In what is believed to be the first such incident in Singapore, a man died after he was stung by a stingray yesterday afternoon.

The victim is Mr Philip Chan, the head of the team of divers at Underwater World Singapore (UWS), which has been closed since June.

Tributes to Mr Chan, who was also the senior supervisor of UWS' curatorial department, began appearing on Facebook last evening.

The New Paper understands that the once-popular attraction on Sentosa island was in the process of moving its marine animals at the time, and Mr Chan, who was in his early 60s, was working with stingrays when tragedy struck.

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The police said they were alerted at 2.20pm to a case about an injured man at UWS.

A spokesman said he was taken to the Singapore General Hospital (SGH), where he died of his injuries.

They are investigating the unnatural death.

The Singapore Civil Defence Force said it dispatched an ambulance to the scene.

The victim was unconscious when he was taken to SGH, its spokesman said.

TNP and The Straits Times (ST) carried profiles of Mr Chan, an avid diver who had been with UWS since it opened in 1991, in June after the closure of the marine park was announced.

It was obvious from the interviews how devoted he was to the marine animals he had worked with for 25 years.

"They are so quietly tame," he told TNP, adding that he was sad to say goodbye to his "band of friends".

"We intend to find them the best homes and environment. The next time I see them, I might not recognise them any more but if I dive, they might recognise me."

Mr Chan would usually be in scuba gear in the water to place food in the mouths of the stingrays and sharks during feeding time while visitors watched and took pictures.

"I treat (the animals) like my babies," he told ST.

While describing the eagle rays and the nurse sharks as "gentle", he told ST that he had been bitten a few times by sharks which mistook him for a fish, but they let go once they realised he was not food.

"Whenever I get in danger, I just keep calm. I can overcome any danger by just being calm," he said.

Tragically, Mr Chan would lose his life to one of his "babies" that he had cherished for so long.

PROVOKED WHEN STRESSED

When contacted, Dr Tan Heok Hui, 45, an ichthyologist, told TNP that stingrays that have been in captivity can feel provoked and try to retaliate by stinging when they face stressful situations such as being moved from their tanks.

Dr Tan, an operations officer at the Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum, added: "Stingrays attack when they feel threatened, cornered or alarmed. Sometimes, a stingray might feel threatened when someone accidentally steps on it.

"Stingrays have backward pointing barbs on the spine that have serrated edges. They don't just cause physical pain, the toxins in the spine can also cause extreme discomfort. When a spine pierces human flesh, it breaks and releases toxins into the flesh."

The toxins commonly found in stingray venom are protein-based enzymes like serotonin, which is known to cause severe muscle contractions.

Whether a sting is fatal or not depends on where the victim is stung, said Dr Tan.

"If a victim is hit in vital organs like the chest area, it may trigger a cardiac arrest, which could subsequently be fatal," he added.

The best known case of a stingray killing a human was Australian TV personality Steve Irwin, who was stung in the heart while swimming near a stingray in 2006.

There are more than a dozen species of stingrays in Singapore waters. They include the blue-spotted stingray, whiptail stingray and Gerrard's stingray that can commonly be found in murky waters.

It is not known which species was involved in the attack at UWS.

Dr Tan said: "Stingrays are not usually aggressive, and choose defensive methods to protect themselves. However, stingrays are still wild animals, and when provoked and left with no choice, they will defend themselves using their sting."

UWS, which was owned by Haw Par Corporation, closed its doors on June 27. When it opened in May 1991, it was the largest tropical fish oceanarium in Asia.

Built at a cost of more than $20 million, it was best known for its 83m-long underwater tunnel, where visitors could view fishes swimming above their heads and around them.

The closure did not come as a total surprise to industry experts who pointed out that the attraction had faced keen competition from the newer S.E.A. Aquarium and Universal Studios Singapore theme park, which are also located in Sentosa.

UWS' lease for the premises was due to expire in less than two years, and it decided to close early to facilitate the transfer of its marine creatures, said a UWS spokesman in June.

DESERTED

The park was deserted when TNP went there yesterday evening.

Three staff members were seen walking out but when approached, they declined to comment on the incident.

A worker at the nearby Shangri-La's Rasa Sentosa Resort & Spa said he saw an ambulance at Underwater World yesterday afternoon. The middle-aged man, who requested anonymity, was surprised to find out what had happened.

He said: "It all happened very quickly. The ambulance came and quickly left the premises. I've never seen such an incident happening here before."

Haw Par did not respond to TNP's queries by press time.

Cases involving stingrays

SEPTEMBER 2006

Popular Australian TV personality Steve Irwin must be the most famous person to be killed by a stingray.

Irwin, 44, died in a freak accident while he was swimming near a stingray in shallow water in Australia on Sept 4, 2006.

Also known as the Crocodile Hunter, Irwin was stung in the heart by the stingray's barbed tail, which whips up in a reflex action when it feels threatened.

It was the third recorded fatal stingray attack in Australia.

News agencies reported that Irwin had been snorkelling in about 2m-deep water for a documentary titled Ocean's Deadliest at Batt Reef, near Port Douglas, in north Queensland, when an Australian bull ray, estimated to weigh about 100kg, attacked him.

Cameraman Justin Lyons, who witnessed the tragedy, said in 2014 that the stingray had stabbed at Irwin "hundreds of times", and that his final words were "I'm dying".

Mr Lyons said he and Irwin had come across a "massive" 2.4m-wide stingray in chest-high water.

They had planned to film the stingray swimming away from Irwin. Instead, it struck out, apparently believing Irwin's shadow was a tiger shark, one of its predators.

MARCH 2008

A stingray leapt onto a cruising boat and struck a woman's face, killing her, off the Florida Keys, a group of islands in south-east US.

The Los Angeles Times reported that the 34kg ray, which measured about 1.8m wide, was also believed to have died upon impact.

OCTOBER 2006

An 81-year-old American man was in critical condition after a stingray leapt onto his boat and stung him, leaving a 5cm barb in his chest.

Mr James Bertakis from Lighthouse Point, Florida, was with his granddaughter and a friend when the stingray landed on the boat.

He was reportedly trying to remove the metre-wide spotted eagle ray from the boat when he was stung.

The women steered the boat to shore. Doctors were able to save Mr Bertakis after removing the barb by pulling it through his heart and closing the wound.

Fatal attack? Depends on where victim is stung

All stingrays use the same attack mechanism regardless of size - a sting, up to 20cm long in a bull ray, located near the base of the tail.

The sting contains a sharp spine with serrated edges, or barbs. A venom gland sits at the base of the spine and a membrane-like sheath covers the entire sting mechanism.

When a stingray attacks, it needs to face its victim. Then it flips its long tail upward over its body and strikes whatever is in front of it.

