What can the dying teach the living? Quite a bit, it seems.

A small but growing number of people spend their last days recording their thoughts on life and how they cope with impending death in order to share them with others.

They hope to get people thinking and talking about death early enough to re-examine their priorities in life, and take action on matters such as making wills or signing advance medical directives.

Mr Stephen Giam, 51, for instance, had advanced bile duct cancer. He died three weeks ago.

But before his death on Sept 26, he spent five of his last 20 days filming short videos of himself tackling various topics from his hospital bed. Titled "Stephen Says", the series of 19 YouTube videos covers issues such as: What's it like to have cancer? How do you make death your "slave"? How do you leave a legacy?

During his life, Mr Giam was a motivational coach. He told his doctors that perhaps being a "death coach" would be useful for others.

"People are afraid, but they also want to learn from you. They are curious: what is it like to be dying?" he said in one of his videos.

The videos have since garnered about 70,000 views.

Mr Giam is not alone in his quest to use his dying moments to reduce the stigma associated with death. Industry observers say they see more of such projects nowadays because of a maturing consciousness among people who want to explore what it means to die well, and the availability of online platforms to get the discussion going.

"Our country is at a juncture where people are starting to question whether we should focus on curative treatment to extend life at all costs or whether it is about quality of life and minimising suffering," said Mr Mark Lin, deputy director of the charity Monfort Care which started a project called "Good Death" in April.

Mr Lee Poh Wah, chief executive of Lien Foundation, said: "In our various projects involving the terminally ill, we were never short of people who wanted to speak up and tell their stories.

"But perhaps the greater appeal now stems from the fact that the dying know that they have direct access to a much larger audience in our increasingly connected, online world."

The Good Death initiative, led by Mr Lin, has a "Last Interview" segment where those who are terminally-ill consent to allow their last few verbal exchanges with their social workers to be recorded and released via videos on Facebook and on a website.

"Benny", for instance, had pancreatic cancer. In the interview, he said his biggest regret was to divorce his wife and the most important thing he learnt, after knowing that he had little time left, was to treasure his family.

Another video showed the dilemma that "Mr Tan", who had oesophageal cancer, faced when he had to decide whether or not to opt for a high-risk operation that would extend his life for a while.

Both Benny and Mr Tan have since died and their videos were uploaded online a few weeks ago.

Lien Foundation and the Asia Pacific Hospice Palliative Care Network also released a documentary called "Life Asked Death" about a week ago.

The 26-minute online film showed the challenges and triumphs of bringing palliative care to different parts of Asia, through interviews done with people who were dying and who were in pain due to a lack of pain medication.

Beyond the online space, other projects, such as "Before I Die", venture into the community to engage heartlanders on the issue.

The people who were willing to publicly share the very personal journey of facing death do so for various reasons.

For Mr Giam, it is not only about helping others learn from his experience, but also a therapeutic process for him to talk through how he was feeling.

His last words on the video were: "I hope the videos are interesting and meaningful to you because these are the things I am also struggling and working on on a daily basis now."

Although death remains a taboo topic for many, the dying hope their videos will get these important conversations going long after they die.

Said Dr Jamie Zhou, an associate consultant in the division of palliative care at the National University Cancer Institute, who helped edit Mr Giam's videos: "Nothing is more powerful than a patient's perspective and Stephen kept it real by being authentic and vulnerable. He believed very strongly in what he was doing."

Promises to keep; miles to go before I sleep

From seeing the Northern Lights to writing a book, many Singaporeans have laid down their plans for the things they want to do during their lifetimes.

Before I Die, a global art project, was brought here last year by a group of National University of Singapore medical and nursing students last year, including Jonas Ho and Zachus Tan, both 21.

Chalkboards with the tagline Before I Die: My Last Year are being set up in shopping centres, hospitals and universities this month for people to put down their thoughts on what they wish to do.

For some, it is just spending time with family and friends, finding peace within themselves and catching the sunrise and sunset every day. Others plan to use up all the money in their bank account.

For more information, visit the Before I Die Sg page on Facebook.

Getting some form of closure

When Mr E. W. Lok dies, he does not want a funeral. The 59-year-old has end-stage lung cancer and only a few months to live, but his family does not know of his situation.

Mr Lok just wants to leave this world quietly because he has had enough of people being "kua suay" (Hokkien for "looking down" on him) .

However, he recently chose to do the "Last Interview" with social workers from charity Monfort Care recently.

It is part of a project in which terminally- ill clients give consent for the last few verbal exchanges between them and their social workers to be recorded and released online after they die.

"My social worker told me to leave no regrets, so perhaps, through the video, I can leave behind my life story to encourage the younger generation," Mr Lok told The Straits Times in Mandarin.

The bachelor, who used to do odd jobs, has been struggling with low self-esteem and alcoholism for many years.

He felt there was nothing in his life to be proud of and turned to the bottle.

But his drinking problem ceased when he later started caring for his mother, who has schizophrenia and dementia.

Unfortunately, he had to give up his caregiving role this year when he found out he had cancer. Since then, he has started drinking again.

Said Ms Annie Lee, his social worker: "The Last Interview was more for him to review his life and for us to highlight his strengths so that he is able to get some form of closure."

Getting ready for death

Stephen Says: https://www.youtube.com/ channel/UCCD0xdbDhi0nQ24QKy2G5bA

Good Death: http://www.gooddeath.org.sg

Life Asked Death: http://lifeaskeddeath.com

This article was first published on October 17, 2016.
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Bank employee Jeffrey Tan considers himself to be savvy in making financial investments.

But last December, the 30-year- old began putting $20,000 in an offshore sports arbitrage betting company and went on to lose half of it.

He also persuaded about six friends and his parents to invest about $200,000 in all. They lost all their money.

"I felt so guilty for dragging them in that I tried to kill myself," he said, showing The Straits Times a letter from Tan Tock Seng Hospital, where he was hospitalised for depression after taking an overdose.

He claims to have fallen victim to a sports betting syndicate run by 33-year-old Singaporean Alvin Ang Jun Bin, who claimed to be representing Isle of Man-registered offshore betting company Keystone Trading in Singapore. He has made a police report against Mr Ang.

Police confirmed that more than 20 reports have now been lodged against Mr Ang. The alleged victims, mostly in their 20s and early 30s, have set up a WhatsApp chat group to share information.

Their losses are estimated to total more than $1 million, according to fellow victim Lau Cheng Yi. The 22-year-old, who runs a food and beverage business, lost about $55,000 in cash and three luxury watches valued at $72,000 in total.

