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In statements on social media, the Worker's Party (WP) and the Progress Singapore Party (PSP) congratulated the incoming prime minister, Lawrence Wong, ahead of his swearing-in ceremony tonight (May 15).
The two opposition parties also thanked Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong for his 20 years of service as prime minister. WP and PSP are the only opposition parties with sitting members in parliament. Voters expect greater transparency and say: WP In a statement on May 15, signed by WP Secretary-General and Leader of the Opposition Pritam Singh, the party thanked PM Lee for his "long years" of public service, including his 20 years as prime minister. WP offered their congratulations and best wishes to Lawrence Wong on his appointment, but also mentioned the "challenging" road which lies ahead. "Mr Wong is taking over the leadership of our nation during an era of greater political contestation, with voters expecting greater transparency, and a greater say in public policies." The statement also mentioned the "unpredictable" external environment and the "significant generational shifts" domestically before adding: "To meet these challenges, a greater diversity of voices by way of elected opposition members in Parliament can be an important stabiliser for our politics, a source of strength, and expression of confidence in our people and our nation." WP wished Wong "the very best" as he steps into his new role, and committed to advancing the interests of Singapore and its people by continuing to play its legislative role. A new beginning: PSP A post on PSP's Facebook page on May 15, signed off by Secretary-General Hazel Poa, offered the party's "warmest congratulations" to Singapore's soon-to-be fourth prime minister, Lawrence Wong, and wished him "all the best". The party recognised PM Lee's service, thanking him for his 20 years as Singapore's leader, and highlighted the opportunities a new leader provides for the city-state. "As Singapore enters a new beginning, new possibilities beckon." In an interview with The Economist on May 6, Wong said the "the opposition presence in parliament is here to stay", a sentiment echoed by PSP in their statement. The party acknowledged the "constructive" role they expect to play in Singapore's nation building efforts and contributing, alongside other political parties, to the outcome of political decisions. Hanis at PLQ Mall has been temporarily suspended for two weeks from May 14 to 27, 2024, the Singapore Food Agency (SFA) announced.
The suspension under the Points Demerit System was the result of the licensee of the eatery accumulating 12 demerit points over a 12-month period. Hanis was fined a total of S$800 for two offences that incurred 12 demerit points in total. Both of the offences were the failure to keep the licensed premises free of infestation. Each offence incurred six demerit points. Risk getting licence cancelled SFA said that based on track records, a licensee who accumulates 12 or more demerit points during a 12-month period may have his licence suspended for a period of either two or four weeks, or cancelled. Rehabilitative action All food handlers working in the suspended premises would also be required to re-attend and pass the Food Safety Course Level 1, before they can resume work as food handlers. The licensee is also required to ensure that all food hygiene officers working in the suspended premises, if any, re-attend and pass the Food Safety Course Level 3. SFA said it takes a serious view of these offences and would like to remind food operators to observe good food and personal hygiene practices at all times, and to engage only registered food handlers. SFA added it will not hesitate to take firm action against anyone found to be in violation of the Environmental Public Health Act. In the interest of maintaining a high standard of food hygiene at all eating establishments, SFA is advising members of the public who come across poor hygiene practices in food establishments not to patronise such outlets and provide feedback via the online feedback form (https://www.sfa.gov.sg/feedback) or to call our SFA Contact Centre at 68052871 with details for our follow-up investigations. Two girls, who were hospitalised at KK Hospital, apparently sat at the window ledge of the hospital.