In most cases, when the sting enters a person's body, the pressure causes the protective sheath to tear.

The sharp, serrated edges of the spine then sink into the victim's flesh, and venom flows into the wound.

A stingray's venom is not necessarily fatal, but it can hurt a lot.

It contains various enzymes and the neurotransmitter serotonin, which causes severe muscle contraction, resulting in severe pain.

The enzymes cause tissue and cell death. If the venom is in an area like the ankle, it can usually be treated.

Heat breaks down stingray venom and limits the damage it can do.

If the wound is not treated quickly enough, amputation might be necessary.

But if the venom enters the abdomen or chest cavity, the resulting tissue death can be fatal because of the major organs located there.

If the spike enters the heart, as was in Australian TV personality Steve Irwin's case, the results are typically fatal.

Source: HowStuffWorks website

This article was first published on October 05, 2016.
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For more than three years, a man who was remanded in custody for killing his wife of 21 years received no psychiatric treatment even though he was diagnosed to be suffering from a delusional disorder of the jealous subtype.

This lack of treatment was "unsatisfactory", observed Chief Justice Sundaresh Menon yesterday, as a three-judge appeal court cut the jail term imposed on Rosdi Joenet, 51, from nine to 7½ years.

"It seems unfair... and mistaken to suggest that the appellant's prison term should be extended to enable treatment to be carried out in prison, when this situation would not have arisen if treatment had been promptly provided."

The court allowed Rosdi's appeal for a lighter sentence given that the killing was a one-off incident which was out of character, that he had a low risk of re-offending and that his family, including his wife's mother and sister, wished to have him back.

In 2012, Rosdi, a driver, began having delusions that his wife was unfaithful.

He suspected that she was seeing a man who drove a BMW. He tried to get his daughter to spy on her and constantly checked with his wife's co-workers on her whereabouts.

She denied having an affair.

On the morning of Nov 17, 2012, he woke her up to talk about their problems but his wife chased him out of the room. Rosdi returned with a kitchen knife and repeatedly stabbed her.

He was sentenced to nine years' jail for culpable homicide in March. The judge took into account as a sentencing factor that he was still not well as he had yet to undergo any treatment in prison for his mental illness and thus needed a longer period in jail to be treated.

But yesterday, Rosdi's lawyer, Mr Abraham Vergis, argued that it was "unfair and prejudicial" to hold this against his client, when it was something beyond his control.

When the Chief Justice asked why Rosdi was not treated, Deputy Public Prosecutor Wong Kok Weng said the prosecution was trying to find out what happened between the prison authorities and Institute of Mental Health (IMH) psychiatrist Bharat Saluja, who has since left Singapore.

The Chief Justice noted that serious offences committed by mentally disordered persons "can pull the court in different directions".

On the one hand is the focus on rehabilitation and, on the other, the protection of the public. Rosdi fell into the former category, based on four IMH reports that the risk of reoffending was low, he said.

"The offence here was undoubtedly an outrage as a husband killed his wife with a knife," he said.

"But the significance of retribution may be attenuated where, as here, those closest to the homicide, namely the children, and the blood relatives of the victim, including her mother and sister, have stated that they seek a reduction of the appellant's sentence because they have forgiven him."

This article was first published on Oct 05, 2016.
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Three days after he moved into a flat, a driver lifted the blanket of his housemate who was sleeping and took a photo of her topless.

Teng Ching Yuan, 31, was caught red-handed when he tried to do it again three days later. Yesterday, he was jailed for 12 weeks after pleading guilty to five charges: two of insulting a woman's modesty, and one each of criminal trespass, use of criminal force and possession of obscene films.

A District Court heard that Teng, a Malaysian, rented a room in a Pasir Ris flat. He stayed there with the unit's owners, a married couple, and a 30-year-old female tenant. The latter had a habit of sleeping unclothed and would usually lock her room door, the court heard.

On April 15, just one week after Teng moved in, the female tenant was awakened at about 5am when she felt someone lifting her blanket slowly about three times. Her door was shut but not locked and the lights were off. She saw Teng standing shirtless beside her.

She cried out, but Teng put his hand over her mouth. She struggled and tried to get her phone to call the police, but Teng told her not to do so. When she shouted for help, he covered her mouth with his hand again.

The flat's owners were woken up by her shouting and went to her room. Teng was arrested that day.

A photo of the victim, topless and asleep, taken on April 12, was found in his phone. There were also 70 obscene films in it.

The maximum penalty for criminal trespass and use of criminal force is three months' jail and a fine of $1,500; for insulting the modesty of a woman, one year's jail and a fine; and for possession of obscene films, a fine and six months' jail.

This article was first published on Oct 05, 2016.
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In a rare accident, two anchored cargo ships collided in Singapore waters, sending 10 containers toppling from one ship to another.

Another container fell into the sea in the crash on Friday.

The accident involving cargo ship Hanjin New York added to the woes of collapsed South Korean maritime company Hanjin Shipping.

But no oil pollution or injuries were reported.

A spokesman for the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) told The New Paper: "The Hanjin New York dragged anchor and contacted the bow of a Liberia-registered container ship, MSC Claudia.

"Ten 40-foot empty containers fell from Hanjin New York onto MSC Claudia's bow and one 40-foot empty container fell into the sea."

TNP understands that there were strong currents when the collision occurred.

It is believed to be the first case of an anchor drag collision off Singapore. TNP understands that the MPA has not come across previous anchor drag accidents.

The two cargo container vessels were anchored at Eastern Bunkering "A" near the Singapore Anchorage off Changi Naval Base when the accident happened at about 6pm.

The container that fell into the sea has been retrieved and arrangements are being made to remove the 10 containers from MSC Claudia.

The MPA spokesman said that both vessels sustained minor indentations and were later safely re-anchored.

MPA is investigating the incident.

Mr Eugene Cheng, 29, a lawyer specialising in shipping litigation from Gurbani and Co LLC, said: "One of the most common reasons why vessels collide is because of the failure of the crew to maintain a proper lookout."

Hanjin Shipping, the seventh-largest shipping carrier in the world, first made news in late August when creditors Rickmers sued the company for owing some $7.3 billion.

This led to an arrest of Hanjin's vessels, leaving more than 80 Hanjin vessels and crew onboard stranded around the globe.

INTERIM STAY ORDER

One such vessel, the Hanjin Rome, was in Singapore waters when it was arrested at 9.20pm on Aug 29 and the cargo was stuck aboard along with 24 crew members - 11 South Koreans and 13 Indonesians.

TNP reported on Oct 1 that five crew members had been repatriated on Sept 27 including the vessel's former captain Moon Kwon Do, but the Hanjin Rome is still stuck in Singapore waters.