"He promised returns of 2 to 10 per cent every month," said Mr Lau. "I did not get a single cent and he is now uncontactable."

Mr Lau said he met Mr Ang in March at a roti prata restaurant in Upper Bukit Timah. "He came in a Nissan GTR sports car and was wearing Louboutin shoes and a Rolex watch," Mr Lau said.

Attracted by the promise of "risk-free returns", Mr Lau handed over his Audemars Piguet Las Vegas watch worth more than $30,000 on the spot. A day later, Mr Ang opened an online account for Mr Lau at the Keystone Trading website with 20,000 credits to his name.

Over two more months, he progressively invested more money after being persuaded. By June, he had put in $127,000.

He sensed something was amiss that month when the website was down. He met Mr Ang at the void deck of his Bangkit Road Housing Board flat. He said Mr Ang claimed that his boss - "Sky" - had run away with the money and promised to look for him to return it.

Other victims said Mr Ang assured them the betting programme was legal as the bets were not placed in Singapore, but through Keystone Trading's offices located in Shenzhen, China, and the United States.

Mr Ang's mobile line was disconnected and he did not reply to messages to his phone.

When reporters visited his HDB flat in Bangkit Road, his father said he moved out last year and came home only occasionally.

Asked if his son was overseas, he said: "I will also avoid people if I were him. Why you ask so many questions?"

Police did not have figures for investment scams specifically. There were a total of 5,150 cheating cases from January to September this year, while the whole of last year saw 6,560 cases, up from 3,898 in 2014.

Mr Tan is now coping with his depression, but the episode has taught him not to be lured by promises of easy money. "I paid a price for learning this," he said.

How does sports arbitrage betting work?

Punters place a series of bets that will either win or minimise their losses, regardless of a game's outcome. They take advantage of different odds offered by bookmakers, who are sometimes based in different countries.

For example, countries A and B could be facing off in a World Cup match. Each team is favoured to win in its own country, so bookmakers on the home turf of each offer different odds. It is thus possible for a punter to place bets in both countries in such a way that, whatever the outcome, the winning bets will offset the losses.

Experts say it is about spreading risk through multiple bets. "You just need to find the right bookmakers with the right combination of odds," said Mr Lau Kok Keng, who heads intellectual property, sports and gaming at law firm Rajah and Tann Singapore LLP.

"Some people have designed robot software to track odds offered on the Internet and automatically place bets when they add up to sure-win scenarios."

But such bets are illegal in Singapore for both offshore operators and punters.

"All offshore betting sites that have customers who are physically in Singapore are illegal under Singapore law," said Mr Lau.

"Operators of such sites will be committing an offence under the Remote Gambling Act.

"For residents here, arbitrage betting is also a 'sure offence'. The only bookmaker they can legally place sports bets with is Singapore Pools."

Lawyer Ramesh Tiwary said people should be wary if they have to transfer money out of Singapore: "It's the young people who tend to believe the Internet is a safe place."

Police advise the public not to fall for "get rich quick" schemes.

This article was first published on Oct 17, 2016.
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They came in droves - Indonesians, Thais and Malaysians - to receive quality medical treatment in Singapore's private hospitals.

But 15 years on, Singapore's ambitions to become a healthcare hub appear to be receding quietly.

The region's well-heeled medical tourists are looking elsewhere for treatment, meaning that local players have had to extend their reach abroad.

According to figures from the Singapore Tourism Board, medical tourism receipts stood at $1.1 billion in 2012, dropped to $832 million the following year, before going up slightly to $994 million in 2014.

Last year, the board stopped providing the figure.

Instead, medical tourism was placed under a generic category called Others, which includes money tourists spend on local transport, education and business.

This stood at $5.8 billion last year.

The STB declined to comment on the change.

It is quite a change from the days in 2002, when the Economic Review Committee said that healthcare was an exportable service that could boost economic growth.

The main reason Singapore is falling behind is that hospitals in countries such as Malaysia and Thailand have stepped up their game, said Mr Jean-Luc Butel, president of consulting firm K8 Global.

While they may not have the state-of-the-art technology that Singapore's private hospitals possess, they can carry out standard surgery at a fraction of the cost.

"There are outstanding surgeons in a lot of these countries; they may not be the best in the world, but they are fully qualified," Mr Butel said.

"This makes the competition very, very tough - our ability to attract the low- or medium-budget traveller is virtually gone."

Dr Zubin Daruwalla, healthcare director of PwC South East Asian Consulting, said that while it is still possible for Singapore to keep its spot at the top for medical tourists, costs must come down.

"The value of the Singapore dollar and its appreciation make us less affordable... flight and accommodation costs also contribute to this, especially if patients require regular follow-up," he said.

In Singapore, a relatively low-cost total hip replacement surgery at a private hospital would set a patient back around $14,000.

In comparison, the same procedure at Mahkota Medical Centre in Malaysia - which treats more than 80,000 foreign patients a year - costs the equivalent of only $8,800.

A basic single room at Farrer Park Hospital costs $562 a day.

The equivalent in one of hospital services company Columbia Asia Group's hotels in Indonesia is $77.

In the face of all this, some hospitals have developed innovative ways to make medical travel about more than just treatment.

At Farrer Park Hospital, where foreigners make up half the number of patients, a tablet can be used to view medical records, order meals and even shop online, and have the purchases delivered to a location of the patient's choice.

Thomson Medical, on the other hand, refers patients from its centres in Malaysia and Indonesia here - or vice versa - if they require technology or expertise that is not available readily in their home country.

"If we can manage our services and costs properly, maintain our high standards of... care, there is no reason why Singapore cannot be at the forefront of not just the regional, but also the global medical tourism market," said Mr Roy Quek, chairman of Thomson Medical.

He added that Singapore will always be a popular destination for complex treatments, a sentiment echoed by Dr Kelvin Loh, chief executive of Parkway Pantai's Singapore operations division.

"There is a growing trend of international patients coming to Singapore for complex medical treatment," he said, adding that its ability to handle such cases has drawn patients from new markets such as China and India.

"We are also expanding by opening new hospitals overseas."

Dr Beng Teck Liang, chief executive of the Singapore Medical Group, said his company recently took the "forward approach" by partnering Indonesia's Ciputra Group to set up an eye-care centre in Jakarta.

Dr Beng said: "Although we are still able to attract foreigners to Singapore for medical tourism, we should also reach out to these emerging countries."

