Singapore Local News, 2011-08-31

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MediaCorp to host public broadcasters conference Top public broadcasters from all over the world will meet in Singapore for the Public Broadcasters International 2011 from Oct 26 to 29. MediaCorp will host the 20th anniversary of this conference at Resorts World Sentosa......     HSA suspends 14 retail tobacco licences The Health Sciences Authority (HSA) has suspended the tobacco licences of 14 errant tobacco sellers for selling tobacco to underage youth. They were prosecuted and convicted between March and July and their licences will be........ UWC scraps eight-year waiting list system The United World College of South East Asia (UWCSEA) is introducing a new admissions policy, abandoning a waiting list system which had caused some anxiety because it had people on the waiting list for up to eight years. The new........ Screen doors fitted at 23 MRT stations All 23 elevated MRT stations on the East-West line are now fitted with half-height screen doors. The Land Transport Authority (LTA) said the remaining 10 stations on the North-South line will get the doors installed by June, next........ Ex-accounts manager allegedly stole S$590,000 An ex-accounts manager of an airfreight company has been charged with three counts of criminal breach of trust involving nearly S$590,000. Mohd Azmi Ishak, 36, formerly from Itochu Logistics, allegedly spent the money for his own........ NTUC will embrace diversity: Lim Swee Say NTUC Secretary-General Lim Swee Say says the labour movement will embrace diversity to become an independent voice for workers in Singapore. He said the Presidential Election was a good example of how it can do this, as the NTUC........ Borders clearance sale starts this Friday Book lovers can look forward to a massive book sales from Borders for five days, starting this Friday. The bookstore, which closed its flagship store at Wheelock Place because of what it said was a dispute with its landlord, is........ Maid allegedly stole more than S$400,000 from employer A maid has been hauled to court for allegedly stealing what is believed to be the largest amount a domestic helper has ever stolen from an employer. Indian national, Kirandeep Kaur, 25, is accused of stealing more than S$400,000........ Waterworks handover won't affect Singapore's water supply: Dr Vivian JOHOR - The return of the Gunong Pulai waterworks will not impact Singapore's strategic capacity to have enough water, said Minister of the Environment and Water Resources, Dr Vivian Balakrishnan. He was in Johor, this morning, to witness the........ Adults targeted to help kids for Speak Good English Movement Into its 11th year, the Speak Good English Movement is targeting the way young children learn to speak good English by urging adults to speak well first. Going by the principle of how young children tend to mimic adults, all........ 'I want to be free to do what I want': President Nathan on retirement Singapore's President, S R Nathan who hands over his post to Dr Tony Tan tomorrow, says he plans to spend more time in academia after his retirement. Besides joining the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies (ISEAS), Mr Nathan told........

More than 18,000 at Istana open house A light drizzle in the early evening yesterday did not deter thousands of Singaporeans and foreigners from thronging the Istana, hoping for a glimpse of the Republic's longest-serving President on his second last day in........     PE: Dr Tony Tan wins 35.2% of total votes cast President-elect Dr Tony Tan won 35.2 per cent of the total votes cast for Presidential Election 2011...... Speak Good English Movement wants S'poreans to be good role models This year's Speak Good English Movement is encouraging Singaporeans to be good role models for children by speaking good English...... MND raises devt charges for new building projects The Ministry of National Development (MND) has raised the development charges (DC) for new building projects in Singapore, effective from September 1...... PE: Counting of overseas votes completed The Elections Department said the counting of the overseas votes for the Presidential Election has been completed...... Singapore River Cruise adds MBS to its taxi route From the Merlion Park, there is a faster way to cross the reservoir. Marina Bay Sands is the latest destination on the water route operated by the Singapore River Cruise...... HSA suspends licenses of 14 tobacco retailers The Health Sciences Authority (HSA) suspended the tobacco licences of 14 sellers for selling tobacco to underage youth...... WSH Act to cover all workplaces in S'pore from next month From this Thursday, all workplaces in Singapore will be covered under the Workplace Safety and Health Act (WSH Act)...... PE: Tan Kin Lian admits weaknesses in campaign strategy Mr Tan Kin Lian, the former NTUC Income chief who contested and lost his deposit at the recent Presidential Election, said he admits there were a few weaknesses in his campaign strategy, image and messaging...... Waterworks handover will not affect S'pore's water supply: Dr Balakrishnan The return to Johor of four waterworks would not affect Singapore's water supply, said Minister of the Environment and Water Resources, Dr Vivian Balakrishnan...... Man charged with criminal breach of trust involving nearly S$600,000 An ex-accounts manager of an airfreight company has been charged with three counts of criminal breach of trust involving nearly S$600,000...... Elevated MRT stations on East-West line fitted with screen doors All 23 elevated MRT stations on the East-West line are now fitted with half-height screen doors...... NTUC wants to become an independent voice for workers NTUC Secretary-General Lim Swee Say said the labour movement will embrace diversity to become an independent voice for workers in Singapore...... Maid accused of stealing cash & valuables worth over S$400,000 A maid has been hauled to court for allegedly stealing more than S$400,000' worth of cash and valuables from her employer...... UWC abandons waiting list policy for admission The United World College of South East Asia (UWCSEA) is introducing a new admissions policy, abandoning a waiting list system which had caused some anxiety because it had people on the waiting list for up to eight years...... Borders kicks off massive clearance sale on Friday Book lovers can look forward to a massive book sales from Borders for five days starting this Friday...... S R Nathan to spend time in academia after retirement Singapore's President, S R Nathan who hands over his post to Dr Tony Tan Thursday, said he plans to spend more time in academia after his retirement......

