Singaporeans.

"The Consulate is also in touch with the Malaysian authorities, and will continue to provide consular assistance to the three Singaporeans".

This article was first published on Aug 15, 2016.
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