This article was first published on Oct 17, 2016.
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You might have spotted them during the Mid-Autumn Festival last month: miniature hot-air balloons - with hopes and wishes written on their paper bodies - rising high into the sky.

Lit paper lanterns, or sky lanterns, drifting against the dark sky may make for a pretty picture.

But, when the fuel runs out and the lanterns make their way back to the ground, they sometimes get entangled in trees, set fire to vegetation or end up being ingested by wildlife.

As sky lanterns continue to be released during Chinese New Year or Mid-Autumn Festival celebrations here, environmentalists are concerned that they could pose a fire and environmental hazard.

Those intending to release sky lanterns must inform the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore of their plans, and a spokesman told The Straits Times that it has received an average of about 17 notifications a year for the past five years.

Last month, travel company 3PlayGrounds organised a tethered sky lantern release event at a field near Ngee Ann Polytechnic in Clementi.

The event was touted as environmentally-friendly, involving lanterns attached to a string so they would not fly away - as per guidelines set by the Singapore Civil Defence Force - and made with biodegradable material.

But the event drew a backlash from some environmentalists, who said that despite the precautions, some lanterns still got caught in trees, causing embers to fall on surrounding vegetation.

Environmental biology graduate Sumita Thiagarajan, 22, who was at the event, said the 40m string was too long and too thin.

She counted six lanterns getting entangled in trees when they could not be reeled in in time.

She also said that one lantern snapped from its line and flew into a nearby patch of forest.

In response, the organiser said that of the 80 lanterns released, three ended up in trees after the event, but they were retrieved the next day.

On the lantern that flew into the forest patch, a 3PlayGrounds spokesman said the darkness prevented immediate retrieval and organisers returned to look for it the next day.

"The lantern was not found, and thick vegetation also made our search quite hard.

We assume that the lantern, being of thin paper, was dissolved by the rain," she said, adding that the firm regretted this and recommended some precautions.

This includes using shorter strings that are 20m long, ensuring lanterns are released about 25m away from surrounding structures such as trees, and attaching the lantern to the reel more securely so the thread cannot be accidentally burnt through.

Miss Sumita said these measures were a step in the right direction, but added that organisers can look to alternatives without fire, such as lanterns with lights or drones.

To show that environmentalists are no party poopers, Miss Sumita and Ms Ria Tan, who runs wildlife site wildsingapore.com, plan to organise an event using kites instead of lanterns during the Mid-Autumn Festival next year.

"They can be wishing kites with different coloured lights and can still be flown high up into the sky, with no fire involved," said Ms Tan.

This article was first published on Oct 17, 2016.
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The decline in private home prices is wooing buyers back to the market and giving agents something to cheer about after a few lean years.

Take agent Daryl Ou, who hit his sales target for the year in June.

"I managed to close more transactions this year; they have increased about 50 per cent year-on-year... I see more opportunities because of renewed buyers' interest and several upcoming project launches," said Mr Ou, an associate district director at Huttons Asia.

Estate agencies PropNex Realty, OrangeTee and ERA Realty Network said their agents closed around 20 per cent to 40 per cent more transactions in the first nine months of the year than in the same period in 2015.

"Prices have been sliding... and it has perhaps reached a level that potential buyers are somewhat comfortable with," said PropNex chief executive Mohamed Ismail Gafoor.

Prices are down 10.8 per cent from a peak in the third quarter of 2013. A drop of that size after years of steady rises has proved enough to entice wary home seekers.

Engineer Kelvin Kwek and his wife have finally made the jump after four years of property searching.

"We have been looking around but prices then were still high. This year, prices slipped so we decided to invest... It's an upgrade of living style for us," said Mr Kwek, who bought a new three-bedroom unit at Forest Woods in Lorong Lew Lian for $1.27 million.

Despite lacklustre economic prospects, concerns over job security and rising vacancies, the demand for private homes this year seems to have kept pace with last year in the wake of falling prices.

Knight Frank noted that private residential transactions were 6.8 per cent higher in the first nine months of this year at 11,254 - both new sales and resale - compared with 10,533 transactions in the same period last year.

OrangeTee told The Straits Times that its agents have done 40 per cent more private residential deals in the nine months to Sept 30 than in the same period last year - partly due to an increase in the number of agents this year.

Meanwhile, transaction volumes were up 25 per cent for PropNex Realty agents and 20 per cent for ERA Realty Network.

OrangeTee managing director Steven Tan said: "With cooling measures expected to remain unchanged and interest rates still relatively low, some of these buyers have decided to deploy their capital and enter the market."

There were 5,587 resale deals in the first nine months of the year, up on the 4,696 sales in the same period last year. Sales of new units came in at 5,667, lower than the 5,837 sales in January to September last year.

Developers and resellers have also become more competitive in pricing units in the face of challenging market conditions and price-sensitive buyers.

Attractively priced resale properties have recently sold at The Makena in Meyer Road at $1,245 psf, Helios Residences in Cairnhill Circle at $2,088 psf and Valley Park in River Valley at $1,357 psf, noted International Property Advisor.

But some home hunters are prepared to wait for even better deals.

"I think there's a good chance prices could drop further, seeing the way the economy is now," said financial consultant Sanjay Ashok Wadhwani, who is looking for a resale unit for his own use.

Private home prices saw their steepest fall in seven years in the third quarter, tumbling 1.5 per cent from the previous three months, according to flash estimates.

ERA Realty Network key executive officer Eugene Lim expects prices to "continue to trend downwards" for the rest of the year, projecting a decline of 3 per cent to 3.5 per cent for this year.

Cushman & Wakefield research director Christine Li noted: "If the investment is for owner-occupation, there is no harm going back to the market; if it is for investment, particularly with the view of renting the units out, it is better to wait or be selective when buying."

This article was first published on Oct 17, 2016.
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Finding tenants for her four investment properties never used to be much of an issue for investor Jenny Yang, but those days of easy money are long gone.

Two of her units - a studio apartment in Novena and a two-bedroom unit near Lavender MRT station - remain vacant after the tenants, both foreigners, returned home in recent months.

"In the past, before one tenant moved out, I would get another offer, especially for the Lavender unit... now it's slower. The offers are too low as well," she told The Straits Times recently. She renewed leases for her two other properties - in the Bedok Reservoir area and Tampines - this year after lowering the rent by about 5 per cent.

Her plight is broadly in line with market trends, marked by falling rents and rising vacancies amid sluggish economic growth and a large supply of new units.