An interim stay order granted by the Singapore Supreme Court on Sept 16 meant that Hanjin's vessels were allowed to berth in Singapore's ports to offload cargo.

Hanjin's vessels from the region have since made a beeline for the port of Singapore.

Hanjin Shipping's website reported that at least seven Hanjin vessels have berthed at the Tanjong Pagar Terminal since the collision happened on Friday, including the Hanjin New York.

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The MPA said yesterday that there are three Hanjin vessels in Singapore.

At least two other vessels, Hanjin Netherlands and Hanjin China, are expected to berth in the next three days.

This article was first published on October 05, 2016.
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Weeks of speculation about the future of Fandi Ahmad ended yesterday, when the local legend committed himself to the Football Association of Singapore (FAS) most likely until 2022.

In a hastily assembled press conference at the FAS' headquarters at the Jalan Besar Stadium, the 54-year-old was unveiled as the country's head coach (youth) in a three-year deal with an option for another three years.

Fandi's new role, which takes immediate effect, sees him oversee the development of national players aged 18 to 23. This includes taking charge of the 2018 Asian Games, 2019 and 2021 SEA Games teams and leading the squad that will attempt to qualify for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. All are Under-23 competitions.

He will work in tandem with Richard Tardy, who is head coach of national youth teams and responsible for players aged 13 to 18. The Frenchman will lead the 2017 SEA Games team before handing over the reins to Fandi. Both will report to the FAS' technical director Michel Sablon, the Belgian tasked with overhauling the Republic's youth development pipeline.

Fandi, who holds an Asian Football Confederation Pro Diploma, said: "We have only six local S-League clubs, plus the Young Lions, which I don't think is enough of a number to create the base of players needed for the national team. We have to search for talent outside, create more opportunities and avenues for youngsters.

"At the age of 17, 18, we lose 100 to 150 boys... I want to encourage them - especially the Chinese boys - to play football, they are the majority...

"There are so many good players I see at school tournaments but after 16, 17, 18, they give it up."

The former national captain has a successful track record working with younger players. He coached the Young Lions, then essentially the national U-23 team, from 2003 to 2006 and led them to two third-placed finishes in the S-League, their best-ever showings.

Fandi will likely work with a pool of about 25 to 30 players and his ability to identify and develop talent will be invaluable, Sablon told The Straits Times.

"If he tells us this is a good player, we know okay this is a good player... If together we can improve the youth teams, hopefully to play at the same level as Thailand, South Korea and Japan, then we did a very good job... But you need time and consistency in following a plan," he added.

FAS vice-president Edwin Tong said that it has essentially offered Fandi a six-year contract that brings "continuity and a stable platform".

He was appointed in 2013 as coach of the now-defunct LionsXII and led them to the Malaysian FA Cup last year.

Negotiations with Fandi, whose current FAS deal ends in December, began about six months ago. He had sought a multi-year deal and assurance of support for his long-term plans.

The FAS was also mindful of approaches from abroad, with ST reporting last month that he was mulling over an offer from Malaysia Super League side Pahang.

He had played for the state team in 1991 and 1992, winning the Malaysia league and Cup double in 1992. He also enjoys a good relationship with Pahang FA president Tengku Abdul Rahman Sultan Ahmad Shah.

Pahang, his "second home", had made a serious offer, Fandi confirmed yesterday, but his heart belonged to Singapore and he "believed in this long-term project and that the future of Singapore football will be bright".

He will continue to assist former Lions team-mate and current national caretaker coach V. Sundramoorthy to prepare Singapore for the Nov 19-Dec 17 ASEAN Football Federation Suzuki Cup.

Despite his appointment and new role, Fandi noted that he still harbours ambitions to manage the Lions one day. He said: "I believe one day, after four, five years, after all these projects are finished and hopefully we achieve our aim, I'll be ready (to become national coach).

"For now the best for me is to develop more youths for the national team, to make them into better players."

jonwong@sph.com.sg

This article was first published on October 5, 2016.
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Singapore's Foreign Affairs Ministry has sent a diplomatic note to the Indonesian authorities against the detention of a Singaporean boat captain held in custody, despite a court acquitting him of fishing illegally in the country's waters.

Indonesian ambassador to Singapore I Gede Ngurah Swajaya had personally handed the note to Riau Islands provincial law and human rights chief Ohan Suryana, the latter confirmed yesterday.

The note was "a protest against the handling of legal proceedings against one of its citizens", he told reporters, referring to Captain Shoo Chiau Huat, 50.

Mr Shoo had seven Singaporeans and six Malaysians on board MV Selin when the boat was caught for trespassing by the navy on April 16 in Tanjung Berakit waters, off Bintan island.

All the passengers were deported about a week after their arrests.

Mr Shoo was charged with illegal fishing in Indonesian waters, but a local court found insufficient evidence and acquitted him in July.

But he remains in the custody of local immigration authorities after he was slapped with immigration offences instead.

Tanjung Pinang immigration official Said Noviansyah had previously said his office was investigating Mr Shoo because he allegedly entered Indonesian territory without permission.

The Singapore Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) had told The Straits Times in August it was monitoring his case "with concern" and had "sought clarification on the legal basis for Mr Shoo's detention".

Mr Ohan said Indonesia's foreign ministry had wanted Mr Shoo to be deported, but it was not viable "due to legal considerations".

"We will go ahead. This is evident as we had won during the pre-trial... I'm optimistic that he (Mr Shoo) will be convicted," he added.

Yesterday, Mr Shoo attended a second hearing at the Tanjung Pinang district court over his alleged immigration violations.

His lawyer Herman Black said the hearing went ahead after a pre-trial motion against his detention for allegedly entering Indonesian waters without proper documentation in September was rejected by a panel of judges.

"(It's) still in the early stages. Today we have listened to the charges made by the prosecutors," he said.

"With this hearing, I see that my client is being coerced into being made a guilty party. I'm concerned."

Another Singaporean boat captain, Mr Ricky Tan Poh Hui, and his crew and nine passengers, are also in the custody of local authorities after their arrest on Aug 21 for allegedly trespassing in Indonesia's waters.

This article was first published on October 05, 2016.
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Two men who organised eight editions of a night-time bicycle race without police approval and permits were each jailed for seven days and fined $5,000 yesterday.

Former bike shop owner Eric Khoo Shui Yan, 29, and project manager Zulkifli Awab, 40, had each faced 16 charges. They admitted to four charges - two each of promoting the bicycle race named HolyCrit without written approval and conducting it without a permit along Stadium Drive on Sept 26, 2014, and Tanglin Halt Close on Nov 29 in the same year.

Both had met through their mutual hobby and eventually came up with the idea of organising a series of cycling races for fixed-gear bicycles - bicycles with only one gear and no brakes.

The first race was held in Yishun on Sept 27, 2013.