Singapore Local News, 2011-08-30

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The Elected Presidency in a new normal It was a pulsating finish to Singapore's fourth Presidential Election. A mere 7,269 votes separated Dr Tony Tan from Dr Tan Cheng Bock. The hustings, which fired up the hearts and minds of Singaporeans, portend what future PEs could be like. What ca.....

SBF, Taman Bacaan congratulate Tony Tan The Singapore Business Federation (SBF) and a Malay-Muslim grassroots group, Taman Bacaan, were among the first organisations to extend their congratulations to President-elect Dr Tony Tan yesterday. In a statement to MediaCorp, SBF........     New Serangoon Bus Interchange to open this Saturday Better business at the nex shopping mall located at the Serangoon area. That is what tenants are gunning for, with the opening of the new Serangoon Bus Interchange this Saturday...... 2 arrested for mobile phone plans scams Police have arrested two men who are believed to be involved in a series of fraudulent application of mobile phone lines from a mobile phone dealer...... Dr Tony Tan has done a lot for Muslim community: Dr Yaacob Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs Dr Yaacob Ibrahim has congratulated president-elect Tony Tan, on behalf of the Muslim community......

Singapore Local News, 2011-08-29

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New rules for young couples getting married From Thursday, minor couples must undergo marriage preparation programmes before a marriage licence can be issued; and those remarrying have to declare their maintenance arrears. The new requirements follow changes made to the........     SBS Transit to operate Downtown Line SBS Transit Limited has been appointed the new operator for the Downtown Line. The announcement was made by the Land Transport Authority (LTA), which also says the Downtown Line is the first rail line put up for competitive tender........ Manager jailed, fined for falsifying marriage certificate Already married with a pregnant mistress to placate, a manager falsified a marriage certificate to trick the woman into thinking they were married. But it was she who exposed his lie and Jerome Ow Siew Nam, 38, was, today, jailed........ Last Downtown Line 3 contracts awarded The Land Transport Authority (LTA) has awarded the last three civil contracts for the Downtown Line 3 (DTL3) project worth S$563.35 million. They include contracts for the construction of Upper Changi and Bendemeer stations, two of........ Jailed, fined for offering side bets A jobless man, part of a syndicate that offered illegal private side bets for baccarat at the Marina Bay Sands casino, was today jailed six months and fined S$60,000. Between March and June, Goh Boon Kwang, 43, offered "insurance........ Teen charged with rape A teenager was, today, charged with raping a girl when he was just 16 years old. Ramdan Abu, who is now 17 years old, is believed to have raped the girl between 5pm on Apr 21, last year, and midnight the next day. The........ Alexandra Canal to be widened A 250-metre stretch of Alexandra Canal, between Zion Road and Kim Seng Road, will be reconstructed to improve drainage and prevent floods. In a media release today, national water agency PUB said the stretch will also be transformed........ Khoo Swee Chiow scales Mt Fuji Adventurer Khoo Swee Chiow has conquered Mount Fuji, Japan's highest peak. A media release today said he and AirAsia X CEO Azran Osman-Rani scaled the 3776-metre-tall mountain, this morning. Their climb is part of a........

'I would have done better in a straight fight' Had it been down to a straight fight with former Deputy Prime Minister Tony Tan, Dr Tan Cheng Bock felt he would have stood a "much better chance" in the Presidential Election (PE). Speaking at a press conference yesterday, Dr Tan........     SBS Transit appointed Downtown Line operator SBS Transit Limited has been appointed the new operator for Downtown Line...... Firms offering flexible work report increase in productivity SINGAPORE : Singapore companies offering flexible and home-based work arrangements are reporting a 10 per cent increase in productivity, on top of savings in rental and transportation costs...... New marriage rules for minors and re-marriage kick in from Thursday From September 1, minor couples must undergo marriage preparation programmes before a marriage licence can be issued; and persons remarrying have to declare their maintenance arrears. The new requirements follow changes made to the Women's Charter in..... Shopping for last-minute deals ahead of Hari Raya Puasa Many Malay-Muslim families in Singapore are shopping for last-minute deals ahead of Hari Raya on Tuesday...... Man jailed, fined for making fake marriage certificate A 38-year old manager, Jerome Ow Siew Nam, was sentenced to jail and a fine on Monday for making a fake marriage certificate...... PE: Taman Bacaan congratulates Dr Tony Tan A Malay-Muslim grassroots group, Taman Bacaan, has congratulated Dr Tony Tan for winning the elected presidency...... PE: Business community congratulates Dr Tony Tan on presidential win The Singapore Business Federation (SBF) has congratulated Dr Tony Tan for being elected President...... Man fined, jailed for offering illegal bets in casino A jobless man, who was a member of a syndicate that offered illegal private side bets for baccarat at the Marina Bay Sands casino, was sentenced on Monday to six months' jail and fined S$60,000...... URA awards tender for residential site at Serangoon Garden Way The Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) has awarded the tender for a residential site at Serangoon Garden Way to joint bidders Sunmaster Holdings, a unit of City Developments, and Garden Estates...... LTA awards contracts for Upper Changi and Bendemeer stations The Land Transport Authority (LTA) has awarded the last three civil contracts for the Downtown Line 3 project at a total value of S$563.35 million...... Teen rapist charged A teenager was charged in court on Monday with raping a girl when he was just 16 years old...... CPF interest rate for Ordinary Account stays at 2.5% The Central Provident Fund (CPF) Board said members will continue to receive an interest rate of 2.5 per cent on their Ordinary Account savings from 1 October 2011 to 31 December 2011...... Reconstruction at Alexandra canal to prevent floods A 250-metre stretch of Alexandra Canal, between Zion Road and Kim Seng Road, will be reconstructed to improve drainage and prevent floods...... Mountaineer Khoo Swee Chiow scales Mt Fuji Adventurer Khoo Swee Chiow has conquered Mount Fuji, Japan's highest peak......