"With the economy slowing and the financial sector restructuring, the number of completions has outpaced the growth (in number) of foreigners, who account for about 60 per cent of the leasing activity," said Dr Lee Nai Jia, head of South-east Asia research at property consultancy Edmund Tie & Co.

There were 30,310 vacant private homes and a vacancy rate of 8.9 per cent as of June 30, according to the Urban Redevelopment Authority.

International Property Advisor estimates the islandwide vacancy rate could hit 11.1 per cent by the end of the year. Its chief executive Ku Swee Yong noted: "The lack of leasing demand is not just due to the slowing economy, but recent statistics show that the top categories which contributed to population growth - including foreign domestic workers and dependants of pass holders - do not add demand for housing units."

Second-quarter data shows that vacancies were the highest at 12.6 per cent in the north-east region, which includes Punggol and Sengkang, followed by a 9.1 per cent vacancy rate in the east region, which includes Tampines and Pasir Ris.

Condominium rents in the core central region rose 0.1 per cent in the second quarter over the first, while those in the city fringe dipped 0.6 per cent and those in the suburbs declined 1.2 per cent.

The lacklustre leasing market has not put off investors at recent launches. Small-business owner Andrew Yap, who bought a two-bedder at Forest Woods for $917,000 on Oct 8, said: "The market is dull now, but the project won't be completed till a few more years... with future commercial development in Paya Lebar nearby, I think there'll be tenants."

Analysts expect the rental market to soften further, with suburban areas most vulnerable next year, when the bulk of units under construction are expected to be completed.

"Rental demand for some areas is still okay... such as for one- and two- bedroom units in the Central Business District, Marina Bay, Orchard Road, Buona Vista and River Valley," said PropNex Realty senior associate director Anthea Yeo.

With rents moderating, Knight Frank noted that the average rent per lease signed fell 8.8 per cent in the suburbs in the first half of this year over the same period last year, while that of the core central region slipped 4.5 per cent and that for the city fringe was down 4 per cent.

Landlords like accountant Eunice Lim have been more flexible in view of the weaker demand. Ms Lim recently rented out a one-bedder in Balestier for $1,700 a month. "That's a 30 per cent drop in rent... I was prepared to offer a discount. High rents in this market will not materialise. We have to be realistic," she said.

Property agents say it will remain a tenant's market in view of the wide choice of units available, but those near transport nodes and amenities will enjoy better demand.

This article was first published on October 17, 2016.
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She thought it was a mere infatuation. Until she felt threatened.

Ann (not her real name), an administrative assistant in her 20s, was stalked by her ex-lover for over a month after their break-up in July.

Ann told The New Paper she constantly had to look over her shoulder because she was worried he was following her.

She said: "It started less than a month after our break-up. He started appearing when I didn't reply to his text messages."

She did not realise the seriousness of the situation until she noticed him lurking at the places she hung out.

She said: "I had checked in at a nail salon on Facebook and after I finished my manicure session, I saw him nearby.

"That was when I realised he was really following me everywhere and was checking on my every move."

Ann is a victim of unlawful stalking, which is defined as entering or loitering in any public or private place frequented by the victim, or the victim's place of residence or business.

Unlawful stalking and other harassment offences come under the Protection from Harassment Act (POHA), which was enacted in November 2014 to strengthen harassment laws here.

Since the Act was enacted, there have been 222 applications for protection orders. Of these, at least 76 were granted.

MORE SEEKING HELP

Lawyers The New Paper spoke to confirmed they are seeing an increase in clients seeking help due to harassment and unlawful stalking.

Association of Women for Action and Research (Aware) said it received reports of 150 cases of harassment so far this year, and most of them involve stalking.

After the incident at the salon, Ann stopped revealing her location on social media, but it was not the end of her nightmare.

The ex-boyfriend also threatened to leak an obscene video of the two of them and spread rumours that she had an abortion.

He then began showing up near her home.

Ann said: "My mother was hanging the clothes out to dry when she spotted him at the next block.

"I constantly felt haunted. I didn't feel safe at all."

For the next three days, Ann ordered McDonald's delivery for food because she was afraid of bumping into him. She also got her friend to drive her around if she needed to go out.

She said: "My worst fear was that he would come into my house and kill me."

Ann said: "My ex's love turned into an obsession."

After days of being cooped up at home, she finally decided to seek help from the police.

Ann said: "They told me it was harassment, but they advised me to seek legal help in applying for protection orders instead."

Her ex-boyfriend stopped following her after he found out through mutual friends that she had sought help from the police.

TNP understands that the police often request for victims to seek legal help as it cannot take action unless there is a court order.

The police step in depending on the circumstances - there is a higher chance of intervention if there is criminal intent or the actions are life-threatening.

But the price of seeking legal means was an obstacle for her.

She said: "Paying for the lawyers easily costs from $3,000 to $5,000."

Ann added: "I think love turned into an obsession. Although he has stopped after knowing I went to the police, I still wish I had taken action earlier."

WHAT CONSTITUTES STALKING?

Stalking is not just following someone. It encompasses a wide range of acts, said Ms Jolene Tan, head of advocacy and research at the Association of Women for Action and Research (Aware).

They include sending communications to or about someone, entering or loitering at their home, workplace or anywhere else they frequent, interfering with their property, sending unwanted material (such as gifts and flowers) and keeping them under watch.

Ms Tan added: "Even a one-time act, if it is sufficiently serious, can constitute stalking."

Aware said they had received reports of around 150 cases of harassment so far this year.

These harassment cases usually include stalking, added Ms Tan.

Last year, they had 130 cases of sexual harassment (physical and non-physical) and 47 cases of stalking or non-sexual harassment.

Ms Tan said the enactment of the Protection from Harassment Act suggests that harassment and stalking are being taken more seriously by the authorities.

She said: "It is also a sign that our society is gradually recognising harassment and abuse as acts that go beyond physical violence."

WHAT CAN VICTIMS DO?

Under the Protection from Harassment Act (POHA), victims of stalking have both criminal and civil remedies.

For criminal remedies, they can make a police report and/or make a Magistrate's complaint at the State Court to seek redress for the offence committed. A police report can also be made online through the Singapore Police Force website.

In respect of civil remedies, victims can apply for POHA court orders such as protection order​, expedited protection order​, or ​non-publication order.

This will get the perpetrator to stop further harassment​ or ​stalking, and can, for example, stop​ the stalker from contacting ​the victim or ​have online posts taken down.

Victims who can get a lawyer can also sue a harasser or stalker for monetary compensation.

If the harasser or stalker is a family member, they can also seek a Personal Protection Order from the family court under the Women's Charter.