Each of the races was publicised on Facebook. Race participants would each pay a $10 registration fee to the duo, who would pool the sum to be given to the winner of that day's race.

Zulkifli's lawyer, Mr Shashi Nathan, said neither profited from the events. In fact, they would even be out of pocket as they would use their own money to buy drinks and refreshments for cyclists.

The duo conducted much of the race operations themselves, from the planning of routes to coming up with basic safety regulations.

As they knew the HolyCrit races would be held on public roads, Khoo had made enquiries with the relevant authorities. But when he received no reply, he went ahead with the cycling races without the requisite permits and permission.

The offences came to light when a concerned member of the public called the police at about 11.50pm on Nov 29, 2014 to report the bicycles racing in Tanglin Halt. He said they had tried to cordon off the area and his car had almost hit them.

In her brief oral grounds, District Judge Carol Ling noted a certain level of disregard for the law displayed in holding the races. Public safety was compromised, she said.

"No matter how noble the intentions may have been in organising these races, I find that the accused persons, in choosing to promote and conduct these races without obtaining the requisite permits, had displayed a lack of consideration for other legitimate road users and placed the safety of participants, spectators and other road users at risk," she said.

A Straits Times article on Dec 9, 2014 described several "close shaves" at the time when the races were held. A bystander was reported as saying "there were so many lorries and trucks... and so many times where cyclists almost crashed into them, it was so scary".

The judge said it was "extremely needful" for organisers to get the requisite permits to hold races of this nature in a country with "high road and vehicular density" to effectively manage public road use, address safety concerns and avert any potential dangers inherent in such races taking place on public roads.

While she agreed with the prosecution that general deterrence must be one of the key objectives in sentencing offences of this nature, she disagreed with the defence that a day's imprisonment for each charge of promoting the HolyCrit would be enough.

Khoo's lawyer Josephus Tan said the intention of the races was really to bond the community to promote cycling as an alternative form of transport.

He said the Singapore Cycling Federation has stepped forward to endorse and support future HolyCrit competitions through providing the necessary sponsorship, logistics and permits.

Mr Nathan had said that going forward, his client and Khoo would continue to run the races with licences.

The maximum penalty for promoting any competition or trial of speed is six months' jail and a $2,000 fine. For conducting an event without a permit, the maximum penalty is a $1,000 fine or three months' jail.

This article was first published on Oct 05, 2016.
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Singapore singer Nathan Hartono will be bringing home the Sing! China crown after Friday night's final of the televised singing competition, if Singapore fans have their way.

In an online poll conducted by The Straits Times, over 82 per cent say that he will win.

After all, Hartono, 25, had received the highest score of 93.65 among the 12 contestants during the semi-finals broadcast on Sept 30. He also received 47 out of 51 votes from the judges and 333 votes from the audience of 350.

According to Sing! China's page on Baidu, the format of the final and how the winner will be picked have yet to be determined.

In past years - on the previous incarnation of the Zhejiang Television show, The Voice Of China - the winners were determined by votes from the live audience and a selection of industry professionals. The champs were all from China and comprise Bruce Liang Bo (2012), Li Qi (2013), Diamond Zhang Bichen (2014) and Zhang Lei (2015).

Hartono is the only singer from Mandopop superstar Jay Chou's camp to make it to the final. The other judges are Taiwanese singersongwriter Harlem Yu, China rocker Wang Feng and singer Na Ying.

Preschool educator Carol Tan, 37, says: "Based on the score he got from the China viewers, he is one of the highest. Hence chances are high that he will win. He also has more stage experience. But he has to choose his songs wisely as it is still a China market."

Local singer Nathan Hartono wows Sing! China judges

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The Straits Times, The New Paper, YouTube screengrabs, HBO Asia, Music & Movement

Others struck a more cautious note.

UFM 100.3FM radio DJ Wong Woon Hong, 45, says that Hartono is likely to come in second or third. "I think that the championship might not be given to a foreigner."

The other foreigner in the final is 16-year-old Li Peiling from Penang.

Wong adds: "Nathan has been very impressive in the previous rounds, but this means that others have a high chance of surprising everyone in the final, whereas he would maintain his usual very good standard."

There is also the fact that this is, after all, a television show. "If everyone could guess the outcome, then it wouldn't be fun," Wong says with a laugh.

Hartono is the first Singaporean to make it past the televised blind auditions of Sing! China as well as The Voice Of China.

On the fourth and final season of The Voice Of China in 2015, husband-and-wife singers Alfred Sim and Tay Kewei represented Singapore, but were not picked by the mentors.

That series was the show's most diverse up to that point, with Australian-Chinese Li An from Sydney making it to the top five.

In some ways, the results might not matter that much.

As Ocean Butterflies managing director Colin Goh puts it: "At the end of the day, the winner might not necessarily be the best as there are many conditions to determine the winner. More important, to me, is who will really advance his or her career after that TV show."

There is no denying, though, that the programme is a good platform for boosting one's profile.

Facebook user Leong Janice says in a post that even though the competition has been going on for a few years, previous winners have yet to make a mark on the international stage.

But, even before the final, Hartono has already garnered support from countries such as Indonesia and the Philippines.

"See, he's already won."

This article was first published on Oct 05, 2016.
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Your grandmother who swears by traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) may now have proof that it actually works.

More local firms are working with Temasek Polytechnic to get help producing scientific proof to validate the benefits of such traditional health products.

For instance, this could mean identifying the chemicals that make a herbal brew good for the liver, or checking to see if a popular health supplement really contains antioxidants.

The school showcased its latest work in this field at its annual Applied Science Show held at its campus yesterday.

It gets several projects a month now, said Ong Seng Poon, deputy director of capability development at the School of Applied Sciences, up from one every few months when it started.

In June, Temasek Polytechnic even set up a dedicated centre of innovation to study complementary health products with $3.2 million in funding from government agency Spring Singapore.

Its partners, which include household names such as the Eu Yan Sang TCM group, say having scientific backing for their traditional products open the doors to new markets.

"It's a way to satisfy the younger consumers because they want to know the science behind the medicines," said director Koo Chee Kai of Kim Sin Medicine Manufactory.

His firm, which produces traditional medicines and health supplements, has worked with the polytechnic to identify certain chemical compounds in its popular Huji Waist Tonic - a concoction including herbs such as cordyceps.

"When the tests show that these chemicals are present, we can confidently say that it will have some impact on health," he said.

Mr Koo added: "Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) products are based on TCM theory but now we are moving towards evidence-based medicine and we want to bridge the gap."

Civil servant Jonathan Lim, 28, said having scientific backing for TCM treatments would make him more confident about consuming them.