The Singapore Civil Defence Force and Singapore Police Force personnel attended to the incident. It took at least an hour and a half to persuade the two of them to come down. An eyewitness tipped reporters off about the presence of two fire trucks, a Red Rhino vehicle and an ambulance parked at the waiting area on the first floor of the hospital on May 13 at about 9:20pm. An unidentified eyewitness told reporters: "It was said that the two individuals were young girls, and they were both hospitalised patients. The two left their ward, walked through the office area, and climbed out of the window." Sat at third or fourth floor window sill A girl wearing a blue hospital gown was seen sitting cross-legged on the third or fourth floor window sill. Several police officers appeared to have been communicating with her. SCDF personnel set up air cushions below her. The Singapore Police Force told reporters that negotiators from the Crisis Negotiation Unit were at the scene to provide support. The police said two girls, aged 14 and 16, were later referred for psychological evaluation under the Mental Health Act. No one was injured in the incident. KKH said it is investigating the incident and that the persons involved are currently safe and receiving treatment and assistance. Helplines If you or someone you know are in mental distress, here are some hotlines you can call to seek help, advice, or just a listening ear: SOS 24-hour Hotline: 1-767 Singapore Association for Mental Health: 1800-283-7019 Institute of Mental Health: 6389-2222 (24 hours) Tinkle Friend: 1800-274-4788 (for primary school-aged children) SHECARES@SCWO: Call: 8001 01 4616 | WhatsApp: 6571 4400 (for targets of online harms) Man, 51, tried to rape woman, 26, who fell asleep at S'pore apartment poolside, gets 8 years jail5/15/2024 A South Korean man, 51, attempted to rape an exchange student who fell asleep at the poolside of their serviced apartment compound where they both stayed in Singapore.
The accused, Cho Tae Kwon, was sentenced to eight years and four-and-a-half months' jail on May 13, after pleading guilty to one charge of molest and another charge of attempted rape. Two other charges for molest were taken into consideration. At the time of the offence, Cho was 49 years old and was working as an engineer in Singapore. The victim and Cho were strangers. A gag order was placed on the victim’s identity and the location of the offence. Victim headed to the pool area for some privacy The then-25-year-old victim was a Swedish exchange student at the National University of Singapore. On the evening of Sep. 9, 2022, the victim had gone clubbing with her flatmates and initially returned back to her unit. Wanting some privacy to call her boyfriend who lived in Sweden, she left the unit to buy some groceries at around 3:14am on Sep. 10, 2022, and eventually headed to the pool area. After the call ended, the victim felt tired and fell asleep on the couch at approximately 3:51am. Cho left his unit around 4:24am and noticed the victim asleep on the couch, having gone to his neighbouring colleagues' unit prior to celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival with dinner and drinks. He proceeded to molest the victim after she did not respond to his touch at approximately 4:27am, touching her buttocks, thighs and waist. The prosecutors said Cho then attempted to rape the victim for six minutes, but did not succeed. During this time, the victim woke up but was still groggy and under the influence of alcohol. "She had no strength to resist the accused who laid on top of her and straddled himself between her legs," said the prosecutor. Cho then forcefully kiss the victim at around 4:42am, where the victim started to regain her consciousness and was shocked to find the accused lying on top of her. The victim began resisting the assault and told Cho to "stop" several times. During the scuffle, both Cho and the victim fell off the couch and onto the ground. The victim then took her personal belongings, as well as Cho's shorts in her haste to get away from the accused, at around 4:44am. Cho wore his underwear and went back to his unit to retrieve a pair of shorts, before taking the lift back down to the pool area at around 4:54am. He then headed to the level of the residence which the victim stayed at. "Unable to find the victim, the accused decided to return to the ninth level before heading back to the pool area to smoke," said the prosecutor. Cho then returned to his unit at about 5:08am. The victim woke up that morning around 11am, where she knew that something had happened her but could not remember the precise details. She confided in her flatmates, saying she had been sexually assaulted by an Asian male after falling asleep on the couch at the pool area. The victim and her friends then alerted a guest service officer at the residence, who reviewed the CCTV footage. The officer informed the victim that something “awful” had happened to her and reported the case to the police. Sentencing "It is tragic that a young woman was senselessly violated in a place where she should have felt safe and secure," said the prosecutors. The prosecutors sought no less than eight to nine years’ imprisonment and four-and-a-half months’ imprisonment in lieu of caning. Cho cannot be caned as he is above 50 years old. For attempted rape, an offender can be jailed for up to 20 years and fined, or caned. For molest, an offender can be jailed up to three years, fined, caned, or a combination of the penalties. SINGAPORE – At least 10 cars were damaged while going down a carpark ramp in Funan mall owing to wet weather on May 14.