Singapore Local News, 2011-08-28

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Dr Tony Tan is Singapore's next President The most keenly-contested Presidential Election lived up to its billing as the race went down to the wire. After a three-hour recount early this morning, former Deputy Prime Minister Tony Tan, 71, clinched victory over ex-Ayer Rajah MP Tan........     More affluent women drive sales of supercars Forget designer shoes and handbags. More affluent women in the Asia Pacific region are splurging instead on high-end performance cars. The world of hot wheels is no longer just for the men. Meet business consultant........ This is not the end, says Tan Cheng Bock For supporters of Presidential candidate Dr Tan Cheng Bock, it was a night of wildly swinging emotions as his vote count edged him into the lead and then fell behind several times over the long hours. Shortly after polling centres........ Istana to open on Tuesday The Istana grounds will be open to the public from 8.30am to 6pm on Tuesday to celebrate Hari Raya Puasa...... PE: I'll be watchful of what is happening in S'pore, says Tan Cheng Bock Dr Tan Cheng Bock said he will always be watchful of what is happening in Singapore......

PE: Tony Tan lists urgent tasks Singapore's President-elect Tony Tan has said that the most "urgent" task is to reach out to all Singaporeans......     PE: Tan Jee Say congratulates Tony Tan Mr Tan Jee Say has congratulated President-elect Dr Tony Tan for having won the election...... PE: S'poreans follow election news on TV MediaCorp broadcast the Presidential Election's Polling Day proceedings 'live' from 10pm Saturday, on its news station Channel NewsAsia...... PE: Tan Cheng Bock thanks supporters Dr Tan Cheng Bock was the first to throw his name into the ring in his bid to become Singapore's seventh president...... Singapore International Film Festival returns in September He blazed the F1 circuit and many consider him as the best ever F1 driver. Aryton Senna's life and untimely death at age 34 is the focus of the documentary, "Senna"...... PE: Results decisive, says Tony Tan President-elect Tony Tan said the election result has been decisive and he would use the mandate given to meet the expectations of all Singaporeans......

Singapore Local News, 2011-08-27

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Teen "loanshark runner" arrested Police have arrested a 15 year old for suspected involvement in loanshark harassment. He was spotted behaving suspiciously by officers on anti-loanshark operations in Serangoon North Ave 4 Friday. Police said his mobile........

Customers who ordered HP TouchPad to get full or partial refunds Those who pre-ordered the doomed Hewlett Packard TouchPad through official channels can get a full or partial refund, depending on whether they wish to keep the TouchPad, said HP's Singapore operations in an announcement on its Facebook page on........     PE: 83.44% of eligible voters voted by 5pm The Elections Department said 83.44 per cent of 2.27 million eligible voters have cast their votes as of 5pm Saturday, in Singapore's Presidential Election...... Teen "loanshark runner" arrested Police have arrested a 15 year old for suspected involvement in loanshark harassment...... PE: Overseas polling gets under way HONG KONG / BEIJING: Overseas polling for the next President of Singapore got under way at nine missions, spanning from New York, Tokyo to Hong Kong...... PE: Presidential candidates cast votes The four candidates in the running to be president made an early stop on Saturday at the polling stations to cast their votes...... PE: Vote not a tough choice, says President S R Nathan President S R Nathan said it was not a tough choice for him to know who to vote for. He said he knows Singaporeans are sensible people and will do what is best for Singapore...... Heavy rain warning The National Environment Agency's Meteorological Services Dvision said heavy thundery showers are expected over southern, western and central areas of Singapore between 7.20am and 9am...... PE: Singaporeans go to the polls to elect new president Some 2.27 million voters will go to the polls on Saturday to choose Singapore's seventh President......