This article was first published on Oct 17, 2016.
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SINGAPORE - New bus drivers in Singapore will now undergo a standardised centralised training programme, following the opening of the new Singapore Bus Academy on Monday (Oct 17).

In a statement, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) said that the Enhanced Vocational License Training Programme will complement existing training efforts of individual operators, and will be a requirement for new bus captains to attain their Omnibus Drivers' Vocational Licenses.

As part of the programme, bus captains will cover six modules: overview of Public Transport Industry, Omnibus Drivers' Vocational Licence and regulations, sectoral tripartism, overview of bus ticketing system and common fleet management systems, service literacy and safe driving techniques.

The five-day programme, which will receive the first batch of about 30 trainees on Oct 31, will be conducted by both in-house trainers as well as trainers from the National Transport Workers' Union as well as from transport operators SBS and SMRT.

The academy, which is located at the Devan Nair Institute for Employment and Employability in Jurong East, was officially opened by Senior Minister of State for Transport Josephine Teo.

In her speech, she said: "We depend on a high quality, professional workforce to translate these investments into better commuter experiences on the ground. This is why developing our human resource must be a key pillar of our overall efforts."

LTA revealed that the Singapore Bus Academy is also developing programmes for existing bus professionals to undergo continual training and deepen their skills. It will also be a career resource centre dedicated to the public bus industry.

seanyap@sph.com.sg

Heavily armed troops from the police and Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) turned out in force yesterday across the island, from Marina Bay to Jurong East, to seek out and neutralise a mock terror threat in the country's largest counter-terrorism exercise yet.

The 18-hour operation involved over 3,200 officers, including those from the Singapore Civil Defence Force and other Home Team agencies.

It climaxed at malls in Bishan and Tampines, where "terrorists" armed with M16 rifles and explosive vests took hostages, including in a cinema, before being subdued early this morning.

Earlier yesterday, joint patrols between police and the SAF's Island Defence Task Force, which protects key installations here, were stepped up at over 360 locations such as the financial centre, public transport nodes, shopping malls, residential areas and immigration checkpoints - after receiving intelligence about an imminent attack.

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Singapore holds largest islandwide counter-terror exercise

Source:

The Straits Times

There are two reasons for the exercise, said the police.

One is to test the combined response between the Home Team and the Singapore Armed Forces to a terror attack. The other is to raise public awareness to "the current threat landscape and to encourage continued vigilance".

Over 50 community volunteers also took part in the operation, which began at 10am yesterday and ended at 4am this morning.

The exercise comes as Singapore ramps up its readiness in tackling terror attacks.

On Sept 24, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong launched SGSecure, a nationwide movement which aims to increase the public's preparedness and resilience.

Last Saturday, Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean, who is also Coordinating Minister for National Security, launched an SMS alert system which will notify people if there is a major emergency, such as a fire or a terror attack, nearby.

These developments are a response to the growing terror threat from Islamic State in Iraq and Syria and self-radicalised lone wolves to Singapore and the region, which is at its highest level in recent times.

dansonc@sph.com.sg

ISIS activities in Southeast Asia

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BHM, The Star/ANN, Royal Malaysian Police, Utusan Malaysia, AFP, Reuters, YouTube screengrabs

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A JAPANESE man, who had hoped to meet the Singapore girl whom he had a crush on 40 years ago and could never forget despite the passage of time, finally had his wish fulfilled this week, thanks to Facebook and Lianhe Wanbao.

Seiichiro Isoda, managing director of an international food company now based in Singapore, met Yvonne Chua again on Sunday in the lobby of Furama Riverfront Hotel at Havelock Road, reported the Chinese evening daily.

That is the hotel where they first met in 1976, then called Novotel Apollo Singapore, when she was an 18-year-old cafe waitress, her very first job, and he, a 15-year-old spending his New Year holiday here with his mother.

Despite the lapse of 40 years, he immediately recognised Ms Chua when she appeared on Sunday with her family members, and rushed out from the restaurant, where he had been waiting, to greet her, reported Wanbao.

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Japanese man meet with Singaporean 'dream girl' after 40 years

Source:

Lianhe Wanbao

Ms Chua froze for a moment but she quickly recalled his face in the Oct 2 Wanbao article about his search for her.

"I was surprised. I've changed so much, yet he could recognise me," the managing director of a logistics company told Wanbao.

"Although it has been 40 years, her bright eyes and sweet smile are the same as before," said Mr Isoda.

The two communicated in English for two hours, sharing about their lives and looking at the photos they took together in 1976.

That year, he saw her twice, first in the cafe when she was serving drinks to customers, and then the next day when they specially met up in the lobby for the photo-taking, which was secured by his mother as he could not speak English then.

However, to his regret, he could not remember her name and he had not got her address and number.

His effort to find Ms Chua during his posting here by a bank from 1994 to 2000 was futile as he had no clue to start with.

Then, last year, he was again posted to Singapore, and this time he resorted to Facebook to disseminate his story.

A friend, who saw the post, linked him up with Wanbao, and three days after the report was published, the newspaper received a call from Ms Chua's daughter.

Fearing that the meeting would generate gossip, Ms Chua originally did not agree to it, but her husband urged her to show up, saying he was moved by Mr Isoda's sincerity and perseverance.

Mr Isoda said his dogged search for Ms Chua also had the blessing of his wife, who often heard him praise the looks and serene charms of the "most beautiful girl" he has ever met.

"If I were a Singaporean, I would certainly have tried to seek her hand," said Mr Isoda.

Now he hopes only that he could remain in contact with Ms Chua, who is a grandmother of three children.

"But I never regret spending so many years looking for her," he said.

myp@sph.com.sg

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Father of three who raped a woman he met at a New Year's Eve party was sentenced to nine years' jail and six strokes of the cane yesterday.

Removal man Muhammad Farhan Mohamed Buan, 30, went to the party at a chalet at the D'Kranji Farm Resort with his wife and three children.

But as the party wound down in the early hours of Jan 1 last year, he left his family sleeping inside the chalet and went in pursuit of the victim, who had gone to a pavilion outside to rest.

Farhan, then 28, struck up a conversation with the single mother, then 30. He asked her for sex after she took a few puffs of his cigarette. But she told him to go back to his wife and children.

He then forcibly kissed her and pulled down his trousers to expose himself to her. Feeling insulted, she scolded him and said she was leaving.

Farhan offered her $10 for the taxi fare. He also offered to walk her out, saying it was not safe for her to walk alone along the road outside the resort.