Motorist Yiping Ang was among those who drove to the mall during the heavy downpour. He headed in from the North Bridge Road entrance at about 6.10pm, and was looking forward to having dinner with a friend, he said. But the evening took an unfortunate turn when he was unable to control his car while driving down the curved ramp towards the carpark gantry. Mr Ang, 34, said: “I stepped on the brakes but my vehicle continued veering to the left and crashed into the left side wall.” He added that he initially thought his brakes had failed. However, when he stepped out of his car to inspect the damage, he noticed another vehicle ahead of him had also stopped and was similarly damaged. Moments later, he heard a loud bang behind him and saw that yet another vehicle had crashed into the same spot. Mr Ang said the drivers of the vehicles in front of and behind him said they had the same experience as he did. He later saw another 10 to 15 vehicles skid and crash into the wall, he added. He said he and several affected drivers had asked to speak to a mall representative and waited for more than an hour before being attended to. Mr Ang said his car had scratches and dents on its left side, including on its wheels, rims and side mirror. Its headlights and rear lights on the left were also cracked. Inside the car, the steering wheel was pushed off-centre while the left signal lights and sounds were also irregular. Mr Ang said he plans to file a claim with his insurer against Funan mall. In response to queries, a Funan spokesperson said the mall was alerted to the incident on the evening of May 14. As a safety precaution, the affected areas and carpark entrance at North Bridge Road were immediately cordoned off. There were no reported injuries. The spokesperson said: “The safety and well-being of our shoppers are of utmost importance. We are investigating the cause of the incident and are providing the necessary assistance to the affected drivers.” The carpark entrance at North Bridge Road will remain closed for the time being, and shoppers are advised to access Funan carpark via Hill Street, the spokesperson added. “We sincerely apologise for any inconvenience caused,” the spokesperson said. Changes to the civil divorce process will come into effect on Jul. 1, 2024, said the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF) in a statement on May 13.
The amendments to the Women's Charter, passed in Jan. 2022, include allowing couples who mutually agree that their marriage has broken down irretrievably to divorce, and extending a mandatory co-parenting program. MSF said it is hoped that these changes will "strengthen therapeutic justice elements" in the divorce process and support families undergoing divorce. Divorce rules outlined in the Women's Charter Currently, to end a marriage, both parties need to cite one of the following facts as the basis for their divorce: desertion, adultery, unreasonable behaviour, and separation (for three years with consent or four years without consent). These facts are outlined in the Women's Charter, a legal document first introduced in 1961 to protect the rights of women. A report from the Committee to Review and Enhance Reforms in the Family Justice System (RERF) in 2019 recommended amendments be made to the Women's Charter to incorporate "therapeutic justice" as a way to protect the welfare of children and families during divorce proceedings. Concerns were raised about the effect the at-fault model of divorce would have on children. All recommendations made by RERF were accepted by the government. Divorce by Mutual Agreement From Jul. 1, 2024, if both parties mutually agree their marriage has broken down irretrievably, the couple will be able to file for divorce citing Divorce by Mutual Agreement (DMA) as a fact. Sun Xueling, Minister of State for Social and Family Development, told parliament in 2022 the DMA will allow couples to take "joint responsibility" for the breakdown in their marriage. However, she said it is not a "quick and easy divorce". To cite DMA as a fact, couples will need to provide the court with the following:
The court may reject a submission if it believes reconciliation is reasonably possible. Mandatory Co-parenting Programme Expanded The other amendment relates to the Mandatory Co-Parenting Programme (CPP), formerly known as the Mandatory Parenting Programme (MPP). The CPP is a programme for couples who have a child under the age of 21 wishing to file for a divorce. It is currently a requirement for couples on the "normal divorce track" — where a couple is unable to come to an agreement on the grounds for divorce and/or ancillary matters. For those on the "simplified track" — where they can agree on all issues relating to the divorce and the ancillary matters — CPP is currently optional. From Jul. 1, 2024, the programme will be mandatory for all couples with children under 21. Van crashes into drain in MacPherson, driver runs away, 10 boxes of duty-unpaid cigarettes uncovered5/14/2024 A van crashed into a drain along Aljunied Road on Sunday, May 12, at about 3pm.