Singapore Local News, 2011-08-26

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Former Louis Vuitton employee jailed for cheating A former employee with retail outlet, Louis Vuitton, was sentenced to four months' jail, today, after he cheated four people of nearly S$14,000 by pretending to be still working for the company. Loke Yew Choong, 34, deceived his........     Army captain jailed, fined for accepting loans An Army Captain with a gambling addiction, was today jailed 16 weeks and fined S$40,400 for receiving loans in exchange for providing confidential information about military projects. Phua Poh Sim, 31, who has been suspended on........ Better driving habits help DHL reduce fuel costs By getting its drivers to change their driving behaviour, logistics company, DHL Express Singapore's fuel consumption fell by five per cent in nine weeks. Since the trial of its Vehicle Energy Reduction programme started in March,........ Europe and US top draw at NATAS Fair Europe and the United States are amongst the top travel destinations for Singaporeans keen to take advantage of the weak euro and US dollar. Travel agencies at the NATAS Fair which, opened today, say the two continents, together........ Police warn against use of sparklers with improvised explosive devices Since early this month, the police had received several reports where sparklers were believed to have been used to set off improvised explosive devices. They said, today, that in most of these cases, they had been informed of........ Justice Kan Ting Chiu to retire Supreme Court Judge, Justice Kan Ting Chiu, will retire tomorrow when he turns 65. He will be leaving the public service after 26 years, the Supreme Court announced today. Justice Kan received his LL.B. and LL.M. from........

My low point was when Jee Say entered the fray: Kin Lian On the last day of campaigning, former NTUC Income CEO Tan Kin Lian, 63, fired a salvo at fellow presidential candidate Tan Jee Say, 57 - claiming the latter, whom he thought should not have qualified for the election, had disrupted his........     Army captain jailed 16 weeks An Army captain with a gambling addiction, on Friday was jailed 16 weeks and fined S$40,400 for receiving loans in exchange for providing confidential information about military projects...... Experts urge AVA to work more closely with industry The Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority (AVA) has been advised to adapt to changing needs and emerging issues by refining its inspection systems and priorities...... S'poreans flock to US, Europe amid weaker currencies Europe and the United States are amongst the top travel destinations for Singaporeans keen to take advantage of the weak euro and US dollar...... Police warn public on use of sparklers Police said they take a serious view on the setting off of improvised devices constructed using sparklers......

Singapore Local News, 2011-08-25

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Questions remain in boy's traffic accident death After five days of hearing in the Coroner's Court, it was still not determined how a nine-year-old boy was hit by a tipper truck in January 2009. China national, Li Yun, a Primary 4 student from Pei Tong Primary School, was crossing........     Serangoon interchange opens next Saturday The new bus interchange at Serangoon will open next Saturday. The S$18.8 million fully air-conditioned bus interchange is directly linked to the Circle Line and North East Line Serangoon MRT stations via nex shopping mall. It is........ Teen terror of Tampines given probation A teen serial molester who terrorised residents of Tampines for two months was punished in court today. Jeremy Yeo Ming Che, 16, was, today, given three years' probation for attacking children and adults aged between 11 and 41 years old...... Peeping Tom fined A 23-year-old man was fined S$2,200 in court, today, for entering a female toilet and peeping at a woman urinating. Xu Weilong pleaded guilty to one charge of criminal trespass and another charge of intending to insult the modesty........ Home-based work possible solution to manpower shortage: Hawazi Daipi Companies facing a manpower shortage could consider implementing flexible work arrangements, such as home-based work, to tap the pool of economically inactive Singapore workers. Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Manpower and........ Tony Tan's sons respond to NS allegations The sons of presidential candidate Dr Tony Tan have issued a statement to refute allegations about their National Service record. The trio - Peter, Patrick and Philip Tan - said they have fulfilled all obligations in accordance with........