"If these products are corroborated by scientific proof, it means that I can have a clearer idea about the effects on my health," he added.

linettel@sph.com.sg

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Premiums for certificates of entitlement (COEs) ended mostly lower in the latest tender yesterday, a reflection of the weaker economic sentiment.

The exception was the COE for cars up to 1,600cc and 130bhp, whose cost finished at $51,507, up from $50,000 two weeks ago.

COE for cars above 1,600cc or 130bhp fell from $55,501 to close at a five-month low of $53,001.

Open COE, which can be used for any vehicle type but ends up mostly for bigger cars, finished at $54,200, down from $55,201.

Commercial vehicle COE slid from $49,890 to land at $48,702. Motorcycle premium ended at $6,353, down from $6,501.

Ron Lim, general manager of Nissan agent Tan Chong Motors, said: "The surprise was Category A (cars up to 1,600cc).

"Overall, the market wasn't strong. We really don't know the reason for the increase."

He added that reductions in the other premiums - especially that for bigger cars - reflected the weaker economy.

As for the price dip in commercial vehicle COE, he said it was likely a correction as the premium was nearing the psychological ceiling of $50,000.

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Travel agency Pacific Air Travel Pte Ltd (Pacific Air) has had its travel agent licence revoked, the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) announced on Wednesday (Oct 5).

Its licence had been rendered invalid since Sept 20.

According to STB, Pacific Air - whose registered business address is on the third floor of Jalan Besar Plaza - had ceased to carry on the business of a travel agent.

It failed to submit the necessary documents for STB to verify its compliance with the minimum financial requirements as mandated under the Travel Agents Regulations.

The public can keep up to date with the list of licensed travel agents via the Travel Related Users' System website here.

This article was first published on October 06, 2016.
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SINGAPORE - The National Gallery Singapore won big at the annual Singapore Tourism Awards on Wednesday night (Oct 5).

The museum, which opened in November 2015, took home one of the top awards, the breakthrough contribution to tourism award. It also won the best attraction experience award, beating Marina Bay Sands' ArtScience Museum, Gardens by the Bay and Resorts World Sentosa's Universal Studios Singapore.

The breakthrough award was "for its role in helping to cement Singapore's position as one of Asia's leading art hubs, adding to the vibrancy of Singapore's tourism landscape and increasing awareness of Singapore as a must-visit destination", said the Singapore Tourism Board (STB), which organised the awards, the most prestigious awards for the tourism sector here.

Four special awards were also given to outstanding individuals for their contribution to the industry. They were Mr Rajakumar Chandra, chairman of the Little India Shopkeepers and Heritage Association; Ms Carolyn Kan, founder and designer of Carrie K Jewellery; Ms Lynette Lee, chief executive officer of the Textile and Fashion Federation; and Mr Arthur Kiong, chief executive officer of Far East Hospitality.

A total of 29 winners were honoured at the ceremony held at The Ritz-Carlton, Millenia Singapore.

STB chief executive Lionel Yeo noted that the awards were repositioned this year "to recognise the many different elements that need to come together for Singapore to remain competitive and compelling as a top destination".

He added: "While (the) Singapore Tourism Awards will continue to raise the bar in tourism experience creation, we also aim to inspire the tourism industry in pursuing enterprise excellence, which is key to achieving quality tourism growth in the long run."

Some of the winners at a glance:

* Best attraction experience: National Gallery Singapore

* Best dining experience: Odette, The Lo & Behold Group

* Best hotel experience: The St Regis Singapore

* Best nightspot experience: Ce La Vi Singapore

* Best shopping experience: DFS Wine & Spirits Duplex, DFS Group

* Best tour experience: The Intan Signature Tea Experience, The Intan

* Best leisure event: Halloween Horror Nights 5, Resorts World Sentosa

This article was first published on October 06, 2016.
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SINGAPORE - Orchard Road will be transferred into a winter wonderland this December, with about 5,000 children racing down the road in elf-inspired shirts and reindeer antlers.

This 600m Kids Dash is organised by Standard Chartered Marathon Singapore and will happen on Dec 3 - a day before the marathon for adults. The young runners aged up to 13 will race from Ngee Ann City to the finish line at ION Orchard.

Ngee Ann Civic Plaza will host a Christmas carnival with family-friendly activities, such as face painting and hoop the snowman, festive performances by juggling elves and meet-and-greet sessions with Santa Claus.

Mr Steven Goh, Executive Director of Orchard Road Business Association, said it was pleased to facilitate a full road closure for the event.

"The lights, decorations and costumes will, no doubt, add to the festive cheer and we look forward to the children enjoying themselves," he added.

Kids Dash registration is available for $25 at http://www.marathonsingapore.com.

This article was first published on October 06, 2016.
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Madam Serene Tong was at work on Tuesday afternoon when she was told in a phone call that her husband was in hospital after an accident at Underwater World Singapore (UWS).

The clerical officer was not told the details of the accident, and assumed it was not serious.

In his 25 years of working at UWS, Mr Philip Chan had ended up in hospital only once, after a shark attack.

But this time, Mr Chan, the head of UWS' diving unit, had a fatal encounter with a stingray.

The 62-year-old, who was also the senior supervisor of UWS' curatorial department, was taken unconscious to the Singapore General Hospital (SGH), where he died.

SHARK ATTACK

Madam Tong, 59, told The New Paper yesterday evening: "Many years ago, a sand tiger shark mistook him as food and bit his head. He had to be stitched up and was hospitalised for a few days.

"He managed to recover. So on Tuesday, I didn't think the accident was serious, and didn't rush to SGH."

When she got there, her two daughters, aged 26 and 32, hugged her and told her the terrible news.

Madam Tong, who has a 15-month-old granddaughter, broke down several times when she recalled the painful incident at her husband's wake at the void deck of Block 52, Lengkok Bahru, near Jalan Bukit Merah.

"I wasn't told during the phone call that he had been stung by a stingray. We were married for 34 years. I can't believe he's gone. He loved his animals very much."

About 100 friends and family members were paying their last respects to Mr Chan when TNP was there.

His diving suit was displayed beside his casket and photographs of him in his younger days were displayed.

Madam Tong said: "He was a very straightforward, honest and hard-working man. He was a loving father and husband. He loved diving. It was his passion."

She cracked a slight smile when she recalled how Mr Chan had encouraged her to take up diving.

She said: "My daughters also know how to dive. I went diving with him in Malaysia less than five times. I was not a very good diver, but he loved the water."

Earlier yesterday, Mr Chan's older brother, Mr Simon Chan, 64, told reporters outside the mortuary that he received the bad news at around 4pm on Tuesday from his niece.

He said in a mix of Mandarin and English: "She was crying when she told me, 'Uncle Simon, my father is dead'.

"I was the one who identified his body because I didn't want his wife and daughter to see him in such a state. He had two bandages on his chest, a bigger one on his right and a smaller one on his left."