It was then found to have been carrying at least 10 cartons of duty-unpaid cigarettes. Crashed in MacPherson The exact location of the incident was just before Merpati Road in the MacPherson area. Reporters reported on the incident, which was a tip-off provided by one of its readers. Police dog at the scene When a reporter went to the scene at about 5pm, the van was seen bonnet-first in the drain. The reporter reportedly saw skid marks on the road, which was the result of the van braking hard before crashing into the drain. Four police cars, a Singapore Customs vehicle, as well as a vehicle for transporting police dogs were at the crash site. Multiple police officers and a black police dog were also seen. Cardboard boxes removed from the van were loaded onto the Singapore Customs vehicle. Duty-unpaid cigarettes allegedly uncovered The contents of the boxes were believed to be duty-unpaid "Double Happiness" brand cigarettes. A worker in the area said he believed the driver of the crashed van left the vehicle behind after getting into the accident. Reporters reported that the van driver was arrested within an hour following the accident. The police confirmed that a 44-year-old man was sent to the hospital in a conscious state and was later arrested. The case is still under investigation. Ang Mo Kio roast meat market stall owner allegedly asks customer: 'Is it you can't afford it?'5/14/2024 A customer and a roast meat stall owner in Ang Mo Kio got into a verbal spat, resulting in both parties alerting the police, who stepped in to mediate.
The incident occurred on May 10, at around 8am, at the Cheng San Market & Cooked Food Centre at Block 527 Ang Mo Kio Avenue 10. The unsavoury episode was reported by reporters, after the customer tipped reporters off. What happened According to the customer, a 40-year-old woman, she and her husband had just bought braised duck wings from another stall at the market. When they wanted to get braised meat sold at the next stall, the pair first asked about the price. That was when she was supposedly queried by the stall owner: "Can you not afford it?" She also claimed to reporters that the stall owner cursed at her using "all kinds of unpleasant words", which made her angry and led to her retaliating verbally. The stall owner and the customer then exchanged choice phrases at the stall. The customer also claimed the stall owner kept picking up his mobile phone to film her. Several times, the phone touched her nose. The argument eventually led to the customer knocking his mobile phone to the ground. The stall owner also allegedly posted the video of the customer on TikTok. Stall owner explains himself Reporters spoke to the 46-year-old stall owner, who explained his actions. He claimed that he was only retaliating to a comment the woman made about his prices. He said: "As soon as she came to my stall, she thought the braised pork was too expensive. I just said, 'If it's too expensive, don't buy it.' She started to curse at me, and I cursed back." Both the stall owner and the customer called the police during their dispute. The police eventually arrived at about 8:10am to mediate and the matter was resolved. SINGAPORE - A man’s adult sons knew him as “Abdul Rahman Bin Majid” only to find out after his death that he had assumed someone else’s identity.
Investigations revealed that the real Abdul Rahman Bin Majid, who had the same identity card number as the dead man, was still alive and had been staying at a home since 1994 due to chronic schizophrenia. Fingerprints taken from the real Abdul Rahman matched the ones linked to the identity card while those taken from the dead man could not be found in the local database. In his findings uploaded online on May 14, State Coroner Adam Nakhoda said that the identity of the dead man, who died of coronary artery disease and an enlarged heart, remains unknown. Recording an open verdict on the case, he said that that the man’s ten fingerprints were sent to Malaysian and Indonesian authorities for comparison with their national databases. Both jurisdictions later replied that there was no match in their databases. His fingerprints were also sent to Thai authorities for comparison on Aug 15, 2023. The state coroner said that as at May 8, 2024, the Thai authorities had not replied despite multiple chasers. He added: “If a reply is subsequently received which positively identifies the deceased, this case will be reopened.” In earlier proceedings in July 2023, an investigation officer told the court that on Aug 5, 2022, the police received a call from one of the man’s sons who found that his father had stopped breathing in the living room of their Geylang Bahru flat. A paramedic pronounced him dead later that day. This son was identified in court documents as Mr Farizal, but he and the mystery man’s wife, known as Madam Seri, could not take part in