Tan Kin Lian described as a 'man of courage' by daughter Presidential candidate Tan Kin Lian cut short his speech yesterday to ensure that his daughter had enough time to make the last speech at his rally. And Ms Tan Su Ling, 35, duly took the limelight as she recalled how her father was........     Resale flat demand falls Demand for resale flats has fallen by about 20 per cent since the raising of the income ceiling for Build-To-Order (BTO) flats...... Boy's 2009 death unclear: Coroner's Court After five days of hearing in the Coroner's Court, it was still not determined how a nine-year-old boy was hit by a tipper truck in January 2009...... PE: Tan Jee Say "not confrontational" Singapore Presidential candidate Tan Jee Say said the objective of an elected president was to ask questions, adding he was not confrontational...... PE: Tan Kin Lian to propose S$1,500 NS pay, if elected Presidential candidate Tan Kin Lian on Thursday shared that if he were elected into office, he will propose a salary of about S$1,500 per month for men undergoing national service...... PE: Second Presidential Candidate Broadcast to air on Aug 26 The second Presidential Candidate Broadcast will be aired on Friday, August 26, which is the Cooling-off Day for the Singapore Presidential Election...... Ho Ching only S'porean in Forbes' list Temasek Holdings executive director and chief executive officer Ho Ching is the only Singaporean this year to get into Forbes' list of the world's most powerful women...... PE: Tan Jee Say being granted eligibility cert was Tan Kin Lian's low point SINGAPORE - Presidential candidate Tan Kin Lian, asked about his high and low points in his campaign so far, said there were two low points - and both involved fellow candidate Tan Jee Say...... PE: Voters advised to walk or take public transport to polling stations Polling day for the Presidential Election is this Saturday, August 27, and voters have been advised to take public transport or where possible, walk to their polling stations...... Teen molester in Tampines gets 3 years probation A teen molester who terrorised Tampines residents for two months was punished in court on Thursday...... YourSingapore Guide app for tourists The Singapore Tourism Board launched a mobile application to help travellers explore Singapore on the go...... Serangoon bus interchange to open Sept 3 The new bus interchange at Serangoon will open on September 3...... Peeping tom fined S$2,200 A 23-year-old man was fined S$2,200 in court on Thursday for entering a female toilet and peeping at a woman who was urinating...... PE: Tony Tan hits out at "baseless allegations" made against his sons On the final day of the Presidential election campaign, candidate Dr Tony Tan has hit out at allegations made against his family, in particular, his sons...... Flexi work enables more Singaporeans to join workforce Companies facing manpower shortage could consider implementing flexible work arrangements such as home-based work, to tap the pool of economically inactive Singapore workers...... PE: Tony Tan's sons refute online allegations on NS record as lies The sons of presidential candidate Dr Tony Tan on Thursday have issued a statement to refute allegations about their National Service (NS) record......

Singapore Local News, 2011-08-24

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Former MBS employee charged with cheating A former video surveillance officer with Marina Bay Sands was charged, today, with 33 counts of cheating its casino of nearly S$150,000. Ho Boon Keat, 28, allegedly committed the offences between July and August, this year......     Beware three health products: HSA The Health Sciences Authority (HSA) has warned members of the public against taking three adulterated health products sold as traditional herbal medicines. These contain potent western medicinal ingredients and can cause........ Finance manager jailed for cheating A former finance manager was jailed 20 months, today, for cheating her logistics company and its subsidiary of nearly S$200,000. Koh Siew Hui, 34, who was from Premier G & U Logistics, committed the offences between June and........ No speakers from any political party at Tan Cheng Bock's Thursday rally Tan Cheng Bock has confirmed the police has given him the permit to hold his rally at Hall 8 of the Singapore Expo tomorrow at 7.30pm. Dr Tan said this at his press briefing held at Raffles City after his morning walkabout at Jurong........

People's Association lifting conditions for leasing sites A day after Workers' Party (WP) chairman Sylvia Lim - who also chairs the Aljunied-Hougang Town Council (AHTC) - accused the Housing Development Board (HDB) of abusing its power in a strongly-worded statement, the Ministry of National........     PE: Important to make ideas and positions known on key issues, says Tan Jee Say Presidential candidate Tan Jee Say has stressed that it is important to make his ideas and positions known on key issues but this is not something that will happen every day of the presidency if he is elected...... PE: Candidates pick assembly centres for Polling Day The assembly centre for presidential candidate Dr Tan Cheng Bock is Jurong East Stadium while that of Dr Tony Tan is Toa Payoh Stadium...... Former MBS staff charged with cheating casino of nearly S$150,000 A former video surveillance officer with Marina Bay Sands was charged on Wednesday with 33 counts of cheating the resort's casino of nearly S$150,000...... PE: Tan Cheng Bock "disappointed" that some are afraid to support him Presidential candidate Tan Cheng Bock said he was disappointed that some of his former People's Action Party fellow members and those working in the government or government-linked companies were afraid to support him in his presidential bid...... PE: Presidential hopefuls take on questions from viewers The campaign is in full swing for the four men running to be the next President of Singapore. Channel NewsAsia invited the candidates for a televised forum and included an additional online segment to fielded questions from viewers...... Ex-finance manager jailed 20 months for cheating A former finance manager was jailed 20 months, Wednesday, for cheating her logistics company and its subsidiary of nearly S$200,000...... HSA warning against three health products The Health Sciences Authority (HSA) has warned members of the public against taking three health products which were found to contain potent western medicinal ingredients...... PE: S'pore does not have to fear future with the right leadership: Tony Tan Presidential candidate Dr Tony Tan believes that with the right leadership, there's no need for Singaporeans to fear the future...... PE: Reminder on Cooling-off Day Campaigning and election advertising for the Presidential Election will be disallowed on Friday, which is Cooling-off Day...... New High Commissioner to Australia appointed Singapore will have a new High Commissioner to Australia. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) said Mr Michael Teo Eng Cheng will assume his post on September 5...... Employee stages housebreaking Police have arrested a 30-year-old man for stealing cash and handphones worth about S$20,000 from his employer's handphone shop...... Snatch theft suspect nabbed after manhunt Police arrested a 52-year-old man on Wednesday morning for suspected snatch theft after a manhunt...... Hougang grassroots groups faced diffuculties since WP's takeover says PA In the ongoing dispute over the management of common areas in Hougang and Aljunied, the People's Association has hit back at the Workers' Party...... Marina Centre area still accessible during F1 road closure Motorists will still be able to access the Marina Centre area during the six-day road closure for the Singapore Formula One night race from September 21...... PE: Tan Kin Lian wants to be close to people and govt if elected Presidential candidate Tan Kin Lian said if elected, he doesn't only intend to be close to the people but also the government......