Mr Chan was impaled by the barb of a stingray as he was transferring one of the last batches of his beloved sea creatures at around 2.20pm. It was one of his last tasks at the now-defunct UWS.

Mr Chan, who joined UWS when it opened in 1991, had stayed back to care for the remaining marine animals after UWS closed in June.

The sting from the leopard whipray - a rare stingray - left him unconscious, and Singapore Civil Defence Force paramedics performed cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) on him on the way to SGH.

His brother added: "We are still in shock that he died in such a horrible way. It was nearly the last stage of his job and I knew that he had been tired over the past weeks from moving the sea animals."

TNP understands that Mr Chan was working with a group of colleagues and was transferring the last stingray in a large tank when the accident happened.

The Ministry of Manpower has instructed UWS to stop all activities associated with the transferring of sea animals after the incident.

Mr Simon Chan, a construction project manager, said: "My brother was a very experienced diver. He knew that these animals were dangerous."

Like Madam Tong, Mr Jack Png, 47, who knew Mr Chan from their days of working together at Sentosa's Coralarium in 1992, also thought that his friend had been involved in a minor mishap.

"Unforeseeable situations like this have happened before many times - it could be the sting of a puffer fish or getting hit by the tail of a shark.

"Although he experienced some dangerous or difficult situations when it comes to the animals, he never complained. He always tried to solve the problem," added Mr Png, who runs his own commercial diving company.

It seems like Mr Chan will remain deeply entwined with the underwater world, even in death.

Mr Simon Chan said in between tears: "He had told his wife that he wanted his ashes to be scattered at sea. His whole life revolved around the ocean, he will never leave it."

A big brother to others

Water, to Mr Philip Chan, was like his second home.

Ironically, that was where the 62-year-old met his demise after he was stung by a leopard whipray, his good friend, Mr Eric Ko, 62, told The New Paper yesterday.

"I really cannot accept it. He was good at his job... He had been feeding these animals... How could this have happened?" said Mr Ko.

They met more than 20 years ago when Mr Chan was working at Underwater World Singapore (UWS) and Mr Ko was with Americ International Marine and Sports Centre, which services diving equipment.

"We were in the same category - same diving interest, same age... We could chat about everything," he said.

On land, the pair were "kopi kakis".

"He would come over to chat whenever he was free after work.

"He liked to talk and joke. He was humble, not calculating, and had no temper."

In the waters, they were diving buddies, looking out for each other's safety.

They went on leisure diving trips with their group of friends every year until Mr Chan stopped recently because of an ear problem.

On dives, Mr Chan would make sure the less experienced divers did not have any problems.

"When some divers couldn't descend into the water successfully, he would take them down slowly. If they ran out of air, he would share his air regulator with them," said Mr Ko.

Another close friend, Mr Jimmy Tan, 54, said: "I still can't believe he's gone. I first knew Philip in 1984 when I was a part-time lifeguard on Sentosa. At one point, both of us worked at UWS but I resigned in 1994.

"We remained close and were like brothers. He was my mentor."

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Underwater World diver stung by stingray

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Mr Tan, a section head at Bintan's Treasure Bay Resort, said they spoke last week and had planned to go diving at Pemanggil Island, off Mersing in Johor, next March.

"It was his favourite diving spot. I will miss him dearly," he added.

Miss Sam Shu Qin, 27, who worked with Mr Chan at UWS, said Mr Chan was like family to his younger colleagues.

She told TNP: "He was like a big brother who cared so much about us, a great mentor and friend who taught us so much more (beyond) diving and working with marine animals.

"There's hardly anyone who's more passionate about taking care of the marine animals."

Mr Jack Png, an ex-colleague who had known Mr Chan for more than 20 years, saw him as his mentor not just at work, but also in family life.

"We had seen each other from singlehood to marriage. He's someone who held us all together," said Mr Png, 47.

Workaholic

Mr Ko also attested to Mr Chan's devotion to work. Their recent conversations had revolved around it.

Said Mr Ko: "He was a workaholic. He felt sad that Underwater World was going to close. He told me he would just buy a car, go for a holiday with his wife, then come back and look for a job. Once he retires, his brain will die, he told me."

Mr Png, who runs Joint Pacific Ocean Underwater Services Singapore,said he had asked Mr Chan to join his company after his break.

"He was so active and full of life. It should not have ended like this," he added.

This article was first published on Oct 6, 2016.
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SINGAPORE - A car at an Ang Mo Kio carpark ended up a blackened heap after it caught fire spontaneously on Tuesday (Oct 4) afternoon.

No one was injured in the incident, the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said.

SCDF was alerted of the fire at Block 609, Ang Mo Kio Avenue 4, at 4.38pm.

The fire, in the engine compartment, was extinguished using one water jet and a fire extinguisher.

Residents near the block said that they heard several loud bangs as the car burned, Shin Min Daily News reported.

There were burn marks on a lorry and a car which were parked next to the burning car, the report added.

This is the third report of a car catching fire in an HDB carpark in four days.

On Sunday morning, the SCDF was called to extinguish another car fire at an open carpark around Block 464, Tampines Street 44.

The fire, which occurred at about 4.40am, was extinguished using one water jet.

At about 6.20pm on Saturday, a car parked at Block 149, Woodlands Street 13, also caught fire. It was also put out with one water jet.

No injuries were reported in both cases.

It is not known what caused the fires, but parked cars can combust suddenly if there is a short circuit, Mr Joey Lim, 50, Managing Director of Harmony Motors told The Straits Times.

"If car is already at ambient temperature and there is a fire, it is most likely caused by the short circuiting of electrical components," Mr Lim said.

When wires lose their insulation, they sometimes rub together, resulting in electrical flow. It may take a few minutes or hours for the heat to build up to a fire, depending on the damage, he said.

Another possible scenario is that the car had just stopped running, and was still hot when something highly combustible came into contact with it, said Mr Lim.

All three fires are under investigation, SCDF said.

This article was first published on October 06, 2016.
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Tears flowed freely yesterday as the parents of Thai teenager Aroonrak Jattanathammajit, who was knocked down by a car more than two weeks ago, met the man who set up a crowdfunding drive to ease the burden of her medical bills.

In just three days, the campaign has raised about $46,000 to offset the 16-year-old's medical bills.

The family believed they have chalked up about $60,000 so far and the amount is expected to increase.

Donations and well-wishes have been pouring in from people from all walks of life for the San Yu Adventist School student who was hit by a car when she was crossing Balestier Road on the morning of Sept 18.

She had been on her way to school at Thomson Road to help out at a community outreach programme involving old folks.

The bulk of the donations came from the campaign set up by Mr Dennis Yeo, 44, on crowdfunding website GIVEAsia.