At about 6am, at the junction of Neo Tiew Road and Neo Tiew Lane 2, he handed her $10.

He said he heard voices coming from the bushes and suggested they take a look.

When she refused, he grabbed her and pulled her towards the dense foliage by the side of the road. He carried the woman up, jumped across a large drain and threw her on the grass.

He raped her as she was trying to pick herself off the ground. After the rape, he gave her another $15 and told her not to tell anyone. He walked back to the resort.

She walked back to the road, where she waved down a taxi driver who had just dropped off a passenger. The cabby called the police immediately after she said she had been raped.

Yesterday, Farhan pleaded guilty in the High Court to one charge of rape and one of insulting the woman's modesty by exposing himself. A third charge of sexual penetration was considered.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Kavita Uthrapathy sought 10 to 12 years' jail and six to 12 strokes of the cane, arguing that Farhan's actions were "deliberated". But his lawyer, Sadhana Rai, sought seven years' jail and no more than six strokes. She argued that his offences were not premeditated.

selinal@sph.com.sg

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The death of Coney Island's lone cow has now made international headlines.

In a report headlined "Coney Island: The life and death of a lonely Singapore cow", the BBC on Sunday wrote that the animal "quickly became a local legend among Singaporeans, most of whom live in the city or suburbs and have little interaction with livestock".

The cow, which was really a Brahman bull, died last month during a routine health check.

It had been a hit among netizens, and visitors to Coney Island often tried to locate it, though it was famously elusive.

The National Parks Board (NParks) announced its death last Wednesday, saying that the cow "was a recognisable part of Coney Island Park and will be missed".

Click on thumbnail to view photos. Source: 

The Straits Times, NParks, Lianhe Zaobao

NParks had first found the lone bovine while setting up the 50ha park at Punggol, which was opened to the public a year ago.

The park got its name when a businessman in 1950 bought and named it after New York's Coney Island amusement park with intentions to turn it into a resort.

It is not known how the cow got there or how old it was, although NParks told the BBC that it may "have wandered in" and was noticed only after dam crossings were built.

"But as no one has reported a lost cow, its presence on the island remains a mystery," said NParks.

The Straits Times reported last week that the cow was sickly and malnourished when it was first found but recovered after foraging naturally on the abundant vegetation on the island.

Post-mortem investigations by the Agri-Food & Veterinary Authority of Singapore (AVA) show that the cow had "chronic underlying illnesses, and that it likely died of heart and lung complications while sedated".

Online, netizens reacted with sadness and some with outrage that it had died while sedated.

Twitter user Darryl Kang wrote: "Rest in peace Coney Island cow. Sad that we didn't get a chance to meet each other."

Some even compared it to Harambe, a silver back gorilla from a zoo in the United States that was controversially shot dead after a child got into its enclosure.

NParks said in a statement that "health checks are necessary for the cow's own well-being and for public health reasons, for example, to prevent the spread of diseases between animals and humans".

"Given its large size, sedating the cow was a standard procedure to ensure the safety of all personnel involved," it added.

lydialam@sph.com.sg

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It was a reckless stunt, one that earned him not just lots of online vitriol, but also trouble with a supercar owner.

Last Saturday, mountain biker Izzadnaff Abdul Qusyairl, 15, spotted a yellow Lamborghini Gallardo parked outside Bedok Stadium when he was on his way to the community centre to play computer games.

Having seen a BMX video showing a famous YouTuber jumping onto and cycling over the roof of a car a year ago, Izzadnaff decided to do the same.

"When I did it, I never thought of the consequences," he told The New Paper yesterday.

He should have. When the owner of the car later posted online a video of what the teen had done, it went viral, getting up to 272,000 views, 3,800 shares and more than 350 comments.

Many condemned the teen's stunt, and some went on a witchhunt to expose his identity.

Thankfully, the owner of the Lamborghini, Mr Aaron Rylan Keder, 28, forgave him and decided not to seek redress from Izzadnaff's parents.

Mr Aaron told TNP yesterday: "I met the family on Sunday afternoon and we have resolved the issue.

"All I wanted was an explanation from the boy and to know how he felt when he went on top of my car.

"I also wanted him to know that what he had done was wrong and not to repeat it."

An avid biker, Izzadnaff has participated in many cycling competitions since he was seven years old.

He even received the Peter Lim Scholarship as a mountain biker in May, which was aimed to fund sports scholarships for those from financially-challenged backgrounds.

REMORSEFUL

When asked how he felt about the entire episode, Izzadnaff said he was remorseful for his actions.

"I am really sorry for the hurt and inconvenience caused upon Mr Aaron and my family," he added.

Madam Azizah Mohd Putih, 45, a housewife, said she was angry with her son.

She said: "Izzadnaff is usually obedient. I don't know what happened to him that day.

"He was very afraid to admit to his mistake after that, but I told him that he had done something wrong, so he had to stand up and admit his mistake."

Madam Putih said she then tried to contact Mr Aaron via Facebook on the same day but did not receive any reply.

She managed to get his telephone number from a mutual friend afterwards and contacted him the following morning.

She said: "I didn't know what was going to happen next, all I wanted to do was to let my son apologise to the car owner."

The family successfully contacted Mr Aaron, a businessman, and they met to settle the matter.

Mr Aaron said: "The boy has a bright future ahead of him and I know if I were to blow it up, it would have severe consequences.

"There were many negative remarks online as well and I felt they were really unnecessary.

"Izzadnaff apologised when I met him. I knew he was really sorry about it."

Mr Aaron said he has not sent his car for repair due to his busy schedule.

"I don't know the exact damage, but I think it might have affected the body kit," he added.

Stunts are for skate parks, not carparks

A cyclist who wants to perform a stunt has to do it at designated areas such as skate parks and perhaps trails, not in areas like public carparks.

The public should call the police if they witness such occurrences.

In giving this advice, Land Transport Authority's Active Mobility Advisory Panel member Denis Koh, 44, noted that safety helmet and padded gear are highly recommended.

Safe Cycling Task Force president and Singapore Cycling Federation for Safety and Education vice-president Steven Lim, 49, said what the teen did was irresponsible, and that he had disregarded his own safety as well as that of others.

"I believe that when we commit any act, we need to consider if we want others to do the same to us first," he said.

"Safety is a personal responsibility but road safety is a shared responsibility."

Mr Lim also noted that many people have stereotyped cyclists as law-breakers, like those who beat red lights.