Singapore Local News, 2011-08-23

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Borders at Wheelock closes for good Borders closed its flagship bookstore at Wheelock Place for good today, following rental disputes with its landlord. All books were cleared off the shelves this afternoon. Although the bookstore received a 48-hour........     Dr Tony Tan: HDB should investigate WP incident thoroughly With regards to the Workers' Party incident and use of public places in Aljunied constituency, Dr Tony Tan said that it is important that fairness and justice be done. The presidential hopeful who has always called for the role of a........

Employers' CPF contribution 'should be pegged to job worth' National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) assistant secretary-general Seng Han Thong has called for the employers' Central Provident Fund (CPF) contribution for older workers to be pegged to their job worth. Speaking on the sidelines of........     Dip in business at Geylang Serai bazaar Retailers at the Geylang Serai bazaar say they are seeing a 30 percent dip in takings despite Hari Raya being just a week away...... PE: Tan Cheng Bock to hold indoor rally on Thursday Presidential candidate Dr Tan Cheng Bock said he will hold an "indoor rally" on Thursday evening. He said his family members will also speak at the rally...... PE: Use of President's veto power will be last resort, says Tan Kin Lian Presidential candidate Tan Kin Lian and his team greeted commuters at Tampines MRT station on Tuesday...... PE: Vigorous exchange between presidential hopefuls on "Meet the Candidates" Channel NewsAsia's television forum "Meet the Candidates" saw a vigorous exchange among all four Presidential hopefuls on the role of the office and how they hoped to shape it...... Car importer & employee fined for falsifying documents A car importer and his employee were fined by the court on Tuesday for using falsified documents to support their declaration of motor vehicle imports...... Police looking for snatch thief Police said they are investigating a case of snatch theft at Block 88 Redhill Close, which took place at about noon on Tuesday...... Borders bookstore to hold book sale in two weeks Borders closed its flagship bookstore at Wheelock Place for good on Tuesday, following rental disputes with its landlord...... PE: Tony Tan to speak on economic situation at lunchtime rally Presidential candidate Dr Tony Tan said he will touch on the economic situation at his lunchtime rally at Boat Quay, next to UOB Plaza Wednesday...... PE: Presidential candidates respond to WP's allegations against HDB Presidential candidate Dr Tony Tan said the HDB should investigate the issue of transferring community sites in Aljunied GRC to the People's Association (PA) to ensure that proper procedures were followed...... Doctor suspended for wrong cause of death A doctor had certified that a patient had died of congestive cardiac failure......

Singapore Local News, 2011-08-22

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Taxi drivers investigated for making false police reports A taxi driver, who lost a coin box his wife had given him, allegedly made a false police report about being robbed and will be charged in court on Thursday. Another taxi driver, who was facing money problems, will also be charged........     Vietnamese gang's shopping spree foiled To beat shoplifting alarm systems, a gang of four Vietnamese lined handbags with aluminum foil so their loot could be smuggled out undetected from Orchard Road shops. It had been reported online that such a technique could outsmart the........ SMRT will take 'full responsibility' for recent vandalism case In a press conference this afternoon, SMRT CEO Saw Phaik Hwa said SMRT will take "full responsibility" for last week's security breach at Bishan depot, which saw a train vandalised with graffiti. Said SMRT CEO Saw: "No more........ CPF for older workers should be reviewed: Seng Han Thong NTUC assistant secretary-general Seng Han Thong says employers' Central Provident Fund (CPF) contribution for older workers should be pegged to their "job worth". He made the comment in response to questions on the ongoing review of........ Ideas sought on City in a Garden The National Parks Board (NParks) has come up with six areas to enhance the Republic's living environment by having more parks and gardens in housing estates. Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong had said during his National Day Rally........ Crime rate down but worrying trends emerge The overall crime rate in Singapore fell by 4.7 per cent during the first six months of this year. Improvements were seen in crimes like housebreaking and related crimes (down 117 cases), violent property crimes (down 78 cases),........ Taxi drivers raise concerns with Dr Tony Tan In a meeting with leaders of the National Taxi Association today, Dr Tony Tan said that some issues shared included raising the age limit for taxi drivers, and concerns about their well-being when they grow old as they are self-employed......