the investigations as they had been diagnosed with undisclosed psychiatric conditions. Mr Farizal has three brothers who were also the mystery man’s sons. They were identified as Mr Iskandar, Mr Baharuddin and Mr Razef. One of the man’s sons was not named in court documents and he was a baby when another family adopted him. Mr Iskandar had told investigators that he did not recall his father visiting a doctor and the older man had never spoken about his own relatives. Mr Baharuddin said that the mystery man was an abusive father who had not gone to hospitals for medical attention. Mr Razef recalled that their father had never visited a hospital or clinic. Mr Razef was also unaware of any paternal relatives. State Coroner Nakhoda said in his findings that the sons had always known their father as “Abdul Rahman Bin Majid”. The only identification documents found in the unit after the man’s death were an old construction pass and a bank card, both of which had the name “Abdul Rahman Bin Majid”, or its shorter form, printed on them. The pass also bore the identity card number that the man had assumed as his own. State Coroner Nakhoda said: “Why the deceased chose to use the name “Abdul Rahman Bin Majid” and the NRIC (National Registration Identity Card) number is unclear and to try to formulate reasons in the absence of evidence would be speculative. “The actual Mr Rahman is alive and is a resident at (a home). However, he is suffering from schizophrenia and is unable to provide any insight into how the deceased came to assume his name and NRIC number.” He also noted that Mr Iskandar and Madam Seri had stated that they did not know the real Mr Abdul Rahman and had never seen him in the past. However, there was some indication from Mr Farizal, through Mr Baharuddin, that their father had come to Singapore from Malaysia. Their father also had a “close friend” from Malaysia. This man had addressed the mystery man as “Kassim”, and Mr Razef recalled that he was last seen during Hari Raya in 2019. In addition, several other individuals, including Madam Seri’s younger sister, had told investigators that her family also addressed the mystery man as “Kassim”. State Coroner Nakhoda said: “As such, it was possible that the deceased’s real name was Kassim...Without a valid name or NRIC number, the deceased would not have been able to avail himself of services, including medical treatment at polyclinics or restructured hospitals.” He also noted that the man had been suffering from chronic illnesses but they remained undiagnosed as he was unable to seek medical attention. SINGAPORE – A nurse stole two boxes of Pokemon cards worth more than $480 that he then sold to repay his debts.
Fong Jia Wei, a 23-year-old Malaysian, was sentenced to one year of probation on May 14 after he pleaded guilty to two theft charges. As part of his sentence, the Singapore permanent resident must remain indoors from 11pm to 6am every day and perform 40 hours of community service. His parents were also bonded for $5,000 to ensure his good behaviour. Defence lawyers Josephus Tan and Cory Wong stated in court documents that Fong graduated from a polytechnic in April 2021, but his diploma was withheld as he owed the school around $7,000 in fees. He finally received his diploma around April 2022 after paying his school fees with his savings and loans from friends. The lawyers from Invictus Law Corporation said Fong decided to commit theft so that he could use the proceeds of his crime to repay his friends. In January 2023, Fong watched videos on social media platform TikTok that showed people earning cash from selling Pokemon cards. The lawyers told the court that certain rare cards could be sold for between $10 and $50 each. Some cards could cost even more if they were popular or rare, the court heard. The lawyers said: “The social media users had boasted that buying Pokemon card boxes/packets in bulk and then re-selling individual rare cards... could be quite a lucrative venture.” Fong then hatched a plan to steal Pokemon cards and sell them to earn cash. He was in a video game store at Paya Lebar Square shopping mall at around 4.30pm on May 2, 2023, when he stole a box of Pokemon cards worth more than $210. One of the store’s retail assistants lodged a police report about the theft two days later. Fong struck again on May 9, 2023, when he stole a box of Pokemon cards worth $270 from a convenience store in Commonwealth Avenue. He sold the cards stolen from the stores online and earned around $1,000. Fong was arrested at Paya Lebar Square later that day. He was found to be in fraudulent possession of multiple packets of Pokemon cards. The cards that he sold were not recovered. Fong was charged in court in August 2023. For each count of theft, an offender can be jailed for up to three years and fined. |
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