"We are very concerned about this, so we have been giving safety talks as we do not want one or two people to bring down the entire community."

huienl@sph.com.sg

This article was first published on October 18, 2016.
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You could soon see driverless vehicles cleaning the roads and clearing your rubbish, in what could be a world-first application of such technology.

The National Environment Agency (NEA) and the Ministry of Transport (MOT) issued a request for information (RFI) for the design and development of such vehicles yesterday. The closing date for submissions is Dec 28.

The multi-purpose utility vehicles (MPUV) should be able to autonomously clean pavements and roads, as well as collect and dispose of stored litter.

Expected to operate between 10pm and 5am, they should be quiet, generating noise of less than 50 decibels, and be able to be monitored either remotely or on-site.

They should have a top speed of 25kmh and be able to vacuum, sweep and brush around tree roots, uneven surfaces and broken tiles.

The agencies are also looking at the optional development of vehicles that can collect rubbish from bins at private housing estates, and dispose of it at sites up to 100km away. It noted that the cleaning and refuse collection functions could be combined.

One-north - currently a test bed for driverless vehicles - and its surrounding commercial and residential areas was proposed as a test area for the cleaning vehicles.

"Proposers may also propose alternative sites for testing and deployment of the MPUV with relevant justifications and considerations," said the document.The Seletar Hills private estate was offered as a test area for refuse-collecting vehicles.

"Through this RFI, we hope to seek information from the industry, institutes of higher learning and research institutes on how we could leverage new technology to improve the productivity of public cleaning," said the NEA and the MOT in a media release yesterday.

The two agencies noted that the use of the technology was in line with the vision laid out by the Committee of Autonomous Road Transport (Carts). Carts was formed by the Government in 2014 to chart the direction for self-driving technology, including their use for mass transportation and freight delivery.

Last year, MOT began collaborating with port operator PSA to develop autonomous truck platooning technology for transporting cargo between port terminals.

Robotics expert Marcelo Ang said the introduction of such cleaning vehicles could simply be a matter of converting existing equipment into driverless units.

Said the acting director of the Advanced Robotics Centre at the National University of Singapore: "They would use the same algorithms as driverless cars."

He added that such vehicles should be able to go around uneven surfaces, as driverless vehicles are already able to negotiate obstacles.

This article was first published on Oct 18, 2016.
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Rescued animals housed in Pasir Ris Farmway will not be left stranded when their shelters are moved at the end of next year, according to Mr Louis Ng, an MP for Nee Soon GRC.

He gave this assurance to volunteers last Saturday during a dialogue on animal welfare held at Nee Soon East Community Club.

Participants raised concerns following a Straits Times report that some 1,000 stray and abandoned dogs and 800 cats will have to leave the area as the authorities want the land for industrial development.

But Mr Ng, who founded wildlife rescue group Animal Concerns Research and Education Society, stopped short of giving details on a solution for the seven animal welfare groups in the area.

When contacted, Mr Ng would say only that the Ministry of National Development will announce plans at a later date.

Tenants of Pasir Ris Farmway were told by the Singapore Land Authority (SLA) in a letter on Oct 4 that the land must be returned to SLA by Dec 31 next year.

The Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority and the SLA later told The Straits Times in a joint reply that alternative sites in Sungei Tengah will be made available for interested parties to tender.

But the authorities did not provide details on when the Sungei Tengah sites will be available for tender or how big the plots are, causing uncertainty for the animal welfare groups, which worry that new shelters will not be able to be built by the deadline.

Mr Derrick Tan, president of Voices For Animals, one of the affected animal welfare groups, said volunteers will be assured that their animals "will not be left stranded" only when they are presented with concrete plans.

Dr Siew Tuck Wah, president of SOSD, another animal welfare group, said: "The animals will not be left stranded, but the question is how much we have to pay for them to have a place in Singapore.

"If the animal welfare groups are made to rent from commercial farms, there will be no guidelines on the rental price.

"And if shelters are expected to be at least two storeys, it is natural that the rental will increase. By how much, we do not know."

This article was first published on Oct 18, 2016.
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Most of the 51 stallholders who lost their livelihoods when a fire swept through a wet market and two coffee shops in Jurong a week ago say they do not intend to take up an offer of temporary stalls.

Applications opened yesterday for them to relocate to other parts of the island, with the Housing Board (HDB) and the National Environment Agency (NEA) promising them priority without having to go through the bidding process.

This was part of the help offered to them after a blaze engulfed their premises at Block 493 and Block 494 last Tuesday. A 41-year-old man was arrested on Thursday for allegedly starting the fire.

However, most stallholders told The Straits Times they did not intend to take up the offer.

Madam Teo Ai Yoke, 65, who sold bags and slippers at the Block 493 wet market near where she lives, said she would not want to move out of the area as she has a familiar customer base.

Acknowledging that it would take over a year to rebuild the market, she said she would make do by working late-night shifts at a nearby Giant supermarket.

Mr Seow Lai Huat, 56, who sold yong tau foo at the Block 493 wet market, has resumed business in nearby Block 497.

However, he has scaled down as the stall is smaller, selling only noodles, tofu and bean sprouts. He is earning half of what he earned previously. He said: "An old friend has two stalls there. After the fire, he asked me if I wanted to rent part of it, at least for the next six months."

He did not want to move beyond that due to the additional transport costs and the loss of regular customers.

Mr Soh Chun Wee, 27, whose family ran a Western food stall at the Block 493 coffee shop, is considering renting a stall at one of the privately-owned coffee shops in Block 496 and Block 498.

He said: "We have a customer base in this area. If we shift, we are not guaranteed a customer base."

He said he is waiting for a HDB report on whether the coffee shop will also have to be demolished and rebuilt, like the wet market.

Mr Ang Wei Neng, an MP for Jurong GRC, said while the HDB's report will be out in a "couple of days", it is likely Block 493 will have to be demolished and rebuilt. Meanwhile, the Block 494 coffee shop is likely to be handed back to the owner in two months' time.

Madam Gunasekaran Nalayeni, 37, who sold Indian-Muslim food at the Block 494 coffee shop, said she would study the proposed locations before making her decision.

"I know some of these places don't have much business," she said, adding that she wanted to return to the Jurong West Street 41 location eventually.

This article was first published on Oct 18, 2016.
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With his boyish good looks and charming smile, it is little wonder that photos of Mr Lee Minwei, an auxiliary police officer at Changi Airport, have gone viral.

The 22-year-old gained instant popularity online last week, after his photos were posted on local humour site SGAG on Oct 14.