Where the Presidential candidates will be today TAN CHENG BOCK 6pm - Walkabout near Kovan MRT 7.30pm - Walkabout at Hougang Mall TAN JEE SAY 5pm - Outreach event at Coffee Club, Tampines 1 shopping mall.....     Third SAF task group sails for Gulf of Aden A third Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) task group has set sail for the Gulf of Aden in support of international counter-piracy efforts there...... Vietnamese gang's shoplifting spree foiled To beat shoplifting alarm systems, a gang of four Vietnamese lined handbags with aluminium foil so their loot could be smuggled out undetected from Orchard Road shops...... Independent panel to review SMRT depot security breach Singapore public transport operator SMRT said it is taking full responsibility for the security breach at its Bishan depot, which resulted in a train carriage being sprayed with graffiti...... PE: Tan Kin Lian to hold rally on Aug 24 Presidential candidate Tan Kin Lian will hold his rally at Yio Chu Kang Stadium on Wednesday, August 24...... Sprucing up Singapore's urban landscape Expect Singapore's urban landscape to be spruced up with nature over the next decade...... Man charged with molesting club performer A 40-year-old renovation contractor has been charged with molest after allegedly rubbing a nightspot performer's breasts with an ice cube...... Crimes down 4.7% in first half of 2011 The number of reported crimes fell by 4.7 per cent in the first six months of the year to 15,729 cases...... Employers' CPF contribution for older workers should be pegged to job worth NTUC Assistant Secretary General Seng Han Thong said employers' Central Provident Fund (CPF) contribution for older workers should be pegged to their job worth...... PE: NTUC stays neutral in support of candidates NTUC Chief Lim Swee Say said 75 per cent of unions affiliated to the National Trades Union Congress have endorsed presidential candidate Dr Tony Tan......

Singapore Local News, 2011-08-21

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Tan Jee Say: S$500,000 is enough for me After laying out several pledges in his Presidential candidate broadcast speech, Mr Tan Jee Say said he would take a salary of S$500,000 if elected. The 57-year-old's campaign flyer states, among other things: "Presidential salary:........

LTA will not hesitate to penalise SMRT over security breach Minister of State for Transport Josephine Teo said yesterday the Land Transport Authority (LTA) will not hesitate to penalise SMRT following a second security breach at its train depot. She said the Government adopts a zero-tolerance attitude........     Dog lovers show what's being responsible owners Hundreds of dog lovers walked the talk with their best friend on Sunday afternoon...... PE: Conscious efforts needed to integrate new citizens, says Tan Cheng Bock Dr Tan Cheng Bock continues to promote multi-racialism, by opening an Indian restaurant, Mahaa's Spicy Corner, in Little India on Sunday...... PE: Candidates clarify their stand on role of President Singapore's four presidential candidates have clarified what they believe to be the powers of the President...... Making Marine Parade estate more elderly-friendly The Health and National Development ministries said they are currently working with the Marine Parade Town Council to make the estate more elderly-friendly...... A special treat for residents of Jamiyah Children's Home Some 30 residents of the Jamiyah Children's Home were given a special treat on Saturday - a heritage tour of Singapore, with pit-stops at landmarks such as Chinatown, the Marina Barrage and Raffles Hotel...... Tip to stay healthy Aiming for 150 minutes of physical activity per week can provide substantial health benefits for adults and older adults...... PE: Don't be sceptical, Tan Kin Lian tells voters Presidential candidate Mr Tan Kin Lian continued with his hi-fives as he greeted the breakfast crowd at the Whampoa Market & Food Centre on Sunday morning...... PM urges Singaporeans to work as one nation Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong has urged Singaporeans to work together and be ready to respond to problems when they surface...... PE: President has moral power, says Tan Jee Say Presidential candidate Tan Jee Say believes that Singapore's Head of State has the moral power to persuade people, even though he is not the centre of executive power......

Singapore Local News, 2011-08-20

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Archbishop of Catholic Church warded with broken ankle Archbishop Nicholas Chia of the Catholic Church in Singapore was warded this morning after he broke a bone in his ankle, a senior member of the clergy has confirmed. The member of the clergy said Archbishop Chia had broken "a small........

Teeing off for a good cause SingTel's annual Charity Golf event raised a record S$820,000 this year. This amount is the largest in the 10 years the telecommunication company has been running SingTel Touching Lives Fund (STLF), its corporate philanthropy programme. Earlier........     PE: Law minister emphasises provisions in Constitution Singapore's Law Minister K Shanmugam said Singapore would need to change the Constitution to allow the President to speak whenever he likes and on whatever topic he likes...... Borders Bookstore vouchers no longer valid After hearing that the Borders Bookstore at Wheelock Place is shutting down, some people tried to use their vouchers on Saturday at the other outlet at Parkway Parade. But they were not allowed to do so...... Law Ministry studying possibility of licensing QCs: Shanmugam Singapore's Law Ministry is studying the possibility of licensing three to five top Queen's Counsels (QCs) to work as independent practitioners and argue in court...... PE: Tony Tan to hold lunchtime rally on Aug 24 Presidential candidate Dr Tony Tan will hold a lunchtime rally on Wednesday, August 24, at the Boat Quay, next to UOB Plaza...... Archbishop Nicholas Chia in hospital for fractured ankle Archbishop Nicholas Chia of the Catholic Church in Singapore has been warded in hospital after he fell and fractured his ankle on Friday evening...... Student group from NTU launches two-day charity event Raising funds for the Singapore Children's Cancer Foundation. That is the aim of a group called Touch of the Hearts Committee from Nanyang Technological University...... STTA kicks off mass table tennis event As part of Singapore Table Tennis Association's (STTA) 80th anniversary - a special table tennis event was held Saturday morning at Suntec...... PE: Tan Kin Lian suggests pension for elderly Presidential candidate Tan Kin Lian has floated the idea of a pension for the elderly to complement the Central Provident Fund (CPF) savings that they can draw on...... LTA won't hesitate to penalise SMRT for security breach: Josephine Teo Minister of State for Transport Josephine Teo has said the Land Transport Authority (LTA) will not hesitate to penalise SMRT following a second security breach at its train depot...... Joint exercise on Circle Line to test operational readiness A joint emergency exercise was successfully conducted on Saturday morning to test the operational readiness of the final stage of the Circle Line (CCL) from Marymount to HarbourFront ahead of its opening on October 8...... PE: Tan Jee Say to lobby for volunteerism & ageing population if elected Volunteerism and the ageing population are issues that presidential candidate Tan Jee Say will lobby for, if he is elected......