When the teen's father, Mr Sarayuth Jattanathammajit, 49, and his wife met Mr Yeo yesterday afternoon at KK Women's and Children's Hospital, they thanked him profusely.

Mr Yeo, who works in a non-profit organisation, said his heart broke when he read The New Paper report on the family's plight.

"The breaking point was when I read that she was on the way to help some old folks when she was hit by a car. Reading about her plight, I can't not help her and her family in this tragic situation," he said.

TNP was in attendance when another big-hearted Singaporean, who wanted to be known only as Mr Sam, visited the family on Tuesday evening. He passed a cash donation of what TNP understands to be "a few thousand dollars" to Mr Jattanathammajit.

Mr Sam said: "I sent my daughter overseas to study when she was about 16 or 17, and it's a parent's worst nightmare when something happens to their children while overseas, so I can empathise."

Mr Jattanathammajit was initially reluctant to accept the cash, but eventually did at Mr Sam's insistence.

IN NEED

Mr Sam said: "Most of us are fortunate and I just want to do this little part to help this family in their time of need."

Speaking to TNP at the hospital, Mr Jattanathammajit tearfully expressed his gratitude to Singapore donors, the Thai Embassy in Singapore and the local Thai community, which also rallied together to support the family of three.

He said through an interpreter: "We've hardly slept since the accident, but we're truly appreciative of everyone who has come forward to help us."

Mr Jattanathammajit, who runs a small rubber business in Thailand, is also racked with guilt about sending his only child to Singapore by herself.

The family went into debt of $80,000 to fund Aroonrak's studies here. He had hoped for a better future for her and had sent her to Singapore last year so she would get the "best education possible".

Since the accident, Aroonrak has undergone two brain operations.

Although she is out of a coma and is responsive, she has not opened her eyes and is unable to speak. Her condition has stabilised, but a timeline for her recovery has not been set.

Her father said: "Doctors didn't commit to anything, they just said some people in her condition recover and some don't.

"We're hoping to take her back to Thailand, but we don't know when."

Aroonrak's parents flew into Singapore immediately on the day of the accident and have kept vigil at her hospital bedside ever since.

Since TNP first broke the story on Sunday about Aroonrak's accident, the Thai Association Singapore has raised more than $3,000.

Committee members from the association, like Ms Kansinee Boonlong, have also been visiting the family every day in hospital.

Ms Boonlong said the association is looking for volunteers who can speak English and Thai to accompany the family in hospital and help to translate instructions and updates from the medical team.

The couple speak only Thai and do not understand English.

Ms Boonlong added that the association is also looking for answers about the Sept 18 accident.

TNP understands that the driver of the car stopped to help Aroonrak and also called the ambulance.

TNP also understands that no arrests have been made.

A police spokesman said yesterday that investigations are still ongoing.

Best friend 'prays for miracle every day'

She has been so worried for her best friend that 16-year-old Kotchamon Techathanakitlert said she has been unable to focus on her exams.

For more than two weeks, fellow Thai student Aroonrak Jattanathammajit has been lying in KK Children's and Women's Hospital and Kotchamon frets about her every day.

"I pray for a miracle every day," said Kotchamon, who also attends San Yu Adventist School.

The best friends, who were roommates for a year at the Balestier Students' Hostel, would do everything together.

Kotchamon said Aroonrak had been excited to attend the community outreach activities in school where they were supposed to interact and perform for the elderly folk.

The morning of Sept 18, Kotchamon had left the hostel shortly after her friend and was shocked to find Aroonrak's belongings strewn across the road.

By that time, her friend was already on the way to the hospital.

"Every day, I think about her and pray for a miracle that she would get well," said Kotchamon.

"Whenever I see her things in the hostel room, I miss her badly.

"Although she hasn't opened her eyes, I still talk to her when I visit her in hospital because I know she can hear me. Sometimes, her eyes move and her fingers twitch, as if she's responding."

Support

Students and staff of San Yu, where Aroonrak is known as a bright and diligent pupil, as well as members of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, which runs the school, have been visiting her regularly and offering her parents support.

Dr Shee Soon Chiew, the school's principal, said: "Aroonrak's a good student who was very involved in activities.

"Since the accident, we've been working together with many parties - the police, the hospital, the Thai Embassy and the church - to see how we can support the family."

Whenever I see her things in the hostel room, I miss her badly - Kotchamon Techathanakitlert, Aroonrak Jattanathammajit's best friend.

This article was first published on Oct 6, 2016.
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The best-known case of a fatal stingray attack is that involving Australian television personality Steve Irwin (right), who was known as the Crocodile Hunter.

The wildlife expert and documentary host was filming an underwater documentary in 2006 when he died after being pierced in the heart by a 2.4m-wide stingray.

He was 44.

Despite fatalities linked to stingrays, they are considered docile creatures that attack only in self-defence.

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Underwater World diver stung by stingray

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The sting of a stingray contains venom in the form of a cocktail of neurotoxins, enzymes and the neurotransmitter serotonin, which restricts smooth muscle contraction and slows down blood circulation.

Even if the venom does not kill, its sting may very well do so. Inside the sting is a spine with serrated edges or barbs. When the stingray pulls its sting out of a person's body, it may spark a massive and deadly tearing of the muscles.

However, fatal stingray attacks are rare as most occur in shallow water, when a swimmer accidentally steps on a stingray, which then attacks the person's lower body instead of the upper body, where the critical organs are located.

Related: Underwater World head diver killed by stingray

This article was first published on Oct 06, 2016.
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A 44-year-old woman was yesterday allowed to retract her guilty plea for ill-treating three pet dogs after the court accepted her contention that she had been pressured to plead guilty.

Chief Justice Sundaresh Menon, after examining the circumstances leading to Chng Leng Khim pleading guilty in February, ruled that she had done so after her former lawyer told her she may be remanded at the Institute of Mental Health (IMH) if she claimed trial.

The lawyer, who was asked to file a statutory declaration to give his account of events, did not deny having said this. Mr Ravinderpal Singh said this was in reply to Chng's question after he told her he could not act for her if she claimed trial.

Mr Singh said Chng had asked him what would happen if she was unable to give evidence. The lawyer said he told her the court has the power to to remand her at the IMH to assess if she was able to testify.

Yesterday, CJ Menon asked why the lawyer had raised this possibility, as the court's power was related to accused persons who may be mentally unfit to testify.

Mr Singh said Chng looked "a little bit depressed" then and he worried if she was in the state of mind to follow court proceedings.

Jail for woman who failed to take care of her dogs properly

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CJ Menon said he saw no reason why the lawyer had raised the issue of mental soundness. "Perhaps something was lost in their exchange," he said. But to Chng, the suggestion that one possible consequence of not pleading guilty was to be remanded at IMH would have been an "alarming" one, he added.