The photos show Mr Lee checking passports and have received a barrage of positive comments, mostly praising his striking features.

Then, just days later on Monday night (Oct 17), Changi Airport revealed the identity of the mysterious officer on their Facebook page, to the delight of his newfound fans.

Mr Lee said he was shocked by his sudden rise to Internet fame. "There are times when tourists ask me to take photos with them, but I never expected something like this to happen," he was quoted in the post.

"My friends and family tease me a lot, but I have a feeling my younger brother is slightly jealous."

The photogenic officer added that his mother has "really beautiful eyes", and he and his three siblings take after their parents' good looks.

While he also revealed that he is single, he added he is not actively seeking a relationship at the moment as he would like to focus on his career.

"I believe things will happen naturally if it's meant to be, and if the right girl comes along," he said.

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'Handsome' Changi Airport officer is a single 22-year-old Corporal

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screengrabs

/SGAG

Facebook / SGAG

This is not the first time a police officer has gone viral for his good looks.

In February last year, Assistant Superintendent Ryan Koh became the unofficial poster boy for the Singapore Police Force after cardboard standees of his likeness were placed at store entrances across the island. He was dubbed Singapore's "most handsome" police officer.

Click on thumbnail to view photos. Source: 

Facebook video screengrabs

This article was first published on October 17, 2016.
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New bus drivers, who want to obtain their licence, will now have to go through an additional centralised training programme conducted by the Singapore Bus Academy, which was officially opened yesterday.

The five-day Enhanced Vocational Licence Training Programme will cover foundational topics such as the public transport industry, omnibus driver's vocational licence and regulations, bus ticketing system and common fleet management systems, customer service and safe driving.

It will complement public bus operators' existing training programmes for the Omnibus Driver's Vocational Licence - the industry requirement for public bus drivers.

The programme will be conducted in both English and Mandarin by in-house trainers, as well as those from the National Transport Workers' Union, SBS Transit and SMRT.

Senior Minister of State for Transport Josephine Teo, who attended the opening, noted that the academy is part of the strategy "to raise professionalism through enhanced training".

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2 public buses go on the wayward

Source:

The Straits Times

The New Paper

She added that the Land Transport Authority and the Employment and Employability Institute (e2i) will provide training grants to cover around two-thirds of the programme fees for all local bus drivers.

The first batch of 30 trainees will start the programme at the end of this month.

One of the trainees who is looking forward to starting the programme is 57-year-old Yeo Teng Lam, a new bus driver with SBS.

"I'm interested in the safe driving aspect," said the former project manager in the construction industry. "It raises awareness of the potential dangers and hazards, so it benefits me as an individual too."

An estimated 2,000 new bus driver are expected to go through the programme every year.

The academy, which is located at the Devan Nair Institute for Employment and Employability in Jurong East, will provide more training programmes for bus drivers, as well as for other workers in the bus industry, such as technicians and planners, in the future.

It also serves as a career resource centre for members of the public who are interested in joining the public bus industry.

feliciac@sph.com.sg 

This article was first published on Oct 18, 2016.
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Your future home might be planned using virtual reality, built with a 3D printer and inspected by a robot for quality.

What may sound like a sci-fi movie could become reality in a few decades as Singapore ramps up its construction productivity and employs more efficient building methods.

Construction site productivity has grown by an average rate of 1.3 per cent per year since 2009 but there is still room for improvement, said National Development Minister Lawrence Wong yesterday at the launch of the Singapore Construction Productivity Week at the Singapore Expo.

As such, the Government is adopting a string of measures to raise productivity growth to the national target of 3 per cent per year.

This comes amid a need to overcome manpower constraints as Singapore continues to develop and take on more construction projects, such as the upcoming Jurong Lake District and waterfront city at Tanjong Pagar, Mr Wong said.

The Building and Construction Authority (BCA) has come up with a new road map that will see the industry develop, adapt and adopt technologies in areas such as robotics, 3D printing and prefabrication in factories.

Such methods, some of which are already in practice here, are expected to speed up the building process, rely on fewer workers and boost construction quality.

About 400 industry players, public agencies, institutes of higher learning and research institutions were consulted for this road map.

"BCA will now study how we can support these different research priorities and give them a greater push," said Mr Wong.

BCA chief executive John Keung said the first step is to look for funding for such technologies, which are typically more expensive. But he is not too worried about cost.

Said Dr Keung: "Once the industry is familiar with (such technologies), there will be economies of scale... and the cost will come down."

Some of these technologies were on show yesterday at the event's BuildTech Asia exhibition, organised by Sphere Exhibits and hosted by BCA.

Nanyang Technological University's Singapore Centre for 3D Printing, for instance, showcased a 3D printer that can produce concrete structures.

The Government will also look at stipulating productivity outcomes, such as manpower savings, for future Government Land Sales (GLS) sites, but without mandating any specific technology.

Currently, the use of specific technologies, such as prefabricated pre-finished volumetric construction, has been mandated for selected GLS sites.

But the new requirement will allow "more innovation and scope" for firms bidding for the sites to come up with their own productive methods, said Dr Keung.

yeosamjo@sph.com.sg

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Town councils may soon be required to notify residents and the Ministry of National Development (MND) of key appointments like its chairman or general manager.

They would also have to set up a dedicated fund to replace lifts, and not take part in financial activities that detract from their core function of managing public housing estates, like operating its own commercial fairs.

These are among 12 amendments to the Town Councils Act, which is expected to be updated by the end of the year and for which the MND is seeking public feedback.

The wide-ranging changes clarify the roles of town councils and are expected to improve governance and strengthen how they manage finances, as well as give the ministry more regulatory oversight.

The long-awaited review was first mooted in May 2013.

It was raised again last February after a debate on the Auditor-General's special report flagged major problems in the Workers' Party's town council's finances.

After the Aljunied-Hougang-Punggol East Town Council (AHPETC) reported a sharp rise in arrears in April 2013, it stopped submitting its monthly arrears reports for almost two years.

Currently, MND has no power to compel town councils to give information on its finances and there are no penalties if a town council refuses to do so.

But if the proposals are accepted, town councils must submit their audited financial statements to MND within six months after the close of the financial year, or risk being penalised.

Members of the public can give their feedback on the changes till Nov 17, the MND said in a statement yesterday.

MND added that the proposed amendments "seek to ensure that TCs deliver essential public services in a consistent, fair and sustainable way that serves the interest of residents, while retaining the autonomous nature of TCs".

rachelay@sph.com.sg

For details of the proposed amendments, visit www.reach.gov.sg

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