Singapore Local News, 2011-08-19

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Man United could start marketing IPO here next month: Sources Manchester United may start gauging investor demand next month for a US$1 billion (S$1.21 billion) initial public offering in Singapore, three sources with knowledge of the matter said. The football club will hold a presentation for........     Singapore curry protest heats up vote with Facebook campaign The four candidates competing to become Singapore's next president are losing out to an unlikely rival on the campaign trail: curry. As the contenders vie for the mainly ceremonial role before the Aug 27 election, more than 57,000........ Escapee jailed additional seven months after brother turns him in Already jailed 54 months and given six strokes of the cane for robbery and housebreaking, an inmate who escaped from custody was re-arrested after his brother called the police in on him. He was, today, jailed another seven months........ S'pore condemns attacks in Israel Singapore says it unequivocally condemns all acts of terrorism in response to the terrorist attacks in Eilat, Israel. In a statement, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) said of particular concern is that these attacks appear to be connected....... 53-year-old robber caught after chase Police have arrested a 53-year-old Chinese man who preyed on elderly victims in two separate robbery cases in Bedok. On June 13, at about 9.35am, a 73-year-old woman was robbed inside a lift at Blk 34 Bedok South. He had snatched........ Philip Morris Singapore acquitted of unlawful cigarette advertising Tobacco company, Philip Morris Singapore, was acquitted, today, of the second of two charges of unlawfully advertising cigarettes. Had it been convicted of the offences, the firm could have been fined a maximum of S$10,000 for each........ Downtown Line 3 station names announced The Land Transport Authority (LTA) has announced the final names for the Downtown Line 3 (DTL3) stations. These names were put to a public poll in June and attracted more than 3,000 responses. All the names reflect the........ Dr Tony Tan reaches out to Indian community at Tekka Market Dr Tony Tan and Mrs Tan visited Tekka Market in Little India as part of his outreach efforts where he said it was part of the President's role to foster harmony within the community. He said the response from the Indian community........

Geylang Serai redevelopment plans unveiled Redeveloping the Malay Village. Building wide pedestrian malls along Geylang Road. Giving Tanjong Katong Complex a facelift. These are among the plans for the redevelopment of Geylang Serai, which were unveiled by the Ministry of........     Escapee jailed additional 7 months after brother turns him in SINGAPORE : An inmate who escaped from custody was sentenced to an additional seven months' jail on Friday, after being re-arrested when his brother turned him in two-and-a-half months ago...... PE: President more influential than MP, says Tan Kin Lian Presidential candidate Tan Kin Lian says the President's Office will exert more influence than a Member of Parliament...... PE: Not necessary for offices of PM and President to be separated: Tony Tan Presidential hopeful Dr Tony Tan said the question of whether the offices of the Prime Minister and the President should share the same location is just a matter of "geography"...... S'pore contributes US$50,000 to Horn of Africa relief efforts The Singapore government will be contributing US$50,000 to support famine relief efforts in the Horn of Africa...... New Permanent Secretary for PMO Mr Benny Lim, Permanent Secretary for Home Affairs, will be concurrently appointed as Permanent Secretary in the Prime Minister's Office with effect from 1 September...... Robber who preyed on elderly arrested Police have arrested a 53-year-old Chinese man who preyed on elderly victims...... MFA condemns attacks in Israel Singapore unequivocally condemns all acts of terrorism, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) said on Friday in response to the terrorist attacks in Eilat, Israel...... PE: Tan Jee Say to hold rally on Aug 23 The police have issued the first Presidential Election rally permit...... Philip Morris Singapore acquitted of unlawful cigarette advertising Tobacco company Philip Morris Singapore was acquitted on Friday of the second of two charges of unlawfully advertising cigarettes...... Singapore to host library congress in 2013 Singapore has won the bid to host the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA) World Library and Information Congress to be held in August 2013, announced by the National Library Board (NLB) on Friday...... PE: President's custodial responsibilities are important: Tony Tan Presidential candidate Dr Tony Tan said the custodial responsibilities of the president are an extremely important part of Singapore's economic governance, especially over the use of the country's financial reserves...... LTA unveils station names of Downtown Line 3 The Land Transport Authority (LTA) has announced the final names for the Downtown Line 3 (DTL3) stations......