"In my judgment, this was a sufficiently disturbing prospect and, in the particular circumstances of this case, it did unfairly deprive the appellant of her freedom to choose between pleading guilty and pleading not guilty," said CJ Menon.

He noted that the events took place against the backdrop of Chng having repeatedly "expressed sustained misgivings over pleading guilty" and vacillated on her plea.

CJ Menon set aside Chng's conviction and sent the case back to the State Courts for trial. "It may be that claiming trial turns out to be a wholly ill-conceived course of action but, ultimately, it is the appellant's entitlement to claim trial if she wishes to do so," he said.

"She may succeed at trial or she might fail. If she fails at trial, it might conceivably result in a stiffer sentence being imposed than that which has been meted out."

Chng was given 10 days' jail and a fine of $3,100 in February on charges linked to her dogs, including two counts of animal cruelty.

After moving out of her Paya Lebar home, she allegedly left behind a bull mastiff and a chow chow. Both were ill and thin, infested with ticks, and surrounded by their urine and faeces when found. An emaciated and tick-infested poodle found near the house was traced back to her via a microchip.

The chow chow and poodle were rehomed, but the bull mastiff had to be euthanised.

Related: Man punches, kicks dog and lifts it by its neck on a leash

This article was first published on Oct 06, 2016.
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SINGAPORE - Judges have no answer yet to whether a woman who conceived a baby with a stranger's sperm in a fertility treatment mix-up is entitled to damages for bringing up the child.

A five-judge appeal court explored various legal issues raised in the case on Oct 6, but ended with no conclusion.

In her negligence suit against Thomson Fertility Centre, its parent company Thomson Medical, and two embryologists, the woman sought damages for various categories of claims, including for the upkeep of the child, known as Baby P in court proceedings.

Here is a recap of the case of Baby P:

WHAT HAPPENED?

A couple - a Singaporean Chinese woman and her Caucasian permanent resident husband who are both in their early 30s - had sought fertility treatment at Thomson Fertility Centre, which is part of the medical centre at Thomson Road.

The couple, who had been married for about 10 years, had approached the centre on the advice of their obstetrician.

In 2007, the couple went to the centre for fertility treatment and had a son.

The treatment they underwent involved retrieving eggs from the wife and fertilising them with sperm from the husband in a laboratory, before transferring the eggs back into her uterus.

The couple wanted more children and underwent a second treatment in January 2010.

The wife gave birth to a baby girl on Oct 1 that year, about 15 days before the due date, following an emergency caesarian operation.

Read also: Thomson Medical IVF mix-up: Mum 'still anguished'

WHEN DID THEY DISCOVER THE MIX-UP?

When the baby girl was born, the couple noticed that the child's complexion was noticeably different from theirs.

Two days later, they were told that the baby has type B blood, which raised their concerns because the couple have blood types A and O.

They asked the medical staff about this, but did not get satisfactory answers initially.

They were later informed that there was a possibility that a mix-up could have taken place.

A DNA test revealed the baby is biologically related to the woman, but not to her husband.

WHAT RESULTED IN THE MIX-UP?

Lapses in procedure and human error were the reasons behind the mix-up of sperm used in the IVF treatment, Health Minister Khaw Boon Wan said in Parliament in November 2010.

At the time of the incident, the embryologist was processing semen specimens of two individuals at the same workstation at the same time.

The pipette used for transferring the specimen was reused, instead of being discarded after each step.

Even though it was reused only for handling the specimens from the same individual, it unnecessarily raised the risk of human error.

There was also no second person to counter-check that the specimens were transferred to the correct receptacles at every critical stage.

Mr Khaw did not give further details on how the mistake actually took place.

WHAT STEPS WERE TAKEN FOLLOWING THE MIX-UP?

To eliminate the risk of any mix-up, assisted reproduction centres were required to follow procedures in accordance with international best practices.

First, the embryologist will work on the specimens of only one individual or one couple, at one workstation at a time.

Second, he will carefully label all the receptacles and instruments with the couple's or the individual's name.

Third, he will discard disposable instruments such as pipettes after each use, to avoid any contamination.

Fourth, at every critical step, a second operator will counter-check that the specimens are transferred to the correct receptacles.

WHAT ACTION WAS TAKEN AGAINST THE HOSPITAL?

Thomson Medical Centre was fined the maximum $20,000 in June 2011.

A representative of the company pleaded guilty to failing to ensure suitable assisted reproduction practices were followed.

The Health Ministry also suspended all new assisted reproductive activities at the centre in November 2010 following the botched IVF procedure.The suspension was lifted after eight months in June 2011.

WHO FILED THE CURRENT LAWSUIT?

In 2012, the child's mother filed a lawsuit against Thomson Medical, its fertility centre and two embryologists over the mix-up in sperm samples.

She sought damages for various categories of claims, including for the upkeep of the child, known as Baby P, in court proceedings.

The upkeep expenses included her pre-school needs in Beijing where she was living with her parents at that time, further education in Germany, her father's home country, as well as daily necessities until she is financially self-reliant.

However, ahead of the assessment of damages, the defendants asked the High Court to give a ruling on the preliminary question of whether Singapore law allows damages to be awarded for the upkeep of a healthy child.

In January 2015, Justice Choo Han Teck disallowed the claim, noting that there were "cogent policy considerations" against finding liability for upkeep.

"Baby P should not ever have to grow up thinking that her very existence was a mistake," he had said.

The woman appealed and the case was heard in August 2015.

Senior Counsel N. Sreenivasan, who represented the woman, argued that her loss was the unwanted pregnancy in which she gave birth to a child with a stranger's DNA, when she and her husband had contemplated raising only a child who was biologically their own.

Senior Counsel Lok Vi Ming, who represented the defendants, argued that the cost of raising the child was not a loss arising from the defendants' conduct; the woman had wanted a child and contemplated incurring expenses to raise one.

Mr Lok noted that the courts do not recognise damages for the ordinary upkeep of a child, on the basis that the birth of a healthy child was "a blessing".

The case was adjourned for further arguments, which were heard on Oct 6, 2016.

This article was first published on Oct 6, 2016.
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SINGAPORE - Singapore will issue the central bank's semiannual monetary policy statement and data on third-quarter gross domestic product on Oct. 14, authorities said on Friday.

The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) will announce its monetary policy decision next Friday at 8 a.m. local time (0000 GMT), the central bank said on its website.

The government's advance estimate of third-quarter GDP will be released at the same time, according to a statement from the Ministry of Trade and Industry.

Singapore's central bank is expected to keep its exchange-rate based monetary policy steady at next week's review, but some analysts say that external risks and sluggish growth may prompt a further easing in 2017.